Page 75

Indeed, she was considerate.

Rong Shu took the letter and hurried back to her room, thinking for a moment before saying, "Sir is likely occupied with official duties in the study today. I won't disturb him."

With a graceful bow, she turned and called for Yingyue and the others, leaving hastily.

Chang Ji always had the illusion that his master was being rejected by the young madam.

Although it was true that the master intended to spend the night in the study, the meaning was entirely different when he mentioned it to the young madam.

The young madam's words just now sounded as if she was hoping the master would sleep in the study...

Back in the Songsi Courtyard, Rong Shu eagerly opened the letter. After reading its contents, her delicate brows knitted together.

How could this be?

She read through the letter twice, word by word, before lifting her gaze, folding the letter, and taking out a document from a hexagonal cabinet on one side. She slipped both into her sleeve.

Mama Zhang brought her a bowl of sweet soup and, seeing her reach for the fox fur robe on the pear wood rack, couldn't help but ask, "Where are you going, Miss?"

Chapter 30

In the Six Distant Pavilion.

Nanny An poured a small cup of Tusu wine from the flask and said to Xu Fu, "On New Year's Eve, everyone drinks Tusu wine for good fortune. Even if Third Miss doesn't like its taste, just have one cup for the celebration."

Xu Fu frowned. "You know very well how much I detest the smell of alcohol—it's so pungent."

Lowering her voice, Nanny An coaxed, "Your fear of the cold worsens when it snows. I added more medicinal herbs to this Tusu wine. Just have one cup as a favor to this old servant."

Xu Fu had no choice but to sip the Tusu wine slowly.

Seeing that she still looked unenthusiastic, Nanny An couldn't help asking, "If you dislike her, why invite her to have the New Year's Eve dinner in the Six Distant Pavilion?"

"Yan treats her too coldly. This is her first New Year with Yan since their marriage; it wouldn't be right to let her spend it alone." Xu Fu put down her cup and took the sweetmeats Nanny An offered. "The time isn't ripe for her to leave the Gu family. We need a way to keep her in check. Tomorrow, I'll ask Yan to come here—he can't keep sleeping in his study."

As soon as she finished speaking, they heard someone knocking on the door outside the corridor.

Lin Qingyue entered with a lantern in hand, saying, "Madam, Auntie, the one from Songsi Courtyard has taken a jug of wine to find Young Master in the study."

Nanny An was slightly surprised. "She's going to look for Young Master to drink?"

Lin Qingyue curled her lips. "Probably just trying to get closer to him by drinking together. Who knows, she might even use being drunk as an excuse to spend the night in the study."

Nanny An exchanged a glance with Xu Fu.

Xu Fu smiled. "Qingyue understands girls' minds better than we do. If that's the case, there's no need to send Yan'er over tomorrow."

Nanny An chuckled but, upon seeing the jug of Tusu wine in Lin Qingyue's hand, she suppressed her smile and huffed. "Where do you plan to take this wine? Disobeying again?"

Lin Qingyue blushed slightly. "I want to send a jar of the Tusu wine I made last year to Chang Ji and Heng Ping in the detached house."

Nanny An's expression softened a bit. "Go then, but don't take too long."

Lin Qingyue hurriedly replied, "I'll be back in half an hour, I promise." With a lantern in one hand and a wine jar in the other, she left.

Nanny An shook her head.

On this frigid night, with snow falling like blankets, it couldn't cool the fervent heart of a young maiden.

Halfway through her journey, Lin Qingyue paused at the crossroads leading to the study and the Songsi Courtyard.

The thick snowflakes obscured her view, but two large, crimson lanterns hanging by the Moon Cave Gate shimmered faintly in the snowy night.

She stood in a daze for a moment before biting her lip, turning her head, and hastening towards the rear house.

As Lin Qingyue headed for the rear house, Rong Shu was shaking the snow off her fox fur cloak near the study's veranda. Once the garment was free of snow, she gently knocked on the study door.

Heng Ping and Chang Ji had already returned to the rear house, leaving Gu Changjin alone in the study. Naturally, he was the one to answer the knock.

The girl standing in the corridor wore a white fox fur robe, her delicate features and noble bearing resembling an enchanted spirit of ice and snow in the still, cold night.

It was in this very night of her dream that she appeared with a lantern in the study, sharing a couch with him.

Gu Changjin's already pounding heart seemed to be struck by a massive boulder. The words "Madam, what brings you here?" were poised on his tongue when he heard the gentle voice of the young lady across from him say—

"Governor Gu."

The man paused, his deep, piercing eyes momentarily lost in thought.

She addressed him as Lord Gu, not as her husband or Second Master.

"Lord Gu, I came to share some news about a person with you." She lifted the small wine jar, and her brows gradually softened as she spoke. "If you don't hold it against me, I'd also like to ask for two more cups of wine as an apology."

Gu Changjin's gaze locked onto her amber-colored eyes. After a moment, he slowly stepped back, making way for her, and said coolly, "Please proceed."

Unusually, the floor heating was lit in the study, and Rong Shu felt as if she had returned to the warm embrace of humanity. She untied her fox fur cloak and, holding the wine jar, bowed solemnly to Gu Changjin. She spoke earnestly,

"I understand that marrying me was a necessity for you, not your desire. Unfortunately, when I married you, I was unaware of your affections for someone else, thus causing this mistaken marriage. This is Rong Shu's fault, and I'll take the first penalty cup as an apology to you."

Rong Shu removed the red cloth covering the wine jar and poured a cup. She raised it to her lips and drank it all in one go.

"My mother knew that Miss Wen Xi was the one you held dear and secretly sent her away from the capital. Although it was my mother's mistake, the root cause lies with me. I intended to find Miss Wen in Su Prefecture and return her to her rightful position as your wife. Unfortunately, by the time Duke Danzhu learned of her whereabouts, she had already left Su Prefecture. In his letter, the Duke mentioned that Miss Wen left Su Prefecture to search for someone. Now, he has dispatched dozens of people to neighboring provinces to inquire about Miss Wen's whereabouts."

Speaking up to this point, Rong Shu couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt.