boyutpedia Chapter 192 Heartbreaking
Chapter 192 Heartbreaking
Marquis Zhongyong's Mansion
Wen Zongji happened to return to the mansion with Wen Zongren.
Wen Zongren smiled and said, "Third brother, knowing that you will be celebrating your birthday with the county princess, your birthday gift has already been sent to Yunguang Academy."
Wen Zongji: "Thank you, Brother Xie."
Wen Zongren patted him on the shoulder: "Let's drink together another day. You should go back to Yunguang Courtyard first. I reckon the county princess is waiting for you."
It's been almost a year since Wen Zongji got married, and everyone in the Marquis's mansion knows that the Third Young Master and the County Princess have a very good relationship. They have never seen the two of them quarrel.
Wen Zongji nodded: "Okay."
Pei Rujing reminded him several times to return home early after his shift, probably because she had prepared some surprise for him.
Wen Zongji asked Chang Dong and An Feng, "Do you know what the county princess has arranged?"
Both of them shook their heads.
"Young master, we are all your people, how could the county princess let us know?"
"Too."
Wen Zongji smiled, realizing he'd lost his mind and asked such a question.
Having lived for so many years, this is the first time someone has cared so much about his birthday.
Wen Zongji didn't care about these things at first, but after being led by Pei Rujing, he felt a little more expectant.
Back to Yunguangyuan
Wen Zongji walked into the courtyard and looked it over carefully, but he didn't find anything different.
There was nothing different as we walked all the way to the main house.
No, but it's not without its problems.
Yunguangyuan seemed unusually quiet tonight.
There were no servants bustling about, nor were there any maids standing at the door to greet Wen Zongji.
If I had to describe it in one word, it would be—desolate.
Wen Zongji shook his head, thinking he was overthinking things. Ever since Pei Rujing married into the Marquis's mansion, Yunguang Courtyard had never been associated with the word "desolate".
Upon entering the main room, An Feng and Chang Dong stood guard outside the door while Wen Zongji went into the inner room.
In the inner room
Pei Rujing sat upright on the couch, while Granny Feng, Qinghe, and the others stood to the side, none of them speaking.
Upon seeing Wen Zongji walk in, Granny Feng and the others' expressions changed slightly.
Wen Zongji, oblivious to this scene, first took off his official robes and walked straight to Pei Rujing, saying gently, "Yunguang Courtyard is so quiet today, has my wife prepared something for me...? What happened to your hand?"
As soon as Wen Zongji walked up to Pei Rujing, his expression changed. He noticed that Pei Rujing's right hand was wrapped in a handkerchief, and there was bloodstains on the white handkerchief.
Wen Zongji quickly took Pei Rujing's hand and examined her closely.
Pei Rujing's gaze was fixed on Wen Zongji's face, somewhat dazed. She didn't know if his worry at this moment was a genuine expression of emotion or if he had been pretending for so long that acting had become second nature to him.
Wen Zongji, not receiving a response from Pei Rujing for a long time, looked up in confusion and met Pei Rujing's indifferent gaze.
Wen Zongji was taken aback: "My lady—"
Pei Rujing looked at him and said, "Today I saw a medical book called 'Treatise on Herbs' in your study."
Wen Zongji's heart skipped a beat, and the hand that was holding Pei Rujing's right hand loosened, causing Pei Rujing's right hand to slip from his palm.
Pei Rujing looked at her hand, which he had just released, and asked her second question: "You don't want our child?!"
Upon hearing this, Granny Feng suddenly raised her head, her gaze towards Wen Zongji filled with shock.
When they came out of the study today, they noticed that Pei Rujing's hand was injured and she seemed upset.
No matter how they asked, Pei Rujing didn't say a word. Like a stagnant pool, she sat on the couch, motionless, until Wen Zongji returned.
The paper tucked inside that book, "Treatise on Herbs," contained Pei Rujing's calculations of her safe period using Arabic numerals from later generations.
Logically speaking, Pei Rujing shouldn't know her.
But Wen Zongji had a good memory; he remembered which page the paper was tucked in.
However, he had only been calculating Pei Rujing's safe period and had not done anything else. Only he recognized the numbers on that piece of paper.
Even if Pei Rujing saw the contents of that page, it's impossible for her to be 100% certain.
Wen Zongji felt calm and his expression returned to normal. He smiled and said, "My wife is overthinking it. How could I not want a child? It's just that these things are a matter of fate, and we need to keep a calm mindset."
Pei Rujing pursed her lips and looked at him: "In the past, you treated me like a child, and I always thought it was because you cared about me and were willing to go along with everything I wanted. But now I realize it's because I was stupid; you were just being perfunctory, and I believed you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Pei Rujing's pain erupted in an instant, and tears streamed down her face like pearls from a broken string.
She suppressed her emotions, waiting for Wen Zongji's explanation. As long as... as long as he gave a reasonable explanation, she would believe him.
She loved him so much!
She loves him so much that even knowing he might lie to her, she will still believe him!
Even now, Wen Zongji is still giving her the runaround and treating her like a fool.
Pei Rujing felt a sharp pain in her chest, making it hard to breathe: "You don't really have me in your heart!"
This realization was like a piece of flesh being ripped from Pei Rujing's heart, causing her unbearable pain.
Wen Zongji's expression changed drastically: "My wife, actually..."
Do you love me?
Pei Rujing was not giving up. She looked him straight in the eye and asked him the question.
"when……"
Don't lie to me!
Pei Rujing's stubborn gaze held a hint of pleading.
She only hoped that Wen Zongji could be honest just this once.
Even if this honesty might hurt her even more.
But she didn't want to live in a world of lies.
The "Of course" that was about to come out got stuck in my throat.
Wen Zongji's silence dimmed Pei Rujing's gaze: "Why? Do you dislike my bad temper? Or are you still holding a grudge against me for hitting you on the head with the wedding scale on our wedding night, making you lose face?"
"Neither!"
Wen Zongji felt a pang of regret. He shouldn't have remained silent; Pei Rujing needed him to comfort her most right now.
He grasped Pei Rujing's hand and quickly tried to salvage the situation: "My wife, didn't we promise to be together for life? I'm not good with sweet words, but loving someone isn't just about words. I can guarantee that you'll be the only one for me in this life. If you don't believe me, why don't you test me for a lifetime?"
Pei Rujing lowered her eyes to look at their clasped hands, remained silent for a moment, then forcefully pulled her hand away, her throat dry as she said, "But I no longer know which of your words are true, and which are just to make me happy."
She got off the couch, turned and walked towards the bathroom: "From today onwards, we will sleep in separate rooms."
Qinghe and the others quickly followed to serve Pei Rujing during her bath.
Wen Zongji looked down at his empty palm and froze on the spot.
Granny Feng walked to his side and said softly, "The county princess is the only daughter of the eldest princess. Because of the matter of Duke Pei, the eldest princess gave all her love to the county princess. The county princess has lived a carefree life since childhood, laughing when she is happy, crying when she is sad, and venting her anger when she is angry."
"This old servant has never seen her like this before. She is clearly in extreme pain, yet she doesn't vent her emotions at all. This old servant would rather she tear down the entire Yunguang Courtyard than see the county princess like this."
Wen Zongji clenched his fist, as if grasping the lingering warmth of Pei Rujing's hand: "What I said is true. I really want to spend my whole life with her, and there won't be anyone else."
Granny Feng nodded: "This old servant trusts the son-in-law."
Having spent nearly a year together, even though Pei Rujing had just accused Wen Zongji, Granny Feng still didn't think Wen Zongji was a hypocrite.
"But son-in-law, what the county magistrate really cares about is your heart."
What do you mean by offspring?
Pei Rujing doesn't particularly like children.
All she wanted was for Wen Zongji to love her!