Chapter 98: Discord Between Husband and Wife

After Qingyu carefully dressed herself up, she deliberately wandered along the garden path where Xiang Junzheng often frequented. Before long, Xiang Junzheng indeed walked over from the other side of the path.

Qingyu’s heart tightened, and she immediately pretended to walk toward him inadvertently. Just as the two were about to brush past each other, Qingyu suddenly slipped, her body tilted, and the handkerchief in her hand fell to the ground.

"Oh!" Qingyu let out a soft cry, her body leaning slightly forward as if she were about to fall.

Xiang Junzheng frowned and subconsciously reached out to steady her. Qingyu looked up, her eyes filled with a touch of panic and apology, and she said pitifully:

"Second Master, please forgive me; this servant did not do it on purpose."

Xiang Junzheng’s gaze fell upon her face, and he was slightly stunned. After all, she was a young woman who had dressed with care; she was simply worlds apart from that tigress Lady Wu in the courtyard, and she was not comparable to the flower-and-willow women of the Yihong Academy either.

The woman before him had soft, pink lips that curved slightly upward, carrying a hint of shyness, and her eyes held a touch of allure. Yet, this allure was not vulgar, shallow, or deliberately flirtatious like the women in places of pleasure. On the contrary, it seemed more like a charm emanating from her very bones, revealing an indescribable appeal.

The words of reprimand that Xiang Junzheng had originally intended to utter could not be spoken for a moment.

"It is no matter," Xiang Junzheng replied indifferently, though his gaze could not help but linger on her face for a few extra seconds.

Qingyu lowered her head and gently picked up the handkerchief from the ground, her fingers trembling slightly as if she were still flustered. She curtsied slightly and said in a low voice, "Thank you, Second Master."

Xiang Junzheng nodded, his gaze still fixed on her until Qingyu turned and left; only then did he withdraw his eyes and continue walking toward the study.

As for Jun Ziqin, the Princess mansion bestowed upon her by the Emperor became a temporary processing site for down jackets; she wasn't living there anyway, so it would be a waste to leave it empty.

When Jun Ziqin returned to the Jun residence, the sky had turned completely dark. She had just stepped into the courtyard gate when Hanxiao and Miaozhu greeted her, their faces filled with excitement.

"Young Lady, you have finally returned!" Hanxiao said with a smile, "Can you guess what interesting thing happened in the residence today?"

Jun Ziqin raised an eyebrow and smiled, "What happened to make you both so happy?"

Miaozhu leaned forward and lowered her voice:

"Young Lady, Qingyu deliberately bumped into the Second Master in the garden today and even acted all pitiful. The Second Master didn't even get angry and actually looked at her a few extra times!"

Upon hearing this, Jun Ziqin chuckled, a flash of realization crossing her eyes: "Qingyu certainly has some tricks."

Hanxiao and Miaozhu continued to recount the encounter between Qingyu and Xiang Junzheng with vivid detail. Jun Ziqin listened and responded occasionally; she had been busy all day and took it as entertainment to relieve her fatigue. She ate a little late-night snack, washed up simply, and went to rest.

That night, Xiang Junzheng did not return to his room again but rested in the study. As he lay on the bed, Qingyu’s beautiful face kept appearing in his mind, and his heart was surprisingly difficult to calm.

The night was deep, and Xiang Junzheng tossed and turned; the inexplicable agitation in his heart made him feel unbearably restless.

Another person who could not sleep that night was Lady Li. It was rare for Xiang Junzheng to return to the residence to rest, yet he did not return to their room but stayed in the study.

Lady Li sat in her room, the handkerchief in her hand nearly torn apart by her grip. Her face was livid, her eyes filled with rage, and her lips trembled slightly, as if she were about to explode at any moment. She stood up abruptly, kicked over the footstool beside her, and shouted in a shrill voice:

"That heartless thing! It’s rare for him to return to the residence, yet he doesn't return to the room and went to the study instead! Does he still have me in his eyes!"

Lady Li strode to the door, pushed it open, and roared at the maids and matrons outside:

"You useless things! Are you all dead? The Second Master went to the study, why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you persuade him to return to the room? What is the use of keeping you!"

Lady Li’s howl startled Feiying, who was lying on the rafters of the second courtyard, causing him to shudder and nearly fall. He dug at his suffering ears, thinking to himself that this woman’s voice was truly loud. No wonder Xiang Junzheng would rather sleep outside all day than come home. Feiying adjusted his posture and continued to watch the show.

The maids were trembling with fear, their heads bowed, not daring to make a sound. Seeing them like this, Lady Li was even more furious. At this moment, a young maid walked into Lady Li’s room, trembling with fear.

"My Lady, please calm your anger. You know the Second Master’s temper; how would we dare to persuade him?"

Upon hearing this, Lady Li was even more incensed and slapped the young maid across the face, "Useless thing!" The young maid covered her face and dared not make a sound.

A matron nearby hurriedly stepped forward to stop her and advised in a low voice, "My Lady, please calm your anger. Perhaps the Second Master is tired and wants to rest in the study; why must you be so angry?"

"Tired?" Lady Li sneered, her eyes full of sarcasm, "He is tired? What is he tired from? He spends his days outside having fun, yet he is tired when he returns to the residence? I think he has been bewitched by some vixen and won't even come home!"

Seeing that she could not be persuaded, the matron had no choice but to step aside, not daring to say another word.

Lady Li’s chest heaved with anger. She turned and returned to the room, grabbed a teacup from the table, and smashed it fiercely on the ground, sending shards flying everywhere. She cursed through gritted teeth:

"I want to see which shameless slut dares to seduce my husband! If I catch her, I will surely skin her alive!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became; the rage in her heart burned so fiercely she nearly lost her reason. She stood up abruptly, rushed out the door, and headed straight for the study. The maids and matrons saw this and hurriedly followed, fearing she might cause some major trouble.

Lady Li marched quickly, her feet stomping heavily on the ground as if to vent all the anger in her heart. She rushed to the door of the study and raised her hand to push it open, but was stopped by the servant guarding the door. The servant said tremblingly:

"My Lady, the Second Master has already retired; you had better not disturb him."

"Retired?" Lady Li sneered, her eyes full of sarcasm, "He has retired? I want to see if he has truly retired!" She shoved the servant aside and violently pushed open the door to the study.

Xiang Junzheng was sitting at the desk with a book in his hand. Hearing the commotion, he looked up at the door and frowned slightly: "What are you doing?"

Seeing him like this, the rage in Lady Li’s heart grew even stronger, and she sneered:

"What am I doing? I should be asking you, what are you doing? It’s rare for you to return to the residence, and at night you don't return to the room but run to the study instead. Do you find me, your legal wife, an eyesore?"

Xiang Junzheng put down the book in his hand, his tone cold: "I am tired and want to rest in the study. Why must you make such a scene?"

"Tired?" Lady Li sneered, her eyes full of sarcasm, "Are you hiding a vixen in the study? I want to see which vixen has bewitched your mind!" As she spoke, she took a few quick steps to the bed and began rummaging through it wildly.