After Marrying The Paranoid God of War (Rebirth) - Chapter 33
Chapter 33: Public Display of Affection
Ruan An felt uncomfortable under the man’s overly direct gaze, so she covered her slender hands over her collarbone and explained in a hesitant voice, “Recently, this style of dress has become popular in Chang’an. The wives of other noble families wear it too…”
“Why has this style become fashionable?”
Huo Pingxiao’s hoarse voice carried a hint of displeasure as he commanded in a subdued tone, “Change into something else before you leave.”
Ruan An blinked and remained silent.
Lately, the man’s control over her had been increasing. She hadn’t expected that Huo Pingxiao would be a man with a strong desire for control, even dictating what his wife should wear.
The design of the dress was quite complicated, and it had taken her a lot of effort to put it on with the help of Bai Wei and others.
After he released her wrist, Ruan An sighed helplessly.
Fortunately, she had prepared in advance, and there was still time to change into another outfit before going to Xiangfu to meet Madam Gao and He Xinruo.
“Mother just returned from the Daci Temple fast and looked thinner. I specifically had someone go to Zui Xian (Drunken Immortal) Pavilion to buy some fresh dishes for Mother. When you return to Xiangfu tonight, please eat more.”
“You are thoughtful.”
Upon arriving at the Wenchang Marquis’s residence, Madam Gao and He Xinruo walked ahead of Ruan An, chatting happily.
Bai Wei, seeing that the two intentionally ignored their mistress, glanced at Ruan An and softly called out, “Madam…”
Ruan An’s expression showed no change, and she smiled gently at Bai Wei.
On the way to the Earl’s residence, Ruan An had sensed Madam Gao’s deliberate distance from her, but she didn’t feel upset. After all, He Xinruo was Madam Gao’s direct daughter-in-law.
It was normal for Madam Gao to favor He Xinruo.
However, watching He Xinruo occasionally glance at her, hoping to see her feeling of loss, amused Ruan An.
She wished He Xinruo would understand sooner that she didn’t care about these matters and didn’t bother comparing herself to her.
Ruan An just wanted to do her duties well. When she was out, as long as she didn’t disgrace the Dingbei Marquis’s residence, it was enough.
Once they entered the women’s hall of the Earl’s residence, Madam Gao saw He Xinyan, wearing an intercolored Luo skirt, and gently said to He Xinruo beside her, “Your sister is also here. Go and say hello.”
He Xinruo smiled and agreed, though her expression was slightly awkward.
She didn’t really want to talk to this half-sister, especially after seeing her face, now restored to its original fairness, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
Without those acne scars, even the looks of He Xinyan, a concubine-born girl, surpassed hers.
But since Madam Gao had spoken, He Xinruo had no choice but to approach He Xinyan and exchange a few insincere pleasantries.
He Xinyan’s gaze discreetly shifted to Ruan An behind He Xinruo, not taking her legitimate sister’s words to heart.
As for Ruan An, seeing He Xinyan’s face healed completely, naturally revealed a relieved smile.
He Xinyan, seeing Ruan An smile at her, slightly changed her expression, feeling a bit guilty and a surge of unspoken sadness.
She had learned about this distant cousin from her mother and knew she was a kind and pure-hearted person. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been willing to help Huo Pingxiao raise another woman’s child.
Of course, He Xinyan was also extremely grateful to Ruan An, the doctor who cured her acne.
She thought both her cousin from the Fang family and Doctor Ruan were good women. It’s just a pity that the Marquis of Dingbei was not a man worthy of lifelong commitment.
In the gathering, several women present were not of good character. This included Mrs. Shao, the young daughter of the Duke of Yingguo who had recently married, and Mrs. Liu from the family of Minister Liu, who was skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and whose fame once echoed throughout Chang’an as a talented woman.
Mrs. Shao and Mrs. Liu used to be close friends, but they had a falling out over Marquis Dingbei Huo Pingxiao and never interacted again. Later, Mrs. Liu even became willing to be Huo Pingxiao’s concubine, pressuring her father, who doted on her, to request an imperial decree for marriage.
The Emperor couldn’t interfere in Huo Pingxiao’s marriage affairs, so when Mrs. Liu threatened to commit suicide, she was timely stopped by Minister Liu’s people just as she was about to hang herself, thus saving her life.
The young daughter of the Duke of Yingguo, proud of her noble heritage, did not make as much of a fuss as Mrs. Liu after being repeatedly rejected. However, she fell seriously ill after Huo Pingxiao went on a campaign.
Five or six years quickly passed, and both Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Shao had married. Their relationship had become more amicable.
He Xinyan observed that they even got along well at the birthday banquet of the Earl, as if they had forgotten their past conflicts.
The sudden reconciliation between these two women was obvious to anyone with a bit of sense—they were clearly trying to trip up the cousin from the Fang family at the banquet.
Considering this, He Xinyan bypassed He Xinruo and approached Ruan An, greeting her warmly: “Cousin, hello.”
Ruan An was slightly startled. Although He Xinyan had not seen Fang Yi’s appearance before, she could tell from her entry with the Gao family and He Xinruo that she was her distant cousin.
With this in mind, Ruan An also responded to He Xinyan with a warm and friendly manner: “Since I came to the capital from Shu, I’ve been recuperating at the Duke of Pei’s residence and haven’t had the chance to meet my cousin.”
Mrs. Gao was puzzled, noticing that He Xinyan seemed much more enthusiastic towards the cousin of Fang than towards He Xinruo, suggesting a strained relationship between the He sisters.
As for the reason behind their strained relationship, Mrs. Gao wasn’t too interested to speculate—it was probably the typical disdain of a legitimate daughter for a half-sister.
The more Mrs. Gao thought about it, the more she regretted not investigating the He family more thoroughly.
Now, she found He Xinruo, her daughter-in-law, increasingly displeasing, yet had to show favoritism in public.
After the banquet, Ruan An and He Xinyan joined other noble ladies in the mandarin duck hall for tea.
A messenger from the military governor of Lingnan had rushed to the Emperor with dozens of baskets of lychees. The Marquis of Wenchang’s residence happened to receive a basket, not bestowed by the Emperor, but sent from the palace by the Empress.
After setting down her teacup, Ruan An glanced casually in the direction of the palace messenger.
It was a familiar face.
The visitor was Granny Zhong, who was highly trusted by the Empress. It seemed that in her past life, the Empress had already chosen the Earl’s eldest daughter as a candidate for a noble consort, using the gift of lychees as a means to win favor and counterbalance Li Shuying in the future.
Lychees were extremely rare and expensive, and even though everyone present was from a noble family, not all had tasted them. There was a sense of surprise among them.
The lady of the Marquis of Wenchang, feeling quite honored, specially ordered a huge block of ice to be dug out from the cellar. She placed the lychees on a glass fruit stand, offering three to each guest to taste.
“These lychees are even more delicious when chilled. Please, everyone, taste them while they’re cool.”
As she spoke, the lady of the Earl realized that some of the noble ladies were not focused on the lychees, appearing somewhat sheepish.
Only the wife of Marquis Dingbei, Mrs. Fang, immediately broke open a lychee with her delicate fingers, eating gracefully and contentedly.
Different from the tense demeanor of the noble ladies present, Madame Fang’s attitude was extremely natural and at ease.
Additionally, with her exquisite face that outshone snow, every movement she made was suffused with a pleasing, ethereal charm.
The wife of the Marquis of Wenchang suddenly understood why the Marquis of Dingbei had chosen this distant cousin as his wife.
Firstly, Madame Fang’s appearance was undoubtedly a match for him.
In the eyes of the Marquis of Wenchang’s wife, she even thought Madame Fang was more beautiful than the crown prince’s wife.
While the crown prince’s wife had beautiful features, she lacked the ethereal quality of Madame Fang, a distant cousin of the Fang family.
Secondly, in Madame Fang’s first attendance at a Chang’an aristocratic banquet, she showed no signs of timidity, instead appearing more composed than anyone else present.
Indeed, a woman who could hold her own against the Marquis of Dingbei was certainly not simple-minded.
Ruan An didn’t notice the approving gaze of the Marquis of Wenchang’s wife, nor did she pay attention to the sour looks from the ladies of the Shao and Liu families. She was completely engrossed in savoring lychees.
Having lived two lives, she had never tried lychees before today, but their taste was indeed fresh, sweet, and juicy.
After eating two, Ruan An felt like she had discovered a new delight.
Remembering that Huo Xi was returning to the Marquis’s residence today, she even considered secretly sending the last lychee back for her son to try.
However, she then thought that the emperor would likely have given Huo Lang a basket of lychees, and Huo Xi must have already tasted them.
So, the last lychee was hers.
With this thought, Ruan An was about to peel the lychee when she suddenly heard a slightly sharp female voice:
“Lady of the Marquis of Dingbei, I heard that the Marquis wrote a plaque for a Ruan-named female doctor who had once saved his life in Jiazhou. The stewardess of my residence is ill, and we want to see her for treatment, but I’m not sure about her medical skills.”
The speaker was Liu, the legitimate daughter of Deputy Minister Liu. Seeing Ruan An finally turning her gaze upon her, Liu curved her lips and asked, “Does the Lady of the Marquis know about the medical skills of this female doctor?”
At these words, everyone present looked at Ruan An with various expressions.
The wife of the Marquis of Wenchang frowned slightly, feeling that Liu’s words were somewhat excessive.
Since the Marquis of Dingbei had opened a medicine hall for this Ruan-named doctor, it indicated that she was not an ordinary concubine. If others wanted to speak ill, the doctor could very well use the life-saving favor as a shield.
But with the plaque, it further implied a special relationship between them.
Mentioning the Marquis of Dingbei’s mistress in front of Madame Fang was like deliberately picking a quarrel.
He Xinruo and Lady Shao also watched with amusement, eager to see how Madame Fang, who was always calm, would respond to Liu’s question.
Ruan An put the lychee back on the plate, thinking of the plaque Huo Pingxiao personally wrote for her medicine hall. The remaining lychee juice on her lips seemed even sweeter.
Since Liu had asked her, it was a perfect opportunity to promote her own medical hall. These masters might not value a small clinic’s doctor, but their servants needed affordable medical care.
What a great opportunity!
She had to suppress her smile, not making it too obvious that she was promoting her medical hall.
With this in mind, Ruan An slightly moderated her smile and replied softly to Liu, “I’ve heard of the new medical hall in Anren Alley. It’s not easy to make a living these days. Since the female doctor could open a medical hall, it means her medical skills are adequate. I heard that many people line up outside the medical hall from the 10th to the 15th of every month.”
Liu and Lady Shao naturally noticed the faint smile on Ruan An’s lips. It was too natural, as if it came from the heart, and not an act.
Was Madame Fang mocking them?
Madame Liu and Madame Shao looked at each other, both somewhat panicked.
They truly didn’t expect that the cousin from the Fang family would have such a high status, that someone could mention her husband’s mistress right in front of her, and yet she could respond so indifferently.
She could even manage a smile!
The Lady of Wenchang, sitting at the head, nodded slightly, growing more admiring of this cousin from the Fang family. When she was as young as Ruan An, she did not possess such tolerance and restraint.
The cousin from the Fang family was indeed a woman not to be underestimated.
Madame Liu had originally wanted to upset Ruan An, but seeing her smiling like a blooming flower, a fleeting shadow of sadness crossed her eyes.
Madame Liu lowered her gaze slightly, remembering that bright and eye-catching young man who now had a family and even became a father, her heart wrapped in an indescribable bitterness.
She comforted herself in her heart, thinking that the cousin from the Fang family had nothing to be proud of, after all, Lord Huo had a confidante outside.
Madame Fang must be just putting on a brave face; her days in the marquis’s house, she estimated, were probably not that great.
When she looked up again, Madame Fang saw a familiar face entering the hall.
It was Lord Huo’s close servant, Wei Yuan.
What was Wei Yuan doing here?
Madame Liu, feeling puzzled, then saw Wei Yuan respectfully bowing to the Lady of Wenchang at the head, and then ordered the servants behind him to bring in a basket of lychees still covered in dew.
Madame Liu and Madame Shao looked over, their hearts filled with even more curiosity.
At that moment, Wei Yuan respectfully said to the Lady of Wenchang: “Lord Huo has ordered me to bring these lychees, bestowed by His Majesty, to the manor for all the ladies to taste.”
Madame Liu gradually guessed the purpose of Wei Yuan’s special trip here, her expression growing more miserable.
What Wei Yuan said next was even more grating to Madame Liu—
“Our lady has just arrived and is new here, Lord Huo hopes that all of you ladies will take good care of her.”
“Lord Huo also instructed me not to forget to remind the lady that eating too many lychees can cause internal heat, and she should take care of her health and not overindulge.”
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