Exclusively for the Marchioness – CH 041

Chapter 41

“…It’s not right for the Marquis to keep paying.”

At the teahouse where they were resting, Du Lingjing instructed Ruan Gong to settle the tea bill. After saying this, she secretly glanced at the Marquis beside her.

The entire teahouse fell silent. The abacus beads in the teahouse owner’s hands froze, and Ruan Gong could not bring himself to settle the bill. Everything around him seemed to freeze.

Du Lingjing blinked very lightly at the man.

Hearing her words, the man took a deep breath to suppress the tightness in his chest, but as he turned to look, he immediately caught her gaze.

“Is Madam doing this on purpose?”

He suddenly asked, causing Du Lingjing to pause. On one hand, she thought to herself how quick his reaction was; on the other hand, she thought he had finally stopped sulking and started speaking.

But her expression remained unchanged. Her voice was calm, as usual. “What is Your Lordship saying? I do not understand.”

She asked this question and even glanced at him quite naturally. Lu Shenru could not tell for a moment whether her question was genuine or not.

He could not help but scrutinize her expression. On her fair face, beneath her long eyebrows, her eyes were calm, her eyelashes fluttered gently, and her soft lips were slightly pursed beneath her delicate nose. She looked serious, without any deliberate pretense.

But just now, she clearly glanced at him. Lu Shenru had not imagined he’d be so oblivious to her thoughts. He frowned at her.

Fortunately, Chong-Ping paid for the tea before Ruan Gong.

Once the bill was settled, Du Lingjing could no longer be “polite.”

The man was still unsure of her intentions, but he seemed slightly relieved and got up with a soft hum.

Du Lingjing followed behind him, hearing his hum and seeing his cold face; even his steps seemed to carry a chilling displeasure.

How strange. Du Lingjing watched him mount his horse, clearly still angry, as he spurred the horse harder, causing it to bolt forward in pain.

Was he really angry because someone else was being polite to him? Naturally, it was not all the others, but her…

Du Lingjing waited until he was almost far away before boarding the carriage.

This section of the road was gentler, so Ruan Gong was brought back to drive, but Chong-Ping was left with her to serve.

The carriage swayed and rocked forward, and Du Lingjing followed along, her thoughts drifting. She could not help but think about what had happened since she married him.

First, he insisted on giving her the Guilin Tower, demanding she accept it under all pretenses, opening a library for her, and making a grand spectacle known to all.

Then, she agreed to consummate their marriage, but he turned and left, constantly sending maids to bring her new clothes and even having the Chief Steward personally invite her to his banquet at the Shushi Pavilion.

This time, she initially left a note to avoid a conflict of interest, but he personally went to Baoding, only to become angry and refuse to speak to her. Yet, despite his magnanimity, he forgave her after she offered him tea and water. However, this time, simply because she had not told him about her illness, he became even angrier, puffing up like a frog in a summer pond…

The dignified Marquis of Yongding, seen by others as powerful and imposing… why did he act so strangely and ridiculously?

Du Lingjing pondered these things, lifting the carriage curtain to glance out the window.

He had long since vanished, leaving only Chong-Ping to accompany her on her slow journey. But it seemed a messenger had returned with a report saying they were to take another side road.

Du Lingjing looked out the carriage window, while Qiu-Lin, inside, secretly observed her young mistress.

She saw that although her face still bore the traces of illness, her delicate brows were relaxed, and her eyes seemed like spring water flowing from beneath the ice. Despite the cold weather, her eyes, like spring water reflecting sunlight, radiated warmth.

She was smiling, her lips slightly pursed in a faint arc, then, as if thinking of something, she gently shook her head.

Qiu-Lin was stunned. The last time she had seen her young mistress with such an expression was when her husband was still alive.

At that time, the young lady was immersed in books, carefree…

Perhaps influenced by her joy, Qiu-Lin softened his expression. “Miss, do not keep the window open all the time; you have not fully recovered yet.” As she spoke, she covered her mistress with a blanket.

Du Lingjing did not feel cold. She saw the carriage indeed following the fork in the road someone had instructed, heading in another direction. About fifteen minutes later, they passed through a small town.

The town was not large, but the roadsides were lined with stalls.

Ruan Gong said to her from outside, “Madam, they are selling spring water from nearby mountains in town. Would you like to get out and take a look?”

Hearing about the spring water, Du Lingjing naturally got out of the carriage, and Chong-Ping personally helped her down.

Those who knew him recognized Chong-Ping as the head guard of the Marquis of Yongding’s residence; those who did not would mistake him for her personal servant.

The person in question also stopped there, dressed entirely in a black robe, strolling leisurely with his hands behind his back.

Du Lingjing ignored him for a moment, turning around on the other side. She then heard that there were warm springs in the nearby mountains that did not freeze even in winter. The villagers would always go up the mountain before dawn to collect several jars of water and sell them at the foot of the mountain.

They said that the original hot springs had all been bought up by wealthy families who built houses there. These were several new springs that had appeared this year, still unclaimed, and their water was clear and sweet.

Du Lingjing tasted a little, and seeing how difficult it was for the elderly people to collect the water, she decided to buy several more jars.

However, before she could call Ruan Gong to pay them, she heard someone speak behind her.

“Madam, will you be paying for it yourself this time?”

Du Lingjing did not know when he had arrived. Only when he spoke did she realize he was standing right behind her, almost touching her waist.

His tone carried an unusual air. Du Lingjing thought to herself that he was up to his old tricks again. She did not turn to look at him, only saying, “Of course. I still have some dowry, so I will not trouble you, Marquis.”

Upon hearing this, the man snorted in her hair, then called for Chong-An.

“It’s cold; do not let these vendors suffer in the cold. Go and tell everyone that I want all the spring water on this street.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Chong-An immediately did as he was told.

The vendors all over the street were overjoyed to see a generous customer who bought all the spring water, thanking him profusely.

Du Lingjing could not help but turn to look at him, seeing his amiable demeanor as he told the crowd it was nothing.

“This spring water is very clear and sweet. Now that you’ve sold it to me, everyone should go home early.”

It was already late, and everyone wanted to earn money and go home. At this moment, the Marquis’s guards borrowed a carriage, and everyone on the street loaded the spring water onto it.

Even though Du Lingjing wanted to pay, whom could she buy from?

He looked down at her. “Since you want to buy the spring water yourself, how much do you want? Just give me the money.”

Lu Shenru wanted to see if she really wanted to settle accounts with him.

He looked down into her eyes; her eyes seemed to hold two butterflies, her thick eyelashes fluttering.

He wanted to see what she would say next, but unexpectedly, she suddenly looked up and met his gaze.

“Reporting to Your Lordship, I did not actually intend to buy anything; I was just looking.”

She was not buying anything, but to go against her, he bought all the spring water on the entire street.

The man, having been outmaneuvered by his wife, laughed out loud in exasperation.

Some vendors, who had been surprised by his buying everything, heard him laugh like this and thought he had changed his mind, so they asked nervously. “This spring water, you do not want it anymore, do you?”

“How could I?” The man glanced back at the person beside him. “It’s spring water, after all; I must have it.”

The spring water, contained in jars, was gradually loaded onto the cart, sounding like clear mountain spring water cascading over the roadside stones.

Du Lingjing’s heart skipped a beat, as if jumping along with the spring water. She did not speak, only blinking at the man twice.

He then called to Qiu-Lin, “Bring Madam another cloak.”

Qiu-Lin quickly returned.

He wrapped the cloak around her, two layers in total. Du Lingjing did not know what he was going to do, but suddenly he lifted her onto his Xuanpo.

Xuanpo was extremely tall; even though Du Lingjing had ridden it once before with him, she was startled when she suddenly mounted.

He flipped her over and sat directly behind her, then spurred the horse and galloped off.

This time, Chong-Ping was not needed; he took her himself.

They rode all the way out, and Qiu-Lin, Ruan Gong, and the carriage quickly disappeared from sight.

Wrapped in layers of cloaks, Du Lingjing did not feel cold; in fact, the wind outside felt freer and more exhilarating than the stuffiness inside the carriage.

He pulled her into his arms, and she wondered if he was no longer angry.

But then she heard him say something else.

“Ruan Gong and the others are not here, so Quan Quan does not have any money to pay, right?”

Du Lingjing: “…”

Why was he so calculating? Still thinking about it? Was he the most calculating person in the world she’d ever met? And yet, he would not let her “calculate” with him.

She wanted to say that she did not have any money on her, but the hairpin in her hair could still be used as currency. But then she thought about it again. She realized that from some point onward, everything about her—from head to toe, her clothes, embroidered shoes, hairpins, and sachets—was his. Even the small sachet she’d used yesterday was embroidered for her by the maids of the Marquis’s Mansion.

She paused, realizing that she could not pay for even a hairpin, and did not say anything more.

But the man seemed to have guessed her thoughts and chuckled softly in her ear.

About half an hour later, before nightfall, he stopped at a reasonably nice inn.

As the two entered the inn, they saw an old woman selling her embroidered sachets approaching. She had almost sold out her sachets, with only two left that had been picked over; she was not in a hurry to sell them.

Her eyes lit up when she saw the tall, handsome, and dashing man before her. The man nodded to her, and the old woman stepped forward to greet him. Behind the man, a beautiful and ethereal woman followed slowly.

The old woman could not help but smile. “This must be the nobleman’s wife? No wonder you bought a whole box of hairpins as a gift.”

The man did not say anything, but Du Lingjing paused slightly.

“Hairpins?”

She did not see any hairpins. She turned to look at the marquis and asked the old woman.

“I suppose you’ve made a mistake, ma’am. That box of flower hairpins was meant for another woman.”

The old woman selling flowers was startled. Seeing that the mistress only had two strings of pearls in her hair, she turned pale with shock. This…did she let something slip? She looked at the man beside her in astonishment.

Lu Shenru did not want to frighten the old woman, so he glanced at the woman beside him.

“Another woman? Oh, a Tatar princess, a courtesan, a noblewoman, a nun, or a pretty widow…”

He had not intended to frighten the old woman, but the flower-selling old woman’s eyes nearly popped out of her head! So many women?

Du Lingjing, however, kept her lips tightly pressed together to avoid laughing. Hearing him speak to the old woman and then point at her, she said, “If only there really were one, I would not have to put up with her.”

The old woman selling flowers finally felt a sense of relief.

Du Lingjing hesitated, then looked at him.

Who was being slighted?

Their eyes met, then froze in mid-air.

The old woman, however, looked at the two of them and chuckled softly.

“You and your wife are truly a loving couple.”

Loving.

Du Lingjing was momentarily speechless. Seeing her silence, Lu Shenru thought of what had happened these past few days.

“Loving is unacceptable.”

She currently only considered him an outsider. His voice was slightly low and muffled. He did not want to involve the old woman selling hairpins any further, so he nodded to her and walked past her inside.

The old woman, not wanting to linger any longer, also bowed to Du Lingjing and carried her remaining sachets to a nearby teahouse to sell.

Du Lingjing saw that he had seemed much better earlier, but now he was sullen again, walking away and ignoring everyone. She stood behind him, silently watching him for a long while.

Qiu-Lin and Ruan Gong finally caught up after a while. Chong-An had booked the entire top floor of the inn.

Du Lingjing returned to the inn after dinner, her fatigue returning.

Qiu-Lin touched her forehead. “Madam seems a little hot?”

Du Lingjing said it was probably from the journey. She was about to suggest resting when Qiu-Lin turned and reported to the Marquis.

The man immediately strode over, saw her still standing by the bed, and immediately carried her to the bed, then sent someone to fetch a physician. He repeatedly touched her forehead, frowning. “She’s a little hot.”

Fortunately, there was a physician in the inn. He took her pulse, examined her carefully, and said there was nothing wrong. “It’s just that some residual pathogens have not been cleared from her body. Illness comes like a landslide, but recovery is slow and gradual; it will take several days to fully recover.”

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Shenru also composed himself and said to her, “Go to sleep for a while. If you feel unwell again, call me.” As he spoke, remembering something, he added seriously, “You must call me.”

His expression was slightly serious, but he was not the same as before when he was angry and ignored her. Du Lingjing could not help but look at him a few more times. The candlelight illuminated his eyes like torches, reflecting only her image.

The things that had angered him these past few days inexplicably resurfaced in her mind.

Tingjun’s voice quietly reached her ears. “Think carefully; why is he angry?”

She replied, “I’ve remembered.”

He seemed somewhat unconvinced, so she repeated herself. “If I feel unwell, I will let you know.”

Only then did he blow out the bedside lamp for her, urging her to sleep.

He still had a few letters to reply to, so he sat down at the table by the window.

Chong-Ping left the letters, but he could not concentrate on reading them. His gaze fell on his sleeping wife in the tent, and he suddenly smiled. What was he arguing with her about?

The man got up, opened the window a crack, and the night was deep, with only a few faint lights in the distant mountains.

That year, her father had passed away in the mountains. Upon hearing the news, he rode for five days and five nights, arriving at the mountains where the incident had occurred, where it was still raining. Chong-Ping said she had found her father’s body but remained in the mountains, refusing to leave. He could not imagine what she must be feeling. He hurried up the mountain until he reached the outskirts of the mountain lodge, where she was temporarily staying.

It was completely dark by then, and even at midnight, it was still raining. He had given up hope of finding her. But as he approached, he saw a person carrying a lantern, standing alone in the middle of the mountains outside the lodge. She seemed unwilling to give up, or perhaps she did not know why her father had come to these mountains. She looked back and forth at the mountains, lantern in hand.

She wore only a thin white dress. The mountains were so high and insurmountable that she appeared as small as a grain of sand. But she would not leave. Alone and unable to sleep, she had come outside the courtyard. She held her lantern, questioning the mountains in the night.

Lu Shenru felt a sudden jolt, his heart skipped a beat, and he dismounted, striding towards her.

At first, she had her back turned and did not see him, only gazing up at the dark mountains. Only when he drew near did she turn around, asking a question. In the darkness, she saw him alone, his horse still on the road below, seemingly passing by, and approached her. She asked, “Did you pass by here?”

“It’s a three-quarters-hour walk down the mountain from here.”

Her voice was hoarse, piercing his ears. She said, “But be careful; there are flash floods in the mountains.”

These words sent a chill down his spine. He was about to say something when someone emerged from the courtyard. The person saw her lantern in the distance and called out.

“Quan Quan?”

It was Jiang Zhuxiu.

She heard him and said to this passerby, “My fiancé is looking for me. You should go down the mountain quickly; do not linger. I have to go.”

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. Each tear struck his heart with pain.

He wanted to tell her, “Do not cry,” and he wanted to hold her in his arms. But she cried even harder, wiping away her tears, and turned to walk towards Jiang Zhuxiu.

Suddenly, the raindrops extinguished the lantern she was carrying.

“Quan Quan!” Jiang Zhuxiu called after her, rushing towards her with the lantern.

She suddenly dropped the extinguished lantern, sobbing softly, and ran towards Jiang Zhuxiu.

“Third Young Master!”

Unable to suppress her sobs, she threw herself into Jiang Zhuxiu’s arms. Jiang Zhuxiu’s lantern flickered from the impact, but she hugged him tightly, burying her tearful eyes in his chest.

“Third Young Master, you must live well. We will live to see each other grow old!”

…

The mountains were silent. Lu Shenru withdrew his gaze and looked at the person sleeping in the canopy bed.

He knew she could not forget that person. How could she forget the person she swore to grow old with? That person was the husband in her heart.

Back then, in those mountains, the rain fell and fell all night. But now, it was not raining in the mountains; the capital was so dry that not a single drop fell.

Time had passed; why should he still care about these things?

She was used to being polite to him, so be it. It did not matter if they were even. She would always be his wife, Lu Shenru’s wife, and no one could change that. It did not matter if she did not consider him her husband. Even if she only ever treated him as an outsider, so what?

The man pulled the window back, blocking the distant mountain view.

Just then, there was movement inside the tent. She sat up.

“What’s wrong? Cannot sleep?” he asked.

She lifted the bed curtains and sat on the edge of the bed. “I am a little thirsty.”

The man immediately poured her a glass of warm water and handed it to her.

He reached out and touched her forehead. “You are still a little hot.”

She said it was nothing and drank the whole glass of water. He took the glass from her and heard her say, “Thank you…”

Thank you again.

Lu Shenru felt a surge of anger, telling himself not to take it to heart, and pursed his lips, preparing to pour her another glass.

But before he could turn around, she suddenly said again, continuing the previous sentence.

Thank you, “…husband.”