Chapter 540 There's No Going Back
silence.
The continued silence made Meng Jinyu very anxious. She was afraid that after returning to Yangzhou, she would continue to be tormented by her mother-in-law, and even more afraid that she would be looked down upon by her in-laws because of this matter.
She looked at her husband sitting across from her, hesitating several times before finally giving in, but for the sake of her future happiness, she reached out and took his hand, saying softly, "Husband, this was my fault. Please don't be angry, okay?"
Deng Yuanqing shook off her hand, staring at her with cold, deep eyes. After a long while, he said, "Let's pretend the letter never happened. From now on, you must not mention how good your relationship with your elder sister is at home, lest you embarrass yourself again."
Meng Jinyu dared not disobey and nodded repeatedly: "Alright, I will listen to my husband. What about my mother-in-law?"
Deng Yuanqing knew what his wife was afraid of, and scoffed lightly: "You're afraid of losing face, but I'm not? Don't worry, this is a secret between you and me in the family, and I won't tell anyone else." He paused, "Of course, in front of others you are still the good sister of the Marquis of Changxing, but you can no longer tell people how good your sisterly relationship is or how good your elder sister is to you. But when others mention your elder sister, just pretend you don't know."
Meng Jinyu looked at him with surprise and some confusion.
Deng Yuanqing glared at her, instantly feeling that she was as stupid as a pig. He had explained it so clearly, yet she still couldn't understand.
Meng Jinyu thought carefully about what he said, understood his meaning, and then nodded gently: "Husband, I understand."
Deng Yuanqing gave a nonchalant "hmm." He still had to make a good living in Yangzhou, and his business couldn't be hindered. His wife's status could bring him benefits, so he would continue to make good use of it. He wouldn't deliberately mistreat her because of what happened today, and he would provide her with the same food, clothing, and daily necessities as usual.
Seeing that his anger had subsided, Meng Jinyu thought the matter would pass. However, when her husband slept with her personal maid that night, she was furious, but because she was in the wrong during the day, she dared not speak out.
To marry her, her husband dismissed his previous concubines, leaving her as his only woman. After she became pregnant, she suggested preparing two concubines for her husband to show her generosity, but he refused each time, which made her very happy.
But now, her husband has taken her trusted maid as a concubine, which feels like an invisible slap in the face.
She listened to the noises coming from next door and couldn't sleep all night.
The next morning, Meng Jinyu summoned the maid who had slept with her husband the previous night.
The maid knew her temperament, and since her indenture was still in her hands, she was afraid of being sold off. She trembled with fear and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy: "Madam, please spare me. It wasn't my will."
Meng Jinyu's face was gloomy. She naturally knew that it wasn't the maid's initiative, and she couldn't sell her off for this. This maid was someone she could control. If she sold this maid, there would be another one. She suppressed her anger and said, "Get up. I know you wouldn't betray me and climb into my bed. Drink this bowl of medicine too."
The maid understood that it was a contraceptive soup. The fact that her master allowed her to drink it meant that she was not allowed to have a child. She had no choice but to take the contraceptive soup from another maid and drink it all in one gulp.
Seeing that the maid was obedient and compliant, Meng Jinyu was not so angry anymore. She comforted herself again and again, telling herself that this maid was her person, and that she could use this maid to help her if her husband had other women in the future.
For the next few days, Deng Yuanqing and the maidservant made love in the private room.
Meng Jinyu was so angry that she gritted her teeth, but facing her husband who was still furious, she dared not speak her anger. She only said to her husband in a gentle way, "Husband, I am used to having you by my side. I am not used to you being away these past few nights."
Deng Yuanqing understood what she meant and glanced at her indifferently: "Ayu, you weren't this jealous person before. You're pregnant, and I can't ignore you and the child."
Meng Jinyu was speechless at these words and quickly explained, "Husband, that's not what I meant."
"That's not what I meant."
After saying this, Deng Yuanqing left the room, took the maid who had been sharing a bed with him for the past few days, and led her to the next room to sleep.
Meng Jinyu gritted her teeth, twisting her handkerchief, feeling both angry and aggrieved. She also knew that she and her husband were probably never going back. However, she didn't dare to show her husband the same attitude she had when she first married him. After all, when they first married, her husband had always treated her well. Now that he didn't, if she showed her displeasure, life would be even more difficult when they returned to Yangzhou. She could only try her best to appease her husband before they returned to Yangzhou.
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The Changxing Marquis's Residence.
With nothing else to do, Meng Jinyao went to chat with her two sisters-in-law to pass the time.
Suddenly remembering her husband's words from the previous night, Chen asked, "Have you heard that the envoy from Anguo is coming to visit soon?"
Upon hearing this, both Meng Jinyao and Madam Zhang were stunned for a moment, and then shook their heads.
Madam Chen continued, "That might not have spread yet, which is why you haven't heard about it. I only overheard the Second Master mentioning it last night because he works at the Ministry of Rites."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinyao and Zhang nodded. Whenever foreign envoys visited, the Ministry of Rites was required to receive them, so it was normal for the officials of the Ministry of Rites to be the first to know.
Zhang asked with some curiosity, "Why did Anguo suddenly come to visit?"
Meng Jinyao was equally curious and cast a curious glance at Chen Shi. Anguo was a small country and a vassal state of Zhao, which submitted to Zhao and paid tribute to Zhao every year.
Madam Chen gently shook her head: "How would I know? But I heard from my second master that the third prince and seventh princess of Anguo came this time. I heard that the king of Anguo also dotes on these two children."
Hearing this, Zhang lost interest and changed the subject: "The envoy from a small country has come to visit, so I suppose it's nothing important. Let's talk about your Xiu Hong first. I heard that the Minister of Rites seems to be interested in betrothing his youngest daughter to Xiu Hong?"
Chen nodded: "That is indeed the case."
Zhang then asked, "Did your second sister-in-law agree?"
Ms. Chen shook her head: "I did not agree; I politely declined."
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhang was quite surprised: "The family of the Minister of Rites is quite prestigious, and his youngest daughter is exceptionally talented. It would be an excellent match. Why doesn't my second sister-in-law agree?"
Madam Chen sighed helplessly, "Do you think I wouldn't be tempted by such a good marriage? I was overjoyed that the Minister of Rites took a liking to my Xiu Hong and wanted him to be his son-in-law, but Xiu Hong just wouldn't agree, and I couldn't do anything about it."
Zhang remained silent, hesitant to speak. How could she allow her child to be willful in such a good marriage? They were both at the age to get married, and there was a suitable match from a good family. She had to make the best of it. If her Xuanyi had such a good marriage, she would definitely not allow Xuanyi to be willful. They would settle the matter first.
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