The Whole Capital Heard My Heart, Except My Husband - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

But the way out soon became a dead end.

When we were serving tea, all I wanted was to remind myself not to drink that cup.

Who could have known the entire hall would hear it?

My mother-in-law, Lady Liu, turned deathly pale and hurriedly said, “Lingyi, child, how can you let your thoughts run wild on the second day of your marriage?”

I lowered my head on the outside.

Inside, I sneered.

[Let my thoughts run wild? The medicinal dregs are still buried under the crabapple tree in the rear courtyard. Nanny Liu poured them out herself last night at the hour of the ox.]

With a thud, Nanny Liu dropped to her knees.

Every gaze in the hall fell on her.

Lady Liu looked as if she wanted to swallow me alive.

I very much wanted to shut up too.

But a thought was not a mouth. The more nervous I got, the louder it became.

[Don’t look at me. I don’t want you to hear this either.]

[Your Xie Family is a real mess. The mother-in-law drugs her daughter-in-law with contraceptives, the second branch steals account books, and last night the third branch’s wife was wrapped around a young actor from the opera troupe behind the rockery.]

Third Aunt shrieked, “Jiang Lingyi!”

I quickly clutched my chest.

Useless.

My inner voice kept spilling out.

[It’s over. Am I going to die here today?]

Xie Mingzhu finally rose to his feet.

He stepped in front of me, shielding me behind him. His voice was not loud.

“Today’s tea ceremony ends here.”

Lady Liu gritted her teeth. “Mingzhu, she is spreading wicked lies to mislead everyone!”

“If Mother believes she is spreading wicked lies, then have someone dig up the medicinal dregs beneath the crabapple tree.”

Lady Liu froze.

I jerked my head up to look at him.

Wasn’t he unable to hear it?

Xie Mingzhu’s profile was cool and indifferent.

“She said it out loud just now.”

I let out a breath of relief.

[Scared me to death. I thought you could hear it.]

The hall fell into a deathly silence again.

Xie Mingzhu tilted his head slightly. “What did you hear?”

No one dared answer.

His gaze swept over the crowd before finally settling on my face.

“Madam, return to the courtyard.”

He led me out of the main hall.

Along the way, every servant who saw me made a wide berth around me, as though I were some evil creature that might bite.

Xie Mingzhu, on the other hand, walked with perfect steadiness.

He was half a head taller than me. His wide sleeve fell just low enough to cover the hand he had around my wrist.

I struggled a little.

He let go.

“Did it hurt?”

“No.”

[I just hate you touching me.]

Behind us, the maid following along, Luzhi, nearly slipped.

Xie Mingzhu looked back.

Luzhi immediately lowered her head. “This servant deserves death.”

He did not press her. He only said to me, “In the future, avoid crowded places.”

I gave a cold laugh. “Is the Marquis afraid I’ll disgrace the Xie Family?”

“I’m afraid they will harm you.”

I froze for a moment.

He looked at me, his eyes calm.

“You cannot keep things hidden in your heart.”

My chest tightened.

[You’re the one who can’t keep things hidden. Your whole family can’t keep things hidden.]

Luzhi inhaled softly.

Xie Mingzhu still showed no reaction.

It seemed he truly could not hear me.

I was relieved, and yet even more uneasy.

Because I suddenly realized that those who could hear my inner voice might not necessarily let me off.

That afternoon, a formal invitation arrived from the Eastern Palace.

The Crown Princess was holding a spring banquet and invited the newly wedded Madam Xie to enter the palace and admire the flowers.

I looked at that gold-painted invitation, my fingertips turning cold.

In the dream, it was right after this spring banquet that Xie Mingzhu sent me into the Eastern Palace.