Exclusively for the Marchioness – CH 050

Chapter 50

“Quick, quick!”

Du Lingjing was covered in sweat. The gentleman had been forced to leave, and suddenly someone was chasing after him out of the capital, rushing about with men—who else could it be? That Lady Yang had become ruthless.

In the mountains.

“Who are you?”

Liao Xu had been struck in the left calf by an arrow. He could no longer walk normally, even struggling to move through the mountains. He could only hide behind a tree and manage to shout.

“I do have some travel money on me; take it if you want! But please spare my life. My elderly mother has been waiting for me for many years; I left the capital only to return home and serve her…”

However, before he could finish speaking, another arrow suddenly shot out. He dodged quickly, the arrow grazing his hair and landing on the ground. He had already said he would leave all his money, yet they still shot an arrow; clearly, it was not for money.

He chuckled, “It seems that I, Liao Xu, though unsuccessful in officialdom and a failing teacher, still have some use for this worthless life.”

Another arrow shot from the forest, but this one missed, embedding itself in a tree behind him with a sharp clang.

Master Liao felt hopeless; he had nowhere to escape between his legs, and sooner or later, he would die from these inexplicable arrows. But then, just then, footsteps suddenly came from the forest.

“Sir? Sir! Where are you?!”

“Jing-niang?!” Liao Xu exclaimed in shock. Footsteps in the woods immediately drew closer.

Du Lingjing, who had been searching the vicinity with her men, heard the reply and rushed forward, immediately spotting the injured Master Liao Xu hiding behind a tree.

Master Liao was no longer the robust man he once was; he was now only a gaunt figure, his appearance further etched with weariness from years of setbacks. Blood gushed from his trousers, staining the withered leaves, and his face was pale.

Du Lingjing was the first to spot him, and a gasp escaped her lips at first glance. She immediately ran towards him.

Master Liao was initially overjoyed to see her approaching, but then realized something and hurriedly called out. “Jing-niang, do not come any closer!”

But it was too late. In that instant, another arrow pierced the air from the forest, striking Liao Xu’s neck from another angle. A fatal arrow, without the slightest hesitation, aimed to take his life in an instant.

Some cried out “Jing-niang,” others exclaimed “Madam,” but Du Lingjing saw the arrow, flashing coldly, hurtling towards the helpless Master Liao beneath the tree.

“Master…” Her mind went blank for a moment, then she suddenly lunged forward. Immediately, she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder; the arrow had grazed her shoulder and fallen to the ground.

The Marquis’s guards rushed over, swords drawn, and the area beneath the tree was immediately surrounded.

Liao Xu was unharmed, but the person who had thrown him to the ground to save his life had her clothes torn by the arrow, with blood flowing freely.

“Jing-niang! Child…how are you?!”

Du Lingjing gritted her teeth, enduring the pain, and shook her head at him. The arrow, though it had grazed her shoulder, had missed her and the teacher, landing on the ground. She said she was fine, but then three more arrows rang out from the forest. Although the guards blocked them with their swords, she spoke again.

“Lady, it’s impossible to harm anyone now! Why not withdraw your men? This matter can be reconsidered.”

The sun was setting, and the forest was darkened by the shadows cast by the clouds.

She could not see where Yang Jinyu’s men were lying in ambush, but her gaze slowly swept over the surroundings. Seeing that no more arrows were being fired, she spoke again.

“First, the Duke Heir’s wife tried to sow discord between the Marquis and me, but unfortunately, my reserved and aloof nature prevented her from succeeding. Now, she intends to take advantage of Master Liao’s departure from the capital to return home, creating another incident to alienate the Flicking Faction members from the Marquis.”

She asked, “But has the Duke Heir’s wife considered that the Marquis has gone to great lengths to win over the Flicking Faction? You harmed Master Liao, causing discord among the Flicking Faction members. He might not necessarily abandon the Flicking Faction; instead, he might directly vent his anger on you and the Yang family.”

Her voice echoed through the mountains and forests.

Hidden in the shadows, Yang Jinyu’s face darkened. She coldly snorted, “I only had someone harm him, then pretended to be bandits robbing him. How would the Marquis know?”

Upon hearing this, Du Lingjing, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, laughed.

“Wife of the Duke Heir, you underestimate the Marquis. Do you think he would not suspect you?”

But she said it was pointless to say anything now. “The Marquis’s guards are here. Wife of the Duke Heir, you’d better stop now, or you might completely anger him. If you continue to act recklessly, your two younger brothers will be even less likely to survive.”

“You…”

Yang Jinyu had initially thought that after she told her that the Marquis had sought an imperial decree for the marriage for the Flicking Faction, such a significant matter, and she had remained silent, Lady Yang thought she was a weakling who could not accomplish anything. But today, despite the cold arrow piercing the wind, she had dared to save someone from the arrow’s edge, and even now, injured, she could still manage to explain the advantages and disadvantages to her.

Water was silent, but if it were to resound, it would be a great commotion.

But Yang Jinyu suddenly said, “Did the Marchioness not consider what if I insisted on my own way? What if I simply shot you and that gentleman dead in this forest? With no witnesses, what would you do then?”

Her words pierced Du Lingjing like a cold arrow, and Du Lingjing’s heart sank. Those two young masters of the Yang family were capable of killing to silence witnesses; Yang Jinyu, their elder sister, was truly no less ruthless.

At this moment, the guards of the Marquis’s Mansion gripped their swords tightly, further protecting the two.

Yang Jinyu sneered repeatedly, “With the men I brought today, what are your chances of winning if I give the order?”

The sounds of birds and beasts in the forest faded away, the sun was obscured by layers of clouds, and the forest grew increasingly dark. But before Yang Jinyu’s words had even finished, a cold, deep voice suddenly rang out from behind her, each word distinct and deliberate.

“You dare?”

Yang Jinyu’s heart skipped a beat. She turned around and saw a figure standing backlit in the mountains, his gaze sweeping down upon her with disdain.

Du Lingjing also looked up and saw the person above her. Withered branches intertwined behind him, blocking out the sun. He stood backlit, but the moment he saw her, especially when his gaze fell on the wound on her shoulder, his eyes seemed to sink to the bottom.

At this moment, Yang Jinyu smiled instead.

“Marquis Lu, why did I go to such lengths? It was only to save my two younger brothers. Yet you refuse to even see me, leaving my Yang family to suffer. Do you know my mother’s eyes are nearly blind from crying? She listened to you and took the initiative to send those two to the yamen. And then what? Why did you not wait for them to be rescued and instead abandon us?”

She questioned Lu Shenru, “If the second branch of the Lu family were still alive, would you treat our Yang family this way?” She demanded sharply. “My second cousin died for you. He’s dead, and you are willing to push his entire maternal family, the Earl of Rongchang’s mansion, into the fire for these outsiders? Is that it?”

A sudden silence fell over the mountain. Du Lingjing was stunned. She had never heard him mention this before. So, the second master of the Lu family’s second branch, his second brother, had died for him.

A large bird screeched in the distance, its cry jarring in the silence.

Lu Shenru was silent for a moment.

Du Lingjing saw pain hidden behind his half-closed eyelids. She heard his voice grow increasingly hoarse.

“Yes, back then, my second brother stood in front of me, and an arrow pierced his throat… He took the arrow for me; he died for me…”

His words echoed through the forest, but the next moment, he suddenly fixed his gaze on Yang Jinyu. “But what does this have to do with the many injustices committed by you and your brothers, the Yang siblings?!”

He only asked Yang Jinyu, “If I were the one who died back then, and my second brother survived and inherited the title of Marquis of Yongding, do you think he would have protected you and continued your murderous rampage?”

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the person wounded in the shoulder by an arrow.

He slowly closed his eyes. “If it were not for your second brother’s sake, you would have died here today too.”

The moment his words were spoken, the killing intent shot through Yang Jinyu’s heart, making her tremble.

However, Lu Shenru truly did not want to kill her.

“Lady Yang, listen carefully. Even if the Emperor sentences your two beastly brothers to a thousand cuts, I, Lu Shenru, will never plead for them before the Emperor. This matter has nothing to do with me anymore; you should take care of yourself.”

He made his words completely clear to Yang Jinyu’s face. Yang Jinyu staggered, almost falling. Without her brothers, how would she survive in the Duke of Wei’s mansion?

“Lu Shenru, are you severing all ties with the Yang family?!”

But the man laughed. “You three siblings are not the entire Yang family.” He would support the illegitimate son to inherit the title, but things would be different for the Yang family’s bloodline.

Yang Jinyu trembled, but the Yang family guards rushed forward, gesturing for her to stop opposing the Marquis and leave quickly. If this continued, and the Marquis truly turned hostile, no one could protect her. The guards urged her to leave, but just as she was about to depart, the man spoke again.

“Who fired the arrows just now? Stay here!”

Yang Jinyu gasped and could only throw out the men who had fired the arrows. Chong-Ping immediately sent men to take them all away.

Several sharp bird cries echoed through the mountains. After the Yang family guards urged Lady Yang to leave quickly, the forest was deserted.

Master Liao, wounded in the leg by an arrow, could not stand, and Du Lingjing’s shoulder was bleeding profusely.

The man practically flew to her side.

“Quan Quan… I am late!”

But Du Lingjing shook her head. He was not late at all. If he had not come, they might not have escaped unscathed today. Lady Yang certainly had a lot of men. Besides, how could he, so busy, have found the time to come? Was it for Master Liao?

Master Liao was indeed important, one of the most respected faction members among the Flicking Faction officials after her father’s death. Fortunately, he had only been wounded in the leg, not fatally. But the grudge between Master Liao and this Marquis needed to be resolved before the rest of the Flicking Faction could be more readily used by him.

Seeing that he immediately summoned Chong-Ping to bandage her wounds, she said there was no rush, “It’s just a superficial injury. Perhaps Guard Ping should check on the master first… I have something to say to the Marquis.”

As she spoke, she gestured for him to go to the other side.

Lu Shenru, seeing that she was not in a hurry to treat her wounds but wanted to speak to him first, wondered what could be so important to her. But then he remembered that she had waited for him for three hours…

“Speak!”

His tone was somewhat harsh. Du Lingjing did not know who had offended him again, but taking advantage of this opportunity, and with the master present, it would be better to make things clear.

She said softly, “Your Lordship’s high regard for the Flicking Faction is truly a blessing for them. However, they gathered together before, following Father, because of shared ideals. Now, many years have passed, Father is gone, and the new policies are in disarray. They would rather be ostracized by the court and scattered in various places than easily change their allegiance.”

She glanced at him. “I already know that Your Lordship married me to win over the Flicking Faction officials. But they each have their own ambitions; forcing them might backfire.”

Thinking of his patience with her since their marriage, she said, “Your Lordship might as well give them more patience as well. Those who are useful will stay by your side; those who are truly unusable, Your Lordship can let them go.”

She had finally made her thoughts clear to him; these were her own ideas, and she hoped he would listen to some of them. But after she finished speaking, the man lowered his brows and looked at her.

Lu Shenru looked at his wife. Just these few words, and she had waited for him in the outer hall for three hours? She genuinely believed he had married her as a stepping stone to appease the enemy. He almost laughed in anger, glaring at her fiercely.

“Who told you that?”

She did not answer immediately, so he answered his own question.

“Oh, Yang Jinyu.”

He then asked, “What else did she say?”

The wind in the mountain forest sent fallen leaves swirling in the air.

Du Lingjing did not understand why he had not listened to her earlier advice and was instead fixated on this. Then she might as well explain it to him clearly. She looked up at him and asked.

“The imperial decree for marriage during the Mid-Autumn Festival was not actually the Emperor’s will; it was the Marquis who requested it, right?”

She looked into his eyes. Her gaze was calm, like the setting sun in the mountains, quietly watching him.

Lu Shenru remained silent for a moment.

She assumed he was marrying her to defy the Emperor, a calculated move to plead for her hand in marriage. She cleverly positioned herself as an outsider, waiting for him for three hours in the outer hall alongside other outsiders, not allowing the steward to inform him beforehand.

She was truly intolerant of any dissent. What would she do if she knew his “scheming” to marry her began long before the Mid-Autumn Festival? The man stared at her intently, unmoved, his voice growing increasingly deep.

“You believe Yang Jinyu’s nonsense? I said we were married only because of the Emperor’s will; why not believe me?”

He countered. Du Lingjing was taken aback.

He said it was not he who sought the imperial decree?

But the man grew even angrier. “And those Flicking Faction members? Yes, I want to use them. But I, Lu Shenru, am not so desperate that I have to force others to be of use to me!”

A mountain breeze blew past her shoulder, and Du Lingjing’s wound throbbed slightly. He said he did not ask for the imperial decree, he did not marry her for the sake of the Flicking Faction, and as for the Flicking Faction members, he did not necessarily need to use them…

The wind blew the withered leaves at her feet into a chaotic flurry, and Du Lingjing’s thoughts became jumbled.

She looked up at him, and he looked down at her intently.

Both of them remained silent for a moment until Chong-Ping stepped forward. “This subordinate will treat Madam’s wound first.”

Du Lingjing had not been pierced by the arrow, but it was extremely fast and had severely grazed the flesh of her shoulder. Chong-Ping could not treat her carefully, so he could only temporarily apply medicine to stop the bleeding from the outside.

The medicinal powder made her tremble slightly. The man, no longer angry with her, pulled her into his arms. “Chong-Ping, hurry!”

Chong-Ping worked quickly, bandaging her in no time.

The sun was setting, and the mountain air was chilly, but his embrace remained warm, even slightly hot.

He had rejected everything Du Lingjing had said; what could she say to him now? She did not know. She glanced at him furtively. His eyes were dark, his handsome, cold face filled with displeasure.

Just then, someone else came searching from the nearby mountain path. It was Hu Tinglan and the other members of the Flicking Faction in the capital.

Master Liao had only informed a few close friends of his departure from the capital, but upon hearing of his departure, everyone had chased after him out of the city to see him off.

But when they reached the vicinity, they sensed something was amiss. Seeing that Master Liao and Du Lingjing were both injured, they were all greatly shocked. “What happened?” everyone asked hastily.

Master Liao gave a brief explanation. But Du Lingjing glanced at the man beside her.

Although Master Liao was not seriously injured, this situation ultimately hindered his ability to further connect with the Flicking Faction members. In the end, he still hoped the Flicking Faction members could be used by him.

She could not help but say, “I will go tell them this has nothing to do with you; it was purely that Lady Yang who lost her mind.”

She finished speaking and was about to step forward when he stopped her.

He was not very friendly to her, but he took two steps to stand in front of the group.

“Faction members, today’s events are entirely due to my lack of open communication with you all.” He said he truly hoped they could be used by him, return to the court, and help Prince Hui ascend the throne. “But if any of you are truly devoted to Prince Yong, I, Lu Shenru, will not force you to change your minds.”

He stated that he certainly would not support a key figure for his rival, “but if you only wish to serve peacefully in the court, serving the country and its people, even if not for His Highness Prince Hui, I will do my best to recommend you.” He added, “Consider this an apology for my past inappropriate actions.”

As he spoke, Lu Shenru specifically looked at Master Liao.

Master Liao had previously resigned from his post to teach out of despair because of Lu Shenru’s beatings for eliminating dissidents. Now he said, “I, Lu Shenru, will never go back on my word. If any of you wish to remain officials in the court, simply send a letter to the Marquis’s Mansion, and upon receiving your posts, you may sever all ties with the Marquis of Yongding’s residence!”

He succinctly and clearly explained his position to the Flicking Faction.

Everyone knew he needed manpower, but no one expected him to say something like this.

Du Lingjing was also stunned, utterly shocked.

Was he really going to let the members of the Flicking Faction go as they pleased?

He did not look at her but said to Master Liao, “I truly did not expect to cause you such distress that you had to leave the capital and return home. However, I have actually secured a position for you.”

He said it was the Provincial Judicial Commissioner of Jiangxi, a position that would become vacant in a few months. Jiangxi was far from the capital, and the Provincial Judicial Commissioner was in charge of criminal matters for the province.

“With your abilities, Master Liao is more than capable of this position.”

After Master Liao had served in Jiangxi for six years, perhaps the battle between Prince Yong and Prince Hui in the capital would have been decided, and it would not be too late for him to return and serve the new Emperor.

Liao Xu never expected that he had already secured a position for him, nor did he intend to force him to change his mind.

“Your Lordship’s magnanimity far surpasses ours.”

Everyone could not help but nod in agreement.

“I did not expect the Marquis to go to such lengths for us.”

He said, “Of course, if you are all willing to lend His Highness Prince Hui and me a hand, the Marquis of Yongding’s mansion will be wide open!”

As he spoke, he turned to look at the injured person beside him.

“But I did not marry her to use you all. I cannot fathom such a reversal of cause and effect.”

The last part was meant for her to hear.

Du Lingjing pursed her lips.

His eyes grew even sterner, but he said the injured could not wait. “It’s best to return to the capital as soon as possible to treat your injuries!”

Master Liao’s injuries were more serious than Du Lingjing’s, so they could not wait. Everyone agreed.

Du Lingjing looked up at him, wanting to say something, but he went straight to her, hugged her, and had Chong-Ping drive straight to the capital.

He was completely unfriendly and did not speak to her the entire way.

However, upon returning to the Marquis’s Mansion, he did not escort her back to the main courtyard. Instead, he carried her directly into his study. Du Lingjing had never been to his study before; it was strictly guarded, and unauthorized personnel were not allowed inside.

He led her directly into the study.

This time, he did not use Chong-Ping. She suggested sending Qiu-Lin, but he refused. He personally peeled her bandages and re-treated her injuries.

He seemed quite skilled at treating wounds; Du Lingjing thought of the deep and shallow old scars on his body.

But he remained silent, his face cold, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“The Marquis… is he angry?” she had to speak first.

He snorted and glanced at her. “What does Madam think?”

Du Lingjing did not mince words. “The Marquis dislikes me for not believing you and suspecting you again?”

She truly could not understand why she had suddenly come to the capital and married someone else.

If she had married poorly, it would not have mattered, but he treated her exceptionally well, so well that she always felt his supposed love at first sight was inexplicable.

She said softly, “It was an imperial decree bestowing the marriage during the Mid-Autumn Festival; it was too unexpected for me.”

She was frank.

The candlelight flickered.

The man looked into her eyes, the firelight also gently shimmering in her watery eyes.

He suddenly asked, “What if that imperial decree was truly obtained through my own efforts?”

His voice was soft, floating slowly in mid-air.

But Lu Shenru saw that as soon as he uttered this hypothetical question, his wife’s eyes widened, the firelight in her eyes flickering, and a hint of fear seemed to appear in her eyes.

Fear…

The man lowered his eyes and smiled.

She really could not tolerate him telling the truth.

However, those old stories buried in Mian Tower were best left in the past; he did not want to think about them, much less bring them up again. “Let’s pretend all that happened before never existed. Our marriage was truly a divine decree, a fresh start. Is that not possible?”

He chuckled softly and repeated himself to her.

“Our marriage is indeed only by the Emperor’s will; I never petitioned. If you still have doubts and do not believe me, you can ask the Emperor and the Prince of Yan another day.”