Chapter 1 (Re: IDNKGWF)

Monsoon season. The fog lay thick. The patter of rain seemed like it would go on forever. It was gloomy.

Rong Jiahui listened to the pelter of the rain. She sat on a rattling carriage, preparing to visit the city gate to welcome the important general—Zhong Liluo—from his recent victory.

Ten years prior, Zhong Liluo had stayed with her family for a year. Her parents had treated him like their flesh and blood, which made Liluo and him something like siblings. With the elder brother’s return, how could she shirk from her duty as a younger sister to welcome him? Except, they had never really interacted before. They were no more familiar than strangers.

Truthfully, it was because she had never really looked favourably on the parentless Zhong Liluo, who had sought shelter from them. Her disposition had never been nice to begin with. When she was little then, she had been a thoughtless child. Liluo stayed at their house, ate from their plates, used their homes, and he perpetually wore this cold expression on his face, like it was set in stone. Who could be happy when looking at him? The servants frequently talked behind his back, and seemed to rather despise him too. If it weren't for her taking pity on the orphaned child, she would have long lost her temper from him turning a cold face to her everyday.

Zhong Liluo wasn't an idiot; he probably recognised her unspoken distaste for him through her estranging. And therefore, throughout the year that they had lived for under the same roof, the words that they had exchanged...had it even reached ten?

Moving on, Zhong Liluo then foolishly entered the barracks instead of attending the imperial examination and was sent to the northwest. She had heaved a sigh of relief. The daily awkwardness when they met each other could finally be skirted.

But fortunes rise and fall, and times change. That year, when the detached and stony youngster grew accomplished, she felt a tinge of remorse. She did not like him, but if she had been a little nicer during those days, then she would be more like a 'rightful' sibling. How much use was that?

She sighed again, eating diced wintermelon with a bamboo toothpick from a plate her maid, Bailu, held. The gloomy sound of the rain could drive someone crazy, and it was hot. The melancholy in her heart could not fade. She complained to the air, "Dammit, this guy doesn't know how to choose a good time to return. What awfully wet weather today."

Bailu knew she had always hated the heat. Unable to resist a chuckle, she stifled her smile. "Ma'm, please guard your tongue. General Zhong Li has achieved outstanding military service. He has returned with triumph. This time, the emperor has decided to confer him the title of Marquis.”

Rong Jiahui flatly spoke, “Don’t tell me I don’t even know about such big news? He’s a Marquis, sure, isn’t my father a Marquis too? He didn't do anything great either. If he really has skill, let the higher ups confer him the title of
　　容嘉卉扁扁嘴道：“难道这么大的事儿我还能不知道么？他是个侯，我爹爹不也是个侯么，这又有什么了不起的，他若是真那么有本事的话，便让上头那位再封他个国公当当啊……”

　　话虽这么说着，底气不足的容嘉卉的语气到底还是一点点地弱了下来。

　　是啊，怎么能一样呢，她爹那所谓的侯位说到底还是从她那身为开国功臣的曾祖父那儿传下来的，世袭三代，她爹之后，便是每世袭一代，爵位降一级，直到没了，若是她爹于社稷有功的话，没准还能让他这侯位多传两代呢，然而她爹这人，最是懒散，领了个闲职后，就整天待在家里游手好闲，又哪能跟人家自己亲手一点点挣来的去比，而且他还如此年轻呢，当年她曾祖父被封侯时，年纪都接近钟离络的两倍了呢。

　　钟离络确实是个人才，就算是当年只偶尔偷瞧过他几眼的她，也是这么认为的，如今，那就更不能否认了。

　　她缓缓咽下口中的寒瓜，莫名的，就觉得心头堵堵的，也许，是这寒瓜切得太大一块了吧，想来都是白露的错。

　　她百无聊赖地撑着头，听着雨声，倒是又想起了一件事，她又问白露：“我好像记得，那姓……那新晋定远侯比我大了近三岁，如今都已经二十有七了，还尚未娶亲，他有瞧上哪家闺秀么？”

　　若是别家儿郎，这时孩子都能打酱油了呢，当然了，她家那位就是个例外，万花丛中过，一个种都没留下。

　　白露颌首，“这个圣上自然是也注意到了，定远侯此次大胜而归，圣上貌似有意想将宁王府的郡主许给他呢。”

　　“南平郡主萧文嫣？”

　　“是。”

　　容嘉卉有些郁闷了，也是，除了萧文嫣又还能有谁，她问也是白问，宁王就三个女儿，一位是她弟媳，一位已经许了人家，剩下那个，就只有萧文嫣。

　　不过是谁都一样，除了她弟媳是温柔乖顺外，另外的俩丫头都是半斤八两的讨人厌，仗着亲爹是王爷就横行霸道，整天拿鼻子看人，她过去可是没少受她们气，就是为了躲着她们不受气，她才越来越喜欢呆在家里不爱出门的，想来这回可真是便宜萧文嫣了。

　　便宜，可不是便宜么，虽说她过去自视甚高，从不曾刻意去打听过她有些瞧不上的钟离络，却也知道，钟离络的风评还不错，洁身自好，况且他上无老又下无小的，最是自在，他年纪也不算大，至于相貌，至少在她的记忆里，他长得好看，可这样好看的相貌，如今却要是她最讨厌的人家的了，思至于此，她的心头不禁有些涩涩的。

　　她只要一想到那讨厌的萧文嫣那幅扬眉吐气得意洋洋的样子，就有些心里难受，谁让这满京城里的贵女中，她就是唯独不喜欢萧文嫣萧文姌姐妹俩。

　　她忍不住，狠狠地刺了一块寒瓜，嘀咕道：“她真走运。”

　　对，就是走运，想那嚣张跋扈相貌平平的南平郡主萧文嫣，平日里是这个也看不上那个也看不上的，千挑万选，看谁也不满意，硬生生把自己从二八妙龄拖到了二十有二，拖成了这京城里头一号的老姑娘，那可是人人都在看她笑话呢！

　　毕竟她平日里处处得罪人，许多平日里看她不顺眼的闺秀夫人们只要一见着她就得拿这事刺她几句，偏生她们话都说得滴水不漏，挑不出错处，每每看她气的半死却什么也说不出什么话来的样子，那可是众人的一大乐子，结果这老姑娘人到二十二时却有如此良缘在等着她，真的是，气死人了！也不知有多少人在暗地里咬碎了一口银牙。

　　唉，为何偏偏就是她最不喜欢的萧文嫣呢！京城里的好女孩那么多，谁都好啊。

　　不过这都是别家的事了，与她无关，她这辈子也就这样了，当年近水楼台时，别说她本就没珍惜了，就算珍惜了又如何？

　　谁让她早早的，就有婚事了呢。

　　她是因为父亲的糊涂账才会嫁到柳家的，她无数次暗自垂泪，只恨她那糊涂爹，当年她还在娘亲肚子里时，他去柳尚书家赴宴，在宴席上多喝了几杯，脑子就有些不太清醒了，他见当时柳家大公子柳阡辰生得可爱，便瞎嘟囔着什么，若是自家媳妇生的是女儿，便与之为妻的鬼话，众目睽睽之下，她爹素来爱面子，他们两家又算得上是门当户对，柳家家风也好，人小娃娃模样也不错，这桩婚事瞧着啊，真是再好不过，故而到底还是定下了。

　　可怜她正当十六岁的碧玉年华，模样也还算不错，还没好好享受一下王孙公子的追捧，就心不甘情不愿地被那柳家用八抬大轿给抬了回去。

　　那柳阡辰若是个极好的郎君，便也罢了，可惜他瞧着是谦谦君子温润如玉，内里却是个最为风流多情的，那些个花街柳巷里，谁人不识他柳大公子，若是他夜不归宿，去那些个什么怡红楼百花楼的，肯定是一抓一个准，以前她一直是被蒙在鼓里，还觉得自己嫁了个难得的俊美郎君，与自己还算相配，并不算吃亏，结果这人也不知道到底是哪儿有毛病，八抬大轿娶了她回家，居然在新婚之夜就把她撂下睡书房去了！

　　她当时便默默忍了，难道她还会拿不下区区一个柳阡辰么？

　　然而，这事实却是给了她响亮的一巴掌，她还真没拿下，那死鬼放着她在家守活寡，自己却整天跑去那些个勾栏院里眠花宿柳的，简直就是当着所有人的面在拿鞋底狠狠地抽她的脸，真是丢人得她都不敢出门了，放眼看去，满京城谁不在笑话她。

　　这也便罢了，大不了，她再忍便是了，她还有什么不能忍的。

　　可让她险些吐血的是，后来这混账玩意居然还打起了与她一起长大的贴身丫鬟秋分的主意！

　　从此，她的家里就多了一个秋姨娘……好个饥不择食的柳阡辰，好个背主的狗奴才秋分，这对狗男女，她只要一想起来便是满腔的委屈，委屈得她想哭。她并不多么介意丈夫纳小的，她其实也是可以当个贤妻的，可是，她就是受不了一起长大的奴才背叛，她就是受不了他宁愿去找她的丫鬟都不愿多看她一眼，她就是咽不下这口气！

　　越想越心烦的她，拿起精致的绣着江南水乡的团扇，有一搭没一搭地扇着。

　　自己家这点破事也就算了，八年都过来了，以后日子还很长呢，她啊，还是快些知足吧，反正一切都早已成为定局无法改变了。

　　她家那混账夫君确实是不好，她是看了他就烦，但他平日里至少还是挺尊重她这个正妻的，公爹婆母虽然不爱搭理她，但在其他方面从不曾稍稍委屈了她，就像这今年颇为紧缺的寒瓜，都知道她爱吃，可不是全给了她，这一个个的，都是皮薄瓤红，香甜多汁，她基本上是一天一个，若是没人控制，她可不知道自己能吃多少，真是怎么吃也吃不腻。

　　想到这，她心里难得地泛过一丝甜，又刺起了一块寒瓜放入口中，正待要嚼，这时，马车不知撞上了什么，猛烈一颠，她顿时只觉喉头一紧……

　　咳咳咳！

　　那天杀的寒瓜它……貌似……卡住了！救命！！

　　容嘉卉一脸痛苦地捂着喉咙，整个人倒在了柔软的毯子上。

　　看着喘不过气来了的容嘉卉，白露俏脸一白，不知不觉，她手中托着的银盘也滑落在地，里头的寒瓜，洒了一车。

　　“夫人，您没事吧？！您是噎着了么？快吐出来！您快吐出来啊！”

　　白露一边说着，一边替她拍着后背，想让她尽快把那天杀的寒瓜给吐出来。

　　呼吸困难的容嘉卉捂着脖子，脸都给硬生生憋紫了，一口寒瓜却始终堵在喉咙口，进也不是，出也不是，白露眼睁睁看着，都要急哭了，她忙冲着车外大喊：“车夫，打道回府！夫人她，夫人她不好了！”

　　容嘉卉她曾经明艳动人的脸，此时十分扭曲，发青发紫，额头上也满是细汗，青筋暴起，她张着嘴，一对妩媚多情水杏眼这时也是瞪得圆如铜铃，她听着白露焦急的喊声，看着眼前的景象一点一点地变得模糊，一双手松开了喉咙一顿乱抓，好不容易，触碰到了白露的手臂，她用尽最后的力气抓住了白露的衣袖后，正想要说些什么时，却眼前一黑，永远也开不了口了。

　　能被一块寒瓜给噎死，她这也算是天上地下独一份的了吧。