Chapter 9: Stealing Fragrance and Sharing Bed with Him.
"Be careful, my wife."
The young man's voice was gentle and soothing, as if it were whispering into Lou Yanxu's ear. She quickly stepped aside, gave a slight bow, and said, "Thank you, young man."
Qingrui whispered in her ear, recognizing him as Lu Hengzhi, the heir apparent of the Duke of Ying.
The person before me had a straight nose and bright, star-like eyes. He wore a dark purple robe with a round collar and auspicious deer pattern, cinched at the waist with a belt, and adorned with a sachet and jade pendant. He was truly handsome and elegant, with an outstanding demeanor.
"He was originally the heir apparent of the Duke of England, and has offended many times."
Lu Hengzhi's eyes shimmered as he lowered his head slightly and asked, "It's alright. May I ask which lady you are?"
Lou Yan replied truthfully, "My husband is the heir apparent of the Marquis of Chenghua."
"So it's the Crown Prince's wife."
She smiled politely, and the two remained silent.
A black wind blew and rain poured down like a bursting river. The crowd surged into the temple. Lu Hengzhi, who had somehow ended up standing next to Lou Yanxu, suddenly asked, "Does Suzhou often experience torrential rain?"
"There are very few heavy rains, but there are continuous drizzles in late summer." She glanced to the side and replied with a smile, thinking to herself that the news that the Marquis of Chenghua had married the daughter of a merchant from Suzhou had spread throughout Chang'an.
His eyes were clear and bright, and his eyes were filled with emotion. "Chang'an is mostly dry, and the occasional downpour makes me feel refreshed and happy. I always long for the rainy weather in Suzhou."
"However, Suzhou is too humid, which is also quite uncomfortable. I only think that the drizzle is dense and that it would be fun to wade and play in the water while it is raining."
Lou Yanxu was lost in thought, recalling the day she turned fifteen. It was drizzling, and she and her brother Zizheng were walking close together under one umbrella. Her earlobe brushed against his right shoulder and she felt a warm sensation. Suddenly, she noticed that his left sleeve was wet, so she grabbed the umbrella and pulled him into her arms. The heat rose, and the veins on his neck bulged.
Startled by the sudden thunder, she realized she had been lost in thought, and forced a smile, "Whether you like it or not, Your Highness will only know after experiencing it for yourself."
Raindrops drifted in and dampened Lu Hengzhi's eyebrows. Before he could respond, a soaking wet servant entered and whispered something in his ear. It must have been something important. He hurriedly bid her farewell and rushed into the rain.
The sky seemed to have burst open, and the rain continued until dusk. The hasty ghost had already returned home soaked in the rain, but Lou Yan was injured and hungry. Fearing that she might fall ill again, he ordered the temple servants to prepare a room for her to stay overnight.
The thunderous roar startled the candlelight, causing it to flicker. Qingrui frowned, covered one ear, and lit the incense burner. Lou Yanxu, wrapped in a cloak, lay on her side on the couch, feigning sleep. She lifted her eyelids thoughtfully, "Is the young lady from the Duke of Ying's mansion the one who married the Crown Prince's tutor?"
She remembered this person because Zeng had mentioned her briefly. When Sheng Jin and her friends went out for a trip, they bumped into this Lady Lu.
Qingrui placed the fruit plate on the flat-topped table and transformed into a know-it-all again. "That's right. Madam Lu was diagnosed with pregnancy a few days ago. However, since her concubine was bestowed by the Emperor, she is quite restless. Young Master Liang dares not interfere easily, so Madam Lu has moved to Huiju Temple to rest during her pregnancy."
Lou Yanxu wrapped her cloak tighter and closed her eyes again, muttering, "Every family has its own troubles."
As night deepened, the wind howled, and lightning flashed and thunder roared. Lou Yanxu chose her bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. Accompanied by a clap of thunder, she faintly heard a woman crying for help. Her eyes snapped open, and she froze, holding her breath for a moment, but saw nothing amiss. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, the wind brought another cry of alarm.
"Qingrui!" Her throat went dry, her heart leaped into her throat, and she called out urgently.
Qingrui lit a candle and hurried to the bedside. She was clearly terrified herself, but she was busy comforting her mistress, "I don't know where the screams came from, they were so frightening! My lady, go to sleep, I will stay with you."
Lou Yanxu suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and closed her eyes to rest, but the intermittent crying and shouting disturbed her heart. Helpless, she got up and opened a crack in the door to look out. She saw a dark purple figure flash into the next room.
She still remembered that robe; it belonged to Lu Hengzhi.
Presumably, it was because Madam Lu was in pain and crying for help. Since Lu Hengzhi had already arrived, she did not want to meddle in other people's business, so she extinguished the candle and went to sleep peacefully.
The shouts continued until dawn. Lou Yanxu, impatient, turned over, put on her outer coat and cloak, and said, "Qingrui, let's go take a look."
The downpour lashed her straw hat, and she pulled it down before knocking on the door. After a while, a maid opened the door, looking at her warily. "Who are you?"
Inside the house, Lu Hengzhi called out in a deep voice, "Yunzhi," and strode over. His expression softened instantly as he asked, "Why has Lady Lou come?"
"I heard someone calling for help, so I came to see." Lou Yanxu peeked out and saw Lu Siyue lying on the bed, drenched in sweat. She frowned and asked, "Did you go to fetch a doctor?"
"The messenger went, but the wind and rain made the journey difficult, so he was delayed for a long time." He subconsciously made room for her to enter.
Just then, Lu Siyue convulsed, and Lou Yanxu leaned closer to take a quick look.
“That’s not appropriate.” After all, it’s a matter of life and death. She looked out at the dark sky and stared intently at Lu Hengzhi, saying, “I’ll take care of things here. You go and fetch the doctor yourself.”
Lu Hengzhi was stunned for a moment. Lou Yanxu was of course innocent, but she also knew that he would be worried about entrusting his elder sister to someone else. So she said, "Madam Lu, this maid is waiting here. It is a matter of life and death. Go quickly."
He had been waiting anxiously for the doctor but hadn't seen him. Now that he had no other choice, he thanked Lou Yan and left.
Lou Yan ordered Qingrui to change the basin of cool water to cool her forehead and relieve the fever. She and Yunzhi massaged Lu Siyue's meridians. Seeing that the person on the bed was in so much pain that she almost rolled over, Lou Yan frowned and reached out her hand. Soon after, a row of fingernail marks appeared on the back of her hand.
Thunder rumbled, a gust of wind pushed open the door, and Qingrui stepped forward to hold it shut. Through the crack, she saw a large group of men in black approaching step by step, and choked out, "Wife! There are many people outside!"
Lou Yanxu took a quick glance and saw swords flashing everywhere. Her heart sank, and she immediately blew out the candle, causing the three of them to hold their breath in silence.
Someone knocked on the door.
Lou Yanxu sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, biting her lip. Through the crack in the door, she could see the person standing outside for a long time. A chill swept over her body. Then, Lu Siyue groaned as she touched her protruding belly. Helpless, she could only cover Lu Siyue's mouth with one hand and grab the scissors by the bedside with the other.
The wind howled in like ghosts wailing and wolves howling. She was momentarily stunned. After a while, she heard the chaotic footsteps fading away, and then she began to breathe heavily.
"Finally gone," Qingrui murmured softly.
But a moment later, the door knocker rang again. The two masters and two servants stared at each other, barely able to contain their anger, almost suffocating.
"It's me," the person outside the door said after a long silence.
Yunzhi recognized the voice first and went to open the door.
Lu Hengzhi led the doctor inside, and Lou Yanxu secretly relaxed her convulsing body and stood aside, only to realize that Lu Siyue had fainted.
She stood there, still shaken, when someone suddenly reached out a hand. She jumped in fright and saw Lu Hengzhi pat her shoulder and take the scissors from her hand.
A moment later, the doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up. "The lady was at risk of miscarriage, but it's under control now. She should take good care of herself and avoid any further complications."
Now that everything was alright, Lou Yanxu decided not to linger any longer and silently retreated with Qingrui back to their quarters.
When she took off her raincoat and oil hat, she was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and thought to herself that she could finally sleep peacefully.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.
Her heart pounded slightly. As she entered, she smelled the fragrance of pine and cypress mixed with the stench of blood. She walked around the half-worn landscape screen, her body swaying and her breath held as she stared blankly at Xu Congjing, who was slumped on the edge of the bed.
Qingrui lit a candle, which illuminated his face, making it appear both red and white. He covered his abdominal wound with his hand, pressing a bloody palm print onto the ground.
"Open the door!"
The two arrived suddenly, banging on the door like thunder. Xu Congjing lifted his eyelids to look at her, but couldn't speak for a long time.
Lou Yanxu immediately understood the cause and effect, and glanced around. The dormitory was dilapidated, with only a slightly larger storage cabinet remaining, which was not big enough to hide a person. There was nowhere left to hide!
The person outside the door had already become suspicious. She tried her best to drag Xu Congjing onto the canopy bed, ordered Qingrui to open the door, and then pulled down the tortoiseshell curtain to hide inside.
In a moment of crisis, she knew which option to choose between her life and her innocence.
"Who are you?" Qingrui stood warily in front of the door, but the two men pushed them aside and went straight inside.
She strode after them, and seeing the two men about to lift the curtain to peek, she immediately stepped forward to block them, saying, "How dare you! My lady is resting inside; how dare you thieves lay your eyes on her!"
But since the two were thieves, how could they easily compromise? Before they could make a move, Lou Yanxu coughed heavily a few times, opened a hole and peeked out, "I am staying here due to a sudden onset of tuberculosis. Please forgive my inconvenience."
She covered herself with three thick blankets, and underneath, Xu Congjing's hot forehead was pressed against the back of her hand, his warm breath spraying onto her fingertips, and a strange feeling swept over her whole body.
Who would have thought that she, who spent her days alone in the Marquis's mansion, would be sharing a bed with the young man beside her? She was filled with shame at the thought of secretly stealing a kiss, her forehead was covered in sweat, and she coughed sharply at the two of them.
The burly men in black scrambled to retreat. Qingrui turned her head and suddenly saw a bloody handprint on the ground. Her body trembled, and she immediately stepped forward, wailing and shouting, "My lady, don't speak! If you leave, I will never live on alone!"
Upon seeing this, the two frowned and covered their noses, peering inside by the dim candlelight. Just then, a gust of wind blew out the candles, and seeing nothing amiss, they dared not linger any longer, quickly looking around before leaving.
Qingrui hurriedly followed to close the door.
Lou Yanxu lifted the covers, and Xu Congjing was already sweating profusely, his body burning hot, his eyes bloodshot, and he looked at her with a sense of dependence.
As Lou Yanxu was lost in thought, his large, hot hand covered her chin, caressing it tenderly. Before she could scold him, his hand slid down her neck.
He fainted.
"My lady," Qingrui called softly, lifting the curtain to see Xu Congjing's pale face. Even though she was somewhat prepared, she was still shocked. "Minister Xu, he..."
Lou Yan realized belatedly that she had been taken advantage of, and in a fit of anger, she kicked Xu Congjing off the bed without regard for his wounds. She turned away, sulking. When Qingrui saw this, she slowly walked over and gave him another kick.
"..." Lou Yanxu was amused and felt much more relaxed.
"My lord." A voice called from outside the door.
Lou Yanxu remembered that it was the voice of Xu Congjing's bodyguard, Yun Lu. It was crisp and clear, like that of an eight or nine-year-old child, yet he was the one who showed his sharp edge and was ruthless in his attacks.
She ordered Qingrui to open the door. Yunlu entered and saw his master lying on the ground. He was not angry, but instead bowed and thanked her. She did not say a word and waved him away.
Despite her exhaustion, Lou Yanxu did not sleep soundly for the rest of the night, only dozing off until dawn. When the storm subsided, the temple was desolate.
Qingrui checked their belongings, and the two of them intended to return to the mansion while the weather was clear. On their way out, they ran into the Lu siblings.
Lu Siyue's complexion was slightly rosier, but her eyes were a little listless. "Is Madam Lou leaving?"
"Yes, I stayed overnight yesterday because of the heavy rain, but now that the rain has stopped, I need to hurry back to the manor." Lou Yanxu smiled faintly, "Is my wife feeling any better?"
"I'm fine now. I owe you so much last night, otherwise it would have been hard to say whether I could have kept this pregnancy." Lu Siyue held her hand and had Yunzhi present the list of precious valuables. "In short, I am very grateful. If there is anything I can do to help in the future, please come to the Liang residence to find me."
Lou Yan glanced at it but did not refuse, indicating that Qingrui should accept it. She also dared not let the Duke of Yingguo's mansion owe such a big favor, and it would be more convenient to exchange money and silk for welcoming and sending off guests.
Seeing that it was about time, Lu Hengzhi said, "I'll see you off."
Lu Siyue glanced at him and forced a smile, "Yunzhi, go and deliver it. Take good care of her."
Lou Yan smiled and withdrew, while Lu Hengzhi watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.
Lu Siyue patted him to bring him back to his senses, "She is the wife of the heir of a marquis's mansion, not the wife of the heir of your duke's mansion. If you go to deliver it, won't you just cause trouble for yourself?"
"I wanted to thank her, but I hadn't thought it through."
She noticed that his gaze was unusual and warned him, "Whether it's lust or love at first sight, regardless of whether she's already married, just the fact that she comes from a merchant family is enough for your mother not to let you marry her."
Lu Hengzhi smiled. Last night, seeing Lou Yanxu protect his sister despite her fear, he couldn't help but be moved. When he took the scissors, his heart was probably already different. However, he had been taught to be upright and honorable since childhood, so how could he do such a despicable thing as stealing someone else's wife?
"It's something completely unrelated, sister, you're overthinking it."
He gazed blankly at the sky; dark clouds pressed down, and a storm was imminent.
Three days later, at the Xu residence.
Xu Congjing stepped into the main hall and bowed slightly. He gritted his teeth, which aggravated his wound. When he sat down in the armchair, his fingertips lightly touched his corner tooth, and he could still vaguely feel the touch of the beauty's skin.
He never saw Lou Yanxu again after that day, and pondered what kind of thank-you gift he should send, as he would only be truly sincere if he delivered it in person.
Lost in thought, Madam Zhang called his name twice, and Xu Congjing snapped back to reality. "What does Mother want with me?"
When Madam Zhang saw her son, she smiled broadly and stared intently at him. "These two amulets have been blessed. Keep them and give one to Madam Sheng."
She agreed to accept this daughter-in-law that day, so it seems she wasn't faking it. Xu Congjing accepted it without comment.
Madam Zhang didn't seem to care, her smile almost melting into water. "I had a fortune teller calculate it yesterday, and the nineteenth of next month is an auspicious day for marriage. Why don't we arrange your marriage?"
Xu Congjing frowned and said in a deep voice, "Isn't this too hasty?"
"Don't you trust your mother to handle things? Even if you leave me seven days, I can still get everything done perfectly." A mother is always most enthusiastic about her son's marriage. Don't let her usual illness keep her bedridden; she can make a decision on the spot even if you ask her to spare seven days and seven nights.
“But I’ve been busy day and night lately, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to find the time.” Xu Congjing’s knuckles turned red as he gripped the peace buckle, and he lowered his head with a strange look in his eyes.
Madam Zhang slapped him on the shoulder, saying, "When are you not busy?"
It was clearly a marriage he had agreed to, and now he didn't need to worry about anything. His daughter-in-law had accepted the marriage and arranged everything, yet his son was still not satisfied. How could Madam Zhang agree to this? "Even if you're busy, you can find a day to spare. You don't need to worry about the rest."
A maid brought over a bowl of ginseng soup, which Xu Congjing personally served to his mother, saying calmly, "Let's choose another auspicious day."
Madam Zhang put down her hand warmer and stared at him for a while before squinting and asking, "You have no intention of getting married, so why did you agree to this marriage in the first place? Were you just trying to fob me off?"
Since Madam Zhang refused to accept the ginseng soup, Xu Congjing had no choice but to put it aside and said slowly, "No, it's just that I've been busy with official business and my relationship with Madam Sheng isn't very close, so this matter still needs to be discussed later."
She asked suspiciously, "Does she think the same way?"
"yes."
"You're lying!" Madam Zhang pointed at his nose and scolded, "You know I won't ask her, you're always making things up!"
"You never had any feelings for her, did you?" She swept her wide sleeves, almost spilling the ginseng soup. "I noticed that you always addressed her as Madam Sheng in a distant manner, and I've had my suspicions for a long time."
When her idea was confirmed, Madam Zhang was furious. She had always been obedient to her son and didn't care if her daughter-in-law came from a wealthy or powerful family; she only wanted someone he liked. She never expected to be tricked like this, and she was still panting as she finished speaking with fierce eyes.
"Although I long for your marriage day and night, I will not allow you to joke about your own marriage!"
Xu Congjing hurriedly went to help her up. Knowing that he had failed his mother, he patted her back and knelt down in front of her, saying, "Mother, don't be angry. Your son knows he was wrong."
Madam Zhang wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, turned her head away, and snorted, "You know you're wrong, but you won't correct your mistakes!"
Madam Zhang believed she knew her son best, and sure enough, she saw him kneeling silently with a somber face. But in that instant, she felt as if she were seeing him kneeling before his father's coffin that day, and her heart clenched with pain, rendering her unable to utter a word of anger.
Her lips trembled and dry as she asked, "Are you still thinking about that young woman?"
Xu Congjing lowered his head, his lips moved slightly, and his eyes were filled with turbulent emotions.
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