Chapter 42 Double Silk Net Cui Yiluo, this is in the study
As the play ended, Cui Yiluo felt the man beside her gradually lower his aura. On the stage, the actors had been passionate, rebelling against worldly conventions and etiquette. It seemed that such a play, which broke the rules for love and desire, had violated Jiang Yunjin's taboo. In the latter half of the play, his expression darkened, and he subtly revealed his displeasure.
The coachman had already driven the carriage out of the back alley. Jiang Yunjin stepped aside to let her get into the carriage first.
He was always so courteous; he stood by, and Cui Yiluo couldn't exchange more than a few words with Lilan.
As Cui Yiluo boarded the carriage, she glanced at Lilan almost casually. Lilan, supporting her, gave her a reassuring look.
It seems that all is well. Luoyun Lane is being watched over by Lilan and her men, so even if those people wanted to go to the Jiang residence on their own, it would be impossible.
Cui Yiluo felt a little more at ease, but she couldn't help but worry. Yao was not one to give up easily. If she managed to send them back without them noticing this time, she would only use more methods next time.
She couldn't keep staring at Jiang Yunjin forever, especially since Jiang Yunjin was so perceptive that he would probably become suspicious after a couple of times. If he found out that she had come to the capital without telling her family, it would be even more disadvantageous for her.
Unbeknownst to her, the man behind her lowered his gaze.
In the spacious courtyard, the light from the bedroom shone faintly through the paper windows onto the bluestone bricks in front of the house.
Cui Yiluo sat on the couch by the window, her hair flowing, moving slowly with her delicate brows slightly furrowed. She didn't even notice when the sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped until the man's cold voice suddenly entered her ears.
"What are you thinking about?"
Cui Yiluo was so shocked that her heart skipped a beat.
Tongfa paused, then slowly combed to the ends of her hair. Cui Yiluo composed herself and placed the white jade comb on the small table, where it shone even more brightly in the candlelight.
When Cui Yiluo looked up at the man, a smile had already appeared on her face, just like usual, seemingly revealing nothing about her.
She said in a casual tone, "I was just thinking about the play we just watched. It's been a long time since I've seen a play, and I was still a little unsatisfied."
He clearly disliked the performance just now, and as soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Yunjin's expression darkened.
However, since it was all just a performance, it was unlikely that Jiang Yunjin, though displeased, would take it seriously. Indeed, he remained silent, his face grim.
Afraid that he would discover the truth about what happened before, Cui Yiluo's gaze suddenly softened, as if a pool of spring water was gently flowing in her eyes, captivating him as it turned towards him.
She changed the subject: "Husband, do you need help making arrangements?"
The man's eyes darkened, and Cui Yiluo, seeing his poised stance, smiled even more broadly. After a few teasing words, he responded.
But instead of acquiescing as she expected, he said calmly, "It's still early."
He slowly walked to the other side of the couch and sat down, picking up the book he had taken out to read while waiting for her to bathe.
Fortunately, Cui Yiluo also found that the matter to be old-fashioned and monotonous. Seeing him start reading, she had something on her mind and didn't say anything more, lowering her face and pretending to be seriously studying. The room immediately became quiet, with only the faint sound of wind coming in through the cracks in the window.
"Is there something important happening today?"
Cui Yiluo looked up and was suddenly met with the man's deep gaze, which seemed to see right through her. Her heart inexplicably quickened.
She lowered her eyes to avoid eye contact, continuing to comb her hair as if nothing had happened, and gently smiled, "Why do you ask that, husband?"
"You didn't seem to bring your maid with you when you came out."
A ruthless glint flashed in Cui Yiluo's lowered eyes. When she went out, she was accompanied by maids and guards. Yet he was so perceptive that he could notice that one person was missing among so many people.
They are indeed extremely difficult to deal with.
Her smile remained unchanged: "My husband is talking about Lilan, right? I asked her to go and buy some things, which is why she came later."
She spoke vaguely, afraid that it might arouse Jiang Yunjin's suspicion and lead him to send someone to investigate, which would make it difficult to keep it a secret.
It seems she needs to deal with that family as soon as possible.
She secretly observed Jiang Yunjin's reaction carefully. Seeing that he only responded softly and then lowered his eyes to look at the book again, as if he was only slightly suspicious before asking the question, she felt a little relieved.
Because of the play, he was in a bad mood, so the two of them lay down to sleep fully clothed, and the night passed peacefully.
The next day happened to be Jiang Yunjin's day off. When Cui Yiluo finished copying the family rules and handed them to the old lady, she inevitably received a few more reprimands from her. Although Jiang Yunjin stood up for her and defended her last time, it did not prevent the old lady from being dissatisfied with her.
However, she always responded with little reaction and bowing her head in agreement, leaving people feeling like they were punching cotton. After the old lady scolded her a few times, she also felt annoyed and bored, so she asked Aunt Ming to take Cui Yiluo away.
"Young Madam, please don't blame the Old Madam. When you first took over the eldest son's household, if you were more lenient than before, it would inevitably make the servants restless. Last time, the eldest son risked being scolded by the Old Madam and even being punished by the family rules, but he still vouched for you. The eldest son trusts you so much, and you don't want to let him down, do you?"
Upon reaching the gate of the old lady's courtyard, Cui Yiluo was about to leave when she suddenly heard Minggu speak.
Cui Yiluo subconsciously asked, "Was he disciplined by his family?"
She clearly remembered that he told her that the old lady had not scolded him.
Minggu scrutinized Cui Yiluo for a few moments, and seeing that she truly knew nothing, it was clear that the eldest young master had kept this matter a secret. She was secretly startled, and after a few moments of thought, she said in a cryptic tone, "The eldest young master has never liked to talk about his affairs with others, so it's normal that the young mistress doesn't know. But don't worry, young mistress, the eldest young master is the most outstanding person in the Jiang family in terms of political achievements over the generations, a pillar of the country, and the old lady has not resorted to family discipline."
It was precisely for this reason that the old lady worried that such a promising young man with outstanding political achievements might be bewitched by lust upon first experiencing it. Fortunately, the eldest son seemed to prioritize politics and was increasingly favored by the emperor. He remained indifferent to his wife, Cui Yiluo, without showing any particular interest, which put the old lady at ease.
"The eldest young master always acts in accordance with etiquette. In aristocratic families, the mistress usually manages the household business. Therefore, even though the young mistress has never managed any shops or estates, the eldest young master still instructs her to learn to do so. Young mistress, the Jiang family is large and powerful. For the sake of the eldest young master, you should pay more attention to it. After what happened to the servants last time, not only the old lady, but even the eldest young master does not want to see it again."
After Minggu finished speaking, seeing Cui Yiluo looking thoughtful with her eyes down, she guessed that Cui Yiluo must have taken her words to heart. So she stopped there, bowed to Cui Yiluo, and turned to go back to her courtyard.
"lady?"
The maid beside him spoke cautiously.
Let's go.
Cui Yiluo also turned and walked towards Yuzhu Courtyard, but she couldn't calm her mind.
Manager Liu said that he knew she had managed several shops before she got married. He had always thought that it was Old Madam Jiang who had sent someone to investigate her and that's how he found out. But just now, Minggu clearly said that she had never managed the manor shops before, and it seemed that Old Madam Jiang had mentioned it before. However, she was angry and resentful at the time because the keys to the accounting room had been taken back, so she didn't pay attention.
Madam Jiang had no idea that she had ever managed the shop.
Obviously, there is only one person who can tell Steward Liu about this.
Did Jiang Yunjin know about this and send someone to investigate her?
Jiang Yunjin is cautious by nature, so it's not surprising that he thoroughly investigated her before marrying her. But if he investigated her, didn't he also discover that her father and stepmother were those kinds of people? Such a huge hazard, is he willing to take the risk? Isn't he afraid that something might happen in the future that would damage the Jiang family's reputation?
Moreover, Jiang Yunjin insisted on entrusting the affairs of the main branch to her, even at the cost of contradicting his respected grandmother again. Could it be that, as Minggu said, it was simply because he was old-fashioned and that aristocratic families would train a matriarch to manage the family business? Since he married her, he could only train her to manage the family business.
As Cui Yiluo pondered further, she found the situation highly contradictory. She couldn't fathom what Jiang Yunjin was thinking, and perhaps she had never truly understood what kind of person he was.
With a question lingering in her mind, Cui Yiluo unknowingly walked to the Jade Bamboo Courtyard. She subconsciously asked where Jiang Yunjin was, but then realized that even if Jiang Yunjin was on leave, he must be working in his study. Why did she need to ask?
She turned towards the study, paused for a moment, and then turned back to her room after a few breaths.
She had planned to go to Luoyun Lane today to resolve the matter with that family, but unfortunately, Jiang Yunjin was on leave today and stayed at the mansion all day. If she wanted to leave the mansion, there was a risk that he would discover her.
Just as Cui Yiluo was pondering whether to take the risk, Lilan suddenly came running over anxiously.
“Miss, the letter has been taken by Wen Feng. I was just a little short of stopping him. I’m afraid Wen Feng has already delivered it to the eldest young master’s study.”
Upon hearing this, Cui Yiluo immediately stood up and quickly walked towards the study.
Lilan jogged after her and whispered, "But Wenfeng was carrying a stack of letters, and Yao's letters were just tucked in there. I was just about to pull out Yao's letters when Wenfeng arrived."
Cui Yiluo asked in a low voice, "Did Wen Feng suspect anything?"
If Wen Ruo becomes suspicious, report it to Jiang Yunjin. Jiang Yunjin will definitely figure out the clues and immediately check the letters.
Fortunately, Lilan shook her head: "No, when I saw Wenwen arrive, I pretended to be taking your letter."
Upon hearing this, Cui Yiluo breathed a sigh of relief and quickened her pace, arriving at the study in no time.
Previously, Jiang Yunjin had instructed the guards not to stop her because she had borrowed his study to copy the family rules. Although she had finished copying the family rules, Jiang Yunjin had not revoked the order, and the guards did not dare to stop her rashly, especially since Jiang Yunjin was in the study.
Cui Yiluo entered the study without any hindrance. As soon as she reached the door, Jiang Yunjin looked over as if he had sensed something. He didn't seem surprised at all, but slowly placed the wolf-hair brush in his hand back on the white porcelain landscape brush holder.
Under his direct gaze, Cui Yiluo entered the room, then turned around and closed the door.
Closing the door in broad daylight, as if a married couple were about to do something private, was against the rules. However, Jiang Yunjin probably felt that she had something to ask him and it was inconvenient for outsiders to hear, so he did not stop her.
The door closed tightly, and the spacious study suddenly became darker, with only bright sunlight filtering through the window paper for illumination.
Jiang Yunjin's dark eyes still reflected the dappled sunlight, making him appear less imposing than usual. "What is it?"
His attitude clearly indicated that he hadn't read the letter yet. When Cui Yiluo turned around, a gentle smile had already appeared on her face, and she walked straight towards the man.
"Can't I come to see my husband if there's nothing wrong?"
Jiang Yunjin's expression darkened slightly, and his gaze towards her changed subtly, revealing a hint of disappointment for some reason.
Cui Yilu walked around the long table, which was neatly piled with official documents. Under Jiang Yunjin's watchful eye, Cui Yilu did not dare to scan it too much, so she had to walk closer to him to find where the letters were.
It wasn't until she walked up to Jiang Yunjin's side, almost touching him, that she saw the stack of letters placed to his right. The first letter wasn't in Yao's handwriting. The stack of letters was neatly arranged, showing no signs of having been read.
Cui Yiluo felt completely relieved and quickly and subtly withdrew her gaze so as not to let Jiang Yunjin notice anything amiss.
She met the man's deep gaze, raised her hand and gently placed it on his arm, which was full of strength. Instantly, her sleeve overlapped with his.
As if pleading, Cui Yiluo's voice softened: "My husband is off today, but I haven't seen him since early this morning, so I can't help but worry about him. My husband is busy with official duties, so naturally he won't be thinking about me."
She stared intently at Jiang Yunjin, but he turned his head away decisively to avoid her gaze, staring at the official documents on the table in front of him. His voice was somewhat cold and hard, yet also seemed restrained.
"Go back first, lunch is coming soon."
Cui Yiluo remained motionless, her expression aggrieved. "But Yiluo has only just spoken a single word to her husband. Does he already not want to be with me?"
As she spoke, her fingertips moved down his strong arm, grasped his palm, and her fingers forcefully slipped between his fingers, firmly holding his hand and intertwining with his.
It was as if she was afraid he would drive her away.
Jiang Yunjin moved slightly as her fingers were tightly clasped together. He awkwardly opened his fingers, avoiding touching her soft hand, and his tone remained firm.
"I have other important matters to attend to."
Seeing his cold and hard attitude, Cui Yiluo realized that it was so difficult to even get him away for a while. After finishing his official business, he would definitely skim through the letter before having lunch. After lunch, he would go straight to the study, since the study was fully equipped and he didn't need to go back to his room for a nap. There was a small couch behind the screen inside, where he had applied medicine for her.
Cui Yiluo glanced at the letter without making a sound, then gritted her teeth secretly.
The next instant, she wrapped her arms around his neck and stepped back onto his groin.
A familiar, sweet fragrance wafted over her soft body, clinging tightly to his chest and waist. Cui Yiluo's wide sleeves slipped slightly, revealing half of her arm, which was still dazzlingly white in the dimly lit study, and wrapped around the man's neck with a soft, boneless feel.
Jiang Yunjin's body stiffened, and his face instantly darkened as if a storm was brewing.
Cui Yiluo and he locked eyes, their bodies pressed close together, their faces naturally very close, their warm breaths mingling and rising in temperature.
"My husband, I miss you. Can't you even say a few words to Yiluo?"
Jiang Yunjin lowered his eyelids, his large hand slipped into her slender breast, pulling her and his clenched fist slightly apart.
"The study must be kept quiet and orderly. No fooling around. Get out of here."
Cui Yiluo tightened her arms, her soft skin brushing against his neck, and she resisted him more forcefully with her waist, not letting him push her away.
She stepped back slightly, and as she did so, she seemed to casually brush against him.
The large hand gripping his waist tightened instantly, the knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
"Does my husband really want Yiluo to go down there?"
Jiang Yunjin looked at her with an imposing air, his dark eyes filled with intimidation, his low, husky voice echoing in the silent study:
"Cui Yiluo, this is the study."
Cui Yiluo smiled slightly, moved even closer, and locked her eyes on him.
“I know, my husband.”
The warmth had spread far and wide, becoming a pungent ache, transmitted through the still-thick clothing. Separated by a layer, it was not as overwhelming as when one were peeking through a red tent, but it was like scratching an itch through a boot, making one think of the early days of the cabinet.
Jiang Yunjin's jawline was taut and sharp. He was preparing for her to be alone in Shenxia, but instead of what he wanted, he wanted to be with Pan Sheng and Shang.
He gripped her waist even tighter, trying to lift her up.
A soft laugh echoed in the study, where the air was thick with the mingled, chaotic atmosphere.
"Husband, didn't I teach you that?"
Cui Yiluo's red lips curled up, as if in provocation, or as if she were demonstrating to him that his method was wrong, and then she gently pressed her lips together.
Jiang Yunjin's pale hands were covered in bulging veins, and his face was extremely dark. It was hard to tell whether he was feeling suffocated or angry. His deep voice seemed to be squeezed out from his throat.
“Cui Yiluo, it’s daytime now.”
Upon hearing this, Cui Yiluo's smile became even more blatant, "Wasn't it the same last time? Didn't my husband always want to..."
When the topic turned to the time when she deliberately seduced him into daytime debauchery, Jiang Yunjin's dark eyebrows furrowed, his eyes swirling with a dark storm.
Dixia jumped again.
Seemingly afraid of completely angering him, Cui Yiluo softened her tone to appease him: "Husband, don't worry, Yiluo just wants to spend some time with you."
She glanced lightly at the stack of letters, then gently closed her eyes, her long, raven-feather-like eyelashes slightly upturned. She leaned closer, her chin slightly raised, to steady his thin, pale face.
They had already done this many times, and Cui Yiluo skillfully and gently stroked his penis tip, again and again.
The man responded quickly, his large hand still gripping her waist to prevent her from getting closer, but following her gentle, half-hearted movements, he made her wince in pain. Cui Yiluo subconsciously stepped back and raised one hand to hold the back of her neck, as if preventing her prey from escaping.
It was as if she were being punished for making him break his vows again, especially in the most solemn and dignified study, filled with books and scriptures. Not only in the pure dwelling, but Shen Xia seemed to be climbing a high peak.
Cui Yilu tentatively opened her eyes, but her gaze was suddenly drawn into his already extremely dark eyes. She immediately closed her eyes, slightly raised her chin, and looked closer.
But no matter how much she flirted with him, he only remained steadfastly devoted to her.
Cui Yiluo hardened her heart, grabbed his trembling wrist with her palm, and pulled him towards Xia, holding him back.
That was the method she taught him last time, and as if afraid he would forget, she thoughtfully guided him through it again.
Suddenly, the preparations were very thorough, and the guards were extremely cautious.
Author's Note: There's nothing I can do, please understand, I haven't done anything, but I'm still locked out. I'm really at my wit's end. [crying emoji]
Remember the key scene: the small tatami mat in the study [doge emoji]
My cousin didn't send anyone to investigate A-Luo, but as for how he knew about her managing the shop, you can probably guess. [doge]
Thank you to all the lovely readers for the nutrient solution! [heart emoji]
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