The three of them went to Fuyun Xuan together. As Xie Jiang was free, Xu Hengyi suggested they go lotus root digging.
The lake at the Marquis of Nanhai's estate was full of lotus flowers in the summer, and it was now the season for ripe lotus roots. Yesterday, while boating on the lake, they had overheard a servant from the Marquis of Nanhai's estate say that they could start harvesting lotus roots in a few days.
Xia Zeshi and Lu Yuqing were eager to try. They had missed out on digging sweet potatoes, and digging lotus roots together should be quite fun. "If we go digging now, we can still make it in time for a lotus root feast at noon."
"The lotus roots we dig out of the lake ourselves will surely taste even better," Xu Hengyi said, rubbing his hands together and declaring he was ready to get into the water.
Xie Jiang raised an eyebrow slightly and gave him a meaningful look.
Xu Hengyi's smile slowly froze. What did Xie Jiang mean by staring at him like that? Was there something wrong with him going into the water to dig for roots?
Xu Hengyi felt that Xie Jiang was doubting his practical skills! Did he look like someone who couldn't distinguish the five grains or was completely unaccustomed to physical labor?
It was just digging lotus roots! Although he had never done it before, how difficult could it be?
Xie Jiang instructed the servants to prepare. They could do whatever they wanted, as everyone was idle anyway. It was a pleasure that came knocking on their door, so why not take advantage of it?
Xia Zeshi opened his mouth, wanting to suggest they forget about it. Xie Jiang's smile earlier had sent shivers down his spine; he worried she might be plotting something mischievous.
But Xu Hengyi had already run out, eager to prove himself.
Xia Zeshi could only swallow his words. He couldn't understand why digging lotus roots needed proving anything. Was it to prove how suited he was for farm work?
The former residence of Prince Qing had been uninhabited for many years. Although the Imperial Household Department sent people to repair the houses regularly throughout the year, an unoccupied mansion lacked daily maintenance. A vast lake was covered by 接天莲叶 (jietian lianye - lotus leaves reaching the sky) for a third of its area.
Since Prince Qing's mansion was renamed the Marquis of Nanhai's estate, a significant portion of Tian Kangtai's time had been spent overseeing the craftsmen as they repaired various parts of the residence. How could the young master's future residence in the capital be subpar?
It was rare to have such a large lake in the estate, so it definitely needed to be properly managed.
The lotus and water lilies in the lake had grown too much and too chaotically. Tian Kangtai planned to clear them out and reorganize the area.
Hearing that the young master and several young lords had a sudden urge to experience digging lotus roots, Tian Kangtai had people cordon off a shallow area for them to play.
Tian Kangtai had also prepared several sharkskin garments for the young master and the young lords to wear when they went into the water to dig for roots. However, upon seeing the young master kick the Fifth Prince and Young Lord Lu into the water, while he himself sat cross-legged on a small boat, showing no intention of joining them in digging, Tian Kangtai silently put away the sharkskin waterproof clothes.
"Xie Jiang! You son of a—"
Xu Hengyi plunged face-first into the mud, only his legs struggling on the water's surface. Yi Shan and Yi Shui, startled, jumped in with splashes and managed to pull him out of the mud.
Using the now-turbid lake water, the two of them wiped the mud from Xu Hengyi's face. Xu Hengyi coughed and gagged for a long time before spitting out the mud from his mouth.
Immediately after, Xu Hengyi's furious roar echoed through the sky.
"Xie Jiang, you beast—"
He had almost died!
He had almost suffocated in the mud!
The three of them had been kicked into the water by Xie Jiang without even changing their clothes! Although they didn't know about the existence of such a good thing as sharkskin waterproof clothes in the Marquis of Nanhai's estate, they should have at least changed into clothes that were convenient for work and for digging lotus roots in the mud!
Xia Zeshi and Lu Yuqing were not faring any better. Their attendants were terrified and jumped into the water one after another like dumplings being thrown into a pot to rescue them.
Lu Yuqing was completely stunned, not understanding what had happened at all. Xu Hengyi's roar seemed to remind him that Xie Jiang had kicked him down?
"Marquis Xie, you kicked us? Why did you kick us?"
Xia Zeshi wiped the mud from his eyelids and glanced at the small boat. Seeing Xie Jiang lounging with her hands behind her head, he understood.
There was no reason.
Why else would Xie Jiang kick them into the water?
Xie Jiang had suddenly felt like kicking them.
So, she had lifted her foot.
If anyone else had treated him this way, Xia Zeshi would never have let it go. But who could he blame when it was Xie Jiang?
Xia Zeshi found that he couldn't get angry. The words that came to his lips were soft and weak.
"Xie Jiang, next time you kick us down, can you give us a heads-up!"
Xu Hengyi always called Xie Jiang by her full name, which sounded much more intimate than "Young Master Xie." Xia Zeshi secretly followed suit.
He had known Xie Jiang for so long; they must have some sort of friendship by now, right?
Lu Yuqing could hardly believe his ears. What was the Fifth Prince saying? There would be a next time for something like this? He must not have cleaned the mud out of his ears properly.
And what was with this cowardly tone?
Lu Yuqing even wanted to remind Xia Zeshi, "You are the Fifth Prince! You are your father's son, you can be tough with anyone!"
"Dilly-dallying about getting into the water, with the likes of you, you won't even get to eat the lotus root feast tonight. I'm kindly helping you out, so hurry up and get to work! Xu Hengyi, your skin is itching, why are you shouting so loudly?"
"You beast, you're clearly trying to rob and murder!"
Xu Hengyi held the mud in his hands and painstakingly moved through the muck, step by step towards Xie Jiang.
Suddenly, Xu Hengyi's malice surged. His throat still held the strong stench of rotten mud. He almost threw up his breakfast. He wanted Xie Jiang to taste the muddy water of the lake too!
Xie Jiang's face was so fair, so tender, so beautiful. If he smeared mud all over it, would she still be so arrogant?
Imagining Xie Jiang's face covered in mud, Xu Hengyi felt an unspeakable excitement. He felt a sense of pleasure in destroying a peerless treasure!
Xu Hengyi felt his mentality was a bit like a pervert's?
But who told Xie Jiang to be so detestable?
Always bullying them!
Why couldn't they bully Xie Jiang back?
"Do you have money?" Xie Jiang sneered.
"..."
At this moment, Xu Hengyi not only wanted to smear her face with mud, but he also wanted to stuff the mud into her mouth! This scoundrel always hit people specifically in the face!
Xie Jiang lay on the small boat with her eyes narrowed, her posture graceful and leisurely, seemingly unaware of Xu Hengyi's approach.
Xu Hengyi felt that the mud in his hands was still not enough. He crouched down and dug for more with his bare hands for a while, then gritted his teeth and cupped enough mud to approach the boat.
Lu Yuqing and Xia Zeshi had already understood Xu Hengyi's intention.
Xia Zeshi opened his mouth but did not offer any advice. Since he was going to be hit anyway, perhaps Xu Hengyi would feel better if he got his revenge before being hit?
Lu Yuqing supported Xu Hengyi's counterattack in his heart. They had all come to dig lotus roots together. Since they were covered in mud, why should Xie Jiang remain clean and untouched?
Let's share the mud.
Just as the two held their breath, waiting for Xie Jiang to be startled by the sudden attack and start roaring, they saw Xie Jiang seem to move. Immediately after, Xu Hengyi was struck by a bamboo pole moving so fast that only a blur remained, and he was sent flying.
"Ah—"
While flying through the air, Xu Hengyi was still thinking, how did she discover his malicious intent? She had her eyes narrowed and hadn't even looked at him!
"Young Master—"
Yi Shan and Yi Shui hurried towards another direction to rescue him.