Noble Son-in-Law - Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Shen Qingqing felt a tightness in her chest, almost like a ball of gauze was suffocating her, after the old lady left. 

She was already ready to give a cold shoulder to Li Zhi if he betrayed her, and the thought of it made her very uneasy. 

‘If that b*stard does that… I’m… I’m…’

Shen Qingqing had always known that Li Zhi could be cruel and hypocritical, but during their time on the grassland, he had shown her so much kindness and affection. She thought he could be a good husband to her and treat her and her family well.

Since she considered him a good husband, she definitely didn’t want to share him with anyone else. While it was common for men to have multiple wives and concubines, Shen Qingqing grew up in a loving family where her father was having his mother as his only wife and longed for a warm, sweet life like her parents.

Rubbing her belly, she decided not to be angry now. She would decide what to do after Li Zhi came. ‘What if Li Zhi actually keeps his promise?’ She didn’t want to be upset for no reason. 

“Biyun, go take a break for now. I’ll call you back to pay your respects when the Marquis gets home this evening,” she said, smiling despite her irritation. 

Biyun was surprised about her mistress’s generosity and followed Yu Chan downstairs with a worried heart. 

Once they were gone, Yu Die turned to her master, looking anxious. “Madam, do you really want her to serve the Marquis?”

“My thoughts don’t really matter; it’s all about what the Marquis thinks. Just wait and see how it goes,” Shen Qingqing replied with a bittersweet smile.

The imperial guards had a rough day, and by the time Li Zhi returned, it was already dark. Even the lights in the other parts of the mansion had been turned off. 

Since becoming pregnant, his wife had been having trouble sleeping, and Li Zhi didn’t want to disturb her by going to the backyard at this time. But to his surprise, she had sent a message.

“What’s going on?” Li Zhi asked after Arong delivered the message. After all this time married, Shen Qingqing had never specifically called him to the backyard before. 

Arong bowed slightly and replied, “Madam didn’t say much, but the old lady came by with a maid named Biyun earlier today, and she left without her.” 

Li Zhi frowned upon hearing that.

In the past, he had been reluctant to marry, and the old lady had insisted on picking maids for him. At first, he had politely declined, but eventually, he got fed up and said something harsh, which made her stop. After Shen Qingqing married him, he thought the old lady was pleased with her. ‘I was wrong. It seems the old lady is stirring up trouble just when Shen Qingqing is five months along.’

Li Zhi became worried thinking about his young wife. ‘She can’t stand any unfairness, and it will definitely anger her. Doesn’t the old lady worry about upsetting her and harming the baby?’

“How’s Madam doing?” Li Zhi asked, keeping his voice steady and emotionless.

“Madam has been in the backyard all afternoon, so I don’t think anything’s wrong,” Arong said after thinking for a few seconds. ‘If there had been an issue, Yu Chan and Yu Die would have been worried.’

Li Zhi nodded and headed to his room to change his clothes. 

Once he changed into something more casual, he made his way to the backyard. 

It was October, and the chill was already setting in, especially at night. Shen Qingqing, having spent a long time in Jiangnan, was particularly sensitive to the cold in the capital. After dinner, she waited quite a while for Li Zhi but eventually decided to go to bed after a while.

The room was nicely heated, and she felt very comfortable. 

When Li Zhi entered through the curtains, he first noticed the chrysanthemum pot on the flower table. The pot was vibrant cinnabar red, with full of flowers. The golden and red petals brought a touch of warmth to the dark, cold winter night. It was a sensation that Li Zhi hadn’t experienced before marriage. 

Though he was born into wealth and had a powerful position, he was used to being alone. But things had changed. Now, he had a spirited and somewhat spoiled little wife. Just teasing and making her laugh brought so much joy to his life, not to mention the intimate moments they shared at night. 

His expression softened as he walked around the screen.

As he pulled back the gauze curtain and sat on the bed, the bed dipped, causing Shen Qingqing to stir awake. 

She turned around and saw that the man had finally returned. Instantly, her drowsiness vanished, and she propped herself up on the bed with her small hands, ready to fight with him.

“What are you doing getting up now?” Li Zhi asked, steadying her with ease.

Shen Qingqing had a harsh comeback in mind, but instead, her voice came out softer than she expected. “There’s a maid who wants the Marquis to see her.”

Feeling the anger hidden in her soft words, Li Zhi couldn’t help but chuckle. Previously, she never held back her true feelings around him, always expressing her anger or giving him the cold shoulder when she felt like it. But now, her sarcasm revealed just how much she cared.

Normally, he would have teased her about it, but with her being pregnant, he didn’t want to take any risks. 

Li Zhi asked her to lie down on the bed, and he also settled beside her. “Arong mentioned her name is Biyun, right? If Grandma sends her to help you, feel free to keep her. But if she’s meant for me, I’ll personally return her to Grandma tomorrow morning,” he muttered while holding his wife in his arms.

Shen Qingqing was taken aback. ‘Is it really that easy?’

Thinking that, She lifted her chin and tried to meet Li Zhi’s eyes under the dim light. 

Li Zhi leaned down, resting his forehead against hers. He murmured, “You’re my wife and the mother of my child. I won’t let any troubles come your way.” 

His warm breath brushed against her cheek making her face red. 

His voice was low and his embrace was warm. On such a winter night, Shen Qingqing’s heart was pounding.

After letting go of her doubts and anger, Shen Qingqing felt relief. She nestled into his arms and let out her thoughts. “What if grandma gets upset?”  

Li Zhi chuckled, kissed her forehead, and reassured her, “Don’t stress about that. Just focus on yourself.”  

‘Li Zhi has been managing the family for years, and he probably knows how to handle his grandmother.’ Thinking that Shen Qingqing replied,  “It’s fine if you handle it, but you can’t let grandma think I was the one who convinced you,” Shen Qingqing said seriously. 

Even though Li Zhi was the head of the family, he was often out, leaving her to deal with Old Lady Zhu. If she made Old Lady Zhu mad, it would create a lot of problems for Shen Qingqing.  

Li Zhi playfully pinched her earlobe and replied confidently, “I got it.”  

Shen Qingqing wouldn’t feel completely at ease until she knew how his confrontation with Old Madam Zhu turned out.  

“But if I bring that maid in, you really won’t mind?” Li Zhi asked, while his lips brushed against the tip of her nose as he gazed into her eyes.  

Shen Qingqing bit her lip, turned her head away, and said, “If you break your promise, you can forget about sharing my bed again.”  

Li Zhi smiled, gently touching her soft lips with his fingers, and said, “If that’s the case, I will have nothing to look forward to.”  

Shen Qingqing smirked. ‘This guy sure knows how to charm me.’

“Did you have dinner yet?” Shen Qingqing quickly shifted the topic as Li Zhi approached her. She was determined not to let a fleeting moment destroy their harmony. 

Li Zhi hadn’t eaten, but he didn’t feel like grabbing a late meal. “I had something in the palace,” he said, lying down and holding her small hand. “Just go to sleep.” 

With a delighted heart, Shen Qingqing drifted off. 

Meanwhile, in a servant’s room at the back, Biyun sat in front of a foggy bronze mirror, carefully redoing her thin eyebrows. 

The reflection showed a lovely face, and Biyun felt confident about her looks. Since the lady had already made promises to the old lady, she knew the lady would take her to meet the Marquis. He was a busy man, often coming home late, so she figured if she waited a bit longer, she might get a chance to serve him that night. 

Setting down her eyebrow pencil, Biyun’s eyes sparkled with hope. 

But as the night dragged on, no one called for her. The only company she had was the chilling wind howling through the early winter night. 

Finally, the next morning, someone knocked on her door. 

Biyun took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and opened it. 

It was a young maid from Shen Qingqing’s courtyard, asking her to come along to meet the masters. 

Hearing that the Marquis wanted to see her filled Biyun with joy. She pretended to go back to her room for something and quickly freshened up before heading to the main courtyard with the maid.

In the main courtyard, Li Zhi was having a chat with Shen Qingqing. Since it was his day off, he was planning to take her out for a stroll or maybe just hang out at her parents’ place.

Shen Qingqing leaned in and said, “You just turned grandma down to hang out with me. She’s probably fuming right now.” 

Li Zhi had been raised by Old Lady Zhu and respected her, but he wasn’t going to be overly obedient. “Don’t worry, I have everything under my control,” he assured her with a grin. 

Shen Qingqing smiled back and poured him some more tea. 

“My Lord, Madam, Biyun is here,” Yu Chan announced as she walked in. 

Shen Qingqing immediately turned to Li Zhi. 

Li Zhi took a couple of sips of tea, stood up, and said, “You don’t need to deal with her. I’ll head to Wanfu Hall first and then come back to keep you company.” 

Shen Qingqing gave him a look that said “Be careful.” 

Li Zhi gently ruffled her hair before heading out as usual. 

In the yard, Biyun stood off to the side. When she spotted the tall, handsome marquis with his warm smile, her heart raced, and she shyly looked down. 

Li Zhi glanced at her as he walked by and said, “Come with me to Wanfu Hall.” 

His tone was calm, but Biyun felt a wave of dread. After being dismissed by the Marquis the last night without a word, she figured it was because the Madam was using her pregnancy to block the Marquis from taking a concubine.

‘It’s no big deal anyway. As the old lady is still around, the Marquis wouldn’t dare upset her just for his wife, whom he’s only been married to for six months.’ Biyun followed Li Zhi without a care, looking quite obedient.

In Wanfu Hall, Mrs. Zhu and Jiang Yiyue strolled through the courtyard shortly after the meal. The early winter sun cast a warm glow, making Jiang Yiyue’s skin appear pale and delicate.

When she spotted Li Zhi and Biyun, her expression shifted a bit. She leaned in to whisper something to Old Lady Zhu, greeted Li Zhi, and then walked away. 

“What’s this about?” Old Lady Zhu asked with a smile, glancing at Biyun before turning to her grandson. 

Li Zhi took her arm gently and said, “Let’s head to the hall and chat.” 

Old Lady Zhu pursed her lips, and the two of them made their way into the main room together. 

Once the servants were dismissed, Li Zhi got right to the point.“Grandmother, I know you meant well sending me the maid, and my kind wife also suggested I accept her, but I’ve told you before that I don’t want my household to be filled with schemes like my second uncle’s. I don’t want my future kids to face issues because of wives and concubines vying for attention. Sure, the maids you chose might be good, but I’m already worn out from court life and don’t have the energy to monitor any potential rivalries.” 

Old Madam Zhu frowned and replied, “Who said you need to draw lines? Concubines have their own ways of managing things…”

“Grandma, unless I have no kids, I’m not taking a concubine. If you keep pushing this, it’ll just give me a headache. The court situation is tricky, and I can’t afford any distractions. I hope you get that,” he said firmly, waving his hands, making it clear there was no room for discussion.

As soon as he mentioned the court, Old Lady Zhu’s mind went straight to her granddaughter, the imperial concubine. “What’s happening? Are they going to go after Aou again?” Mrs. Zhu asked, her voice filled with worry. 

Li Zhi didn’t say anything, but his serious expression spoke volumes, as if he was confirming her fears. 

‘If anything happened to the imperial concubine, it would spell disaster for the entire marquis’s household.’ As the Old Lady Zhu thought she became very frightened. “Alright, I get it. You handle your court business without worrying about home. Grandma will take care of everything at home.”

Li Zhi’s demeanour softened, and he bowed to her. “You’re still young, and I’ll need your help in the future.” 

Old Lady Zhu nodded with determination. 

As Li Zhi was about to leave, Old Lady Zhu walked him out personally. When she returned, she noticed Biyun still standing in the yard. After a moment of thought, she instructed the nanny to return Biyun to the trafficker.

Realising her fantasy had collapsed, Biyun started crying right there and dropped to her knees, pleading with Old Lady Zhu to let her stay. But before she could get her full plea out, someone covered her mouth.

In the back room, Jiang Yiyue heard Biyun’s sobs. ‘Didn’t Brother Zhongchang take Biyun in?’

Staring at the pink chrysanthemum blooming nearby, Jiang Yiyue felt a mix of emotions.

End of chapter 46

Have a nice day!