The warm pavilion was as cozy as spring, yet Du Feixue still hadn’t recovered, huddled in the blanket, shivering.
A maid brought up brown sugar ginger tea.
Old Madam of Marquis Liuxing said gently, “First drink some tea to warm yourself. The physician will be here shortly.”
Looking at Du Feixue’s deathly pale face, Lady Zhu of Count Guchang wiped away tears with her handkerchief, feeling extremely angry at Yang Houcheng, who had been dragged by his ear by Old Madam of Marquis Liuxing to the corridor outside.
Her maternal nephew Zhu Yàn had played with Yang Houcheng, the heir of Marquis Liuxing, since they wore split-bottom pants. She had also watched Yang Houcheng grow up and had always thought this child had a cheerful temperament and was reliable. Who could have imagined he would do such a thing to her daughter?
After feeding Du Feixue a bowl of brown sugar ginger tea, Lady Zhu of Count Guchang asked nervously, “Feixue, how do you feel?”
Du Feixue’s lips were dark, and she nodded.
“Feixue, what exactly happened today? Why did you fall into the lake when you were perfectly fine?”
Du Feixue gripped the tea bowl tightly and cried, “Mother, it was Young Master Yang who kicked me in—”
She sobbed so hard she was gasping for breath and couldn’t speak anymore.
Lady Zhu of Count Guchang gently comforted her daughter with a few words. Seeing the physician arrive, she stood up and walked to the outer hall.
In the hall, several ladies who were familiar with Lady Zhu of Count Guchang all asked about Du Feixue’s condition.
Lady Zhu of Count Guchang smiled with difficulty, “She’s alright.”
After speaking, she looked toward Old Madam of Marquis Liuxing, “Old Madam, you heard it all. Feixue said it was indeed the heir who kicked her in. Though my daughter has a somewhat spirited nature, she still understands proper etiquette. I don’t know what great offense she committed to be kicked into the lake by a grown man…”
“Lady Zhu, don’t worry. I’ll question that little beast right now!”
Yang Houcheng followed a maid into the room.
“Kneel!”
Yang Houcheng tugged at the corner of his mouth and knelt. After hearing Lady Zhu of Count Guchang’s questioning, he said righteously, “Lady Zhu, your daughter must have misunderstood. Why would I deliberately kick her in? There’s no grievance or enmity between us—”
“You’re lying!” Du Feixue, wrapped in her cloak, came out with her chest heaving in anger. “You heard what I said and deliberately kicked me.”
“Miss Du, you can’t speak carelessly. I heard you talking, so I kicked you? Then why am I not kicking you now?”
“Little beast, stop talking nonsense!” Old Madam of Marquis Liuxing angrily raised her walking stick to strike Yang Houcheng, but lifted it high and brought it down gently out of love for her grandson.
The ladies watching thought to themselves: This is truly a loving grandmother!
“Feixue, go inside and lie down.” Lady Zhu of Count Guchang patted Du Feixue’s hand, feeling it ice cold, and her heart ached again.
Du Feixue stood still, emotionally agitated, “That’s because you heard me mocking Third Miss Li! Hmph, who doesn’t know now that after accompanying Third Miss Li on one trip to the Southern Region, you’ve been bewitched by her? Hearing me speak ill of her, naturally, you couldn’t help yourself—”
“Feixue, these aren’t words you should be saying. Go inside quickly!” Lady Zhu of Count Guchang’s expression changed slightly.
Regardless of what the Li family’s third daughter was really like, it was improper for an unmarried girl to speak this way in public.
Old Madam of Marquis Liuxing indeed darkened her face, “Who told Miss Du that my worthless grandson has been bewitched by someone?”
Yang Houcheng seized the opportunity to complain, “Grandmother, at that time your grandson was just so surprised to hear Miss Du say such things that I became distracted and accidentally tripped her, but your grandson didn’t do it on purpose.”
Being thick-skinned and refusing to admit fault, who could do anything to him?
He had truly never heard such ugly words. How could these usually delicate young ladies say such things?
They said he and Miss Li were secretly involved, even—
Shao Tingquan would beat him to death if he found out!
Du Feixue held onto the door, ignoring her mother, Lady Zhu’s persuasion, “Do you think everyone else is a fool? That they’ll be fooled by your story full of holes?”
Yang Houcheng looked coldly at Du Feixue, “Miss Du, aren’t you calling the thief to catch the thief? Speaking of which, I should ask you, we have no grievance or enmity, so why are you splashing dirty water on me? I was following the Empress Dowager’s edict to escort Miss Li south. How did that become me being bewitched? I tell you, between Miss Li and me, everything is pure and above board, clear as wind and bright as moon. Miss Li already has a family that has come to propose marriage. Miss Du, please don’t speak carelessly in the future!”
Du Feixue looked disdainful. “A family came to propose marriage? Hah, I heard the matchmaker was driven away by the Li family, which shows the proposing family couldn’t even get on the stage. But I do feel it’s a pity. Having missed this opportunity, who knows when Third Miss Li will get another chance?”
Yang Houcheng’s expression became strange, “You say the proposing family couldn’t get on the stage? May I ask who told you this?”
Du Feixue raised her chin, “Miss Jiang said so!”
Yang Houcheng sighed, “I say, Miss Du, Miss Jiang was just teasing you, wasn’t she?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Du Feixue frowned.
Both she and Jiang Shiran extremely disliked Third Miss Li. How could Jiang Shiran be teasing her?
Yang Houcheng suddenly turned and asked a young woman in the hall, “Lady Wang, I just learned that apparently your residence is considered unable to get on the stage in some people’s eyes.”
Old Madam of Marquis Liuxing quickly scolded, “What nonsense!” Then she smiled at the young woman, “Please don’t mind the little beast, Lady Heir. He has no filter on his mouth.”
The young woman was precisely Lady Wang, wife of the heir of Marquis Jing’an, who was also the elder sister-in-law of Marquis Guanjun.
The capital was full of nobility. Some fallen ones didn’t live as comfortably as a minor official with a lucrative position, but Marquis Jing’an’s residence was different. Not to mention comparing with other marquis residences, even compared to the few remaining duke residences, it was not inferior.
This was naturally because the Marquis Jing’an’s residence had produced a son who was enfeoffed as marquis and appointed as general, enough to bring glory to the Marquis Jing’an’s residence for decades.
Who would dare say such a family background couldn’t get on the stage?
“Grandmother, I’m not talking nonsense. It’s what Miss Du said.”
“When did I ever say such a thing?” Du Feixue gritted her teeth in anger.
Yang Houcheng blinked innocently, “Just now. Didn’t all the ladies present hear it? You said the family that went to propose marriage to the Li family couldn’t get on the stage.”
“I did say that, but what does this have to do with the Marquis Jing’an’s residence?”
Everyone in the hall felt that Yang Houcheng’s words were somewhat strange. A thought flickered through their minds, but they found it utterly absurd.
Yang Houcheng smiled and asked Lady Wang, wife of Marquis Jing’an’s heir, “Lady Wang, don’t you know that it was your residence that went to propose marriage to the Li family today?”
“What did you say?” Du Feixue cried out in shock.
Everyone’s gaze fell on Lady Wang, wife of Marquis Jing’an.
Lady Wang also looked completely surprised.
When did their residence send matchmakers to propose marriage to the Li family? Why didn’t she know anything about it?
Seeing Lady Wang’s ignorant expression, everyone quietly exchanged glances.
Tsk tsk, could it be that the heir of Marquis Jing’an was hiding it from Lady Wang and wanted to take the Li family’s third daughter as a concubine?
Under various gazes, Lady Wang felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
She had just given the heir a daughter. Two sons and one daughter were so enviable—could it be that the heir already had different intentions?