Knowing the Warmth of Southern Tea (GL) - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“Master, the clothes are ready.” Wen Cha, drifting off in the water, was startled awake by a man’s voice. She shivered violently, instantly alert.

“Where is the person?” Nan Nuan opened her eyes and asked casually. She was certain that person would arrive. After all, she had sent a unique item to prove her identity; whether it was true or false, they would surely come.

“He has arrived, alone. Please rest assured, Master.”

“In that case, you may withdraw.” Nan Nuan saw Wen Cha hugging herself tightly and submerging into the water, terrified of being seen. Having no intention of scaring her, Nan Nuan waved her hand and dismissed the guard.

“Are there others? Have your hidden guards been here the whole time?” Wen Cha asked. If they had been there, wouldn’t she have been seen completely?

“He just arrived,” Nan Nuan explained. In truth, there were always people near Nan Nuan, but there was no need to tell Wen Cha that.

“That’s a relief. You don’t know—my mother told me that if an outsider sees a girl’s feet, she has to marry him.” This was a custom in some of the border tribes.

“Oh.” Nan Nuan didn’t reply. She had some understanding of these things—silver rings around the neck, water jars outside the door to indicate the number of wives—they were all local customs beyond judgment.

Nan Nuan rose from the water and changed into female attire. It was a ruqun (traditional jacket and skirt) in the Jiangnan style, which perfectly accentuated a woman’s silhouette.

“Wow.” Wen Cha stared fixedly, afraid to miss a single detail, and swallowed hard. Perhaps because she had seen Nan Nuan in male clothing so often, seeing her in a dress felt like seeing a goddess descended to earth.

“Do I look good?” Nan Nuan was very satisfied with Wen Cha’s reaction. After all, it was a compliment to a woman’s beauty. However, if a man had stared like that, Nan Nuan likely would have gouged his eyes out.

“Mhm, mhm! You look good whether you’re wearing clothes or not. What was that old Central Plains saying… ‘A person like jade on a path’…”

“‘A person like jade on a path, a young master unparalleled in the world,'” Nan Nuan finished the sentence. She felt a slight disdain for Wen Cha’s poor grasp of the language.

“Yes, yes, yes! Xiao Nuan, you are so beautiful. It’s such a waste for you to wear men’s clothes.” Wen Cha spoke sincerely. To be this beautiful without even a trace of powder or rouge—the difference between her male and female appearance was staggering. Wen Cha likely didn’t know about the art of makeup; when Nan Nuan dressed as a man, she deliberately obscured her feminine features.

Naturally, Nan Nuan wouldn’t tell her that she also used disguises when in male attire. A woman with an overly masculine face or a man with a feminine face would inevitably cause a stir.

“Get dressed. You’re coming with me to meet someone,” Nan Nuan said, tossing clothes to Wen Cha in the water. Wen Cha caught them.

“Meet who?”

“The top scholar of the Imperial Examination, the Governor of Bingzhou—Jiang He.”

…

Wen Cha changed into her clothes. The Jiangnan style suited her well, though she felt a bit awkward wearing it for the first time.

The two left the courtyard and boarded a carriage, heading toward the largest brothel in the eastern city, the Chunfeng Pavilion. On the way, Nan Nuan warned Wen Cha to keep quiet to prevent any accidents.

Upon arriving at the pavilion, they entered through the back door. The madam led them to a private guest room.

Opening the door, they saw a man standing by the window, looking at the scenery below. He managed to make a brothel feel like a high, scholarly tower. He truly was a “person like jade on a path, a young master unparalleled in the world.”

Hearing the door, Jiang He turned around. He gave Nan Nuan a polite smile. He was indeed a graceful gentleman.

“Master Jiang, it has been a long time.”

Wen Cha had always heard Nan Nuan speak in a neutral, androgynous voice; this was the first time she heard her female voice. Normally, she should have been surprised, but for some reason, she felt a bit uncomfortable. Why doesn’t she speak to me that tenderly?

“It has indeed been a long time, Miss Nan Nuan. Please, have a seat!” Jiang He replied. He immediately stepped forward to lead Nan Nuan to her seat, carefully brushing the dust off the stool with his sleeve.

Wen Cha glared at Jiang He. From his movements, she could tell he liked Nan Nuan—liked her a lot, there was no doubt about it. Wen Cha always trusted her intuition; her gut had saved her at several life-or-death moments.

“Many thanks.” Nan Nuan nodded to Jiang He and sat down. She had long been aware of this man’s feelings, but those on different paths cannot plot together. She believed Jiang He understood this as well.

“And this is?” Jiang He had noticed the person following behind them since they entered. Seeing as Wen Cha was staring intensely at him and Nan Nuan hadn’t introduced her, he asked curiously.

“My maid. Cha Cha, come here and greet Master Jiang.” Nan Nuan didn’t want to explain the complicated truth to Jiang He, so she told a casual lie. Jiang He could see through it but didn’t press for details.

Wen Cha walked over reluctantly. Nan Nuan thought she was just sulking about being called a “maid” and didn’t pay it much mind.

“Greetings, Master Jiang,” Wen Cha said. Though reluctant, she didn’t want to cause trouble for Nan Nuan. She gave a bow, but since she wasn’t a native of the Great Rui, the gesture wasn’t quite standard.

“No need. Miss Nan Nuan, why are you in Bingzhou? When I received the invitation, I couldn’t believe it was you until I saw your private seal.” Jiang He said. Men, officials, and high-ranking nobles all had private seals to represent themselves. These seals were vital and generally not held by women; even if they were, they were usually for private use. But Nan Nuan was different—as the daughter of the General’s Manor and deeply loved by her father, her private seal bore the unique emblem of the Manor and was impossible to forge.

“Just call me Nan Nuan. I am here in Bing City to offer sacrifices to my ancestors by my father’s order. Hearing you were here, I came to pay my respects,” Nan Nuan said. He gets to call her Nan Nuan? Even I haven’t called her Nan Nuan yet, and I only just found out she’s a girl today.

“If that is so, why did Nan Nuan ask to meet me here?” Jiang He countered. This lie was so easily pierced; it was a bit half-hearted. Offering sacrifices? It wasn’t the Qingming Festival, nor the Ghost Festival, nor the end of the year—where did this “sacrifice” come from? Even if it were true, the one coming should have been Young Master Nan Wei, not Nan Nuan. Furthermore, meeting in secret clearly meant she didn’t want others to know; if it were a family sacrifice, why be so secretive?

“I heard you were in trouble. I came specifically to help you.” Nan Nuan stated her purpose. She knew her excuse was flimsy, but her intention to help was genuine. She had just received some very interesting intelligence. The Crown Prince also had orders—why not do a favor while she was at it?

“Oh? Does that mean Miss Nan Nuan came here for me?”

“You can think of it that way, but no. It is merely a coincidence.”

“But I haven’t encountered any trouble. I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint Miss Nan Nuan’s kindness.”

“Is that truly so?”

“Of course.”

Most men in this world would not show weakness in front of a woman; to ask them to do so was like asking for their lives. Yet there are always things in this world that a man cannot accomplish alone. There’s no need to make things too hard on yourself for the sake of pride.