Chapter 18 She must be madly in love with him.

When Zhan Xingzhuo returned to his residence, he did not see Yao Qingling. He heard from the servants that she had gone to the Duke's mansion.

With nowhere to vent his anger, he smashed several teacups.

None of the servants dared to speak.

After taking a few angry breaths, he ordered Minglu to prepare a carriage; he wanted to go to the Duke's mansion.

Minglu was stunned.

The second young master had a grudge against the Duke and didn't even return home for the New Year. If he went back because of Zhou Zhining's matter, the Duke would probably be even angrier.

Minglu tried to persuade him from the side.

Zhan Xingzhuo calmed down and rubbed his temples.

He was truly driven mad by Yao Qingling.

He took the tea Minglu handed him, and frowned after just one sip: "So bitter?"

Minglu smiled ingratiatingly: "It's bitter tea, Second Young Master, please calm down... What would you like to eat tonight?"

Zhan Xingzhuo took a deep breath, flicked his sleeves and stood up: "What's there to eat? I have no appetite."

He walked to the west courtyard and looked at the empty house. Nothing had been packed. It was clear at a glance how hastily Zhou Zhining had left.

She was just too kind and sentimental. Jin Kui had only served her for a few days, and she was already protecting that girl, which is why she was deceived.

If Yao Qingling wanted an apology, he would have given it to her; why be so vicious?

She's driving Zhou Zhining to her death!

Zhan Xingzhuo felt a tightness in his chest and his brows were furrowed.

He strolled slowly back to the main courtyard and looked at the equally empty rooms.

He hadn't been back to the main courtyard for several days, and it seemed that something had changed, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, nor did he have the mind to think about it.

If he were to think about it and take a closer look, he would find that many things in the room had been put away.

This place is even emptier than the west courtyard.

At this moment, Zhan Xingzhuo only felt that he had misjudged Yao Qingling.

However, she was the wife chosen for her by her mother, and he brought her into the family with great pomp and circumstance, so he didn't want to divorce her.

Yao Qingling was jealous of his excessive attention to Zhi Ning and her son, which is why she couldn't tolerate them.

Yao Qingling is more responsive to gentle persuasion than force; he shouldn't have confronted her directly. Women need to be coaxed.

If he could show the same tenderness and attention he did for her during their first year of marriage, she might be able to treat Zhi Ning and her son better.

Zhan Xingzhuo decided to change his strategy.

...

Yao Qingling was prepared for Zhan Xingzhuo to question her when he returned.

She went to the Duke's mansion not to escape Zhan Xingzhuo's wrath, but to seek the protection of the Grand Princess Deyang.

On the contrary, if Zhan Xingzhuo came looking for her in a fit of rage, she could let the people of the Duke's Mansion see for themselves how Zhan Xingzhuo treated her.

If she brings up divorce, they won't know how to persuade her to stay.

But she waited for a long time, and Zhan Xingzhuo did not come.

When the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture received the report from Fang Manyuan, he covered up the situation for the Duke's Mansion and the Left Censor-in-Chief's Mansion. Neither the Duke's Mansion nor the Left Censor-in-Chief's family appeared in court, but the Duke's Mansion still heard the news.

This time, Princess Deyang didn't praise Qingling for doing a good job or encourage her like she did last time.

"Qingling, do you think you did the right thing this time? This kind of thing could have been resolved within the manor itself, why did you have to take it to the court?"

This time, the Grand Princess of Deyang reprimanded Yao Qingling.

Perhaps she was mistaken; Yao Qingling did not have the ability to manage a household.

She made a big deal out of a small matter, until everyone knew about it.

However, Zhou Zhining did indeed return to the Wang family this time, and she was picked up by the Wang family's head butler.

Those who belonged to the Wang family returned to the Wang family; the Zhan family kept no irrelevant people around, and this commotion seemed to have drawn a clear line between them.

There can be less idle talk during a spring banquet.

Yao Qingling got the job done, but not well enough.

Yao Qingling accepted all of Princess Deyang's scolding without defending herself.

This is exactly the effect she wanted.

Hopefully, Princess Deyang will be disappointed in her and find another daughter-in-law, so that they can part ways amicably in the future.

If it weren't for the fact that Zhan Xingxiang was going to meet the man at the Spring Banquet, Qingling would have brought up the idea of ​​divorce by now.

"Alright, I won't keep you for dinner tonight. Zhou Zhining has caused so much trouble, letting everyone see her true colors. Xing Zhuo should also see what kind of person she is. Go back and have a good talk with Xing Zhuo. Can you two still be like before? Like I said, having a child sooner will make things easier in the future."

Princess Deyang gave some instructions and also asked Granny Jia to give her some medicine to regulate her body.

As I left, the sun was almost below the horizon, leaving only a sliver of light.

The lanterns at the entrance of the Duke's mansion were already lit.

As Qingling climbed the steps, she silently pondered in the dim light, "How could Zhan Xingzhuo possibly see what kind of person Zhou Zhining is?"

He was so engrossed in Zhou Zhining's loneliness and fragility that he couldn't see anything else.

She tugged at the corners of her lips, shook her head, and stepped onto the carriage using the horse stool.

The carriage moved slowly along the dimly lit street, then suddenly stopped.

Tao Ye lifted the curtain, about to ask what had happened, but upon seeing the person opposite her, she paused, stunned: "Young Master?"

Yao Qingling frowned. Why was Zhan Xingzhuo not going to the Duke's Mansion, but instead blocking her way?

She became wary, clutching a whip in her hand.

This time, she wouldn't let him hurt her again. Before he could even make a move, she would give him a good whipping!

Tao Ye also felt that Zhan Xingzhuo had come to harm her young lady.

Tao Ye blocked the carriage door, her small face tense: "Young master, this is the street. Do you want to bully the young lady here?"

It was getting late, but it wasn't time to close the shop yet, and there were still pedestrians on the street.

Zhan Xingzhuo dismounted and glanced at her indifferently: "Get out of the way."

He pushed the peach leaves aside.

Although he was a civil official, he was also skilled in martial arts, and his strength was far beyond what a little girl could withstand.

Once inside the carriage, he met Yao Qingling's wary eyes.

He noticed the whip in Qingling's hand and frowned: "Are you going to hit me?"

It seemed that only then did he realize that Yao Qingling was the daughter of a military general, and even if she returned to the capital and was trained, she still had a wild streak in her bones.

Thinking of this, his brow furrowed even deeper.

He doesn't like fierce women; women should be gentle and tender.

He suddenly remembered that Yao Qingling had always been gentle and tender towards him.

She must be deeply in love with him to have hidden her sharp edges and treated him with such gentleness and tenderness.

The reason she's having these conflicts with him is simply because she's jealous.

Thinking of this, the man's expression softened, and he said, "I came to pick you up since you hadn't returned yet."

Yao Qingling was taken aback, wondering if the Zhan Xingzhuo in front of her was the man she knew.

Surprisingly, he didn't roar at her like an angry tiger, accusing her of harming Zhou Zhining.

Countless times she walked home at night, and he never asked her anything. Zhou Zhining said she was afraid of the dark, and every time she closed her eyes, she saw Wang Xuan beating her. He stood in the yard all night so that she could see him the first thing when she had nightmares.

Yao Qingling didn't say anything, her expression was indifferent.

Zhan Xingzhuo looked at her and reached out to take the whip, but Yao Qingling immediately gripped it tightly and refused to let go.

The man shifted his body and sat down next to her, saying softly, "Qingling, I won't do anything to you. I know I wronged you..."

He pulled out a pair of gemstone pendants from his pocket: "I saw them at Yubaozhai. I think they suit you very well. Shall I put them on you?"

During their honeymoon, they were so affectionate and loving. He often bought her jewelry; she would dress up and only show it to him.