After all, blood ties were stronger than marital one . Du Jingyi worried that Shang Ji might not want to see the Fifth Branch suffer such a harsh fate. So, as she secretly fretted, Shang Ji unexpectedly turned up the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with appreciation.
“It’s a good idea,” he said. “Those two families need to face some difficulties. They shouldn’t keep thinking that we, in Dongyuan, are easy to bully.”
Hearing this, Du Jingyi felt a wave of relief. She was about to say more, but Shang Ji interrupted her. “And about Sister-in-law, you don’t have to worry. I was the one who caused this issue , so it’s my responsibility to fix it. You just need to focus on the moving of the house .”
“Seriously?” Du Jingyi asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
“Naturally,” Shang Ji confirmed. He was a man of his word in the army, and he spoke with the same certainty at home.
Du Jingyi simply smiled and nodded. To be honest, if she had forced the issue, her sister-in-law might not have agreed. But since the General had spoken so decisively, she didn’t need to rush into being a “peacemaker.”
A short silence fell between them. Du Jingyi, having gained some composure from her previous experiences, felt much calmer now. Yet, there were still some things she found difficult to say. So, she simply picked up the teacup from the red sandalwood table and began to drink.
Shang Ji found himself looking at Du Jingyi through the soft glow of the candlelight. It would be an exaggeration to say he felt an overwhelming admiration for her at this moment, but he was certainly a little touched. In the past, he had always felt that the inner household was a strange, dangerous place that swallowed people whole, leaving no trace. That’s why he had preferred to grow up in the military camp with his maternal grandfather’s family. But now, for some reason, every time he finished his duties, he found himself wanting to return and talk to her. Even just sitting quietly together, like this, felt good.
However, his moment of gentle reflection was brief, and he quickly regained his composure. He turned to Du Jingyi and said, “I have to rush back to the camp tonight. The soldiers will train tomorrow, and it wouldn’t be right for me to be absent. You can make arrangements for the move on your own early.”
His words brought a faint blush to Du Jingyi’s face. But she quickly adjusted, replying in a poised manner, “When a man establishes himself in the world, he should put his country first. A General loves his soldiers, and I understand this.”
Seeing her reply this way, Shang Ji was unsure whether to feel happy or a little annoyed. In the past, his grandfather and uncles often stayed in the army, but he had also heard stories of his grandmother and aunts throwing tantrums and making demands. For Du Jingyi to be so calm, he wondered if she was truly virtuous to her core, or if she simply didn’t care much for him. This thought, for the first time, made Shang Ji, who was usually so confident, feel a touch of uncertainty.
But Luo Yuan and others were still waiting outside, so he knew he had to leave. Getting up, he prepared to depart, and Du Jingyi naturally followed, stepping off the kang to see him off. As he reached the door, he paused, turned back, and said to Du Jingyi, “After the nineteenth, I’ll have three days of rest. Where would you like to go? How about I accompany you back to your parents’ house for a meal?”
“Is what the General said true?” she asked, her eyes widening slightly.
“A man of his word,” he affirmed.
“Okay! Last time I said I wanted to send Sister some things for her pregnancy, but I never found a chance. In that case, let’s take them with us when we go back. I’ll have to ask Lu Jue to quickly make some small clothes first.”
Shang Ji watched her suddenly become excited and charming, and felt a quiet happiness in his heart. For some reason, he always felt that his wife was one person in the Du family and another in the Duke’s Mansion. If he hadn’t seen her lively and quick-witted self in the Du family, Shang Ji would have thought his wife was a lady trained strictly in the rules of a noble family: always proper, calm, generous, and kind to others. But the more she acted this way, the less interested Shang Ji felt. She was still as wonderful as she had been in the Du family, brimming with “life.”
So, he offered a rare smile and said, “Then get ready and wait for me to come back.”
“Understood, General. Please be careful on your way. Even though it’s only autumn, the nights are quite cool, so wear more clothes.”
As the words left her mouth, Du Jingyi felt a bit foolish. The wind and sand in Cezhou were far harsher than in Sui’an City. Since he had lived there for so many years, he certainly didn’t need her to worry about the slight chill in Ancheng.
But Shang Ji, hearing her words, smiled and even said playfully, “Thank you for your concern, Madam. I will pay attention.” Then he opened the door, gave some instructions to Yingying and Lizhu who were guarding it, and left in a hurry.
Du Jingyi watched his tall figure disappear into the distance, and for the first time, she felt that this husband of hers wasn’t so bad after all.
That night, Du Jingyi slept soundly. The thought of going back to her parents’ home in a few days brought a smile to her face even in her sleep. A good night’s rest meant she was naturally in high spirits, so she woke up early in the morning. Looking at the bright sky outside, she called out to Yingtao.
Yingtao heard the movement and walked in, a hint of surprise in her voice. “Young Madam, are you awake? I thought you’d want to sleep a little longer.” Yesterday had been exhausting. Not just for Du Jingyi, but even for Yingtao and the others, their feet had been swollen and aching. Given their young lady’s usual habits, she would normally sleep late into the morning after such a tiring day. But now, so early, was she really planning to get up?
“Yes, I slept well last night, and now I feel like I have endless energy. Let’s have breakfast first.”
“Okay, I’ll help you get ready,” Yingtao said, helping Du Jingyi down.
Du Jingyi didn’t plan on going out today, so she dressed very simply. On her head was a plain Su jade hairpin she usually wore, looking quite ordinary. But the more ordinary she dressed, the more striking her already beautiful face appeared.
After washing up, Du Jingyi told Yingtao, “I haven’t been to the garden for several days. Let’s go and see what we’re going to eat today.”
“Good,” Yingtao agreed.
The mistress and servant then headed towards the small kitchen and vegetable patch at the back. It was a bit cool in the early morning, and dewdrops hung on the vegetable leaves, gleaming with vitality. Looking at the lush, vibrant vegetable fields that she hadn’t seen for a few days, Du Jingyi felt a surge of happiness.
Danruo, still busy in the small kitchen, saw her young lady approaching. After a few words with the cook, she wiped her hands and came out to greet them. “I have seen the Young Madam. Why are you here so early?”
“I couldn’t sleep, thinking about your cooking and these little melons~” Du Jingyi said playfully.
Hearing her joke, Danruo also laughed. Then she pointed to the ripe winter melons in the field and said, “Okay, then for lunch, I’ll prepare a winter melon soup for the Young Madam. Wild rice is also good. We can cut it into shreds and stir-fry some meat. It will also go well with rice.”