Rebirth of the Exclusive Herbalist

After hearing the report from his subordinate, Lord Chu was in a good mood. Looking out through the window at the clear, blue sky, he pondered that Ah Qi would soon be his wife. He wondered if he should discreetly support Ah Qi’s shops. Once this thought occurred to him, it kept swirling in his mind, lingering for a long time.

After a while, Lord Chu finally suppressed the restless idea. Ah Qi’s nature was not fond of grand gestures, and he should refrain from interfering.

Otherwise, Ah Qi might end up resenting him if she found out!

“Chu Yi, the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching. Don’t you think the residence should be a bit livelier?”

Chu Yi was taken aback. Since losing his family, the Lord had not celebrated any festivals. Every year, he spent all the major holidays in the study.

“What does the Lord mean?”

Lord Chu coughed lightly into his fist and said, “My eldest brother is still in the capital for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Why don’t we invite him to the residence to celebrate together? The house is too lifeless, and it would be good to add some vitality to it.”

Chu Yi twitched his mouth: “…” The residence has so many guards, isn’t it already lively enough? If the Lord wants to see Miss Su, he can just directly invite her.

“Should I have someone send an invitation?”

Chu Yi was quick to understand, and Lord Chu nodded in satisfaction.

When Su Qingqi received the invitation letter from the Duke of Huaining, she was momentarily speechless. How could someone as wise and intelligent as Lord Chu do something so foolish?

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for family reunions. Instead of celebrating at their own residence, they were invited to the Duke of Huaining’s house, where they were not yet officially relatives. How would the Duke of Wuchang, who had a family connection, feel? How would her elder sister and brother-in-law feel?

“Elder brother, should we go to the Duke of Huaining’s residence?”

Su Zhijin frowned, pondered for a long time, and finally shook his head: “No.”

“Then what about elder sister…”

“Not going. We will celebrate here in the residence!”

Su Qingqi breathed a sigh of relief. It was better not to go. As for Su Qinghan, the brother and sister had a tacit understanding and did not mention the Duke of Huaining’s invitation. After Su Zhijin left her courtyard, Minghong came in to tidy up the hall.

Since Nanny Feng was entrusted with important tasks by Su Qingqi, Minghong had become increasingly resentful and was often inattentive in her work.

Su Qingqi initially did not notice, but later Minglan informed her. Su Qingqi realized she needed to reconsider Minghong and decided to remove her from the list of handmaidens.

However, she still gave Minghong a chance. If she could seize it, she would be reconsidered and reinstated.

At the Duke of Huaining’s residence, Lord Chu, who had been eagerly anticipating their acceptance, was taken aback when he learned that his invitation had been declined.

He was actually rejected…

Lord Chu was displeased, glaring at the large, beautifully carved double-fish lantern that he had specially made. He decided to keep this lantern, originally meant for Ah Qi, for himself!

Chu Yi: “…”

The Mid-Autumn Festival was an important holiday. As the festival approached, the servants in the Su residence were very busy. Su Qingqi and Su Qinghan were responsible for preparing the Mid-Autumn gift list and sending gifts to the three households.

The Wuchang Duke’s residence, the Huaining Duke’s residence, and the Fourth Prince all sent stewards to return the gifts after receiving them.

The residence was bustling with activity, with servants coming and going.

In Su Qingqi’s room, the incense burner on the antique shelf was lit with a jasmine-scented incense bought from Su Qinghan’s shop, emitting a faint, pleasant aroma.

Su Qingqi sat by the embroidery frame, sewing a handkerchief leisurely. She found that her skills in embroidery had greatly improved because the medicinal soups she made for Lord Chu, which required her to drink a small amount each time, had significantly enhanced her mental acuity.

Not only in embroidery, but her skills in the guqin, chess, and even books had also progressed remarkably. She could read a book at a glance and remember everything, and her calligraphy was as precise as printing, except for the brush strokes and spirit of the characters.

Drawing, closely related to embroidery, had also become her strong suit.

Su Qingqi was left speechless, reflecting on how she had missed out on so much. She used to specialize in medicinal cuisine in the modern world and had never known that making medicinal soups could rapidly improve mental abilities and develop brain function.

No wonder the older family members, over fifty, made effective medicinal soups daily and became renowned in various fields, accumulating wealth.

If she hadn’t inexplicably traveled to this world and found herself in a physically inferior body, she would never have considered making medicinal soups or discovered these secrets.

It was no wonder that family rules stipulated that after turning thirty, men and women must make medicinal soups.

Su Qingqi was lost in her thoughts when Minglan, with an unhappy expression, entered with a food box.

“Miss, the second miss has gone too far. She has excluded you from the Mid-Autumn preparations, even though the eldest master instructed that you and the second miss were to be in charge together.”

“The servants in the residence are skilled at currying favor. Although you and the second miss are of equal status, they all flock to the second miss. Many servants in our courtyard have also begun to side with the second miss.”

“Furthermore, when I went to the kitchen to get some food, the chef made excuses, saying he was busy with the osmanthus feast that the second miss instructed. It’s as if they don’t regard you at all.”

Minglan was fuming, feeling it was very unfair.

“Those who are capable should take on more work. If the second sister likes to handle everything herself, let her. If she does well, the credit will be hers; if she does poorly, the responsibility will also be hers.” Su Qingqi paused and said casually, not concerned.

“However, the people in the kitchen need to be reprimanded. I will mention it to elder brother when he returns.” With the Duke of Huaining as a backing, she no longer needed to endure everything as she had before.

The servants in the Su residence in the capital were not like those in the Jiangnan Su residence, where the rules were strict. Even though she was once an unfavored illegitimate daughter, her needs were not withheld.

Minglan grumbled again, but seeing that the young lady was truly unconcerned, she set it aside. She then took out the snacks and mentioned another matter.

“Miss, Minghong has been frequently going to the second miss’s side. When Nanny Feng needed her help, Minghong ignored her and didn’t follow your orders attentively…”

Su Qingqi, eating snacks to fill her stomach, frowned slightly upon hearing this and was silent for a moment: “Forget it, let her be.” Minghong was young and fickle, influenced by the servants in the capital, and had shifted her attention to other, higher pursuits.

It was fortunate she had not taken her to the Duke of Wuchang’s residence; otherwise, she might have caused trouble.

Seeing that the young lady had so easily dismissed the issue, Minglan gritted her teeth and reminded, “Miss, Minghong is betraying you!”

Su Qingqi chuckled lightly: “I know. Do you think my second sister would value someone who betrays their master? Besides, she can’t even pass the minor tests I give her. Such a servant, I can’t afford to keep, for fear she might stab me in the back one day.”

Minghong had brought this upon herself, and Su Qingqi would not stop her. It was just as well to remove this uncertain risk.