After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 723 - 722: Rules
But even if it’s a trap, he still has to make the trip.
Returning to Agarwood Pavilion, he hadn’t even reached the bead curtain when he saw Su Jin and Xingxing staring at him with wide eyes.
If he guessed correctly, they were probably trying to discern from his face if he’d been scolded.
He lifted the bead curtain and entered the room, saying, "I have to leave the Capital for a period of time."
Su Jin furrowed her brows, "How long?"
"At least half a month."
At most... he didn’t know.
Su Jin stood up and said, "I’ll go with you."
Xie Jingchen of course wouldn’t agree to Su Jin going with him.
He was in a rush to meet up with Princess Jiuling, traveling day and night; Su Jin couldn’t bear such hardships.
Even if she could, he wouldn’t let Su Jin take risks.
If it truly was Princess Jiuling, the journey would certainly be fraught with peril.
Xie Jingchen didn’t bring her along, and Su Jin had no other option.
All she could do was help Xie Jingchen pack, ensuring he had plenty of antidotes.
Su Jin thought Xie Jingchen would depart the following morning, but once everything was packed, he set off immediately.
Su Jin only escorted him to the gates of the Prince Mansion.
Watching him disappear on horseback from sight, her heart felt unsettled.
Since arriving here, apart from Xingxing, Xie Jingchen was the one she’d spent the most time with.
Xie Jingchen’s sudden departure from the Capital left Su Jin feeling as if half of her heart was empty.
Already feeling low-spirited, she coincidentally bumped into Xie Jingchuan on her way back to Agarwood Pavilion.
The last time Su Jin was attacked on the street, nearly killed by two short needles, Xie Jingchuan was the prime suspect.
She hadn’t encountered him these days, but as soon as Xie Jingchen left, she ran into him.
There are things Su Jin can tolerate.
But when someone wants her life, Su Jin will not show leniency.
Xie Jingchuan’s gaze towards Su Jin was equally cold.
They brushed past each other.
Su Jin did nothing.
She did not poison Xie Jingchuan.
The incident that day was merely conjecture by the Hidden Guard, without any evidence. Moreover, Xie Jingchuan was a prince’s son, should he get poisoned, it would fall upon her to provide the antidote.
Remember to ask Miss Qin for a Gu worm tomorrow.
This poison, she cannot cure.
Su Jin returned to Agarwood Pavilion, Xie Jingchen had left, but the Hidden Guard remained, left specifically for her to command.
The days at Agarwood Pavilion were already very dull.
With Xie Jingchen’s departure, Su Jin found her boredom compounded.
The next day, the compensation from the Beauty Pavilion arrived in her hands.
A full thirty thousand taels.
The Duke Chong’s Mansion, Uncle Wen Yuan’s Mansion, and Chen Hanlin’s Mansion each sent ten thousand taels.
The case with the Beauty Pavilion was thus concluded for Su Jin.
But the Imperial Censor Mansion, mourning the loss of a beloved daughter, was conducting funeral rites.
Chen Hanlin’s daughter, having deliberately committed murder and falsely accused others, was sentenced to execution.
The eldest young lady of the Duke Chong Mansion, Shangguan Feng’er, used the eldest young lady of the Uncle Wen Yuan Mansion to poison all the koi in the Beauty Pavilion’s pond. Though a maid took the blame, her reputation unavoidably suffered.
Uncle Wen Yuan didn’t dare cross the Duke Chong, and early the next morning prepared lavish gifts to visit and apologize.
He didn’t dare demand the Duke Chong Mansion compensate ten thousand taels, placing the ten thousand tael silver note respectfully before Duke Chong.
Duke Chong’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, "Does my Duke Chong Mansion care about a mere ten thousand taels?"
Uncle Wen Yuan cautiously apologized, "It was my young daughter’s foolishness that tarnished the eldest young lady’s reputation. I’ve severely chastised her. I hope Your Grace can forgive my daughter’s mistake."
Though the Duke Chong’s influence in court had waned, offending him would still lead to no good end.
A smooth official career would be the only way to recoup this ten thousand taels many times over.
Uncle Wen Yuan wouldn’t risk losing a gain for a loss.
However, the foolishness of the eldest young lady of his mansion implicated Shangguan Feng’er, causing behind-the-scenes ridicule for failing to steal a chicken and losing the rice along with it. Hoping Duke Chong would easily forgive him was not possible.
Duke Chong looked at Uncle Wen Yuan and said, "I heard Marquis Dongxiang’s Madame is your sister?"
"Yes, my sister, but unfortunately, she doesn’t acknowledge me as her brother," Uncle Wen Yuan sighed.
If he had Marquis Dongxiang as a brother-in-law, would he need to curry favor with Duke Chong?
Duke Chong looked at Uncle Wen Yuan, "So, you’re saying the Young Master of Dongxiang Marquis Mansion isn’t the birth child of Madam Dongxiang?"
Uncle Wen Yuan paused, then nodded, "Certainly not, back then the sterility medicine was administered under my wife’s own watchful eyes, not a drop remained..."
No one who has taken sterility medicine can have children.
Marquis Dongxiang’s three children, already two are not his own.
If the last one was adopted, it wouldn’t be surprising.
Uncle Wen Yuan looked at Duke Chong, "Why does Your Grace suddenly mention my sister...?"
"I want you to find a way to reconcile with her," Duke Chong said coldly.
"..."
Uncle Wen Yuan recalled the punch he received that day, being kicked to the ground.
After all, he was an Uncle.
Having been beaten when trying to recognize his relatives, how could he dare visit again to invite humiliation upon himself?
But he just offended Duke Chong, and if he doesn’t comply, it’s likely he’ll have a really tough time ahead.
Moreover, if he can indeed recognize his sibling, it would be nothing but beneficial for him.
After leaving Duke Chong’s Mansion, Uncle Wen Yuan prepared lavish gifts and paid another visit.
This time, he went alone.
In the garden, Mrs. Tang was trimming the flower branches.
The maid ran over and said, "Madam, Uncle Wen Yuan is here again."
The scissors in Mrs. Tang’s hand snapped once, cutting off a fully bloomed peony.
"Ignore him," Mrs. Tang said.
The maid withdrew, and Mrs. Tang asked, "Where’s Yangyang?"
"The young master and others went to the courtyard where Miss Qin lives," the maid replied.
Fuhu Garden.
This was the courtyard where Qin Hanhan stayed at Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
At that moment, Qin Hanhan was in the pavilion, learning needlework from Princess Fu Yun.
She was making embroidered shoes.
She kept pricking herself now and then.
All ten of her fingers were wrapped in bandages, looking very clumsy.
Although Princess Fu Yun had also been through the same, just watching made her feel the pain. She said, "Maybe you shouldn’t make shoes?"
"If not shoes, I don’t know how to make a purse either," Qin Hanhan said, frustrated.
She really had nothing better to do than dig a hole for herself.
After Qin Hanhan and Chu Shun got engaged,
Chu Shun was still living at Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
Yesterday, Prince NanAn patted him on the shoulder, jokingly saying, "You’ve gotten engaged to Miss Qin, and you haven’t asked her to make you shoes?" 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
"Please don’t!" Chu Shun quickly said.
"She doesn’t look like someone adept at needlework. I don’t want to follow in your and Brother Su’s footsteps."
The Heir of Marquis Beining laughed, "You and Brother Su have become a shadow on all of us."
The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo Mansion said, "Don’t count me in."
He was gleaming with pride, wearing the shoes made by his fiancée, the Right Minister’s daughter.
Delicate, perfectly fitting, and extremely comfortable to wear.
Of course, it also made others quite envious.
Chu Shun looked to the sky, melancholic, "I could have found a talented young lady, so why did I resist my mother and end up in such a mess...?"
"None of you should mention making shoes in front of her."
"I’ll get mad at whoever brings it up."
Coincidentally, Qin Hanhan heard Chu Shun’s words.
And just at that moment, Young Master Su came to ask her for medical advice with a book, and Qin Hanhan asked them about it.
Young Master Su rattled off about the shoes made by Princess Fu Yun and Nie Yao to Qin Hanhan.
Qin Hanhan laughed until her stomach hurt.
She asked, "Why give shoes?"
The Ninth Prince was just about to say it was Young Master Su wanting them for Su Chong, but as Young Master Su glared at him, the words vanished.
Young Master Su looked at Qin Hanhan, "Are you going to make shoes for Brother Chu too?"
Qin Hanhan thought it was a Daqi custom, that after an engagement, the woman should give shoes to the man.
"But we’re fake engaged," Qin Hanhan said.
"Others don’t know it’s fake," Young Master Su said.
"And it’s something you shouldn’t speak of lightly; you’ll give it away if you say too much."
"..."
Qin Hanhan thought of Chu Shun disdaining her lack of needlework skills.
No pride without a fight.
She decided to give him a pair of shoes, so he wouldn’t underestimate the girls from the Southern Border!
When she went to Chu Shun to ask for his size, Chu Shun was frightened, "There’s no need to make shoes, we’re fake engaged. Why not just give me an embroidered handkerchief or purse as a token?"
"Rules cannot be broken," Qin Hanhan said.
"..."
Chu Shun thought this must be a rule from the Southern Border.
After much persuasion to get her to play along with the act, it wouldn’t be wise to resist.
So, he reluctantly gave her the measurements.
Then Qin Hanhan began her painful journey of pricking her fingers.
The pain was truly piercing.
Above all, she regretted it.
In a short while, Qin Hanhan pricked herself several times.
Even Young Master Su couldn’t bear to watch anymore.
The three of them left Fuhu Garden.
Chu Shun was waiting outside, and when they came out, he pulled them aside and asked, "What kind of shoes is she making for me?"
"If those shoes must have a name, it would surely be Blood Shoes," Young Master Su said, shivering.
"..."
Chu Shun was horrified.
