166 A Quiet Dinner 5

But the old man's series of surprises did not end there. Jin Yuhe was quickly startled again, but from another source. This happened moments later, after Li Changhai had already stepped out of earshot.

And the speaker did not hold back at all, despite seeing Jin Yuhe there, at the side. Did that mean that she had a clearer picture with regards to his true position at the Duke's side? Jin Yuhe only considered that for a moment though. Then he was too caught up with the harsh words that the Duchess, Feng Xueli, was throwing at her husband!

"Hmmph! I personally do not see anything wrong in Sanlang's words. You are obviously biased against this young man. And against your own son."

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The Duke whirled to face his young wife, who did not bother to hide her obvious displeasure from him. That was clear from the storms that lingered over her brows and the lightning that danced in her eyes as she glared at him.

"My son had just survived two attacks - two assassination attempts! They tried to take his life twice! And both times he was saved by that same young man! You didn't even bother to thank him for that! And you dare to complain about his behavior? Was he rude or impolite?"

Those words were delivered in a growl that reminded Butler Jin of a tigress, protecting her young. Which, now that he thought about it, was a rather accurate description of what the young Duchess was doing.

Which certainly came as a second blow, after Sanlang's determined stance. And his forceful exit from the Gardens. That had been enough to stun the good-looking Duke.

But it was his wife's response which would truly shock him out of his wits!

She smacked the table after that. Which was enough to make her husband's eyes go large as the wine cups and the soiled dishes were swept to the floor. "So your precious reputation, your so-called knowledge of the martial arts groups, is more important than your son's life! You cannot even bear to accept the fact that someone knows more than you do about the Barbarian movements, can you?"

Jin Yuhe hid a smile as he heard that. The sourish, bitter taste of her words were cutting. And they hit the Duke right where they hurt the most. It was true what she said. This change in the Barbarians' tactics had caught the old man by surprise. And he was clearly too proud to admit the same. Not to his own son. And Sanlang's younger companion.

How was he to know that the young man, that Qin Feng, had an even stronger sense of pride than himself? And that the fellow would flare up, and call him out like that?

Honestly, Butler Jin was growing more than pleased with the young man, for being able to impress both the Duchess and her son. Now that she reminded him of it, he had to say that it was more than simply impressive.

To be able to do that to the Duke? To his face and in his own Palace? And in front of his wife and child? That was a sort of foolhardiness that Jin Yuhe had never seen before! But it showed just what sort of backbone this young man had in him. And how he was unwilling to back down, when he knew that he was right!

Nor was she done yet!

"You knew that he was heading back. And you had more than five troops of soldiers ranging about in the Southern reaches of the Duchy. But you didn't even bother to send one of them to go meet him! Not until you received word that he had been attacked! While for Changtian, you had three large bands to escort him from point to point, to make sure that he is never in danger!"

Tears were spilling down her face then. Not to copious streams that Jin Yuhe had seen on the cheeks of the other women in the Palace, whenever they were saddened by this or that. The Duchess did not weep and wail like they did. Instead, there was only the tracks of tears to show just how distraught she was.

And perhaps, how wronged she felt, when the treatment of her own son was compared against what had come to be expected, when it came to his elder male sibling.

"And where were all of your toughest soldiers? Your bravest generals? Where were they when my son was attacked, out on the road? Who was there to protect him? A youth! A stranger! And one that you didn't even bother to thank! What sort of reception would he have received, I wonder, if it was Changtian that he saved?" she roared at him then, in a voice that thundered through the whole garden.

"All you care about is your first son, for Changtian, and would like nothing more than for Sanlang to perish, isn't it? That is why you cannot even bear to let him have a proper protector! That is why you had to tear those two capable companions away from him, when he visits my mother on my behalf!

"Clearly you would like nothing better than for Sanlang to die!"

The Duchess rose then, and pointed a finger straight at the Li Yuanqi's nose, ignoring the look of utter shock that was plastered on his face. "Is this how you treat your own son? My son? Is my feelings so worthless to you? You promised that you would treat me well, when I agreed to marry you. But clearly that does not include how you deal with our offspring!"

Her face twisted then, and Jin Yuhe could see the tears threatening to spill forth once again. This time, he was certain, it would be a flood, rather than a trickle.

"So this is how you hold to your promise to treat me well!"

She swept out of the Pavilion then, leaving the Duke stunned speechless. To be honest, Butler Jin had not seen him thus for a long while. The man seemed incapable of making a sound, as his wife stormed out of the gardens, towards her own wing of the Palace.

But she stopped just before she stepped out of the Garden altogether, and turned to present a dark and deeply angered face at her much older husband. "Do not dare to come to my rooms tonight, or any other night after this! I am not talking to you until you have apologized to Sanlang! And to his young friend! Even if I perish tonight or fail to wake tomorrow, I will not see you!

"I don't have such a miserable, murderous husband!"

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