Chapter 50: Consort Li, Who Was Ordered to Die, Is Not Dead

Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Consort Li, Who Was Ordered to Die, Is Not Dead

Her expression went blank, and then her cheeks quickly flushed red.

Shen Tingyu was also ill at ease. Seeing her reaction, he quickly explained, "You’re young and have a good constitution. You may not feel the depletion of your vital energy now, but in a few years, it will be much harder to build it back up."

’I still don’t know how long I’ll be in this world.’ Since it concerned her own body, Cui Lingyao had no objections. She asked him, "Will you prescribe some medicine?"

"That won’t be necessary. A restorative diet will be enough," Shen Tingyu said. "I’ll arrange it after we’re married."

’After we’re married again.’

Cui Lingyao was a little stunned. "But won’t our wedding be a long time from now?"

’To marry a proper wife, the Three Letters and Six Rites are indispensable.’

’From the initial proposal to the wedding procession, it wasn’t something that could be arranged overnight.’

’Even commoners spend a great deal of time preparing for a wedding.’

’When she married Xie Jinbai, it was a marriage directly bestowed by the Emperor, which spared them many of the complex formalities. Even so, the wedding preparations took a full year.’

’He was the eldest legitimate son of the illustrious Shen Family. Could his wedding ceremony possibly be more rushed than a commoner’s?’

And yet, that was exactly the case.

Shen Tingyu said, "It won’t be long. Yaoyao, you should be prepared. As long as my grandfather and father consent, our marriage will be arranged very quickly."

’He was already twenty-one, which was not young.’

’And while she was only sixteen, she had reached a marriageable age.’

’In her condition, his aunt couldn’t wait for them to go through the normal wedding process.’

’If the worst were to happen, they would have to wait three years.’

’Three years.’

’Even if he was willing to wait, he was certain the family elders would not be.’

’It would be one thing if the Duke Mansion refused the marriage.’

’But once they gave their approval, their wedding day would be right around the corner.’

"So soon?"

Cui Lingyao realized this as well, and a sudden panic seized her heart.

"Don’t be afraid," Shen Tingyu soothed her gently. "It’s merely a marriage of convenience. I won’t force you to do anything."

’A marriage of convenience...’

Looking at the gentle, well-mannered man before her, Cui Lingyao composed herself and asked, "Aren’t you worried that Xie Jinbai will discover the truth, confirm that I’m his dead Princess Consort, and come make trouble for you?"

"No,"

Shen Tingyu gave a relaxed smile. "I’m more worried that you only have eyes for him."

’...and that you’ll never see me.’

The last few words lingered on his tongue, but he swallowed them back, afraid of putting too much pressure on her.

’This man must have some kind of magic,’ Cui Lingyao truly thought.

’His every word and action was perfectly measured. Even his bolder actions, like holding her hand more than once today, didn’t make her feel the slightest bit of resistance. Now, with all the servants dismissed, they were completely alone. Yet she didn’t feel uncomfortable. In fact, she felt quite at ease. If this was personal charisma, his had reached the pinnacle of perfection. In just a few days, she was already starting to trust him, and had decided to marry him. Even if it was just a "marriage of convenience."’

The two chatted for a while longer as the sun gradually shifted west.

A knock came at the door of the tea room. Shen Er had come with a message: the Lord Duke had returned to the mansion.

Shen Tingyu prepared to go meet with his grandfather.

Cui Lingyao asked, "Should I go with you?"

"There’s no need," Shen Tingyu said, standing up and smiling at her. "My grandfather is different from my mother. It’s best if I go alone."

’Men weren’t confined to the small world of the inner residence, and they were more emotionally detached. He wouldn’t be able to persuade his grandfather and father to approve the marriage by relying on a line like, "I will never find joy in this life."’

Hearing his words, Cui Lingyao immediately stood up. "In that case, I’ll head back too."

’The master of the courtyard was leaving; what was she supposed to do here all by herself?’

Shen Tingyu didn’t ask her to stay. He personally walked her to the courtyard gate and advised, "Before our marriage is settled, if anyone from my mother’s or grandmother’s courtyards comes for you, just say that my aunt cannot be left alone and that you must attend to your mother, leaving you no time to get away."

Cui Lingyao nodded. "Alright."

’She had no desire to face the two matriarchs of the Marquis Mansion alone either.’

Shen Tingyu added, "As for my aunt, I’ll be the one to speak with her."

’No matter how vast the difference in their worldly status, and no matter whose soul was inside, she was currently using the body of Pei Shuyao. To marry a family’s daughter, a proper proposal was, of course, required.’

Cui Lingyao once again thought what a good person he was, and nodded again.

As they spoke, they reached the purple bamboo grove just outside the courtyard.

Shen Tingyu said, "Get some rest early tonight. I’ll come for you tomorrow."

’To... night.’

The color drained from Cui Lingyao’s face as she remembered what happened last night.

’Who knew if Xie Jinbai would come again tonight.’

She stopped mid-stride. Cui Lingyao furrowed her brow in thought for a moment, then suddenly turned her head to the man beside her. "Can you come see me tonight?"

"..." Shen Tingyu froze. "...What?"

They had already left the courtyard. Worried there might be Yulin Guards watching nearby, Cui Lingyao said evasively, "I want to see you tonight. I also want to find out what my maternal grandfather and uncle think of our marriage as soon as possible."

Shen Tingyu only heard the first part of her sentence: ’I want to see you tonight...’

’Given the current state of their relationship, those words were truly preposterous. He quickly realized she wanted him to come over tonight. As for why...’

He was exceptionally sharp, and it only took him a moment to piece most of it together.

’The reason, he feared, lay with Xie Jinbai. That man hadn’t just planted spies in her courtyard—he had likely come in person. —What did he do?’

Shen Tingyu took a deep breath, his voice strained. "Alright. I’ll come see you tonight."

With his promise, Cui Lingyao finally felt at ease.

...

The late summer sun was still scorching hot, but it was now one of the more comfortable times of day. At this hour, the servants in the rear garden would be getting busy.

Cui Lingyao said her goodbyes to Shen Tingyu and encountered several groups of servants on her way back to the courtyard.

Some were pruning flowers.

Others were sweeping the courtyards.

These servants were the most well-informed; any amusing scandal that occurred in any of the Capital City’s prominent families would immediately become the topic of their dinnertime chatter.

They had likely heard some exciting news, as the sound of conversation drifted over from time to time.

Cui Lingyao faintly heard the words "poisoned" and "concubine" but thought nothing of it. But when the three words "Prince Yu’s Mansion" reached her ears, her body went rigid. Before she knew it, she was standing right in front of the gossiping servants.

The two maids, who had been whispering with their heads together, jumped at her sudden appearance and hastily curtsied. "Greetings, Young Miss." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Cui Lingyao told them to rise. Wary of potential spies lurking in the shadows, she asked with feigned curiosity, "What were you two talking about? Who was poisoned?"

"The concubine from Prince Yu’s Mansion."

Since they weren’t discussing their own masters—and besides, the news had already spread like wildfire throughout the Capital City in less than a day, which meant Prince Yu clearly didn’t care—the maid who answered wasn’t too nervous. She recounted the juicy gossip she had heard, leaving no detail out.

This morning, a secret from Prince Yu’s Mansion had suddenly begun to spread through the streets and alleys of the Capital City.

Concubine Li, who hailed from Marquis Guangping Mansion and had married into Prince Yu’s Mansion three years ago, was widely rumored to have been put to death after the Princess Consort died. But as it turned out, she wasn’t dead at all—she was just sick.