Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Seeing Ren Fengjue head straight for the east wing, Rong Shu was utterly baffled.
This was nothing like the Young Marquis’s usual way of doing things.
Then she thought that he must care deeply about Miss Xia to act this way.
She followed carefully behind him and deliberately put in a good word. “The Marquise truly treats Miss Xia like her own daughter.”
“Whenever the household has anything fine, it is sent straight to the east wing.”
Ren Fengjue swept his gaze over the room. Even just the items displayed openly were a dazzling array, not to mention the clothing and accessories hidden inside the three or four large trunks and the five or six dressing cases.
His gaze moved over them row by row, but then he was drawn to half of an embroidered pouch by the windowsill.
“Has Miss Xia been doing needlework these past few days?”
Rong Shu replied, “Yes. She said she wanted to embroider a pouch for the Marquise.”
When it came to “Xia Ximo’s” skill, Rong Shu was full of sincere praise. “From what I can see, Miss Xia is truly remarkable with her hands. I’m afraid even the best embroideress at Brocade Garment Manor couldn’t compare to her.”
Ren Fengjue gave no response. He only asked, “After Miss Xia came to the Marquis Mansion, has she been taking any medicine?”
“She has been taking one kind of medicine. The rest are mostly ginseng and other tonics.”
Rong Shu assumed the Young Marquis was concerned about his fiancée and added, “Young Master, there is no need to worry about Miss Xia. Physician Zhang took her pulse two days ago and said she was only a little weak at the foundation. Everything else is fine.”
Ren Fengjue nodded once, then turned and walked out. He instructed, “When Miss Xia returns later, tell her I came by during the day, but she wasn’t here. I’ll come to the mansion another time to see her.”
Rong Shu smiled knowingly. “Rest assured, Young Master. This servant understands.”
As he left the east wing, he also asked about how the Marquise had been lately. Only then did Ren Fengjue leave the East Courtyard.
However, a young servant waiting at the entrance stepped forward and said, “Young Master, the Marquis asks that you go to the Rear Garden.”
Ren Fengjue knew that since he had returned, there was no hiding it from his father’s eyes and ears, so he headed to the Rear Garden.
There was a lake in the Rear Garden called Tingxue Lake. Beside the lake stood South River Courtyard, the former residence of Ren Xuan’s only younger brother, Ren Yao.
At that moment, Ren Xuan was sitting alone by the lake, fishing. His gaze was fixed on the courtyard across the water, as if lost in thought.
Only when he heard footsteps did he withdraw his gaze. Without turning around, he asked, “What made you think to come back today?”
Ren Fengjue also glanced at South River Courtyard. Sitting down beside him, he said, “South River Courtyard still looks the same as it did more than ten years ago. It’s just that I’m starting to forget what Little Uncle looked like…”
At those words, Ren Xuan’s back visibly stiffened. He did not respond, only said coldly, “You chose the wrong time to come back. Your mother has just taken Ximo out.”
Ren Fengjue knew his father did not want to bring up Little Uncle, so he changed the subject as well. “I had someone make a trip to Xiling County to look into a few things.”
Ren Xuan paused, then immediately turned around and asked him with a stern face, “Xiling County? What were you investigating?”
“Xia Ximo.”
The Old Marquis’s expression changed, anger already showing on his face. “What is that supposed to mean? Why would you investigate Ximo for no reason?”
Before Ren Fengjue could explain, Ren Xuan stood and pointed a finger at him. “These past two days, I have heard people outside saying that you secretly hid a woman in your residence. What exactly is going on?”
Ren Fengjue choked.
He thought to himself, News travels a little too fast.
Ren Xuan continued, “Don’t tell me you’re dissatisfied with this marriage and deliberately did such a thing to anger your mother and me?”
“As for the young lady in my residence…”
Ren Fengjue was just about to explain.
“Well, well!”
Who would have thought Marquis Ren’s eyes would immediately flare with rage? “So you really are hiding a woman? When did you pick up the bad habits of those wastrel young masters?”
“…”
Ren Fengjue said helplessly, “As for that young lady’s identity, I will have to explain it to Father later.”
“But there is something more important at hand that I must report to Father.”
Though Ren Xuan was furious, he knew his son’s character.
Ren Fengjue would never do anything to disgrace the family name.
Suppressing his anger, he said, “Fine. What exactly is it? Explain it properly.”
“Father, promise me first that you won’t be angry.”
Ren Xuan gave a muffled, irritated snort through his nose, which counted as agreement.
Only then did Ren Fengjue’s expression turn solemn. “I suspect that the ‘Xia Ximo’ currently in our residence is not General Xia’s true daughter at all. She is very likely the daughter of Mu Zheng, Vice Director of the Secretariat-Mu Tingting.”
At those words, the Old Marquis’s face changed again and again, darkening as if storm clouds had rolled over it. After a long while, he finally forced out two words. “Absurd!”
“How could there be any mistake? Your mother…”
Ren Fengjue cut him off in a righteous tone. “Father, don’t forget-when Mother went south four years ago, that was also the first time she had ever met General Xia’s daughter. Before that, none of us had seen her.”
“But… Mu Zheng? Why would he…?”
“How would he dare!”
Ren Xuan clearly did not believe it.
He believed even less that an apparently frail, dull-witted eighth-rank idle official would dare commit such a deception.
“Then according to you, where is the real Xia Ximo? Where did she go?”
Ren Fengjue said, “I’m afraid we will only know once we ask Mu Zheng in person.”
Ren Xuan was stunned for a moment. After turning it over in his mind, he still felt that his son was deliberately stirring up trouble because he was dissatisfied with the betrothal arranged before his birth.
“Then what did the people you sent to Xiling County find out?”
Ren Fengjue smiled calmly, but deliberately kept him in suspense.
“I won’t reveal that for now. Until the truth comes to light, Father should simply pretend not to know. It is enough to have some idea of the matter. There is even less need to mention it to Mother.”
“I will naturally give you a satisfactory explanation.”
For a moment, Ren Xuan had nothing to say. He sat back down in the armchair. “Fine. I will wait for this explanation of yours.”
“But let me say the unpleasant words first. Whether you agree or not, this marriage is already set in stone!”
If the Ren Fengjue of the past had heard those words, he would certainly have felt disgusted and argued back at least a little.
But now, he was exceedingly calm.
His heart was like the lake before him, shimmering with ripples.
Beneath the breeze, the waves slowly spread outward.
Ren Fengjue glanced once more at South River Courtyard and said to his father’s back, “There is also something in my heart for which I have been waiting for Father to give me an explanation.”
“I know Father does not wish to speak of it now. But it doesn’t matter…”
“I know that day will come.”
Hearing the sound of footsteps departing, Ren Xuan slowly raised his eyes and also looked toward South River Courtyard on the opposite bank.
–
Today, Duke Du’s Mansion had invited many noblewomen from prominent families to a banquet.
Inside the flower hall of South Garden, a group of gorgeously dressed young noble ladies had gathered gracefully together, admiring flowers, tasting tea, and chatting about amusing happenings in the capital.
In a small room off to the side, however, a woman in a lake-green brocade robe was changing her clothes with the help of her personal maid.
The maid was called Ying’er, and she had accompanied her young mistress from Mu Manor to the capital.
Indeed, the woman changing clothes was none other than the legitimate daughter of the Mu Family who had entered the capital under the name “Xia Ximo”-Mu Tingting.
A moment ago at the banquet, she had accidentally knocked over her tea and soiled her clothes. She was feeling rather upset.
Just then, she faintly heard people outside whispering.
“She really did come out of some poor backwater. So clumsy and awkward. Even dressed in items bestowed by the imperial family, she still reeks of petty, low-class manners from head to toe.”
“Exactly. I don’t think she’s worthy of Young Marquis Ren at all!”
“In my opinion, the Young Marquis doesn’t even care about Princess Ding’an. How could he possibly like her?”