Chapter 326

Chapter 326: Restless Fire Mama Zhou was frantic with worry. Lou Wanxian had precisely seized upon this weakness in Mama Zhou. She wanted their entanglement to grow deeper and deeper, so that in the future, things could never be fully untangled. Seeing Mama Zhou's brows knit tightly, Lou Wanxian sighed with feigned sincerity, "I know it hasn't been easy for you. If Zhou Dongman meets an unfortunate end, won't his parents blame you?" Zhou Dongman had followed Mama Zhou's arrangements. Now that something had gone wrong, with Mama Zhou perfectly fine while Zhou Dongman was on the verge of death—how could his parents not harbor resentment? Lou Wanxian had grown up reading her mother's expressions, and she was particularly skilled at reading people. She patted Mama Zhou's arm and left the Lou residence. After a moment's thought, Lou Wanxian turned and headed to the Cui residence. Upon seeing Cui Lingrong, Lou Wanxian immediately offered her apologies. "I'm truly sorry. I had no idea my mother would be so foolish. She absolutely refuses to explain the situation, and our Lou family is at a loss." Earlier, Xie Yunting had already told Cui Lingrong that the rest of the Lou family genuinely knew nothing. "I believe what you say, but I simply cannot understand why your mother would target me," Cui Lingrong asked. Lou Wanxian also claimed she couldn't figure it out. "It can't be that she saw us associating and wanted to stop us? But there's no reason for that." Lou Wanxian put on a bewildered expression. "Could it be that there's some secret you don't know about?" Cui Lingrong ventured. Lou Wanxian thought for a moment. "If there were, my mother wouldn't tell me. She's been cold to me lately, and she won't even tell my eldest brother and sister-in-law. It must be something extremely serious." She paused, then suddenly straightened up. "But everything my mother does goes through Mama Zhou. If we investigate through Mama Zhou, perhaps we can find something?" She deliberately steered the conversation toward Mama Zhou. No matter how many schemes Madam Bai had, she still needed someone to carry out her orders. Cui Lingrong nodded. "That's true." After seeing Lou Wanxian off, Cui Lingrong sent people to keep watch on the Lou residence. If they spotted Mama Zhou, they were not to alert her. What she hadn't expected was that very night, Mama Zhou went to the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion—only to be stopped at the gate. Er Shun returned and reported, "According to the gatekeeper, Mama Zhou went to see Madam Zhao, but Madam Zhao refused to receive her." "Zhao Susu again?" Cui Lingrong found it strange. "Logically speaking, at a time like this, Mama Zhou should be seeking help. Why would she go to Zhao Susu of all people?" Er Shun and Nanny Qiu were equally puzzled. Nanny Qiu said, "Though Madam Zhao's refusal does make sense." "Yes, we all know how much Zhao Susu despises the Lou family." Cui Lingrong snorted, then instructed Er Shun to relay this information to Lou Wanxian. She wanted to hear what Lou Wanxian had to say. Two more days passed, and news came from the Lou residence that Zhou Dongman had died. However, the Lou family, knowing they were in the wrong, didn't dare cause trouble for Xie Yunting or Cui Lingrong. They simply let the Zhou family collect the body themselves, without giving them a single coin. The courtyard next door had been mostly cleaned up. Cui Lingrong assumed Xie Yunting wouldn't move in, since he had a much more spacious general's mansion. But when Jin-ge came over, he excitedly said that General Xie was practicing martial arts next door. "Mother, General Xie invited me to practice with him. May I go?" "It's almost dark," Cui Lingrong said. "It's fine, Mother. When it gets dark, I'll just climb back over the wall." Song Mingjin deeply admired General Xie, and his pleading gaze made it impossible for Cui Lingrong to refuse. Song Mingjin left in high spirits, climbing over the wall to the Xie residence. When Cui Lingrong learned of this, she shook her head. "That Jin-ge, honestly!" When she brought Yu-jie to the garden, she could hear the sounds of Jin-ge practicing martial arts next door. Song Yu was curious and had someone bring a tall stool. She saw her younger brother practicing with General Xie, drenched in sweat. "Get down now," Cui Lingrong called to her daughter. "It wouldn't look good if someone saw you." "There's no one else around here. Mother needn't worry." Song Yu said, though she still climbed down. "Having General Xie as a neighbor is actually a good thing. If anyone dares to cause trouble, General Xie can beat them until their teeth scatter all over the ground." Cui Lingrong smiled but didn't respond to that remark. Through the wall, she could hear Xie Yunting teaching Jin-ge, and she couldn't help craning her neck slightly. When it was nearly dark, Xie Yunting escorted Song Mingjin back, and the two had already agreed to practice together again at dawn the next day. Xie Yunting hadn't yet washed up. Sweat beaded on his forehead and temples, making his wheat-colored skin gleam in the candlelight. His Adam's apple bobbed with each breath, and even the sound of his breathing carried a sense of power. Cui Lingrong glanced over, then hastily averted her gaze. Xie Yunting grinned broadly. "Please rest assured, sister. As long as Jin-ge trains with me, I certainly won't let him get hurt." Cui Lingrong nodded. After returning to his residence, Xie Yunting immediately ordered a bucket of cold water and poured it over himself from head to toe—yet it still couldn't quell the restless fire burning in his chest. When Shuanzi entered the room and saw the general holding ice in his mouth, he chuckled and said, "They say a persistent man can wear down any woman. Your move here is quite something—abandoning the general's mansion to move next door to the Cui residence." At first, he hadn't understood why the general had taken an interest in Lady Cui. But after hearing Caixia talk about it, Shuanzi understood—the general was also someone who appreciated beauty. And when it came to stunning beauty, no one could compare to Lady Cui. Lady Cui's beauty was not the shy, delicate charm of a young maiden, but an indescribable allure. "If you have nothing to do, get the hell out of here," Xie Yunting said irritably. "Now look what you're saying, that's hurtful. Your subordinate came all the way here this late—of course there's something!" Shuanzi pulled out a stool and grabbed a piece of crushed ice to pop into his mouth. "Your subordinate heard from someone that some people don't like the look of you, and they're planning to meddle in your marriage. Seems like The Emperor has that intention too." Xie Yunting's face darkened. "Who did you hear this from?" "It wasn't me who heard it—it was Caixia who went out to buy jewelry and overheard two young ladies joking around. One was angry at the other, saying you're a fierce, terrifying brute and wondering what your parents could possibly be thinking. Caixia only paid more attention when she heard them mention you, but she didn't catch much more than that." Shuanzi's mouth was freezing cold. "Using this stuff to cool your fire won't do any good. What you really need is to hold a wife in your arms while you sleep—now that's what you call comfor—" "Get out!" Before Shuanzi could finish, Xie Yunting hurled all the ice at him. Shuanzi ran off laughing, and when he got back, he told Caixia all about it. Caixia, however, was full of worry. "General Xie is indeed a man among men, but he's several years older than our mistress. Right now he's taken with our mistress's beauty—but if a few years pass and she's no longer so lovely, what if his heart changes?" "How could that be? My general isn't that kind of man!" Shuanzi said seriously. "You can't lump the general in with Marquis Song—they're not the same kind of people!" "You said it yourself—General Xie is taken with my mistress's beauty. When you rely on your looks to please someone, how can it last?" Caixia snorted. "Who knows whether General Xie, a few years from now, might set his eyes on someone younger and prettier?" Shuanzi said absolutely not. "I believe in the general—he's definitely not that kind of man. Back when we were at the mountain stronghold, plenty of women threw themselves at him. Some even stripped completely naked, and the general still wouldn't touch them! He was far better than the other men in the stronghold!" "And what about you?" "What about me?" "Did you sleep with a lot of them?" Caixia pinched Shuanzi's arm. Shuanzi cried out in protest that he was innocent, but Caixia shoved him out of the room and snorted, "You men—none of you are any good!" She was still worried that General Xie's affection might change. After all, Marquis Song had also treated her mistress very well before, and what happened in the end? Exactly the same! Shuanzi felt deeply wronged and pounded on the door, wanting to get back in, but Caixia wouldn't let him. Still, he would never say anything bad about the general. But tonight, he'd chalk this one up to the general—if it weren't for him, Shuanzi wouldn't have been kicked out.