Chapter 328

Chapter 328: Words of Love Xie Yunting was direct. Fierce and passionate. He didn't engage in the roundabout ways of the great noble houses. If he liked something, he liked it. He was never afraid of offending people, nor did he ever feel embarrassed. Compared to love words he couldn't say, he was more afraid of missing out. "The Emperor's betrothal for me would surely be to some daughter of a scholarly family. I don't like women like that." Xie Yunting said he didn't care about such empty reputations. "Besides, I hold military power in my hands. If I were to form a marriage alliance with a great clan, could the Emperor rest easy?" Cui Lingrong looked over in surprise. "I already have real power. If I also had a good reputation, with all the court officials respecting and liking me, then I wouldn't be far from death." Xie Yunting said he understood a thing or two about political maneuvering. "Better for me to be a bit unrestrained. That way the Emperor will tolerate me. My occasional arrogance and domineering behavior is actually my life-preserving talisman." Cui Lingrong had always thought Xie Yunting was simply that way by nature. She never imagined he had this additional layer of consideration. "The General is a man of clear understanding." "Of course. I started out as a bandit. I've faced the King of Hell more times than I can count in this life. I had to learn some means of survival." So today's seemingly absurd actions were actually good for him. The higher Xie Yunting's achievements rose, the more he needed to let the Emperor see that he harbored no disloyal intentions. Today's events would be known throughout the city before long. Some would sigh at his sacrifice, and surely others would mock his impotence. Xie Yunting didn't care what others thought. "Alright, I've said everything I needed to say. See you around." Xie Yunting finished his tea and left. Cui Lingrong vaguely tried to rise to see him off, but in the end, she didn't get up. On the other side, at the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion, Song Shulan wasn't too pleased. In his view, since Xie Yunting had said such things in public, his impotence must be real. As someone who was also impotent, he knew how compelled Xie Yunting must have been to say such words. Since Xie Yunting was impotent, then his feelings for Cui Lingrong must be fake. Had he misunderstood them? While Song Shulan was deep in thought, he didn't hear the door open. It wasn't until Zhao Susu walked up to him that he looked up. "Why are you here?" He had lost all patience with Zhao Susu now. The two of them barely crossed paths anymore. "I heard Father was punished by the Emperor today. Why didn't you say a few good words to help?" Zhao Susu's information came from her eldest brother, who had accused Song Shulan of turning his back on them—watching their father be punished without saying a single kind word. "You don't know the situation at the time. How do you know whether I should have spoken up or not?" Song Shulan grew angry. "At that moment, Xie Yunting had already been beaten thirty strokes. Anyone who dared question him was also given thirty strokes by the Emperor. That cunning bastard Xie Yunting used himself as bait and dragged over twenty officials into being punished along with him." "Then you still shouldn't have just watched Father and Eldest Brother be punished!" Zhao Susu demanded. "How did the Rong Prince Mansion treat you in the past? Have you forgotten all of it? Or is it that you see the Rong Prince Mansion is not what it used to be, and now you look down on it?" Song Shulan said that wasn't his intention. "Zhao Susu, do you want to see me beaten too?" "That's not what I mean!" "Then what do you mean?" The atmosphere was tense, swords drawn. Zhao Susu snorted. "Don't think I don't know. The Rong Prince Mansion can no longer elevate you, and now you regret it, don't you?" Song Shulan was already impatient. Hearing Zhao Susu say this, he felt disgust from the bottom of his heart. "Say whatever you want. I don't have the time to argue with you. As for the Rong Prince Mansion and you—have you ever thought about your own problems that led to today's situation?" "What problems do I have?" Zhao Susu raised her voice. "If I hadn't married you, would I have needed to deal with Cui Lingrong? It's all because I married you that I dragged down the Rong Prince Mansion, and my mother too! Song Shulan, before you say these things, feel your own conscience. Without the Rong Prince Mansion's support, could you have achieved what you have today?" Naturally not. Without the Rong Prince Mansion, Song Shulan would never have risen to his current position. But Song Shulan wouldn't admit it. "My rise is also due to my own accumulation over these years. Your father did help me some, and I never said I wanted to cut ties with the Rong Prince Mansion. I just wanted you all to keep a lower profile!" The more Song Shulan spoke, the angrier he became. "You still think the Emperor will adopt your younger brother? Dream on!" "What do you mean?" "The Emperor has long since taken a dislike to your father, and he certainly won't adopt your brother. The glory and wealth of your Rong Prince Mansion has reached its end. If you keep stirring things up like this, you'll squander it all sooner or later!" Song Shulan finished in one breath and told Zhao Susu to get lost. Zhao Susu grabbed the inkstone and hurled it at him. "Bang!" It didn't hit Song Shulan. But the bookshelf was dented. Ink splattered all over Song Shulan's right side. Song Shulan was stunned for a moment, then shouted, "Qingshan, what are you standing there for? Throw her out for me!" "Song Shulan, you'll regret this. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—how can you guarantee that my Rong Prince Mansion won't have a day of revival?" Zhao Susu cursed at Song Shulan. Qingshan did come in, but after all, there was a difference between men and women, and he didn't dare lay hands on her. In the end, it was Song Shulan himself who went over and dragged Zhao Susu away. Zhao Susu was not one to have a good temper, and she pounded and kicked at the door. Seeing the contrast, Song Shulan could not help but think of Cui Lingrong, and he sighed despite himself. "Ah, I misjudged Lady Cui." Qingshan listened as Madam Zhao continued to curse. In truth, he too missed the days before Madam Zhao had arrived—when the eldest mistress managed the household, the Marquis's estate had flourished. "My lord, I heard... I heard that a tutor from the academy went to propose marriage to the eldest mistress some time ago," Qingshan said in a low voice. "What? Such a major matter, and you did not tell me?" Song Shulan grew anxious. "I thought you would not wish to know, so I did not mention it," Qingshan said. "But rest assured, the eldest mistress refused him, and even told the matchmaker that she had no desire to remarry." Cui Lingrong had rejected Tutor Yu, and Tutor Yu was merely grieved—he did not slander her. However, the official matchmaker who had arranged the proposal felt that Cui Lingrong's standards were too high, refusing a match when someone had come forward, which cost her the reward money. In private, she spoke some unkind words about Cui Lingrong. And the matter of Cui Lingrong not wishing to remarry—that too had spread through the matchmaker's gossip. "She... she does not wish to remarry?" When Song Shulan heard this, hope suddenly kindled within him. "Do you think it possible that Lady Cui... still thinks of me?" "It is indeed possible. You and the eldest mistress were husband and wife by first marriage, and she has toiled and labored for the Marquis's estate—those contributions are all real and tangible. Moreover, if the eldest mistress were to remarry, where could she find a household as distinguished as our Marquis's estate? She surely would not be willing," Qingshan reasoned. "Besides, the moment you mentioned Xuan-ge, the eldest mistress went to the academy. With the three children in the picture, you and the eldest mistress can never be separated for life. My lord, if I may be so bold as to say—the eldest mistress is far, far better than that other one." Outside, all was quiet. Zhao Susu had already left. Song Shulan found himself in deep agreement. "I was muddle-headed before." "It is not too late now. As long as you offer the eldest mistress a way down, and do so more than once, she will soften and return for the sake of the three children. With the eldest mistress back to manage the household, why would there be any need to divide the family?" Qingshan continued to persuade. Song Shulan grew more and more tempted, and the very next day he went out to buy a new set of jewelry, delivering it to Cui Lingrong in person.