Chapter 263: How Could She Not Be On Tenterhooks

Chapter 263: How Could She Not Be On Tenterhooks

Tang Shuyi sat quietly in the small flower hall of Shi An Garden, listening to the whooshing wind outside. In her mind, she meticulously reviewed every detail of her encounter with "Xiao Huai," like frames in a movie playing through her thoughts.

She found no hostility towards herself and the three children in him, but this did not ease her vigilance. Those adept at deception were even more dangerous.

Soon, Cuizhu and Cuiyun returned, both wearing solemn expressions. The Marquis being alive was originally a great joy, but now there seemed to be problems in his relationship with his wife.

"I've sent my elder brother and father to secretly watch over the Marquis," Cuizhu whispered upon entering.

Keeping an eye on the Marquis was generally unthinkable, but Cuizhu was a born servant; her family had accompanied Tang Shuyi from the Tang Marquis residence. Given a choice between Xiao Huai and Tang Shuyi, they naturally sided with Tang Shuyi.

Tang Shuyi hummed in acknowledgment and headed towards the bedroom, with Cuizhu and Cuiyun following. Inside the bedroom, they attended to her with great care. Cuiyun made the bed and then helped Tang Shuyi out of her clothes. Eventually, unable to hold back, she asked, "Madam, is it possible that the Marquis has someone else?"

She and Cuizhu had racked their brains and felt this was the most likely reason for the rift between the Marquis and his wife.

"Don't speculate wildly," Tang Shuyi said. "It's just that we've been apart for so many years, and I feel somewhat uneasy."

Upon hearing her words, Cuizhu and Cuiyun exchanged glances, clearly skeptical. However, as servants, they refrained from further questioning as their mistress wished. Nonetheless, they both harbored resentment towards Xiao Huai in their hearts. After all, their lady had not had an easy life these years, and instead of offering comfort upon his return, Xiao Huai had been distantly formal, prompting anyone to wonder.

Tang Shuyi certainly noticed their emotions but had no inclination to address them. After changing into her nightgown and dismissing the servants, she went to bed. But once she lay down, her mind remained tense, struggling to fall asleep.

Having weathered many storms, she wasn’t overly concerned, even if this "Xiao Huai" harbored ill intentions towards her and her three children. She was prepared to face whatever came her way. What truly frightened her was the possibility that he might have guessed her true identity as a time traveler.

Since assuming the identity of Tang Shuyi, she hadn’t deliberately imitated the original. Those around her had noticed the changes, but being rational beings, they wouldn’t attribute it to something as fantastical as time travel. Instead, they rationalized her transformation, attributing it to newfound wisdom or maternal strength.

But if this "Xiao Huai" was also a time traveler, he might, like her, retain the memories of his predecessor. Even without those memories, he might have noticed her abnormalities, such as her feelings towards Xiao Huai.

She had never intended to replace her predecessor and live harmoniously with Xiao Huai, so she made no effort to disguise her indifference towards him from the start.

She had even prepared a justification: her heart had turned to ash during his years of absence, and even his return couldn't rekindle her feelings. Some might find her excuse far-fetched, but it was hers to make, and what could others do about it?

Who would suspect that she wasn't the original Tang Shuyi?

But this "Xiao Huai" was no ordinary man!

If he too was a time traveler, drawing from his own experiences, he might deduce her secret as well. This secret was her most guarded, something she didn't want anyone to know. But now, it seemed likely that someone had guessed it, leaving her on edge.

Outside, the wind howled, rattling the window frames. It looked to be an overcast day tomorrow, perhaps even the heavens sensed her mood. With that thought, Tang Shuyi turned over and started counting sheep in her mind: one sheep, two sheep, three sheep…

She didn't sleep well that night and woke up late the next day. After getting ready, she stepped out of her chamber to find Steward Zhao waiting in the outer hall. Taking her seat at the head of the table, she accepted a cup of tea from Cuiyun and asked Steward Zhao, "What brings you here?"

Steward Zhao carefully observed Tang Shuyi's expression, which was calm, and bowed slightly, "Early this morning, soldiers brought many items from outside the city. The Duke said they are for you to manage."

He was much more cautious than usual in his words. Everyone in the mansion knew that the Duke hadn't stayed in his wife's quarters upon his return, opting to sleep alone in the study instead, and as the chief steward, he was well aware.

Tang Shuyi noted his peculiarity but pretended not to, sipping her tea before asking, "What kind of items?"

Steward Zhao quickly replied, "Mostly gold, silver, jewels, and treasures."

Tang Shuyi understood. Xiao Huai had conquered a nation, and even if it wasn’t a large one, the spoils were significant. She hadn’t expected him to entrust her with these assets, but since he did, she wasn’t going to decline, "Record them and store them in the public treasury."

Given the task of managing them, she naturally wouldn’t deposit them in Xiao Huai's private treasury.

"Yes," Steward Zhao acknowledged, then added, "The Duke said he wishes to visit the Tang Duke’s mansion today."

Tang Shuyi hummed in response, "I’ll pick out some gifts from the storeroom later."

Steward Zhao, having paid his respects, withdrew. Shortly after, Cui Zhu approached Tang Shuyi and whispered, "My father just told me that last night, His Lordship extinguished his lamp around the hour of Hai and went to sleep alone. This morning, at the hour of Mao, he got up to attend the court. After the morning court, His Lordship went to the military camp outside the city, and he hasn’t returned to the mansion yet."

"Who attended to him today?" Tang Shuyi inquired.

"Zhao Li, the son of Steward Zhao," Cui Zhu replied.

Tang Shuyi nodded. This was normal. As the head steward of the mansion, it was natural for Zhao to pave the way for his son. There was no better future than to serve by His Lordship's side.

"Understood. Tell your elder brother and your father to be careful not to get caught," Tang Shuyi instructed.

Cui Zhu nodded. At that moment, the door curtain was lifted, and Xiao Yuzhu entered. She approached Tang Shuyi with a worried face and hesitated as if she had something to say. Tang Shuyi sighed. The worst thing about living in a large household was the lack of privacy. She guessed that by now, the entire mansion knew about Xiao Huai spending the night in the study.

She gestured for the maids and older women in the room to leave, then pulled Xiao Yuzhu to sit down. Just as she was about to speak, Cui Zhu’s voice came from outside, "Paying respects to the First and Second Young Masters."

Tang Shuyi closed her mouth, deciding to wait until everyone was gathered to “explain”. The door curtain was lifted again, and Xiao Yuzhen and Xiao Yuming entered. Their first action upon entering was to look at her face. Tang Shuyi gestured for them to sit down.

"You don't need to worry about the matters between your father and me; we will resolve them ourselves," Tang Shuyi said.