Chapter 48 Defiance “The miss said she won’t trouble you further.”…

Chapter 48: Arrogance

"The young lady said she won't trouble you anymore…"

Yue Rongrong halted the carriage and said to Hui Yin, "Tell the coachman to find a place to stop. I want to look at the jade shop."

Gu Yu glanced at the jade shop and remarked, "This shop is quite well-known in the capital, but its items might not be better than what we have in our mansion's treasury. If you want anything, you can just take it from there. I heard the Marquis himself gave the order: whatever the young lady desires, the steward must open the treasury and let her take freely."

Yue Rongrong was speechless. Seeing the pride in Gu Yu's eyes, she smiled playfully and said, "Yes, yes, your marquis is indeed very generous."

"Only to certain people," Gu Yu winked at her.

Yue Rongrong had already stepped out of the carriage when she suddenly caught sight of something and quickened her pace. Gu Yu hurried after her, asking, "Young Lady, what's wrong?"

Following Yue Rongrong's gaze, Gu Yu saw nothing but bustling shops, street vendors, and crowds of people—nothing out of the ordinary.

Yue Rongrong craned her neck for a better look, then shook her head. "I thought I saw someone familiar, but perhaps I was mistaken." She turned away and smiled brightly at Gu Yu. "Let's go in."

Gu Yu was puzzled and glanced down the street again, purely out of curiosity, wondering whether the familiar face Yue Rongrong had mistaken was a man or a woman.

In a flash, Yue Rongrong had already entered the shop, and Gu Yu quickly followed.

The shop was spacious, with many customers browsing and selecting items—business was clearly thriving.

The shopkeeper was showing a tray of jade pieces to Yue Rongrong, who was examining them intently. Gu Yu walked over and exclaimed, "Oh! Shopkeeper, don't you have anything better? How can you offer these to my young lady?"

The shopkeeper immediately brightened and said cheerfully, "We have premium pieces. Please wait a moment, young lady."

"Hey! No need for the trouble. I'll just look at these," Yue Rongrong quickly tugged at Gu Yu's sleeve and whispered, "Don’t be so ostentatious. It attracts resentment." What she really wanted to say was that with the silver she had, she could only afford one piece from this tray. Premium pieces? She couldn’t afford them.

But Gu Yu was born into the Duke's household. Because of her good looks and clever nature, she was assigned to serve Shen Jichen when he established his own household, sent by the Grand Princess.

Having been influenced by her surroundings, Gu Yu carried herself with the demeanor of a noble house servant. She whispered again, "Young Lady, don’t worry about money. Just point out anything you like, have it delivered to the Marquis's residence, and the accounts office will settle the payment."

Yue Rongrong pursed her lips. "Another order from your marquis?"

Gu Yu chuckled.

But Yue Rongrong wanted to buy a peace buckle for Qu Lieshan, and naturally, she couldn’t spend Shen Jichen's silver. Yet she couldn’t say it outright, lest Gu Yu accidentally reveal it to Shen Jichen. So she said, "I’m just browsing to pass the time."

Gu Yu took her at her word and didn’t insist on the shopkeeper bringing out premium items.

The shopkeeper thought they were just putting on airs. Having been in business for many years, he was accustomed to such people who pretended to be wealthier than they were. He subtly curled his lip, called over an assistant, and walked away.

Gu Yu leaned close to Yue Rongrong and whispered, "That shopkeeper is looking down on us."

Yue Rongrong glanced up. She didn’t mind—she had encountered colder people. Gu Yu, as a head maid in the Marquis's household, was unused to such treatment, so her anger was understandable.

The main issue now was how to buy the peace buckle without Gu Yu noticing.

After a moment's thought, a glint came to her eyes, and she pointed to a display of jewelry nearby. "Go see if there’s anything unique over there."

As a young woman, Gu Yu loved such things and immediately went over. After a quick look, she turned to call Yue Rongrong but saw her swiftly pay for the peace buckle and tuck it into the pouch at her waist. Surprised for a moment, Gu Yu then smiled knowingly. So the young lady wanted to spend her own money to buy a gift for the Marquis! Pretending not to notice, she sauntered back and said with a suppressed smile, "Young Lady, there’s nothing unique there."

Yue Rongrong collected herself and turned to look at her, puzzled. "Your expression is so strange…"

Gu Yu grinned. "Is it?"

"Are you up to something mischievous again?"

"Not at all, Young Lady."

Just then, they heard the shopkeeper’s delighted voice: "Madam, you're here!"

Yue Rongrong glanced over inadvertently and froze. The other person also saw her and immediately turned cold.

It was Zhen Xi. She seemed transformed now—wealthier, had filled out, with no trace of childishness left. Her hair was styled in a bun, adorned with jewels. Clearly, she was doing well.

After a cold glare, Zhen Xi curled her lips into a smile and strode over arrogantly. "Do you have any new arrivals lately?" Her tone was haughty.

"Yes, yes! We’ve been saving them just for you, Madam!" The shopkeeper quickly brought out a tray of premium items.

Zhen Xi’s maid immediately shoved Gu Yu aside. Caught off guard, Gu Yu stumbled back several steps and nearly fell, saved only by Yue Rongrong’s quick support. Before Yue Rongrong could scold the maid, Gu Yu’s temper flared, and she stepped forward. "Are you blind? Can’t you see someone standing here? Are you some kind of ox that needs so much space?!"

The maid sneered. "Some people just lack awareness. If they can’t see, they might as well be blind. My madam is here, yet they stand in the way."

Gu Yu snorted. "What kind of madam is she? Does even the Emperor have to make way for her?"

The maid retorted, "I don’t care about the Emperor! You need to step aside! Do you even know who my madam is?"

Gu Yu planted her hands on her hips and said calmly, "Then do you know who my young lady is?"

The maid looked Yue Rongrong up and down disdainfully. "She looks shabby. Who knows which down-and-out family she’s from!"

"Hey!" Gu Yu rolled up her sleeves, ready to grab the maid’s hair. "You little brat!"

Yue Rongrong was taken aback. She glanced down at her outfit. Because she had gone to the Brocade Tower today, she hadn’t worn the priceless jewelry on her dressing table, opting instead for a few simple, elegant hairpins. Did that make her look impoverished?

"Gu Yu." Seeing Gu Yu about to take action, Yue Rongrong called out to her.

Gu Yu, still fuming, turned and said, "Young Lady!"

Yue Rongrong said composedly, "You should make allowances for those who don’t know any better. After all, not everyone is as discerning as you."

Hearing this, Gu Yu immediately broke into a smug smile and turned to mutter, "Petty and narrow-minded."

The maid’s face flushed with anger, and she was about to strike when Zhen Xi also called out, "Bai Tao."

The maid named Bai Tao immediately retreated behind Zhen Xi. Zhen Xi looked coolly at Yue Rongrong, a hint of a smile appearing. "Sister Rongrong, it’s been a long time. You’re still as quick with comebacks as ever."

Yue Rongrong responded in kind. "Sister Zhen Xi, you’ve grown even more domineering."

The exchange was so sarcastic that both maids were momentarily stunned. Gu Yu leaned over and whispered, "An old acquaintance of yours, Young Lady?"

Yue Rongrong also tilted her head. "You could say that."

Gu Yu took a deep breath, turned to Zhen Xi, and made a slight bow. "My apologies for the earlier rudeness, Madam. Please don’t take offense."

Bai Tao, seeing her bow, lifted her head even higher. "Now you know our madam’s status is noble."

Gu Yu rolled her eyes inwardly but smiled. "Since you’re an old acquaintance of my young lady, it’s only right for me to show my respect."

At these words, Zhen Xi frowned, and Bai Tao took another look at Gu Yu’s attire. Her clothing didn’t resemble that of an ordinary maid. Zhen Xi asked, "Rongrong, when did you become a 'Young Lady'? Did the Brocade Tower assign you a maid?"

As soon as she finished, scornful chuckles came from different directions. Yue Rongrong looked over—the shopkeeper was laughing, the assistants were laughing, and Bai Tao was laughing too, all with contempt.

One assistant even sneered, "No wonder they were acting all high and mighty earlier."

Yue Rongrong sighed. It was said that the capital was filled with nobility, and people often judged others by their appearance. Today, she experienced it firsthand. Gu Yu gritted her teeth, but before she could speak, Zhen Xi came forward, placed a silver ingot on the counter, and declared loudly, "Shopkeeper, whatever Rongrong likes today, I’ll pay for it. Consider it..." She paused, her gaze turning icy as she looked at Yue Rongrong, "...repayment for Sister Rongrong’s kindness to me back then. Without Sister Rongrong, there would be no Zhen Xi today." Her eyes shone with a cleared gloom, as if she had finally vented her resentment and now placed herself above Yue Rongrong. So what if Yue Rongrong had Marquis Shen’s protection back then? Nowadays, every noble knew that Miss Meng was Marquis Shen’s future wife. Yue Rongrong couldn’t even secure a position as a concubine! How could she compare?

Yue Rongrong frowned deeply, her brows knitted. She knew she and Zhen Xi could never return to how things were before, but such hatred and opposition were something she hadn't anticipated.

The shopkeeper chuckled as he approached, speaking with a magnanimous tone, "Miss Rongrong, please feel free to choose."

"How dare you! How dare you address her as Miss Rongrong so informally!" Hui Yin sharply rebuked, stepping forward and cutting Gu Yu off before she could speak. Gu Yu, seeing this, immediately straightened her back and shot a glance at Zhen Xi.

Having been trained in the Duke's residence since childhood, Hui Yin projected an authoritative presence that indeed intimidated the shopkeeper and the clerk into silence, and even the surrounding customers, who all turned to look.

"Miss," Hui Yin walked up to Yue Rongrong and bowed.

The atmosphere suddenly froze. Yue Rongrong feared the confrontation would escalate and become public gossip. She knew all too well how such matters unfolded. Back in Hangzhou, she had flaunted her status without restraint because she knew Shen Jichen would defend her. But now they were in the capital, and she didn’t want to complicate her relationship with Shen Jichen further. So she said, "Let’s go back."

But Zhen Xi wouldn’t let her off. "Sister, putting on such airs and now you're leaving? Honestly, no one would laugh at you even if your status is lowly. Why put on a false front here?" A flicker of jealousy and resentment flashed in her eyes. How dare Yue Rongrong, a mere embroiderer from Jinxiu Tower, flaunt her superiority in front of her! The humiliation she had suffered that day, she would make Yue Rongrong taste it today.

Hui Yin had no intention of letting it slide either. With someone insulting their young lady to her face, it was an insult to their Marquis' residence and their Lord Marquis! Suddenly, she smiled leisurely and performed a formal wanfu curtsy: "May I ask how to address you, Madam?"

This gesture immediately put Zhen Xi at ease. Bai Tao proudly added, "Our Madam is the secondary wife of the Vice Minister of Works."

Yue Rongrong was slightly surprised, watching Zhen Xi calmly and meticulously adjust her sleeves. So she had already become a secondary wife. It seemed Vice Minister Cai treated her quite well.

Gu Yu frowned and looked at Hui Yin. "Is the Vice Minister of Works the one who repeatedly came to our residence to see the Marquis, but the Marquis refused to receive him?"

Hui Yin thought for a moment and nodded. "Vice Minister Cai, right? The Marquis dislikes him the most."

Their talking in tandem left everyone present pale.

The shopkeeper swallowed hard, trembling as he forced a smile and asked, "May I ask which residence the young lady is from...?"

Hui Yin glared. "The residence of the Marquis of Wujing!"

The hall fell into dead silence. The shopkeeper gasped, nearly collapsing as he hurried out, bowing and apologizing profusely. "This lowly one has eyes but failed to recognize someone important! Please forgive me, Miss, please forgive me!" He repeatedly bowed to Yue Rongrong.

Seeing everyone scrutinizing her, Yue Rongrong felt flustered and said hurriedly, "Let’s go."

Zhen Xi stood rooted to the spot, her face ashen with disbelief. How could it be? She entered the Marquis' residence? How could she have entered the Marquis' residence? How could the Marquis allow her into the residence?

In the carriage, Hui Yin and Gu Yu finally felt somewhat vindicated, but seeing Yue Rongrong’s uneasy expression, they cautiously asked, "Miss, are you angry?"

Yue Rongrong sighed. "No, it’s just... I feel it was too ostentatious."

Gu Yu, unaware of her concerns, said innocently, "Miss, you are the apple of the Marquis’ eye. No amount of boldness is too much."

The apple of his eye... The phrase brought her a hint of sweetness but also a tinge of bitterness. She turned to look out the window and suddenly her gaze halted, exclaiming in delight, "Sister Peilan!"

Yue Rongrong quickly called for the carriage to stop, jumped out joyfully, and rushed forward to take Ge Peilan’s hands. "It really is you! You’ve come to the capital!"

Ge Peilan was equally astonished to see Yue Rongrong here, rendered speechless for a moment. "Rongrong?"

Hui Yin stepped forward. "Miss, perhaps we could find a tea house to sit and chat?"

Yue Rongrong gladly agreed, pulling Ge Peilan to the nearest tea house. Ge Peilan was an older sister she had met in Gusu, just a year her senior.

"Sister Peilan, why have you come to the capital?" Noticing the medicine package in her hand, Yue Rongrong asked worriedly, "Are you ill?"

A weary look crossed Ge Peilan’s gentle face. "I brought my husband to the capital for treatment."

"Husband? Sister, you’re married?" Yue Rongrong was both surprised and happy, but also concerned. "What’s wrong with your husband?"

Ge Peilan lowered her gaze. "He has a respiratory illness that’s been getting worse, often coughing up blood. We’ve seen all the famous doctors in Gusu, but they were at their wits' end. They suggested we try our luck in the capital."

Initially overjoyed to hear about Ge Peilan’s marriage, Yue Rongrong now felt a wave of guilt and sadness upon learning about her husband’s condition. Her nose tingled with emotion, and she choked up. "Sister, I’m sorry. It’s all because of me. If it weren’t for me..."

Ge Peilan’s face paled, and she hurriedly interrupted. "Don’t be silly. It has nothing to do with you."

"Sister..."

Ge Peilan smiled and cut her off again. "I’ve been out for a while. I should head back now."

"Where are you going? Let me take you." Yue Rongrong insisted, holding her hand. Knowing her stubborn nature, Ge Peilan had no choice but to tell her.

The carriage stopped at Hu Si Alley. Ge Peilan took in the carriage’s specifications, the soft brocade cushions, the exquisite tea set on the red nanmu wood, and the attire of the two maids beside Yue Rongrong. It seemed she was living well now, which brought Ge Peilan some comfort, so she didn’t say much.

"Sister, I’ll come see you tomorrow."

Ge Peilan smiled without refusing.

On the way back, Yue Rongrong remained troubled, leaning against the window in silence. Gu Yu wanted to ask but was stopped by Hui Yin.

By the time they returned to the residence, it was approaching noon.

"The Miss is back. The Marquis has also returned," the gatekeeper said, greeting her respectfully.

Yue Rongrong dejectedly responded with an "oh" and entered the residence, missing the servant’s next words. The servant paused, then pulled Hui Yin aside and whispered, "Miss Meng is here too."

Hui Yin was startled for a moment, thinking to herself, today really is a busy day. She hurriedly followed with Gu Yu but hadn’t had time to warn Yue Rongrong when they saw Shen Jichen and Meng Jiayan sitting in the main hall.

Shen Jichen had already noticed Yue Rongrong’s downcast expression and stood up, walking over. Yue Rongrong, still looking down, bumped into him abruptly, grimacing in pain. She looked up as Shen Jichen cupped her forehead, chiding gently, "How many times have I told you to watch where you’re going?"

Yue Rongrong muttered, "Then why did you stand there when you saw me coming? You clearly meant to scold me."

"Miss Yue."

A voice as clear and light as the wind called out. Yue Rongrong looked over in surprise to see Meng Jiayan approaching gracefully.

"Miss Meng?" Yue Rongrong looked at her in astonishment, then at Shen Jichen. Just as Shen Jichen was about to explain, Meng Jiayan spoke with a gentle smile.

"I just visited the Grand Princess at the Duke’s residence. She asked me to bring a box of the Marquis’ favorite pastries. I thought the Marquis wasn’t in." She chuckled lightly.

A corner of Yue Rongrong’s heart soured. Right, wasn’t he supposed to be at the Ministry of Justice? Why did he come back suddenly? Could it be he rushed back because he knew someone was bringing him pastries?

She took a deep breath, forced a smile, and said, "Then I won’t disturb you. I’ll take my leave."

But Shen Jichen held her back, his palm still on her forehead. "Are you unwell?"

Seeing Meng Jiayan turn away, Yue Rongrong hurriedly pulled his hand down. "It’s nothing. You two talk."

With that, she turned and left. Hui Yin was about to follow but met Shen Jichen’s gaze and stopped, exchanging a look with Gu Yu, who followed Yue Rongrong back.

Shen Jichen turned to Meng Jiayan. Before he could say anything to see her out, Meng Jiayan smiled faintly. "I’ve done what the Grand Princess asked. I should be going now. Marquis, remember to eat the pastries, lest the Grand Princess finds out later and you give the game away." She joked lightly, curtsied, and left.

Wen Song understandingly picked up the pastry box. "Don’t worry, Miss." Then he escorted Meng Jiayan out.

"What happened today?" Shen Jichen asked Hui Yin as he walked toward the main courtyard.

Hui Yin recounted the incident at the jade jewelry store. Seeing Shen Jichen’s icy expression, she added, "The Miss met an old acquaintance today."

By the time she finished speaking, Shen Jichen had already reached Yue Rongrong’s room. He saw her leaning by the window, lost in thought. He walked in, and Gu Yu tactfully withdrew.

Shen Jichen sat beside her, grazing her cheek with his knuckles. "I heard you met an old acquaintance today."

Yue Rongrong sat up in a huff. "Did you send Huiyin and the others to spy on me?"

Shen Jichen's expression darkened, a pang of panic shot through him, and he said in a low voice, "If you don't like them, I'll replace them."

"Forget it, forget it. I actually quite like them," Yue Rongrong waved her hand. After all, she was living under someone else's roof now—might as well make full use of the situation... Suddenly, her eyes brightened as an idea struck her. "I want to ask you for a favor."

"Speak," he said readily.

Yue Rongrong said, "The old acquaintance Huiyin mentioned is a sister I met in Gusu. Her husband is seriously ill and has been searching everywhere for a doctor. I was hoping you could—"

Shen Jichen interjected, "I'll have the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau see him tomorrow. Where does she live?"

Yue Rongrong was stunned. "The head of the Imperial Medical Bureau?" She had only intended to ask him to find a reputable doctor, not such a high-ranking one. Hesitating, she said, "Won't that be too much? Too conspicuous..."

Shen Jichen frowned deeply. "So, even after being wronged at the jade shop today, you still don’t want to make a scene? Are you afraid of implicating me, or yourself?"

Yue Rongrong fell silent. Shen Jichen's expression grew even darker. "Yue Rongrong, what are you thinking? What do you take yourself for? What do you take me for?"

The air suddenly grew tense. A flicker of panic flashed in Yue Rongrong's eyes, unsure how to respond. But her silence made Shen Jichen's heart sink abruptly. He stood up, and Yue Rongrong followed suit. In her urgency, she called out, "Marquis!"

A sharp pain flashed across Shen Jichen's face as he turned and left in a sweep of his sleeve.

Wensong happened to be walking over and ran into the furious Shen Jichen. Agile as ever, he quickly stepped aside.

"Go warn Minister Cai! If he doesn’t know how to discipline his concubine, I’ll do it for him!" Shen Jichen coldly snapped without looking back.

Wensong, baffled, responded loudly. He turned to look at Huiyin and Guyu. Huiyin, biting her lip like a child who had done something wrong, said regretfully, "Oh no, did I say something wrong..."

Seeing Huiyin hurry into the room, Guyu followed and explained to Wensong what had happened at the jade shop that day. Wensong finally understood and handed her the box of pastries. "I’m going to the Cai residence."

"Why are you giving this to me? Who am I supposed to give it to?" Guyu shouted loudly.

Huiyin entered the room and knelt before Yue Rongrong. "I’m sorry, miss. I spoke out of turn."

Yue Rongrong was startled and quickly helped her up. She initially wanted to say it was fine, but then thought she could use this to caution Huiyin and prepare for what was to come. So she furrowed her brows and put on a serious air, saying, "I’m not blaming you, but sometimes it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble. For example, today’s incident didn’t really affect me. If you hadn’t told the Marquis, wouldn’t he have been less angry with me?"

That made sense, Huiyin nodded.

"Some things are just blown out of proportion by people passing messages, right?" Yue Rongrong said gently.

Huiyin was nearly in tears. "This servant knows she was wrong." In truth, answering her master’s questions wasn’t wrong, but the fact that it had angered the Marquis toward her miss made her feel deeply guilty. "What should we do now?"

Yue Rongrong comforted her, "Don’t worry, it’s fine, it’s fine." But those words were merely to reassure Huiyin; deep down, she wasn’t sure herself.

That evening, Shen Jichen did not return to the residence. Wensong came back and said the Marquis was handling official business at the Ministry of Justice and would likely return very late. Yue Rongrong, hearing this, thought that since she had already upset him that day and he was busy with important matters, it wouldn’t be appropriate to bother him further. She said, "Understood."

"Un...understood?" Wensong was stunned. "That’s it?" Not even a thought to go see the Marquis?

Yue Rongrong nodded innocently. "Don’t worry, I won’t bother him."

"..." Wensong walked out dejectedly. Guyu chased after him and mysteriously pulled him aside.

"Stop pulling and tugging, it’s improper! If you have something to say, say it! I’m annoyed!" Wensong frowned impatiently.

Guyu lifted her chin. "I have some happy news about the miss that will definitely dissolve the Marquis’s anger. Do you want to hear it?"

Wensong immediately changed his tone. "Little miss, please, do tell."

Guyu's eyes darted around, her smile radiant.

Wensong hurried back to the Ministry of Justice and saw Councilor Guo and the others dozing off with drooping eyelids in the main hall. He turned and entered the study, where he found Shen Jichen flipping through files with a gloomy expression.

Hearing his footsteps, Shen Jichen didn’t look up and coldly asked, "Back?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell her I won’t be back tonight?"

"I did."

Shen Jichen’s hand paused slightly as he flipped through the files, his eyelids lifting faintly. "What did she say?"

Wensong hesitated. "The miss said she understood."

Shen Jichen instantly looked up, his expression cold and severe. "That’s it?"

After hesitating repeatedly, Wensong added, "The miss also said, she also said..."

Shen Jichen’s stern expression softened slightly, his tone stiff. "Said what?"

"The miss said she won’t come to bother you."

Shen Jichen’s face darkened instantly, his eyes blazing with fury as he struggled to control himself. He let out a cold laugh. "Good! Very good! She’s so considerate!"

Seeing his expression shift, Wensong quickly said, "Marquis, actually—"

"Get out!" Shen Jichen roared.

"Marquis!"

"Get out!"

Wensong scurried out in fear. It was over—he had intended to soften the blow with good news first...