Chapter 49 The Truth: "Yu'er, do you like Jiang Xuanli?"...
Meng Yin suddenly raised his voice, which startled Zhi Xia. She quickly looked around and, seeing that no one was passing by, felt a little relieved.
After calming down, recalling her recent madness, Zhixia struggled for a moment, but still couldn't help but cautiously speak up for Meng Yu: "Miss, I think what the Third Miss said makes sense. If General Lu really wanted to marry you, he would have agreed to the remarriage that day..."
"Smack!"
Before she could finish speaking, her head was slapped to the side, and a burning pain spread from her left cheek to her brain.
"You traitor! Even you're speaking up for that bitch! What use are you to me? Get out! I don't want to see you for the next few days. Have Tingyue come and serve you closely!" Meng Yin roared, his face contorted with rage.
Zhi Xia's eyes reddened. She didn't dare to look up, only covered her face and responded before running away.
***
A faint scent of osmanthus wafted from the eaves as Aunt Shen personally served Meng Yu a bowl of osmanthus soup. Today was Old Madam Meng's birthday, and knowing that Meng Yu would definitely return, she had Yan'er pick some fresh osmanthus flowers from the two osmanthus trees in the backyard early in the morning to make two bowls of osmanthus soup, which Meng Yu loved.
Meng Yu took a bite, and her eyes lit up immediately. The rice was sweet and fragrant, the lotus seeds and red beans were soft and glutinous, and the longan was chewy. Every bite was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus.
She opened her bright eyes and raised her hand to Aunt Chen: "It's delicious, Aunt's cooking is as good as ever."
Smoke rose from the bowl. Yan'er said that Aunt Shen had prepared the osmanthus soup early in the morning, just waiting for her to return.
She peered out the door for a long time but couldn't see her. So she kept reheating the osmanthus soup.
To preserve the texture, she didn't dare to heat it over a fire, but instead slowly simmered it over clean charcoal.
Meng Yu felt heartbroken listening to this. Although she was already seven-tenths full, she didn't want to waste a single bite, so she ate every last bit, even though she was stuffed.
Seeing that she had eaten her fill, Aunt Shen was delighted. She pulled her aside, took out a mahogany box containing a land deed, two thousand taels of silver notes, and several hairpins. She said gently, "You left in a hurry on your wedding day, and I only put Huaiyin's dowry in your luggage. I originally intended to give you your share on your homecoming day, but I was so happy when you served tea that day that I forgot. Today is the only time I have the opportunity to give it to you."
Meng Yu took the box, glanced at it, and her eyes welled up with tears. She then shoved the box back at her, saying, "Auntie, I don't lack money. Everyone in this mansion is sycophantic and opportunistic. I'm not by your side anyway. Keep these for yourself; you don't need to give them to me."
Aunt Shen raised her hand to wipe away her tears and sighed, "You're my only daughter. Now that you're old and your beauty has faded, you don't want to dress up to please anyone, so you don't need cosmetics. Besides, in the mansion, everything you eat and use is paid for by the public, so it doesn't cost much. If you don't get these things, who else would you get them from? The land and silver may not be much, but at least they truly belong to you. If you're worried about them bullying you..."
She smiled slightly, as if joking, and said, "Now that my daughter is the general's wife, who in the entire mansion would dare to bully or humiliate me? Do they have a death wish?"
Meng Yu smiled through her tears, threw herself into Aunt Chen's arms, and hugged her tightly.
After appreciating the painting, Lu Xiuyi returned to Qingli Courtyard and chatted with Aunt Shen for a while. Their conversation revolved around Meng Yu, mainly reiterating that he would take good care of her.
It was nap time, and after chatting for a while, Aunt Shen also felt sleepy, so she told Meng Yu and Lu Xiuyi to go back and rest.
The two stayed in Meng Yuxian's former room. There was no chaise lounge in the room, only a small reclining chair. Although there were several quilts, the floor was paved with bluestone slabs, so even with thick bedding, the cold air would still seep into their bodies.
The small recliner is made of bamboo and has an uneven surface. It's fine to lie on for a while, but if you sleep on it for too long, it will hurt your back.
Lu Xiuyi absolutely refused to lie down there and insisted on squeezing onto the bed with Meng Yu.
"Trust me, I've said it before, I will never touch you without your permission. Besides, we're sleeping under different blankets, how could I possibly touch you? And I'm sleeping next to you, if you feel anything is amiss, just kick me off the bed."
He huddled in the corner, clutching the quilt tightly, knees bent, chin resting on it, looking at her with a mixture of grievance and roguishness, babbling on and on. Meng Yu was so tired of hearing it that she inexplicably agreed.
The moment the words left her mouth, even she was stunned.
She wanted to back out, but then she saw that Lu Xiuyi had already lay down beside her, patted the spot inside, and looked at her.
His eyes were filled with both smugness and joy.
...Why did she have a feeling that she had been tricked?
Fortunately, Lu Xiuyizi did not do anything to her, and she slept soundly.
In front of the bed was a dressing table, and in front of the dressing table was a window. The twilight reflected on it, and dappled light and shadows pierced through the curtains and spread to the head of the bed, covering the person next to her except for those eyes.
This was the first sight that greeted Meng Yu when she woke up.
The man's butterfly-like eyelashes were neatly arranged, casting shadows on his eyes. His gaze, which was usually as sharp as a hawk's when he looked at her, lazily returned to its previous state, and a slight smile appeared on his lips below his nose.
Meng Yu stared at him unabashedly, then suddenly realized that he hadn't addressed her as "Master" in a long time.
"Am I pretty?" Just as she was pondering this, Lu Xiuyi suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze seemingly filled with dazzling starlight, and looked at her with a beaming smile.
Meng Yu was startled and instinctively lay back down.
Lu Xiuyi frowned in displeasure and reached out to pull her back, but remembering his promise before bed, he sheepishly withdrew his hand and said, "Say something."
She glanced at him sideways, raised an eyebrow, and retorted, "Don't you know I can't speak?"
...Lu Xiuyi was so angry at her words that he almost vomited blood.
He was so angry that he pursed his lips, but he was helpless against her. Meng Yu was in a great mood. She lifted the brocade quilt, walked straight past him to get off the bed, and took her outer robe to put on.
After she finished her makeup, Lu Xiuyi still lingered on the couch and refused to get up. Just then, Huaiyin came to the door and gently knocked: "Miss, Master said that dinner has been prepared and he is waiting for you and your husband."
Meng Yu didn't want to call Lu Xiuyi, but if she went alone, Meng Yanqing would definitely refuse to start the meal, so she had no choice but to move to the bedside.
Looking at him, he was still in the same position, with his back to her. Meng Yu didn't want to bend over, so she took out a feather duster and poked his back.
He remained motionless.
She simply used all her strength to tear off his bedding.
He was still lying on his side...
Completely at a loss, Meng Yu had no choice but to take off his shoes, bend over and climb onto the couch, and sit inside. He saw that the man was staring at him with his eyes open, not saying a word, looking as angry as a child.
She laughed in exasperation, raising her hand: "Is it really worth it for just one sentence, Lu Xiuyi?"
As if choked by her words, Lu Xiuyi suddenly sat up, frowning and glaring at her fiercely, as if he were scolding a wicked scoundrel: "As for it, as for it, as for it. Meng Yu, you are always so heartless. I have helped you so much and given you face in front of others, can't you even give me a sincere compliment?"
He was so anxious that his face scrunched up and sweat poured down his face. Meng Yu thought back to what had happened today. It was indeed him who had stood up for her. Apart from the loss of control on their wedding night, he had never done anything out of line. On the contrary, he had always been very courteous to her.
Although he knew this was before she said she wanted to leave, it was still a concession on his part, so she softened her tone and said, "You are very handsome."
Lu Xiuyi stared at her with a suspicious look.
When Meng Yu was truly afraid of him, she quickly raised her hand again: "Truly speaking, absolutely no lies."
Lu Xiuyi stared at her intently for a long time, carefully studying every subtle expression on her face. He couldn't see any pretense in her expression, so he was overjoyed. He immediately turned around and got off the bed, his tone becoming light and cheerful: "I'm hungry, let's go eat."
Who says women change their minds faster than turning the pages of a book?
In her opinion, it was men.
***
Thanks to Lu Xiuyi, Aunt Shen was able to sit at the dinner table today.
Lu Xiuyi paid his respects to Meng Yanqing.
He was flattered and drank several cups. Slightly tipsy, he said to Madam Yuan, "I'm in a good mood today. Madam and the young ladies, don't spoil the fun. Everyone, have a couple of drinks."
Everyone responded enthusiastically.
The liquor was extremely strong, and as they drank and toasted, everyone at the table became slightly tipsy.
Meng Yu glanced at Meng Yin unintentionally, only to find that the person beside her had been replaced by Ting Yue, and Zhi Xia was nowhere to be seen.
Surprised, Meng Yu didn't have time to think much before she saw Meng Yin pick up a wine cup and a wine pot, stand up, and walk towards her.
She walked past her and went straight to Lu Xiuyi, smiling softly at him: "General Lu has already drunk with Father, Mother and Brother, but he didn't drink with me and Second Sister. Does he look down on us because we are girls?"
Lu Xiuyi's lips curled up slightly, a forced smile, his sharp eyes seemingly seeing through everything: "We are not in the imperial court now, so Fourth Miss should call me Third Brother-in-law."
Meng Yin's smile vanished instantly, and she bit her lower lip, refusing to speak.
Lu Xiuyi didn't offer a wine glass either, and the pleasant atmosphere instantly froze.
Realizing the atmosphere was a bit off, Meng Yanqing quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Yin'er, your third brother-in-law is right. We're at home now, so let him be more affectionate."
Meng Yin was at a loss and was about to speak.
Just then, a maid came in to announce: "Madam, Master, Madam, Young Master Jiang has arrived. He said he brought birthday gifts to celebrate Madam's birthday."
Meng Yanqing was a little impatient and waved his hand: "Why didn't you offer birthday wishes earlier? Why did you have to come now? Tell him to wait in the study first."
Upon hearing this, the maidservant turned around in response.
"Wait a moment," Lu Xiuyi suddenly called out, stopping the maid. After exchanging a meaningful glance with Meng Yu, he asked Meng Yanqing knowingly, "Father-in-law, may I ask who this Young Master Jiang is?"
His address of "father-in-law" carried a hint of respect and reverence, which pleased Meng Yanqing. He chuckled and said, "He's not a big shot. He comes from a humble background and, like Zhang Zhou, is a student of Master Lu at Luhang Academy. He's a learned and extremely talented person who often comes over to study with Zhang Zhou."
Meng Yu was speechless, but then Lu Xiuyi pretended not to know and said, "Since he is Brother Meng's colleague and often comes over, why not invite him in for a drink?"
Since Lu Xiuyi had spoken, Meng Yanqing didn't want to offend him, so he had someone invite Jiang Xuanli in.
A short while later, Jiang Xuanli walked over from a distance carrying a bamboo basket.
Upon seeing this, Lu Xiuyi picked up his wine cup and turned to Meng Yin, who was still standing beside him: "While we were talking, I almost forgot about Fourth Sister. What Fourth Sister said makes sense, and I should indeed have a drink with you."
He looked at her with a beaming smile.
Meng Yin was momentarily stunned, but immediately realized what was happening and hurriedly picked up the wine pot with trembling hands to pour him a full cup.
Lu Xiuyi gulped it down, then turned the cup upside down to show her: "Finished drinking? Fourth sister, are you satisfied?"
Meng Yin's heart pounded like a drum, and her face flushed red. She nodded and curtsied to him, saying, "General, you have a good capacity for alcohol. I admire you."
After saying that, she returned to her seat.
"This was made by my mother herself, wishing the old lady good health and a long and happy life." At Lu Xiuyi's request, Jiang Xuanli was seated opposite Meng Yu and him.
Jiang Xuanli brought a basket of longevity peaches made of flour. The peaches were round with pointed tops and supported by a green leaf at the bottom. Ten longevity peaches were stacked on a white porcelain plate and placed in the center of the table, which looked very nice.
Madam Meng was very pleased with it and said "good" several times.
"I wonder if Young Master Jiang is married?" Lu Xiu placed his hand on the back of Meng Yu's chair and chuckled in a cryptic tone.
Meng Yu glanced at him, but he ignored her.
Jiang Xuanli sat upright and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Not yet."
"Marriage is one of the most beautiful things in life," Lu Xiuyi glanced at Meng Yu, ignoring her sharp gaze, and said with a leisurely smile, "Yu'er and I are in love and have no doubts about each other. I hope that Young Master Jiang can also settle down and start a family soon. As the old saying goes, only by starting a family can one establish a good career."
Jiang Xuanli stared at him coldly without saying a word.
The scene became somewhat awkward. Seeing this, Meng Yanqing quickly raised his glass and smiled apologetically, "What my son-in-law says makes sense. Father-in-law, I'd like to toast you."
Meng Yu felt something was off about his address and his gesture.
But when asked what was strange about it, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Lu Xiuyi raised his wine glass and clinked it with Meng Yanqing's, but his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Xuanli. His hand, which was resting on the back of Meng Yu's chair, never left. Then, seemingly out of the blue, he said, "The wine that Fourth Sister just offered was very delicious."
Meng Yin's face turned even redder. She glanced at Meng Yu with a smug look and became self-satisfied.
Only then did Jiang Xuanli raise his teacup and offer a toast from afar: "I am not a strong drinker, so I offer tea in place of wine to General Lu and his wife, wishing them a long and happy life together."
Lu Xiuyi smiled and replied sincerely, "Thank you for your kind words."
After another glass of wine, a wave of dizziness suddenly washed over him, and his chest felt faintly hot. Lu Xiuyi couldn't hold on any longer, so he whispered in Meng Yu's ear, "I'm a little drunk, I want to go back and rest first."
Meng Yu tilted her head to look at him and saw that his face was flushed. Although they were not touching, she could still feel a wave of heat coming from his body.
“Then I’ll go back with you.” She quickly raised her hand.
Lu Xiuyi nodded.
Meng Yu stood up, greeted everyone, and then helped Lu Xiuyi out of the front hall and headed towards Qingli Courtyard.
As night fell, the candlelight in the corridor stretched the shadows of the two people close together. On their way back, they saw a mother carrying two buckets of water coming from the well. Seeing that she couldn't get any strength, Meng Yu asked Huai Yin to help her.
Lu Xiuyi suddenly asked, "Yu'er, do you like Jiang Xuanli?"
Meng Yu pinched him hard.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch," he instantly came to his senses, "I know I was wrong, I feel like throwing up."
Meng Yu reacted quickly and immediately threw him onto the platform.
...
After a while, Lu Xiuyi finally finished vomiting and leaned against the pillar of the platform, refusing to move an inch: "Yu'er, I want to rinse my mouth."
Meng Yu was a little impatient: "Go back and rinse your mouth."
In the dim candlelight, his face was flushed with an unusual redness, and he spoke in a heavy voice: "I can't walk anymore, my heart is parched."
Seeing that he seemed unable to walk, and with no old women or maids around, Meng Yu had no choice but to glare at him before turning back to Qingli Courtyard to get tea herself.
Unexpectedly, in just a short while, when they returned, the area above Taiji was completely empty, without a single ghost in sight.
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