Chapter 274

Chapter 274: The Secret Affair Du Cheng was knocked unconscious, and County Princess Rongjia could hardly claim that she had set up Du Cheng and Cui Lingying. She could only insist that Du Cheng had drunk too much. "Marquis, I came here together with my two sisters-in-law. I don't know what happened either. When I walked in, I saw Du Cheng lying there naked. That fellow drank too much and is truly confused." "County Princess, didn't the Marquis say he doesn't like Du Cheng? Why did you still bring him here?" Cui Lingrong would not give County Princess Rongjia a chance to explain herself. "It seems Du Cheng is very important to you, that you would risk the Marquis's displeasure just to have him come?" "I didn't!" "Then what was your purpose in insisting that Du Cheng come?" Cui Lingrong asked. Song Shulan was also watching County Princess Rongjia. He wanted to know why as well. The others were equally curious. Just then, Song Mingxuan entered and said, "Du Cheng is, after all, Elder Master Du's heir. Though County Princess Rongjia remarried, it's only natural that she still holds Elder Master Du in her heart. For the sake of his heir, County Princess Rongjia has been thoughtful." On ordinary days, Song Mingxuan would not interject. Thus, when he said this, Song Shulan's brow furrowed even deeper. Song Shulan lost patience. "County Princess, how much longer will you delay? Do you want to make a spectacle of yourself?" "Marquis, I truly don't think that highly of Du Cheng. It's only for the sake of my reputation. If I turned a blind eye, others would say I'm heartless and don't consider old ties." County Princess Rongjia insisted on this explanation. "Then have you considered that I might be displeased?" Previously, Du Cheng came once every half month, and Song Shulan turned a blind eye. But now he was even inviting Du Cheng to banquets—Song Shulan was truly angry. County Princess Rongjia quickly said it wouldn't happen again. "Since the Marquis doesn't like it, I won't have him come anymore. What the Marquis dislikes, I dislike too." She turned and ordered someone to throw Du Cheng out. Song Shulan watched County Princess Rongjia give the order, then turned and left. As he passed by Cui Lingrong, Song Shulan understood everything. He glanced at Cui Lingrong and hurried past. Madame Jiang and the others tactfully took their leave as well. Zhuang Huaiming walked up to Cui Lingrong and asked if something was the matter. "Nothing." Cui Lingrong smiled and told Zhuang Huaiming to go have some tea as well. Only after everyone else had left did Cui Lingrong go to see County Princess Rongjia. "County Princess, how cruel-hearted you are. You've used Du Cheng this way and that, and now you simply cast him aside. Aren't you afraid Elder Master Du will come to you in the night?" "Cui Lingrong, you've ruined me!" County Princess Rongjia gritted her teeth. "Let's be clear—who exactly ruined whom?" Cui Lingrong shot a chilling glance. She said no more to County Princess Rongjia and went out to find Du Cheng. When County Princess Rongjia learned that Cui Lingrong was looking for Du Cheng, she hurriedly followed, but didn't see Cui Lingrong at the entrance. Upon learning that Cui Lingrong had already returned to the banquet, County Princess Rongjia asked, "And Du Cheng?" The servant replied, "Reporting to the County Princess, he was thrown into the alley." When County Princess Rongjia went looking for him, Du Cheng was already gone. Fearing that Cui Lingrong might find Du Cheng first, she needed to make some things clear with him, so she brought Wang Hechun's Wife along to search for him. These days, Du Cheng had left the Rong Prince Mansion and rented a particularly dilapidated room in a narrow alley. When County Princess Rongjia got off the carriage, she didn't even want to walk in—she found the alley too filthy. "Go find Du Cheng and have him come out to speak." County Princess Rongjia said. Wang Hechun's Wife didn't want to walk through the dirty alley either, but she had to obey her mistress's orders, so she steeled herself and went in. However, she quickly returned. "County Princess, Cheng ger said you must go see him in person." "He's gone too far—does he really think he's a young master? If he won't come out, so be it. There will be plenty of ways to shut him up later!" County Princess Rongjia had no intention of walking through such an alley—dark and foul-smelling. Even standing at the mouth of the alley, she could faintly detect the stench of excrement and urine. County Princess Rongjia turned to leave, but Wang Hechun's Wife said with difficulty, "County Princess, Cheng ger said... said..." "Said, said, said—what did he say? Have you developed a stutter?" County Princess Rongjia said irritably. Wang Hechun's Wife lowered her head tremblingly. "Cheng ger said that if you don't go in, he'll go to the Du family and tell them what you did today." "He's grown bold, threatening me?" County Princess Rongjia hadn't expected the day would come when Du Cheng could hold something over her. She stormed into the alley. Wang Hechun's Wife quickly followed, thinking to herself that this Cheng ger was truly troublesome—why couldn't he just come out and say a few words? Now she had to walk through this alley again. The alley was filled with unpleasant odors. Someone on either side had burned their cooking, and there were other nauseating smells mixed in. County Princess Rongjia nearly vomited just walking to Du Cheng's door. She kicked the door open, and the moment she stepped inside, a hand yanked her in forcefully, while Wang Hechun's Wife was blocked outside the door. "County Princess, are you alright?" Wang Hechun's Wife pounded on the door, but the only response came from Du Cheng. "If you keep shouting, be careful that others discover your mistress and I are sharing a room!" Du Cheng threatened. "Mama Wang, if you truly care about your mistress's wellbeing, then stay put and keep watch at the door." Wang Hechun's Wife didn't know what to do, but since she hadn't heard the County Mistress cry for help, she figured the County Mistress was probably fine. While Wang Hechun's Wife was agonizing over what to do, inside the room, County Princess Rongjia slapped Du Cheng across the face. "Well, well, you've finally shown your true colors. I knew you weren't any good. What do you want—kill me or hit me?" "Does the County Mistress really think of me that way?" The light inside the room was dim, and Du Cheng stood with his back to it. He stared at County Princess Rongjia like a leopard, as if she were his prey. "What else would I think? You're nothing but a useless failure who ruins everything. So what if I used you? What can you possibly do to me?" County Princess Rongjia wasn't afraid. A coward like Du Cheng—what could he possibly do to her? "The County Mistress wounds me so. Why can't you understand my heart?" Du Cheng stepped closer to County Princess Rongjia, one step at a time. When he reached out to touch her face, she slapped his hand away, but he only laughed. "County Mistress, you crave warmth too, don't you? Since you've used me, you should at least give me a little sweetness, so I'll be willing to keep your secret." "You... what are you doing?" Before County Princess Rongjia could recover from her shock, Du Cheng suddenly pulled her into an embrace. She struggled a couple of times, but Du Cheng only held her tighter. "I know everything. Marquis Jiangyuan is a ruined man—he can't be a husband to you, but I can. County Mistress, look at yourself, how soft your body has become. You want it too, don't you?" After saying this, Du Cheng bit down on County Princess Rongjia's slender neck. It didn't hurt. Wet tongue and lips wandered across her skin, and County Princess Rongjia trembled involuntarily. She gasped for breath and had just cursed "beast" when her thin lips were sealed by Du Cheng's kiss.