Chapter 210: Rumors ( 7 )

Chapter 210: Rumors ( 7 )

Fu Chen’an thought for a moment and said carefully, "General, perhaps Madam misunderstood you."

"What do you mean by that?" Lu Qianxuan asked.

"Back when this subordinate had just gotten married, this subordinate’s wife treated me as if I were her enemy. After a long time, this subordinate finally understood that she thought I disliked her, all because this subordinate didn’t return home for more than two months."

The moment he heard this, Lu Qianxuan’s eyes widened. He tried to recall how long he had not returned home and realized that it had been more than two years.

𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Did Ya’er think I disliked her and therefore never returned home?" he muttered softly. After a while, he said, "But it was because I was busy with military affairs, not because I disliked her."

Fu Chen’an lowered his head and replied, "But Madam didn’t know this."

As soon as he heard this, Lu Qianxuan finally realized why his wife became more indifferent toward him with each passing year.

Back then, she still asked when he would return. But after the second year of their marriage, she no longer asked him anymore. He thought that she had finally understood his difficulties. Unexpectedly, it was because she was disappointed in him.

Reaching this conclusion, his heart clenched in pain. He stood up and said, "This won’t do. I have to go back now!"

After finishing his words, he grabbed his cloak and swords and left the tent in large strides. Before Fu Chen’an and the soldiers could react, he had already ridden his horse and left the barracks.

Meanwhile, a woman carrying a bag stood outside the General’s mansion, begging the guards.

"Sir, I’m really the General’s betrothed. I came from Huang He City to fulfill our engagement." After she said this, she took out a jade pendant from her bag and showed it to the guards. "Look, this is our engagement token."

The guards looked at the jade pendant and frowned. The jade pendant did look expensive, but they didn’t recognize the patterns and had never seen it before.

Thinking that she was a scammer, the guards waved their hands, and one of them said, "Go, go, go. Don’t spout nonsense here, or you will be punished."

Being pushed by the guards, the woman stumbled and fell to the ground. Not far from her, Chun Hua saw this and said, "Madam, someone is making trouble at the gate."

Hearing this, Xue Ya’er raised the carriage’s curtain and took a look. Seeing the woman, she frowned and said, "Chun Hua, invite her inside."

Chun Hua nodded and went to talk to the woman. Not long after, the woman entered the mansion through the back door.

When the guards saw the carriage, they quickly opened the main door and bowed. "Greetings, Madam."

Xue Ya’er came out of the carriage with the help of Xia Qing. She nodded to the guards and said, "In the future, if something like this happens again, inform Steward Han."

"Understood," the guards replied in unison.

After giving her instructions, Xue Ya’er returned to her courtyard. She changed her clothes and took off most of her jewelry. Wearing comfortable clothes and a simple jade hairpin, she said, "Bring her to the side hall."

"Yes, Madam," Xia Qing nodded and went to carry out her task.

30 minutes later, the woman had been waiting in the side hall and had almost lost her patience when Xue Ya’er finally arrived, followed by her personal maid, Qiu Yue.

When the woman saw her, she was stunned. After a moment, she clenched her fists and lowered her head. Only after Xue Ya’er took the main seat did she curtsy to her and say, "Greetings, Madam."

Xue Ya’er didn’t let her get up but observed her from head to toe. When her gaze landed on the jade pendant, surprise flashed in her eyes for a moment.

That woman’s jade pendant looked very similar to the one used by her husband. She never asked where he got the jade pendant, but she knew that he treasured it. Since she married into the General’s mansion, he would wear that jade pendant whenever they met.

Back then, she didn’t think much of it. She thought that he was someone who never paid attention to these small matters and was simply used to that jade pendant. But seeing the same jade pendant on another woman, she finally understood.

Turns out, this was the reason. It was not the item itself, but the memories carried on it that made him so attached to that jade pendant.

Reaching this conclusion, a self-deprecating smile appeared on her face. The smile lasted only for 2 seconds before her expression returned to normal.

"You may rise," she finally said.

The woman’s legs were shaking when she straightened her body. Seeing this, Xue Ya’er felt bored. She took a sip of her tea and said nothing.

"Who are you, and what is your intention in causing a ruckus at the General’s mansion entrance?" Qiu Yue asked.

When the woman heard her words, her face turned pale. She never expected this person to humiliate her by letting a servant question her.

After a moment, the woman finally said, "This commoner’s name is Su Jiaoyi. I came from Huang He city to find my fiancé, the General, and fulfill our marriage engagement."

As soon as she said this, Qiu Yue’s eyes turned cold, and she shouted, "Presumptuous! The General only had one betrothed back then, which was the current Madam."

Su Jiaoyi was startled but didn’t back down. She looked at Xue Ya’er with teary eyes and bit her lips lightly. If others didn’t know the full story, they would think that she was being bullied and had suffered greatly.

Xue Ya’er watched her performance without any expression. "You said that you are the General’s betrothed. Do you have proof?"

Su Jiaoyi nodded and showed the jade pendant. "This is the engagement and love token between the General and me."