Perfect Match – CH 017

Chapter 17

About fifteen minutes later, the female physician finally finished treating her wounds.

Although her lips were deathly pale, she was still struggling to stay upright.

Teng Yue immediately asked the physician and the female physician about her condition.

The physician said, “General, Madam is fine now, but if you want her injuries to heal faster, the medicines sold in Tongguan County are probably not very effective. It would be best to go to Xi’an Prefecture to buy some better ones.”

“If we go to Xi’an now, will my wife’s wounds be able to withstand it?” he asked again.

The physician replied, “If General can find a stable carriage and carefully escort Madam to Xi’an Prefecture for treatment, that would be ideal.”

Teng Yue readily agreed and was about to go and give the order.

But Deng Ruyun shook her head and quickly said it was not necessary.

She knew her own body; the splinter was removed, the bleeding had stopped, and she could simply recover gradually; it just would take a while.

But she had left Xi’an Prefecture with Old Madam Lin’s money.

Her departure from Xi’an Prefecture to the estate was not only to take the blame for Yang Youling but also to sever ties with Teng Yue. But if she returned after less than five days, what was the meaning of this?

Having taken the money, there was no reason not to get things done.

Deng Ruyun shook her head. “General, there’s no need to trouble yourself. The wound has been treated; there’s no need for further trouble.”

“But the medicine in Tongguan County is lacking; the medicine in Xi’an Prefecture is much better. Would you like to come back with me?” His voice softened, and he lowered his head to her side.

At his words, the physician and his wife quickly left the room.

His close proximity made Deng Ruyun uncomfortable; their breaths mingled, making her even more uneasy.

She instinctively wanted to step back slightly, but the moment she made that move, he immediately stopped her.

“Do not move,” he said, seemingly more anxious than she was, his eyes lowered. “I will step back.”

The man took a half-step back, his gaze almost pleading.

“You’ve lost too much blood. We should go back and see a renowned physician; it will be safer.”

He asked again, still wanting her to come with him.

But Deng Ruyun was only his legal wife, not his actual wife.

He did not know these things, but the unspoken understanding between her and his mother, Old Madam Lin, was not something she could easily break.

She shook her head, offering him a word of advice instead.

“General, there’s no need to worry so much. I’m really fine. Besides, Linglang is here too. It’s inconvenient for me to go back and forth with the child. Let’s just leave it at that.”

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something.

“This estate is just too messy. The old lady ordered it to be repaired, but I have not had time to do anything. Even if I did tidy it up, the house would not look presentable. General, you should go back. It’s getting late, so I will not keep you any longer.”

After hearing this, Teng Yue froze on the spot.

She not only did not want to go back with him, but she also did not want him to stay because of her.

A bitter feeling spread through Teng Yue’s heart. He could not speak for a moment, while Little Linglang squeezed through the crack in the door and ran to her aunt’s bedside as soon as she saw her.

Tears streamed down her face. “Auntie, why were you bleeding so much? So much! Linglang was so scared…”

She simply stroked her little niece’s head, soothing her with slightly breathless breaths.

“It’s a little sparrow that flew in and got hurt in a fight. It’s the sparrow’s blood, not Auntie’s.”

“Really, Auntie?”

“It’s true. Look, Auntie’s all better now.”

Teng Yue was speechless. A tingling, aching pain lingered in his heart, twisting and turning within him.

I’m sorry…

But at this moment, he could not even utter “I’m sorry.”

*

That night, Teng Yue did not stay at the estate; he returned to Xi’an.

Deng Ruyun breathed a sigh of relief when she saw he had finally left.

She was not that important to him, and he certainly had other matters to attend to. He probably would not be coming back anytime soon.

Maintaining this distance was the right separation between them.

As for anything else, Deng Ruyun did not have the energy to think about it anymore and fell asleep exhausted that night.

*

Teng Yue returned to Xi’an.

Old Madam Lin had just heard about the bandits of Baifeng Mountain. Seeing Teng Yue return, she hurried forward to ask.

“I heard you went to Baifeng Mountain to suppress the bandits yesterday. Were you injured?”

Unexpectedly, Teng Yue immediately replied, “Mother, did you not want to ask how Yunniang is?”

“Yunniang?” Old Madam Lin was unaware that Deng Ruyun had been abducted by the bandits.

Teng Yue quickly recounted Deng Ruyun’s story, letting out a low, self-deprecating laugh.

“I’m a general leading troops, yet I’ve let my wife fall into such a state.”

Old Madam Lin was stunned, and Nanny Wei gasped beside her.

Teng Yue suddenly looked up at his mother.

“The Huang family’s affairs had nothing to do with her, but regarding that maid’s death, Aunt Yang, for the sake of her daughter’s reputation, spread rumors in the city that it was Yunniang’s fault, relentlessly blaming her. Does Mother know?”

Teng Yue told his mother the truth that Yang Youling had told him after being frightened.

Old Madam Lin paused, not responding immediately, but Nanny Wei quickly spoke for her.

“Aunt Yang is the most concerned with her reputation. Before we could even react to what happened, she had already tried to shift the blame for her daughter. This old servant also sent people to clarify, but the Yang family’s influence is too great.”

She wanted to say something to exonerate Old Madam Lin, but the Yang family’s attempt to deny it was one thing, and the Teng family’s decision to send Deng Ruyun to the countryside, to some extent, confirmed those rumors, which was another matter entirely.

Seeing her son remain silent, his eyes fixed on her with a deep look, Old Madam Lin spoke the truth.

“I did receive your aunt’s request. Considering Youling is still an unmarried young lady, if this incident were to fall into her lap, her future marriage prospects would be much more difficult.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Teng Yue chuckled; it was unclear whether he was laughing at himself or something else.

“Is Yunniang not a distant relative’s niece? Even I think she’s just an insignificant country girl, so reputation does not matter at all, right?”

This marriage was arranged hastily. Before the wedding, Old Madam Lin, fearing Teng Yue’s reluctance, said that Deng Ruyun was the daughter of a distant relative of her own family. Due to hardship, the family had no one to support them, and they had come to Xi’an to find relatives.

At the time, Teng Yue was being harassed by the Prince Enhua’s Mansion. She said this might be a predestined marriage; by marrying Deng Ruyun, the Teng family would be relieved of their predicament, and Teng Yue could also escape the Prince Enhua’s Mansion’s entanglement—a win-win situation.

Hearing this, Teng Yue agreed to the marriage.

However, Teng Yue was unaware that Deng Ruyun and Old Madam Lin were not related, nor was she willing to let him know.

At this moment, Old Madam Lin sighed inwardly upon hearing her son’s question.

Leaving aside other matters, even if money was given to Deng Ruyun to take the blame for Yang Youling, it was because Deng Ruyun’s reputation was not considered important by others.

Old Madam Lin stopped arguing. “This matter was my fault.”

Her mother’s admission only made Teng Yue feel more bitter and unspeakable.

Frankly speaking, even he felt it was only natural that a girl from the countryside like her could not do things well.

Was that not also a form of looking down on her?

He remained silent for a long time before speaking softly.

“From now on, we should have less contact with Aunt Yang.”

Old Madam Lin sighed but could only agree to his words.

“I understand.”

But Nanny Wei gave Teng Yue a slightly strange look.

Old Madam Lin asked about something else.

“I heard you captured someone from the Prince Enhua’s Mansion? What did he say?”

The guards of Prince Enhua’s Mansion were very tight-lipped; even after being nearly beaten to death by Tong Meng, they dared not speak ill of their master.

But he was indeed from the Prince’s Mansion, and his presence in the bandit’s den was also true, not to mention that he almost killed Yunniang.

Teng Yue’s face darkened, and then he gave a very faint laugh.

“A prestigious Prince’s Mansion colluding with bandits, and these bandits have repeatedly stolen military equipment. Where the stolen equipment went is precisely what the army is investigating. Does Prince Enhua’s Mansion think it can escape punishment from my hands?”

These words sent a chill through the room.

Madam Lin paused, her brows furrowing deeply.

“Yu Chuan should reconsider.”

She addressed Teng Yue by his courtesy name, then added, “How can you possibly condemn the Prince Enhua’s Mansion with just a band of bandits from within the Great Wall? If we cannot bring down the entire Prince Enhua’s Mansion, will we not be at odds with them? There will not even be any room for reconciliation.”

Teng Yue could not help but sneer.

“So, Mother, you’re just going to release the Prince Enhua’s Mansion’s guards like this? If the Prince Enhua’s Mansion dared to kill Yunniang today, they would dare to assassinate Mother and my younger sister tomorrow. Are we, the Teng family, just going to cower? Even if we do, will Prince Enhua’s Mansion let us off the hook?”

He stated bluntly, “It’s better to draw our swords and let the Prince Enhua’s Mansion know that the Teng family is not someone they can kill at will.”

His words brooked no argument.

Old Madam Lin rested her forehead on her hand and closed her eyes.

Teng Yue only said one more sentence: “I will not act rashly when dealing with the Prince Enhua’s Mansion.”

But he called for Old Madam Lin.

“Yunniang cannot just stay in the countryside to recover. Mother, come with me tomorrow to bring her back.”

She did not want to come back because they all felt sorry for her.

He did not know how to make her more comfortable, but he could not just leave her in the countryside, abandoning her.

Fortunately, his mother readily agreed.

“Yunniang has suffered enough. We will go first thing tomorrow morning.”

… …

After Teng Yue left, Nanny Wei glanced in Liumingxuan’s direction.

“I wonder if Old Madam noticed? Just now, Second Master was much more attentive to Madam Deng than before.”

This could not go on.

Nanny Wei subtly mentioned this to Old Madam Lin.

Old Madam Lin heard it but waved her hand.

“Never mind all that for now; let’s bring that girl back to recover.”

Her words silenced Nanny Wei.

She glanced at Old Madam Lin with a worried expression, only to see the old lady muttering to herself about something else.

“Judging from Yu Chuan’s attitude, he will inevitably clash with the Prince Enhua’s Mansion. But if he cannot bring down the Prince Enhua’s Mansion, he will have made an enemy. How can this be?”

As she spoke, Old Madam Lin’s face grew increasingly grave.

Her husband had been suppressed for years because of a feud with a villain, ultimately losing his life, and their eldest son had also been implicated, falling down a hillside and dying…

Over the years, she had tried her best to cultivate relationships, hoping to avoid a similar fate, but now she had made another formidable enemy.

Old Madam Lin felt extremely anxious at the thought, her forehead throbbing with pain.

She had not been able to marry Teng Yue to a noble lady, the Teng family had not been able to form a marriage alliance with a high-ranking family, and now they’d offended the imperial clan.

Other matters were minor; she was well aware of them, but the matter of making enemies truly unsettled her.

Back at Canglang Pavilion, she summoned Qingxuan. “Go and prepare paper and ink; I need to write a few letters.”

She needed to contact her connections in the court beforehand, and it would be even better if she could leave Xi’an and meet a few people.

*

At the Tongguan County Estate.

Deng Ruyun had not expected the general to return, and this time he’d even brought his mother.

Old Madam Lin had her servants bring the most stable carriage. Entering the room and seeing Deng Ruyun’s appearance, she could not help but feel a chill.

“Indeed, I did not expect Princess Rongle’s methods to be so ruthless.”

She truly wanted to take Deng Ruyun back. Deng Ruyun initially wanted to refuse, but seeing the general’s determined eyes… He just kept watching her, as if, if she did not agree, he’d think of another way to get her away, no matter what.

Deng Ruyun had no choice but to agree.

Actually, her maternal grandmother and Aunt Juan were all in Xi’an Prefecture. It would be best if she could take Linglang back, and the family could be reunited as before.

Deng Ruyun had come with very little entourage, but when she left, the whole village came out to see her.

Madam Zhou had originally wanted to visit her, but seeing that she had already returned to Xi’an, she could only think of visiting her there in a few days. Their family had been saved this time thanks to Madam Deng’s foresight and strategic planning.

But this lady had suffered so much before; would things be better from now on?

*

Deng Ruyun then saw the physician in Xi’an Prefecture. The physician said she was severely anemic and prescribed her good medicine to nourish and replenish her blood.

After taking the medicine, she felt as if she had fainted and fell into a deep sleep.

Tong Meng came to ask Teng Yue about the handling of the bandits. Teng Yue went to the outer courtyard and returned to find his wife still asleep, but a small figure was slumped beside the bed, sobbing pitifully, “Auntie’s asleep again…”

But her aunt could not respond, only sleeping soundly.

She buried her little head in her aunt’s quilt, her small body trembling and sobbing.

Teng Yue felt a pang of heartache and went over to her, bending down to hold her in his arms.

“Auntie’s asleep; Linglang, come to your uncle.”

But as soon as he reached out, the little girl pushed him away.

Teng Yue was slightly taken aback, hearing her hoarse, crying voice.

“No, you’re someone else’s uncle. You do not like Linglang, and you do not like Auntie. I do not want you.”

These words were like hailstones the size of fists, crashing down on Teng Yue’s heart.

Little Linglang turned and ran out crying, leaving Teng Yue standing frozen by the bedside, his heart aching.

Yes, the child was right. He could not defend himself; he could not say a word in his defense.

He just looked at his pale-faced wife on the bed, thinking that if she could sit up and scold him, he would feel a little better.

Whether it was his heavy thoughts or Linglang’s crying that moved her, the person on the bed opened her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering.

The moment Deng Ruyun opened her eyes, she was a little disoriented. She looked around, her eyelids drooping, and saw the man beside her.

Seeing that she wanted to sit up, Teng Yue quickly pressed her down.

“Your back is injured; it’s better not to sit up. Are you thirsty? I will get you some water.”

As he spoke, he poured a glass of warm water and brought it to her lips. He gently lifted her neck and fed her a couple of sips.

Deng Ruyun felt uncomfortable, and even the slightest movement aggravated the pain in her injured waist. However, he reached under the quilt and took her hand in his, testing the temperature of her palm with his fingertips.

“How are you? Are you cold?”

As he spoke, he seemed to notice a strand of hair that had fallen across her face from drinking water. He used his other hand to wipe her face, gently tucking the hair behind her ear.

These actions were unprecedented, even in bed.

Deng Ruyun paused, then looked up at him seriously.