Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ning Huai really did compensate me with a hairpin.

It was a gold-inlaid jade flower hairpin.

Each flower had white jade petals unfurling around a ruby at its center, with another tiny ruby set into every petal.

The outer edge of each petal was traced in gold along its curve.

It was quite literally a creation of golden branches and jade leaves.

“Thank you, Husband. Will you put it on for me?”

I crouched down and tentatively leaned my head toward his lap. Under Ning Huai’s furious glare, I met his eyes with the resolve of someone marching to her death and rested my chin on his leg.

“Wei Yanqing!”

My gaze darted away as I protested feebly, “I’ve already sat on it before. What’s wrong with resting my chin there for a moment?”

Ning Huai rubbed his brow in irritation. Then he held my head still as he searched for the right spot to insert the hairpin.

I tilted my face up, trying to catch his eye. “Husband, can you please not divorce me? I truly want to build a life with you. When the Wei Family first told me to marry you, I was very reluctant. But then I asked around about your deeds and saw your portrait. I was quite satisfied.”

“Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. No matter what happens, we can still make a good life for ourselves. I won’t agree to a divorce.”

Ning Huai leaned closer, danger glinting in his eyes. “Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog? Are you calling me a chicken or a dog?”

Heavens, why was he so close to me?!

My lashes fluttered. “You’re a hero. A very formidable hero.”

Ning Huai looked down at me without a word. His eyes were like a river reflecting the moon.

I shrank back, blushing all the way to the tips of my ears.

“Oh, why do you keep staring at me?”

Ning Huai asked, “I don’t have long to live, and I’m impotent. Are you truly willing to be married to me?”

Before I married, Lord Wei had given me a generous dowry.

Now that I was here, I didn’t have to spend any of my own money on food, clothing, housing, or transportation. I even received a monthly allowance.

Besides, who could resist a beautiful and frail husband like Ning Huai?

At that thought, I beamed. “Mm-hmm. I truly am willing.”

Ning Huai was silent for a long time before saying, “All right.”

From then on, he never brought up divorce again.

After our customary return visit on the third day of marriage, heavy snow began to fall and continued for several days.

With nothing else to do, I decided to make Ning Huai a pair of knee warmers.

“Wei Yanqing, what are you doing?” Ning Huai asked.

“I’m embroidering knee warmers.”

“For me?”

I nodded.

“I don’t need those. Stop wasting your time.”

I remained insistent. “You do need them. Your legs are already in poor condition. You mustn’t let them get chilled too.”

Although Ning Huai had refused treatment from the traveling physician invited by the Marquis of Changning, he was still taking other medicines and soaking in a medicinal bath every day.

The East Warm Pavilion where I slept was separated from his bedroom by only a gauze partition.

Whenever he soaked in the medicinal bath at night, I would hear him hissing through his teeth as if the pain were unbearable.

Xuanfeng said that herbs meant to strengthen the tendons and cleanse the marrow were extremely potent. The fact that they caused pain meant there was still hope.

Ning Huai had not given up on himself. He was a man of tremendous willpower. How wonderful.

I set down my embroidery needle. “Husband, why don’t I brew you some astragalus tea? I heard it can strengthen the body’s defenses, stop excessive sweating, replenish fluids and blood, and help wounds heal. There’s also goji berry, mulberry, or dried tangerine peel. Which would you like? Or would you rather have your favorite Taiping Houkui?”

Ning Huai pursed his lips. “Something suddenly occurred to me today.”

“Wei Wan used to be a study companion to a princess, so she was often in and out of the palace. Back then, the Third Prince insisted on marrying Wei Wan, and Noble Consort Ming flew into a rage. Lord Wei didn’t want to offend Noble Consort Ming over the matter, so he asked my father for help. I happened to be dealing with some circumstances of my own at the time, so I had no choice but to become engaged to her.”

I hadn’t expected him to tell me about this.

As he continued, he began recounting all the twists and turns of Wei Wan and the Third Prince’s romance.

Feeling a little conflicted, I said weakly, “If we gossip about other people like this, they might gossip about us behind our backs too.”

Ning Huai replied with perfect confidence, “That’s exactly why we have to do it. We can’t control what other people say, so we mustn’t let ourselves be the only ones at a disadvantage.”

At once, I felt as though I were seeing a whole new side of him.

I nudged his arm and urged him with equal confidence, “Husband, hurry up and continue. Come on, why didn’t the two of them end up together?”

Ning Huai glanced around, then leaned closer with a mysterious air.

Just then, Xuanfeng rushed in from outside in a panic. “Young Master, Young Madam! The Ning Clan elders have arrived with a group of people. They brought up the Eldest Young Master’s health and are demanding that the Marquis submit a memorial before the New Year to have the Second Young Master named the marquis household’s Heir Apparent…”