SGEIRS -Chapter 540 There Was No Going Back

Silence.

The prolonged silence made Meng Jinyu increasingly uneasy. She was afraid that once they returned to Yangzhou, she would continue to be tormented by her mother-in-law, and even more afraid that this matter would cause her to be looked down upon by her husband’s family.

She looked at her husband sitting opposite her. Several times she wanted to speak but stopped herself. For the sake of having an easier life in the future, she could only soften her stance. She reached out to hold his hand and said gently, “Husband, this matter is my fault. Don’t be angry anymore, alright?”

Deng Yuanqing shook her hand off. His cold, heavy gaze fixed on her, and after a long while he finally said, “As for the letters, just treat it as if it never happened. From now on, you are not to mention at home how close you are with your elder sister. Don’t bring more humiliation upon yourself.”

Meng Jinyu dared not disobey and nodded repeatedly. “Alright, I’ll listen to you in everything, husband. Then… what about Mother?”

Deng Yuanqing knew what she was afraid of and let out a light scoff. “You’re afraid of losing face, but do you think I’m not? Don’t worry—only you and I know about this. I won’t tell anyone else.” He paused, then added, “Of course, in front of others, you’re still the good younger sister of the Marchioness of Changxing. You just mustn’t go around talking about how close you sisters are, or how well your elder sister treats you. When others mention your elder sister, just tacitly agree and that’s it.”

Meng Jinyu was taken aback, looking at him in confusion.

Deng Yuanqing shot her an annoyed glance, suddenly feeling that she was as stupid as a pig. He had explained it so clearly, yet she still didn’t understand.

Meng Jinyu thought carefully about his words, finally grasped his meaning, and nodded lightly. “Husband, I understand.”

Deng Yuanqing responded with a lukewarm “Mm.” He still had to continue getting by in Yangzhou, and his business dealings couldn’t be obstructed. Since his wife’s status could bring him benefits, he would continue to make good use of it. And he wouldn’t deliberately mistreat her because of today’s matter—her food, clothing, and daily expenses would remain as before.

Seeing that his anger had somewhat subsided, Meng Jinyu thought the matter would pass. However, that night, her husband slept with her personal maidservant. She was furious inside, but because she was in the wrong over what had happened earlier, she dared not voice her anger.

In order to marry her, her husband had dismissed his previous concubine maids, leaving her as his only woman. After she became pregnant, in order to appear magnanimous, she had even suggested preparing two concubine maids for him, but he had refused both times, which had delighted her.

But now, he directly took her trusted maidservant. It was like an invisible slap, directly landing on her face.

Listening to the sounds coming from the next room, she lay awake the entire night.

Early the next morning, Meng Jinyu had the maidservant who had shared her husband’s bed the previous night brought before her.

The maid knew Meng Jinyu’s temperament, and since her indenture contract was still in Meng Jinyu’s hands, she feared being sold off and trembled with fear. She immediately knelt down to beg for mercy. “Madam, please spare me. I truly wasn’t the one who initiated it.”

Meng Jinyu’s face was dark. Naturally, she knew it wasn’t the maid’s initiative, and she also couldn’t sell her off because of this. After all, this maid was someone she could keep under her control—if she sold her, there would just be another one in her place. Suppressing her anger, she said, “Get up. I know you wouldn’t betray me by climbing into the master’s bed. Drink this bowl of medicine.”

The maid understood—it was a contraceptive decoction. If her mistress allowed her to drink it, it meant she wasn’t permitted to have a child. She had no other choice. Taking the bowl handed over by another maid, she drank it in one gulp.

Seeing how obedient and well-behaved she was, Meng Jinyu felt a little less angry. She repeatedly comforted herself: this maid was her own person. In the future, if her husband took other women, she could still make use of this maid to help her.

Over the next several days, Deng Yuanqing continued to share the bed with that maid in the adjoining room.

Meng Jinyu was so angry her teeth clenched, but facing a husband whose anger had yet to fully dissipate, she dared not speak out. She only said tactfully, “Husband, I’m used to having you by my side. These past few nights, with you not here, I’ve felt rather unaccustomed.”

Deng Yuanqing knew what she meant and cast her a glance. “A-Yu, you weren’t such a jealous person before. You’re pregnant—I can’t fail to take you and the child into consideration.”

These words left Meng Jinyu momentarily speechless. She hurriedly explained, “Husband, that’s not what I meant.”

“As long as it’s not,” he replied.

After leaving those words behind, Deng Yuanqing walked out of the room, wrapped an arm around the maid who had been sharing his bed these past days, and went to sleep in the adjoining room.

Meng Jinyu clenched her teeth, twisting her handkerchief in her hands. She was both angry and aggrieved, and at the same time she knew that she and her husband had, for the most part, lost the chance to return to how they once were. Yet she no longer dared to put on airs with him the way she had when she had just married in. Back then, her husband had still doted on her. Now that he no longer did, if she dared to show him a cold face, once they returned to Yangzhou, her days would be even harder. She could only take advantage of the time before returning to Yangzhou to try her best to placate him.

—

The Marquis of Changxing’s Residence

With nothing to do, Meng Jinyao went to chat with her two sisters-in-law to pass the time.

Madam Chen suddenly recalled what her husband had said the night before and remarked, “Envoys from Anguo will be visiting soon. Have you heard?”

At this, both Meng Jinyao and Madam Zhang were startled for a moment, then shook their heads.

Madam Chen continued, “Then the news probably hasn’t spread yet. That’s why you haven’t heard. I only found out because Second Master is in the Ministry of Rites—I happened to hear him mention it last night.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao and Madam Zhang nodded. Whenever foreign envoys came to court, it was the Ministry of Rites that handled the reception, so it was normal for its officials to know first.

Madam Zhang was a little curious. “Why is Anguo suddenly paying a visit?”

Meng Jinyao was equally curious and looked at Madam Chen with interest. Anguo was a small country and a vassal state of their Zhao Kingdom. It bowed in submission to Zhao and sent tribute every year.

Madam Chen shook her head lightly. “How would I know? But I heard Second Master say that this time it’s Anguo’s Third Prince and Seventh Princess coming. Supposedly, the Anguo king dotes on these two children greatly.”

Hearing this, Madam Zhang lost interest and immediately changed the topic. “Envoys from a small country probably won’t bring anything major. Let’s talk about your Xiuhong instead. I heard the Minister of Rites seems to intend to marry his youngest legitimate daughter to Xiuhong?”

Madam Chen nodded. “That’s indeed the case.”

Madam Zhang followed up, “Did Second Sister-in-law agree?”

Madam Chen shook her head. “I didn’t. I politely declined.”

Madam Zhang was quite surprised. “The Minister of Rites’ family background isn’t bad, and his youngest legitimate daughter is both talented and accomplished. It’s an excellent match. Why didn’t Second Sister-in-law agree?”

Madam Chen sighed helplessly. “With such a good marriage prospect, do you think I wasn’t tempted? For the Minister of Rites to take a liking to our Xiuhong and want him as a son-in-law—I was overjoyed. But Xiuhong himself wouldn’t agree, and there was nothing I could do about it.”

Madam Zhang fell silent, wanting to speak but stopping herself. With such a fine match, how could one allow a child to be willful? At an age ready for marriage, with a partner of good family background, one should seize the opportunity. If her own Xuanyi had such an excellent marriage prospect, she certainly wouldn’t allow her to be willful—she’d have it settled first and talk about the rest later.