??Chapter 466: Chapter 467: A Lifelong Bet_1
Chapter 466: Chapter 467: A Lifelong Bet_1
Qingi was dressed in a dark moss-green cotton Luo skirt, her hair neatly arranged, adorned with two silver hairpins. Such attire made her look every part the matron, and Muniang found it sowhat unfamiliar to behold. Reflecting on a year ago when Qingi was nothing more than a timid young girl, Muniang had never even considered her an adult. Yet now, in the blink of an eye, she was married—although to such an unreliable man—that Muniang couldn’t help but feel a hollow ache inside.
“Mu,” Qingi softly called out with a hint of pallor on her face that suggested Lord Lu Ziquan had not treated her well.
In fact, Qingi felt too ashad to face Muniang. She rembered how Muniang had advised her and sought a good family for her to marry into, all still vivid in her mind. Yet Qingi, failing to appreciate the good intentions, had stubbornly chosen the most difficult path, ruining not just her own life but also breaking Muniang’s heart.
Now brimming with grievances, even if she couldn’t find soone to confide in, she longed for comfort. In this world where her own kin couldn’t be relied upon, and her husband even less so, she realized that looking back, the only person who had ever truly cared for her was Muniang. So even though she felt intensely ashad, she had decided to swallow her pride and seek her out.
Although Muniang initially still felt resentful, seeing Qingi in such a state left her with only pity.
“You still recognize
as your sister, then? When I tried to advise you back then, you thought I had ulterior motives. I took great pains to reason with you, yet you chose to believe the lies of that bastard Lu Ziquan. Look where it’s gotten you. You’re miserable, and it pains
to see you like this.”
Muniang scolded with a stern face, her words carrying a tone of reproach, yet they only deepened Qingi’s feeling of heartache.
Tears instantly filled Qingi’s eyes, and she plunged into Muniang’s embrace, sobbing, “Mu, I’m sorry. I was completely blind and bewitched to have trusted soone like Lu Ziquan. Now, looking back, I realize how foolish and helpless I’ve been. I’ve been filled with regret every day. If only back then, if only…”
Speaking thus, Qingi herself couldn’t help but choke up with sobs.
Muniang’s heart softened, and she couldn’t maintain a harsh tone, gently stroking Qingi’s hair, “You’re too naive, my girl, letting yourself be easily deceived. If it were a trivial matter, it would be different, but this is your entire life we’re talking about. Now that you’re in such a state, there’s no turning back. Even I, what can I do to help you?”
Muniang’s voice was filled with helplessness, and as Qingi cried bitterly, Muniang knew better than to offer more consolation. Understanding that Qingi had suffered a great deal, she needed to cry it out, so she let her weep.
After a good while, Qingi finally stopped crying and wiped her face with a handkerchief.
Only then did Muniang ask, “Does Lu Ziquan still tornt you? If he continues to mistreat you, I’ll go complain to Lord Lu.”
That was the only thing Muniang could do for Qingi, to mix rcy with strength when dealing with Lu Ziquan, at least to spare Qingi from so suffering.
Nodding, Qingi replied, “During the New Year, Qingya ca to deliver gifts, and since then the young master has not bullied
much. I’m doing… quite well.”
‘Quite well,’ indeed. It wasn’t that Lu Ziquan openly abused her anymore, but even if he didn’t target her, there were plenty of others who did. Ziqin alone was a formidable adversary, constantly causing trouble for her and tripping her up. The servants in the mansion looked down on her too—after all, she was an unfavored concubine. Who would show her any kindness?
Qingi now faces difficulties with food and accommodation there, sotis not even getting anything to eat, and often having to cook for herself.
However, these grievances, Qingi did not want to share with Muniang, firstly, not wishing to burden Muniang with excessive worries, and secondly, wanting to keep a little dignity for herself.
Did Muniang not understand Qingi? This girl had always liked to hide her hardships, just now her speech even paused for a mont, it was obvious that she was not having an easy ti, but at least Lu Ziquan no longer mistreated her, and that alone was considered good. Muniang thought about last New Year when Qingya ntioned Lu Ziquan made her kneel in the snow with barely anything on, that was not just about enduring hardship, but outright trying to kill her!
Muniang smoothed the stray hairs on Qingi’s forehead and then said, “In a few days, I will go myself and have a discussion with Lord Lu, to have him assert so authority on your behalf, so that you won’t have to suffer too much. After all, this is not sothing you can endure for just a mont or two.” It was a lifelong gamble.
But this last sentence, Muniang could not bring herself to say, fearing it would only upset Qingi.
Qingi hurriedly said, “No need, no need, Lord Lu doesn’t like to ddle in the affairs of the back court, and he is also busy with official duties. It wouldn’t be good to bother him for such a trivial matter because of , and besides, Mu, you have already troubled Lord Lu too much for my sake, it’s not right to keep doing so.”
Muniang did not argue with Qingi about this, knowing the girl was embarrassed by it, and decided to secretly seek out Lord Lu to talk when the ti ca. After all, Lord Lu’s relationship with their family was not insignificant, and this was a matter Muniang had to trouble him with.
“How co you were able to co out today? Did Lu Ziquan let you out?” Muniang only just rembered to ask.
Qingi nodded, “The young master said that I’ve been married for so long, always staying indoors, which must have been dull. Since my family can’t be relied upon, it’s better to have more interaction with a sister like you.”
Even Qingi herself did not believe these words, feeling a blush of sha as she spoke them. Lu Ziquan only decided to let her visit more frequently with Mu after the affair with the Jade Ruyi confird her wealth and generosity, thinking of the close relationship between Qingi and Mu as a good opportunity to curry favor, which would naturally benefit him as well.
Muniang, being a shrewd person, naturally understood this point. In fact, she had this intention when she first sent the Jade Ruyi, to whet Lu Ziquan’s appetite, not just generously giving away such valuable items without reason.
While for her, the Jade Ruyi was nothing particularly extraordinary, in Chatu Town not many households could own one, and even if they did, it would be treasured as a family heirloom. But when leaving Marquis Chen Mansion, she had packed three cart loads of things, including six Jade Ruyis, which Muniang did not know what to do with.
“That’s perfect, when you have free ti, co to i Garden to see , you can watch a play when you’re bored, how nice,” Muniang said with a smile.
Seeing that Muniang was not angry, Qingi felt relieved and nodded, being able to get out more often would certainly be good.
But Muniang soon thought of how she would have to move to Qinghua City in a few months, and then what would Qingi do?
Muniang felt helpless, but still did not dwell on it too much, thinking that things will straighten out when the boat reaches the bridge. Better to wait for that day to co, currently, she had no good idea.
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