Chapter 184 Carried into the Mansion by a Stranger

Although he was respectful, his tone was cold and hard.

Xiao Xuanyou was in a state of utter confusion. He waved his hand impatiently and fled as if something was chasing him.

This surprised Lu Yuan somewhat.

This was the first time he had ever seen the Crown Prince like this. Why did he seem a little afraid of the people inside?

At this moment, Jiang Zhi helped Shen Ci'an out.

After Lu Yuan helped Jiang Zhi take Shen Ci'an out of the palace, they boarded the carriage that Xiao Xuanyou had prepared.

The carriage was spacious, with thick mattresses on it and heavy curtains that completely blocked out the cold wind from outside.

Jiang Zhi felt as if she had been brought back to life once she sat in the carriage.

Xiao Xuanyou is really too crazy.

If I hadn't acted quickly and cleverly, I don't know what would have happened now.

"You were just with the Crown Prince..." Lu Yuan suddenly asked her.

Jiang Zhi was startled, and immediately bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Nothing happened between me and the Crown Prince!"

Did Lu Yuan overhear something outside the door?

She felt flustered.

Lu Yuan frowned.

He originally just wanted to ask Jiang Zhi why the Crown Prince had come out looking flustered.

Given her evasive manner, what exactly happened between the two of them while I was away?

"You don't look too good," Lu Yuan asked again.

The carriage swayed and rocked, but his back remained straight, only his waist and abdomen moved rhythmically, and his gaze never left her.

After such a fright, it's no wonder Jiang Zhi's complexion was pale.

She gave a vague answer, saying, "I probably caught a chill in the changing room earlier."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan asked no further questions and draped the cloak he was holding over her shoulders. "By the way, there's something I need to give you."

He took out a silver bracelet from his pocket.

He had bought it in Fuli before, but after returning, he was busy with other matters and temporarily put the matter out of his mind.

“This is…” Jiang Zhi looked at the antique-style silver bracelet in the dim light.

“I remember you lost your ring with the bandits in Sizhou. I happened to pass by a weapons shop in Fuli and thought it would be perfect for you.”

Lu Yuan sat beside her and demonstrated how to use the silver bracelet.

Similar to the ring Xie Qi gave her, it also contained silver needles, which could be triggered with one hand using a mechanism. However, it had a longer range and could hold more silver needles, allowing it to be fired in several bursts.

As he demonstrated, he talked to Jiang Zhi about the situation in Sizhou. “You don’t need to worry about those bandits anymore. His Majesty has issued an edict ordering the Jianghuai Army stationed in the surrounding area to go and suppress them. As for the matter of Prefect Hang Shuyu’s account books, he has also ordered people to investigate them.”

Jiang Zhi nodded, "I will also trouble Lord Lu to ask Lord Gao Xi to occasionally look after the women I rescued from the mountain stronghold."

Lu Yuan naturally wouldn't refuse, "Okay."

He handed her the silver bracelet, saying, "You can also poison it yourself when you get back, but I still hope that Madam Shen will never use this kind of thing on me again."

Jiang Zhi couldn't help but recall how she had almost killed Lu Yuan with her ring when he was furious.

"I will try my best. Thank you for your kindness, Lord Lu." Ever since she lost that ring, she had felt empty inside.

She reached out to take it, but Lu Yuan didn't give it to her. Instead, he took her hand and slowly slipped the silver bracelet on for her, looking it over from side to side before he was satisfied.

But soon his brow furrowed again. "Why are your hands so cold?"

After saying that, he wrapped both of her hands in his large palms, and feeling that it was not enough, he pulled Jiang Zhi's hands and put them into his clothes.

He did these things with a relaxed and natural expression, as if he had done them countless times before.

This made Jiang Zhi feel somewhat uncomfortable.

But his embrace was indeed warm, filled with his vigorous heartbeat, and the scalding heat emanating from his palms relaxed her tense nerves.

I've had too many frights tonight, and Lu Yuan is safe and reliable enough.

She no longer wanted to pretend to be a proper and well-behaved official's wife; she just wanted to cherish this moment of warmth.

The carriage was very quiet. Shen Ci'an, drunk, leaned against the carriage.

Jiang Zhi leaned against Lu Yuan, feeling the warmth emanating from him, and a strange sense of peace washed over her. She gradually drifted off to sleep in the swaying carriage.

Steward Lin, who had been waiting at the Shen residence, saw a completely unfamiliar yet luxurious carriage stop in front of his house.

The carriage curtain was lifted slightly, revealing half of Shen Ci'an's profile as he leaned back.

Steward Lin immediately instructed the two servants who were waiting with him to help Shen Ci'an down from the carriage and into the mansion.

"Qingxing, quickly go and serve Madam downstairs," he instructed again.

Qingxing wanted to go up, but then she saw the carriage curtain being lifted again, and a tall, handsome figure came out carrying his wife.

“This is…” Qingxing was stunned.

"Don't wake her." Lu Yuan's voice was very low. He didn't need a stool at all. He simply picked Jiang Zhi up and carried her horizontally. He stepped off the carriage with his long legs and walked straight into the Shen residence.

Butler Lin's mouth gaped open, and he braced himself to try and stop them.

Although it was already late at night and there were few people on the streets, and all the servants in the mansion had been settled, few people saw them.

But how could their mistress be carried into the mansion by a strange man?

Qingxing stopped him and shook her head. "Butler Lin, he is a friend of the young master and madam. Please take a look at what he is wearing."

Butler Lin carefully observed the man's retreating figure as he went inside.

Dark cloud-patterned boots crossed the threshold, the hem of a black flying fish robe reached her ankles, a jade belt at her waist accentuated her slender and sharp lines, and the cold glint of the knife at her waist flashed by.

"It's... the Embroidered Uniform Guard!" he exclaimed in a low voice.

Qingxing nodded and said, "It is Lu Yuan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Lord Lu."

Butler Lin's aged eyelids twitched violently.

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was rumored to be a ruthless and cold-blooded man who inspired fear in others.

But just now, when I saw him holding his wife, even though it was dark, I could still see a hint of tenderness in his eyes and brows.

This was completely different from what he had imagined!

Even so, upon hearing the name of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Steward Lin dared not step forward to stop them.

Jiang Zhi opened her eyes groggily and found herself in the familiar Shen Mansion. Her heart immediately relaxed, and she reached out to wrap her arms around the neck of the person holding her, muttering, "Teacher."

She nuzzled her face against his chest like a kitten and fell asleep again.

Lu Yuan paused slightly, and the hand holding her stiffened for a moment before quickly returning to normal.

"Where is the study?" he asked Qingxing, who was following closely behind him.

"My wife and son-in-law both stay in the main house and have never slept in the study." Qingxing was also a little nervous in the face of the extremely imposing Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan gave her a cold look. "Shen Ci'an is drunk. Are you sure you want your wife to have a restless night?"

Qingxing thought it made sense, so she took the initiative to lead Lu Yuan to the study.