Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Let's just live together? ...
Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Let's just live together? ...
Cheng Yian had no idea what kind of storm this fire would cause, and she left the Cheng Mansion with satisfaction.
Her concubine's room was burned cleanly, and the four concubines in the future could not rely on her. If Miao and Cheng Yiqian behaved well, she would not bother with them in this life. If they did not behave well, she would clean it up slowly.
The Cheng family is located in the east of the imperial city, and the Lu family is located in the west of the imperial city. The carriage has to pass through the Zhengyang Gate.
This place is bustling with people and lights are bright before it gets dark. It is the most famous market in Dajin. Because it is located outside the government office area, it is also called the former market. Starting from Chongwen Gate in the east and ending at Xuanwu Gate in the west, the long street is full of merchants and flags covering the sky.
When passing by a tavern, Lu Xusheng specifically asked someone to buy two roasted geese to take home.
Cheng Yian found that Lu Xusheng was in a good mood today.
"Aren't you afraid that the Cheng family will come back and ask you to pay for the money?"
The fourth branch of the Cheng family did not dare to do anything to Lu Xusheng, but the matter would definitely alarm the first branch. Cheng Yiyan, the head of the first branch, is such an important figure that he would not be able to tell that it was Lu Xusheng who did it, and he might come to hold him accountable.
Lu Xusheng didn't care and handed her a roasted goose.
"Don't worry, I am His Majesty's right-hand man. Something almost happened at the Cheng family. It's good enough that His Majesty didn't pursue the Cheng family's fault. How dare the Cheng family demand compensation?"
This is because he is relying on the emperor's favor and is fearless.
Cheng Yian curled her lips. She felt relieved that her worries were gone and happily took the roasted goose.
Of course Lu Xusheng was in a good mood.
Cheng Yi
If An can proactively clear and remove obstacles, it means he has a chance.
In his previous life, it was hard to say whether Fan Yulin had taken advantage of the situation to climb up the ladder, but in this life, he would never allow Cheng Yian to be framed. As long as Cheng Yian did not take the initiative to look for Fan Yulin, Fan Yulin would have no loopholes to exploit.
Talking about the divorce in his previous life, Lu Xusheng also felt a little upset.
It was said that his wife in her previous life had an affair with someone else. As a husband, he was very upset. He immediately sent someone to find out the whole story. He learned that Cheng Yian and Fan Yulin were indeed childhood sweethearts. The poem by Fan Yulin was also spread. I still remember the poem.
"When you are not here, the rain is falling and I have no place to send my longing. When you are not here, the water is gurgling and my heart is filled with love and I can't control it."
Look at this, it's just some whining trick.
The guard told him that Fan Yulin admitted that the poem was written for Cheng Yian.
He closed his eyes and signed the divorce agreement without hesitation, making their relationship come true.
Now that I think about it, it was really my arrogance that got me into this situation, and I was too careless.
As dusk fell, the carriage arrived at Duke Lu's mansion and Lu Xusheng jumped out first.
When Cheng Yian lifted the curtain and came out, she saw a hand hanging in front of her.
The palm is broad, the knuckles are even, and it is extremely powerful and beautiful.
Cheng Yian's gaze moved upward along the slender arm, and when Lu Xusheng looked over at her, his eyes had already moved away.
His hands remained suspended.
And he didn't speak.
Cheng Yian understood.
This is a gesture of goodwill to her.
Cheng Yian pulled his lips silently.
In their previous life, they had been married for a year, and the thing she could not tolerate most about Lu Xusheng was that he had no mouth.
It's impossible to expect him to tell his whereabouts to his wife.
It is impossible to expect him to voluntarily hand over the warehouse keys and salary.
He answered every question he asked. Saying one more word would be like asking for his life.
Cheng Yinan had to spend a lot of time guessing him.
Quite tiring.
I'm used to you!
Cheng Yian ignored the hand and stepped onto the wooden stool to get off the carriage.
Lu Xusheng, who was ignored: “….”
Looking at his wife Xiuyi's back, he rubbed his nose and followed her helplessly.
The housekeeper was waiting at the door and said that the old lady was waiting for the newlyweds to come over for dinner.
Today we are returning to the old lady's parents' home, and at night the whole family will have a family dinner in the old lady's Rongzheng Hall. The wedding ceremony will be successfully concluded.
The west wing of Rongzheng Hall is very large and is used as a dining room, where family banquets are usually held.
The pearl curtain on the east side is used as a partition for the old and young masters in the mansion to drink, while the seats behind the west curtain are for the female members of the family.
There were dozens of people serving inside and outside, including the maids and servants in red vests, and the second-class maids in green vests outside the corridor. In the corner of the corridor was a fan stove, boiling wine and sending it cup by cup.
It was probably because everyone had a banquet on the wedding day and didn't drink as much as they wanted. Today, the brothers in the mansion were busy pouring wine for Lu Xusheng. The eldest master was not so particular. While drinking, he called the mansion's actors to sing outside to help him get drunk.
It was noisy outside, but everything was in order inside.
The old lady sat on the upper bed. In front of her was a long carved lacquer table with a dozen dishes on it, and a small high table with a spittoon and a scented teacup for rinsing the mouth.
Put another square table downstairs for the girls to sit on.
According to the rules of the wealthy families, young girls are treated as guests and can sit down to eat, but the daughters-in-law have to serve them.
In the past, several wives had to serve the old lady during meals, but now that there is a young daughter-in-law, they are no longer needed and the wives just sit aside and drink tea.
The ones busy at the top were the eldest and third young ladies.
As for Cheng Yian...she was of course helping out as well, handing over spoons and handkerchiefs from time to time.
It was only because of Lu Xusheng's words "She is weak and soft-tempered" that no one dared to call her. The eldest lady even laughed and said, "It's a pity that this child was born so beautiful, she must have been spoiled at home."
Upon hearing this, the Third Lady looked at Cheng Yian. She was wearing a long, slender, gold-sprinkled satin jacket, with gold beads and kingfisher feathers in her hair. Her face was full of a smile, and her eyes were like dewdrops stained by the morning light.
She clearly has the air of a great lady.
Where is the coquettishness, where is the weakness?
But since Lu Xusheng said she was weak, then so be it.
She also joked, "He's so handsome, no wonder Xu Ge'er protects him so well."
The second wife stroked the jade bracelet on her wrist and ignored him.
After the old lady finished her meal, the wives and daughters-in-law sat down to eat. With a new daughter-in-law in the family, the atmosphere was lively and festive, and everyone was in no hurry to leave. The old lady talked to her granddaughters for a while, then called Cheng Yian over.
"Your Cheng family has a lot of rules and regulations. I heard that the girls are well-educated and all of them are talented. So, you must have read a lot of books, right?"
The Cheng family has been a noble family for generations, and it is shameful to say that the girls in the family are uneducated.
In the past, Cheng Yian would have answered truthfully, but now it is different, she understands the old lady's background.
When the old lady married the old master, the Lu family was not so wealthy and the old lady only knew a few words. In comparison, the second wife, who was born in the Wang family of Langya, was proficient in poetry, calligraphy, music and painting. As soon as she came to the Lu family, she surpassed everyone else. The second master Lu Chang regarded her as the apple of his eye and boasted to everyone that he had married a good wife. The old lady disliked Wang very much in her heart.
Although the old lady and the first lady were not easy to deal with, Cheng Yian, who was preparing for a divorce, naturally did not need to be in the spotlight.
"In reply to Grandma, the granddaughter-in-law just learned a few words from the older sisters in the mansion."
The old lady was very satisfied and praised her,
"Stupidity has its advantages."
Thanks to the old lady and Lu Xusheng, Cheng Yian got a reputation of being "stupid and weak".
Very good, she will have nothing to do with any disputes over the mansion.
That night Lu Xusheng drank some wine and rested in the front yard without saying a word. The next morning the couple said goodbye to their elders and went into the palace to express their gratitude. Lu Xusheng was highly trusted by the emperor, so the empress and empress naturally gave him face and waited together in Kunning Palace for the couple to meet him.
Lu Xusheng was the emperor's most trusted and beloved general. After Lu Chang passed away, the emperor treated Lu Xusheng as his half-son. If he had not had a princess, the emperor would have asked Lu Xusheng to marry. As a result, the emperor looked at Cheng Yian like a father-in-law looking at his son's daughter-in-law.
Lu Xusheng is a man of both literary and military talents, and he comes from a noble family. He has been pampered since childhood, and has very well combined the elegance of a scholar with the majesty of a military commander. He is glowing with a fierce and heroic air, while Cheng Yian, with her fairy-like appearance standing beside him, is not inferior to him in the slightest.
The emperor's dissatisfaction with this marriage was somewhat alleviated.
After Lu Xusheng finished his mourning period, he was granted the rank of second-rank deputy governor. This position was in charge of the military laws of all the guards in the world and was not given to anyone without outstanding merit. Although the emperor allowed Lu Xusheng to take a rest for his wedding, the governor's office had a lot of things to do. When Lu Xusheng was away for a few days, some accidents happened, and the emperor ordered Lu Xusheng to go and deal with them.
Lu Xusheng was busy in the Governor's Office for most of the day and returned home at 3 p.m.
But Cheng Yian was sitting behind the desk, worrying about a box of jewelry.
"What are you doing?"
The rosewood and gold-painted box contained three red gold bracelets, two gemstone necklaces, and some scattered rings and bracelets.
Cheng Yian first said that the Second Master had returned, and then explained,
"Nothing, I just plan to pawn these jewellery."
Lu Xusheng frowned.
"Are you short of money?"
Cheng Yian lowered her head and fiddled with her abacus, roughly estimating how much these gold and silver jewellery could be worth. Adding this together with the three thousand silver trousseau she had at the bottom of her suitcase would be enough for her to buy a large house near Chongnanfang.
"Well, I plan to save up some money to buy a house." She said without even looking up.
When Lu Xusheng heard this, his face fell.
The autumn sun shone through the window lattice, and a beam of warm light rested on Cheng Yian's brow. The girl had skin as white as snow, a slender neck, and her slender fingers were holding a wolf-hair brush. She was lazily taking notes, her face full of plans and longings for her future life.
Lu Xusheng's Adam's apple rolled slightly, his handsome face tensed again and again, and finally sat down, stretched out his hand to hold Cheng Yian's account book, and said,
"Cheng Yian, let's talk."
Cheng Yian raised his eyes and saw that he looked extremely solemn. Then he dropped the work at hand, sent the maids out, and looked at him quietly.
"You say."
Lu Xusheng was not a hesitant person, and he got straight to the point.
"You have seen what His Majesty meant today. It is almost impossible for us to get a divorce. What do you think, how about we just get along?"
Cheng Yian blinked, threw away the pen, and said nonchalantly,
"That's nothing. I've already thought about it for you. Half a year later, you will report back to His Majesty and tell him that I am not in good health and cannot bear children. I am jealous and I don't allow you to take a concubine, which has caused chaos in the mansion. You are a second-rank deputy governor of the Governor's Office and a major general who is feared by all. How can you be childless? His Majesty is already dissatisfied with me, and he thinks highly of you. He will definitely be willing to allow us to divorce and then help you find a new wife."
Listen, these words describe his later experiences in his previous life exactly the same way.
Isn’t that the case with Wang’s cousin?
Lu Xusheng felt a lump in his chest, his slender arms resting on her desk, facing her, obviously sitting forward.
"Yian, tell me the truth, do you still have Fan Yulin in your heart?"
Cheng Yian stared at him in silence for a while, then said truthfully, "Fan Yulin later betrayed me."
Lu Xusheng was obviously stunned. He suppressed the joy that was slowly growing in his heart and said in surprise, "Is that so? Then he deserves death. Since you have no intention of remarrying him, why don't you stay and live with me?"
“
Why should I live with you? Do you Lu family treat me well? " Cheng Yian looked at him expressionlessly, his eyes were icy.
These words really hit home.
Lu Xusheng was speechless.
In his previous life, his mother had often bullied Cheng Yian in order to bring him and his cousin together, and he had not been able to protect her well either.
He rubbed his forehead, his handsome face slightly stiffened. At this point, giving up was impossible.
Could he beg her?
Cheng, he begged.
General Lu put aside his pride and was patient and thoughtful.
"Think about it, you are an orphan, your father doesn't like you, and you have nowhere to go. If you divorce me, the Cheng family will definitely be hostile to you. If you find someone else, they may not know you as well as I do. Instead of marrying someone new and living a bumpy life, you might as well put up with me. At least you know the situation of our Lu family, right?"
Lu Xusheng swore that he had never been so humble in his entire two lifetimes.
But these words could not convince Cheng Yian.
The bright girl smiled and said,
"I don't have to marry."
"That's even more impossible."
Lu Xusheng straightened up as if he had more confidence.
"You are a young girl, so what if you are coveted by others outside? I, Lu Xusheng, don't have any other skills, but I am skilled in martial arts, so I can definitely protect you. And with my current status and position, you can walk around the capital with ease."
As soon as he finished speaking, the woman opposite him suddenly narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down.
Lu Xusheng felt uncomfortable being stared at by her.
"What's wrong?"
The setting sun shone behind him, making his figure look extremely tall. His smooth lines slid from his broad shoulders to his slender waist, and then into his waistband. Every muscle exuded vigorous power. He was indeed a warrior who had practiced martial arts for many years. Just by sitting in front of her, an overwhelming aura came over her.
He is a man who can give people a sense of security.
Cheng Yian smiled and said, "I suddenly have an idea."
Seeing her almond-shaped eyes full of cunning, Lu Xusheng had a bad feeling, "What's your idea?"
"To tell you the truth, your Lu family is in deep trouble. The mansion is controlled by the eldest master, and you are the prince. The two families will fight to the death sooner or later. Why should I wade into this mess? I was too tired in my last life. I just want to live a stable life in this life."
Then he changed his tone and said seriously, "But what you just said is not without reason. How about this, you and I get divorced first, and you can be my mistress in the future?"
Lu Xusheng laughed in anger and gritted his teeth, "You are dreaming."
Cheng Yian spread his hands, indicating that there was no room for negotiation.
Sit down and start to reckon again.
Lu Xusheng rubbed his brows and had no choice but to accept her.
The sun had already set, the evening breeze was cool, and the yard was quiet. I could faintly hear the maid in the back room asking Li Madam if it was time to serve the meal. The maid enthusiastically picked a basket of osmanthus flowers and said she wanted to make osmanthus cake for Cheng Yian.
The smoke from cooking filled my nose.
In the countless midnights that followed when he was on high alert, what he longed for was the quiet atmosphere of fireworks.
When it was time to eat, Nanny Li urged several times.
Lu Xusheng didn't move, his sharp eyes fixed on Cheng Yian, as if she was his prey.
Cheng Yian had almost finished calculating the accounts and was in a good mood. He glanced at him with a smile.
"Let me think about it." He said in a serious tone.
Lu Xusheng breathed a sigh of relief.