Chapter 50 Yao Qingling is having an affair!
Zhou Zhining observed Zhan Xingzhuo's reaction. Was he going to forgive Yao Qingling and gently let it go?
Zhan Xingzhuo had told her that he accompanied Yao Qingling to Yongning Temple as a performance for those important people.
As long as people see the couple kneeling and praying for a child in the Buddhist hall, it will prove that he did not mistreat his wife for Zhou Zhining's sake, and that their relationship was deep.
Zhou Zhining does need this kind of public opinion to quell public anger. Once the public's anger subsides, the people in the Censorate will stop targeting her and calling her a remnant of the criminals.
However, the riots by the displaced people were something no one had anticipated.
Yao Qingling was angry that Zhan Xingzhuo had abandoned her, and now that he was back, she would take out all her resentment on Zhou Zhining.
If Yao Qingling is easily forgiven, then the power to manage the household will return to her hands, and Zhou Zhining will have to endure a life of humiliation in the new mansion...
Yao Qingling, how come she didn't die in that riot!
Zhou Zhining lowered her eyelashes, concealing all her emotions.
She whispered, "It's all my fault. In the end, if I hadn't made so many fuss, Qingling wouldn't have been angry with you; if I had advised you to go to Yongning Temple, she wouldn't have gotten so upset."
"It's also my fault..." Her voice choked slightly as she wiped her eyes with the hem of her clothes. "It's my fault for suggesting setting up a mourning hall so that her soul could find its way home."
Zhan Xingzhuo felt heartbroken whenever he saw her cry.
He gently wiped away her tears with his large hand and said softly, "Why are you taking the blame? Don't cry. Haven't you shed enough tears for her these past few days?"
"Qingling is just too narrow-minded and can't tolerate you. If she had half your magnanimity, if she could understand your difficulties, there wouldn't be so many problems."
"This home should have been peaceful and tranquil..."
His ideal home would have a virtuous wife who would take care of everything for him and help him look after Zhou Zhining.
The original Yao Qingling was exactly the kind of wife he envisioned.
He spent a year making her devoted to him, gentle and quiet, and then gave her two years to learn how to be a good wife.
But Yao Qingling... she didn't do it.
But in his heart, he felt for her...for her...
Zhan Xingzhuo embraced Zhou Zhining, his eyes gazing at the courtyard.
The road surface is smooth and has been newly replaced.
—Under his angry and insistent demands, Yao Qingling hired a large number of workers and repaired the road in just three days.
After a night of torrential rain, there was no more water in the house.
At this moment, Zhan Xingzhuo couldn't figure out what his feelings were for Yao Qingling.
Was it the shock of her resurrection that made him let go of his disappointment and anger towards her?
Zhou Zhining nestled in the man's arms, listening to the steady heartbeat of his chest.
Zhan Xingzhuo's accusations against Yao Qingling could not quell her fears about the future.
What will she do if she loses Zhan Xingzhuo's protection?
With a slight movement of her eyes, she straightened up from his embrace.
“Brother Xingzhuo…”
Zhan Xingzhuo withdrew his gaze and looked down at her.
Zhou Zhining bit her lip lightly, hesitating to speak, her watery eyes looking at him expectantly.
"Speak your mind."
Zhou Zhining said, "If I say something wrong, can you promise you won't get angry?"
Zhan Xingzhuo smiled and said, "Is there anything we can't say to each other?"
Seeing that her fair fingers were stained brown by the ointment, he poured some water on his sleeve and used it to wipe them off.
As Zhou Zhining watched him wipe her fingers, her gaze softened with tenderness and appreciation for his gesture.
She said, "Brother Xingzhuo, you said Qingling didn't come back because she was testing your reaction... But, is there another possibility?"
Zhan Xingzhuo looked up at her; he had already wiped her fingers clean, but he didn't let go.
"What's possible?"
Zhou Zhining bit her lip again, took a deep breath, and made a heavy decision: "Is it possible that she... has someone else outside?"
Zhan Xingzhuo's expression changed instantly, his gentle eyes turning as cold as ice: "Impossible!"
Yao Qingling's heart and soul are completely devoted to him; how could she possibly have someone else outside!
Zhou Zhining glanced at her hand that he had let go of, her eyes reddening with grievance as she lowered her head.
After calming down a bit, Zhan Xingzhuo saw Zhou Zhining looking aggrieved, his eyes softened, and he asked, "Why do you say that?"
Zhou Zhining got up, walked to the dressing table, opened a box, and took something out of it.
She held the item up to Zhan Xingzhuo: "I found this in Qingling's wardrobe a few days ago when I was sorting through her old clothes."
She opened her palm; it contained a folded talisman.
“I went and asked, and it’s from Guanyue Temple… The Guanyin statue at Guanyue Temple is very effective in granting children, and many women go there to pray to Guanyin for a child.”
Zhan Xingzhu frowned as he looked at the talisman.
This only shows that Yao Qingling wanted to have his child.
They haven't been able to have children for the past few years. It's not her fault, but it has something to do with him.
Initially, he told Yao Qingling that although they were married, she was still young, and he hoped to have children in a few years.
She is very obedient.
The Duke's mansion had nannies who knew massage techniques, and they would massage her uterus and acupoints after each sexual encounter.
The massage was very painful, but she endured it.
After they moved to the new mansion, the old nanny couldn't come with them, so she started drinking the herb soup.
Zhan Xingzhuo also said that she was too young to drink this harmful medicine, which contained sheep intestines.
That thing wasn't comfortable to wear.
But Yao Qingling was deeply moved to see that he was willing to make such a sacrifice for her health.
He once again firmly captured Yao Qingling's heart.
This is also why, despite feeling uncomfortable, Yao Qingling was still willing to take care of Zhou Zhining with him over the past two years.
Zhan Xingzhuo then thought of Yao Qingling's irregular periods and how she had been taking medicine every day lately.
Perhaps it was because she had drunk the herbal soup that affected her health.
She went to the Guanyue Temple to ask for a talisman and also took care of her health; she wanted to have a child.
She hoped to use the child to keep his heart and his body.
But to appease her, he agreed to have a child with her.
As long as her health improves—
Before Zhan Xingzhuo could continue thinking, Zhou Zhining's words shattered his reverie.
"...Brother Xingzhuo, this talisman only works when placed under your pillow. When I found it, it was wrapped in a brocade pouch." Zhou Zhining took out the pouch. "The embroidery here, was it done by an embroiderer from the Duke's mansion?"
Each noble household kept several embroiderers, each with a unique mark.
The Zhou family used to have close ties with the Duke's Mansion, so Zhou Zhining naturally recognized the Duke's Mansion's items.
“I think this talisman wasn’t something she sought herself… it was probably given to Qingling by the Grand Princess to urge her to have a child.”
At this point, Zhou Zhining paused slightly, glanced at Zhan Xingzhuo, and said with a dejected and embarrassed expression, "The Grand Princess hopes that you can have your own children, so that in the future... you can pay less attention to me."
Zhan Xingzhuo stared at the talisman, his attention completely focused on it, and for a moment he failed to notice Zhou Zhining's dejected expression.
Yao Qingling put this talisman in the wardrobe... Did she not want to have his child?
The man frowned, his gaze shifting from the talisman to Zhou Zhining.
"Anything else? You said she's having an affair, what do you mean?"
Zhou Zhining was pleased to see the anger flashing in his eyes.
That's right.
She said, "Brother Xingzhuo, do you still remember how she used to go out every day, leaving early and returning late?"
"At the time, I said she might be preparing a birthday gift for you, but...did you receive that birthday gift?"
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