Chapter 26 Chapter 26 I can treat your body...

Perhaps it was because of the argument with Lu Changyi during the day that Lu Changyi developed a high fever after noon. Not only was his whole body burning, but he also coughed incessantly. After coughing, the handkerchief he used to wipe his lips was stained with blood.

Lu Changyi has been weak since childhood. The servants in the courtyard were used to it and were very calm. Some called for the doctor, some boiled water, and everything was in order.

Zhao had only this one son. When he heard the news, he rushed to Xinchun Garden like a whirlwind. When he heard the doctor say that Lu Changyi's condition was very serious, he couldn't help sobbing.

Earlier, Lord Ji from the Imperial Observatory came to visit the Xinyang Marquis's residence, and Lu Lin specially asked him to tell Lu Changyi's fortune. Everyone has their own expertise, and people who are particularly good in one aspect are often inferior in other aspects.

For example, Lord Ji is very good at divination, but when he speaks, he does not consider the feelings of the person involved. He speaks directly and directly pokes people in the lungs.

Lord Ji said frankly that Lu Changyi was blessed but unable to enjoy his fortune, and that he could only live to the age of twenty.

In just two months, it would be Lu Changyi's 20th birthday. What if he really couldn't make it? The more Zhao thought about it, the sadder she became. Her son had been suffering from illness since he was young and had never enjoyed a single day of happiness. If he couldn't even leave behind a bloodline, wouldn't his life in this world be in vain?

She wiped the tears from her face with a handkerchief, turned to look at Jiang Shu, and it was obvious that she wanted to tell Jiang Shu the same old story.

What could Jiang Shu do? She was powerless, so she quickly changed the subject before Zhao could speak. "Mother, before breakfast today, the prince and my third brother had some disagreements, and he felt a little unwell after returning."

Zhao had really diverted her attention. It was one thing for Hu Lan to compete with her for favor, but he even dared to abuse her sweetheart after giving birth to a son. If she didn't deal with them, wouldn't they be able to ride on her neck and act tyrannically?

Zhao shook her sleeves, walked out of the flower hall, and instructed Zhou Mama, "Call the third child to the West Banquet Hall. Children are like trees; they cannot grow without pruning. They need beating to grow straight."

In just half an hour, news spread that Lu Changfeng was under house arrest. Jiang Shu hated her dissolute brother-in-law from the bottom of her heart, and she felt happy when she heard the news.

Aunt Hu, however, felt wronged. A few quarrels between children was no big deal. Lu Changyi's illness was his own fault, not Lu Changfeng's. Zhao was clearly deliberately suppressing Feng Ge'er and bullying him.

Zhao was powerful, and Aunt Hu was no pushover either. She changed her clothes and rushed into the study.

Hu Lan is gentle and considerate, soft as water. Compared with Zhao, any man would prefer Hu Lan. But Lu Lin is a living god, impatient to deal with trivial matters between his wives and concubines, and Zhao is really strong, even he can't stand it.

As long as it wasn't a major matter involving principles, Lu Lin would not provoke the Zhao family. So he said to Hu Lan, "It's just the stepmother scolding her son. There's no need to make a big deal out of it. It's not worth my intervention.

Second Brother is not in good health, so even if there is something wrong, Feng Brother shouldn't argue with him. I think Madam has done a very good job in letting him reflect on his mistakes."

"My Lord!" Hu Lan yelled, the grievances in her heart overwhelming.

She covered her sleeves and sobbed softly: "Madam, your status is noble, so my background is not good? I am also a proper official lady. If I had not been attracted to you back then, how could I have fallen to the point of being a concubine?

It would be fine if you didn't pity me, but why are you using your status to humiliate me?"

Aunt Hu was old after all, and not as pretty as a young woman. In the past, as long as she acted like a tearful woman, Lu Lin would give in and comply with any request she made. But now, he felt a little annoyed.

He leaned back on the chaise longue, closed his eyes listlessly, and said to Hu Lan, "I'm a little tired today. I need to take a short nap. You can go down now!"

Hu Lan found it incredible that Lu Lin had no patience for her at all. Thinking of all she had done for him, she felt it was all for nothing, and a sudden sense of sadness welled up in her.

She had endured so much disdain for wanting to be with him, and now she was in such a difficult financial situation. Hu Lan bit her lip and squinted at Lu Lin. She really wanted to have a huge fight with Lu Lin, but unfortunately, that would only make Lu Lin dislike her. It would be better to endure it and use Lu Lin's meager apology to make plans for Lu Changfeng.

Hu Lan said nothing more and left the study silently. When he reached the middle of the yard, he caught a glimpse of a young maid tending flowers and plants. The maid was graceful and elegant, very beautiful.

She sneered. No wonder Lu Lin stopped devoting himself to cultivation recently and had to go back to the Marquis' Mansion for a short stay every few days. It turned out that he was bewitched by the vixen in the mansion.

Men, I'm afraid the only way they can become honest is to turn into the wooden tablet in the ancestral hall.

After drinking three bowls of medicine, Lu Changyi's cough was relieved a little. Perhaps because he had consumed too much physical energy, he fell into a deep sleep after a while.

The room was filled with a strong smell of medicine. Jiang Shu covered Lu Changyi with the quilt and tiptoed out of the room.

Fang Yu was reluctant to enter the master's inner chamber, so she stood at the door, waiting for Qing to go out with Jiang Shu. She bowed to Jiang Shu and said softly, "Third Madam, Madam Wen wants to see you."

Mrs. Wen was considerate and kind-hearted. Although Jiang Shu had only dealt with her once, she admired her character very much and hurriedly asked Fang Yu to invite the guest in.

Mrs. Wen walked first, followed by two maids. Each of the maids was carrying a bamboo basket and walked very carefully, as if they were afraid of breaking the things inside.

Jiang Shu was a little curious, but didn't dare to ask. She asked Mrs. Wen to sit down, and personally made a cup of tea and placed it on the table in front of Mrs. Wen.

Mrs. Wen picked up the teacup and took a sip, praising Jiang Shu's tea-making skills.

Before she got married, Jiang Shu spent all day lying in the back room embroidering. After she married into the Xinyang Marquis's Mansion, she learned how to make tea from the nanny. She was a half-baked person, and although the tea she made was not bad, it was definitely not a top-quality one.

Mrs. Wen praised her cooking skills, saying that the person was kind and good at talking, and she must not take advantage of her. Jiang Shu hurriedly said that she was just cooking for fun and her cooking skills were not worthy of being served in a formal restaurant.

Mrs. Wen praised Jiang Shu a few more times, then took the bamboo basket from the maid and opened the felt cloth covering it.

The bamboo basket was filled with grapes. The grapes were purple to dark purple, big and round, and they were obviously rare delicacies.

Mrs. Wen smiled and said, "Yunzhi has a good friend who is serving as a military governor in the Western Regions. He returned to Beijing yesterday to report on his work, and I specially brought him two baskets of grapes.

Grapes are a rare commodity, and Yunzhi asked me to give them to his wife and sister as a thank you for bandaging his wounds.

Yunzhi was seriously injured, and thanks to Madam's timely bandage, he was not delayed. Madam's great kindness to Yunzhi will be forever remembered by our family."

Grapes are not produced in Bian Jing. Only in the Western Regions thousands of miles away can you find such a good thing. Jiang Shu had never even seen it before. She only ate it once after marrying Lu Changyi, and she could not forget the taste.

Although grapes are delicious, one cannot be unreasonable just because of greed. Jiang Shu quickly waved her hand to decline: "Minister Lin was seriously injured while protecting me and my sister. We should come to thank Master Lin. How dare we accept such a generous gift from him?"

Mrs. Wen said, "If Madam Shi Ren wants to thank Yun Zhi, she can just go to his house. These grapes are Yun Zhi's thank you gift, Madam, please accept them."

After she finished speaking, Mrs. Wen realized that what she said was inappropriate. Lin Yunzhi's wife had already passed away, and there was no lady in the house to take charge of the household. Even if Jiang Shu came to the house, there would be no one to entertain her.

Alas, no matter what kind of family it is, without a mistress, the house will be a mess and always extremely chaotic.

It's a pity for Yunzhi, such a good boy. Once his reputation of being a wife-killer gets out, no girl from a good family would dare to marry him.

Mrs. Wen didn't want to complain in front of Jiang Shu, so she sighed lightly and lowered her head to drink her tea.

Jiang Shu observed Mrs. Wen's thoughts and guessed that she was also worried about Lin Yunzhi's lifelong affairs. She tentatively said, "It's not right for a family to have no mistress in charge. I wonder what kind of second wife Lord Lin wants to marry?"

At this point, Mrs. Wen sighed again: "Yunzhi was a good child, but unfortunately he had a bad fate. Two wives died in succession. He was so sad that he lost his appetite and became as thin as a bamboo pole. He almost lost his life.

He was so affectionate that it would have been fine if he was not understood by others, but he was also slandered as a wife-killer and had a ruined reputation. No daughter from a good family would dare to marry him.

We don't expect any noble ladies, we just hope to have someone who understands his feelings and keeps him company, who can give him more clothes when it's cold, and who can prepare a table of food for him when he's off duty late."

Jiang Ran's background is very different from Lin Yun's, but he is the most considerate and can barely meet the requirements mentioned by Mrs. Wen.

Jiang Shu didn't say it explicitly. If she was rejected, it would be difficult to continue the relationship. She said, "Alas, every family has its own problems. Madam is worried about Mr. Lin's marriage, but I am worried about my third sister from my natal family.

Madam, you should know something about my family's situation. My second sister has a bad reputation, and even my third sister is dragged down by her. My third sister has a gentle, kind and virtuous temperament, but her marriage has never been smooth.

Listen carefully, after what Jiang Shu said, what else is there for Mrs. Wen to not understand?

But the gap between Jiang Rong and Lin Yunzhi is quite large. Jiang Rong is only fifteen years old and was raised as a concubine from a poor family. I'm afraid she can't take on the responsibility of being the mistress of the Lin family.

Fortunately, Mrs. Wen had met Jiang Rong once and knew that Jiang Rong was gentle and kind. With her personality, she would definitely not abuse Lin Yunzhi's children.

Moreover, if Lin Yunzhi really marries Jiang Rong, he will be related to Lu Changji, which will also be beneficial in officialdom.

This is a big deal, and Mrs. Wen cannot make the decision. She has to ask Lin Yunzhi and Lin Yunzhi's mother before making a decision.

She pretended not to understand Jiang Shu's intention and said with a smile, "I've seen Sister Rong. She's pretty and gentle. I'm sure she'll have a good marriage in the future.

"Huh~ Madam, the bracelet on your wrist is really watery, but was it purchased from the Treasure Jade Shop?"

Mrs. Wen cast her eyes on Jiang Shu's wrist while she was talking, thus changing the subject. Jiang Shu did not ask any further questions, and the two of them chatted for a while before Mrs. Wen said goodbye and left.

Mrs. Wen was very efficient and did not even go back to the Wen family. She asked the coachman to drive the carriage to the Lin Mansion.

Lin Yunzhi's father died of illness a few years ago, leaving only his widowed mother at home. Logically, marriage should be arranged by parents and matchmakers, but because Lin Yunzhi's mother was a vegetarian and chanted Buddhist scriptures all day long and did not care much about worldly affairs, and Lin Yunzhi held an official position, when Mrs. Wen was looking for a widowed sister-in-law, she called Lin Yunzhi to discuss the marriage together.

She explained Jiang Rong's life story and personality in detail, and then said, "The Jiang family's wife's background is not very respectable, but she has one advantage. Her eldest sister is the sister-in-law of Prime Minister Lu. If Yunzhi marries her, it will be beneficial to his career."

Mrs. Lin still had that lukewarm expression on her face, her face was so kind that it was almost dull. She didn't even frown, as if she had truly detached herself from the world and had nothing to do with her son.

Mrs. Wen felt puzzled. She could not understand how one of the spouses could take the other's soul away when he or she passed away. It was truly incredible.

She stopped looking at Mrs. Lin and turned her gaze to Lin Yunzhi, asking, "Brother Yun, what do you think of this marriage? The Crown Prince's wife has already revealed her intentions. If you are interested, I will go and tell her. If not, let's put this matter aside and never mention it again."

Lin Yunzhi had an impression of Jiang Rong, a delicate and pretty girl who didn't even dare to look at his face when she was helping him treat his wounds, but she was very meticulous in her work. After applying medicine on him, she also helped him tie his belt.

Such a girl may not be as capable as others in handling household chores, but she has a soft heart and will definitely take care of his daily life wholeheartedly and look after his children patiently.

The rumor of his wife-killing fate spread like wildfire, and Lin Yunzhi no longer had the extravagant hope of marrying a noble lady. Rather than marrying a divorced woman, and the two of them each having their own thoughts about companionship, it would be better for him to live wholeheartedly with Jiang Rong.

After going over the pros and cons in his mind, and considering that Lin Yunzhi had a good impression of Jiang Rong, he said to Mrs. Wen, "Aunt, I think the Third Lady of the Jiang family is a good person. I just wonder what the Third Lady's impression of me is?"

Mrs. Wen was very confident in her nephew's appearance and temperament. Moreover, since it was Jiang Shu who extended the olive branch first, Jiang Rong should not have any objection.

However, this is not the previous dynasty. Blind marriages are no longer popular. It is common to let the man and the woman live together before getting married.

Mrs. Wen said, "Relationships are built through interaction. When I return home, I'll send an invitation to the Crown Prince's wife, inviting her and the Third Lady to my house for a drink. You can come over then and chat with the Third Lady. You'll then get to know her character, and it'll also be a good opportunity for them to get a feel for your own character."

Jiang Shu originally thought that if Mrs. Wen didn't respond, the marriage would be ruined, but unexpectedly, there was another turn for the better. Things were going more and more smoothly, which made her feel very happy.

The next day, she took Jiang Rong to the Wen Mansion. It was not good to visit someone's home empty-handed, so Jiang Shu brought a mutton-fat jade hairpin for Mrs. Wen, and Jiang Rong brought a lotus leaf handkerchief. The handkerchief was not precious, but the thought behind it was precious.

Mrs. Wen asked people to accept the gifts and took them to the garden.

The Wen family's garden is not as lavish as the Xinyang Marquis Mansion, but it is more exquisitely structured. When you seem to have reached the end, another world suddenly appears.

Jiang Shu was concentrating on enjoying the scenery, but Jiang Rong was extremely shy. Lin Yunzhi was right next to her, and she was too embarrassed to even turn her head. She felt as if her hands and feet were not her own, and she was stiff and at a loss.

Due to the presence of others, Lin Yunzhi didn't want to get too close to Jiang Rong, and the two seemed to be more unfamiliar with each other than before.

Mrs. Wen was an experienced person and understood the mentality of young people. She raised her lips and smiled, and said to Jiang Shu: "I am old and not as physically fit as young people. Madam, please accompany me to the pavilion to rest for a while!"

Jiang Shu understood what she meant, and she exchanged a glance with Mrs. Wen. Then the two of them led a group of maids towards the pavilion.

This was to allow them to be alone together. Lin Yunzhi looked around and saw that the view of the pavilion in the middle of the lake was very beautiful. It was independent of the garden, but not too secluded. So she discussed with Jiang Rong and went to the pavilion to talk.

While talking, Jiang Shu and Mrs. Wen looked towards the pavilion in the middle of the lake. They saw two people sitting opposite each other in the pavilion. They were both a little restrained, but they were talking and laughing, and it was obvious that they could get along well.

Seeing this, Jiang Shu felt relieved and Mrs. Wen was also very happy.

If a man and a woman talk for too long together, it is easy to cause criticism. Mrs. Wen is a sensible person. After about half an hour, she asked the maid to go to the pavilion in the middle of the lake to pick up Lin Yunzhi and take him to the dining room for dinner.

The weather was scorching hot. When Jiang Rong came out of the pavilion in the middle of the lake, a thin layer of sweat had already formed on her forehead. Madam Wen handed her a round fan and said with a smile, "This weather is simply scorching hot. There is an ice jar in the guest room. The wife of the Crown Prince and the Third Lady should go to the guest room to cool down first. We can have dinner after the heat has dissipated."

Jiang Shu followed Jiang Rong's instructions and went into the guest room. Both of them were drenched in sweat. After a quick wash, Jiang Shu asked Jiang Rong, "What do you think of Minister Lin? Is he worthy of entrusting your life to?"

Jiang Shu was the person Jiang Rong trusted the most, and Jiang Rong didn't hide it: "Just now, Master Lin and I went to the pavilion in the middle of the lake to talk. When we were about to sit down, I found that the stone bench was a little hot. Master Lin didn't say much, but very naturally switched seats with me and let me sit in the shade."

The truth lies in the details. There are not so many earth-shattering events in life. It is best to take care of people in small things.

After hearing Jiang Rong's words, Jiang Shu was also very happy. She only hoped that Lin Yunzhi would also like Jiang Rong. Then, everyone would be happy.

On this side, Mrs. Wen asked Lin Yunzhi what she thought, and was very happy after receiving a positive answer. She excitedly ordered the chef to add a few more dishes.

Everyone gathered in the dining room to prepare to eat. At this moment, the doorman hurried into the room, wiping his sweat while saying, "Master, Madam, Master Lu is here."

"Which Lord Lu?"

There are five well-known officials of the land clan in the court. Except for Lu Changji, the other officials' official positions are far lower than that of Lord Wen.

Lu Changji is aloof and self-respecting, so why would he come to the Wen family for no reason? As long as it is not him who is coming, Master Wen does not need to go out to greet him.

Lord Wen sat still in his armchair, steady as a rock, and showed no intention of rising. Qing waited for his subordinates to enter and meet him.

Seeing Master Wen's attitude, the doorman broke out in a cold sweat. He raised his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his forehead and said anxiously, "Master, the person coming is Minister Lu. Do you think you are..."

Before the doorman could finish his words, Lord Wen suddenly jumped up from his armchair and ran out the door without even having time to tidy up his clothes.

I don’t know what the Prime Minister is going to do at the Wen family, but no matter what, it’s always right to treat him well.

Lord Wen walked as fast as lightning. Before leaving, he quickly instructed Mrs. Wen, "Hurry up and clear the dining room tableware. Put out my collection of Ruyao white porcelain. The chopsticks are also inappropriate. Silver chopsticks are vulgar and Lord Lu is so noble that he would certainly disdain them. Hurry and bring in a set of ivory chopsticks."

After giving instructions for a while, he felt it was funny. Lord Lu was a very important person. He would not come to his house for a meal for no reason. If he could really have a meal at his house, it would be considered a blessing from his ancestors.

Lord Wen whirled to the gate like the wind, bowed to Lu Changji, and said with deep trepidation, "I didn't know you were coming, and I'm sorry for not welcoming you. I hope you'll forgive me."

Lu Changji said it was nothing, and followed Lord Wen into the flower hall. He sat down firmly on the armchair. Although he was a guest in someone else's home, he was imposing and took the lead in the conversation. "Last time, thanks to Lord Wen's mobilization of troops, I was able to bring the assassin to justice."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Cheng Yong. Cheng Yong understood and presented the lacquer box in his hand to Lord Wen, saying in a gentle voice, "This is a calligraphy treasure purchased from Huzhou. Lord Wen is proficient in calligraphy, so it will be of use to you."

God of Heaven, Lord Lu just borrowed his military token for a while, why did he come all the way to thank him? No wonder Lord Lu was able to rise so quickly, it's just that no one else can do such a thoughtful thing.

Lord Wen hurriedly said that the Shangshu was polite: "It is a blessing for me to share your worries. Please don't take it to heart. Don't let it bother me."

Lu Changji did not comment and picked up the teacup beside him to drink tea.

The room fell into silence, and Lord Wen felt increasingly uncomfortable. The words he wanted to ask for more food lingered in his mouth for several times, as he always felt that no matter what he said, he would be trying to please his boss.

Thinking about the fact that Jiang Shu was now in the Wen family, and that she was Lu Changji's sister-in-law, she should have often dined with Lu Changji when they were in the Xinyang Marquis Mansion, so there was an excuse to keep her for dinner.

Lord Wen glanced at Lu Changji and said tentatively, "My wife has prepared a feast. My chef can't compare to the Marquis's, but the Jiangnan cuisine he makes is quite acceptable. Your wife is a fan of our dishes. She happens to be dining at my house today, so why don't you give them a try?"

Lu Changji paused for a moment as he stroked the teacup, then nodded slowly.

Lord Wen was overjoyed. He said "wait a moment" and ran to the dining room.

Mrs. Wen was directing the servants to set up a screen between the dining tables. Since there were female guests at home, it would be more respectful to have men and women sit separately during meals.

Lord Wen ignored all this and said anxiously, "Quickly remove the screen. Lord Lu and the Crown Prince's wife are close relatives. There's no need for these false formalities. Putting a screen between the table makes it seem distant."

Lord Wen had a bad temper, and Mrs. Wen never disagreed with him on trivial matters. She said "OK" and ordered the servants to take down the screen.

After everything was ready, Lord Wen went to the flower hall to invite Lu Changji, and Madam Wen went to the guest room to look for Jiang Shu.

"It's like a wheat awn falling into the eye of a needle—what a coincidence! Minister Lu is also here today. Madam and the Minister are family, so there's no need to be shy. Let's have lunch together!"

Why don't we have to be shy about it? Although Jiang Shu and Lu Changji are a family in the eyes of outsiders, after seeing Lu Changji's methods, she doesn't dare to get along with Lu Changji.

As for the borrowing matter, she had other plans, so there was no need for her to stay with Lu Changji day and night.

They had agreed earlier to stay at the Wen Mansion for lunch. She couldn't refuse just because she knew Lu Changji was coming. If she did so, people would definitely misunderstand that there was a rift between her and Lu Changji.

Jiang Shu raised her hand and gently rubbed her forehead, sighing, "The sun is really scorching today. I think I'm suffering from heatstroke. I feel dizzy and a little uncomfortable."

"Madam, don't worry about me. Go and have your meal. I'll take a short nap in the house and go home when I feel better."

Jiang Shu was not feeling well, and Mrs. Wen didn't want to force her to eat. She gave her a few gentle instructions and then took Jiang Rong to the dining room.

It was hot at noon and the cicadas in the yard were chirping non-stop. Jiang Shu originally wanted to take a nap, but was annoyed by the cicadas' chirping, so she simply got up and went to the garden to cool off.

Walking to the waterside pavilion, the cool breeze made her feel refreshed. Jiang Shu was standing by the water admiring the scenery when she suddenly saw a man standing at the screen wall. The man was tall and slender, and he looked like a mountain. Who else could it be but Lu Changji?

Jiang Shu's breathing stagnated, and she instinctively wanted to hide, but there was a railing in front of her and the blue lake behind her, so there was nowhere to hide even if she wanted to.

Lu Changji stared at her for a moment, then said in a gentle voice, "I heard that your sister-in-law is feeling unwell and hasn't even had lunch. It just so happens that I'm somewhat knowledgeable in medicine, so I might be able to diagnose and treat her."