Previously, when Sheng Mingjian returned from the academy, he would usually go to Hibiscus Courtyard first to see Sheng Mingzhu.
Now, he didn’t even have the inclination to visit Hibiscus Courtyard.
Returning to the estate, he went straight into his study, picked up a book at random, glanced at it for a moment, then tossed it aside.
Jing Xing shot a glance at Gao Shan, signaling him to say something to soothe the Young Master.
But what could Gao Shan say?
Gao Shan had long discerned the Young Master’s thoughts and had a bellyful of opinions he was holding back.
In his view, when it came to women, if you liked one, you just enjoyed her a few times more…
Why did the Young Master have to torture himself like this?
Even if the Young Master overcame all obstacles and successfully married Sixth Young Lady someday, did he plan to be with only her for the rest of his life?
That was just ridiculous!
If he were the Young Master, he’d study hard when it was time to study, and curry favor with the Madam when necessary.
In the future, he’d marry a wife from a prominent family who could support his career, have her bear his children and manage the household—
As for him, he’d play as he pleased and take a few beautiful concubines…
Now that would be the life!
Speaking of which, the maids in this courtyard had all been getting restless lately…
There was one in particular, with a slender figure and considerable charm, who paraded before the Young Master every day, her eyes looking at him as if they had hooks—
Even he felt a restless itch watching from the side, yet the Young Master acted completely blind to it.
Sigh—
That night, the Young Master’s body had been so honest, yet his mind was such a tangled mess…
Still, Gao Shan felt if the Young Master kept suppressing himself like this, he might ruin his health.
And the next time he indulged, Gao Shan would have to worry and fear outside again—
“Young Master, should I summon her over?”
Gao Shan ventured to ask.
He received a glare from the Young Master, who gritted his teeth and spat out two words.
“Not. Necessary.”
Fine, as you wish. Gao Shan thought to himself.
A little later, servants began laying out the evening meal.
Pigeon soup, braised quail, black sesame and minced pork with yam porridge, stir-fried goji leaves.
There were also two dishes the Madam had specifically ordered: stewed mutton and stir-fried pork kidney.
As the dishes were brought out one by one, Jing Xing’s face changed color.
Gao Shan’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Good grief!
Every single dish on the table today was for nourishing the kidneys!
Ever since that night, the Master and Madam, fearing the Young Master had damaged his foundation, had been ordering the main kitchen to prepare aphrodisiac meals daily…
At first, the Young Master ate some, but lately, he wouldn’t touch a bite. Yet the Madam had given strict orders that he must eat them…
So, those dishes mostly ended up in his and Jing Xing’s stomachs.
Usually, there were only one or two nourishing dishes per meal. But today, the whole table was full of them—
At their vigorous, youthful age, without wives yet, their bodies simply couldn’t handle all these tonics…
Remembering how Jing Xing had soaked in cold water for half the night yesterday…
Gao Shan felt a wave of fear just looking at this spread now.
Sheng Mingjian also frowned. The estate physician had declared him fully recovered ten days ago, yet his mother, still anxious, insisted he keep eating these things…
However, this also made Sheng Mingjian feel the importance his parents placed on him.
Especially his mother; in crucial moments, she did care about him.
Sheng Mingjian didn’t know that Sheng Minmin was feeding him kidney-nourishing food precisely to encourage more “contact” with Qingxin.
As for Sheng Yong, he wanted to test whether his eldest son truly had… problematic preferences…
To that end, Sheng Yong had Dong Sheng hint to the maids in the courtyard that any girl who could become the Eldest Young Master’s woman could be promoted to concubine.
That was why the maids in the courtyard had started boldly trying to seduce Sheng Mingjian.
Seeing both attendants looking resistant, Sheng Mingjian waved his hand.
“If you don’t want to eat it, you can give it to the servants below—”
Gao Shan and Jing Xing immediately sighed with great relief. Gao Shan added,
“Young Master, what would you like instead? Jing Xing can take some money and have the main kitchen prepare something else…”
Sheng Mingjian had no appetite, but he also valued his health.
“Just have them cook a simple bowl of noodles—”
Jing Xing grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth, and went to the main kitchen.
When the main kitchen received the message that the Eldest Young Master wanted noodles, they promptly used a rich broth to prepare a bowl.
Seeing only noodles, a poached egg, and some greens in the bowl—and no strange tonic ingredients—Sheng Mingjian ate it with relief.
He had relaxed too soon.
Just after washing up and getting into bed, his body began to change.
Actually, the main kitchen staff had already received Sheng Minmin’s hint.
All the Eldest Young Master’s meals had to contain aphrodisiac ingredients. Today, the kitchen happened to have prepared a pot of nourishing soup for the Master, and they had made a bit too much.
The cook who made the soup originally planned to secretly take the leftover broth home for her own husband…
But then the Eldest Young Master suddenly wanted noodles, so the kitchen steward had someone use the leftover rich broth to cook his bowl of noodles…
Sheng Mingjian thought he had eaten a simple bowl of noodles. In reality, it was a bowl laced with “potent ingredients.”
“Gao Shan—”
Sheng Mingjian felt his throat was about to catch fire.
“Young Master, what’s wrong?”
Gao Shan hurried over and asked.
Sheng Mingjian was furious, but now wasn’t the time to deal with the cook.
“Call—”
Sheng Mingjian wanted to tell Gao Shan to summon Qingxin, but he changed his mind at the last moment.
He was a suspicious person. What if Qingxin really had done something to his body? Being with her would be too disadvantageous…
“Call that maid who’s always making eyes at me…”
Hearing this, Gao Shan instantly understood Sheng Mingjian’s predicament and went out to fetch her.
When the maid entered the room, her face full of excitement, Gao Shan stifled a yawn, squatted by the doorway, and stared up at the moon.
He felt a bit pleased, thinking the Young Master had finally come to his senses.
He even hoped that one day the Young Master would visit a brothel, so he could also get a taste of that enjoyment—
But Gao Shan’s happiness didn’t last long. Soon, the maid ran out, covering her face and sobbing—
This… was way too fast!
Gao Shan was dumbfounded, hesitating for a moment about whether to enter.
If the Young Master was embarrassed and angry, he might take it out on him.
“Gao Shan—”
The Young Master’s voice came from inside. Gao Shan had no choice but to tiptoe in, his heart in his throat.
The orange candlelight illuminated the figure on the bed. Sheng Mingjian was bare-chested, his pale chest exposed, but his face looked as if it had been smeared with soot…
“Young Master, what happened?”
Gao Shan asked cautiously.
Sheng Mingjian took several ragged breaths, afraid he might actually spit up blood.
He had just tried. He felt absolutely nothing.
Only Qingxin’s figure filled his mind.
He wished he could kill her, yet his body’s current state required her…
“Fetch that bitch, bring her here—”
——
Meanwhile, Qingxin was tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
Xiao Que had spent all day investigating but hadn’t gleaned any useful information.
The Eldest Young Master lately seemed to only go to the academy and stay in his own courtyard; he didn’t even visit Sixth Young Lady much anymore—
This was very strange, and very bad for her—
Because if the Young Master didn’t leave his courtyard, she couldn’t even find opportunities for “chance” encounters…
She couldn’t very well ambush him at the main gate, could she? What would people think?
Her mind was troubled, and the room was stifling hot. Qingxin simply couldn’t sleep…
Suddenly, Xiao Que’s voice came from outside the door. When Qingxin made out what Xiao Que was saying, she was stunned.
The Eldest Young Master had wanted to kill her before. Why would he summon her now?
But she couldn’t let any opportunity slip by. She quickly dressed and went out.
Only when she saw Gao Shan waiting outside the main door did she believe it, and a surge of delight rushed through her.
