"What's all the ruckus about?"
Chu Jinli shouted with the majesty of a marquis. As he stepped closer, he glanced at his aunt, who was so angry that her face and neck were red. By her side stood Shang Yunruo, calm and elegant. He couldn't help but take a few more looks at her.
Today, she was dressed in a light blue silk brocade dress. The corset accentuated her slender waist, which seemed to be easily grasped with one hand. She only wore a mutton-fat white jade hairpin and a pair of white jade earrings. Her extremely plain attire was complemented by her gorgeous facial features. The combination of her strong features and simple dressing style was truly harmonious.
If it weren't for the gauze around her eyes, she would have been even more captivating. With the gauze, however, she looked ethereal and otherworldly.
In fact, he was mostly to blame for what happened yesterday. Shang Yunruo had only scolded him a bit in the carriage. After returning to the mansion, she neither threw a tantrum nor brought up the matter again. This made him feel somewhat guilty.
So when Chu Yan came to tell him that Shang Yunruo was being bullied by his aunt, he rushed over immediately.
"Oh, Jinli, my marquis, you're finally here! Quick, come and judge for me!"
At his aunt's cry, Chu Jinli reluctantly shifted his gaze from Shang Yunruo. "I know that Aunt has always been diligent. Losing the account books must have made you anxious. But you can't just bring people here to surround her. Yunruo is my wife, and she does have the right to inquire about the family's accounts."
Madam He grew anxious and was about to say something when Chu Jinli gave her a subtle look. She understood his hint. However, since things had already escalated, as an elder, she felt it was hard to back down easily.
Shang Yunruo noticed the exchange between them. She knew that she wasn't entirely in the right either. Moreover, it was crucial to protect the account books, so she didn't want to make a big fuss. Thus, she took the initiative to offer an olive branch.
"Yunruo is here to apologize to Aunt. No matter what, as a junior, I shouldn't have talked back to an elder. Fortunately, Aunt has always been magnanimous and tolerant of my impatient temper. Yunruo is grateful to Aunt."
Her words gave Madam He enough face without leaving any room for criticism. Naturally, Madam He decided to take the opportunity to end the conflict, which also lived up to her reputation of being "magnanimous."
Madam He replied, "You're a junior. How could I really argue with you?"
Taking this opportunity, Shang Yunruo said, "Yes, yes. Yunruo really shouldn't have gone to get the account books by herself. Next time, I'll go directly to Aunt to ask for them. Aunt surely won't refuse me, right?"
Madam He had already turned around to leave when she heard this. She felt a breath stuck in her chest, unable to exhale or swallow. She had to force a smile and say, "Of course."
As the servants left with Madam He, Shang Yunruo softly called out to Chu Jinli, "Husband, will you come back for dinner tonight?"
Chu Jinli paused and hesitated for a moment. The words of refusal were on the tip of his tongue, but what came out was, "I'll see if I'm busy in the barracks. Things have been quite hectic recently."
Shang Yunruo was about to say something else when Chu Jinli was already being pulled away by his aunt.
They walked away quickly. In the blink of an eye, their footsteps faded away. Shang Yunruo sighed and called out, "Chu Yan? A Yan?"
"How did sister-in-law know I was here?"
Chu Yan's voice grew closer. Shang Yunruo smiled and said, "If it weren't for you, who else could have been so timely in inviting the marquis? And who else would have done it for me?"
There was a hint of bitterness in her last words, but she quickly stopped herself.
Chu Yan let out a soft, bitter laugh. "All I could do was invite brother to come and rescue you."
Shang Yunruo said, "A Yan will surely achieve greater things than your brother in the future."
Chu Yan looked up at her, staring intently into her eyes in the sunlight, trying to detect any signs of falsehood or deception. After a while, he slightly averted his gaze and softly replied, "Okay."
—
Before they even left the marquis's mansion, Madam He couldn't hold back her anger anymore. She stamped her foot and gritted her teeth as she asked Chu Jinli, "Jinli, Jinli! Why did you help her just now?"
Chu Jinli tried to calm his aunt down. "She's the daughter of the prime minister. If you push her too far and the prime minister gets angry, can you or I handle the situation?"
Madam He glared at him. "So, you came to save me after all? I've heard that she's arrogant and domineering. It seems the rumors are true. A noble and refined person like me from a scholarly family can't argue with her."
When it came to the topic of arrogance and domineering, Chu Jinli didn't say a word.
He had always heard that Shang Yunruo was arrogant and hard to deal with. But today, he found that she was not only well-mannered but also respectful to her elders. She didn't act like a domineering official's daughter at all. It seemed that she was different from the rumors.
Hearing Madam He's sarcastic remarks about Shang Yunruo, he couldn't help but defend her. "She even apologized to you. She's not as unreasonable as you said. Besides, if you've been upright and honest in your management, why are you afraid of her looking at the account books?"
Madam He was rendered speechless by his last words.
Chu Jinli remembered something important and changed the subject. "By the way, Aunt, get me two hundred taels of silver notes."
Madam He frowned. "What do you need so much money for?"
Chu Jinli quickly came up with an excuse. "I've been spending a lot recently. My dear aunt, please go and get them for me."
Madam He rolled her eyes and took out two silver notes from her sleeve. "I happen to have them on me. You can take them first. I'll go and get them from the accounts later so you don't have to make an extra trip."
Chu Jinli took the silver notes and thanked his aunt before quickly heading next door to see his cousin.
Madam He craned her neck to watch him leave. Then she gave her personal maid her seal and whispered, "Go and get four hundred taels of silver notes. Say it's for the marquis."
After giving the order, she felt much better about the unjust treatment she had suffered from Shang Yunruo.
Back at her own mansion, Madam He told her daughter and Xue Ning'an everything about losing the account books and Chu Jinli's defense of Shang Yunruo. The more she talked, the angrier she got, and she slapped the table.
Chu Xiuyi, with her impatient temper, wanted to go and argue with Shang Yunruo, but Xue Ning'an stopped her.
Xue Ning'an said gently, "Since cousin has already intervened in this matter, it's not appropriate for us to cause more trouble. The most important thing now is to get the account books back."
Chu Xiuyi waved her hand. "Let her check if she wants to. My mother has always managed the accounts clearly and carefully. Why should we be afraid of her inspection?"
This time, both Xue Ning'an and Madam He refuted her in unison. "No!"
Seeing Chu Xiuyi's surprised expression, Xue Ning'an softened her tone. "Aunt, I actually know some capable people. How about we use the same method as hers to 'retrieve' the account books?"
Madam He immediately understood what she meant but then worriedly said, "But with Jinli around, it might be difficult, right?"
Xue Ning'an squinted her eyes. "Aunt, don't worry. I'll make sure he's not in the house tonight."
Chu Xiuyi was confused and stupidly asked, "How can you guarantee that he won't be in the house?"
Xue Ning'an just smiled but didn't say a word. Madam He naturally understood Xue Ning'an's methods. She glared at her stupid daughter and said, "Why do you have to ask how she guarantees it? You should learn from Ning'an and be more mindful!"
—
That night, Shang Yunruo prepared a table full of dishes according to Chu Jinli's preferences. She set them up in a pavilion by the lake. The candlelight flickered, creating a somewhat romantic atmosphere.
However, Shang Yunruo was the only one enjoying the beautiful scenery. Chu Jinli had just left without even touching a single bite of the food.
She thought to herself that she should have asked him to stay after dinner. Then they could have at least had a few words. But as soon as she asked him to stay, he had left in a hurry.
Feeling a bit cold from the night wind, Shang Yunruo asked Chuyao dejectedly, "Have you sent dinner to Chu Yan?"
Chuyao replied, "It should be almost there."
Shang Yunruo said, "Then quickly find someone who can run fast and invite him. Ask him to come directly to me for dinner."