Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 231 Listening to the Qin at Zuiyue Pavilion

It was just past noon, and the sun was still blazing.

Lin Chen stood under the second gate porch, shading his eyes with his hand as he looked up at the sky, squinting from the glare.

"This damn weather, it's autumn but it's still like the hottest days of summer," Lin Chen complained, tugging at his newly tailored moon-white robe.

"That's the worst thing about this world. You can't wear tank tops and flip-flops, you can't go shirtless. It's so annoying."

The maidservant beside her, holding a folding fan and gently waving it, couldn't understand "flip-flops" and "tank top," but she could understand "bare-chested." She smiled slightly and said:

"Eighth Master, if the Old Madam hears you say that, she'll say you're being irresponsible again."

"That's why I only brought it up while she was napping," Lin Chen said with a playful grin, gently pinching the maid's cheek.

"Would you secretly tattle on someone?"

The maid's cheeks flushed red, and she shook her head repeatedly, "This servant wouldn't dare—and wouldn't know how!"

"Good boy, you deserve a reward!"

As Lin Chen spoke, he took out a silver note from his pocket and stuffed it into the maid's collar.

The maid's eyes lit up instantly. "Thank you for the reward, Eighth Master!"

Just then, footsteps came from the passageway.

Zhao Mingyue changed into a lotus-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her hair was styled in a gentle bun, and she only wore a white magnolia hairpin.

She was waving a round fan in her hand, and as she walked over, she brought with her a faint scent of roses.

"My husband has been waiting for a long time."

"I didn't wait." Lin Chen reached out to help her down the steps. "I was just studying whether today's sun is rounder or flatter than yesterday's."

Zhao Mingyue paused for a moment, then covered her mouth and laughed, "So, the research has yielded results?"

"It's rounder now," Lin Chen said seriously, "but it's so hot it makes you dizzy."

Liu Shengxue followed half a step behind Zhao Mingyue.

Today, she unusually ditched her layered Dongli gowns and changed into a pale yellow shirt. Her hair was simply styled with a silver hairpin.

Seeing her approach, Lin Chen looked her up and down, then whistled.

"Oh, this outfit is quite plain. People who know you might say you're going out to listen to music, but others might think I, Lin Chen, am abusing you!"

Liu Shengxue paused, "My husband is right, I will go and change right away."

"Change what?" Lin Chen waved his hand. "Just kidding. It's pretty good. Let's go."

Liu Shengxue raised her head, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

"Thank you, my husband."

Zhao Mingyue, who had witnessed everything clearly, waved her round fan but did not point it out. She simply asked gently:

"Husband, is the carriage ready?"

"It's all ready." Lin Chen walked out. "That kid Lin Wu drove the carriage himself; he's very reliable."

The three of them went out through the second gate.

A luxurious blue-curtained carriage was parked outside the mansion gate, and the interior was incredibly spacious.

Lin Wu sat on the carriage shaft and, seeing people come out, quickly put down a footstool.

Lin Chen first helped Zhao Mingyue into the car, then glanced back at Liu Shengxue.

As Liu Shengxue was climbing up, she suddenly saw Lin Chen reach out and grab her elbow, causing her to freeze instantly.

"Watch where you're going," Lin Chen said calmly. "If you stumble and fall, people will say I'm mistreating you."

"...Yes." Liu Shengxue lowered her head and crawled into the carriage, her ears turning red.

Zhao Mingyue sat on the left side of the carriage, taking in all of this.

She didn't say anything, but she waved the fan in her hand more slowly.

The carriage started moving.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, making a regular rumbling sound.

The three people in the carriage remained silent for a moment.

Zhao Mingyue looked out the window at the street scene.

Liu Shengxue lowered his eyes, placed his hands on his knees, and sat upright as if he were waiting for an imperial decree in the court.

Lin Chen leaned back on the soft pillow, crossed his legs, and yawned listlessly.

"Husband," Zhao Mingyue broke the silence first.

"I've heard that Mr. Bai's piano skills have become increasingly superb lately. Has his cultivation improved greatly?"

"Maybe!" Lin Chen chuckled. "I haven't asked about her in a long time either."

"That Mr. Bai..." Liu Shengxue asked softly, "What is his background?"

Lin Chen glanced at Liu Shengxue sideways.

Liu Shengxue immediately said, "I misspoke."

"Go ahead and ask, I didn't say anything about you." Lin Chen changed his posture, switching the side of his leg from crossed to the other.

"You wouldn't understand Mr. Bai's background even if I told you, but anyway, he plays the zither well and his cultivation is also quite good."

Lin Chen paused, then added, "You'll see when you see it."

Liu Shengxue nodded and did not ask any further questions.

Zhao Mingyue gently waved her fan and said:

"Mr. Bai, like Mr. Yuan, is my husband's subordinate."

Lin Chen chuckled: "We're all friends, what's this about subordinates?"

Zhao Mingyue looked at Lin Chen, smiled, and said nothing more.

The carriage arrived at Zuiyue Pavilion quickly.

The servants at the gate, seeing the carriage from afar, took off running inside.

When Lin Chen lifted the curtain, Dongfang Bubai was already waiting at the door.

……

Today, Dongfang Bubai wore a dark blue robe, with his hair loose and only loosely tied up with a hairpin.

His features are delicate yet heroic, making it difficult to tell his gender at a glance.

She stood at the doorway, bowing slightly.

"My lord."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was clearly delivered to everyone's ears.

Lin Chen jumped off the carriage and patted off non-existent dust from the hem of his clothes.

"Mr. Bai, aren't you wearing your red dress today?"

Dongfang Bubai remained calm. "We have guests today, so it's not advisable to be too ostentatious."

"Oh, a guest?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "What kind of deity is he?"

"Lady Mingyue." Dongfang Bubai raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Mingyue's face before falling back down.

"The other one... Lady Yagyu. Since Your Majesty has brought two ladies with you, I should behave myself."

Lin Chen immediately laughed, "Okay, you know how to handle things."

He turned back and reached into the carriage, saying, "Mingyue, we've arrived."

Zhao Mingyue, supported by Lin Chen, got out of the car and nodded to Dongfang Bubai in greeting.

"Mr. Bai."

"Madam Mingyue." Dongfang Bubai returned the greeting. Now that she had entered the Lin family, she was practically half a mistress to her.

Yagyu Yuki was the last to get off the train.

As soon as she landed, she felt a gaze fall on her, not heavy, but clear.

She looked up and met Dongfang Bubai's eyes.

Those eyes were extremely dark, unfathomable.

Yagyu Yuki felt a slight chill run down his spine—this person was even stronger than Yagyu Wei Jian Sheng?

"Lady Yagyu." Dongfang Bubai looked away and bowed slightly.

"Mr. Bai," Liu Shengxue returned the greeting with a dignified posture.

Lin Chen watched the whole thing from the sidelines.

He smacked his lips. "Alright, enough with the pleasantries, let's go in!"

Dongfang Bubai stepped aside to lead the way.

The group went straight up to the music room on the third floor.

Lin Chen plopped down in the main seat and casually poured himself a cup of tea.

"Sit down, everyone. What are you standing for?"

Zhao Mingyue sat down to Lin Chen's left, while Liu Shengxue hesitated for a moment before sitting down to his right.

Dongfang Bubai did not sit down, but stood by the door.

Lin Chen took a sip of tea and looked up at her:

"Why are you standing? We're not strangers. Sit down."

Dongfang Bubai then sat down at the last seat.

The servant entered silently, served tea and snacks, and then left silently.

Lin Chen picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, took a bite, and mumbled:

"Mr. Bai, is today's music recital a solo performance or a variety show?"

Dongfang Bubai said, "A special performance."

"Wow." Lin Chen stuffed the remaining half of the cake into his mouth. "Then I've made it just in time."

Zhao Mingyue gently tugged at Lin Chen's sleeve, "Husband, it's impolite to talk while eating."

"Why be so elegant on my own turf?" Lin Chen swallowed, took a sip of tea to smooth his throat.

"Besides, there are no outsiders here."

Liu Shengxue sat quietly, but his gaze slowly swept around the music room.

The landscape painting on the wall was signed with an obscure handwriting that she didn't recognize.

The white plum blossoms on the table, made of silk, had petals with such exquisite detail that they were almost indistinguishable from real ones.

And the low table beneath him, with its fine wood grain and cool touch, was actually made from a single piece of thousand-year-old agarwood—

She looked away, her mind racing.

This Drunken Moon Pavilion is even more mysterious than the outside world says.

"Yagyu."

Lin Chen suddenly called out names.

Yagyu Yuki sat up straight: "Husband."

"What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?" Lin Chen rested his chin on his hand, lazily looking at Liu Shengxue.

"Do you find it stuffy in this room?"

"No," Liu Shengxue said softly. "I was just wondering what Mr. Bai's zither would be like."

"Want to know?" Lin Chen raised his chin at Dongfang Bubai.

"Mr. Bai, give us a performance!"

"good!"