Chapter 197

Chapter 197: Silver Cui Lingrong didn't catch sight of Song Shulan at the doorway at first, and helped Cui Zeyu down from the carriage. Song Shulan was sensitive by nature, and seeing this scene, a nameless anger surged up in him. "What are you two doing?" Hearing this, Cui Lingrong looked over, her brows slightly furrowed. "If the Marquis needs to go out, then go quickly. We've just returned from the Ye residence." "No need. I'm not going out anymore." Song Shulan turned and went back inside. Cui Lingrong told Cui Zeyu not to mind Song Shulan. "Since you're here, do you want to go in and see Jin-ge and the others?" Cui Zeyu nodded in agreement. The siblings returned to Qiushuang Zhai, where Yu-jie and her brother chatted about recent events. The group laughed and talked merrily, and Cui Zeyu didn't leave until after dinner. As darkness fell, a gust of wind brought Bianjing's first snow of the season, fluttering down softly. "The roads are slippery in the snow. Go slowly." Cui Lingrong watched her brother walk into the distance, then stood under the eaves watching the snow. "Nanny Qiu, the snow has come so early this year." "Yes, today's snow is heavy. By tomorrow morning it will have piled up high. You're afraid of the cold—shouldn't you go back inside?" said Nanny Qiu. Cui Lingrong said there was no hurry. Her days passed one at a time, and patience was what she had in greatest abundance. Before long, snow had accumulated on the ground. Nanny Qiu fetched the fox-fur cloak and had just draped it over her mistress when she spotted a figure appearing at the arched gate. She quickly bowed. "Marquis." Song Shulan came holding an umbrella, but snowflakes still clung to his robes. He had a handsome face, and amid the falling snow, he was in no way diminished. But Song Shulan had come with anger. He stopped at the foot of the steps and looked up. "Let me ask you—you and Cui Zeyu aren't even siblings by blood. Don't you know the propriety between men and women?" Even if they were true siblings, that wouldn't be acceptable! "Did the Marquis come all this way just to say this?" Cui Lingrong found it baffling. "Is it that I took Zeyu to the Ye residence and not you, or that Zeyu helped me down and that displeased you?" Song Shulan said nothing, expressing his feelings through silence. "When did the Marquis become so petty?" Cui Lingrong was speechless. "When have you ever thought well of the Ye family's standing? If I had invited you, would you have gone?" In Song Shulan's eyes, there were only those more capable than himself; he never associated with those beneath him. "Whether I go or not, as your husband, shouldn't you have informed me?" Song Shulan climbed the steps one by one, going from eye level to looking down. He suddenly grabbed Cui Lingrong's arm. "Or have you already stopped seeing me as your husband? Or do you not even consider me a man?" Before Cui Lingrong could speak, she was dragged into the room by Song Shulan. Seeing Nanny Qiu about to follow, he immediately kicked out at her. Had she not been far enough away, Nanny Qiu would have fallen badly. "Worthless thing, can't you see I have business with your mistress?" Song Shulan had been stewing in frustration, waiting to see when Cui Lingrong would send someone to summon him. But until dusk fell and Cui Zeyu had left, still no invitation came. Was she tired of him? Song Shulan stormed over in a rage, pressing Cui Lingrong against the wall, one hand undoing his belt. Heavy, ragged breaths fell against Cui Lingrong's ear, one after another. "Mm..." No effect at all. Cui Lingrong turned her head away, her fists already clenched. "The Marquis should preserve some dignity for himself." The cold words doused Song Shulan like ice water from head to toe. He hated Cui Lingrong's icy demeanor, and resented even more why he had no reaction—especially seeing the expression on Cui Lingrong's face now. Song Shulan slammed his fist hard against the beam. "Dignity? Have you ever cared about my dignity?" "Lingrong, is there any place for me in your eyes now?" Song Shulan tried to make Cui Lingrong look at him, but she kept her head turned away. He could only forcibly grip her chin and turn it. "I told you to look at me. Why can't you be like before?" Cui Lingrong said nothing, simply looking at Song Shulan. The two of them had long since developed cracks between them. As for Song Shulan's outburst today, it wasn't just the emotions he'd accumulated since becoming impotent—it was also seeing Cui Lingrong's closeness with Cui Zeyu. He issued a harsh ultimatum: "Even if not for yourself, then for Yu-jie. Or do you want Yu-jie to never marry for the rest of her life?" He released Cui Lingrong and turned to pull open the door. When a man can no longer display his virility before his woman, strange thoughts take root in his mind. "Bang!" A violent sound. Song Shulan had broken the door. Nanny Qiu entered cautiously. "Madam, are you alright?" "Mm. He doesn't have that ability anymore." Cui Lingrong suddenly smiled a little. "Nanny Qiu, I suddenly find myself envious of Madam Ye. No matter what she does, Hanlin Ye always thinks she's wonderful. You saw it today too—the moment Madam Ye said there was no firewood, Hanlin Ye went to fetch it himself without even thinking to order a servant. You can tell that's how they were used to doing things back in their hometown." The good times before were good, but what was truly precious was that after Hanlin Ye became the Zhuangyuan, he hadn't changed at all. Unlike... unlike Song Shulan. Nanny Qiu did not know what words could comfort her mistress. When a sudden gust of wind blew out one of the candles, the room dimmed considerably. She hurried over to close the door, but it would not shut properly. "Never mind that. Just close the outer door. This door is like a person—neat and tidy on the outside, and even if it is broken within, no one can tell. Only you know." Cui Lingrong said she wanted to sleep. She and Song Shulan were done. That was all they could be. That night, Song Shulan went to Concubine Zhang's quarters. Cui Lingrong was his lawful wife, and County Princess Rongjia held a noble title. Only at Concubine Zhang's place could he give orders from a position of superiority. But no matter how he tried, whether half an hour or a full hour passed, Song Shulan still could not perform. Poor Concubine Zhang went from trembling to numbness, all the while dreading Song Shulan's fury. She did not sleep a wink all night. The next morning, Song Shulan left early for court. Gazing at herself in the bronze mirror, Concubine Zhang thought of Huadie, who had left the marquis's residence. If she could bear a child, perhaps she too would have a chance to leave. "Concubine, please do not grieve. At least the Marquis stayed the night. As long as the Marquis comes, the household will treat you with more respect." A maidservant came over to comb Concubine Zhang's hair. "Yes, what else can I do?" Concubine Zhang laughed bitterly at herself. When her hair was done, a matron delivered silver, saying it was from the Marquis. Concubine Zhang accepted the silver. She had no children and no family. With some money in hand, she could get by in the future by following the eldest young mistress. Despite having not slept all night, she still went to pay her respects to the eldest young mistress as usual. These days, the eldest young mistress mattered more than the Marquis.