Chapter 355 – Intrepid people will inevitably get hurt (2)
Zhu Yurun mustered up a weak smile that looked quite ugly. “He was joking around with someone and probably didn’t notice I was there too. He didn’t mean to push me down the stairs. If I wasn’t pregnant, I would have been able to easily roll down without getting injured. Those stairs weren’t that high up. But as I was rolling down, my belly hit the steps…”
Ji Man slightly clenched her fist.
“It’s okay. I’ve been so distressed lately. Once I saw him, I didn’t want to marry anyone else, but he’s not willing to marry me. So, what should I do?” Zhu Yurun’s voice was somewhat hoarse, and her smile slowly dimmed. “I finally don’t have to feel distress anymore. Isn’t that great?”
Her heart ached a bit. Ji Man lowered her head to look. Nie Sangyu was being really kind-hearted. This matter had nothing to do with her, so why was she feeling such a strong sense of empathetic pain?
“Take care of yourself,” Ji Man quietly said, “Once your health has recovered, who knows, you might meet a better man.”
“You’re just saying nonsense.” Zhu Yurun waved her hand. “There’s no one that would marry a girl like me. I don’t want to get married anymore either.”
Ji Man didn’t know what to say. She just comfortingly held her hand and silently sighed.
“Your hand is so smooth.” Zhu Yurun smiled as she touched the back of Ji Man’s hand. “I’m tired. I want to sleep. You should go talk to my dad about canceling our wedding before you leave. I don’t want to burden you.”
Ji Man stood up and tucked the quilt around her. “Let’s talk about the wedding later. You should rest first.”
Zhuer, who had been watching by the side, pulled Ji Man out of the room. Once they were out in the covered corridor, Zhuer said, “Teacher Ji, don’t look down on Miss. Miss is a really good woman. When she first met that heartless person, it wasn’t like what she said…”
“Teacher Ji,” Assistant Minister Zhu called out from a distance. When Ji Man turned her head, she saw that Zhu Shuyou was standing at a moon gate with a grave expression and gesturing for her to come over.
Ji Man glanced at Zhuer, then she walked over to Assistant Minister Zhu. “Sir Zhu.”
Qian Yingchen was also standing there, behind Assistant Minister. There wasn’t any strong emotion on Qian Yingchen’s face, but Ji Man was surprised to see that he looked a bit haggard.
Assistant Minister Zhu got right to the point by asking, “Teacher Ji, are you still willing to marry Yurun?”
Ji Man nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”
It was a series of devastating blows for a woman in this era to get pregnant out of wedlock and then suffer a miscarriage. Ji Man thought that Zhu Yurun was a rare treasure. Even if she was a bit too intrepid, it was worth trying to preserve her splendidly bright smile.
Qian Yingchen was left feeling stunned.
Assistant Minister Zhu sneered and looked at him as he said, “Sir Qian, did you hear that? My daughter has someone that wants to marry her. Please leave.”
Qian Yingchen looked at Ji Man with a furrowed brow. “It’s obvious that she doesn’t love you. Teacher Ji, it can’t be that you’re the type of person who is willing to do anything for fame and profit, right?”
Ji Man smiled as she looked at him. “Why does it matter if she doesn’t love me? It’s enough that I love her. Yurun has already suffered a lot. This one believes that Sir Qian isn’t a person that’s suitable to help erase the scars in her heart.”
Qian Yingchen pressed his lips together. He still wanted to say more, but Assistant Minister Zhu decided to end the pretense of politeness. “Guards, come here. Escort Sir Qian out. He’s not welcome here.”
The guards really did step forward, but Qian Yingchen straightened his back and proceeded to walk out before he was forcefully removed.
Assistant Minister Zhu was so furious that even his body was slightly shaking.
Seeing this sight, Ji Man quietly asked, “Sir Zhu, why aren’t you willing to allow Sir Qian to marry Yurun?”
“Allow him to marry her? Zhu Shuyou sneered. “He was forced over here by Marquis Moyu. Didn’t you see that face full of unwillingness? There won’t be a good outcome if I give Yurun to him.” The tone of his voice showed that he was very angry with Marquis Moyu too.
Qian Yingchen was Marquis Moyu’s close friend, and the marquis had also settled his engagement. Now that Qian Yingchen had caused Miss Zhu to miscarry, how could Sir Zhu not be furious?
Ji Man made a token attempt to quell his anger, then she left Zhu Residence and went to find someone to send a letter to Wu Yong.
Although Zhangjun Prince had left the capital, he had left Wu Yong behind in the Ministry of Rites to make decisions on his behalf. The first prince’s faction still had power in the imperial court. They had just been keeping a low-profile. Since Zhu Shuyou was the Assistant Minister of Revenue, it would naturally be good to gain him as ally.
The crucial point would depend on if Wu Yong would be able to successfully draw Zhu Shuyou to Zhao Zhe’s side.
—
When Ji Man returned to the estate, Haohao pounced on her. After several days of not seeing him, she felt much better after seeing his bright gaze.
While hugging her legs and looking like a puppy that was wagging its tail and doing his best to please, Haohao recited a poem,
“The moonlight falls at the foot of my bed,
and resembles frost on the ground.
I look up to see the bright moon,
and lower my head as I think of my home.”
(T/N: The title of this poem is Thoughts on a Still Night by Li Bai.)
Ji Man stroked his head before picking him up and hefting him. “You’ve gotten heavier again.”
Haohao giggled. He tugged on her sleeve and pointed at Ning Yuxuan, who was nearby.
There were many things that troubled Marquis Moyu recently. He swept his gaze over them before returning to gazing at the flowerbeds as he contemplated.
Holding Haohao in her arms, she walked over there and said, “Marquis, Assistant Minister Zhu seems to be very angry.”
Ning Yuxuan glanced at her. His brow was furrowed as she said, “You paid a visit to Zhu Residence.”
“En.” Ji Man smiled as she said, “I happen to see Assistant Minister Zhu kicking Sir Qian out.”
She had originally thought that Ning Yuxuan’s expression would change when he heard these words, but to her surprise, he only let out a relieved sigh and said, “That’s good.”
