Chapter Nine: Refusing to Return to Her In-Laws' House

Song Xirui sneered inwardly at these words. This Luo Yun'er was far cleverer than Su Yun, knowing exactly how to probe her situation.

She feigned shock for a moment before immediately assuming a virtuous expression. "Yun'er, you are my husband's cousin. Even if your cousin-in-law has contracted the plague, I would never let you be exposed to it."

Luo Yun'er’s eyes flickered. Song Xirui had indeed left herself a fallback. Tears welled up in Luo Yun'er’s eyes, and just as she was about to stir the pot further, she heard Song Xirui say:

"Don't worry, your cousin-in-law still has a few dozen taels of silver left."

Luo Yun'er’s weeping face froze. "A... a few dozen taels?" That was far too little!

"That is naturally not enough," Song Xirui replied, turning to call her young maid. "Hongdou, bring my jewelry! And any other valuable items—bring them all before your cousin. Do not hide anything!"

"Cousin-in-law, there is really no need." Luo Yun'er’s heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding rising within her. She hurriedly tried to stop her.

Hongdou was efficient; within the time it took to brew a cup of tea, she had arranged all the valuables from Song Xirui’s room on the table. Luo Yun'er swept her gaze over them, and the corner of her mouth twitched. The hairpins were outdated styles from years ago; the bracelets were worth at most a few dozen taels; the rest were even more worthless. Where on earth did Song Xirui find such a pile of junk?

She then glanced at Song Xirui’s head. She was wearing nothing but a plain, bare wooden hairpin!

Observing this, Song Xirui curled her lips in a subtle, unnoticeable smile. She said sincerely, "These must add up to at least three hundred taels of silver. It is all my fault for having put the better pieces into storage, leaving only these common trinkets behind. Yun'er, I hope you won't mind."

What could Luo Yun'er say now? She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, curtsied, and said, "Thank you, cousin-in-law. I am deeply grateful."

Once she turned away, Luo Yun'er immediately relayed the news to Su Yun.

—

Inside the room, Madam Li and Su Yun were whispering.

"Is she really out of money?" Madam Li asked, sounding skeptical. Was the girl a fool? How could she be as simple-minded as a rabbit?

Su Yun’s face was darker than coal. "It is true. All the valuable items in her room were given to Yun'er; she herself has only a wooden hairpin left on her head."

"What a blockhead, not keeping a single private stash for herself!" Madam Li scolded.

Su Yun sighed, feeling frustrated by her lack of foresight. "If she had any brains, how could she have been played like a puppet by my son?"

Madam Li was on the verge of tears. "Oh, what are we to do now?"

"Mother, do not fear. The Marquis's manor is wealthy after all. We should visit her more often and pressure her to ask the manor for money." Su Yun’s eyes turned cold. At this point, dignity and reputation no longer mattered.

Madam Li instantly regained her spirit and urged her son on.

—

Over the next two hours, Su Yun visited Song Xirui’s room repeatedly. He was clever enough not to say much, simply offering solicitous care. To an outsider, it would have seemed as if Song Xirui had truly found a devoted husband.

After his fifth visit, Su Yun stepped out again to fetch medicine for her.

Hongdou remarked curiously, "The master has never been this attentive before. He’s been here five or six times this afternoon!"

"He is banking on me being his cash cow, hoping I’ll cough up some money. Naturally, he is being quite diligent," Song Xirui replied lazily. It was just incredibly annoying! She had intended to find a chance to slip out, but now she was being tethered by his constant presence.

Meanwhile, as Su Yun walked toward Song Xirui’s room with the medicine, a servant stopped him in the courtyard. "Young Master! Government officers are here; they say you are to report to the magistrate's office!"

This was, of course, heard by Song Xirui and Hongdou inside. Song Xirui told Hongdou, "Go and find out why Su Yun has been summoned."

Hongdou nodded and pushed the door open to leave. She returned within the time it took to drink half a cup of tea. "My Lady, I found out. The master has been selected to go to the outskirts of the capital to manage the refugees!"

"Managing refugees?" Song Xirui found this strange. Given Su Yun’s current standing, such a task should not have fallen to him. Could it be that the capital was short on officials? Whatever the reason, it had served to free her from his presence.

—

At the General’s Mansion, Deputy General Qu scratched his head in confusion. "General, do you have a grudge against this Su Yun?"

With the plague spreading, everyone else was doing their best to avoid it, yet the General had specifically singled out Su Yun to manage the refugees. If that wasn't a grudge, what was?

Xiao Yunci took a sip of tea, his lips curving slightly. "No."

"Then why, for no reason, would you send this top scholar to manage refugees? If he catches the plague, he might even end up with a ruined reputation," the deputy said, filled with worry.

"A ruined reputation?" Xiao Yunci raised his eyes, his expression tinged with arrogance. "Have I not borne enough of that myself?"

He gently flicked the wolf-hair brush on the inkstone, and under his subordinate's puzzled gaze, he spoke slowly: "Someone did me a favor, so I am returning the courtesy."

—

Su Yun returned from the refugee camp looking as if he had lost his own father. How unlucky! He didn't know which brainless idiot had the idea to put him in charge of refugees—he was a top scholar!

What was even more infuriating was that the relief funds from the imperial court had been skimmed through layers of bureaucracy, leaving him with only a pittance. Yet, to maintain his reputation, he had to contribute more than others. Thinking of the horrific sights he had seen today, he was terrified!

He had to buy medicine! He had to!

As soon as he returned to the manor, he hurried to find Song Xirui.

—

Inside the room.

"Xirui, shall we return to your family home tomorrow?" Su Yun asked in a gentle voice.

"Return home?" Song Xirui looked puzzled. "Husband, the plague is spreading, and everyone is desperate to hide indoors. Why would you want to visit my family now?"

What an evil man. Unable to get his hands on her dowry, he was now setting his sights on her maternal family.

Su Yun grew annoyed. "Xirui, be sensible. If we don't ask for some silver from the Marquis's manor, how can the Su family survive this current crisis?"

"That is inappropriate," Song Xirui shook her head.

"Inappropriate?" Su Yun’s face changed instantly, and he said coldly, "Or is it that your previous affection was all a charade? Now that we are in a crisis, you no longer consider the Su family your own?" Aside from her infatuation with him, this woman was nothing more than an empty-headed vase. She was not even a fraction as good as Yun'er.

Song Xirui, however, appeared even more wronged than he was, her eyes brimming with tears. "How can you be so biting, Husband! If I looked down on the Su family, why would I have willingly married you, and why would I have poured my entire dowry into the family coffers?"

"If you see me this way, Husband, I might as well just die!"

She wanted to see if Su Yun dared to tear off this gentle mask of his. If they had a complete falling out, that would be for the best.

Su Yun had never been defied by her before, and his anger flared. He was accustomed to using such tactics to subdue others, but he could not stand being treated this way himself. He spoke without thinking: "Song Xirui, stop putting on this 'dying' act for me, I never—"

He choked on his words halfway through. No, he couldn't offend her—not yet. He still needed to leverage the influence of the Marquis's manor to climb higher, step by step, until the day he was successful enough to kick this damned woman to the curb!

"You never what?" Song Xirui asked, her eyes red, staring at him with resentment. Go on, why don't you finish?

Su Yun, agitated by her provocation, stood up abruptly. "Enough! I am just too anxious. I will go find another way—you rest well!"

He turned and fled as if escaping.

Hongdou quickly used a handkerchief to wipe away Song Xirui’s tears. "The master is truly heartless! My Lady, fortunately, you didn't give your whole heart to him!"

"Look at you, getting so angry. He is nothing but a mad dog that bites," Song Xirui said, chuckling as she saw the maid’s indignant expression.

Su Yun was so desperate; it must mean that medical supplies and grain in the city were becoming extremely scarce, and the wealthy were frantically hoarding resources. But what about the common people?

She patted the young maid’s hand. "Send a message to your brother. Tell him to use all his resources to buy silver and medicinal herbs!"

"I will go at once, my Lady!"

Hongdou found a pretext and left the room. Song Xirui rested for a while before climbing out of bed and walking to the table to pour some tea. As she picked up the teacup, she noticed a small note pressed underneath it.

She picked it up and read four words: "Five days remain."