Chapter 70 - Occasionally gentle (1)
Title: The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir
Chapter: 070 out of 513 – Occasionally gentle (1)
Ning Errong sighed and said, “Other than my room, where else would she be able to peacefully sleep in this residence? I feel bad for her. I’ll have Baizhi bring her back to her room early tomorrow morning. Older brother, don’t tell anyone about this.”
“Do I seem like a person that gossips?” Ning Mingjie raised his eyebrows.
Ning Errong swung his hand back and forth as she fawningly said, “Of course not. Older brother is incomparably handsome, talented, and elegant.”
Ning Mingjie harrumphed. Standing at the doorway, he looked at the person lying on the cushioned couch. He had naturally heard all of the words that she had recently said. This woman’s mind was unexpectedly quite profound. If he put it nicely, she was clever. If he didn’t put it nicely, he would describe her as deeply scheming woman. But, as long as she wasn’t harming anyone, he wouldn’t be considered her a sinister person.
Ning Mingjie thought of the poem that she had composed at Luoyan Pagoda and connected it with the words that he had heard her say today. He felt that if this woman was truly Nie Sangyu, then there was no way that she would have lost her position as the main wife.
Baizhi came back with a pillow and quilt and sent the other servants farther away to avoid anyone spreading gossip. But, Ji Man was already asleep on the cushioned couch, and her face was even slightly flushed and her lips were faintly white.
Baizhi’s face was crumpled as she awkwardly said, “Miss, this servant isn’t strong enough to carry her.”
Baizhi’s face was crumpled as she awkwardly said, “Miss, this servant isn’t strong enough to carry her.”
Ning Errong waved her hand, “It’s fine. She can just sleep on the cushioned couch.”
Ning Mingjie found the situation funny and said, “The cushioned couch is by the window. The paper windows can’t block the cold. If you let her sleep here, she’ll definitely be sick by tomorrow.”
After saying this, seeing as there weren’t any outsiders in the room, he didn’t have to adhere to the rules as strictly as normal. He effortlessly picked Nie Sangyu up and gently placed her down on Ning Errong’s bed.
Errong gaped, then she turned her head and stared at Baizhi as she said, “Don’t gossip about this.”
Baizhi lowered her head and said, “Miss, you don’t have to worry. This servant understands.”
Her older brother seemed to have become more interested in people lately. The previous him wouldn’t have even flickered his eyes if he saw an unrelated person sleeping on a cushioned couch near the window. But today, he had actually carried a person to her bed of his own initiative.
Ning Errong couldn’t resist taking two steps forward. She wanted to get a closer look of Ning Mingjie’s expression.
However, after Ning Mingjie placed Sangyu down on her bed, he took several steps back. There wasn’t any emotion on his face and he only said, “I’m going back to my room.”
“Okay.” Ning Errong walked him to the entrance and watched as he opened the umbrella and slowly disappeared into the snowy night. Then, she turned around to take care of Sangyu.
—
When the sky wasn’t bright yet, Errong woke Sangyu up. She wanted to send her back to Feiwan Courtyard. It wouldn’t be good to wait until the sky was bright to leave. There would be too many people walking around then.
And so, Ji Man got up. Even though her entire body ached, she still gritted her teeth and followed Baizhi.
Ning Yuxuan had probably already left Feiwan Courtyard. The snow had also stopped, but her shoes were thin and her feet felt numbed as she stepped into the snow. Right now, Ji Man just wanted to go back to her room and continue sleeping. She needed to sleep at least two days to recover her energy and spirit.
“This servant will stop here,” At the southern courtyard’s entrance, Baizhi saluted. “If people see this servant with you, it won’t be good. Just act as if you had come outside for a stroll.”
“Okay.” Ji Man nodded, wrapped her cloak tighter around herself, and continued walking.
There were very few servant girls that like to wake up early, especially on a bitterly cold day like today. But, coincidentally, Songlan had an errand outside of the residence today. Just as she passed by the southern courtyard, she saw Nie Sangyu wrapped up in a cloak and walking out of the southern courtyard.
This was very bad news. The marquis had stayed at Feiwan Courtyard last night. Why was Nie Sangyu at the southern courtyard? She hurriedly turned around and walked away to avoid being seen. She ran back all the way to Jiyue Courtyard to report this information to Qi Siling.
—
Just as Ji Man entered Feiwan Courtyard, she saw Ning Yuxuan quietly drinking tea inside her room.
Her head immediately felt heavy. Ji Man was so tired that she didn’t even want to raise her hand. She didn’t feel like voicing any accusations or asking him why he was here either. She directly went inside, passed by him, dropped herself on the bed, and buried herself into her quilt.
Ning Yuxuan slightly narrowed his eyes. He thought she would at least acknowledge her wrongdoings when she came back. Instead, she had actually ignored him? He had woken up early this morning to wait for her and this was her response? He hadn’t even settled yesterday’s account with her.
With a blackened expression, he walked to the bed. Just as he was about erupt in anger, he saw her red cheeks. Marquis Moyu froze for a moment. He stretched his hand out to check her temperature. She seemed slightly feverish.
Everything had become hazy as soon as Ji Man dropped herself into bed. She didn’t know what was happening around her. In the midst of white mist, she seemed to see Nie Sangyu.
Nie Sangyu had finally stopped crying. Instead, she was blankly looking at her. Compared to last time, her body looked even more transparent.
“I want to go home.” Ji Man seriously said.
Nie Sangyu fled in panic. Ji Man gritted her teeth and chased after her. But after a long time passed, she finally couldn’t keep up with her speed and lost her.
This woman, what exactly did she want, ah? Ji Man squatted down in place and silently hugged herself. It was truly exhausting to live in this world.
—
Nie Sangyu had fallen ill after one night of serving Marquis Moyu. Her high temperature was somewhat difficult to deal with. He had seen that her shoes were soaked from melted snow in the early morning and had ordered Muxu to bring hot water. But the hot bath and change of clothes hadn’t worked. She was still feverish.
Old madame alternated between blaming Marquis Moyu for not having tender, protective feelings for the fairer sex and telling him to spend more time with Sangyu when he had free time.
Ning Yuxuan complied and didn’t leave the residence today. He directly returned to Feiwan Courtyard.
Wen Wan blankly stood in place. She had originally wanted to say a few gentle words to Ning Yuxuan, but his eyes never looked at her on his way to Feiwan Courtyard.
In a split second, she felt as if she was going to collapse. Was she no longer in Yuxuan’s eyes? How could he not see her?! Wasn’t Nie Sangyu the person that he despised the most? How could he have passed by her instead of stopping just because of Nie Sangyu?
“Madam, keep calm.” Qi Siling stood next to Wen Wan and supported her. Looking at the direction that the marquis had departed in, she said, “This concubine has seen Nie Sangyu reveal her evil nature. As long as we find the right opportunity, the marquis will definitely send her back into confinement.”
Wen Wan’s small face was deathly pale. She forced herself to say, “Really…”
“Madam, you have to believe in this concubine,” Qi Siling said.