Chapter 72: Chapter 73: You Are Not Cowardly, You Are Sensible
Chu Yu’s eyes flashed with a fierce intensity at the news. It was that man again. What exactly was his identity? And what was his relationship with Shao He? Why did they keep coincidentally running into each other?
But what he was more worried about was the possibility of his deeds being discovered. This man was so close to Yan Ze, and if such matters were to reach Yan Ze’s ears, it would be very unfavorable for him.
Luo Jiner cast her eyes down to hide the emotions in them and followed Chu Yu to the table, where she served him a bowl of soup.
“Marquis, my sister seems to attract a lot of n. But why do they always seem to help her? Could it be her outstanding dical skills that draw their admiration?” Luo Jiner deliberately dragged out her words.
With a “snap,” the soup bowl in Chu Yu’s hand shattered in response, splashing soup that dampened his sleeve. Yet he seed oblivious as he raised his arm to wipe off the stain on his cuff.
His face was a shadowy enigma, his thin lips pressed into a tight line, an icy aura radiating from his person.
...
Seeing this, Luo Jiner imdiately knelt down and apologized, “I’m sorry, Marquis, it was all my fault. I shouldn’t have made careless speculations.”
Upon hearing her words, Chu Yu quelled the rising fury in his heart and extended his hand to help Luo Jiner up, pulling her to sit beside him.
“It has nothing to do with you. She herself lacks propriety. I should have killed her and that abomination myself from the beginning.”
Luo Jiner leaned submissively against his shoulder, raising her hand to smooth over his chest to calm him.
“Don’t be angry, Marquis. It pains Jiner to see you like this.”
Chu Yu touched her hair contentedly, “If only she were half as gentle and sensible as you, things wouldn’t have co to this…”
At these words, a flicker of panic crossed Luo Jiner’s eyes. She sensed that the Marquis seed to value her less and less, and it had been a long ti since he had ntioned raising her to his principal wife. She worried that she wouldn’t be able to marry Chu Yu.
Chu Yu grasped her shoulder, but before he could speak, Luo Jiner cried out in surprise.
“What’s wrong?” Chu Yu released his hand, certain he hadn’t applied any force.
“It’s, it’s nothing. Marquis, please continue with your al.”
Luo Jiner quickly got up, her gaze darting around evasively.
Chu Yu’s frown deepened, and he reached out to grab her arm, prompting another cry of surprise from her.
This ti, Chu Yu directly rolled up her sleeve to reveal her delicate, fair arm covered in bruises. His pupils contracted violently.
“What happened here?” he asked anxiously, anger and murderous intent evident in his eyes.
Luo Jiner turned pale with fear, “I…” she started, then began to cry.
Chu Yu embraced her, gently patting her back.
“Don’t be afraid. Tell , what exactly happened? Who did this?”
Luo Jiner shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks, her appearance distressingly pitiful.
“Marquis, I’m really fine!”
Chu Yu grew even more furious, “Do you want to ask others, or will you tell yourself?”
“Yesterday, I was serving Old Madam tea, and perhaps I didn’t get the water temperature right, which displeased the Old Madam and led her to order to kneel as punishnt. anwhile, your two concubines took the opportunity to ridicule and were quite rough with .”
Luo Jiner looked up at Chu Yu and continued: “Knowing my low status, I didn’t dare argue with Old Madam or bicker with the other sisters, for fear of disturbing you, Marquis.”
Seeing the wounds on her body and rembering how Luo Jiner had once been injured trying to save him, combined with thoughts of Jiner’s care and sacrifices, Chu Yu felt a pang of distress.
His deep, sharp eyes fixed on her, he said earnestly, “Don’t worry, I will surely take you as my wife!”
Luo Jiner was montarily stunned, then smiled joyfully.
She knew what his words ant – that she could soon stand by his side openly and proudly, no longer needing to bow and scrape.
“Thank you, Marquis.” Luo Jiner nestled in his embrace, the corners of her mouth lifting in happiness.
“In a little while, it will be Princess Huimin’s birthday celebration. If you could win her favor and receive her blessing for our marriage, that would be wonderful,” Chu Yu sighed.
Hearing this, Luo Jiner sensed her opportunity. She knew that Princess Huimin had a birthmark on her face that she had hidden behind a veil for many years. If Luo Jiner could use this occasion to remove the blemish from Huimin’s face and then request the Princess to bless her marriage, wouldn’t it be killing two birds with one stone?
And then, her status would rise from a lowly servant girl to the benefactor of a princess – who would dare look down on her then?
Two days later, Shao He was busy until the afternoon. Glancing at the sky outside, she stood up, told Yun Qian she was going to the Liang Mansion, then left Anji Hall.
No sooner had she stepped out than a lavish carriage pulled up in front of her, the delicate hand lifting the curtain, revealing a face she recognized.
“Doctor Shao, I hope I haven’t kept you waiting,” Liang Weishuang said, motioning her into the carriage.
“I’ve only just co out myself,” Shao He replied as she got into the carriage.
Liang Weishuang nodded at her and dropped the curtain, instructing, “Let’s return to the mansion.”
As the carriage slowly rolled forward, Shao He gazed out the window at the fleeting street views without speaking.
Liang Weishuang bit her lower lip, “Doctor Shao seems unaware of the situation within the Liang Mansion. I won’t hide it from you. Although I appear to be the legitimate daughter of the Liang Mansion, flaunting endless glory on the surface, in reality, my father favors his concubines over his wife.”
She had refrained from quarreling with her stepmother and half-sisters to avoid troubling her mother, trying her best to get along with them harmoniously. She had thought that this was the only way to ease her mother’s burden, never expecting that her half-sister would actually plot against her life.
Shao He listened quietly, serving as an audience to her grievances. When she saw the tear-stained face before her, she offered an embroidered handkerchief and said, “Don’t cry. If you don’t want to be bullied, you need to beco stronger.”
Liang Weishuang accepted the handkerchief and wiped away the tears from her face.
“Do you think I am weak too?”
“Of course not!” Shao He said with a smile. “You are not weak; you are sensible!”
Reviews
All reviews (0)