Have You Written Your Will Today?
Chapter 157: Relying on the Impulse of Alcohol, You Think Long-Term

Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Relying on the Impulse of Alcohol, You Think Long-Term

The East Courtyard had already lit the lamps.

Shen Hua had just returned and was cajoled by Ningzhu into drinking a bowl of hangover tea.

An unfinished embroidery by Ningzhu was placed on the table; Shen Hua’s vision was blurred and she couldn’t see it clearly, so she leaned closer and closer, nearly pressing her face against it.

Shen Hua looked at it for a long time.

Then she turned her head to look at her.

"Redo it."

Ningzhu was completely upset: "Madam, please spare me."

Shen Hua shook her head.

"I won’t even start on the embroidery. Just the color matching alone is unacceptable, too flamboyant and ornate. Although Su Embroidery’s colors can be finely divided, reaching over a thousand shades, it mostly values elegance. The landscapes reveal depth, characters are lively, and even the flowers and birds need to show vibrancy."

Ningzhu cautiously replied, "Then, Madam shouldn’t regard it as Su Embroidery."

Shen Hua was stunned for a moment.

"You use flat and stab stitches and tell me this isn’t Su Embroidery?"

She snorted, and then covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief.

"The smell of alcohol in this room is too strong."

"It’s suffocating me."

"I need to step outside for some air."

She threw down those three sentences and staggered out.

Outside, Cui Yun had not yet left, and he commanded with his hands behind his back: "Call back Yingwu and let Ying Qi take over her responsibilities."

A shadow hid in the darkness, hard to distinguish unless looked at closely.

There a respectful reply came: "Yes."

Cui Yun was about to say something more when he heard the faint footsteps behind him. He slightly furrowed his eyebrows and turned around to look.

"Why come out into the chilling air instead of resting inside?"

"I’m going to check on the little ghost."

"She’s asleep."

Shen Hua was silent for a moment, then she straightened her back, her small face the size of a palm raised: "Then wake her up!!!"

Uttering such words, a woman naturally lacks any baseline or guilt.

She even arrogantly said: "I went to find her, but she was asleep. How can she neglect me like this?"

Yicui couldn’t bear to listen anymore.

Who doesn’t know that Cui Rong is the golden treasure cherished by everyone in Cui Mansion, and although Cui Yun is strict, he dotes on her the most.

If Madam’s words here displeased the Marquis...

Not just her, everyone serving in the courtyard’s complexion changed.

"Marquis, please do not be angry. The Madam is speaking nonsense because she’s drunk."

Cui Yun stepped closer to Shen Hua.

His expression remained impassive.

"You are indeed domineering."

Shen Hua’s words were slurred: "I don’t have to find her. I can go have a heart-to-heart with cousin."

"What do you and Mama have to talk about?"

One, Cui Xuan, raised in a noble family never hurrying or acting rashly in disputes, the other, both spoiled and impulsive, cannot withstand a single harsh word — a drama queen indeed.

Shen Hua giggled, "Talk about your future wife and children."

She cupped her hand and breathed: "Cousin said last time that you would give me the biggest red envelope when you get married."

Although she was not short of silver, she loved to collect it, as if the elders in her family were still around.

And hearing ’the biggest’, that alone made her pleased.

Even if Shen Yangyang’s role as cousin was somewhat embellished, the red envelope she received would still be larger than those from the West Garden!

But thinking about that, she couldn’t help but find it strange.

She muttered in Fengzhou dialect.

—In Shengjing noble families, why are there reward silvers even for the younger generations during a wedding?

Cui Yun did not understand.

But the woman’s eyes were dark, clear, and shiny, the tips of her eyes red, the beauty of her yet-to-be-revealed face adding allure; the flow in her eyes even more graceful and changing.

Cui Yun was somewhat distracted.

He looked deeply at Shen Hua.

"Leveraging the courage from the wine, you think far into the future."

Shen Hua was still in mourning and naturally could not marry for three years.

But contemplating these, it was as if they had made a decision together.

"The night is deep."

His voice was cold and clear as he raised his hand to hold the lady’s neck, the touch delicate like warm jade. Cui Yun’s fingertips moved upwards, finally resting on the sleep acupoint.

Shen Hua felt a tickle and wanted to dodge, but her body softened and collapsed.

In that moment of blurred consciousness, she seemed to hear someone from afar saying.

— Sweet dreams.

Cui Yun carried Shen Hua into the inner chamber as if carrying no one, arranging the bedding lightly and spoke.

"Keep someone to attend to her during the night. If she feels unwell, notify me at once."

"Yes."

As soon as Cui Yun left, Nanny Cheng pulled Yicui aside.

"Something seems off to me."

Yicui: "Naturally, a drunken lady is troublesome. It’s better she sleeps, lest she disturbs others. This is not the pear garden, after all."

Nanny Cheng frowned deeply, her eyebrows forming a single line: "No, tell me, did anything else happen?"

Yicui: "No."

Shortly after, she pursed her lips.

"The Marquis and the lady were in the room alone for a full 15 minutes, with the door closed. I did not dare to enter, so I stood guard outside."

"Though the lady was drunk, she still remembers things, we can ask her tomorrow."

————

Cui Yun had just left the West Garden when Ji Qing hurriedly came to report.

"Master, the Madam has sent someone to look for you twice."

Cui Yun paused his steps back to Ju Courtyard and headed elsewhere.

When he arrived, Cui Xuan had not yet retired. Nanny Fang quickly invited Cui Yun inside.

Cui Xuan dismissed the formalities and scrutinized Cui Yun: "You’ve been busy, returning to the mansion later each day. You must take good care of yourself."

She assumed he had just returned from the Ministry of Justice.

With the chilly night, Cui Yun carrying Shen Hua back to the West Garden was known only by the guards outside and the Hidden Guard patrolling inside the mansion, naturally, it would not reach Cui Xuan’s ears.

Cui Xuan had called him over for an important matter, and without wasting words, she directly said.

"Do you know the Fifth Princess is coming back?"

The Fifth Princess, frailer by nature, had been recuperating in a mountain villa, born of the Empress.

"Now, the most favored princess in the palace is her. The official family, yearning for her company after all these years, cherishes her exceedingly, refusing her nothing."

Cui Yun gave a shallow smile.

"Mama, are you afraid the Emperor might betroth her to me?"

"Since you understand, perhaps arrange a suitable marriage before she returns to the palace, saving you future trouble."

Cui Xuan has been silently upset since learning of this.

"Back then, your brother risked his life to reject the Empress Dowager’s marriage arrangement. Now, Princess You Ning’s marriage is also troubled, the Empress Dowager might have already harbored resentment. Then there was the Third Princess, who clung to you every day. If not for the Man Country Crown Prince admiring her and the far-off diplomatic marriage, the official family might also have intended for you to be the Prince Consort."

"Looking through the court, aside from you, only the Xie Family’s one stands out, you should also make early plans."

She was about to say more but saw Cui Yun across from her, calm and composed.

Cui Yun reassured her further: "I have been aware of this matter for several months."

"Mama, you need not worry, this marriage matter won’t fall onto me."

He handed the tea cup to Cui Xuan: "By tomorrow morning, all of Shengjing may know my heart belongs elsewhere."

He only needs to subtly control the rumors, which naturally could reach the Imperial Palace.

Emperor He greatly values the sacrifices made by the Marquis Yangling Mansion, certainly he would not intervene and disrupt their love once all under heaven know he has someone in mind.

The man lowered his eyelids.

Shen Hua wants a home, and he, seizing the opportunity, plans all this, mutually benefitting from the truth.

He doesn’t necessarily love Shen Hua, but his pity is real. A fully grown man feeling pity for an adult girl, it’s inevitable that his intentions were also sincere.