The scene was picturesque, with vibrant flowers and crimson leaves, accompanied by the soft chirping of swallows. Two orioles perched on a branch, affectionately preening each other’s feathers. However, inside the house, where intimacy should have prevailed, two individuals remained in awkward silence.
Xiao Du looked at her coldly, his hand trembling slightly as he awaited her explanation. Whether it was a misunderstanding or intentional sabotage, he was willing to believe her if she spoke up. But she remained silent, appearing flustered, helpless, and even afraid of him. Indeed, she was never good at lying or deception, so everything seemed genuine, leaving no room for excuses.
His anger turned to bitter amusement as he realized the extent of his mockery. Xia Chu had cunningly sent her daughter to the Marquis’ Mansion to become his lawful wife, and though he couldn’t decipher her intentions, he knew how to guard against them. However, she was different from what he had imagined or encountered before. Her peculiar thoughts always surprised him. Despite her lack of social grace, she never pretended to be someone she wasn’t. While she appeared fragile and easy to manipulate, she possessed an inner resilience unwilling to concede defeat. Whenever he looked into her clear eyes and heard her soft voice, he couldn’t help but tell himself to give it a try, even if he despised Xia Chu. Yet now, he hated her honesty, which revealed that her heart did not belong to him.
Yuan Xi stared at his angry expression, unable to understand how he had discovered the book or how to explain herself. She knew that once her carefully hidden past was exposed, no amount of explanation would dispel his disgust and suspicion. Once the seed of doubt took root, it would only grow deeper, creating an insurmountable chasm. She bit her lip and finally spoke, her voice trembling: “Things are not as you imagine. Those matters are long gone, and there was nothing improper between me and the young master.”
Xiao Du sneered, “Are they truly gone? Then why did he desperately recommend himself to the mansion once you married into it? Wasn’t it to see you?”
Yuan Xi looked puzzled, then shook her head firmly. “The young master couldn’t be that kind of person!”
Xiao Du’s anger grew, and he forcefully threw the paper to the ground. “Do you truly understand him? Then why didn’t you leave with him initially? Why did you subject yourself to becoming the Marquis’ wife? Was it Xia Chu’s idea? Your father’s plan? What role did Luo Yuan play in all of this?”
Yuan Xi was surprised by his words and desperately tried to hold back her tears. She gazed at him defiantly. “Since I entered the Marquis’ Mansion, I have never deceived Your Highness or done anything to betray you. If there is no trust between us, why bother staying married?”
“Is that so? No deception at all?” Xiao Du took out a piece of embroidered cloth from his pocket and said coldly, “Then let me ask you again. Did you meet Luo Yuan before I found you in the old house?”
Yuan Xi stared at the cloth, feeling a sense of familiarity. She remembered it as an embroidery she had done long ago, but why was it in his hands? Xiao Du saw her expression and felt a pang of bitterness. “Can’t remember? Let me remind you. When I went to save you, I saw this cloth outside the door and recognized it as yours. That made me suspicious, and I didn’t rush in immediately. It wasn’t until I saw the words on this paper that I realized this cloth might not have been left by the culprit. I asked Zhou Jingyuan, and he said you had never brought such ordinary fabric into your room.” He took a deep breath and finally asked, “Did you embroider this cloth before you were married? And then, did you give it to Luo Yuan?”
Yuan Xi’s eyes widened as she remembered the day when the young master got caught in the rain and she handed him a cloth to wipe his face. She never expected him to keep it all this time. Feeling panicked, she hurriedly explained, “The young master did find me that day, but he didn’t come inside…”
“Very well.” Xiao Du coldly interrupted her, his eyes filled with even more pain. “How much longer do you plan to deceive me together?”
Yuan Xi was frantic and confused, not knowing what to do. She could only stare at him, realizing his sadness for the first time. He shouldn’t always be indifferent and carefree, should he? At that moment, she suddenly understood the sentiments hidden in the lotus cake and bowl of ice cream, sentiments she had never understood before. She felt a sudden fear—would he never return as he once was? Tears welled up uncontrollably, and she shouted, “No, I never wanted to deceive you. I was framed!”
Xiao Du looked at her teary eyes, and his hardened heart wavered for a moment. He said, “If you are willing to throw away all these books in your room, I will believe you.”
Yuan Xi was startled and instinctively protested, “No, those books are not what you think…” Before she could finish, she saw the disappointment in Xiao Du’s eyes, realizing that she had lost her last chance.
Xiao Du sat down slowly, his eyes devoid of warmth. He said calmly, “Very well, I understand now. You can rest assured that you will always be the mistress of the Marquis’ Mansion. However, I no longer wish to see you.” Yuan Xi took a step back in shock, feeling as if something had shattered in front of her.
The news of the mistress being confined for seven days without contact with anyone quickly spread throughout the Marquis’ Mansion. The servants discussed it eagerly but couldn’t glean any information. Nanny Li was frantic and kept sending people to inquire about Xiao Du’s attitude. Yuan Xi, on the other hand, remained surprisingly calm, sitting at her desk every day, reading and writing, as if she had returned to simpler times.
On the third day, Aunt Cai suddenly came to visit, her eyes red with tears. “What happened? I had to plead with His Highness to let me in because I said it was an urgent matter.”
Yuan Xi felt somewhat fond of Aunt Cai because of her relationship with Xiao Zhixuan. She forced a smile and shook her head. “It’s nothing serious, just can’t go out. What urgent matter did Aunt Cai come to discuss?”
Aunt Cai frowned and said, “I didn’t want to bother you, but there’s trouble at Qixia Courtyard. I thought I should come and tell you.”
Yuan Xi was startled and quickly asked, “What happened?”
Aunt Cai sighed and said, “Yesterday, the trellis in the flower vine just collapsed, injuring one of the workers. The others took the opportunity to go on strike, claiming that the funds allocated by the mansion were insufficient, forcing them to choose inferior pine wood, which led to the accident. They also complained that the mansion was too harsh on them. If more funds weren’t provided, they wouldn’t work anymore!”
Yuan Xi was taken aback. “How could this happen? The allocated funds were all discussed with Manager Zhou, and I’ve checked the account books. How could there be a shortage?”
Aunt Cai shook her head and sighed. “I’m not sure where the problem lies, but don’t worry, I’ve already pacified the workers. We just need to spend a little more money. However, we need to resume work quickly. If this news reaches Princess Qing’s ears and she thinks we’re deliberately cutting corners to save money, it will be troublesome.” She hesitated for a moment before continuing, “But regarding the use of funds, Manager Zhou said he didn’t dare make decisions lightly, so he asked me to inquire with you.”
After thinking for a moment, Yuan Xi took out a pair of tokens from the cabinet and handed them to Aunt Cai. “Since I can’t leave the room now, you can go ahead and handle these matters. Just say it’s my decision.”
Aunt Cai quickly accepted the tokens and glanced at Yuan Xi. With a sigh, she said, “Some mistakes can be admitted. There shouldn’t be any lingering grudges between husband and wife. In my opinion, the Marquis has always held the Madam in high regard.”
Yuan Xi inexplicably blushed: Held in high regard? Perhaps not anymore. He would never tightly grasp her hand out of concern for her safety again, nor would he say, “I believe you.” Some things were considered ordinary at first, but only when they couldn’t be found or regained did she repeatedly recall them until her heart ached.
Yuan Xi slept restlessly that night, with images of Xiao Du’s slightly teasing smile, his disappointed eyes, and the gradually fading figure of the young master haunting her. She woke up suddenly, drenched in sweat, trying to call out for Anhe to fetch water but unable to speak. As she reached for the bed curtain to get up, her vision blurred, and she fainted.
“Is she sick?” Xiao Du sat on the couch, staring at a book, seemingly indifferent.
The servant beside him nodded quickly. “According to what the maids in Madam’s room said, it seems her condition is quite serious.”
Xiao Du didn’t even lift his eyelids. “Since I’ve ordered her to be confined for seven days without leaving the room, and only three days have passed, how can I go to visit her? Would it not be childish of the Marquis of Xuan to go back on his word?”
The servant sneaked a glance at him and couldn’t help but scoff internally: If he truly didn’t care, why did he send me to dive into the gossip among the maids every day, chat with them, and report everything back to him? It was all to secretly inquire about Madam’s condition. Poor me, enduring the chit-chat of those maids every day. A few of them even suspected me of having feelings for them and secretly flirted with me. Thinking about it, the servant felt quite distressed.
If the Marquis continued to act this way, he would inevitably become a target for those maids sooner or later. With that in mind, he kindly suggested, “Although that’s the case, Madam’s health is important. If something were to happen to her in our mansion, it wouldn’t look good when reporting to the Prime Minister’s Mansion. Actually,” he glanced at Xiao Du’s expression and continued, “if the Marquis feels embarrassed, cough, you could go and visit secretly. No one would know.”
Before he could finish his sentence, a book flew and hit him on the head. Xiao Du glared at him. “Do I need to sneak around in my mansion? If word gets out, what will people say!” After a moment of serious thought, he said, “However, you’re right. If something were to happen to her in our mansion, it would be difficult to explain to Minister Xia.”
The servant rubbed his head and chuckled to himself. Internally, he felt even more dissatisfied: If he wanted to go, why make me come up with so many excuses? It’s quite tiring.
As night fell, the tall apricot tree swayed gently in the wind outside the window. A figure climbed in through the window, tiptoed to the bedside, and looked at Yuan Xi sleeping soundly. He saw her furrowed brows and the paleness on her normally rosy face felt a pang of pain in his heart and reached out to touch her cheek. Suddenly, he noticed the book placed at the head of the bed, picked it up and flipped through it under the moonlight. His expression changed abruptly, and without a word, he left the room.