Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 69 Lake Tour

The mist, like gauze, shrouded the white walls and black tiles of Suzhou.

When Lin Chen woke up, Xiao Yulou was no longer by his side.

He slowly got up, pushed open the carved wooden window, and the moist morning breeze rushed in, carrying the unique moisture and fragrance of lotus flowers from Taihu Lake.

"Fourth Sister-in-law?" he called out.

"Here I am." Xiao Yulou walked in from the outer room, dressed in a light blue outfit, her long hair tied in a ponytail, looking neat and efficient.

"Eighth brother is awake? I had the kitchen prepare breakfast: crab roe buns and water shield soup, typical of Jiangnan cuisine."

Lin Chen stretched and said, "Fourth Sister-in-law, you're up really early."

I couldn't help but marvel at how resilient women truly are.

"It's a rare treat to be in Jiangnan, I don't want to waste my time." Xiao Yulou's eyes were filled with anticipation. "Are we really going boating on the lake today?"

"Of course," Lin Chen said with a smile. "How could I go back on my promise to Fourth Sister-in-law?"

After having breakfast, the two changed into casual clothes.

Lin Chen was still dressed like a young master.

Xiao Yulou changed into a light green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a moon-white gauze over it, losing some of her heroic spirit and gaining more of the gentle beauty of a woman from Jiangnan.

"Fourth Sister-in-law looks really good in this outfit," Lin Chen praised sincerely.

Xiao Yulou blushed slightly: "Stop being so cheeky, let's go."

Yuan Tiangang was already waiting at the entrance of the inn, and the carriage was ready.

Seeing the two of them come out, he whispered:

"My lord, we received news last night that Su Mo, the young master of the Su family, is in Suzhou."

"Su Mo?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "Didn't he go to the Northern Border? Why is he back?"

"I don't know," Yuan Tiangang said.

"However, according to Zhang Qing's investigation, the Su family has recently had some friction with the Canal Gang, and Su Mo's visit is probably related to this."

Lin Chen seemed to be deep in thought:

"The Su family is the richest family in Jiangnan, and the canal gangs dare not offend them easily. It seems that the waters of Jiangnan are more murky than we imagined."

"My lord, shall we bring guards for your lake excursion today?"

"No need." Lin Chen waved his hand. "Just take a few people and follow from a distance. Today we're accompanying Fourth Sister-in-law on a trip, I don't want to make a big fuss."

"Yes."

The carriage drove out of Suzhou and headed towards Taihu Lake.

The vast expanse of Taihu Lake is shrouded in mist, and the distant mountains appear like dark eyebrows.

Many pleasure boats, including luxurious multi-story ships and simple covered boats, are moored at the lakeside pier.

Lin Chen chose a medium-sized painted boat with carved decorations on its hull and gauze curtains hanging from it, which was neither cold nor ostentatious.

The boatman was an old man in his fifties surnamed Zhou. He had been rowing boats on Taihu Lake for thirty years and knew the lake's scenery like the back of his hand.

The painted boat slowly left the shore and sailed into the center of the lake.

"Young master, madam, look this way—" Old Man Zhou pointed into the distance.

"That's Sanshan Island, one of the three major islands in Taihu Lake. Legend has it that in ancient times, immortals refined elixirs on the island, leaving behind traces of their divine power."

Xiao Yulou leaned against the boat railing, gazing at the vast, misty lake, his eyes filled with admiration:

"It's so beautiful... It's much bigger than Dayue Lake in Beijing."

Lin Chen stood beside her and smiled, "If you like it, Fourth Sister-in-law, come often in the future."

"You said it," Xiao Yulou turned to look at him, a smile in her eyes, "you can't go back on your word."

"I will never go back on my word."

The painted boat glided slowly on the lake.

As he rowed the boat, Old Man Zhou explained the legends and local stories of Taihu Lake.

Lin Chen and Xiao Yulou listened with great interest, occasionally asking a few questions.

As we sailed deeper into the lake, we suddenly saw a magnificent ship approaching from the opposite side.

The ship was three stories high, with carved beams and painted rafters, and lanterns bearing the character "Su" hung on it, clearly belonging to the Su family.

"It's the Su family's 'Mingguang Boat'," Old Man Zhou said.

"The Su family is the richest family in Suzhou. This Mingguang Boat is the flagship of the young master of the Su family. It is rarely used. I wonder which distinguished guest has come today."

Lin Chen's heart stirred, and he looked up.

A man stood at the bow of the ship, dressed in a blue robe and holding a folding fan, exuding elegance; it was Su Mo.

Standing beside him was a woman in white, with a slender figure and a light veil covering her face.

Although her face was not clearly visible, her temperament was ethereal, like a fairy on water.

"Brother Su!" Lin Chen called out loudly.

Su Mo looked over upon hearing the sound, first startled, then revealing a look of delight:

"Master Lin? What a coincidence!"

As the two boats drew near, Su Mo cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and smiled:

"Brother Lin, when did you arrive in Jiangnan? You didn't even inform me beforehand, so I could have done my duty as a host."

"I just arrived yesterday," Lin Chen said with a smile.

"I've brought my wife to Jiangnan for a visit, and to take care of some small matters along the way. Brother Su, what brings you here...?"

"Inspecting the family businesses," Su Mo said, looking at Xiao Yulou, "And this is...?"

"My wife, Madam Xiao," Lin Chen introduced.

"Yu Lou, this is Su Mo, the young master of the Su family in Jiangnan, our business partner."

Xiao Yulou bowed gracefully: "Greetings, Young Master Su."

Su Mo quickly returned the greeting: "Greetings, Madam Lin."

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, clearly recognizing Xiao Yulou's identity—the fourth wife of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

However, since Lin Chen addressed him as "my wife," he naturally wouldn't point it out.

"Brother Lin, Madam Lin, now that you're at Taihu Lake, why don't you come to the Bright Moon Boat for a chat?" Su Mo warmly invited.

"My younger sister is also on the ship today, so I'll introduce you to her."

Lin Chen glanced at Xiao Yulou, and seeing her nod, he smiled and said:

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

The two boats were connected by planks, and Lin Chen and Xiao Yulou boarded the Bright Moon Boat.

The interior of the ship was elegantly furnished and filled with a light fragrance.

Su Mo led the two to a private room on the second floor, where the woman in white was already waiting.

"My younger sister, Su Xiaoxiao," Su Mo introduced.

"Xiaoxiao, this is Duke Lin Chen, and this is Madam Lin."

Su Xiaoxiao gave a graceful bow, her voice as clear as a spring flowing over stones:

"I have just met Duke Lin and Lady Lin."

When she looked up, Lin Chen finally saw her face clearly.

Her skin was like solidified cream, her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, especially her eyes, which were clear as water and sparkled with light when she looked around.

Although her face was veiled, her stunning beauty was still faintly visible.

She truly deserves to be ranked fourth on the Rouge List, the most talented woman in Jiangnan.

"Miss Su, you are too kind. You can call me Young Master Lin." Lin Chen cupped his hands in greeting, inwardly praising—Jiangnan truly produces beauties.

Xiao Yulou also looked at Su Xiaoxiao, his eyes flashing with amazement, but without jealousy, only admiration.

The four sat down, and a maid served them fragrant tea.

"Brother Lin, is your trip to Jiangnan really just for sightseeing?" Su Mo asked with a smile, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

Having guessed that Lin Chen was intentionally concealing his identity, he was happy to address him that way.

"Mainly for sightseeing, and I'll take care of a few small errands on the side." Lin Chen took a sip of tea.

"As Brother Su knows, I am a lazy person and don't like to worry about important matters."

But since we're here, we should at least see the scenery of Jiangnan and taste its cuisine.

Su Mo smiled and said, "Brother Lin is so carefree. However, things are not very peaceful in Jiangnan lately, so you should be careful when you travel."

"Oh?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "Brother Su, you mean...?"

"The matter of the Grand Canal," Su Mo said in a low voice.

"The river has been rather turbulent lately, with many merchant ships being robbed. The Su family has also lost several shipments of goods, though they weren't worth much, but..."

He paused for a moment: "There's probably more to it than meets the eye."

Lin Chen pondered, "They even dared to mess with the Su family; it seems they have quite a background."

"Exactly." Su Mo nodded.

"However, I won't spoil Brother Lin's trip with these trivial matters."

Now that we've met, let's enjoy a wonderful trip to Taihu Lake.

Little one, didn't you compose a new piece? Why not play it to add to the merriment?

Su Xiaoxiao smiled slightly: "Brother, you're making me look bad again."

Despite this, he did not refuse and asked a maid to bring him a guqin.