Ch. 306 Lack of Table Manners
He Changdi had sent a messenger in the afternoon to inform her that he would be returning late tonight, so Chu Lian didn't need to wait for him to have dinner.
When it was time, Chu Lian set off to make greetings to the elders as per usual.
Since it was still rather early, Chu Lian brought Wenqing and Xiyan to her mother-in-law's residence first.
In the last few days, Countess Jing'an had been drinking the medicine made with the Snow Mountain Mists flower. The medicine, paired with acupuncture, had greatly improved her health, so she was now able to get out of bed and walk around more frequently.
Since Miaozhen's child had been saved and she didn't have anywhere else to stay, Miaozhen had remained at Countess Jing'an's courtyard.
When Chu Lian entered the parlour, Countess Jing'an was sitting cross-legged on the hearth bed and playing with Little An and Little Lin.
Little An was already seven years old this year and was becoming more aware of her surroundings. She had become increasingly quiet, perhaps due to the separation of her parents. She sat silently by Countess Jing'an's side, toying with a Chinese ring puzzle.
The five-year-old Little Lin was at the age when children were the most mischievous. She was livelier than her sister and was calling out for a handmaid to play cat's cradle with her.
Countess Jing'an was watching her granddaughters with a doting expression. When she heard a servant announce that Chu Lian had come, she beckoned Chu Lian over. The quick-witted maidservant quickly moved a stool over to Countess Jing'an's side.
"Lian'er, come sit with me."
Chu Lian smiled and curtseyed towards Countess Jing'an before taking a seat on the stool.
When Countess Jing'an noticed that Chu Lian was looking at the children, she sighed and said, "Madam Zou might have made some mistakes, but the children are innocent. The ones who were hurt the most by Dalang's divorce are Little Lin and Little An. I couldn't trust the servants in Dalang's courtyard, so I'm temporarily raising them here. I don't have much to do anyway, so I might as well occupy myself with something."
Countess Jing'an was actually explaining Little An and Little Lin's presence in her courtyard to Chu Lian.
To be frank, Chu Lian didn't know her mother-in-law all too well as she hadn't spent much time with her. Countess Jing'an had been bedridden since the start of her marriage, so Chu Lian didn't have a good grasp of her personality.
However, Chu Lian had gotten some insights during the ruckus over the miscarriage.
What was a good way to phrase it?
Countess Jing'an was a good person, but she was too weak and naive. She was also easily swayed by the words of others. With those qualities, it would be hard for her to take on the role of lady-in-charge, a role which required both wits and willpower. Perhaps it was due to her years spent bedridden, or perhaps Count Jing'an had shielded her too much from reality. Even at her age, her thoughts were still so innocent!
Although she was similar to the matriarch in the sense that she couldn't wait to see her eldest son, He Changqi, have an heir, she would never mistreat her granddaughters in the process.
This could be seen from the fact that she had the two young ladies move over the moment He Changqi and Madam Zou divorced.
From Little Lin and Little An's expressions and actions, Chu Lian could tell that the two children loved their kind and gentle grandmother very much.
Countess Jing'an's request for candied hawthorns that day had probably come from someone else's whispers into her ear, leading her to unintentionally create the drama that had happened.
As for Miaozhen...
Chu Lian believed that Miaozhen couldn't have possibly put the child in her womb at risk, as long as she truly liked He Changqi and wished to birth a son for him. Besides, a child would stabilise her position in House Jing'an. There was no motive that could have convinced her to put the child at risk.
The mournful wails from Miaozhen they had heard that day was proof of that.
"It's wonderful that Little Lin and Little An have you to take care of them, Mother."
Chu Lian's words came straight from her heart. The two girls had just lost their mother, and as for their father, he was the heir of the house; he wouldn't be able to focus on them and give them the care and attention that they dearly needed. Thus, their grandmother's care was sorely needed to help fill the lack of maternal love in their lives.
While Little An continued to quietly fiddle with her Chinese ring puzzle, Countess Jing'an petted her head.
Chu Lian noticed her mother-in-law's eyes turning a little red, so she quickly changed the subject. "Mother, how has your health been recently?"
The swell of emotion in Countess Jing'an's heart was disrupted by Chu Lian's timely interruption. She then replied, "Great Doctor Miao comes by every afternoon to treat me with acupuncture. I can feel my health improving drastically everyday, thanks to his treatment and medicine. Just look at me now, I can already get off the bed and move around! This morning, I even brought Little An and Little Lin out for a stroll in the garden!"
Chu Lian nodded as she listened. If Countess Jing'an could be cured of her long-time illness, that alone would make her trip to the northern border worthwhile. It would also mean that He Changdi's perilous journey to Mount Ah-Ming to obtain the Snow Mountain Mists flower hadn't been made in vain.
"Mother, it's great that you're feeling better, but please do be careful not to tire yourself out."
"Lian'er, don't worry about that. I've already experienced the pain of being bedridden for years. Now that I've gotten better, I'll definitely cherish my body more than ever."
Chu Lian smiled and nodded. Her mother-in-law might be weak, but she wasn't a fool, and that was good enough for her.
Since Countess Jing'an was still undergoing treatment, she didn't have to go to Qingxi Hall to pay her respects, but Chu Lian still did. Seeing that it was about time to go, she mentioned that she had to leave and got up after bidding her goodbyes to the countess.
However, Countess Jing'an grabbed her hand out of the blue. After hesitating for two seconds, she forged ahead and said, "Lian'er, I believe Sanlang has already spoken to you about your aunt. I've been observing the events of the past few days, and it seems like the matriarch is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with your branch of the family. She's already getting on in age and she has an... unreasonable person like your aunt by her side, so it can't be helped that her actions have been a little irrational. Please be more forgiving towards her as your elder."
Chu Lian was astonished; it was obvious that she hadn't expected such words to come from her mother-in-law at all.
It seemed like even a 'naive' person like her mother-in-law could tell that there was something wrong with the matriarch's attitude.
Countess Jing'an's description was extremely tactful. The way she had put it was that the matriarch was dissatisfied with their branch of the family? How could the matriarch be dissatisfied with the third branch? He Sanlang was her most accomplished grandson, and she was probably more fond of him than his brothers! There was no way she'd be dissatisfied with him, so Matriarch He was obviously only dissatisfied with just her alone.
People often said that it was hard to be a wife and marry into someone else's family. Previously, Chu Lian hadn't felt that way at all in House Jing'an, but now she was experiencing exactly what the saying meant for herself.
Chu Lian grinned. She was very grateful that her mother-in-law cared about her enough to give her such advice.
"Don't worry, Mother, I'm aware of that."
Countess Jing'an spoke a few more lines of advice before letting Chu Lian go off.
Fifteen minutes later, Chu Lian arrived at Qingxi Hall.
While walking down a corridor, she bumped into Senior Servant Liu who had just come out of the warm parlour.
When Senior Servant Liu noticed Chu Lian, she hastily stepped forward to welcome her.
"Third Young Madam." Senior Servant Liu had already greeted her although she was still some distance away.
While Senior Servant Liu had a smile on her face, it didn't reach her eyes.
Chu Lian suddenly figured out that there was something else going on.
"Momo, where are you heading to?"
While Chu Lian was speaking, Senior Servant Liu took the chance to raise her hand and make a gesture while everyone else was focusing on Chu Lian.
Chu Lian's expression froze before turning into a smile. "Since momo is busy, don't let me hold you back. I'll go pay my respects to Grandmother now."
Senior Servant knew that Chu Lian had understood from the look in her eyes. She nodded, curtseyed towards Chu Lian, and quickly walked out of the bounds of Qingxi Hall.
Chu Lian paused in her tracks for a moment. Senior Servant Liu had made a gesture indicating the act of 'drinking wine'. This obviously referred to a place where wine was served– a restaurant. The only restaurant that could be related to her was Guilin Restaurant.
Just as Senior Servant Zhong had said, the matriarch had probably set her heart on taking Guilin Restaurant back.
The signal from Senior Servant Liu was likely a warning that the matriarch was going to mention this matter to her today.
This was out of Chu Lian's expectations; she hadn't thought that they would become so impatient as to actually snatch the 'food' right off her plate. What a complete lack of table manners.
Before Chu Lian even entered the heated room, a servant had already scurried in to report her arrival.
Her aunt-in-law, He Ying, was in the room. She gave a little cough, glanced at Matriarch He, and smiled.
"Mother, it won't be too good if you speak later. Let me take the burden off your hands and be the bad person."
The matriarch thought about it for a moment before nodding.
Chu Lian was led into the warm room by a maidservant.
She then greeted them both as a junior family member.
Matriarch He was seated in the middle with Muxiang behind her, earnestly massaging the matriarch's shoulders.
"Sanlang's wife, there are no strangers here. Have a seat."
The edges of Chu Lian's mouth curved upwards. After thanking the matriarch for her kindness, she took an empty seat on the matriarch's right side.
"Has Sanlang come back yet?"
"My husband mentioned that he would be having dinner outside and that he'll be home late tonight."
......
Matriarch He asked a few more superficial questions, clearly trying to make some small talk, before falling silent.
Eldest Madam He Ying was getting a little impatient. She gauged the matriarch's mood from her expression first, before her eyes darted from side to side. Then, she interrupted the conversation as if she had just thought of something. "Mother, if I remember correctly, your birthday is coming soon. Are we going to hold a large celebration this year?"
Chu Lian glanced at her aunt-in-law, her eyebrows slightly raised. While her lips were obviously curved in a smile, He Ying had a weird feeling... as if Chu Lian had already seen through her motives long before she had even mentioned it.
The matriarch showed a bitter smile in response to the question. "Dalang's recent divorce hasn't reflected well on our house. Let's forget about celebrating my birthday this year; it's not a major milestone anyway. When the time comes, we can just have a nice reunion dinner among family. Besides, our estate is lacking in funds right now, so it's better if we save more."
He Ying let out a startled expression. "Mother, how can that do? Even if we're low on funds, we'd rather save more from our daily spending than just let your birthday pass without a proper celebration! Don't you agree, Sanlang's wife?!"
A faint smile hung on Chu Lian's face, but she didn't answer her aunt-in-law's question.
Chu Lian's indifference and refusal to take the bait made He Ying extremely vexed.
A new idea sparked in He Ying's mind and she changed strategies. "Mother, how about this? Tell me how much our estate needs. If the amount is within my capabilities, I'll help to make up for it, alright? No matter what, you must be able to have a proper birthday celebration."
He Ying shot Muxiang a look while speaking.
Muxiang looked at the matriarch awkwardly, and the matriarch helplessly glared at He Ying.
"Miss Ying, do you really think your mother is that useless? To actually need your contributions? Let me tell you frankly: our estate is indeed severely lacking in funds. A large part of it is due to Madam Zou, but we're not in as dire a state as you think. Besides, we still have Sanlang's wife's Guilin Restaurant helping to keep us afloat. Once Guilin Restaurant reopens, we'll be able to survive this period of hardship just fine."
Chu Lian was laughing inside. After the many twists and turns, they had finally moved on to the main topic. It had truly been tough on this mother-daughter pair.
Ch. 307 I'll Let You Have It
At this moment, Chu Lian really wanted to ask them when on earth had she even consented to putting all of Guilin Restaurant's earnings into the public funds? She also wanted to remind Matriarch He that it had been the matriarch herself who had said that Guilin Restaurant would belong to Chu Lian back then. No matter how much it earned, all profits would belong to the third branch.
Unfortunately, there was no such things as video or voice recordings in this era, so even if she pointed these out, they would never admit to it.
After Matriarch He spoke, He Ying's brows immediately furrowed together. She looked towards Chu Lian and said, "That's right. Sanlang's wife, the Longtaitou festival has already passed. Why hasn't Guilin Restaurant opened up for business? Practically every other shop in the capital has already reopened by now."
There wasn't any expression in particular on Chu Lian's face. She put on a benign smile and said, "I ordered the managers to renovate the restaurant and it was delayed until now, which is why it hasn't reopened."
"How's the renovation going?" The matriarch asked.
"It's nearly complete."
"Since it's almost finished, it's better not to delay the reopening date for too long. Do reopen as soon as possible then."
Chu Lian smiled at her.
He Ying had been keeping a close eye on Chu Lian's expression. Noticing that there wasn't a trace of disagreement in her, He Ying continued, "Sanlang's wife, I've also heard Mother mention that Guilin Restaurant was given to you, and that the deed is in your hands. However, when all's said and done, you're part of our He Family now. Right now, the estate's public funds are severely lacking. Using the profits of Guilin Restaurant to fill the estate's coffers was something that Mother had no choice but to do. I hope you'll understand why Mother did this. At her age, it's not easy to keep this large estate going."
He Ying paused, now fully immersed into her role as a caring senior. "But there's something I need to be frank with you about. Please don't get angry."
Chu Lian was tempted to reply with, 'If you know I'm going to get angry, you might as well not say it.'
He Ying stared at Chu Lian, believing that there was nothing but absolute sincerity in her eyes as she said, "I've been by Mother's side longer than you have. Guilin Restaurant was part of the dowry given to my mother by my grandmother. Back when I got married, Mother couldn't bear to give it to me, yet she gave it to you. From that, we could see how important you are to Mother. However, in the end, the long-established Guilin Restaurant still belongs to Mother."
Chu Lian tilted her head to the side and met with He Ying's gaze.
"Aunt, if there's something you're trying to imply, please say it straight."
When the edges of He Ying's mouth curved upwards, the wrinkles at the sides of her lips looked like they were carved into her skin, giving her the appearance of an extremely harsh person. "Sanlang's wife, I like your straightforward attitude. Fine then, I'll state it bluntly. Since you know that Guilin Restaurant's earnings have been drawn into the public accounts now, it isn't very appropriate for the deed to be in your hands, don't you think?"
After all that setup, they just wanted to take Guilin Restaurant back and appropriate it for themselves.
He Ying was using the logic of a bandit.
A mocking thought popped up in Chu Lian's mind. Going by her aunt-in-law's logic, if she stayed long-term in their house, then the deed of the house should naturally belong to her.
She would have retorted back in a temper, if not for the fact that the person in front of her was House Jing'an's matriarch and He Sanlang's own grandmother. Chu Lian had to keep in mind her position as a He Family daughter-in-law, and the deed had indeed been a present from the matriarch.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have tolerated all this.
If all they wanted was Guilin Restaurant, she would let them have it!
With an indifferent expression, Chu Lian asked the matriarch, "Is this your stance as well, Grandmother?"
There was an awkward look on the matriarch's face. She had just recalled that before when she was gifting Guilin Restaurant to Chu Lian, she had stated that all the earnings would be hers. She had even assigned Manager Qin to be Chu Lian's assistant for this purpose.
In the end, she was the one who had broken her promise first.
At this moment, Matriarch He didn't know how to compose herself.
However, when she thought about the monthly profits of Guilin Restaurant, Matriarch He's will became resolute. She bore with the embarrassment, gritted her teeth, and nodded.
"Sanlang's wife, lay the blame for this on me. Our estate truly needs the funds right now. This decision is certainly unfair to you, so let me make it up to you. I'll take responsibility and transfer two fabric stores from the public accounts to you in exchange, what do you think?"
Fabric stores?
How funny. Was the matriarch going to ask for those back again once she made them profitable like Guilin?
She was taking Chu Lian for a fool!
Chu Lian turned her head back and beckoned Wenqing over. The handmaid took out a long wooden box from her sleeve and handed it over to Chu Lian.
Chu Lian stood up from her seat, took two steps forward, and placed the box on the table by the matriarch's side.
"Grandmother, since this is your wish, then I shall return this deed to you in the exact same condition as it was when you gave it to me! Like Aunt said, Guilin Restaurant wasn't originally mine; it was part of your dowry.
"You're the lady-in-charge of the house, Grandmother, so I'll defer to you. Now that Guilin Restaurant has been transferred to the public accounts, it naturally won't be of any concern to me. From now on, all matters regarding Guilin Restaurant will be handled by you, Grandmother."
After a slight pause, Chu Lian continued to add, "As for the stores you mentioned in exchange, I wouldn't dare to accept them. My younger cousin, Miss Pan, hasn't found a match yet, so please keep it for her dowry instead."
Both Matriarch He and He Ying hadn't expected Chu Lian to let go of Guilin Restaurant so easily.
To them, this was truly an unexpected surprise, as they had prepared many more ways to convince her that they hadn't even used.
They were overjoyed right now. Despite the slight sarcasm contained in Chu Lian's speech, they couldn't care less about that.
Would a wolf that had just stolen a large juicy steak mind a few barely visible shards of bone on the meat?
Matriarch He was ecstatic. As long as she had Guilin Restaurant, she wouldn't have to worry about providing funds for her daughter or dowry for her granddaughter.
"Sanlang's wife, I know that this matter is unfair to you. Don't worry, I'll definitely make it up to you." Matriarch He spoke with passionate sincerity, as if she would actually make it up to Chu Lian.
Chu Lian got up and curtseyed towards the matriarch.
"It's getting late, I shall not bother Grandmother and Aunt any further. I'll take my leave now."
With Guilin Restaurant in hand, the matriarch and He Ying had no need for Chu Lian any longer, so the matriarch waved her hand in dismissal.
Once Chu Lian and her maidservants had left the parlour, He Ying hurriedly opened the wooden box and took out a stack of deeds.
She carefully examined the official seal on the deeds under the light of a lantern for a long moment before her expression burst into an excited grin. "Mother, these deeds are all real!"
Matriarch He glared at her daughter. "Of course they are. She wouldn't dare to fool me with fake deeds!"
In actual fact, there were even extra pages tacked on to the original Guilin Restaurant deed that Chu Lian had just returned her. These were the deeds of the neighbouring properties that had been bought when extending Guilin Restaurant's rear court.
He Ying's eyes were glimmering as she stared at the deeds in her hands, as if she was looking at chests of gold.
She asked eagerly, "Mother, since Sanlang's wife has returned the deed for Guilin Restaurant, how about I go over in person tomorrow and tell the managers to hurry up with the reopening?"
Before the matriarch even had the time to consider it, He Ying had already grabbed onto the matriarch's elbow and began to plead like a spoilt child. "Mother, I'm your own flesh and blood, won't you rest easy if I'm the one doing things? I can bring Miss Pan out and buy her some jewellery too. It's been a while since she came to the capital, but she doesn't have one decent set of accessories yet! She's young, so she can't be wearing our old things. Ah, I heard that the jewellery sets of Treasure Pavillion are the best in the capital. I want to check out that place tomorrow."
The matriarch turned to look at her obedient granddaughter who had been silent the whole time and finally nodded.
"Alright, alright, go ahead. She's at the age where she's blossoming, so she should indeed dress up more."
The ladies connected through three generations were all in high spirits tonight.
Having seen everything that had happened, there was some doubt on Muxiang's face.
She didn't understand why Chu Lian had agreed to their demands and let go of Guilin Restaurant so easily.
The earnings of Guilin Restaurant were nothing to scoff at. If it were anybody else, they'd probably be lamenting inside.
At this point, she felt that she couldn't make sense of House Jing'an's Third Young Madam at all.
When Chu Lian returned to Songtao Court, Senior Servant Zhong and the others had already prepared dinner for her.
When Chu Lian had her meals, she didn't like having servants standing around, so she usually only kept one person by her side.
Xiyan stayed in the parlour to serve the food, while Wenqing was called over by Senior Servant Zhong and Senior Servant Gui.
When Chu Lian had returned from Qingxi Hall just now, the two had learned that Third Young Madam had been bullied in Qingxi Hall from Xiyan's offhand comment.
Thus, the two senior servants had been searching for a chance to grab hold of Wenqing for the full story.
Wenqing had a bitter expression as she grudgingly said, "The matriarch asked for Guilin Restaurant back."
Senior Servang Zhong was utterly shocked. Although she had heard the news from servants in Qingxi Hall, the fact that this had happened so quickly was out of her expectations.
"The matriarch personally asked for it?"
Wenqing nodded. The profits from the restaurant were such a huge sum, so of course the matriarch had to ask for it personally.
"Then..." Senior Servant Gui asked hesitantly.
"Third Young Madam agreed to it. Third Young Madam had me bring the deed beforehand, and she handed it over to the matriarch just like that."
Senior Servants Zhong and Gui were both stunned silent. It took them quite a while to recover.
Wenqing sighed. "Third Young Madam had no choice in the matter. After all, Guilin Restaurant originally belonged to the matriarch. When the matriarch personally requested for it back, our Third Young Madam couldn't possibly reject her."
The two senior servants nodded. That was indeed the case, but the matriarch was also too unreasonable.
How could an elder act like that?
The three sighed in frustration. They wanted to complain on behalf of Chu Lian, but in the end they were just servants, and they weren't in any position to speak.
However, Senior Servant Zhong thought that there was something strange about the whole matter.
Third Young Madam had said to her that she wouldn't let the matriarch and the others have their way, yet she had returned Guilin Restaurant to the matriarch so easily. Just why...
Senior Servant Zhong shook her head with a bitter smile. She couldn't understand Third Young Madam's actions at all.
Wenqing was right. Third Young Madam had no choice but to hand over Guilin Restaurant, or she would have started a fight with the matriarch.
If Chu Lian and the matriarch turned against each other, the one that would suffer the most would be their Third Young Master.
In the end, Third Young Madam had borne with the matriarch's unreasonable demands for Third Young Master's sake.
Senior Servant Zhong inwardly decided that she would have to inform Third Young Master of this matter when he returned.
As for He Changdi, he wasn't out busy on official business like Chu Lian had thought. He was actually in a private residence right now, interrogating someone.
Ch. 308 Interrogation
Deep inside a private residence, there was a dark and enclosed room without any windows, making it hard to tell whether it was day or night. The cramped, claustrophobic space could push any sane person into a nervous breakdown, given enough time.
There was an interrogation room set up right outside this enclosed space. He Changdi was seated at the head of the room, wearing a cold expression. He waved his hand towards Laiyue.
"Bring her out."
A moment later, Laiyue led two guards into the enclosed room and they dragged out a person who looked to be on their last breath. They threw her in front of He Changdi's feet.
That half-dead person was clad in a light green dress, her hair disheveled and her face pale and haggard. The lifeless, empty expression in her eyes made her seem more like a corpse. With that distinctively soft and slender waist, who else could it be other than Fuyan?
Fuyan remained unresponsive. She laid prone on the floor where she had been thrown, seemingly ignorant of the remnants of dried blood around her. She looked as if her soul had been taken away from her.
He Sanlang lowered his eyes. His icy gaze fell upon Fuyan. "Speak. Who ordered you to do it?"
Fuyan's whole body trembled back to life when she heard He Changdi's question.
She raised her pitifully dirty face. With dismay in her eyes, she pleaded, "Third Young Master, please! Please don't lock this servant up inside that pitch dark room. This lowly servant will confess everything. This lowly servant will tell you everything that you want to know!"
After Fuyan finished speaking, a sudden foul odour spread throughout the room. Her emotional breakdown had led to her physical incontinence...
Beside her, Laiyue immediately covered his nose in disgust.
He Changdi came out of the interrogation room fifteen minutes later.
Dressed in a black robe, he stood in the corridor with his hands clasped behind his back and stared up at the darkening night sky. His ramrod-straight back appeared even more lonely and desolate under the dim light.
Laiyue came out to join him after a few moments.
"Third Young Master, all she knows is that someone was sending her messages; she doesn't know who the sender was. She got hold of that letter during Old Marquis Dingyuan's birthday banquet. Someone had specially sent it to Third Young Madam and she just happened to be the one chosen as the messenger. However, she hid the letter and never delivered it to Third Young Madam." Laiyue reported all the details that he had found out to He Changdi.
He Changdi's lips drew up into a cold arc. Xiao Wujing was truly resourceful!
When Laiyue didn't hear any response from his master, he hesitated for a second before asking, "Fuyan is already useless to us. What should we do with her?"
He Changdi rubbed at the jade thumb ring on his left thumb. There wasn't any trace of emotion in his magnetic voice, but it still sent chills down Laiyue's spine. "Settle it."
Laiyue was stunned silent for a moment when he heard his order. He managed to shake himself awake and quickly nodded. "This servant will take care of it."
Laiyue had worked under He Changdi for many years, so he understood the meaning behind his master's two short words. Although he felt these measures were rather merciless, it was undoubtedly the best solution. Death was the only outcome for a traitor with such greedy ambition.
He Changdi nodded slightly before walking towards the outer court of the private residence. There was still someone else waiting for him. Today was the day that he would take care of all his debts!
The subordinate guarding the entrance of the parlour gave He Changdi a silent salute when he arrived.
There were already two people seated inside the parlour.
Xiao Hongyu was the first to walk up to him.
He gave a wide, silly grin as he greeted He Changdi. "Brother He, since you've arrived, I'll leave these guys to you. I'll take my leave first."
He Changdi patted his shoulder.
A moment later, there were only three people left in the entire parlour, which included himself, Mo Chenggui, and Huang Zhijian.
He Sanlang walked up to the seat at the head of the room and sat down. He lifted his lips into an unexpected smile. The strange smile didn't complement his cold, handsome features at all, sending chills down the backs of those present instead.
"Uncle Mo, Uncle Huang, please sit."
Mo Chenggui and Huang Zhijian had already gotten up when He Changdi entered.
Although they were also veterans of the battlefield, they lacked the imposing and formidable aura that Third Young Master carried.
The immense pressure of his aura made them extremely tense.
Although they knew that they shouldn't be acting this way, it was just a basic involuntary response to stress. It was completely out of their control.
Mo Chenggui and Huang Zhijian shared a doubt-filled look before anxiously sitting down.
There wasn't anyone else inside the parlour, so they were more or less sitting across from each other. It was so quiet that they could probably hear a needle drop.
The longer the silence stretched, the more nervous the two old soldiers became.
They waited for a long time for He Changdi to speak. They were both becoming increasingly restless.
In the end, Mo Chenggui was the first to break the silence. "May I know why Third Young Master has invited us over today?"
He Changdi's shadowed gaze swept over him. "Are you sure you don't have the answer to that already, Uncle Mo?"
Mo Chenggui's scarred cheek twitched in response. The mocking tone in He Changdi's words made his heart thump.
He racked his mind for all the possible reasons. When a startling idea popped into his mind, his eyes abruptly widened and he looked at He Changdi in shock.
"Is it... Is it because of Third Young Madam?"
"You may be getting on in age, but your memory is still as sharp as ever, Uncle Mo."
Once He Changdi confirmed his suspicions, it was as if the floodgates had broken. Mo Chenggui started sweating profusely. Despite the chill of the early spring night, his inner garments were quickly soaked with sweat.
An hour later at the entrance of the residence, He Changdi mounted his horse with a suave wave of his black brocade cloak. The sound of hoofbeats accompanied their departure as he led his men away into the darkness of the streets.
Mo Chenggui and Huang Zhijian stood at the entrance of the private residence. They each had a horse in hand with dreadful expressions on their faces.
The dim lantern light from the front gate illuminated their faces, giving Mo Chenggui's scarred face a yellowish cast as if it was covered by a layer of crude paper.
He weakly muttered, "It's over... It's over... It's all over now. Brother, I've dragged you down with me this time."
What else could Huang Zhijian say now? He just shook his head with a bitter smile. This was completely Mo Chenggui's fault. As a private soldier of a noble family, he had committed the worst taboo: disloyalty. He had good intentions at the start, but he had reported some baseless information to the matriarch. That had been a very foolish action.
Most established military families kept private soldiers in their household. His band of soldiers had gone into service of the He Family after serving under the old count in the army. They were considered the most experienced and respected generation of family soldiers.
Once the private soldiers pledged their loyalty to the head of the household with blood-smeared lips, they would have to remain loyal to the household for the next three generations of family heads. If they failed to fulfill this oath, it would be regarded as betrayal. Although it seemed like the soldiers were on the losing end of the deal, that was not the case.
The head of household would take care of the next three generations of the soldier's family in return for their loyalty.
When it came time for succession, the private soldiers would simply follow the next head of the family. The blood oath would still be in effect.
Huang Zhijian and Mo Chenggui knew that the next head of House Jing'an would be Second Young Master or Third Young Master.
Eldest Young Master occupied a cushy position within the capital. He would also need to inherit the title of Count Jing'an in the future, so there was no way that he would become the next head of the family. The family soldiers would follow the orders of the head of the He Family, not the successor to the noble title of Count Jing'an.
If there were some special circumstances, it would be possible to inherit both the title of Count Jing'an and become the head of the family. This was the case for the current Count Jing'an.
However, judging by the current situation, it seemed like Third Young Master had the highest possibility of becoming the next head of the He Family.
If Third Young Master ever became the He Family head, then their relationship with Third Young Master would definitely be broken because of what Mo Chenggui did.
Mo Chenggui's actions had silently killed the future prospects of the next three generations of their families.
The future of a whole family with more than a dozen members was ruined because of a few careless words. Troubles stemmed from a loose tongue.
Since it had already happened, it was useless even if Mo Chenggui regretted it now.
It was already around 9pm when He Sanlang returned to the Jing'an Estate.
This was around the time when the entire Great Wu Dynasty was sound asleep.
He Changdi found out that Chu Lian had already gone to bed when he entered Songtao Court. When he met with Senior Servant Zhong, she was in the middle of cleaning up while holding a clay pot.
With his sensitive nose, He Sanlang detected the scent of medicinal herbs from the ceramic pot. He creased his brows as he asked, "What's this?"
Senior Servant Zhong was all smiles as she replied, "This old servant prepared some nourishing soup for Third Young Madam. Third Young Master, please don't worry. Great Doctor Miao has already looked over the prescription and approved of it. This old servant will personally brew the soup every day as well."
He Changdi finally relaxed after hearing Senior Servant Zhong's reassurance.
"Third Young Master, you've only just returned home and it's already so late. Would you like some supper?"
He Changdi waved his hand in response. He took off his brocade cloak and handed it over to Senior Servant Zhong before entering the bedroom.
He had been out for business for most of the day. Just half a day away from his dear little wife was enough to make him miss her terribly.
He paused for a moment in front of the doors before entering the bedroom.
A dim lantern had been lit from within, so he was able to see everything inside.
He Sanlang strode towards the side of the bed with his long legs. He reached out with one hand and lifted the gauzy curtains, only to be greeted with the sight of a small lump in the middle of the large bed.
The ice within He Changdi's eyes slowly melted away as he stared at that small lump. His gaze even carried a hint of humour.
He sat down carefully on the side of the bed and gently pulled the blankets away to reveal Chu Lian's delicate face and her lovely cheeks flushed from sleep.
The early spring night was as chilly as a cold lake. Chu Lian was most afraid of the cold, so Xiyan and the others had heated up the blankets before she had settled into bed. However, the blankets had turned cold again shortly after she laid down.
His fragile lady seemed to be made of ice. Even if she slept in a warm blanket for the whole night, her hands and feet were still ice-cold.
Chu Lian's silky dark hair was scattered loosely around her, with a few strands covering her tiny face. He Changdi reached out to tuck the stray strands behind her ears and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Following that, he touched the hands and feet she had hidden under the covers.
They were cold, as he had expected.
A frown formed between He Changdi's brows. He tucked her back into the blankets before finally going into the bathroom to wash up and change.
Chu Lian's eyes fluttered open right after he left. The corners of her lips lifted as she touched the area that He Changdi had just kissed. Satisfied, she smacked her lips and fell asleep for real.
He Changdi finished his bath swiftly. When he returned to the bed, he gently lifted the edge of the blanket and coaxed the curled up Chu Lian into his arms.
Sensing the broad chest with a familiar, safe scent, Chu Lian instinctively scooted over and buried herself in He Changdi's embrace.
They were both wearing thin sleep clothes and they had recently consummated their marriage. Their close proximity and intimacy was starting to make it unbearable for a certain someone.
Chu Lian didn't feel anything since she was sleeping. She only took He Changdi as a heated pillow.
However, this was torture for Sanlang.
His beautiful wife was in his arms, but he couldn't do anything. He was about to grind away his molars from all the restraint he was exercising.
Ch. 309 He's Not Happy
Chu Lian clung onto the new source of heat next to her out of habit.
The softness of her chest was pressed closely against his body. While He Sanlang still kept his usual icy expression on his face, the backs of his ears were already flushed red.
He lowered his deep gaze to look at the petite woman in his arms. The hand that he had wrapped around Chu Lian's waist slipped slowly downwards until it reached a soft, curved area.
He didn't want to disturb her, so he settled for some light touching instead.
The first rays of dawn emerged above the horizon, setting off the drops of morning dew on the leaves outside. Chu Lian had gotten a good night's sleep. When she finally opened her eyes, the other side of the bed was already empty.
She reached out and felt around the empty area. There was still some warmth left under the blankets and a familiar scent.
Chu Lian furrowed her eyebrows slightly. Wasn't there a saying about men who had just awakened and how they were as voracious as wolves and tigers? So why was He Sanlang so... so restrained?
Could it be that he didn't have any interest in that?
Chu Lian shook her head. Considering the way he had acted the night they consummated their marriage, he didn't seem like someone who lacked desire...
However, she still wasn't all that comfortable with those sorts of activities, so it was actually a good thing for her if He Changdi didn't want it.
Chu Lian laid in bed with her eyes open as her mind wandered into flights of fancy. Wenlan seemed to have heard her movements from outside the room, so the maidservant walked over to the bedside and called out softly.
Chu Lian pulled open the gauzy curtains and got out of bed. After she finished washing up in the bathroom, she sat in front of her dressing table and realised that there was already a bowl of soup placed there.
Wenlan was in the middle of choosing a dress for Chu Lian when she turned her head and noticed the questioning look in her master's eyes. She smiled. "Third Young Madam, I brewed that soup myself early this morning. It's a nourishing soup. Third Young Madam should drink it while it's still warm."
Chu Lian took the bowl into her hands and scooped up a spoonful of the concoction. There was a faint aroma drifting up from the soup and she could detect the scent of a mixture of medicinal herbs that she couldn't quite identify. She gave it a taste. Upon realising that it didn't taste all too bad and that it was just the right temperature to drink, she downed it in a few gulps.
It was just a small bowl of soup, so there wasn't a lot of it.
Wenlan hung the dress that she had picked out on the dressing screen before going up to Chu Lian to help style her hair.
Chu Lian was currently picking out accessories at the dressing table.
"Did momo say what this herbal soup was for?"
Wenlan didn't hide the truth from her and replied honestly, "Great Doctor Miao said that Third Young Madam's body is a little weak. There's also some remaining 'coldness' within your body, which might have been caused by the low temperatures at the northern border. He had a discussion with momo and they came up with a prescription for you. It's just two bowls of soup daily, one in the morning and one in the evening."
A weak and cold body?
Chu Lian smiled bitterly. That sounded about right.
She had stayed out in the freezing, snow-covered plains of the northern border for an extended period of time. Moreover, she had just recovered from an injury then. It was already rather fortunate that she had come away from that with just some physical weakness and a slightly cold body. No wonder her limbs always felt cold when she slept without He Sanlang. She never felt warm enough even after sleeping the whole night under a thick stack of blankets.
Wenlan had skillful hands; she quickly transformed Chu Lian's loose hair into one of the trendiest hairstyles in the capital. Chu Lian opened her jewellery box, thinking of picking from the accessories that Royal Princess Duanjia had sent over at the end of last year.
However, she was stunned silly when she opened the jewellery box.
Her five-layered mahogany jewellery box was filled with brand new accessories...
A jade hairpin with a spiral-shaped topaz inlay, a flower-shaped clip with a pearl center and coral and agate petals, a jade phoenix hairpin, a sapphire necklace... She was almost blinded by the sight of all these precious accessories.
She was very familiar with the designs of most of them. How could she not be? More than half of them had come from Treasure Pavilion. She had drawn those designs herself!
But... she hadn't requested for any of these? She had specifically told Royal Princess Duanjia that she didn't have to send her one of each accessory. She wouldn't be able to finish wearing them all since there were so many.
Wenlan was watching Chu Lian's expression closely!
The bewildered expression on the normally calm and clever Third Young Madam caused Wenlan to give a snort of laughter.
Chu Lian glared at her with a very clear meaning, urging her to give her an immediate explanation.
Wenlan couldn't hold back the smile growing on her lips. "Third Young Madam, Third Young Master picked all these out himself and had them sent over last night."
Chu Lian was slightly surprised. "These are from He Changdi?"
Where did all his money come from? This whole pile of jewelry wasn't cheap...
It would cost at least four to five thousand taels. The jewellery at Treasure Pavilion were all high-end accessories.
Although He Changdi had been given a reward during the bestowal of his noble title, it wouldn't be enough to buy all these accessories.
Wenlan was genuinely happy for her young madam, but she was also somewhat shocked. It seemed like Third Young Madam really didn't know that Third Young Master had bought so many accessories for her.
With a quick turn of wit, Wenlan chose not to ask about the reason despite her curiosity. She changed the subject instead by asking, "Third Young Madam, why don't you pick one to wear now?"
Chu Lian suppressed the suspicion within her heart. She picked out a pair of golden butterfly hairpins with ruby inlays and handed it to Wenlan. "This one."
Wenlan inserted the golden butterfly hairpins on the two sides of Chu Lian's head. The butterflies were so realistic that they looked like they had just landed on her lush, dark hair, their wings shaking at the slightest movement of her head. They moved just like a real pair of butterflies. Wenlan looked at them and sighed in admiration.
There was a reason why the accessories of Treasure Pavilion were so popular amongst the noblewomen of the capital.
No one would have thought that their Third Young Madam was the one who had designed these exquisite pieces.
Chu Lian was also satisfied with the two golden butterflies. The craftsmen at Treasure Pavilion were very skilled and they had been able to express the essence of her designs in their work.
After changing into an azure dress embroidered with crape myrtle flowers, Chu Lian asked, "Where's my husband?"
"Reporting to Third Young Madam, Third Young Master went to the martial arts arena early in the morning. He headed to the study immediately after training. Laiyue met him there, so it seems like they have some business to take care of."
Chu Lian nodded. Since that was so, she didn't have to bother with He Changdi's whereabouts today. She went to the parlour for breakfast after getting ready.
Wenlan followed behind Chu Lian. She tried to speak up several times, but she was stopped by Chu Lian's glare each time she did so. Finally, Wenlan could no longer hold back her question . To the Chu Lian seated at the table eating breakfast alone, she asked, "Third Young Madam, should this servant go to the study and invite Third Young Master over?"
Chu Lian lifted her head and blinked innocently. She pretended as if she didn't understand. "What for? He's already a grown man. Wouldn't he know when he's hungry?"
Wenlan didn't dare to say anything else after hearing Chu Lian's reply.
Chu Lian made short work of her breakfast. When she was done, she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and rinsed her mouth. She immediately stood up and headed straight for her little study.
Wenlan anxiously followed behind her. In the end, she shot a look at the junior maidservant behind her. The young maidservant quickly understood her meaning and hastily ran out towards the direction of He Changdi's study.
Chu Lian couldn't hold back her grin any longer once she settled down in front of the desk of her little study.
That He Sanlang was really useless. He clearly wanted to please her and make her happy, but he chose to do it in such a sneaky and covert manner. He couldn't set down his pride to face her this morning, so he had deliberately gotten up earlier.
She couldn't indulge this awkward tsundere personality of his. He deserved to suffer for his silly actions.
In the main study of Songtao Court, He Sanlang sat ramrod straight in front of his desk with two stacks of official documents piled on top of the surface before him. His head was lowered and he was seemingly reading the document in his hands. Laiyue had been observing him the whole time while standing beside him.
Uhhh... If he remembered it right, his young master had been staring at a blank page for almost half an hour...
Was he really reading?
When a sudden knock sounded at the door to the study, He Sanlang's deep gaze immediately turned towards the door.
Laiyue rushed to the entrance to answer the knock. A moment later, he shut the door and walked over to He Sanlang.
Laiyue really wanted to kill himself. His luck was seriously terrible. Why did he have to come look for his master now of all times? He had come right when his master and his wife were in the middle of a quarrel.
In a trembling voice, he asked, "Third Young Master, Third Young Madam is currently having breakfast. Would you like to go over?"
He Changdi's stomach growled right as Laiyue was speaking.
He Sanlang's expression froze and his handsome face immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
"Your young madam didn't send any message over at all?" He Sanlang gritted his teeth as he sought confirmation.
Laiyue had a troubled expression on his face as he shook his head. Seeing how his master looked right now, Laiyue really wanted to turn into a quail and hide in a corner so that no one could see him.
"Then how is her appetite today?"
Heh heh... Laiyue's eyes twitched. The maidservant who had come to report had told him that Third Young Madam seemed to be in a very good mood. She had even eaten an extra steamed pork dumpling...
In order to save his pitiful little life, it was probably better if he didn't mention that...
Laiyue continued to lower his head until it was almost buried in his chest.
When He Changdi didn't receive any response after a long moment, his expression turned so dark that ink was about to seep out from his pores.
The temperature inside the study instantly hit subzero. Laiyue felt like he was about to suffocate.
He Sanlang continued sitting in front of his desk and sulked all by himself. After waiting for about an hour, someone else finally came over.
Wenlan had personally come over this time.
When Laiyue saw that their next guest wasn't Third Young Madam, he knew that the situation was bad. He went out to welcome Wenlan before she had even reached the entrance of the study.
He pulled Wenlan over to the corridor outside. Laiyue was so anxious that his brows were creased together. "Where's Third Young Madam!"
Wenlan pulled her arm away from Laiyue's grip and gave him a good glare before she replied, "What's with all this tugging? Third Young Madam is in the little study."
Laiyue was on the verge of tears. Why wasn't Third Young Madam looking for Third Young Master at this time? Why had she gone over to the little study instead?
"Can't you see that Third Young Master isn't happy? Hurry up and bring Third Young Madam over."
Wenlan rolled her eyes. "Why do I have to invite Third Young Madam over? Third Young Madam has some business to do in the study. I can't disturb her."
"Ahhhh, my dear ancestor, don't you know what time it is right now? Do you even want to continue living?! I'm begging you, please! Please go and invite Third Young Madam here!"
Too lazy to bother with a response, Wenlan simple turned around to leave, but Laiyue blocked her way.
Wenlan began to grow a little angry. "Why do I have to bring Third Young Madam over? Third Young Madam didn't do anything wrong. It's not just Third Young Master who's busy. Can't our Third Young Madam be busy too?"
Laiyue was stunned. When had this brat started siding with Third Young Madam? It was He Changdi who had arranged for Wenlan and Wenqing to be by Chu Lian's side. They were ultimately considered He Changdi's servants.
As the two servants started arguing, He Sanlang finally lost his patience.
Laiyue and Wenlan were still quarrelling when a shadow darted past them. By the time they regained their senses, all they could see was Third Young Master's tall back disappearing into the distance.
Based on the direction he had gone, it seemed like he was going to look for Third Young Madam...
He Changdi moved quickly and reached the parlour in no time. Senior Servant Zhong was about to greet him when she saw him coming in, but he simply entered the little study as if he hadn't seen her at all.
Chu Lian was in the middle of writing down some recipes when the brush in her hand was abruptly taken away.
She raised her head with bewilderment, only to be met with the gloomy expression on He Changdi's handsome face.
The gloomy look in his eyes, the dark aura around him, the sharp angles of his furrowed brows and the thin line formed by his lips; all these signs were a loud declaration that he wasn't happy.
Ch. 310 How Couples Should Communicate
Chu Lian gave him a sideways glance as if she hadn't seen the complaint in his eyes. She picked up a brush from the rack and dipped it into the inkwell, seemingly intent on continuing her writing.
This time, He Sanlang caught hold of her wrist.
Chu Lian finally set aside the recipe in her hands. She looked up with a furrow in her brow and asked, "What are you doing?"
He Sanlang's handsome features were cast in a stiff expression and his lips were pressed together. He continued staring down at her with a shadowed gaze, as if he hoped that Chu Lian would be able to read his thoughts from the look in his eyes alone.
Chu Lian met his gaze with her own clear, innocent eyes. She could see the mix of frustration and petulance in his gaze, and she even understood where he was coming from. However, not everything could be conveyed by looks. As close as they were, there would likely come a time where she wouldn't be able to read him with just one look.
Chu Lian shifted her gaze away as she stated with a cool tone, "He Changdi, if you have something you want to tell me, then speak. Otherwise, get out. Don't disturb me."
He Changdi's pupils contracted. He obviously hadn't expected such an order from Chu Lian. The grip he had around Chu Lian's wrist tightened unconsciously.
When Chu Lian felt a sharp pain around her wrist, she struggled and tried to pull her hand away.
"He Sanlang, you're hurting me!"
After He Changdi realised that her expression had even contorted from the pain, he quickly let go. A red mark in the shape of his grip stood out accusingly on her fair skin.
That red mark kept the words that He Sanlang had been about to speak trapped in his throat. However, seeing how Chu Lian had turned her back to him in a fit of pique as she rubbed her wrist, the anger he had only just managed to suppress flared up again.
The couple continued their standoff in the study, Chu Lian remaining seated with her back to him. The tension between them filled the tiny little room and made it suffocating.
Time seemed to stop. Every second passed at an agonisingly slow speed.
He Sanlang's eyes never left Chu Lian's figure. He stood frozen by the desk, his hands clenched into fists behind his back and his lips pressed together in a thin, white line. He was waiting for Chu Lian to speak first.
Chu Lian had been angry with He Changdi's attitude ever since they had returned from the Wei Estate. After that, although they had acted out a pretense together during the incident with Miaozhen, and despite buying a whole box of accessories to make her happy, He Changdi had never admitted his fault in the matter. He had also never explained the reason behind his attitude face-to-face.
It wouldn't do for their interactions as a couple to be this way. While they were attracted to each other and in love for now, they lacked communication and trust between them.
During their time together, Chu Lian had understood that He Changdi wasn't someone who liked to open his heart to others.
They couldn't keep miscommunicating and quarreling like this. They had to sit down and face their problems together.
Otherwise, if they continued on in this manner, it would only make things worse in the future.
Chu Lian had already decided that she would lay her cards on the table and get rid of all their communication issues today. Thus, she was resolute on remaining silent until He Changdi spoke up.
In the end, it was He Sanlang who sucked in a deep breath and said, "Lian'er, we inadvertently bumped into Xiao Bojian that day. Prince Wei was the one who invited us all back to his estate."
With her back still turned towards her husband, Chu Lian inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. She had been afraid that He Changdi's temper would rear its ugly head and that his pride would keep him from speaking. Although he had gone a little off topic, it was good that he had broken the silence first. That showed that he had realised it was his fault.
Chu Lian had actually been taking a chance. She had been betting on He Changdi's feelings for her. If he truly loved her with all his heart and intended to treat her as his wife, then he would definitely speak up. However, if he had given up and left, their relationship as husband and wife would have ended right there.
It seemed like He Changdi couldn't bear waiting any longer. Before Chu Lian could reply, he had already stepped forward, picked up the petite woman seated behind the desk, and carried her with ease over to the chaise at the side.
He gently set her down on the inside of the chaise before settling down on the outside. The chaise wasn't very wide, so Chu Lian had her back to the wall while she was pressed up against He Changdi's solid chest; craning her neck, their close proximity meant they were eye-to-eye.
Chu Lian's brows crinkled. She didn't like being trapped this way; it felt more like an interrogation than anything. She reached out her arms, intending to crawl over to the other side of the chaise and escape He Changdi's control.
He Sanlang seemed to have seen through her intentions, as he retracted one of his outstretched legs and crossed it over his other knee instead. The position of his raised leg just happened to block off Chu Lian's escape route.
"Let's clear up everything today, like this." He Changdi fixed his eagle-eyed gaze on her, destroying her chances of escape.
With a wall behind her, He Changdi's hard chest in front, as well as having her entire body within his reach, Chu Lian was like a little bunny who had fallen into a trap. No matter how much she struggled now, she wouldn't be able to get free.
He Changdi wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her towards him so she wouldn't have to lean against the cold wall. He then set his other palm on the wall next to the side of her face so he loomed over her in a textbook 'kabedon' pose. Chu Lian's heart was about to leap out of her chest from the tension.
He Sanlang was just way too imposing in this position. Chu Lian felt that she couldn't summon up any courage like this, so she lowered her eyes, unwilling to meet with He Changdi's shadowed gaze.
When she dipped her head, quivering golden wings drew He Sanlang's gaze to her dark hair, where two brilliant, life-like butterfly ornaments were dancing with her sudden movement.
His heart clenched as unconsciously he held his breath. The rage burning in his heart faded a little.
He remembered these golden butterflies clearly. He had chosen them himself. When he had picked them out, he had been imagining how lovely they would look on her. It seemed his imagination hadn't been too far from reality now that he was looking at the real thing.
The ice in He Changdi's gaze melted away, forming into pools of affection instead. He stroked Chu Lian's smooth hair and touched the two golden butterflies gently, setting off their quivering wings once more. His magnetic voice was as soft as it had ever been as he said, "Beautiful. They suit you very well."
Chu Lian had been busy thinking of how she should navigate the conversation ahead. When the compliment hit her out of the blue, she looked up with a confused expression, meeting He Sanlang's tender gaze straight on. As he quickly lowered his hand, she realised that he had been referring to the accessories she was wearing.
A hint of sweetness blossomed within her heart. Who wouldn't be touched by a compliment from their loved one?
However, Chu Lian's mind remained clear as glass. She wouldn't be led astray by a simple sentence from He Changdi.
The furrow of her brow deepened. "He Sanlang, since you want to have a proper discussion, don't change the topic."
While He Changdi's features remained unchanged, the emotions in his eyes were completely different.
Chu Lian had worn a simple, elegant azure dress today, made up of a long skirt and a long-sleeved blouse. Since the little study was heated, she hadn't put on a cloak or vest.
While the winter dress was made with thick fabric, there was only a single layer of cloth. The skirt started at her chest, and there was a crape myrtle flower embroidered right there. The light yellow flower rose and fell along with her breathing, making for a mesmerising sight.
He Changdi felt his throat dry up instantly. His Adam's apple wobbled as he gulped hard and pulled his gaze away with difficulty. Finally, he spoke.
"Lian'er, can you avoid meeting Xiao Bojian in the future?"
Chu Lian blinked in astonishment before shaking her head inwardly. He Changdi was really tsundere!
However, she suddenly felt that there was something strange about his question. Was there something up with He Changdi? Ever since she had gone to the north, she could sense that He Changdi seemed to be secretly guarding against Xiao Bojian.
It was like they had been born to be enemies.
She had read the original novel, so she knew about the enmity between the two. However, the current He Changdi was just too different from his novel counterpart. It could be said that he and the gentle, straightforward He Sanlang from the book were two completely different people aside from sharing the same face.
She had already struck out the possibility that he might be the same as her early on. However, from the way he treated his family, he didn't seem like a 'fake' He Changdi at all.
Then what on earth had caused his personality to change so much?
Although Chu Lian really wanted to know the truth, it clearly wasn't the right time to ask now.
She let out a helpless sigh and said, "He Changdi, answer me this. When have I ever actively gone to meet Xiao Bojian? Wenqing and Wenlan are your servants. I'm sure that you know about everything I've done before I went to the north. Don't tell me that I have to list them all out for you again?"
His jealousy was completely unfounded. There was no reason for him to have thrown his little fit of temper.
A glint flashed through He Changdi's eyes. Chu Lian was right. He knew every single one of her movements while she had been in the capital.
He had indeed assigned Senior Servant Zhong and the Wen sisters to her side to keep an eye on her. Chu Lian had never tried to meet Xiao Bojian. When he had become the top scholar of the year, she had even politely rejected his invite to a celebration.
Even so, a single scene in his memory remained like a thorn in his heart.
He Sanlang reached out and stroked Chu Lian's soft cheek. Voice a low rumble, he asked, "Then what about that lucky jade amulet? Why is it in Xiao Bojian's hands?"
"Eh?" Chu Lian made a sound of confusion in response. She couldn't remember what amulet He Changdi was talking about.
He Sanlang was a little unhappy with her response, so his tone dipped a few degrees. "The jade amulet that Grandmother gave to you the day after our wedding."
Thanks to He Changdi's hint, realisation dawned upon Chu Lian.
So it was that lucky jade amulet!
"What did you say? That lucky jade amulet is with Xiao Bojian?"
He Changdi kept his eyes fixed on her, not willing to miss the tiniest change of expression on her face.
"I saw it with my own eyes."
He was all too familiar with that jade amulet. It had belonged to the old count and he had seen that amulet pretty often ever since he was a little boy. He couldn't possibly have misidentified it.
Chu Lian held a hand up to her forehead. She was completely speechless from this turn of events. She slowly thought back to the events of the day she had met with Royal Princess Duanjia at Defeng Teahouse. That was where she had lost the amulet.
Her wide almond-shaped eyes darted from side to side as she thought. It couldn't have possibly been such an amazing coincidence, right? That Xiao Bojian had later come by to pick up the amulet she had dropped in that room...
The corners of her lips tugged downwards as she realised that that really might have been the course of events.
Chu Lian wanted to curse Xiao Bojian a hundred times over. As expected of the main lead of a novel! His mind really worked in different ways. He had picked up an amulet that she had accidentally dropped and somehow taken it as a sign of her affection for him.
She knew that He Changdi wouldn't be convinced if she came up with any sort of reason now. She weighed her options inwardly for a few seconds and decided to tell him the whole truth.
"...He Changdi, that's exactly what happened. I didn't know that I dropped the jade amulet and he somehow picked it up. However, I think that Xiao Bojian isn't as simple as he looks. There must be some hidden power backing him. Otherwise, he couldn't have possibly lured the princess away so easily at the teahouse."
Surprise leaked out from He Changdi's gaze. He hadn't expected the truth to be so absurd. However, Chu Lian's tone had been even and sincere, so it didn't seem like she was lying.
His memories from his past had also corroborated Chu Lian's words. Xiao Bojian did indeed have some sort of power backing him. He Changdi had been exiled in his past life and he had entered the army under a pseudonym later on. Despite living far away from the capital and not knowing anything of the situation there, he had still managed to use his limited influence to investigate major events.
A dangerous glint came to life in his eyes as he narrowed his gaze.
Xiao Bojian... He was going to take back every debt owed to him and let him have a taste of all the suffering he went through in his past life.
He Changdi quickly pulled himself away from his dark thoughts and stared at Chu Lian for a few seconds. "The letter that Fuyan gave me was something passed to her during Old Marquis Dingyuan's birthday banquet. Xiao Bojian sent a messenger to pass the letter to you, but Fuyan kept it instead."
The sudden mention of the letter stunned Chu Lian for an instant. She wanted to cry out loud. What was going on? She hated Xiao Bojian so much that she never ever wanted to see him again, yet the events around her seemed to be connecting the two of them together no matter what.
Wasn't this the plight of being the protagonist? If He Changdi was even the slightest bit dumber, their relationship might really have been destroyed by this.
Chu Lian looked up and met his shadowed gaze. "He Sanlang, you believe me, don't you?"
He Changdi frowned deeply. "What did you call me?"
The corners of Chu Lian's lips tugged into a pout. She turned her gaze away and refused to speak.
He Changdi lifted her chin first before raising his upper body to lean over and plant a gentle kiss on her lips. He softened his tone and coaxed, "What should you call me?"
Chu Lian couldn't understand how their open and frank conversation had somehow turned into a flirtatious scene. The two of them were just too close together now. Her exhales were blowing directly over his slightly exposed collarbones. Chu Lian couldn't help but flush in response to the situation.
"Call me Hubby."
He Changdi's low and magnetic voice resounded beside Chu Lian's ears, raising goosebumps all over Chu Lian's body.
Since she was still trapped in the circle of He Changdi's arms, she could only give in. She bit her bottom lip before letting out a frustrated huff. "Hubby!"
A faint smile finally appeared on He Changdi's lips. He tugged with the arm around Chu Lian's waist, pulling Chu Lian into his embrace and enveloping her body with his own, forming a protective cage around her.
"It'll be better if you use a gentler tone next time."
Chu Lian raised a brow. "He Sanlang! You're still picking on my tone?"
He Changdi rested his chin on the top of Chu Lian's head. As low laughter rang out from above her, Chu Lian could feel the vibrations of his chest. Before she had the chance to enjoy the warm moment, his palm landed a sound smack on her pert bottom.
"You've already forgotten what I just taught you?"
The abrupt switch from their serious conversation into perverted flirting caught Chu Lian off guard. That one smack made her cover her bottom instinctively as she trembled with indignation. Her next reaction was to push He Changdi away and glare at him.
He Changdi reached out to stroke her back as if soothing an alarmed kitten.
"Lian'er, I believe you."
Chu Lian took in a deep breath to gather all of her rising fury and quickly bit down hard on his exposed collarbone.
Afraid that she would hurt her teeth on his tough skin, He Changdi purposely relaxed his muscles and let her do as she liked.
Chu Lian gnawed on He Sanlang's collarbone until all her anger had been spent. Despite her best efforts, all she managed to leave in the end was two faint rows of tiny tooth marks. She hadn't even drawn any blood and had instead made her jaw ache from all the effort.
Speechless at the toughness of his skin, Chu Lian stopped biting him and buried her head in his chest instead. The discontentment in her slowly faded away and the impulse that had filled her head dissipated. When she finally regained her calm, Chu Lian suddenly realised that He Changdi had derailed the conversation completely!
She had been intending to have a serious discussion with him and make him realise his mistakes. How on earth had it turned into asking if he believed her about the letter and the jade amulet?
Thinking back on it carefully, she wasn't the one at fault for the letter or the jade pendant! She was the innocent victim here!
Once she had thought it through, Chu Lian quickly pushed He Sanlang away and glared at him with her clear, almond-shaped eyes.
He Sanlang lowered his head to meet his wife eye-to-eye. Upon seeing her eyes clear without any of the anxiety and impatience from before, he realised that Chu Lian had realised what he just did.
He looked away and said, "Ahem. Lian'er, how I acted after we returned from Prince Wei's estate was entirely my fault, I apologise."
For the first time, He Sanlang had stopped trying to avoid the topic and had actually admitted to his mistake.
Although his apology was rather vague, it was already a huge step forward that he had admitted fault to this degree, especially considering his awkward personality. Chu Lian knew that she shouldn't push him too hard for now. Rome hadn't been built in a day after all.
Chu Lian believed that their understanding of each other would naturally deepen over time as long as they could live together harmoniously.
By then, these mysterious problems wouldn't need to be resolved at all, as they wouldn't even exist.
He Sanlang had never admitted to his mistakes in such a straightforward manner before. When he finished apologising, his ears even turned red without his knowledge.
Staring at his stiff expression, Chu Lian couldn't help bursting into a wide grin. She reached out with her fair fingers and touched He Sanlang's flushed ears.
They were hot to the touch and were at a much higher temperature than the rest of his body. He Changdi's earlobes had always been sensitive, so having it touched by his lover made him stiffen up. All of the surplus blood in his body gathered into a certain area.
"It took so much to get you to admit your mistake. Also, don't go around getting jealous for no reason; I don't have any relationship with Xiao Bojian at all!" Chu Lian declared. Her tone was serious.
He Changdi wrapped both arms around her and pulled her into an even closer embrace. The rigid tension that had filled his body slowly drifted away from having her soft figure in his arms. He sulked a little as he said, "I know that I shouldn't be jealous, but I can't help it. The way Xiao Bojian looked at you didn't help, either."
Chu Lian rolled her eyes. She was on the verge of suffocating from all this injustice being piled upon her. What could she even do about it if someone looked at her funny?!
Xiao Bojian wasn't some random commoner, so she couldn't just lash out at him in the open or dig out his eyes... He Sanlang's jealousy was completely unreasonable.
He Sanlang's hand was caressing her petite back even as he continued sulking. "You're MY wife! Anyway, other men aren't allowed to look at you like that. Just you wait, I definitely won't let Xiao Bojian off."
The corner of Chu Lian's lips twitched. She didn't feel like replying to He Changdi's pointless proclamation. In any case, she didn't care about what happened to Xiao Bojian. If He Changdi really had the ability to drag Xiao Bojian down from his high horse, she would actually support her lunatic husband in doing so.
Now that they had resolved all the misunderstandings between them, the couple had naturally become closer as a result.
Chu Lian frowned and fiercely said, "He Changdi, you're not allowed to brood so much on your own in the future. I can't always guess your thoughts. If you're feeling uneasy, you have to let me know."
He Changdi reached out and caught hold of Chu Lian's delicate chin, lifting her head upwards to make her meet his chilly and serene gaze. Chu Lian noticed the tinge of dissatisfaction in his eyes and made a moue of frustration. She repeated the words she had said earlier, but this time, she addressed him as 'Hubby' instead. Finally, the tsundere He Sanlang was satisfied.
He made an affirmative grunt in response and followed up by moving to kiss her soft cherry lips. His tongue pushed its way past her teeth and toyed with the sweet softness inside.
Chu Lian hadn't expected things to develop in this direction. She froze up at first, but she quickly melted into his tender and gentle kiss. She felt as if she had turned into a puddle of water and was going to fuse into his warm, broad chest.
He Changdi couldn't stop his hand from roaming up and down her soft, supple back, as if he were inspecting his territory.
At this point, Chu Lian's mind was turning fuzzy. Her skin grew heated, as if his touch scalded.
Her rational mind gradually faded away and she couldn't help releasing a moan. Her body rubbed against his chest subconsciously.
He CHangdi had been holding back with everything he had from the start, but when Chu Lian let loose such an enticing sound, the floodgates burst open.
In an instant, his reason was blown to smithereens.
His hand headed up Chu Lian's back and fiddled around for a few seconds, causing her dress to slide away from her chest. He immediately pounced upon the two soft peaches and toyed with them like a tyrant.
Chu Lian panted for breath. She was feeling feverish all over, but there was still a shred of rationality left in her which found this strange.
She didn't understand why her inhibitions had suddenly disappeared. With just that small motion from He Changdi, she had been unable to stop herself from rubbing herself against him...
There seemed to be a strange energy in her body spurring her on to follow her instincts.
When they got to the point when their clothes were in disarray and they were about to lose control, He Changdi suddenly pushed Chu Lian away. There was a terrifying darkness in his eyes and his breath sounded uncontrollably hoarse.
He placed his arms on Chu Lian's feeble shoulders and put some distance between them.
He looked down; he didn't dare to look at the alluring sight that Chu Lian was right now. He forcefully calmed his breathing, reached to the side, and put his own large cloak on Chu Lian, completely covering up her exposed skin.
His hands turned into fists and he quickly got up. Before leaving, he announced, "I'm going to the bathroom."
He then made a hasty escape from the study as if a monster was chasing at his heels.
Chu Lian watched dazedly as he cut a sorry figure in his departure.
Only when the scorching heat inside of her had fully receded did her wits return.
The return of her rational thought made her cheeks bloom red.
Chu Lian punched at the chaise with her fists and bit her bottom lip.
What had happened to her just now? Why had she started rubbing against He Changdi? And why had she acted so... wanton?
Could it be that she lacked self-control? Could it be that it was just this easy for He Changdi to seduce her?
More importantly, He Changdi had actually rejected her!
How embarrassing!
Chu Lian wanted to bury herself in a hole somewhere.
However, when she thought back to He Changdi's reaction, she found it strange. He was already in that state, so he obviously wanted it. Why did he end up pushing her away at the last minute?
The more Chu Lian wondered, the darker her expression became. She wasn't just angry at herself for being so easily seduced, she was also angry because of He Changdi's abnormal rejection.
Taking in a deep breath, the red-faced Chu Lian took off the dark cloak that He Changdi had put on her. When she looked down at herself, her face heated up uncontrollably.
There were red marks all over her fair chest, including a long chain of them on her collarbones. She frantically pulled the skirt of her dress back up, before adding on a vest. Once she had covered herself up properly, she finally gathered the courage to leave the room and get a change of clothes.