Chapter 7 is also not very clear to me

What is wrong with her

Just as I was about to pull her aside to say something affectionate, Aunt Hu suddenly changed the subject and asked, "Sir, is the lady alright now?"

Years of living in comfort and luxury have not rendered him as corpulent and repulsive as many officials. Thanks to good dietary habits and intentional self-care, his physique remains quite well-maintained. He sports a meticulously trimmed short beard of about an inch in length beneath his jaw, which gives him an air of elegance and clarity, often earning him compliments from others

Aunt Hu lowered her head, her face showing fear, "Sir, you might as well ask the madam, as there are some matters I am not very clear about, and I am afraid I might not explain them well."

Aunt Hu remained unmoved, sitting in front of the dressing table and adjusting her appearance once more. It was only when she saw a middle-aged man enter through the mirror that she hurriedly turned around, stood up, and smiled sweetly, "The master has returned"

Aunt Hu, however, rose calmly, sneering, "It wasn't me who provoked him. Hurry up and tidy up the place; who knows, the master might come back tonight!"

Zhang Zhizhi's face had already turned as pale as water; he slammed the table heavily, causing the pure white lotus cup to fall to the ground with a loud crash, shattering into pieces.

Aunt Hu had a troubled expression on her face, and after a long pause, she finally spoke, "The situation is as follows: when I woke up from my afternoon nap today, I went as usual to pay my respects to the lady. However, when I arrived outside the lady's courtyard and took a look, the lady..."

Aunt Hu smiled and said, "It's just watermelon juice squeezed from fine gauze, nothing too difficult, though it does require some effort. If you like it, I can prepare some for you regularly in the future"

She turned her waist and went out. Before long, she indeed returned with a small tea tray in the shape of a begonia flower, on which rested a snow-white eight-petaled lotus cup, pleasing to the eye.

Zhang Zhizhi shouted, "Continue speaking!"

For a moment, it seemed as if he regretted his words, covering his mouth and falling silent. Zhang Zhizhi immediately pressed on, "What happened at home?"

Yinzi did not quite understand why Aunt Hu was helping Zhang Qingting. Just as she was about to ask further, she heard a little maid report from the courtyard, "The master has arrived"

"Master, please do not be angry!" Aunt Hu was so frightened that she fell to her knees. Later, the lady struck the servants in the third young lady's room and insisted on punishing the third young lady as well, shouting for someone to come and sell them, which scared the fourth young lady to tears! I, seeing that things were not going well and fearing there might be some misunderstanding, stepped forward to offer a few words of advice. Unexpectedly, the lady, perhaps having stood under the hot sun for too long, fainted from the heat! It frightened us all terribly, but later we heard from the doctor that it was nothing serious, which relieved our worries. The doctor only advised that she should rest quietly, and we did not dare to disturb her, so we returned. That is how things unfolded."

Nonsense! He turned his head, slammed the door curtain, and walked out!

As Zhang Zhizhi entered the door, he was greeted by his charming and enchanting concubine, whose laughter and words filled the air. The admiration and affection she felt seemed to emanate from her very being, giving the man an extraordinary sense of accomplishment

Zhang Zhizhi was taken aback. Seeing his expression, Aunt Hu immediately realized that he had come straight to her after returning to the residence. She felt delighted inside but pretended to be surprised on her face, "Has the master not yet gone to see the madam?"

What? ... The silver is stunned, the master he ...? ... Can he still come?

Zhang Zhizhi raised an eyebrow and smiled, "What scheme do you have this time?"

She is currently hitting the board with the people in the third young lady's room

A bowl of refreshing watermelon juice has brightened my mood even more, and I can see your thoughtfulness in this small gesture. The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and since you have just arrived in the capital, you have been cooped up at home without exploring anywhere. Tomorrow, take the girl out for a stroll, make a few new outfits, and if you find any jewelry you like, get a few pieces as well. I will have the accountant provide you with some silver.

Zhang Zhizhi, upon hearing her words, felt a slight craving for something sweet and sour. However, having already consumed all the mung bean soup and sour plum soup, and finding the thought of eating watermelon troublesome due to the seeds, she couldn't help but frown slightly. "Forget it, just a cup of tea will do."

Aunt Hu made him sit down, saying, "Even if I have a few mischievous ideas, they are all intended to please the master!"

As Aunt Hu approached, she caught the scent of alcohol on him. She helped loosen his outer garment and kindly asked, "Sir, have you been drinking? Are you thirsty? Would you like some fruits or green bean and sour plum soup?"

Yinzi hurried over to help Aunt Hu, exclaiming, "My goodness! How could you bring this up with the master? Look what you've done; you've really angered him!"

Madam Hu smiled even more charmingly, "Thank you, my lord! However, since it is the Mid-Autumn Festival, I believe the household expenses are quite substantial. Moreover, everything during the festival is two coins more expensive than usual. I still have two sets of old clothes brought from Yangzhou, which have not been worn in the residence, and they will suffice for the occasion. If my lord truly cares for me, please have this noted down by the steward. I can wait until after the Mid-Autumn Festival to have them made, and it will be the same."

Everyone laughed and teased, and although Zhang Zhizhi appeared to be smiling playfully, deep down, he was not entirely pleased. Such a beauty, even if she comes from a humble background, is merely a concubine; yet, taking her out to meet others still brings considerable prestige.

The servant acknowledged promptly, hurriedly responding and went to lift the door curtain

Today, I attended a banquet with several colleagues. Because I wore a rather elegant outfit, others praised me for looking significantly younger lately. Someone jokingly remarked, "This must be due to the beautiful woman that Lord Zhang has recently taken in. You should be the one treating us today!"

Aunt Hu observed his expression and understood his intention. She smiled and said, "If the master does not mind, I can prepare a similar small drink. It will only take a moment; would you mind waiting a little?"

Zhang Zhizhi's expression darkened, "What is the matter?"

Aunt Hu immediately composed herself and said, "You must not speak carelessly with *Tu* and *Shu* later, do you understand?"

Zhang Zhizhi was very pleased to hear this. It is often said that older men marry younger women merely for wealth, but hearing what Aunt Hu said, it was clear that she genuinely wanted to live a life together with him

Zhang Zhizhi, the Minister of the Ministry of Imperial Horse from the Southern Kang Kingdom, is currently forty-six years old, an age approaching the time of knowing one's destiny. Naturally, his attitude towards life and interpersonal relations has become much more smooth and tactful.

This... I am not very clear about it either, I only vaguely heard that the Third Young Lady wanted to elope but was caught by the Second Young Master. However, this is quite strange; how could the Third Young Lady, a young lady who has never stepped out of the door, possibly climb over a wall? If we say it is not true, then the Second Young Master surely would not lie. Moreover, the Madam has always been fair in her dealings and would never indiscriminately accuse someone without reason

The more she acted this way, the more Zhang Zhizhi insisted on pressing for answers, "Speak!"

Seeing Zhang Zhizhi's expression growing increasingly gloomy, Aunt Hu desperately twisted the silk cloth in her hands, becoming more and more anxious. "Did I... did I say something wrong?"

Zhang Zhizhi took a look and felt a slight chill in his hand from a cup of bright red, fragrant juice. Just looking at it made him feel refreshed. Upon tasting it, however, it turned out to be watermelon juice. He couldn't help but smile, "You really thought of everything!"