Chapter 88 The acupoint for silencing grievances is pierced, forbidding any utterance from the lips. ...
At the autumn hunting grounds, Wen Shiqin happened to meet Ye Jiuzhao, the husband of Lan Shexiang. The two chatted happily and then invited Helan Que and others to join them in the hunt. After enjoying themselves, the four rode back home. Wen Shiqin specially invited Ye Jiuzhao to the Marquis's residence for a small gathering to show his hospitality.
As they approached the gate of the mansion, Helan Que urged his horse forward to ride alongside Wen Shiqin, frowning as he said, "Siyuan, what is his identity? Don't you know? You're having a good time now, but do you know the complex web of interests involved, where one move affects the whole situation?"
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Shiqin raised his hand to stop him: "I must get revenge."
Helan Que clicked his tongue and shook his head: "Where did your usual strategic thinking go? This matter is clearly more harmful than beneficial, yet you insist on going against the tide!"
As they arrived at the entrance of the Marquis's residence, Wen Shiqin dismounted and stopped listening to Helan Que's rambling.
He looked up and saw the lanterns in the mansion being lit one by one, their warm yellow light reflecting off the eaves. In a daze, he seemed to see Su Jinxiu standing by the window in plain clothes, her eyes gentle, looking on expectantly for his return. A smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
Wen Shiqin turned to look at Helan Que, who was still sulking, and teased, "I think you're clearly jealous of me. You envy that I have a beautiful woman waiting for me when I return home and have warm food to eat. You're deliberately looking for an excuse to criticize me. Oh, you're just jealous."
"This is outrageous!!"
Helan Que stared in disbelief at Wen Shiqin's departing figure, his face filled with incredulity.
He turned around abruptly and waved his hands repeatedly at Zhou Yunce and Ye Jiuzhao behind him: "You two, remember this, don't try to persuade this fool again! I tried to persuade him with all my heart and soul, but he just kept spouting sweet nothings at me. It's outrageous!"
Ye Jiuzhao, already enjoying a harmonious marriage with his beloved wife by his side, paid no heed to Helan Que's complaints. Zhou Yuance, who always admired Wen Shiqin's integrity and wisdom, naturally wouldn't echo his sentiments. Only Helan Que remained rooted to the spot, glaring and fuming, but soon fell silent.
It turned out that he had just seen Wen Shiqin pass through the moon gate when he was stopped by a beautiful figure at the courtyard gate.
The courtyard was named Wei Rui Courtyard. It was originally an undeveloped detached courtyard in the mansion. The desolate courtyard was quiet and deserted, but now warm lights were lit one after another, casting a hazy glow of human presence.
Having just choked Helan Que speechless, Wen Shiqin was on his way to find Su Jinxiu to show off when he passed by this villa. He only glanced at it casually and did not think about it deeply.
Unexpectedly, as he turned around, someone blocked his way. He stopped abruptly, his brows furrowing slightly.
Helan Que immediately suppressed his anger, a hint of schadenfreude flashing in his eyes, and quickly followed after him.
The woman blocking the way was dressed in a gorgeous silk dress, with pearls and jade in her hair. Behind her was a little maid with her head bowed and eyes lowered, carrying a gilded tea tray. She looked somewhat familiar.
He stared intently, and only then did he recognize that it was Lou Jiaye.
Recalling their past in the northern deserts, he had already granted her request and introduced her to the new king of the northern deserts. She could have enjoyed the honor of being a princess and a lifetime of wealth and glory, but she insisted on returning to the Central Plains with him, kneeling and begging him to introduce her to the emperor. However, the Empress Dowager rejected her request on the grounds that "women of foreign races are not suitable to enter the palace," so he gave her a generous sum of money and told her to find her own way to make a living. Who would have thought that she would appear in the Marquis's residence?
"Who gave you permission to enter my Marquis's residence without authorization?" Wen Shiqin's tone suddenly turned cold. "Where did you get these clothes? And who allowed you to stay in this courtyard?"
Lou Jiaye avoided answering, but instead stepped forward half a step with a tea tray in her hand, her expression respectful: "My lord, you must be tired after a long day of travel. I have prepared some tea to help you relax and unwind."
Wen Shiqin was enraged. He raised his hand and smashed the tea tray and teacups against the archway pillar, splashing tea and flying porcelain shards.
Lou Jiaye immediately knelt down and kowtowed heavily: "My lord, please calm your anger! I had no intention of offending you!"
"Didn't you hear what I asked?" Wen Shiqin pressed on.
Lou Jiaye lay prostrate on the ground, her voice trembling: "It was...it was the mistress who kept me here. Now, I am the Marquis's concubine."
Helan Que, Ye Jiuzhao, and Zhou Yuance, who were idly observing the scene behind them, took two steps forward upon hearing the voice. When they clearly heard the words "concubine," the three of them tensed up. Looking at Wen Shiqin's dark face, with anger in his eyes that seemed to devour someone, they realized that this was no joke.
"What concubine?! How dare you spout such nonsense again!" Wen Shiqin was furious. He reached out and grabbed Lou Jiaye by the neck, lifting her up and slamming her against a stone pillar. "She's the only one for me in this life. How dare you trespass into the Marquis's residence and try to sow discord between us..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ye Jiuzhao grabbed his wrist tightly.
Ye Jiuzhao was about to call him by his name, but then he remembered his courtesy name when he was away from home. He said in a deep voice, "Siyuan, there must be something fishy about this! Jinxiu has always been able to distinguish right from wrong. She would never rashly allow outsiders into the mansion, let alone promise them the position of a concubine. You should suppress your anger and not make a big mistake."
Wen Shiqin released his grip on Lou Jiaye's neck, drew his sword from his waist, the blade pointing straight to the ground, its cold light gleaming: "Explain the whole story in three sentences, or my sword won't wait for you."
After saying this, she bowed respectfully, performing the standard etiquette for paying respects to her husband.
"You asked for it."
Wen Shiqin flicked his wrist, and the cold light of his longsword pierced straight into Lou Jiaye's back.
"Hey! No!" Helan Que and the other two realized something was wrong and rushed forward to stop him. But Wen Shiqin's strength was immense, and the sharp tip of his sword was only an inch away from Lou Jiaye's back, just about to pierce through his clothes.
Just at this critical moment, a clear and melodious voice rang out, piercing through the surrounding chaos.
"Achin, stop!"
Su Jinxiu was discussing important matters with Lan Shexiang. As she calculated the time, she felt inexplicably uneasy, so she hurried to Weirui Courtyard and, as expected, stumbled upon this tense situation.
She quickly stepped forward and reached out to grasp Wen Shiqin's wrist as he held the sword.
The anger that the three grown men couldn't contain subsided like a receding tide with her gentle touch. Su Jinxiu then drew her sword, threw it on the ground, and looked up at Wen Shiqin.
Wen Shiqin finally snapped out of his rage and gently stroked her cheek, his eyes filled with tenderness and anxiety: "Did she coerce you? What kind of unreasonable methods did she use? It's my fault, I came back late, and Tanxi failed to protect you?"
Su Jinxiu held his wrist, gently rubbed her cheek against his rough palm, then put his hand down, intertwined her fingers with his, and looked up at him: "Don't be so impulsive." Turning to the crowd, she smiled and said, "Now that everyone has arrived, why don't we go to the dining hall for the banquet? The most fashionable dishes and fine wines in the capital have been prepared there."
Everyone nodded in agreement, but Wen Shiqin's expression grew increasingly somber, clearly still unconvinced.
Could it be that, as Lou Jiaye said, she personally agreed to the request because she avoided answering the question?
Thinking of this, Wen Shiqin's nameless anger flared even more, and he suddenly pulled her hand. Su Jinxiu was caught off guard and stumbled into his arms. She heard him grit his teeth and ask, "So, what exactly happened? Did you really let her into the manor and even promise her the position of concubine?"
Su Jinxiu parted her lips slightly, but before she could speak, Lou Jiaye gracefully rose to her feet, smiling broadly, and said with deliberate envy, "I have long heard of the magnanimity of women from the Central Plains, and seeing it today, I can see that it is indeed true. To take a concubine for her husband before even leaving home, such magnanimity is truly admirable."
"Shut up!"
Su Jinxiu and Wen Shiqin spoke in unison, their voices overlapping. Both of them were startled and exchanged a glance.
Su Jinxiu's eyes were full of pleading, hoping he would stop talking for now and not create a stalemate in public. Wen Shiqin understood the deep meaning in her eyes, turned to look at Lou Jiaye, and said sternly, "Get back to your courtyard! If you dare to say another word, I will cut out your tongue!"
The maidservant beside her was already terrified, fearing that she would be implicated in the matter. She quickly grabbed Lou Jiaye's sleeve and hurriedly retreated into the Wei Rui Courtyard.
Wen Shiqin's gaze returned to Su Jinxiu: "So, what exactly happened?"
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Lan Shexiang stepped forward from behind, and Ye Jiuzhao quickly helped her up, asking in a low voice the reason for the matter.
Lan Shexiang shook her head: "I don't know either. The woman said something to Jinxiu, and Jinxiu kept her there. She said she would wait for Shi Qin to come back to discuss it and that no outsiders should know about it, so as not to cause any trouble. I don't know anything else."
Looking at the anger surging in his eyes, Su Jinxiu raised her hand and gently patted his chest, her palm against his clothes, and softly advised, "There are indeed reasons that are not easy to say right now. After the banquet, I will tell you everything, okay?"
Wen Shiqin gritted his teeth and frowned, his chest filled with a fierce battle between anger and trust, which made it difficult for him to calm down.
“Even if there are hidden reasons, why would you let her enter the mansion as a concubine?” Wen Shiqin’s voice was deep.
Helan Que, noticing the undercurrent between the two, quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, half-helping and half-persuading as he led everyone towards the main hall: "Siyuan, there must be something fishy about this matter. We should attend the banquet first! Everyone is here; let's not spoil the enjoyment!"
On the way, the two held hands tightly, their fingers intertwined. Wen Shiqin deliberately tightened his knuckles, using his calloused, angular fingers to fiercely pinch her delicate, smooth, and boneless knuckles, the force carrying a hint of suppressed anger.
Su Jinxiu frowned slightly in pain, struggling several times but unable to break free, and could only whisper, "Aqin, you're hurting me."
Wen Shiqin continued walking without letting up. Just as he reached the threshold of the main hall, his friends stepped inside one after another. Only then did Wen Shiqin stop, bend down, and gently breathe into her ear: "Will you tell me, or not?"
Su Jinxiu's eyes flickered slightly, but she gave the same answer as before: "We'll talk about it after the banquet."
Wen Shiqin chuckled softly, his tone full of disappointment: "You always put other things first."
As everyone took their seats, Su Jinxiu was just about to find a way to ease the tense atmosphere when she suddenly felt Wen Shiqin walk around behind her. Before she could react, he lightly tapped her back with his finger, followed by a second tap. A numbing and throbbing pain spread through her limbs and bones.
She was shocked and furious. She turned her head sharply, her lips moving as if to ask, "What are you doing?", but found that she opened her mouth but could not make a sound.
Wen Shiqin looked down at her, a half-smile on his face: "If you don't want to say it, then you never have to say it."
After saying that, he took her hand without waiting for a reply and sat down with her in the main seat.
Su Jinxiu only realized this belatedly.
He had rendered me mute.
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