Ch. 295 Chance Encounter with Chu Qizheng
Chu Lian's whole body stiffened. She opened her eyes and looked towards the man who was emitting cold air.
"What's wrong?"
Chu Lian just couldn't tell why He Changdi was suddenly acting so strangely after a simple trip out. She thought about it, but she couldn't recall triggering him in any way today...
He Changdi sat perfectly straight across from her with a stern expression on his face. His cold eyes stared at his wife, who was sitting in an easy manner in front of him.
He recalled the scene of Chu Lian and Xiao Bojian meeting at Prince Wei's Estate earlier, as well as the infatuation in Xiao Bojian's eyes when he looked at Chu Lian.
He knew that his wife didn't have any feelings for the 'lover' from her past life. Moreover, she seemed to detest Xiao Bojian. However, it still felt like a thorn stuck in his heart. There was a sourness that was similar to drinking a whole jar of vinegar.
He knew that it was wrong to blame the innocent Chu Lian, but he couldn't help being jealous.
He Changdi gripped the fists resting on his knees. He turned his head away and muttered, "Nothing."
Chu Lian carefully observed her eccentric husband. She tilted her head and furrowed her brows. A moment later, she suddenly laughed. Her laughter was clear and melodious, like a silver bell. Even Laiyue, who was escorting the carriage outside, heard the sound and perked his ears curiously.
He Sanlang hadn't expect his wife to burst into laughter at his expense. However, he reacted swiftly despite his annoyance. He pulled Chu Lian into his embrace with lighting speed and covered her alluring red lips with his wide palm.
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he directed the full force of his dark gaze at the lovely woman in his arms, as if he wanted to see through her heart by looking her clear eyes.
Chu Lian immediately noticed the change in the depth of his gaze- staring into his eyes was like falling down a deep well. Finally, she realised that his gaze had taken on a dangerous tint.
It was as if she were confined in the arms of a ticking time bomb. How could she continue laughing in this situation?
She knew that this wasn't the time to be laughing, so she quickly hid the smile on her face. Her watery eyes stared up at him pitifully, as if she was pleading with him to be magnanimous and to spare her.
The corner of He Sanlang's mouth lifted slightly. The dangerous air in his eyes was about to seep out. He slowly bent down and crept closer to Chu Lian. When they were close enough to feel each other's breath, he gradually released his hold over Chu Lian's mouth. In a hoarse voice, he whispered, "It's too late!"
After saying so, He Sanlang immediately attacked Chu Lian's red lips. She tried her best to mumble around his lips and resist, but He Changdi's strong arms held her even tighter.
Chu Lian knew that he was a little tyrant, so she gave up on struggling and complied with his intimate actions.
He gently parted her teeth before capturing her soft tongue and forcing it into a passionate duel.
A moment later, Chu Lian's face and neck were flushed red from the lack of air. Her small hands grasped the lapels of his black robe tightly. The contrast of her pale skin against the darkness of his clothes gave off a strange sense of beauty. Soon afterwards, Chu Lian's hands released his collar and shifted to pushing him away instead.
However, He Changdi was still pent up with frustration, so he refused to let her retreat. He trapped her soft, sweet body firmly within his arms, keeping her from moving while his lips and tongue continued to plunder her mouth and tease her.
He Changdi only released Chu Lian after he had finally released all the frustration in his chest.
By this time, Chu Lian was already breathing heavily with a flushed face.
Chu Lian glared at He Changdi's cold face and began to scold him. "He Changdi, do you really think that I don't have a temper?"
He Changdi froze after hearing what Chu Lian had said. He lowered his eyes and looked at her, a trace of indiscernible uneasiness in his deep gaze. He pressed his lips together, which had turned red from the kiss.
He couldn't bring himself to speak the apology that was on the tip of his tongue.
Chu Lian took a deep breath and used her handkerchief to wipe her swollen lips. She struggled slightly before she was able to break free from He Changdi's embrace, returning to her seat across from him.
She could vaguely sense that He Sanlang's gloomy and depressed mood was related to Xiao Bojian. Perhaps it was due to the way Xiao Bojian had looked at her in Prince Wei's Estate.
But what did that have to do with her? She wasn't the original 'Chu Lian'. She had already done her best to distance herself from Xiao Bojian. It wasn't her fault that she had encountered Xiao Bojian at Prince Wei's Estate today. He Sanlang was being unreasonable by venting his anger on her.
Although it was his fault, he couldn't even bring himself to apologise now? Even if he had his pride, he should also be able to distinguish right from wrong!
She was usually able to tolerate He Sanlang's weird temperament. However, she was genuinely angry today.
There had been some things she wanted to ask him about, but now that the two were locked into a cold war, there was no chance to speak.
Actually, Chu Lian was rather meek and good-natured. She wouldn't make trouble for someone unless they provoked her first. Moreover, there weren't many things that she cared about in the Great Wu Dynasty. Thus, her personality had become even more carefree and easygoing.
He Changdi had truly provoked Chu Lian's temper now. On one hand, it was because Chu Lian genuinely cared for him. On the other hand, He Sanlang's actions had been utterly infuriating.
Chu Lian leaned against the pillow. Her pair of clear almond-shaped eyes were shut as if she no longer wanted to look at the man across from her.
There was a gloomy atmosphere inside the small carriage. It was so quiet that even the turning of the axles on the carriage could be heard.
Chu Lian propped her head on one arm and closed her eyes. It was hard to tell if she had fallen asleep.
He Changdi kept his eyes fixed on Chu Lian's beautiful face. There was an unprecedented sense of regret in his heart. He loosened and tightened his fists. The frustration in his chest built up until his chest felt like it was going to explode.
He parted his thin lips and took a deep breath. He was about to apologise when the carriage abruptly stopped and Laiyue's voice sounded from outside.
"Third Young Master, Third Young Madam, a carriage broke down ahead so the road is blocked."
He Changdi was interrupted by Laiyue just as he was about to speak. Thus, his face immediately became as black as the bottom of a pot. Gritting his teeth, he spat, "Take a detour!"
Then, He Changdi's gaze turned back towards Chu Lian, only to see her acting as if nothing had happened. She was still leaning against the pillow with her eyes shut, like she was asleep.
He Sanlang's fragile heart tightened, as if it had just been ruthlessly squeezed.
For some unknown reason, Laiyue felt a chill down the back of his neck when he heard his master's voice. He hunkered into his shoulders, lifted the reins, and was about to order the guards to take a detour.
However, before the carriage had even moved, Laiyue noticed a familiar figure.
A troubled expression appeared on his face. He could more or less guess that Third Young Master and Madam were probably fighting. However, he couldn't pretend he didn't see the person that had just gotten out of the carriage in front of them. Thus, Laiyue mustered up his courage and reported, "Third Young Master, the person in the carriage before us is the Second Master of House Ying."
The original 'Chu Lian's' father, Chu Qizheng!
He Changdi couldn't just take a detour now, since he now knew that it was his father-in-law's carriage that had broken down in the middle of the road.
Although Chu Lian wasn't treated well during her maiden days in House Ying, Chu Qizheng was still her biological father. He was the person who had given her life.
Chu Lian, who had been resting, also opened her eyes now.
She didn't look at He Changdi and turned her head towards the waiting Laiyue outside. Then, she instructed, "Invite Second Master to come sit in our carriage."
Ch. 296 Father-in-Law's Invitation
Laiyue hesitated for a moment. When he didn't hear any orders from He Changdi, he guessed that his master was allowing it. He got off his horse and led a few guards over to meet the Second Master of House Ying.
Chu Lian lifted the curtain flap, intending to disembark the carriage to welcome Chu Qizheng herself. However, the cool-faced He Changdi suddenly reached out to grasp the hand she was using to lift the carriage curtain.
"It's cold outside; I'll go welcome Father-in-Law by myself."
When Chu Lian saw how firm his grip on her hand was, she sent He Changdi a warning look, but she didn't continue her action.
Chu Lian took her hand back and sat still.
He Changdi's heart twisted into knots. His fingers curled up into a fist. When Chu Lian had pulled her hand away from his grasp, it felt as if a piece of his heart had been taken away along with it.
He lowered his head and nimbly leaped off the carriage.
Chu Qizheng and his manservant were quickly brought over to the carriage by Laiyue.
He Changdi greeted Chu Qizheng cordially with a closed-fist salute. "Father-in-Law."
Chu Qizheng cast a measuring gaze over the handsome, heroic young man before him. The more he looked, the more he found himself liking the young man. At the same time, there was a hint of dissatisfaction in his heart. Why was a young man with such potential wasted on that jinx Chu Lian? He could have been married to Miss Yuan instead!
However, Chu Qizheng kept these thoughts to himself without displaying them on his face.
He smiled and made some casual chat with his son-in-law. "Zixiang, now that the Emperor has entrusted you with an important position, you have to do your best to work for the court. We haven't shared some wine for a while, so why don't you come and visit the Ying Estate with Lian'er in two days' time? Lian'er's mother misses her."
He Sanlang eyed the tall, clean-shaven middle-aged man in front of him and resisted the urge to laugh.
He had been married to Chu Lian for almost a year and this was the first time his father-in-law had invited him to his estate. This was likely due to his newly bestowed title of Marquis.
He Changdi didn't reject the invite and accepted it instead, in order to protect his wife's dignity in front of her father.
Chu Qizheng treated him like a promising junior family member and patted He Changdi's shoulder in familiarity. "Lian'er is still young. I'll have to depend on you to take care of her in the days ahead!"
If not for his experience in his past life, he might have thought that Chu Qizheng was a kind father who cared for his daughter!
"As you say, Father-in-Law. This son-in-law will take good care of Lian'er. She will never experience any suffering at all."
Chu Qizheng showed an amiable smile. "Father will rest assured with your promise."
He Changdi invited Chu Qizheng up the carriage. He waited until the curtain was let down before he mounted his beloved steed, Leaping Clouds. With a wave of his hands, the carriage started rolling along again.
Within the carriage, Chu Qizheng settled down in He Changdi's original seat. The moment he sat down, his expression turned thunderous.
He glared at Chu Lian, who was slowly opening her eyes, and scolded her. "Where are your manners!"
Chu Lian lazily looked up at the black-faced Chu Qizheng and chuckled. It was a rather strange day. Why was it that everyone she met today was trying to make her mad? Was she supposed to just take it lying down?
Chu Lian wasn't someone with a lot of forbearance. She preferred giving as good as she got. Chu Qizheng wasn't her real dad anyway, so there wasn't any need to respect him.
"Well, isn't that the fault of my dear father? Otherwise, I might have manners as good as my Eighth Sister."
"You..." Chu Qizheng's face was flushed red with anger from his daughter's words.
It was out of his expectations that the personality of his timid and careful daughter would change so much.
He clenched his fists and managed to swallow his frustration for the moment.
"Miss Lian, don't think that Father won't be able to reprimand you now that you're Marchioness Anyuan. Let me tell you. No matter how high your status rises, you'll always be a member of my Chu Family and the daughter of Chu Qizheng!"
Chu Lian cast an idle look over the red-faced Chu Qizheng. "Father, don't you know that married daughters are like spilled water? Since you know that I'm Marchioness Anyuan now and not House Ying's Sixth Miss Chu, don't tell me that you're not familiar with the law of the Great Wu Dynasty? When a noble house is to be eliminated, it doesn't include daughters who have married out of the house."
This time, Chu Qizheng was unable to hold back his next flare of temper. He had never gotten talked back to in this manner before. However, knowing that He Changdi was right outside and close to the carriage, he didn't dare to let his raised hand land on Chu Lian's tender cheek.
He took in a few deep breaths before sneering, "So you're a slut, just like your mother!"
The mother he had mentioned wasn't his current wife and Miss Yuan's mother, of course, but his deceased first wife.
Chu Lian had taken on an indifferent attitude at first, since Chu Qizheng was intent on bullying her no matter what. She wasn't going to just bear the brunt of his temper silently, but she wasn't motivated to do anything but talk back at him.
However, Chu Qizheng had taken things a step further. She would have been fine if he reprimanded her alone, but now he was even insulting his original wife, who had passed away many years ago. This was something that crossed the line for Chu Lian.
Chu Lian's gaze turned sharp. "Father, I finally understand why you don't have any heirs. Someone as dreadful as you deserves to be the last of the family line!"
The greatest pain in Chu Qizheng's life was the fact that he didn't have any sons. Chu Lian had just mercilessly brought it up in front of him, baring his insecurities completely. He almost fainted from the rage that overcame him.
Just as he was about to retort, Chu Lian interrupted him. "Father, it's best to save your breath, lest you spit up blood out of anger."
Chu Qizheng's face was now a steely white. His breathing turned into rough pants. It took him a good while to finally get his emotions under control. He glared at Chu Lian, unresigned to his defeat, but he decided against speaking any further.
It was good that he had finally shut up. Chu Lian was too lazy to bother wasting her breath on him now. She picked up a teacup that had been placed to the side and took light sips of honey water.
After a long period of silence, Chu Qizheng managed to calm himself enough to say, "In a few more days, come back to the Ying Estate with Marquis Anyuan. Your younger sister is about to get engaged."
Chu Lian didn't make any response or acknowledgement, but Chu Qizheng took it as if she had heard him.
He shot a sideways glance at her, his eyes glittering. His eldest daughter had grown into a delicate and lovely beauty. Her tiny figure shone with a natural, elegant aura. It was those almond-shaped eyes of hers that resembled his first wife the most.
Every time he looked at Chu Lian, the anger he held towards that woman kept flaring up.
As the carriage carried along on its way, Chu Qizheng shut his eyes. Out of sight, out of mind.
He Changdi's ears were sharp, so he had heard every single word of the conversation between father and daughter in the carriage. A corner of his lips curved up. Although his wife looked frail and cute, with an innocent face to boot, her ability to provoke others was unrivalled. He had already been on the receiving end of her skills many times before.
However, the humour on He Sanlang's face quickly dissipated, allowing his naturally cold expression to take over once again. At the same time, he delved into deep thought.
While he had lived separately from 'Chu Lian' in his past life, he still knew a little of her history. Even in this lifetime, it remained true that House Ying's Second Master wasn't too fond of his legitimate first daughter.
Back then, even after he and 'Chu Lian' had been married for a year, Chu Qizheng hadn't graced their doorstep even once. Why was he seemingly so kind-hearted as to invite them over to the Ying Estate now?
He Sanlang and Chu Lian sent Chu Qizheng to the Ying Estate before returning to their home.
On the way back to the Jing'an Estate, He Changdi didn't enter the carriage again to share the ride with Chu Lian. Chu Lian said nothing and simply leaned against a pillow, eyes shut. In the gentle rocking of the carriage, it seemed like she had fallen asleep.
Just as they were about to reach the Jing'an Estate, a guard came running up to meet them.
Perhaps since he had already recognised them from afar, the guard quickly shouted, "Third Young Master, Third Young Madam, bad news!"