Chapter 47: It is not easy being married 1 (1/2)

The next day, at the main courtyard.

At daybreak Su Liya relieved Tian Tian of her night duties, the Duke left for court as she arrived. As he left, he instructed Su Liya to let Zhu Fengyin sleep in for an hour before waking her up. While Zhu Fengyin slept, Su Liya supervised the fourth rank maids as their cleaned up the room.

Su Liya felt weak while standing by the side, she hadn't slept well thanks to the disturbing news she received last night. She tossed and turned till late in the night and when she finally fell asleep, she was plagued by nightmares.

She kept on dreaming of Zhu Fengyin getting killed by Xia Ying after which she followed suit. In her nightmares, their deaths were slow and gruesome. Su Liya shivered and shook her head as she remembered each scene. A tap on her shoulder drew her away from her dark thought.

A maid stood by her side, Su Liya looked at the maid and asked ”Sorry, is there any problem?”.

The maid replied in a small voice that was almost a whisper, ”sister Liya, Young Madam is awake”.

”oh! Thanks for letting me know”, Su Liya replied. She pulled the curtains separating the sleeping chamber from the other parts of the room and strode in. Zhu Fengyin sat up on the bed, she looked up as Su Liya walked in.

”What time is it”, she asked sweeping the loose strands of her hair to the bank of her ears.

”It 8:30 am”, Su Liya walked to the table next to one of the side windows and poured some drinking water into a cup for Zhu Fengyin

”It is 8 am! How could let me sleep solace!,” Zhu Fengyin exclaimed.

”I was about waking earlier but master instructed me to let you sleep for an hour”, she said. SU Liya placed her hands under Zhu Fengyin's jaw and raised her face ”Aiyo see the bags under your eye, you have worked hard Yin'er”, Su Liya said laughing.

Zhu Fengyin felt her cheeks heat up as she pulled her jaw out of Su Liya's hands ”Silly girl”, she muttered pouting. ”You are too free, go bring out my purple banquet gown, I will be wearing it for today's banquet”.

”Okay, why are you such a spoilsport” Su Liya grumbled in a low tone.

Zhu Fengyin didn't bother responding, she stood and walked to the curtain. She pulled the curtain aside and instructed a maid to send over some bathing water. After having her bath, Zhu Fengyin put on the purple banquet gown and say at this dressing table to get her hair made.

Su Liya stood behind Zhu Fengyin, running the hairbrush through her silky smooth hair. As she did, she contemplated if it was a good idea to inform Zhu Fengyin of Xia Ying's presence in the capital. Although Zhu Fengyin might not be aware of the full story between Xia Ying and Lu Yingjie, she was aware of their marriage.

The couple had gotten married a year before Zhu Fengyin was killed by hi Faye and Su Liya. She didn't know what difference informing Zhu Fengyin would make but she felt that she needed to be informed.

Xia Ying was the Empress guest, there was no banquet or polo match that she wouldn't be invited to. Even if she kept this from Zhu Fengyin, both ladies moved around the same circle. They were bound to run into each other at a banquet, the only thing Zhu Fengyin could do to avoid the original plot from playing out, was to make Lu Yingjie fall in love with her.