Chapter 315

Chapter 315: Second Rank Qiuju was trembling with fear. She nodded vigorously, only then feeling Du Cheng's hand loosen slightly, allowing her to breathe. Qiuju could never have imagined that merely by taking a look behind the house, she would see Du Cheng coming out of the mistress's room, disheveled and half-dressed. "You... rest assured, this servant... this servant... won't say... won't say anything." Qiuju could no longer form coherent sentences. Du Cheng said, "As long as you behave yourself and say nothing, I won't take your life. From now on, remember—pretend you never saw me, understand?" Qiuju let out several "mm-hmms" in succession, and even after Du Cheng left, she still couldn't recover. How could such a thing happen? The mistress was... actually having an affair with her own stepson? If anyone found out, wouldn't the mistress's and the Du family's reputation be ruined? Just thinking about it frightened Qiuju. She cursed herself for having gone to take that look. Back in the room, Zhao Susu asked Du Cheng where he had gone. "I was afraid Song Shulan might notice something, so I went a bit farther away. I was scared out of my wits just now," Du Cheng said. Zhao Susu was also shaken. "It's all that useless Wang Hechun's Wife's fault—just a few punches and she can't come to work anymore. If she keeps resting, I'm afraid someone will discover something one of these days." Just now, when Song Shulan had sent a maid in to tidy up, she had been very worried that something amiss might be noticed. After all, there were traces of another person living in her room. "I think I should go stay elsewhere for a while, to avoid trouble," Du Cheng suggested. But Zhao Susu refused. "Song Shulan won't let me leave the house, and I can't go looking for you. If you leave, where would I find you?" "Are you that clingy with me?" "Of course—I want to be with you every day and every night." Du Cheng, however, was displeased. "But this way, we can never last long. Susu, I can't keep living like this forever. The Du family will inevitably demand an explanation from me." He had been adopted into the Du family. The old Du residence didn't yet know he had left the Guozijian, but the couple He and her husband had probably already written to the old master. Speaking of the Du family, Zhao Susu was equally irritated. "Du Shinan and his wife are also a problem. It's just that they're not causing trouble right now, so I can't deal with them." "But Susu, they have nothing to do with you anymore. Why do you still listen to them?" Du Cheng asked. "I... I..." Zhao Susu couldn't answer, and simply said with an "ah," "Just wait. One day, I'll make it so you and I can live together openly and honestly." "And Song Shulan would agree to that?" "Whether he agrees or not, he'll have to." A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Zhao Susu's eyes. Her marital bond with Song Shulan was already spent. If Song Shulan stood in the way of her good fortune, she wouldn't let him have an easy time either. Zhao Susu wrapped her arms around Du Cheng. She was now drowning in his affections, sinking deeper and deeper with no way to pull herself out. Meanwhile, Cui Lingrong was busy with the construction of the academy. After her injuries healed, she simply brought Nanny Qiu and moved into the estate, watching over the academy's construction every day. As for matters in Bianjing, either Xie Yunting came to report them, or her younger brother came to find her. Learning that Zhao Susu's reputation had been ruined once again, Cui Lingrong was not surprised. It wasn't until the third month that the Luo family came to propose marriage. Cui Lingrong agreed, and the wedding was set for after the new year. Cui Lingrong wanted to keep her daughter for a while longer, and the Luo family agreed as well. Luo Feng was the eldest grandson of the Luo family. Upon his engagement, Suzhou sent over many rare medicinal herbs. With Yu-jie's marriage settled, Cui Lingrong had one less worry weighing on her heart and threw herself entirely into the academy's affairs. It wasn't until her cousin was promoted that Cui Lingrong returned to Bianjing to offer congratulations, and encountered Song Shulan once again. Two months without seeing him, and Song Shulan looked considerably haggard. Song Shulan seemed to know Cui Lingrong would come, and deliberately waited at the Zhuang family's gate, blocking her path. "You didn't even consult me about Yu-jie's marriage?" It was only after the betrothal gifts had been exchanged that Song Shulan received Cui Lingrong's message and learned his daughter was engaged. Cui Lingrong looked coldly at Song Shulan. "Didn't I send someone to tell you?" "You told me, yes, but shouldn't you have discussed it with me beforehand?" Song Shulan had been searching for Cui Lingrong for a long time, but she was never at the Cui residence, so he could only come to the Zhuang family to try his luck. "What's so good about that Luo Feng?" Cui Lingrong didn't want to argue with Song Shulan, but he refused to move aside. "The Luo family practices medicine; they've never held official office. They're only after your connections. Do you really think they're acting in Yu-jie's best interest?" In Song Shulan's view, the Luo family was also driven by self-interest. Cui Lingrong couldn't listen any longer. "Song Shulan, do you think everyone is like you—fond of living off others and looking down on people?" "I... where am I looking down on people?" Song Shulan refused to admit it. "Everything I do isn't just for myself—it's for this family too!" Cui Lingrong snorted coldly. "Yes, yes, you're so noble and upright, aren't you?" Cui Lingrong told Song Shulan to get out of her way. Song Shulan refused. Cui Lingrong simply waved at the Zhuang family's gatekeeper. "Throw this man out." "What right do you have to throw me out? If you can come to the Zhuang family, why can't I?" Song Shulan huffed and tried to walk toward the Zhuang residence, only to actually be stopped. "I'm sorry, Marquis Song, but my master has said that you and anyone from the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion are not allowed in." The gatekeeper blocked Song Shulan. Song Shulan's breath caught, his face utterly lost as he could only watch Cui Lingrong enter. He cursed and kicked at the steps, but it only made him look more pathetic. Cui Lingrong entered the Zhuang residence, and Zhuang Qi immediately ran over, asking whether Yu-jie had come. "She can't come—she has to stay home preparing for her marriage." Cui Lingrong took Zhuang Qi's hand, and together they went inside to congratulate her cousin. Zhuang Huaiming kept to himself and never formed political alliances, so today, besides Cui Lingrong and her brother coming over, only one other family surnamed Zeng would be attending. This family was not of high rank—the head of the Zeng household was a minor seventh-rank official. Zhuang Huaiming associated with him because of their shared history as fellow students. Concubine Lu saw Cui Lingrong arrive and hurried over to greet her. "You've finally come. The tea-brewing technique you taught me last time—I'm still not very skilled at it." She sought help, then mentioned that the household had no mistress, making everything inconvenient. "I never studied books, and I don't understand the proper etiquette for receiving guests. If I were to appear at a grand occasion, I'd be too embarrassed. If there were someone like you, it would be the master's good fortune." Cui Lingrong hadn't yet caught Concubine Lu's meaning at this point, thinking she merely wanted Cui Lingrong to help arrange a marriage for her cousin. "Is this your idea, or my cousin's?" "It's mine." Concubine Lu watched the stove fire as she spoke. "You know that the master is diligent in his official duties. The more so, the more I feel this household cannot lack a mistress. Not to mention anything else—the ger and Qi-jie'er are both grown now. In another year or two, when it's time to arrange their marriages, someone will need to handle it." On this point, Cui Lingrong agreed. She was willing to help, but no matter what, it wouldn't be as convenient as her cousin marrying someone himself. Seeing that the tea was ready, Cui Lingrong was about to step out when she heard Concubine Lu say that Qi-jie'er was especially fond of her—only then did some of the meaning dawn on her. "Auntie, why are you still here?" Zhuang Qi came looking for her, then turned to speak with Concubine Lu. "Concubine, Father is asking how the banquet preparations are going." "Once all the guests have arrived, we can serve the food," Concubine Lu said. The Zhuang household was not like the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, and Zhuang Huaiming disliked putting on grand displays, but the food was generous in quantity and more than ample.