Chapter 284 285. Too Hungry to Have the Strength to Get Married and Enter the Bridal Chamber
Therefore, their family's reputation in Kyoto is very polarized.
Those who admire the Changning Marquisate have high regard for it. The younger group among them regard the words of his father, the Changning Marquis, as the gospel. However, those who dislike the style of the Changning Marquisate are quite dismissive of the people in their mansion.
In general.
The Changning Marquisate has made more enemies than friends in the capital, and many of its enemies are from aristocratic families because Lei Li's rise has affected their interests.
However, these were not enough to affect the people in Changning Marquis' Mansion. No matter whether they were praised or scolded by the outside world, they still ate and drank as usual and did not take the troubles to heart.
All the adults are like this, and Lei Zhouzhou, who grew up under the influence of their parents, is even more so.
Like when my father Zhou Yi talked about Zhuang Zhou before, Zhuang Zhou quoted what Song Rongzi said, "The whole world praises him but he is not encouraged, the whole world criticizes him but he is not discouraged." Even if everyone in the world praises Song Rongzi, he will not be encouraged, and even if everyone in the world slanders him, he will not be discouraged.
Lei Zhouzhou felt that this sentence was very true and always regarded it as his own code of conduct. Therefore, he did not care when he heard the rumors about him in Kyoto.
His family, his friends, and everyone he cares about know what kind of person he is and will not misunderstand him because of rumors, and he will not understand his friends through rumors.
Just like now, if anyone in Kyoto said that Lin Zhong would abandon him and be with someone else, he wouldn't believe a word of it.
Thaksin Shinawatra.
——But ever since Lin Zhong expressed his feelings to him at the gate of the Marquis' Mansion, he hasn't seen Lin Zhong again, nor has he received any letter from Lin Zhong. He sent someone to send a letter to the Duke of Su's Mansion, but there was no reply.
Lei Zhouzhou thought that Lin Zhong was probably under house arrest in the Duke of Su's Mansion and his personal freedom was restricted, so he didn't contact him. If Shan can't come to me, I will go to find Shan.
So, Lei Zhouzhou, who had not left the house for a long time, appeared in front of the Duke Su's mansion on horseback.
The Duke Su's Mansion is a building that is over a hundred years old. It has become even more magnificent with the passage of time. The huge stone lions on both sides of the gate are ferocious and lifelike. Ordinary people would be scared to death just by looking at them.
The four powerful characters on the vermilion plaque are - Duke Su's Mansion. The gate is more than three meters high, and the animal head holding a ring is also ferocious and awe-inspiring.
There were two tall and burly guards on both sides of the gate. When they saw the young master of Changning Marquis's Mansion stop on horseback, the guard on the left came forward to ask for his permission.
"I'm looking for Lin Zhong."
Lei Zhouzhou patted the horse's back gently to comfort Amian, who was a little too excited.
Amian was originally a horse that galloped across the grassland. It had the blood of a wild horse and an unruly character. After coming to Kyoto, it had been raised in a large farm outside the city.
Before, Lei Zhouzhou would come out to play with it from time to time, but Lei Zhouzhou has been staying at home for a while, and it has not seen its owner for more than half a month. It was naturally excited to finally see its owner.
Amian almost crashed into the Duke Su's mansion just now, but fortunately Lei Zhouzhou reined in his horse in time.
The guard exchanged a glance with his companion, and respectfully said, "Young Master Lei, please wait a moment." Then his companion quickly entered the mansion.
After a while, his companion came back.
Lei Zhouzhou glanced back and didn't see Lin Zhong, but heard the guard say, "Our young master is currently meeting guests and has no time to entertain Young Master Lei. Please go back first and visit the Marquis of Changning's Mansion another day."
Meeting guests?
Lei Zhouzhou's heart moved and he asked, "Who is Lin Zhong meeting? Why doesn't he even have time to come out and see me? I just want to say a few words to him."
"It's really unfortunate."
The guard replied, "Mrs. Lu and Miss Lu are visiting the mansion, and the young master couldn't spare them. When I went in to report just now, the young master was listening to Miss Lu playing the piano... I'm sorry for being too nosy."
Mrs. Lu and Miss Lu?
From Minister Lu’s family?
Lei Zhouzhou remembered that among the families that had been in close contact with the Duke Su's Mansion recently, there was the Lu Shangshu family. Madam Lu and Miss Lu were the two female relatives, and they still needed Lin Zhong, a man from outside, to accompany them. Were they on a blind date?
No, they should have met a few days ago. The Lu family came to visit alone, so that Lin Zhong and Miss Lu could develop feelings for each other, right?
Lei Zhouzhou had met the young lady of the Lu family. She was a very iconic beauty with bright eyes, a charming face, a gentle demeanor, and was proficient in music, chess, poetry, and painting. In terms of family background and talent, she was first-class.
Moreover, Miss Lu has been in love with Lin Zhong for a long time and is a famous infatuated lady in Kyoto.
He remembered that during the June Marriage Goddess Temple Fair, Xu Sanlang knew that he and Lin Zhong had gone to the Marriage Temple, and casually mentioned that Miss Lu had also gone to the Marriage Temple to ask for a marriage fortune, and asked if they had met.
Lin Zhong and Miss Lu...
Lei Zhouyi suddenly felt a little annoyed when he thought of Lin Zhong and Miss Lu talking and laughing.
He knew that Lin Zhong was not someone who would fall in love with someone else, but the Duke of Suguo's Mansion seemed to be trying to match Lin Zhong and Miss Lu, and Lin Zhong actually went to get along with Miss Lu, which made Lei Zhouzhou a little unhappy.
No, this is just the guard's one-sided statement, not necessarily true. Lady Suguo didn't like him very much, so she might have asked the guard to say this on purpose.
Lin Zhong probably didn't go on a blind date on his own initiative, and he didn't volunteer to accompany Miss Lu to listen to her play the piano. As a child, the wife of Duke Su was his mother, and she was also the mistress of the Duke's mansion. Lin Zhong might not be able to persuade his mother.
The Duke Su's Mansion is so big and there are so many people in it, but Lin Zhong can't even come out to see him, nor can he send him a message. Could it be that he has been imprisoned by the Duke Su's wife and locked in the room without contact with others?
In just a short moment, Lei Zhouzhou's mind turned over a lot and he made up his mind.
He looked up at the tall, tightly closed gate of the Duke of Su's Mansion, and suddenly thought with a bit of amusement, is this the Duke of Su's wife's way of showing off her power? But he was riding on the tall Amian, and he didn't feel embarrassed at all about being dismounted.
However, the Duke Su's Mansion would not let him in, nor would it let Lin Zhong out. It seemed that he would not be able to see Lin Zhong today.
"Please tell your young master that today is indeed an unfortunate day. Lei Zhouzhou will come visit again another day."
After Lei Zhouzhou finished speaking, he glanced at the gate of the Duke Su's Mansion again, then rode away briskly. His long hair, tied up high, fluttered in the wind like a swallow flying lightly into the sky.
In the Duke Su's Mansion, upon hearing that Lei Zhouzhou had passed away, Lin Zhong pursed his lips tightly and said nothing. His light-colored eyes stared deathly at the wife of the Duke Su, his biological mother, sitting opposite him.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
The wife of Duke Suguo, also known as Princess Henghuan, took a sip of tea slowly and said, "I just asked the guard to pass on a message. He wanted to leave on his own. I didn't ask anyone to chase him away."
"Zhou Zhou is the most polite. Couldn't he hear such an obvious order to see the guest off?"
Lin Zhong suppressed his anger, "Mrs. Lu and Miss Lu did come to the mansion today, but it was always my mother who accompanied them. I never showed up. When did I hear Miss Lu play the zither?"
Zhou Zhou hates people who don't keep their promises the most. What if Zhou Zhou misunderstands that there's something going on between him and Miss Lu?
"If he believes you, what does it matter what others say? If he doesn't believe you, he won't believe you even if others tell him. Why are you so nervous?"
Princess Henghuan glanced at him nonchalantly, her eyes as pale as amber. "You are just too impatient. You are not as steady as your elder brother, nor as obedient as your elder brother."
She calmly took another sip of tea, then put the jade teacup down and slowly glanced at him, "Do you still want to leave the house to look for Lei Zhouzhou?"
"I want to go out."
Lin Zhong stared at him and spoke word by word, "I'm going to look for Zhou Zhou."
"Silly child."
Princess Henghuan shook her head slightly, stood up, and walked out of Lin Zhong's house. She glanced at the guards outside the house and said calmly,
"Keep an eye on the young master. Don't let him leave this room. If he runs away, you will be held responsible."
"yes."
The big man nodded repeatedly.
Outside the main house where Lin Zhong was, there was a tall guard every few meters, and there were four big men guarding on both sides of the door. Not to mention Lin Zhong wanting to go out, even a mosquito couldn't fly in.
The windows were nailed shut and the door was locked. It was only opened when Princess Henghuan came or when food was delivered. When delivering food, it was only opened for a moment. The maid who delivered the food would also be watched by the guards at the door, preventing her and Lin Zhong from having any chance to communicate privately.
Lin Zhong has been locked in the house for more than half a month.
When he first heard that his mother was going to arrange a blind date for him, he disagreed, so his mother put him under house arrest.
Some time ago, the Duke Su's Mansion had a constant stream of visitors. Even during the busiest times, he didn't show up once. It was Princess Henghuan who entertained all the noble ladies, young ladies, and noble gentlemen, and he didn't see any of them.
Later, he started a hunger strike to resist, and Princess Henghuan was also very stubborn. She did not beg Lin Zhong for food, but just said lightly,
"It's okay to be hungry, to the point of having no strength left. You can't run away even if you want to, and you can't find Lei Zhouzhou even if you want to. I can just carry you to the wedding chamber."
Lin Zhong was so hungry that he felt dizzy and didn't have the strength to say a word in defense. After that, he stopped fasting, but Princess Henghuan watched him even more closely.
Not only was his house locked, but his courtyard was also patrolled by guards from the mansion. There were people in the courtyard and at the gate. As long as Lin Zhong took a step out of the house, the entire courtyard would come to chase and block him.
All the servants and close subordinates in his yard were transferred away, his personal sword was taken away, and even the decorative bow in the room was gone. There was no one else in the room except him.
Princess Henghuan was really cruel. Once, she bribed a guard to drug the guards outside. She almost escaped from the Duke Su's Mansion, but was shot down by an arrow.
The arrow was drugged, and Lin Zhong was unconscious for two whole days after being shot.
Afterwards, Princess Henghuan replaced all the guards in Lin Zhong's yard, including the maid who delivered meals, and he never escaped from the house again.
Just now, Princess Henghuan came over specifically to tell Lin Zhonglei that Zhou Zhou would come to see him, deliberately provoking him.
Lin Zhong was indeed stimulated. He was so anxious that he walked around the room in circles. However, he couldn't think of any way to find Lei Zhouzhou. After all, he couldn't even leave the room.
Lin Zhong really didn't know what to do.
On the other side, Lei Zhouzhou had already figured out how to meet Lin Zhong.
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