Chapter 235

Chapter 235: The Legacy The man was still rescued, but after being beaten and then throwing himself into the lake, he ran a fever throughout the night. The next morning, when County Princess Rongjia rushed to Linglong Pavilion, she didn't come out of concern—she slapped him across the face. "If you want to die, die at the Du family's house! Don't cause me any trouble!" "Does the County Princess truly despise me this much?" Du Cheng's eyes were bloodshot. He seemed deeply wounded, his pale cheeks trembling slightly, tears welling in his eyes but not falling. "Yes, I despise you that much!" County Princess Rongjia shouted. "I wish you would die! Why did you have to appear in my life?" "Very well, I understand. I have caused the County Princess trouble." Du Cheng turned his head away, leaving only the back of his skull to County Princess Rongjia. "You'd better understand." County Princess Rongjia left in a fury, instructing her servants, "If he truly doesn't want to live, tell me, and I'll send him back to the Du family!" She hurried out the door and nearly collided with Cui Lingrong, who was entering. She said crossly, "Why are you here?" "Brother Cheng is staying at the Marquis Mansion as our guest. If he's so troubled that he throws himself into the lake, I, as the mistress of the household, ought to come and check on him, shouldn't I?" Cui Lingrong looked at County Princess Rongjia, who had clearly not slept well all night. County Princess Rongjia gritted her teeth. "A cat crying over a dead mouse—pretending to be kind. What does his life or death have to do with you?" "The County Princess is confused. If Brother Cheng were to die in the Marquis Mansion, how would we explain it to the Du family? Would you take responsibility then, or would I, as the mistress?" Cui Lingrong put on the airs of a household matriarch, which was exactly the manner County Princess Rongjia hated most. One was smiling, the other wished the other dead. County Princess Rongjia was in a foul mood and turned to leave, but then heard Cui Lingrong ask her whether she knew why Du Cheng had gotten into the fight. "How would I know?" County Princess Rongjia said, unconcerned. "A fool with no real ability, causing me nothing but trouble!" "It seems the County Princess's aversion to the Du family runs quite deep." Cui Lingrong said, "I heard that someone was speaking ill of the County Princess's reputation, and that's why Brother Cheng threw the first punch. But I'm curious—how could someone as noble as the County Princess have issues with her reputation?" Before Cui Lingrong could finish, County Princess Rongjia's face had already turned pale. "You... what nonsense are you spouting? I conduct myself with integrity—how could I have any issue with my reputation?" "It's not I who said there was an issue; I was merely explaining why Brother Cheng got into the fight. In fact, Brother Cheng is very protective of you. Are you being too cold toward him?" Cui Lingrong asked. "Cui Lingrong, aren't you talking a bit too much today?" County Princess Rongjia looked at her strangely. "Oh, I see now—you want to see me get closer to Du Cheng so that Master Song will be upset, and then you can drive a wedge between me and Master Song, is that it?" So that was why Master Song had argued with her so fiercely—it was all Cui Lingrong's doing, sowing discord. Cui Lingrong was wrongly accused. She had no time to stir up trouble between County Princess Rongjia and Song Shulan. It was plainly the two of them who had developed a rift between themselves. But since County Princess Rongjia said so, she didn't deny it. "So even the feelings of youth can't withstand hardship?" "What do you mean?" County Princess Rongjia took a big step forward, nearly bumping into Cui Lingrong. "Exactly what I said." Cui Lingrong said no more and went inside to see Du Cheng. Du Cheng was not in mortal danger, but because of the fight and the disturbance, he would not be able to attend the Guozijian for the next month. She said a few brief words and then left with her people. When she returned to Qiushuang Zhai, Nanny Qiu asked, "Why did the Eldest Young Madam tell the County Princess about Brother Cheng's fight?" "Even if I didn't tell her, someone else would. But because I told her, she'll think I have ulterior motives and will think more carefully about Du Cheng's intentions." Cui Lingrong was trimming flower branches, speaking slowly, word by word. "What do you think—why did Du Cheng throw himself into the lake? Was it really because of those two sentences from County Princess Rongjia?" Nanny Qiu said she couldn't figure it out. "He managed to enter the Guozijian under the name of County Princess Rongjia's child, and he's been able to stay at the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion—this shows the man has extraordinary endurance. Someone who can endure that much wouldn't suddenly become so desperate." Cui Lingrong had also thought about it for a long time. "A man with that much endurance choosing to drown himself must have his reasons." "Is the Eldest Young Madam saying that Brother Cheng wants to soften the County Princess's heart toward him?" Nanny Qiu asked. Cui Lingrong smiled slightly. "Who knows? But don't you think the Du family's move is quite interesting? The second branch left without hesitation, yet they deliberately left Du Cheng behind. Why? Just to disgust County Princess Rongjia?" There was no need for that. They had gone to such trouble to preserve a legacy for Elder Master Du, yet they left Du Cheng right under County Princess Rongjia's nose—weren't they afraid she might, in a fit of rage, actually kill Du Cheng? Nanny Qiu looked thoughtful. "Could it be that Du Cheng staying at the Marquis Mansion has another purpose?" "Most likely. The Du family has no grudge against the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion. The only connection between them is County Princess Rongjia." Cui Lingrong said she was just testing the waters. "Let's wait and see. Since there's a purpose, action will surely follow." Nanny Qiu nodded in agreement. A few days later, Cui Lingrong encountered Du Cheng at Shouan Tang, who had come to pay his respects. He kowtowed in the courtyard and was about to leave, then glanced inside before entering. By the time she arrived, County Princess Rongjia had stayed up another night, yet she no longer dared to talk back to Old Madame Song. Seeing Cui Lingrong arrive, County Princess Rongjia rose to leave, but Cui Lingrong called out to her, "County Mistress, wait. Old Madame says you are meticulous, even more attentive to others than I am. But it has been so long, and Old Madame has not recovered—my heart is also weighed down with worry. So when the eldest daughter-in-law of the Luo family is coming to Bianjing, I thought I might ask her to take a look at Old Madame." Seeing that Old Madame was about to speak, Cui Lingrong spoke first, "Rest assured, Old Madame. You know that my second sister-in-law was able to conceive under my friend's acupuncture. Perhaps a few needles will cure you of your ailment." Old Madame Song had deliberately caused trouble at night, and Cui Lingrong could hardly bear it either. So, coinciding with Yu-jie's upcoming Ji-pin ceremony and the Luo family's impending visit, she made this proposal. "Moreover, Yu-jie's Ji-pin ceremony is imminent—Old Madame cannot remain ill forever. If one session does not work, a few more will do the trick." She had written ahead, instructing that the needles be applied to Old Madame's most painful acupoints—once if not enough, then twice.