Exclusively for the Marchioness – CH 060

Chapter 60

At Jiqing Ward, in the Marquis’s Mansion, in Shushi Pavilion.

Princess Nianjia stood atop the artificial hill, gazing at the distant imperial city against the wind, and inexplicably felt that this place where she had grown up had become distant.

“I do not know if it’s because I’ve been in Shaanxi for too long, but compared to the pampered nobles in and out of the palace, I always think of the soldiers guarding the northwestern border, especially those in the Yongding Army.”

She said that in the fourteenth year of the Hongqi reign, the Yongding Army suffered a devastating defeat. “We were all young then, far away in the capital, and could only feel fear and trepidation.”

Indeed, at that time, Du Lingjing only noticed that after the Yongding Army incident, her father’s correspondence became increasingly frequent. He would either summon people to the mansion for discussions or go out to talk with others. He would write memorials and submit them to the Emperor without sleep. At that time, her father was not yet a cabinet minister, and what he could do was very limited, but he still did his best to quell the disaster.

Nianjia said that at the time she only felt fear and worry, “But when I went to the Northwest, I realized just how terrible the casualties were in the Yongding Army that year.”

She began by mentioning Lu Shenru’s father, the then-heir apparent of the Marquis of Yongding. “He was the next leader of the Yongding Army, unquestionable, and the people were devoted to him. Yet, he perished beyond the Great Wall. When the news reached them, not only the Lu family, the old Marquis Lu, and Lu Shenru, but also generals from all families and even ordinary soldiers and civilians, wept bitterly.”

Without generations of the Lu family steadfastly guarding the northwestern frontier, the people and soldiers could not find peace, and where would the tranquility and prosperity of the capital and the Central Plains come from?

At the Shushi Pavilion, Du Lingjing had tea served, but Nianjia did not sit down to drink, remaining standing in the wind.

She said that the number of deaths in that conflict was too great, far beyond the Lu family. People from all other families and households, from nobles who had received imperial edicts of merit since the time of Emperor Taizu to military generals who had fought their way up from the ground in the northwest, all perished.

That year, almost every household in the army hung white sails, and the cries of grief shook the heavens and the earth. Nianjia finally spoke of the Wei family of the Earl of Zhongqing, the family of Wei Cong.

“The heir apparent’s uncle was beheaded by the Tartars and hung on a high hill for three days and three nights. After the blood dried, the Tartars took his head and sent it to the capital, demanding peace talks…”

The wind in the Shushi Pavilion paused.

Du Lingjing recalled this old story.

That day, her father returned from court with an extremely somber expression.

Her father told her that the most capable general of the Wei family, the Earl of Zhongqing, had fallen, his head severed by the Tartars and sent back to the court.

The moment the head was displayed in the main hall, countless civil officials trembled.

“Peace talks! Peace talks it out! The Yongding Army is probably doomed…” they argued.

Even Nianjia, who would usually let go of everything, had a day when she sighed deeply.

She said that when she accompanied Wei Cong to the Northwest, the Yongding Army had already rallied. She added, “Of course, your Marquis Lu would be indispensable, holding the fort for them in court.”

She glanced at Du Lingjing, and seeing that Du Lingjing remained silent, she said nothing more, only stating, “In the hearts of the soldiers and civilians of the Northwest, only when the Noble Consort and her son ascend to the highest position, and Lu Shenru holds absolute power, can they feel at ease and continue to guard the border with their own flesh and blood.”

She sighed again, “In the end, the war of the fourteenth year of Hongqi was too painful and too devastating.”

Du Lingjing also fell silent.

She did not look towards the high walls of the imperial city outside the mansion but silently surveyed every flower, blade of grass, and tree in the entire Marquis of Yongding’s residence.

*

In the Marquis of Yongding’s Residence, at the Outer Courtyard, in Yuanxiu Pavilion.

Lu Shenru only mentioned the word “spies,” and Wei Cong slowly nodded.

After the battle of the fourteenth year of the Hongqi reign, Lu Shenru’s grandfather, the old Marquis Lu, ordered a thorough investigation into the root cause of the incident. The investigation eventually revealed that spies had infiltrated among the army’s generals.

It was not uncommon for Tatar spies to infiltrate, but when the Yongding Army led its troops on campaign, every detail was kept strictly confidential, making it impossible for ordinary spies to infiltrate.

However, the spies in that instance not only stole extremely important battle plans and leaked them out undetected, but more importantly, they had no idea who had sent them.

Afterwards, Lu Shenru’s grandfather had people investigate various Tatar tribes for many years, but no matter what they did, they could not pinpoint the origin of the spies from that time.

Until they discovered that these people had appeared in the Henan and Shandong areas.

That year, the second year of the Yin You era, Lu Shenru, under a secret order from his grandfather, quietly traveled to the Henan and Shandong regions to investigate traces of spies. He had barely found a few clues when this nearly led to his death.

He was severely wounded and hid in the Du family’s Mian Tower building for an entire summer, barely escaping death.

Unfortunately, Lu Hengru did not survive. After the two brothers left Qingzhou, they went to search for clues again. That day, Lu Hengru shielded his brother from an arrow and died in his elder brother’s arms.

The Old Marquis Lu, grieving the loss of his second grandson, issued a strict order: the investigation into spies should cease.

Many years passed until Lu Shenru inherited the title of Marquis of Yongding, took command of the Yongding Army, and stepped into the imperial court.

He reopened the matter and entrusted it to Wei Cong.

“What do you mean?” Lu Shenru asked.

The Marquis Lu’s secluded residence, Yuanxiu Pavilion, naturally prevented any leaks.

Wei Cong answered directly.

“Those spies have shown themselves, right in the capital region.”

“The capital region?” Marquis Lu raised an eyebrow.

The origins of these spies were highly mysterious. Some had Tartar features, while others were entirely Central Plains in appearance. They move in and out of hiding, their movements alternating between appearances and concealment. The power behind them was clearly not to be underestimated, protecting them safely in hiding for many years, sometimes in the border regions, sometimes in the Central Plains.

Now, they’ve actually reached the capital region.

Wei Cong said, based on his intelligence, “They have a secret base in the capital region. I have a vague idea of ​​its location, but for now, I have not alerted them.”

Therefore, he made a special trip back to the capital to discuss this with Lu Shenru.

These spies were no ordinary people; the power behind them was even more extraordinary.

Upon hearing this, Lu Shenru did not immediately respond, but his dark eyes narrowed as he gazed into the distance.

He suddenly said, “The Marquis’s Mansion has a villa in Wanping. After the Lady of Jing’an’s birthday banquet in a few days, you and the Princess should go there for a short stay to recuperate.”

He replied, “I will definitely visit when I have time.”

Wei Cong immediately understood his meaning—

Lu Weishi wanted to personally investigate the spies.

…

After their conversation at Yuanxiu Pavilion ended, it was getting late.

However, neither of them sent word to invite their wives over; instead, they both went to find them themselves.

Just as they reached the back garden, they saw Du Lingjing and Nianjia had already strolled around the garden and returned.

Their gazes both fell upon them, each looking at their respective wives.

Du Lingjing pretended not to see them, showing no reaction whatsoever, while the Marquis’s eyes darkened.

But Nianjia felt her husband, the young master, gaze slowly fall upon her, and the floor beneath her feet felt scorching. She felt awkward and uneasy all over.

She quickly said, “It’s getting late, My Lord. Did you not need to take your medicine? Let’s go back quickly.”

Wei Cong nodded with a smile, agreeing to everything she said.

But she was so uncomfortable that Lu Shenru glanced at her, while Du Lingjing secretly chuckled.

After seeing them off to the front courtyard, she could not help but let out a soft laugh.

How come Nianjia did not hear her chuckle? Her face felt faintly hot, but once they were seated in the carriage, not only her face but even her ears and neck also felt hot.

Wei Cong was injured and could not ride a horse, so he sat beside Nianjia.

Nianjia was the host, and he was beside her, but just sitting there, it seemed like he occupied the entire space in the carriage.

Nianjia dared not look at him directly, only stealing a glance from the corner of her eye. Seeing him resting with his eyes closed, she breathed a slight sigh of relief but could not help thinking of what had happened a few days ago.

Back then, when she received the news of his serious injuries, she was so shocked that her face turned deathly pale. She could not imagine how someone as valiant and skilled in battle as him could be so badly injured that someone had specifically sent someone to Xi’an to inform her.

He usually would not tell her about his injuries.

Then how serious must his injuries be? Could he… be gone?

She was terrified and rushed to Ningxia, only to find him lying on the bed with his eyes closed. She stepped forward and could not help but ask.

“My Lord, are you dead?!”

Her question caused a moment of silence in the room; the guards and physicians attending him were speechless. Even the general lying on the sickbed, under the question, had no choice but to open his eyes and look at her, answering her personally.

“Not yet,” he replied.

Then she asked, “Does the Princess want me dead?”

Her answer was similar to his.

“Not yet!”

She did not want Prince Yu’s mansion to be left with only widows.

The Dowager Consort had lost the late Emperor, and her mother had lost her father; she could not be a widow too!

She quickly shook her head at him, and the man laughed.

“Then I will live,” he said. “I also do not want the Princess to remarry.”

The carriage creaked along the road. That day, after he said that, his gaze remained fixed on her with a smile. It seemed not only that day, but she always seemed to see a gentle smile in his eyes when he looked at her.

But what was he laughing at? Was she, Princess Nianjia, so funny?

Besides, she was not even that familiar with him, was she? Aside from their wedding night, when palace servants were guarding the outside, they had not shared a bed since…

Nianjia’s mind was a jumbled mess, so she simply closed her eyes to rest.

Wei Cong, however, slightly lifted his eyelids and glanced at her with a smile.

*

At the Marquis of Yongding’s Residence.

Du Lingjing waited until Nianjia left, and thinking of her awkward, squirming figure, like a soft, white silkworm, she could not help but smile. A smile graced her eyes and brows, a gentle spring breeze caressing her long, delicate eyelashes.

She had not smiled like that in so many days. Lu Shenru, gazing absently at his wife, could not help but softly say, “Shall we go to Zhenyue Tower for dinner tonight?”

A vibrant spring breeze flowed between them, but after those words were spoken, the breeze paused for a moment.

Du Lingjing glanced at him. “Your Lordship is going to let me out?”

Eight days had passed.

She had finally spoken to him, uttering her first words.

But the man did not answer.

No answer meant no release.

Du Lingjing turned around, but he raised his hand to stop her.

“I heard there’s a dance and music performance for the Flower Goddess at Zhenyue Tower recently.”

Even if there was not, if she just said she wanted to go, he could immediately have the music and dance started.

The whole capital was at his beck and call.

But Du Lingjing only gave a faint smile.

“It seems Your Lordship has some free time and wants to personally take me out…” She paused, looking into his eyes, “To…let me out for a breath of fresh air.”

Let me out for a breath of fresh air.

The treatment of a prisoner.

These words pierced Marquis Lu’s heart.

The smile that had just graced her face vanished, and Lu Shenru could not understand how she could say such harsh things to him.

She said, “I am not going anywhere.”

She lowered her head and walked back.

The cool breeze from the stone slabs, whipped by her skirt, drifted towards him.

Lu Shenru felt he was dying, nothing more.

…

An evening rain fell on the Marquis’s Mansion, leaving the brickwork damp and humid.

Du Lingjing instructed Qiu-Lin to boil water. She then submerged herself in the deep tub, briefly clearing her mind of all thoughts, and closed her eyes for a short nap.

When she awoke, she found Qiu-Lin had added water to her tub several times; the hot water almost submerged her. The entire bathhouse was filled with a thick, humid mist, blurring even her figure.

Seeing this, Du Lingjing finally wrung out her hair and softly called for someone to bring her the long towel to wrap herself in.

Someone approached from behind her.

She was still wringing her hair, not paying much attention, until a long towel was wrapped around her shoulders, then around her front, completely enveloping her.

She sensed something was off about the person behind her.

He simply lifted her horizontally out of the deep bathtub.

In his arms, she was as light as a soft spring flower, damp with spring rain; drops of water from her hair pattered to the ground, then slid down to her chest, half-covered by the long towel.

The white towel on her chest was instantly soaked, clinging to her tender, undulating breasts, revealing a unique beauty.

Du Lingjing quickly pulled the long towel up higher and higher, tightly covering her collarbone, and looked up at him reproachfully. Would he have relapsed and wanted to have a child with her tonight?

Du Lingjing tensed.

The man immediately noticed.

Steam filled the bathing room, slowly and silently rising into the air.

His voice, hoarse from past trauma, was like a drop of water about to fall into a dark abyss, sinking heavily downwards.

“I will not touch you.”

He meant it, and he did not do anything rash. But he did not put her down either, as if she were weightless, like a handful of flowers, quietly holding her in his arms.

Outside, Qiu-Lin and the others had clearly been sent away. The faint chirping of insects outside the window, the night chirping of spring insects not yet jarring, occasionally punctuated by soft sounds like distant drumming.

He carried her, fresh from her bath, to a bench by the window. He placed her on his lap. Du Lingjing tried to get down, but he would not let her, taking a white towel and wrapping it around her.

Du Lingjing was no longer cold, but she was wrapped up like a cocoon, unable to move. She simply stopped moving, waiting to see what he was going to do. She naturally did not give him a friendly look.

He said nothing, unusually quiet today.

Moonlight peeked in through the window, filtering through the misty air, shimmering like silver dust.

Seeing him remain so still, neither speaking nor moving, simply holding her, Du Lingjing could not help but glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

The moonlight brushed past his temples, illuminating his high, straight nose, clearly outlining the two old scars on it.

His eyes were lowered, not looking directly into hers, but fixed on her shoulder. His usually proud and handsome brows were now furrowed in a deep frown.

The moonlight was enchanting, and he truly said and did nothing, simply holding her for half an hour.

His silence tonight was completely unsettling, even for Du Lingjing.

He set her down before the bath cooled.

He placed her on a bamboo couch beside him and then rose.

Moonlight shone on his brocade robe, damp with her sweat. He did not turn around, only spoke softly.

“I know you do not want to see me. I am leaving.”

With that, he walked out the door.

As soon as he left, Qiu-Lin and Ai-Ye rushed into the room.

Du Lingjing was unharmed, but her gaze involuntarily drifted towards the direction he had gone.

Through the thick curtains, she could not see him, only hear his heavy footsteps fading into the chirping of insects in the spring night.

*

On the day of the Marchioness of Jing’an’s birthday banquet, he had a set of large red coral and gold-inlaid headdresses delivered early in the morning.

Du Lingjing had changed into a simple, honey-colored jacket embroidered with orchids and therefore did not wear her hair ornaments.

Today, the capital was bustling with activity because of this birthday banquet.

Although the Marquis of Jing’an’s family was a noble military family, the Marquis of Jing’an had fought against the Wokou pirates in the southeast for many years and had good relations with the civil officials. This time, his wife, who remained in the capital, was celebrating her seventy-seventh birthday, a joyous occasion even the Emperor valued highly. Everyone of any standing in the capital personally went to offer their congratulations.

Du Lingjing did not want to hold a grudge over this matter, especially since she had already arranged to meet Nianjia at the Marquis of Jing’an’s Mansion.

However, Du Lingjing remembered something else.

The Commander of the Jinyiwei, Wei Jue, was also attending this birthday banquet.

She did not know much about the past between Nianjia and Wei Jue.

She just wondered if the two of them would meet.