After asking this question, Lu Huaizhou closed his eyes and began to rest, leaving Jiang Fuying in a daze.
Countless times before, she had suspected that he was hiding his true abilities and that he was not the "profligate playboy" people thought him to be. But she never once imagined that he had deliberately cultivated this reputation.
What on earth was the hidden story behind this?
She wanted to ask, but then suddenly realized that she had no right to pry into his privacy.
So, she chose to stay silent.
After that day, Jiang Fuying immersed herself in finalizing the cooperation with various shops and promoting the placement of the glass mirrors in them, while Lu Huaizhou left early and returned late, accelerating the production of the glass mirrors.
The couple was so busy that they didn't even have a meal together for many days.
On the other hand, in the Pingning Marquis Mansion, Jiang Fuyue got to see Pei Qing'an every day.
But Pei Qing'an seemed to have lost interest in her. He didn't even give her a proper look. After every meal, he would lock himself in the study and refused to show up.
Jiang Fuyue was extremely anxious.
If she couldn't win over the Pingning Marquis's wife and Pei Qing'an's love for her faded away, where would she have a place in the Pingning Marquis Mansion in the future?
She was so worried that she lost her appetite and was always in a daze. As a result, when she was serving tea to the Pingning Marquis's wife, she accidentally spilled a lot of it.
The scalding tea splashed onto the Pingning Marquis's wife in an instant.
"Ah!" The Pingning Marquis's wife let out a scream.
Jiang Fuyue finally came to her senses. Seeing the Pingning Marquis's wife's red and scalded skin and wet clothes, she quickly explained.
"Mother, I... I didn't do it on purpose. I just didn't hold it steady for a moment, so I... I..."
"So what?!" The Pingning Marquis's wife was filled with resentment. "What on earth are you good for! You can't even do such a simple thing as serving tea properly!"
Jiang Fuyue hung her head and didn't dare to say a word.
She had heard such scolding many times these days. The Pingning Marquis's wife's temper came and went quickly. As long as she was obedient, she could always get through it.
But this time, things were different.
The Pingning Marquis's wife harbored deep resentment towards her and immediately brought up old scores. "You're such a disgrace! It's bad enough that you rushed to send a birthday gift to the neighbors, but what did you send?!"
"You wrote a whole page of vicious curses and cursed them! And they even brought it to me!"
"You've shamed our Marquis Mansion with your ignorance and stupidity!"
Although the Pingning Marquis's wife disliked the Lu Huaizhou couple next door, she valued her family's reputation very much. She couldn't tolerate her own family members making a fool of themselves and being laughed at by the neighbors.
Just thinking about this incident made her angrier and angrier, and she was filled with pent - up anger.
"I don't think you knelt in the ancestral hall long enough that night!" The Pingning Marquis's wife pointed at Jiang Fuyue and shouted coldly. "Nanny Liu, take this stupid woman to the ancestral hall and don't let her out until she's knelt for two hours!"
Jiang Fuyue was terrified and wanted to resist, but she was no match for Nanny Liu, who was used to doing hard work. She could only be dragged to the ancestral hall in a sorry state.
After kneeling in the ancestral hall for two hours, her knees were swollen and it was extremely difficult for her to walk.
Chunhua and Qiuyue supported her with difficulty and walked towards the East Courtyard.
Seeing their young lady in such a state, the two maids who had grown up with her felt extremely heart - broken.
Chunhua couldn't help but give her an idea. "Miss, the Marquis's wife treats you like this every day. Why don't you tell Master Pei about these things? If Master Pei steps in to mediate, the Marquis's wife will surely be more lenient towards you..."
Jiang Fuyue looked hesitant. "Qing'an doesn't like me to conflict with Mother, and he especially doesn't like me to disobey her. If I tell Qing'an these things, won't he dislike me?"
"Miss, you can be more tactful." Qiuyue also advised on the side. "They say it's easiest to whisper in your husband's ear. After you and Master Pei have shared the conjugal bed and are in a loving mood, show him the wounds on your knees. Master Pei will surely ask with concern, and then you can tell him everything."
Jiang Fuyue took their advice. "Okay, I'll try tonight."
Coincidentally, tonight was the first time in more than half a month that Pei Qing'an stepped into her bedroom again.
"Qing'an, you're here!" Jiang Fuyue was extremely excited to see him.
"Yeah." Pei Qing'an stared deeply into her eyes and began to untie his clothes on his own. "I came to see you."
Although he said so, his hands never stopped. In the blink of an eye, he was only left with a thin inner garment.
Seeing his eagerness, a faint blush appeared on Jiang Fuyue's face.
Having been his wife for so long, how could she not understand his intentions at this moment?
But it seemed that God was on her side, and things were going smoothly for her.
"Qing'an, let me serve you." She took the initiative to untie her own clothes and pressed her jade - like body against him.
Skin touching skin, they had a night of tenderness.
Jiang Fuyue was nestled in Pei Qing'an's arms, and she remembered the idea her two maids had given her.
"Ouch." She took a sharp breath and covered her knee while turning to the side.
The movement beside him immediately caught Pei Qing'an's attention.
He frowned tightly and said in a rather displeased tone, "What's wrong with your knee?"
Jiang Fuyue deliberately avoided his gaze and replied in an evasive tone, "It's... it's nothing."
Pei Qing'an felt annoyed, but since they had just shared a loving moment, he still asked symbolically, "Where did the swelling on your knee come from?"
If he hadn't asked, it would have been fine. As soon as he asked, Jiang Fuyue's crystal - clear tears began to fall. "It's okay. Mother just wanted to teach me a lesson and punished me to kneel in the ancestral hall..."
Like an octopus, she clung tightly to him and shed tears. "Qing'an, didn't you say you would help me talk to Mother and ask her to set fewer rules?"
Pei Qing'an's eyebrows twitched, and a look of annoyance flashed across his eyes.
"I've already talked to Mother about this before."
Jiang Fuyue was persistent and said in a soft, coquettish voice, "Qing'an, can you talk to Mother again? Mother, she..."
"Enough." Pei Qing'an turned his back to her and didn't look at her anymore. "I can talk to Mother for you again, but as my wife, don't forget your filial duties."
"It's late at night. Go to sleep."
Jiang Fuyue was overjoyed. She thought that if Qing'an talked to the Pingning Marquis's wife again, the Pingning Marquis's wife would surely be more lenient towards her.
In fact, she was wrong again.
The Pingning Marquis's wife was even more strict with her. She not only nitpicked on her every mistake but also frequently punished her to kneel in the ancestral hall.
Jiang Fuyue couldn't bear it anymore, so she resorted to the same old trick and whispered complaints in Pei Qing'an's ear after their intimate moments.
At first, Pei Qing'an was patient enough to comfort her, but as the number of times increased, all his interest was disrupted by her complaints. He was extremely annoyed.
Finally, one night, he looked at her coldly. "Did I marry you back to the mansion just to listen to your complaints about Mother every day?!"
"If you can't serve Mother well, there are plenty of others who are willing to do so!"
"You'd better watch your step!"
After saying this, he got out of bed and went to sleep in the study in the thick night, leaving Jiang Fuyue alone in the empty bedroom.