Chapter 59 Geng Qionghua says Shen Rongzhi was killed by Japanese pirates
Before long, Geng Qionghua arrived.
A brocade jacket adorned her head with gold and jeweled ornaments, exuding an air of grandeur.
She was helped across the threshold by her personal nanny, followed by four maids.
Dongrou stole a glance and saw that even the lowest-ranking maid was wearing a brand-new silk vest and bracelets on her wrists, which was much more presentable than her own mistress's half-worn plain silk dress.
Her heart ached, and she bowed respectfully: "You've come from afar, my lady. I'll make you a cup of tea."
"No need."
Granny Yang, who was standing next to Geng Qionghua, stopped her abruptly, her tone harsh.
Dong Rou stood frozen in place, her hands trembling slightly as she held the tea tray, unable to move forward or backward.
"Dongrou".
A weak voice came from inside the tent, "Madam Geng is used to drinking tribute tea in Bianjing, so she may not be used to our coarse tea from Jizhou."
Upon hearing this, Geng Qionghua immediately feigned anger and scolded, "Granny Yang, what are you doing? This is so rude!"
The old woman hurriedly apologized.
She then spoke gently to Dongrou, saying, "Miss Dongrou, you've worked hard taking care of Madam. Go and rest. Zhaoruo and I are very close friends, so there's no need for such formalities."
As he spoke, he kept his body far away from the bed, not even touching the curtains.
Dong Rou curtsied and said, "This servant...this servant thanks Your Excellency for your kindness."
She lowered her head and stepped aside, but out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of the mocking smile on Granny Yang's lips.
Although the old woman apologized verbally, her eyes kept glancing at her mistress's worn-out curtains with disdain.
Another maid stepped forward, took out a silk handkerchief scented with medicine from her sleeve, and carefully wiped the armchair and tea table three times. She then sprinkled the orchid-scented soup all over the jade medicine pot.
Geng Qionghua then took her seat.
She wiped away her tears with a handkerchief: "Sister, it's only been three years since we last met, how come you're so sick?"
A heart-wrenching cough came from inside the tent: "The doctor said it's tuberculosis... cough cough... I've been worrying too much lately, depleting my yin energy..."
Before he could finish speaking, he coughed violently again.
Geng Qionghua immediately picked up the silk handkerchief that had been fumigated with medicine and covered her mouth and nose tightly.
The disgust in those exquisitely painted phoenix eyes was almost overflowing.
Lu Zhaoruo spoke again, a few sobs escaping her throat: "Just now... Aunt arrived first, saying... Sister brought news that my husband has already..."
She burst into tears before she could finish speaking.
Upon hearing this, Geng Qionghua immediately pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her eye: "If I had known my sister was so ill, I definitely wouldn't have..."
She paused deliberately, her voice choked with emotion, "But it's come to this now, I hope my sister can find some solace."
Lu Zhaoruo asked tearfully, "Brother-in-law, did you really meet my husband at sea? And then, the Japanese pirates suddenly attacked... Did you witness my husband being killed by the Japanese pirates?"
Geng Qionghua: "I know my sister doesn't want to believe that Mr. Shen was murdered, but it's true. My husband met Mr. Shen at sea a few months ago. Mr. Shen was on his way back home to reunite with you. Actually, my husband didn't know Mr. Shen at first. It was only during their conversation at sea that he learned that he was the son of the Shen family in Jizhou..."
“My husband also said that back then, Mr. Shen specifically showed my husband the jade pendant he wore close to his body, saying it was a gift from his sister years ago, and that he didn’t write to you about it this time because he wanted to give you a surprise…”
Before she could finish speaking, Lu Zhaoruo suddenly started coughing violently, and Dong Rou hurriedly stepped forward to pat her back.
After her coughing subsided, Geng Qionghua suddenly covered her face and wept bitterly: "Who knew we would suddenly encounter Japanese pirates... those damned bastards cruelly murdered Shen Langjun... we couldn't even retrieve his body..."
so.
Geng Qionghua said that her husband met and chatted with Shen Rongzhi at sea, and even encountered Japanese pirates. The whole thing about being brutally murdered was a lie.
But why does she have the jade pendant that she gave to Shen Rongzhi back then?
Here, Geng Qionghua took out the jade pendant, choking with emotion: "Back then, Shen Langjun told my husband that the flowing cloud pattern and words on this pendant were all carved by your own hands."
She handed the jade pendant to Granny Yang, who then passed it on to Dongrou.
Dong Rou carefully held the jade pendant, lifted the gauze curtain, and handed it to Lu Zhaoruo.
Lu Zhaoruo picked up the jade pendant. It was made of white jade, shaped like a full moon, about two inches square. On the surface of the jade, a few strokes of intaglio were engraved with flowing cloud patterns. Although the lines were simple, they exuded an elegant air. The character "沉" was engraved on the back of the jade.
She spent several sleepless nights carving this, her fingertips blistered and bleeding.
She looked at the jade edge, where there was a very fine crack.
It was said that one day, Shen Rong accidentally fell and was injured.
Therefore, this jade pendant was indeed hand-carved by myself and given to Shen Rongzhi back then...
In her memory, Geng Qionghua was arrogant by nature and looked down on the common people, but she was on good terms with her and treated her quite well. Especially after Shen Rongzhi went to sea, she would always hold her hand and say, "Sister Zhaoruo, don't worry, Shen Langjun will definitely return safely."
In just half a month, Geng Qionghua hurriedly returned to Beijing.
She even wrote a letter saying that she had married and that her husband was a newly appointed fourth-rank official in charge of maritime trade, overseeing all maritime affairs in the country.
The letter barely concealed his smugness.
"younger sister?"
Geng Qionghua's voice came from outside.
Clutching the jade pendant, Lu Zhaoruo cried out in anguish, "My love..."
Dongrou was stunned for a moment, then rushed to the bedside and began to wail, "My condolences, Madam!"
Geng Qionghua also shed a few tears, saying, "The Empress is kind-hearted. Upon hearing of my sister's decision to remain chaste, she mentioned it to the Emperor..."
She paused deliberately, her voice choked with emotion, "The Emperor then bestowed this 'Chastity Arch,' and my sister, remembering our bond, specially sent it all the way from Bianjing."
Previous life.
Because of this memorial archway for chastity, Lu Zhaoruo foolishly thanked her and expressed her gratitude.
However, this very chastity archway trapped her for her entire life.
Geng Qionghua sighed, "Now that your husband is gone and you have no children, the Shen family depends entirely on you. With this imperial archway, life will be a little easier, and outsiders won't dare to bully you so easily..."
Lu Zhaoru lowered her eyelashes, concealing the mockery in her eyes.
Outsiders? Outsiders from Jizhou City, why are they bullying me for no reason? Every household is busy living its own life.
Besides, she has always been kind and generous to others.
The people who truly humiliated her every day were the Shen family, who used this cold, blue stone archway to confine her to the inner quarters of the Shen family, threatening her at every turn with the threat of "disobeying the imperial decree."
Lu Zhaoruo just couldn't understand why, if she had lied to her that Shen Rong had died at sea, she still had her jade pendant in her possession.
At this moment, Granny Yang suddenly spoke up: "Madam, the madam is waiting for you. She sent someone ahead to say that she insists that you go back and have a meal with her."
Upon hearing this, Geng Qionghua immediately stood up: "Look at my memory, I actually forgot that my grandmother is still waiting."
She sighed, "Please accept my deepest condolences, Zhaoruo. The memorial arch for chastity has already been erected outside the Shen family's gate. From now on..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Zhaoruo suddenly coughed violently from inside the room.
Geng Qionghua's expression changed slightly, and she hurriedly swallowed the rest of her polite words, taking several steps back to the door: "Sister, take good care of yourself. I'll come to see you another day... another day."
After saying that, he instructed Dongrou to take good care of the eldest daughter-in-law, and then left.
Lu Zhaoruo slowly sat up from the bed, her fingertips caressing the warm white jade pendant. A hint of disgust flashed in her eyes, but she ultimately did not smash it.
Keeping it might help us find out why the jade pendant ended up in Geng Qionghua's hands someday.
In her previous life, Geng Qionghua stayed at the Shen residence for a few days.
In this life, because she has tuberculosis, she won't be living in the Shen residence. What she just said was merely an excuse...
However, she still felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
The person you thought you could entrust your life to in your past life turned out to be a heartless man, and the friend you thought you were a close confidant was not truly sincere to you.
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