Chapter 50

Chapter 50

I didn’t know how Steward Li explained the matter to Yuan Heng, but regardless, Yuan Heng did not come to see me.

After nightfall, he went out again. He was likely going to see Yun Sheng.

He truly was a devoted lover.

It was a calm and peaceful night.

The next morning, Meng Huaiqing came as usual to check my pulse and provide treatment.

I picked up a handheld mirror and examined myself carefully from left to right. “The rash on my face has cleared up, and there are only a few spots left on my arms. Taking the medicine on time should be enough, so there’s no need to trouble you to come over anymore, Mr. Meng.”

Meng Huaiqing glanced at me. “This is not for me to decide, nor for you. The Marquis must make the final call.”

I ignored him.

Just as I was about to get up and leave, Meng Huaiqing said softly, “Lord Cheng asked me to pass something to you.”

I sat back down. “What is it?”

With a cold expression, Meng Huaiqing silently took a black satin box from his medical chest and placed it on the table.

I frowned. This was what I had asked Steward Li to send to Cheng Wei yesterday.

“He didn’t want it.” Meng Huaiqing pushed the box toward me. “He told me to return it to you exactly as it was.”

I picked up the box, intending to put it away, but noticed it felt significantly lighter.

When I opened it, I found a pair of red jade bracelets inside.

I smiled. Yesterday, what I had sent to Cheng Wei was a copper hand warmer-the very one I had tried to give him outside Qiyun Temple that day.

At the time, his attitude had been extremely cold, and he had rejected it without a word.

But today… this was getting interesting.

I traced the jade bracelets with my fingertips. They were as warm and smooth as grease, with a color like sunset clouds.

Meng Huaiqing’s words were barbed. “These Hetian Red Jade Bracelets are extremely rare-treasures that one can only hope to find by luck. To think you would give him such a lavish gift just to thank him. If I hadn’t seen with my own eyes how he hurt you, I would have thought he had done you some great favor.”

I ignored his biting remarks and asked, “Did he say anything else?”

Meng Huaiqing was clearly unwilling to continue the topic. He muttered, “He said it was a trivial matter and that you needn’t take it to heart. Just focus on nurturing your pregnancy.”

I stood up and walked to the west window, carefully mulling over his words.

Cheng Wei had sent me red jade bracelets. Red jade! His meaning was likely that my killing of Hongyu was already a trivial matter to him, and he had suppressed it.

As for him telling me to focus on my pregnancy…

I remembered that night in the Waterside Pavilion Corridor. At first, his attitude was the same as in my previous life-cold and full of contempt for me.

After he had gathered evidence from the autopsy, he had been secretly watching my every move. He had not only eavesdropped on the conversation between me and my father but was even prepared to report me to Yuan Heng.

Why did he change? There had to be a reason. It must have been something I said or did.

My eyes brightened. That night, when I exposed what happened on the wedding night, he had choked me, his killing intent obvious.

But immediately after, I said that I didn’t care who the child’s father was; I only cared that the child I bore would inherit the title in the future.

He had let go.

I smiled to myself. So that was it.

At that moment, Meng Huaiqing suddenly walked up behind me. He held the pair of red jade bracelets and waved them before my eyes.

“Did you really send these to him? Why would you send him a pair of bracelets with such small diameters, clearly meant for a woman? And where did you get such treasures? A reward from the palace? Or did the Marquis give them to you?”

I snatched the bracelets back and shot him a glare. “Why do you have so many questions?”

Meng Huaiqing looked displeased. “Madam, you haven’t answered.”

I put the bracelets back into the box. “I am under no obligation to answer.”

Meng Huaiqing took a few quick steps toward me and warned in a low voice, “Cheng Wei is dangerous. Don’t provoke him! He only cares about power and his future, and you have nothing attractive about you-at most, you just have a pretty face. Stay away from him, or you won’t even know how you died in the end!”

I looked him up and down and mocked, “You never mentioned before, Mr. Meng, that your relationship with Cheng Wei was so good. Close enough to drink together at night and help him secretly pass things to me.”

Meng Huaiqing’s brow furrowed into a knot. “I…”

I smiled. “Oh, you did mention once that you had a favor to ask of Cheng Wei. You wanted him to help reopen your grandfather’s case and crush your family’s enemies.”

“I remember when we were escaping, you got off the carriage at the city gate to buy food from a vendor. How could Yuan Heng have subordinates disguised as vendors? Only Cheng Wei would need to plant secret agents in every trade and location. Since you knew about these things, it seems your relationship is truly excellent.”

In his urgency, Meng Huaiqing grabbed my arm. “Let me explain.”

I shook off his hand. “I won’t believe another word you say.”

Meng Huaiqing looked at me deeply.

I turned my back to him and said indifferently, “For the sake of our past friendship, I’ll give you one more warning: you were pushed into the water by Cheng Wei to be silenced. Brother Meng, don’t just focus on bringing glory to your family; your life is more important.”

Meng Huaiqing stood behind me, silent for a long time. “Qing Qiu, I know you hate me. Please, believe me this once. I will save you!”

I waved him away irritably. “Just leave. I still have to stew some soup.”