Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Madam’s backyard had a small flower hall, where a table of dishes was set. Lu Jin sat alone, accompanied by her maid Yaoqin.

Xueliu came running in from the front.

“You guys didn’t see it. When she met those relatives, she became like a mute, not saying anything. When others asked questions, she let the Marquis’s Heir answer.” She said angrily.

“The Marquis’s Heir is afraid that she won’t answer properly.” Yaoqin said disdainfully from the side, “He must be afraid that she will embarrass herself.”

Xueliu gritted her teeth and said, “What’s the use? Is he going to speak for her for the rest of her life?”

Lu Jin lazily fiddled with the food. Although Madam of Dongyang kept her, she wouldn’t be so insensitive as to attend the family banquet.

Adopted daughter, adopted daughter, she still couldn’t be considered a member of the family.

Of course, even if she did go, no one would criticize her, but she didn’t want to see Zhou Jingyun and his new wife.

Sure enough, it was right not to go. If she had been there and seen that even speaking had to be done by Zhou Jingyun, she definitely wouldn’t have been able to hold back her sarcasm.

“I wonder if the Marquis’s Heir asked about me when he found out I wasn’t there.” Xueliu murmured, then said hatefully, “If he asked, she would definitely slander me!”

Lu Jin sat up straight: “That won’t do. Slandering you is also slandering Third Sister.”

Xueliu clenched her hands and gritted her teeth: “It’s fine if she bullies me, but if she dares to say a word about our Third Miss, I will tear her mouth apart even if it costs me my life!”

Lu Jin quickly comforted her: “You can’t do that. She is the Young Madam now, she is the master. You should explain it to the Marquis’s Heir.”

Xueliu clenched her hands and walked out.

Lu Jin followed her with her eyes for a moment, then stood up: “Let’s go, let’s go back first. Adoptive Mother is tired today, let’s not disturb her.”

✿✿✿

…….

“Young Madam must be very tired, right?”

Concubine Mei looked at Zhuang Li, who was sitting on the Arhat bed, and asked with concern. She then snatched the tea that Chunhong was holding and brought it over.

“You usually don’t go out, and suddenly you have to meet so many people and talk so much. Drink some tea.”

Zhuang Li took the tea and smiled, shaking her head: “I’m not tired, and I didn’t say much. The Marquis’s Heir did most of the talking.”

“Yes, yes, the Marquis’s Heir hasn’t been back for a long time.” Concubine Mei said, her eyes darting around.

Zhuang Li saw what she was thinking. She had originally said that she would let her see Zhou Jingyun at night, and although it wasn’t dark yet, she could understand Concubine Mei’s impatience.

After all, Concubine Mei was truly close to Zhou Jingyun.

“The Marquis’s Heir went to the study to organize the things he brought back.” Zhuang Li said, then called Chunhong, “Go and ask when he will be back.”

Concubine Mei blushed and murmured an explanation that she was here to serve the Young Madam.

Chun Yue pressed her down: “Concubine, don’t take our job away from us.”

As they were laughing, Chunhong, who had just gone out, ran back in, her face pale, with a little maid in tow.

“Young Madam.” The little maid said timidly, “I, I saw Xueliu go to the study to see the Marquis’s Heir.”

Concubine Mei exclaimed and stood up: “This servant girl is really un…”

She swallowed the harsh words that were about to come out and looked at Zhuang Li.

“Young Madam, you can’t indulge her.” She said, then suggested in a low voice, “Why don’t you go and see the Marquis’s Heir, lest Xueliu spout nonsense…”

Chun Yue said angrily: “What are you saying, Concubine? She’s just a maid, is she worth the Young Madam running over there?”

Being jealous of a maid, what would it look like if word got out? The Young Madam would lose face.

Concubine Mei said sheepishly: “I’m just worried, that Xueliu girl…” She gritted her teeth and lowered her voice, “The former Young Madam told the Marquis’s Heir to take her as a concubine before she died.”

However, the Marquis’s Heir didn’t do so out of respect for the former Young Madam.

Now that he has a new wife, if Xueliu brings up what the former Young Madam said, the Marquis’s Heir can’t refuse, right?

The lights in the study had all been extinguished, leaving only the one held by Feng’er. The night wind swayed, shadows danced, and coupled with the crying of the woman kneeling on the ground, Feng’er couldn’t help but shiver.

Should he extinguish the unextinguished lamp, or light the extinguished lamps?

Or, should he put down the lamp and retreat?

But the Marquis’s Heir didn’t say anything.

Zhou Jingyun’s outer robe was also draped over his arm, and he looked at the woman kneeling on the ground, his eyes momentarily blank, as if he didn’t recognize who she was.

Had the Marquis’s Heir been away for so long that he didn’t recognize her?

“Marquis’s Heir, it’s Xueliu.” Xueliu sobbed.

She had inquired about the Marquis’s Heir’s whereabouts and learned he was in the study. She waited until dark to avoid others and, using her identity as Xueliu, walked straight in.

The servants outside didn’t dare stop her.

After all, when Third Miss was alive, she would walk straight into the Marquis’s Heir’s study like this to convey Third Miss’s concern, and the Marquis’s Heir would look at her and nod gently.

But now the Marquis’s Heir looked at her with a strange expression, and she felt that if she didn’t report her name, he would have her dragged out.

Zhou Jingyun’s eyes showed sudden understanding, and he said: “So it’s Xueliu.”

Xueliu sighed with relief and looked up at Zhou Jingyun, biting her lip tearfully: “The Marquis’s Heir doesn’t even remember me.”

Zhou Jingyun’s gaze swept over her face and then forward, towards the soft light of the lanterns hanging outside the door.

“Aren’t you serving Madam?” he asked, “Does Madam have any instructions?”

Xueliu’s heart skipped a beat. Did the Marquis’s Heir already know she had been driven away? Sure enough, that Zhuang woman had already made the first move.

“Marquis’s Heir, I’m innocent.” She crawled forward a step and cried, “I answered Madam’s questions, how can that be considered sowing discord? In the past, Madam was also always concerned about our Miss, and we were open and honest with Madam. Now that someone else has come, she says I’m causing trouble and doesn’t allow me to be near the Marquis’s Heir…”

The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she felt, and she prostrated herself on the ground, sobbing.

✿✿✿

“I came with our Miss, why did she drive me away?”

Silence fell above, and it was unknown whether anger was brewing in this silence. Xueliu waited expectantly. The silence seemed to last a long time, yet it seemed like only a moment, before Zhou Jingyun’s voice fell.

“You don’t want to serve Madam?”

It seemed different from what she had imagined. Xueliu’s crying paused slightly, and she couldn’t directly say that she didn’t want to serve Madam.

“Marquis’s Heir.” She raised her head again, “Our Miss told me to stay and take care of the Marquis’s Heir.”

As she spoke, tears slid down her face.

“If the Marquis’s Heir doesn’t need me anymore, I’ll go home.”

Marrying a new wife and then driving away the deceased wife’s people, that would be a complete falling out with the Duke of Ding’an’s Residence. She didn’t believe the Marquis’s Heir would do such a thing—

Zhou Jingyun looked at her and nodded: “Alright, then you can go back.”

The Marquis’s Heir’s voice was gentle, but it struck her ears like a clap of thunder. Xueliu was stunned, her ears buzzing.

✿✿✿

✿✿✿

Zhou Jingyun didn’t hide what happened from Zhuang Li and sent Feng’er running to tell her.

Of course, he phrased it differently.

“Xueliu came to beg the Marquis’s Heir to return to the Duke of Ding’an’s Residence, and the Marquis’s Heir agreed.”

“The Marquis’s Heir is informing Young Madam that he is going to see Madam to discuss it and will be back later. He asks Young Madam to rest first.”

Zhuang Li nodded and said she understood. Chun Yue quickly grabbed a handful of coins and stuffed them into Feng’er’s hand: “Go buy some candy.”

Feng’er ran off happily.

Zhuang Li looked at Concubine Mei: “You’ll have to wait a while longer—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Concubine Mei jumped up: “I won’t wait, it’s too late. Young Madam, please rest early, I won’t disturb your rest.”

After saying that, she bowed and hurried out.

She didn’t believe that Xueliu wanted to return to the Duke of Ding’an’s Residence. If Xueliu had wanted to go back, she would have gone back when Third Miss died, why would she wait until now?

She was clearly driven away.

Goodness, the Marquis’s Heir not only didn’t comfort Xueliu, but he simply drove her away. Who was this for? It was for the Young Madam!

How could she dare to wait here for the Marquis’s Heir? If he took one more look at her and became disgusted, he might drive her away too, and that would be terrible.

✿✿✿

✿✿✿

When Zhou Jingyun returned, the night was already deep.

Entering the room, he saw Zhuang Li sitting on the rocking chair, seemingly half asleep, and was slightly surprised.

“You can go to sleep first.” He said.

Chun Yue lit one more lamp, making their vision clearer.

Zhuang Li stood up from the rocking chair: “I can’t sleep even if I lie down.”

Chunhong and Chunxiang came out of the inner room and bowed: “The bed is ready.”

Zhuang Li nodded: “Go down.”

Chun Yue and the others retreated, leaving only the husband and wife in the room, and a moment of silence.

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble again.” Zhuang Li said, “I’ve disrupted your life.”

Zhou Jingyun, who was taking off his outer robe, looked at her and saw the apologetic look on the woman’s face under the lamp.

“Sending Xueliu away?” Zhou Jingyun said, “I was going to send her away anyway. I’ve been away for the past few years and haven’t been able to take care of it, and I haven’t found a suitable excuse.”

He looked at Zhuang Li as he said this.

“I should apologize to you for making you the excuse and being resented.”

So that was it, it made sense. Zhuang Li smiled: “Then I can feel at ease.”

Zhou Jingyun smiled and hung his robe on the clothes rack. He heard the woman’s voice behind him again.

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you before I can feel truly at ease.”

What is it? Zhou Jingyun turned to look at her.

Zhuang Li looked at him and said, “I’m not a very good person.”

Not a very good person?

What does that mean?