If Fu Rong had chosen to drive Jiang Yue away or beat her to death at the Marquis Manor, she would not have cared in the slightest. She had four maids just to help her dress, and throughout the entire courtyard, she kept twenty-eight maids to attend to her meals, travel, tend her gardens, and play music.
Jiang Yue had previously only worked as a helper in the small kitchen; she had never even caught Fu Rong’s eye.
Yet, this insignificant maid not only possessed a beautiful figure but also had a build nearly identical to hers, and with some training, her voice could mimic Fu Rong’s up to eighty percent. Apart from her, there was truly no one else she could find on short notice to handle her marital duties during the night.
Fu Rong’s eyes shifted slightly as she lowered her head, feigning a look of regret and self-reproach. "This maid is usually quite reliable. I don't know what came over her. At the end of the day, it is my fault for not disciplining her strictly. I hope my husband and Grandmother will spare her this once for my sake."
She had noble, striking features, and even when she put on such a wronged expression, it did not look petty. On the contrary, her desire to protect a mere maid only made her appear magnanimous and like an excellent mistress.
"That is enough. It is hardly such a major event that you need to plead for her."
Old Madam Xiao waved her hand and pulled Fu Rong to sit by her side. She turned her head and cast a displeased look at Xiao Yunsheng. "If you ask me, the fault lies entirely with this rascal. He knew he was supposed to dine with me today; not only was he late, but the first thing he did upon entering was to make things difficult for your maid. Look at him, still wearing this suit of armor even at home. I am used to it, but he should have worried about frightening you."
Now that the reprimand was directed at him, Xiao Yunsheng remained indifferent. He was about to say that Fu Rong was not so timid, but remembering how she had trembled on the bed last night, looking so delicate and needing protection, he swallowed his words.
He only replied in a low voice, "It was my oversight, Grandmother." As he spoke, he raised his hands to remove his armor.
"I will help you."
Fu Rong wanted to appear virtuous before the Old Madam, but she secretly regretted opening her mouth the moment she did. She had never even poured her own tea, let alone served anyone else. She held her hands up for a long moment, not knowing where to begin.
Fortunately, Old Madam Xiao was perceptive and waved her hand, telling her to sit down and leave it be.
"Let the maid do it. That thing is heavy. You stay here and keep me company."
In the dining hall, besides the two women's personal nannies, there was only one maid present.
Jiang Yue nervously twisted her fingers to steady her anxiety before stepping forward, reaching out to undo the dark buttons of his armor one by one.
The armor still carried the lingering chill of the morning. People in the manor said that Xiao Yunsheng had left the city at dawn to lead a training session. She wondered what kind of person he was—the two of them had been locked in intimate entanglements late into the night for the past two days, and yet he, who had been the one exerting himself all night, seemed refreshed and full of energy, while Jiang Yue felt an agonizing soreness in her waist and was only barely keeping herself upright.
Unfastening the armor on his sleeves had gone smoothly, but when she reached the breastplate, the buckle had been deformed by some impact and was stuck. Jiang Yue had made a mistake just moments ago, and now, cautious and desperate to make amends, she grew increasingly anxious as she failed to undo the buckle.
Her delicate, fair face was scrunched up, and a light sheen of sweat gathered on the tip of her nose.
Suddenly, a large hand gripped her wrist and pulled it forward.
With a click, the buckle finally snapped open.
Jiang Yue’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively looked up, only to find her eyes locking with Xiao Yunsheng’s. By the time she realized what was happening, he had already released her.
Xiao Yunsheng had turned his head to listen intently to the chat between the Old Madam and Fu Rong, as if that moment had been merely a figment of Jiang Yue’s imagination. The sunlight outside fell upon his face, softening the coldness in his brows and eyes, highlighting his distinct, jade-like, and ruggedly handsome features. Compared to his grace while practicing with a spear in the courtyard yesterday, today’s attire added an even more dashing and spirited air to his bearing.
The sensation on her wrist remained burning, leaving Jiang Yue in a daze as she hurriedly tucked away the last piece of armor.
The nanny behind Old Madam Xiao took out a golden rosewood cosmetic box. Opening it, she revealed a pair of bracelets engraved with mandarin duck and ruyi cloud patterns.
"This pair of bracelets was a gift from his grandfather to me on our wedding day. It symbolizes harmony between husband and wife, a love that harbors no doubts. Today, I pass them on to you."
As she spoke, the nanny held the box out before Xiao Yunsheng.
Xiao Yunsheng’s first thought was how to fit the bracelet through such a small opening. After a moment of contemplation, he took Fu Rong’s hand and paused. A small mole sat on her rounded wrist; it was a beautiful hand, both charming and slightly plump. Yet, the wrist he had held in his palm the previous night had been so slender he could have circled it with a single finger.
Just then, a pair of hands set a fresh bowl of porridge in front of Fu Rong. Beneath slightly rolled-up sleeves, a fair, slender wrist was revealed—one that looked far more like the thin wrist he had held in his arms last night than Fu Rong’s.
"Husband, my arms are getting sore from holding them up."
Fu Rong, left to the side, spoke up with a spoiled, dissatisfied pout.
Xiao Yunsheng pulled himself back to reality and fastened the bracelet. Feeling that his previous thought had been absurd, he looked at Fu Rong playing with the jewelry and couldn't help but praise, "It suits you very well, Madame."
"Old Madam has been worried these past two days that since the Young Master married, he would be as he was before—throwing himself into military affairs and neglecting the Young Mistress. But in my opinion, the Young Master dotes on the Young Mistress too much to ever cold-shoulder her. These past two days, the servants heating water by the boiler have been gossiping daily about how they have to heat water several times a night in the master bedroom, to the point where they hardly dare to sleep. By this count, I expect the Old Madam’s wish to hold a great-grandson will come true in just a month or so."
The nanny beside Old Madam Xiao was intent on pleasing her and spoke these words to liven the mood, making everyone laugh with hidden meaning, even Xiao Yunsheng, whose lips curled upward.
Only Jiang Yue lowered her eyes, her earlobes burning.
After breakfast, Mother Su wandered off to the kitchen. Jiang Yue followed the couple, and just as she was about to enter the room, the door slammed shut in her face, locking her outside.
Inside, Fu Rong heard the commotion and turned back in confusion. Seeing that Xiao Yunsheng had shut the door and left Jiang Yue outside, and seeing him standing unnaturally by the table, her smile stiffened. "Husband, why are you closing the door in broad daylight?"
Xiao Yunsheng turned around, paused slightly, and said in a calm tone, "Madame, please take off your outer robe."
"Take off my clothes?"
Her breath hitched, and Fu Rong barely managed to keep her composure. "But it is the middle of the day. If someone were to walk in..."
"You need not be anxious, Madame. The servants of the Xiao family do not enter the master's room without being summoned." He paused, then took two steps forward. "Also, from now on, in our room, you may call me by the same name you used last night."
Fu Rong’s eyes flickered. She could only bite her lip and lower her head in feigned bashfulness, her handkerchief nearly shredded in her hands. Suddenly, she caught sight of a half-open window and, moved by a sudden thought, let out a sharp cry.
"Husband, the window... there is someone outside!"
Xiao Yunsheng’s eyes flashed, but before he could speak, Fu Rong had already hurried to the half-open window and shouted at the space outside, "Jiang Yue! What are you doing sneaking around and eavesdropping out there?"