To Shang Yunruo's delight, Chu Jinli really came back that night.
Although he still had dinner at his aunt's place, Shang Yunruo was quite content that he returned as promised. She felt that things were gradually moving in a positive direction.
She shed her reserve and changed into a sheer red silk inner garment over a white silk nightgown. She asked Chuyao to prepare red candles and a flower - petal bath, hoping to make up for their wedding night.
As soon as Chu Jinli entered the room, he smelled the pleasant fragrance of flowers. Through the curtain, he saw Shang Yunruo's jet - black hair scattered on her slender back. Her figure was graceful and curvy. The room was filled with mist, and her silhouette was ethereal and beautiful behind the layers of curtains.
Chu Jinli was completely captivated. His cousin had once danced for him in a beautiful dress, but compared to Shang Yunruo's peerless beauty, it lacked some charm.
"Hubby? Is that you outside?"
Shang Yunruo's soft voice slipped into his ears like a wisp of alluring musk. He replied, only to find his throat a bit tight.
Shang Yunruo said, "Then... come in, hubby."
Chu Jinli couldn't help but take a step forward, but suddenly remembered what his cousin had said. He quickly retracted his foot.
After much struggle, he said hoarsely, "Wife... you'd better go to bed early. I'll still sleep in the study."
Shang Yunruo stretched out her arm and said coquettishly, "Hubby, I can't see. Could you come and help me?"
Chu Jinli's Adam's apple bobbed. He frowned and struggled for a while. He thought that just going in to help her wouldn't be a betrayal to his cousin.
Just as he stepped in, there was a sudden knock on the door. His personal servant, Liu Qian, whispered outside, "My lord, there's an urgent matter in the camp. You're summoned to deal with it."
Chu Jinli stopped in his tracks again. He cast a dissatisfied glance at the door. After a moment's hesitation, he opened the door and went out.
As soon as he stepped out, Liu Qian whispered, "Miss Xue Ning'an sent someone to say that her old illness has flared up. She's urgently asking for you, my lord."
Chu Jinli said in a bad mood, "Then call a doctor! I'm not a healer!"
After saying that, he sighed, glanced into the room, and then lowered his head and waved his hand. "Let's go. I'll go and have a look."
In the darkness, two pairs of eyes were fixed on Chu Jinli's back. They only withdrew their gazes slowly after he disappeared through the mansion gate.
Yin Shan's voice sounded, "My lord, how did you know that by revealing the information to the guard at the gate of the adjacent mansion, we could find out?"
Chu Yan stepped out of the shadow slowly and said calmly, "They're her people."
Yin Shan said, "Oh, then why did you give them the information? Aren't you trying to help Shang Yunruo?"
Chu Yan looked back in the direction of Mu Chenxuan and said matter - of - factly, "By accumulating her dissatisfaction and resentment, her fighting spirit will be stronger."
Yin Shan raised an eyebrow and looked disbelieving. "Really?"
---
The adjacent mansion was actually the ancestral residence of the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion. Since there were only two brothers in this generation, the relatively intact courtyard on the west side was separated, forming two mansions and a division of the family.
So people still used to call the original courtyard by its old name, Jinghuiyuan.
Jinghuiyuan was about half the size of the Marquis Mansion. It only took a few steps from the mansion gate to the nearest Changchunting.
Xue Ning'an lived in Changchunting. At the moment, the courtyard was quite deserted. Only two maids were attending to her, and not even a doctor had been summoned.
As soon as Chu Jinli entered the room, he shouted at the two maids, "Why didn't you call a doctor when the young lady is sick? Where are my aunt and cousin? Didn't anyone come to check on her? But you were quick to call me from so far away!"
Chu Jinli raised his voice a bit. He didn't know where this sense of vexation in his chest came from.
Xue Ning'an, with a pale face, struggled to get up from the bed. She coughed violently and said, "Who invited cousin here? Didn't I say not to tell cousin? Cough, cough, cough... Cousin must stay in the mansion tonight. Why are you all so stupid? Cough, cough, cough..."
She coughed so hard that it seemed as if her lungs were about to explode. After her hoarse and weak - voiced scolding, the anger in Chu Jinli's heart instantly subsided a lot.
He quickly walked over to support her and gently patted her back, saying softly, "Don't get angry when you're coughing like this. I'm not angry that they told me. I'm angry that no one is taking care of you. It breaks my heart to see you like this."
Xue Ning'an's complexion improved a bit. Tears welled up in her eyes immediately. She nestled in his arms and sobbed, "Cousin, I know you care about me, but you promised her today. You should go back. Hurry up and leave."
Chu Jinli sighed. "It's okay. I'll stay until you fall asleep."
Xue Ning'an didn't try to push him away anymore. She nestled in his arms contentedly, and her coughs became a bit softer. "Cousin, I heard that you went to find fault with the mistress today. Why was there nothing wrong in the end?"
Chu Jinli said, "Don't mention it. I don't know what's wrong with my aunt. She gave me some wrong information. I almost wronged her. And, my..."
At this point, he suddenly stopped. After a moment's hesitation, he didn't mention the discrepancy in the account records. It wasn't that he was on guard against his cousin. After all, this was his aunt's mansion, and there were too many people around. He still wanted to find out the truth.
Xue Ning'an keenly noticed his hesitation. She said sadly, "Cousin doesn't trust Ning'an anymore."
Just as Chu Jinli was about to explain, his cousin, Chu Xiuyi, knocked on the door. She stood at the door and looked worriedly at Xue Ning'an. "Is Ning'an feeling better?"
Xue Ning'an lifted her eyelids slightly and gave a subtle look. She said, "Cousin, come in quickly. I'm fine."
Chu Xiuyi was sent by Mrs. He to sound out Chu Jinli. She said with a flattering smile, "Jinli, do you think there's some misunderstanding between you and my mother? We're all family. If we talk things out, everything will be fine."
Chu Jinli said, "No. I've always trusted my aunt. I think she was also deceived and was doing it for my own good. There's no misunderstanding."
Just as Chu Xiuyi was about to be happy, she heard Chu Jinli say, "But Shang Yunruo is the mistress of the Marquis Mansion after all. There's the Prime Minister's Mansion backing her up. It really doesn't make sense not to let her manage the accounts. How about this? You tell my aunt that if she wants to check the account books, she should cooperate. This way, we can avoid criticism."
Chu Xiuyi:?!!
---
Shang Yunruo got up early the next day to wash up. She blindfolded herself and walked out of the room, standing on the corridor in the courtyard.
The servants stole glances at her and were intimidated by her serious expression and cold aura. They swallowed back their idle chatter and didn't dare to make a sound.
Chu Jinli had stayed out all night again last night. He sent someone to say that he had stayed in the adjacent mansion, which really made her grind her teeth in anger.
She made ginseng - lotus - japonica rice porridge herself and took it to Chu Yan's courtyard.
Chu Yan was already up and was organizing the account books in the room. When he saw Shang Yunruo coming with the porridge early in the morning, he immediately greeted her. He observed her complexion and didn't see the angry and sad look he had expected.
He took the steaming casserole and asked, "I heard about what happened yesterday. Why aren't you complaining?"
Shang Yunruo was taken aback. Then she silently cursed the gossiping servants in her courtyard. She said, "What's the use of complaining? I'm just wondering what on earth is in the adjacent mansion that makes my hubby always go there?"