{"id":2939,"date":"2026-04-19T00:24:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T00:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-10\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T02:00:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T02:00:27","slug":"the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-10","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/chapter\/the-young-mistresss-little-romance-in-the-dukes-mansion-10\/","title":{"rendered":"The Young Mistress’s Little Romance in the Duke’s Mansion 10"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lu Chenglian returned to his chambers, where Yingtong and Peibai promptly came forward to greet him\u2014one helping him remove his outer robe, the other presenting him with a cup of warm tea.

As he lifted his gaze absentmindedly, he noticed a small embroidery basket resting on the low couch beside the incense burner, with a roll of new fabric folded beside it.



The fabric shimmered with a subtle luster and displayed intricate patterns, making it immediately recognizable as premium satin from the Jiangnan region.



Casually, Lu Chenglian inquired, \u201cWhere did this come from?\u201d Yingtong smiled gently, her voice soft as she replied,



“In reply to the Third Master, this is the southern brocade that arrived at the mansion a few days ago; each household received some.



I thought to make a new robe for the Third Master, so I brought it back.



As for the leftover scraps of fabric, I plan to use them with Pei Bai to create small items like pouches and sachets.” Lu Chenglian replied indifferently,



“I don\u2019t care for this pattern.



You may keep it for yourselves.” Yingtong, hearing this, smiled and said,



“Since that\u2019s the case, why not share it with the other sisters in the household?



It would be good for embroidery work.” Lu Chenglian nodded slightly, indifferent to such trivial matters.



He typically gave away such things without a second thought.



However, he seemed to recall something, glanced at the fabric, and abruptly changed the subject, asking, \u201cDid all the other houses receive this fabric as well?\u201d Yingtong replied, \u201cYes, every house got some.\u201d After hearing this, Lu Chenglian fell silent, as though the question had been merely offhand.



Yet Yingtong couldn’t shake a strange feeling\u2014she thought she had caught a fleeting glimpse of displeasure in Lu Chenglian\u2019s expression just a moment before.



After Lu Chenglian washed up, he picked up a book to read.



Yingtong trimmed the candlewick, tidied the room, then picked up her needlework to keep her hands busy.



Yet her mind dwelled on what Lu Chenglian had said moments before.



She couldn’t help but feel puzzled; nothing seemed amiss.



In the past, no matter how precious the gifts the Third Master received were, he would casually toss them aside without a second thought.



He was never stingy with such things; maids and servants in the room could all take what they wanted.



Now, it was just a piece of fabric\u2014hardly significant.



While lost in thought, she suddenly noticed Lu Chenglian glancing her way.



She quickly looked up and met his gaze.



“Master?” Lu Chenglian held the book in his hand and said indifferently,



“Your needlework has improved considerably.” Yingtong was taken aback, realizing that Lu Chenglian had misunderstood.



Peibai, who was just then tidying up the bronze mirror cover nearby, overheard this and looked over, smiling as she remarked,



“The green bamboo on this pouch is quite lovely.” Lu Chenglian looked at the pouch and nodded,



“Yes, the painting is well done, and the embroidery is excellent.” Peibai was about to say that this was sent by the sixth young mistress, but Yingtong quickly gave her a meaningful glance, and Peibai promptly stopped herself.



Lu Chenglian smiled and said,



“Her Royal Highness the Empress Dowager has always loved orchids, so to bring her some joy, this year’s spring clothing will use this pattern.” The two maids could not help but comply.



Lu Chenglian, being a man of many social engagements, was naturally more particular about his attire than others.



Each season, he needed to prepare more than a dozen sets of robes, both inner and outer, to ensure he had enough to change into.



Although most of his robes were meticulously tailored by the seamstresses in the mansion, there were times when urgent needs arose or when delicate patterns needed to be added, and it was unavoidable for a few of the nimble-fingered maids in his quarters to lend a hand with embroidery or repairs.



After the two maids retreated to the side room, Peibai found herself in a difficult situation and whispered, \u201cThis was made by the Sixth Madam\u2019s maids in her quarters.



We don\u2019t even have a sample pattern\u2014how are we supposed to work on it now?



If only we had told the Third Master directly.\u201d Yingtong replied, \u201cOf course we couldn\u2019t tell him.



The Third Master thinks it looks good, which is a compliment in itself.



If he knew this came from the hands of the Sixth Madam, he would inevitably feel embarrassed, and if the Sixth Madam found out, it would only add to the awkwardness.\u201d Peibai thought it made sense; after all, they were closely related uncle and sister-in-law, especially since she was a widowed sister-in-law.



It was only appropriate to maintain boundaries and avoid any hint of suspicion.



Yingtong furrowed her brows, pondered for a moment, and said,



“In my opinion, we should just keep this from Third Master.



Later, we can go ask Sixth Mistress for the original pattern, embroider it exactly the same, and give it to Third Master.



Wouldn\u2019t that be convenient for both sides?” Peibai nodded repeatedly,



“Sister, you’ve thought it through so thoroughly.



Let\u2019s follow your suggestion.” *********** The first day of the second lunar month was the Sun Festival.



Early in the morning, the Duke\u2019s Mansion was exceptionally lively.



Everyone went to pay respects to the Old Lady, and descendants from all branches of the family had gathered.



Afterwards, the household stewards distributed kites to each branch.



Gu Xiyan, being a widow, naturally did not wish to draw attention, nor did she feel inclined to fly any kites.



Instead, she stayed in a quiet spot, watching others fly theirs.



Today is the first day of the lunar month, and the official school is on holiday.



The young masters from various households, along with children from the clan, all come to the Duke’s residence to collect kites.



Afterward, they fly them in the rear garden of the residence.



Colorful kites of various shapes and sizes floated gracefully, filling the azure sky.



Gu Xiyan looked up, gazing steadily as those magnificent kites seemed ready to drift beyond the confines of the courtyard.



Just as I was watching, I felt a gaze fixated on me.



Her body stiffened for a moment before she slowly turned her gaze, spotting Lu Chenglian standing beneath the weeping willows by the lake, holding a large



“Dragon-eye Fish” kite in his hands.



The gentle February sunlight spilled down, casting its glow on the man\u2019s strikingly handsome and resolute face.



She couldn\u2019t quite make out the expression in his eyes, but they seemed deep and faintly amused, fixed on her.



There was nothing truly shameful about the situation, yet Gu Xiyan\u2019s heart fluttered in panic, and she instinctively turned her face away.



Lu Chenglian raised a brow slightly and, from a distance, mouthed the words: Come over.



His demeanor carried a hint of arrogance.



Gu Xiyan thought about turning away with pride, but considering she was the one asking for a favor, she still took a step forward.



With her head slightly lowered, she pursed her lips and replied with respect and gentleness,



“Third Master.” Lu Chenglian asked,



“Was the kite that beautiful?” Recalling her earlier foolishness of staring up at the kite, Gu Xiyan reluctantly admitted,



“It was just alright.” Lu Cheng Lian:



“Yesterday, I entered the palace and happened to run into Lord Chen from the Salt and Iron Commission, so I casually inquired about the case in Ningzhou Prefecture.” Gu Xiyan immediately looked up, her eyes wide open as she stared at Lu Cheng Lian.



Lu Cheng Lian, seeing her expectant expression, continued:



“The case was initially raised by the Ministry of Revenue in a memorial, pointing out significant loopholes in the tax regulations at various checkpoints, with merchants and boat operators concealing goods and evading taxes.



As a result, the court ordered Lord Chen from the Salt and Iron Commission to patrol along the waterways and issued directives requiring all checkpoints to conduct rigorous inspections, meticulously verifying all cargo on board.



This investigation has implicated dozens of shipping companies, and now both large and small vessels are suspended pending further examination.” He said calmly,



“As for your uncle\u2019s merchant ship, it happens to be on the list of detained vessels.



The case file has already been submitted to His Majesty, and any resolution must await official documents from the Ministry of Revenue before it can be concluded.” Upon hearing these words, Gu Xiyan grew very concerned.



The case had alarmed the emperor himself, making it unlikely to be resolved easily.



Anxiously, she asked,



“What should we do then?



Does this mean not only will the ships and cargo be detained, but we\u2019ll also be held accountable for concealing and evading taxes?” Lu Chenglian leaned slightly forward, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her.



Gu Xiyan was taken aback, momentarily bewildered.



She felt this person\u2019s words were always cryptic, like speaking in riddles, and she simply couldn\u2019t grasp what he meant.



Unfortunately, since she was seeking a favor from him, it wouldn’t be appropriate to push too bluntly.



In the end, she could only lower her head and whisper softly,



“I beg Third Master to enlighten me.” Yet Lu Chenglian still remained silent.



She felt as though his gaze swept over her skirt.



The hem of her skirt billowed and fell with the breeze.



At that moment, she felt utterly embarrassed.



What kind of skirt was she wearing?



Did it fit properly?



Was it too old-fashioned?



Had the frayed edges been mended?



What pattern is embroidered on it?



Is it still decent and clean?



Amidst these swirling thoughts, she heard a voice\u2014the man was asking her a question.



“Didn’t the manor recently issue a batch of new fabric?



Why haven’t you made a new dress?” Gu Xiyan’s heart pounded wildly.



She clenched her fists and whispered,



“That fabric isn’t really suitable for me…



I don’t like it.” Lu Chenglian:



“Oh?



You don’t like it?” Gu Xiyan lowered her head.



“Mmm.” She naturally didn’t dare say that she had already pawned it off, along with a pair of gold bracelets, with the hundred-tael banknote carefully wrapped in white silk and stored in her trunk.



He didn’t want it, so she kept it for herself.



In the evening, she fondled the gleaming silver, cool to the touch, yet it warmed her heart.



Upon hearing this, Lu Chenglian lowered his gaze with a soft laugh.



Afterwards, he looked at Gu Xiyan and raised the kite in his hand.



The wind from the lake rustled by, puffing up his wide sleeves until they billowed with a fierce, flapping sound, while the tails of the dragon-eye fish shimmered in a riot of colors, accompanied by a soft, splashing noise.



Gu Xiyan stared blankly at him, feeling that the colors were exceptionally vivid.



Suddenly, Lu Chenglian’s long fingers relaxed, and the kite slipped from his grasp.



That golden carp kite rose vividly into the air, swaying and somersaulting in the wind.



Riding the currents upward, it soon transformed into a tiny speck in the sky, vanishing without a trace.



Gu Xiyan withdrew her gaze and looked toward Lu Chenglian.



As the tender fronds of weeping willows danced gracefully, Lu Chenglian’s dark eyes fixed intently on Gu Xiyan, his thin lips parting slightly as he spoke word by word,



\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0“Yet I do precisely like it.”<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-2939","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2939"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3008,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/2939\/revisions\/3008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/my\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=2939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}