Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Softness
"Quanquan..."
Lu Shenru took a step forward.
His shoulders and arms are broad, his embrace is warm, and even though his arms are injured, they are still strong.
Du Lingjing was held in his arms.
Maybe it was because of her unstable mood during pregnancy, but she couldn't help but feel hot in her eyes and sobbed softly.
Just this one sound almost hit Lu Shenru in the heart. His heart was so tight and painful that he couldn't speak.
Why didn't he think that the reason she was so exhausted and said she would stay with him at night but fell asleep in the blink of an eye was because she was pregnant; why didn't he think that she wore a bright skirt and his favorite coral headpiece and invited him to a dinner in the pavilion in the back garden because she wanted to tell him the good news... It was clearly he who insisted on having a child with her, but now that she was pregnant, he turned the tables and kept brooding over the past, and even didn't talk to her properly for several days.
What on earth was there for him to argue with a dead man?
The bitter smell of freshly brewed medicine filled the room, and Lu Shenru simply hugged the person in his arms tighter.
"Quanquan, it's all my fault!"
His regret, like the strength with which he held her at that moment, surged towards her.
In fact, Du Lingjing knew why he was like this recently.
During these long nine years, he had wanted to forget all the unspeakable grievances he had suffered at her hands, and never mention them again in his life.
But this is a thorn in my heart. If it is not pulled out, it will only get deeper and deeper until it reaches the deepest and most vulnerable part of my heart.
On the day he told the story himself, the thorn had already caused blood and flesh to fly in his heart, which was worse than the repeated wounds on his shoulder.
Du Lingjing spoke softly.
"I know Weishi is bothered by the past relationship between me and Sanlang..."
But before she could finish her words, the man who had galloped back and was hugging her tightly spoke.
"Quanquan, I don't mind anymore!"
Du Lingjing: "..."
How could he not mind?
She had to continue, "It doesn't matter if you mind. It's just that Sanlang has passed away, and he has gradually drifted away from me without me noticing."
She said that the only thing left about Sanlang was this last one, which was that he committed suicide without telling anyone the reason.
She did want answers. "I wanted to wave goodbye to him, that's all."
In the end, this incident touched the thorn that was buried too deep in his heart.
At this moment, Du Lingjing should first explain the matter to him clearly.
After she finished speaking, she realized that he was holding her three times tighter in his arms, his chin resting on the top of her head, his voice still hoarse as usual.
"I see."
Du Lingjing didn't know whether he really knew it or was pretending to know it, but she continued to speak to him slowly.
"I cherish Weishi, but I don't know this. Do you know this?"
The man ran back, and the wind he brought into the room blew away all the stuffiness and medicinal smell in the room.
He paused, holding her hand.
A few days ago, she had told him that he was precious to her, that she cared about him, and that she would never push him away again, but he didn't take it seriously.
But this time, she said it again.
She says she cherishes him and asks if he knows it.
Men don't shed tears easily, let alone a man who grew up in the army on the northwestern border.
But Lu Weishi couldn't help but feel tears in his eyes when he heard his wife's words.
He bullied her so much, how could she still say such words to him word by word, without backing down?
In fact, he had forced this marriage, so even if she remained distant and cold to him for the rest of her life, it was what he deserved!
It doesn't matter if she doesn't love him.
The man hugged the person in his arms tighter and tighter, and the tall candles in the room dispelled the darkness of the night that spread around the door and windows.
But he was much stronger than the average person. Du Lingjing had just taken half a bowl of medicine, and now that he was hugged her, the medicine came up and she almost vomited it out.
Lu Shenru was so frightened that he no longer cared about anything else and quickly carried her to the bed.
"It hurts so bad?!"
He finally let her go, and Du Lingjing was able to catch her breath. He hurriedly took some white water and fed her two sips. The discomfort in Du Lingjing's stomach was finally suppressed.
He asked her if she was still feeling uncomfortable, and she said.
"It is indeed uncomfortable, but the Marquis's temper..."
She remembered his domineering look in the morning when he refused to listen to her explanation.
There is indeed a flaw in her.
She prefers old people and old things, both books and people, but she is always much slower than others towards new people and new things. However, once new people and new things break into her life and refuse to leave, and become her old people and old things, she can't help but be lenient with them.
Du Lingjing took another look at the person in front of her who refused to listen to the explanation.
She made herself speak calmly.
"My father once said that you and I are compatible with each other, but now it seems that my father can also be wrong about people."
As soon as she said this, she saw his face turn pale.
He frowned helplessly, "Quanquan, don't say that..."
It was all his fault this time, and he would never do it again.
But Du Lingjing didn't let him go so easily. After all, even his sister, the Imperial Concubine, couldn't do anything to him most of the time.
She still looked at the man coldly.
"I don't know what kind of girl can handle the temper of the Marquis. I'm afraid I can't serve the temper of the powerful ministers and nobles for many times."
These words made Lu Shenru close his eyes helplessly and remain silent.
His wife was angry and refused to let him go. He was bitter but had no way to explain himself. After all, he had no excuse.
He could only say, "My lady and I are like spring water and stone. Who can polish me? Do you still want to ask?"
Only dripping water can wear away a stone.
The candle flame crackled and insects chirped outside.
Du Ling thought calmly, he was quite good at making analogies for himself.
But no matter whether it was dripping water wearing away stone or spring flowing on stone, she had just said everything she needed to say and could not just keep giving him a good face.
She thought of another thing that she hadn't yet explained.
She simply stood up, and he immediately asked her where she was going, and she went to the west wing.
These two large boxes were indeed Sanlang’s relics that she asked Ruan Gong to bring back from Qingzhou.
But based on her reading over the past two days, what Sanlang left behind might not be as simple as the affairs of the court in the past.
Du Lingjing mentioned the matter of Dou Ge Lao, saying that she had made the trip in response to the invitation and that it was also related to the fact that Dou Ge Lao had once curbed her father's new policy.
"Although my father has passed away, I always feel that he may have something to do with the current political situation."
She explained her intention of going to the Dou Mansion, and this time Lu Shenru remained calm and silent.
He first helped his wife to sit beside him, then he sat down too, and then spoke.
"About my father-in-law, Jiang Zhuxiu told me something."
It was late at night, and outside there were insects chirping and frogs croaking, and the whole place was quiet.
But when Du Lingjing heard this, her ears suddenly buzzed.
Sanlang and the Marquis? They once sat together and talked about her father.
No matter how Du Lingjing thought about it, she felt that this scene was weird.
Sanlang was fine, but she couldn't imagine that the Marquis could talk to Sanlang calmly.
But she didn't say much, just asked, "What's the matter about father?"
It is about the death of Lord Du.
At that time, they were staying in a villa in the mountains where a flash flood had occurred.
Lu Shenru remembered that Jiang Zhuxiu came to him and said that he would not marry Quanquan. That night, Jiang Zhuxiu also mentioned Lord Du, saying that the death of Lord Du seemed to be God's will, but in fact it might be man-made.
He was surprised. Jiang Zhuxiu first said a few things, such as the elder could have not taken this road, but took a detour, and also said that someone saw a group of unknown people passing by the elder in the mountains.
He said, "More importantly, before leaving Qingzhou, the elder was worried and said that he didn't know if I could return to Qingzhou and personally send Jingniang off to marry."
He also said, "I'm afraid something might happen to Jingniang too."
... ...
Lu Shenru mentioned Jiang Zhuxiu's words to Du Lingjing.
"Did your father-in-law tell you about this?"
"No."
Her father never told her about this worry. Instead, he said that he would return to Qingzhou to see her off on her wedding day, which was originally scheduled for two years.
Du Lingjing was stunned and silent.
Her father didn't tell her, probably because he was afraid she would worry.
But at that time, Sanlang had never told her that he persuaded her that her father's death was just a natural disaster. He accompanied her to bury her father, but told the Marquis about his concerns and considerations.
At this moment, Du Ling listened to the Marquis quietly, "He was investigating secretly. After he told me, I also sent people to investigate the matter."
He even specially dispatched a team of guards to secretly guard her for a year.
She was not in any trouble at that time, but neither he nor Jiang Zhuxiu could find out the real cause of Du Ge Lao's death. He also had people look for the staff who were washed away by the mountain torrent with Du Ge Lao but disappeared for a long time.
He also told his wife about this, "But my identity and position are special. The aide may have been avoiding me and I haven't been able to find him for many years."
Du Lingjing heard from the Fu Party that they had seen him before. "If there is something fishy about my father's death, I'm afraid he is the only one who knows the whole story. I'll ask Mr. Liao and the others to help us look for it."
Mr. Liao has not yet taken office due to some changes in the court.
Lu Shenru nodded and said that he would send someone to assist.
Du Lingjing got back to the point.
"So I want to go to the Dou family's banquet." She always felt that many things were hidden behind layers of fog and she didn't understand them. "Maybe I need to walk a few more steps to see them clearly."
But given her current condition, Lu Weishi didn't want to let her go even more, and his gaze shifted from her lower abdomen to her face.
"You will have to attend the palace's birthday party in a few days. If you go to the Dou family's birthday party, I'm afraid your body won't be able to handle it."
Du Lingjing waved her hand and said, "It's okay. Doctor Wang has already prescribed me some medicine to keep the pregnancy going. I'll be fine after taking it for a few days."
"What else did Doctor Wang say?" Lu Shenru couldn't help but ask.
When he asked this, Du Lingjing suddenly thought of what Doctor Wang said, and she pursed her lips to prevent herself from laughing.
"Doctor Wang said that although he was a doctor specializing in external injuries, he had also studied gynecology and pediatrics for many years. He had ambitions, but most people didn't recognize him, and no noble person had ever come to see him."
Du Lingjing glanced at someone particularly.
"Doctor Wang said that, thanks to the Marquis, he was finally able to prescribe a pregnancy-maintaining medicine, and his grand plan came true."
“…”
Lord Lu’s face turned dark.
How dare old man Wang rely on him?
"Change the imperial physician later."
Du Lingjing refused to change, "Don't bother two masters with one thing. I think Doctor Wang is very reliable, and even more reliable than the Marquis."
She was going against him on purpose.
But Lu Shenru felt bitter in his mouth and dared not say more.
But he didn't want to stay with her among Jiang Zhuxiu's old pages, so he carried her back to the main room and had the door of the west wing closed.
Du Lingjing also knew what he was thinking, but she didn't expose it and went back to the room with him.
He finally stayed in the main courtyard tonight.
However, Du Lingjing woke up three times in one night, and he woke up immediately each time. On the third time, he couldn't help but ask her.
"Are you feeling unwell and having trouble sleeping? You should find a doctor who specializes in treating women and children."
Du Lingjing shook her head and decided to let Doctor Wang realize his ambitions. He could also help heal his injuries at the same time, killing two birds with one stone.
She said that the nanny came to see her in the afternoon and mentioned that being pregnant would inevitably require getting up more often at night. She glanced at him.
"The Marquis also has trouble sleeping."
The man didn't take it seriously at all. Seeing that it was hot and humid at night and she didn't dare to use ice, he fanned her for a while before going to sleep.
The night was quiet. Fireflies circled around the window for a few times. The wind from the fan gently caressed her body. His arm, which was injured for her, came around and circled her head. She turned sideways and rubbed her nose against his fingertips with thin calluses.
This subtle touch between her, which he almost didn't even notice, was so soft and gentle.
Du Lingjing smiled slightly with her back to him, and fanned herself with the cool wind.
This person has a bad temper.
But the year she married him, no, it was all these years starting from Mianlou.
He had done a lot for her silently.
*
Wei Cong and Nian Jia came over.
Wei Cong went to Yuanxiu Pavilion in the front yard, while Nian Jia went straight to the main courtyard. Seeing that Du Lingjing looked unwell and there was a smell of medicine in the room, he hurriedly asked her what was wrong.
Du Lingjing whispered in her ear, and Nian Jia was stunned for a moment.
"Jingniang, I envy you so much!"
She also wants to have a child as soon as possible? Why does Du Lingjing not believe it?
She asked Nian Jia, and Nian Jia replied, "Of course I want one. If I have a child, I won't have to share the same fate with the prince..."
Nian Jia coughed twice.
Du Lingjing understood that she was still afraid of sleeping with the prince. But if they didn't sleep together, the child wouldn't fall from the sky.
Du Lingjing then remembered that after she was poisoned by the medicine, the prince went into battle with injuries, and then Doctor Li ordered her to recuperate, and the prince made an appointment with her for half a month.
Now that the half-month period has long passed, why does Nian Jia still look so overwhelmed?
"What happened? The princess is not a timid person, right?" she asked.
Nian Jia said that it had nothing to do with courage, "But the prince..."
She couldn't say it, "Since then, although he still needs to continue to recover from his injuries, his injuries are healing faster and faster. Half a month is too long, and he said that he couldn't let me suffer and always wait for him, so he changed it to twelve days, and then after twelve days, it was shortened to ten days, and this time it was shortened to eight days..."
If this continues, she suspects he will do it every other day, no, every day!
"I'm not that scared anymore, but I still can't help being nervous," Nian Jia said with a bitter look on his face, "I always feel that having a child with him is not as hard as having one like this..."
Du Lingjing almost choked after taking a sip of tea.
"... ..."
She didn't know what to say for a moment, but the prince acted steadily and moved forward step by step.
But a gentleman has things he has heard and things he has not heard. There is no need for Nian Jia to go into details about things that are too detailed, as it is not convenient for her to know.
Du Lingjing smiled dully and changed the subject, saying that he had collected a book about the mountains and rivers of Shaanxi some days ago, which was written by someone from the previous generation.
"This book is quite interesting, but the pages are torn and I can't repair them. Didn't the princess pass the Shaanxi book aside for three years? Why don't you help me take a look?"
Nian Jia immediately forgot about what happened before and said, "I am familiar with the mountains and rivers. Don't worry, I will take care of it for you. It turns out that there will be a day when I can help you, a great book collector, to repair books."
The two started chatting and laughing.
On the other hand, Lu Shenru mentioned to Wei Cong that he was not going to Beiguan anymore, and that he had just ridden a horse out of the capital that day and considered it as a trip.
"The Emperor has been ill again recently, and he often summons Prince Yan to accompany him to discuss going to escape the summer heat after the Longevity Festival. I think he has no time to take care of other things."
Wei Cong nodded. Rather than saying that Beiguan was under the authority of the Marquis, it was actually controlled directly by the palace. It was also the duty of a minister for them not to interfere too much.
The two chatted for a while longer, and then the four of them had dinner together in the evening. A few days later, it was time for the birthday party of the old lady in Dou Ge's family.
Lu Shenru personally escorted his wife to the gate of Dou Mansion.
When he suddenly appeared, all the civil officials and Yong party members who came to celebrate his birthday stared in disbelief, and then started talking about it without concealing any meaning.
Seeing this, Lord Lu had no choice but to ask his wife again.
"Madam, are you really going?"
He could only send her here. The two sides were separated by positions and grievances, and the relationship was quite extensive, so he really couldn't step into the Dou family's door.
At this moment, he heard the voices of these people continuing to talk, almost talking right in front of him, and he snorted.
"The civil officials in the world are all evil. It's better if you don't go."
Du Lingjing: "..."
Her father was also a civil official.
But she said, "Now that we are here, if we retreat to the door, it will only cause more discussion."
She got out of the car, and the man asked Chongping to personally escort her as she entered the Dou Mansion. He stood in front of the door with his hands behind his back, and his cold face silenced the noisy officials, before he turned and left.
Du Lingjing looked back at him from a distance.
In fact, she had another consideration when she came to Dou Mansion this time.
The conflict between civil officials and military generals has continued for more than half a century since the founding of the country, and no one has been able to completely reconcile them.
But if there is some opportunity, even if the two sides cannot be reconciled, it may not necessarily come to the point of fighting.
The path he had to set for the Yongding Army was extremely difficult to follow.
Winner or loser, she didn't want him to reach the edge of the cliff and choose between life and death.
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