Chapter 278

Chapter 278: An Improper Affair Yuan Mingzhu seemed to have pulled herself together. She followed Cui Lingrong to receive the mourners and truly did not shed a single tear. Cui Lingrong stayed with Yuan Mingzhu all the way through the funeral procession, until they returned to the city together, and then accompanied Yuan Mingzhu back to the Jiang family residence. "Alright, Lingrong, you've kept me company long enough. If you don't go back soon, your Song Shulan will kill me. When he came today, I could see he kept wanting to talk to you." Yuan Mingzhu forced a faint smile. She was grateful in her heart—what friend would do this much? Only Cui Lingrong. Cui Lingrong did indeed need to return. "Don't worry about what he thinks. I don't bother with him anymore—he can do whatever he likes. I don't care, and you shouldn't either." "Have you truly let him go?" Yuan Mingzhu asked. "What else can I do if I don't? If I complained and wallowed in resentment, wouldn't I just turn myself into a bitter, resentful wife?" Cui Lingrong laughed as she spoke. "Besides, his heart doesn't hold me. Why should I force him to like me? Don't you think?" "Lingrong, you've changed a lot too. But I'm truly happy that you can think this way." Yuan Mingzhu embraced Cui Lingrong. Cui Lingrong still had to leave, but at the entrance, she ran into Xie Yunting, who was also about to depart. Xie Yunting spoke first. "Today was the funeral—I came to pay my respects to Second Brother Jiang as well. Are you heading back?" Before Cui Lingrong could answer, Xie Yunting added, "Let me escort you back." Today, Xie Yunting wore a set of gray-white robes, shedding the fierce, decisive aura of a great general and instead carrying a gentler, warmer air. He took a step forward, and Cui Lingrong followed, saying, "No need to go to such trouble." "It's no trouble. I'm feeling heavy-hearted myself, and I'd like to exchange a few words with Sister Cui." Xie Yunting walked to the entrance and waved to the coachman. As Cui Lingrong was about to board the carriage, Xie Yunting proactively raised his hand, indicating that she could use it for support. Such a gesture was somewhat beyond the bounds of propriety. Cui Lingrong hesitated, glancing at Xie Yunting's hand—his fingers were distinct and long, completely unlike the slender hands of a scholar, carrying far more strength. Fortunately, Nanny Qiu was quick-witted and went around to the other side to support Cui Lingrong. But Xie Yunting still kept his hand raised, as if he had no intention of withdrawing it. It was at that moment that Song Shulan appeared from somewhere, squeezing himself between Cui Lingrong and Xie Yunting. "General Xie, what exactly are you doing?" "Marquis Song, as you can see, I was preparing to escort Sister Cui back." Xie Yunting gave Song Shulan a barely perceptible raise of his eyebrow. Whether it was Song Shulan's imagination or not, he felt that the eyebrow raise carried a hint of provocation. "My wife doesn't need you to escort her. General Xie is a busy man—go attend to your own affairs." Song Shulan said curtly, then secretly exerted force to push Xie Yunting aside, only to find that Xie Yunting didn't budge an inch. "Sister Cui's matters are important too. Marquis Song is the busy one—I heard you've been impeached several times recently. How do you still have time to loiter around here?" Xie Yunting said with biting sarcasm. Song Shulan had indeed been having a rough few days; otherwise, he would have come to pick up Cui Lingrong long ago. Seeing that the two were about to start quarreling, Cui Lingrong spoke up. "General Xie, thank you for your kindness, but it's broad daylight now—nothing will happen." As for Song Shulan, Cui Lingrong didn't even look at him. After Cui Lingrong sat down, Song Shulan quickly climbed into the carriage, staring at her with displeasure. "If the Marquis has something to say, say it directly." Cui Lingrong sat upright. "You came to keep Little Yuan-shi company for a day or two, that's one thing—but you stayed for so many days. Do you still remember that you are the eldest daughter-in-law of the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion?" Song Shulan's tone was full of accusation. "And what's the meaning of this between you and Xie Yunting?" He had wanted to speak with Cui Lingrong this morning but never got the chance, only to arrive at the Jiang family's doorstep and see Xie Yunting fawning over her. Cui Lingrong looked at Song Shulan as if he were being unreasonable. "What does the Marquis mean? What about me and General Xie?" "He calls you 'Sister Cui' at every turn and offers to take you home. His hand was raised so high—do you think I'm blind?" Song Shulan pressed aggressively. "I've always thought Xie Yunting looked at you with improper intentions. I see now—he didn't come to pay his respects sincerely; he came for you!" "Marquis, aren't you going too far?" Cui Lingrong was genuinely angry. "General Xie and I are completely innocent. He's Zeyu's friend and calls me 'Sister' along with Zeyu—what's wrong with that?" Song Shulan insisted otherwise. "Even if he's Cui Zeyu's friend, he should call you Marchioness Song, or Eldest Young Madam of the Song family. You're someone who knows propriety inside and out—if you don't understand this, could it be that you harbor improper feelings for him too?" "How could I possibly harbor improper feelings for him? You're getting more and more absurd! General Xie comes from a rough background—isn't it normal that he doesn't know the rules of a great household that well?" Cui Lingrong couldn't continue the conversation with Song Shulan and told the coachman to stop the carriage. But Song Shulan grabbed Cui Lingrong's hand, refusing to let her get off. "Even if he comes from a rough background, he's been in Bianjing for so long—surely he knows these rules by now. And besides, if he doesn't know, shouldn't you remind him?" Between the lines, Song Shulan was still insisting that something was going on between Cui Lingrong and Xie Yunting. "Unreasonable!" Cui Lingrong tried to shake off Song Shulan's hand, but the carriage was too cramped for her to push him away. She could only shout at the driver to stop. "I'm unreasonable? Cui Lingrong, if you have nothing to hide, why are you running?" Song Shulan had grown increasingly sensitive ever since he lost his manhood. "If you don't explain yourself clearly today, you're not going anywhere!" "I told you there's nothing, but you won't believe me. Have you taken the wrong medicine, Marquis?" Unable to free herself from Song Shulan's grip, Cui Lingrong glanced down and kicked him in the shin. Only then did Song Shulan release her in pain. Cui Lingrong hurriedly stepped down from the carriage. But as soon as she turned around, she saw Xie Yunting sitting on horseback in the distance. He was tall and imposing—impossible to miss.