Volume One, Chapter 19: He Was Not a Man Ruled by Desire

The Marquis of Shunqing and Madam Luo did not notice anything unusual about her.

The Marquis sighed and said slowly, "Back then, Jinshan insisted on marrying you, despite our strong opposition. It caused him to miss a high-ranking overseas posting; had it not been for that, he would likely have risen much higher by now. Our foresight was lacking."

Xie Mingyue gripped her hands in shock, never having imagined that Qi Jinshan had sacrificed his career prospects to marry her.

She smiled composedly. "Father is too kind. Parents always plan for their children. My situation at the time was not favorable, and I fear no family in the capital would have agreed to the union."

Not only the Marquis, but even Madam Luo felt a pang of emotion at her words.

She was, after all, raised with the dignity of the Xie family. Even without her status, her character remained refined and precious. She was resilient, flexible, and understood the bigger picture. The Marquis was right to hold her in high regard.

"You were young then, and Jinshan clashed with Xiuyu several times on your behalf, which caused much displeasure. Thinking back, it is natural for a girl who suddenly loses her home to be sensitive. You were ill for so long, and now that you have recovered, we are truly happy from the bottom of our hearts."

Xie Mingyue pursed her lips in silence, thinking to herself that Qi Jinshan had indeed clashed with Qi Xiuyu early on; no wonder he had been so quick to strike last night. It was hard to imagine that a man like him would resort to violence for her sake so many times. The dormant romantic notions in her heart began to stir once more.

Madam Luo watched Xie Mingyue, the Marquis’s whispered words earlier having struck a chord with her. They were both from noble backgrounds and understood the importance of protecting family interests. Xie Wanqing was narrow-minded, and after her recent blunders, it was truly dangerous to entrust the household to her.

Xie Mingyue was different. Although she had been a disappointment in the past, her recent behavior showed she was sharp and capable. Such a daughter-in-law was a better candidate for managing the household. Madam Luo despised the Yun family, but since the Marquis had already shown his appreciation for Xie Mingyue, she decided to endure it for the sake of the family.

"Mingyue, you are a sensible and understanding person. The household has been managed by the second son’s wife, but as you saw today, she is unfit. As the eldest daughter-in-law, it is only right that you take charge." The Marquis stroked his beard, looking at her kindly. "We know your temperament well, and now you might take this opportunity to slowly learn from your mother."

Xie Mingyue raised an eyebrow. The Marquis’s implication was that he deemed her superior to Xie Wanqing and wanted a replacement. However, he had not handed over the authority directly, likely fearing the reaction of the Xie family. If Xie Wanqing were truly stripped of her duties, her father would surely be offended. The Marquis did not want to alienate the Xie family, nor did he dare let Xie Wanqing continue, so he sought to make her do the labor.

Managing the household was no easy task, and she had no interest in it; she only cared about managing the eldest branch.

Xie Mingyue smiled demurely. "Father, I would like to relieve you and the Marchioness of your burdens, but I have only just recovered from a long illness. My memory is still poor, and besides, Jinshan and I... we are considering the matter of heirs. I am already burning the midnight oil just to manage the accounts of the eldest branch. If I were to take on more, I fear..."

She considered every angle, leaving the Marquis with nothing to say. He wanted to force the management role upon her, but feared it might affect the prospects of heirs, and more importantly, he feared his son would be protective and argue with him over it. The Marquis was somewhat afraid of Qi Jinshan, so he decided to let it go.

"Very well. Since your health has only recently recovered, these burdens must fall upon your mother."

He patted Madam Luo’s hand. Madam Luo’s face was grim, but there was nothing she could do. Between two daughters-in-law, one was incompetent and the other was slippery; the responsibility of managing the household had fallen to her once again.

As Xie Mingyue exited Madam Luo’s courtyard, she wiped the sweat from her brow. The Marquis was truly troublesome; he had circled back and forth for so long over a simple matter.

As she passed through the moon gate, Qi Xiuyu appeared from nowhere and blocked her path. "Mingyue, Wanqing is already kneeling in the ancestral hall. Do you hate her that much? You two grew up together!"

Xie Mingyue frowned tightly. "If you have nothing better to do, you may join Xie Wanqing in the ancestral hall, rather than creating a scene before your sister-in-law."

Since waking up, she had only seen Qi Xiuyu twice, but the feelings and memories she once held for him had all turned to loathing. The gentle, jade-like youth of ten years ago had long been wearing a hypocritical mask. Perhaps he had worn it then, but she had been too blind to see it.

Qi Xiuyu did not believe Xie Mingyue truly despised him. When she married Qi Jinshan years ago, she had been perpetually melancholic; if not because of him, who else could it be? Moreover, when he appeared yesterday, her fingers had turned white with tension. She had ignored Qi Jinshan’s dark expression, and Qi Xiuyu dismissed her harsh words as mere spite born of lingering hurt. After all, she and Xie Wanqing had competed since childhood, and in the end, it was Xie Wanqing who married him. For ten years, Xie Mingyue had been unable to let go, and every time Qi Xiuyu thought of it, he felt regret for how he had treated her. But if he hadn't done that, he wouldn't have known what else to do. He was the heir to the Marquis’s estate; he could only marry a daughter of the Xie family, not the daughter of a servant.

"Did my eldest brother not teach you a lesson last night?"

Xie Mingyue intended to use Qi Jinshan to scare him, but it only ignited Qi Xiuyu’s anger. No man would admit to being inferior, especially not to someone who had been an outcast!

"He treated you so poorly, yet you still speak for him?" He stepped forward.

*Treated her poorly?*

Xie Mingyue did not believe a word Qi Xiuyu said. She frowned and turned to leave, but walked right into Qi Jinshan, who was returning to the manor.

"Husband!" Xie Mingyue immediately grabbed his arm, her almond eyes glistening.

"Hmm?"

Qi Jinshan caught her, and the moment he saw Qi Xiuyu, his gaze turned into sharp blades.

"Eldest Brother." Qi Xiuyu changed his expression, becoming humble and docile.

But Qi Jinshan had interrogated countless criminals; he saw the lingering lewdness in the depths of his eyes at a glance.

"Remember your place."

Qi Jinshan did not bother with formalities. He scooped Xie Mingyue up and strode toward the Qi-Hai Courtyard.

Xie Mingyue clung to his shoulders. The words of the Marquis and Madam Luo today had shattered most of the prejudices she had long held against Qi Jinshan. Before, he was the man she despised most, but now, he was her husband.

Xie Mingyue leaned gently against his chest.

Qi Jinshan stopped abruptly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he looked down at her with a heavy gaze.

Xie Mingyue seemed unaware. "Husband, were you jealous last night?"

Qi Jinshan’s eyes darkened. He set her onto a stone table in the courtyard and leaned in, bracing his arms around her. "You’ve forgotten some things, but your courage has grown?"

His cold, stern face loomed over her. Xie Mingyue had only asked on a whim, but seeing him like this, with their bodies almost pressed together, she couldn't help but shrink back. She had been raised with strict decorum; how could Qi Jinshan be so brazen in broad daylight?

Qi Jinshan noticed her retreat, the heat in his eyes receding slightly, but he refused to pull away.

"Is it true?" Xie Mingyue softened, looking up at him. "Just now, I didn't pay any attention to your brother at all, and I even saw to it that he and Xie Wanqing were severely punished."

Qi Jinshan stared at her lips as they moved. He let out an indifferent "Hmm."

Xie Mingyue did not like his indifference. "If you don't want to hear it, then I'll leave."

He remained silent but kept his heavy gaze fixed on her. It had been years; he was not a man of excessive desires, yet with her, he was never satisfied.

"I'll listen later."

He leaned down, and his words were sealed against her lips.

In the courtyard, the wind caused the flowering trees to rustle loudly.