Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Lu Changji, be gentle...
Jiang Shu put on her pajamas and walked into the hall while drying her hair.
The flower hall was as bright as day under the lighting of the lanterns. Lu Changji sat on the armchair, his dark eyes fixed on Jiang Shu, like a beast ready to pounce.
"Sister-in-law, why do you want to hold your belly so long?" The cold voice exploded in my ears like a thunder.
Jiang Shu shu was startled when she noticed some water stains on Lu Changji's cuffs. She looked around and saw no sign of Zhu'er in the hall. The person who had just handed her the clothes was...
Although the false pregnancy was still short and not yet obvious, it was always better to be a little plumper. Jiang Shu then wrapped herself in layers of bras, and as luck would have it, Lu Changji discovered her.
Thinking of the belly button resting on the screen, Jiang Shu felt cold all over. Her fingers, tucked into her long sleeves, were clenched tightly together. Because she was holding them too tightly, the joints turned slightly white.
With Lu Changji's intelligence, as long as she admitted that she was not pregnant, he would definitely guess that it was her who had sex with him in Qingyang Temple.
No, she could never admit that she was not pregnant, she could never be buried with Lu Changyi, and she could not, could not let Lu Changji see through her plan.
The best way to deal with it now is to take the initiative and ask Lu Changji why he entered the bathroom quietly. Unfortunately, she had something to hide, and her reaction was several beats slower than usual.
Jiang Shu stood up straight, trying her best to put on a smile. She pretended to be relaxed and said, "After the prince passed away, I could never let it go. I was so sad day and night that I hurt my body.
It's only early autumn now, but I already feel unbearably cold, so I'm wearing this dress to hug my belly and keep warm."
This explanation is inevitably far-fetched, Jiang Shu added: "Third brother and the prince have always had a grudge. Now that the prince is gone, there is no guarantee that third brother will not have some inappropriate thoughts.
At times like this, I should be calm and composed, fearing that Third Brother would discover my weakness, so I wrapped my arms around my stomach to confuse him."
Jiang Shu's few words completely dampened Lu Changji's ardent affection. Lu Changji rubbed the ring on his thumb with an unfathomable expression on his face.
He originally thought that Jiang Shu had no choice but to marry Lu Changyi, but he didn't expect that her love for Lu Changyi was stronger than gold. When Lu Changyi left, he took most of her heart with him.
Lu Changji entered the officialdom at a young age. After that, he rose rapidly and was in charge of the government, holding everything in his hands. Only she brought unexpected changes to his life.
The long-lost feeling of being out of control made Lu Changji feel a little panicked. He actually had moments of panic. Realizing his own changes, Lu Changji didn't even know what tone or attitude to use when talking to Jiang Shu.
He said no more and strode out of Xinchun Garden.
The autumn wind blew in his face, and the bleak chill brought Lu Changji back to his senses.
He looked at the attendant and ordered in a deep voice, "Please ask Doctor Wen to go to Canaan Courtyard."
This was the first time that Doctor Wen met Lu Changji alone. The pressure from the superior made Doctor Wen nervous and his voice trembled.
Lu Changji looked at Doctor Sun and asked, "How is Second Madam's health now? Is the pregnancy stable?"
Doctor Wen has been treating nobles from wealthy families for many years, and has developed a delicate heart. Whenever a noble asks a question, he always thinks twice before speaking.
Everyone knew that Jiang Shu's pregnancy was "stable". If everything went well, Lu Changji would not have questioned him for no reason.
Doctor Wen pondered for a moment and said vaguely, "Second Madam's pregnancy is fine, but the fetus is a little weak. If it goes well..."
Before he could finish his words, Lu Changji interrupted him: "How is she? How is her health?"
The husband had just passed away, and the wife always had to worry and be troubled to show her loyalty. Doctor Wen thought for a moment and said carefully: "Second Madam has both qi and blood deficiency, and her mind is worried. She needs to be taken care of carefully."
Doctor Wen's thoughts were not in vain. After some discussion, he finally came up with a conclusion that matched Jiang Shu's.
Lu Changji no longer suspected Jiang Shu of faking her pregnancy; instead, he felt immense pity for her. Pregnancy was already arduous, and she had suffered so much, not knowing how much pain she must have endured.
He looked at Cheng Yong and whispered, "Send the century-old ginseng that the Queen Mother gave me to Xinchun Garden."
Mrs. Zhao sent someone to deliver several boxes of dried fruits to Zhao Yingyun. The boxes contained longan, hazelnuts, walnuts, and longevity fruits. These are all good things for the body. They are fried using the Zhao family's unique cooking method and have a very unique taste.
Zhao Yingyun was a considerate person. After receiving the nuts, she sent people to distribute them to each branch of the Jiang family.
When Cheng Yong entered Xinchun Garden, he happened to meet Mian Wu who was delivering nuts. Mian Wu bowed to Cheng Yong and passed by him.
Back at Feiniao Pavilion, Mian Wu reported what she had just seen to Zhao Yingyun: "The box containing the ginseng is very exquisite, it seems to have come from the palace."
"Although the old man is Second Grandma's uncle and there's nothing wrong with him taking care of Second Grandma, he definitely shouldn't have someone send supplements to Second Grandma at night."
"Shut up." Zhao Yingyun looked at Mian Wu and scolded in a low voice, "Where have you learned any etiquette? How dare you slander the master for no reason?"
"My master is the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. His status is so noble. I wonder how many noble ladies in Bianjing City would like to marry him. He must be crazy to risk the wrath of the world and covet his own brother's wife."
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear what you said today. If you dare to go out and talk nonsense, I will not forgive you."
Zhao Yingyun spoke with confidence, but she was worried in her heart. Lu Changji looked humble, but he was actually the coldest person in his heart. If he didn't care about Jiang Shu, why would he send someone to deliver supplements to Jiang Shu at night?
Zhao Yingyun raised her arm and rubbed her temples, her heart a mess.
She originally thought that as long as she spent more time with Lu Changji, with her looks and talent, she would be favored by Lu Changji sooner or later. However, since Lu Changji already had Jiang Shu in his heart, how could he still take her seriously?
My sister-in-law and my uncle, this is so shocking that even ordinary families cannot tolerate my sister-in-law and my uncle having an affair, let alone in the Marquis' Mansion.
Lu Changji wanted to save face, so if he kicked Jiang Shu out of the mansion, their connection would naturally be severed. He couldn't just go to Jiang Shu's parents' home and have an affair with her.
The next day, Zhao Yingyun went to Lu Changying's yard to play cards with her and said softly, "My second sister-in-law is pregnant and without my second cousin, so she must be feeling depressed.
Why don't we invite our second sister-in-law to come over and play mahjong with us? It will be more lively with more people, and she'll be more cheerful."
Although Lu Changying didn't say it, she had already changed her mind about Jiang Shu. She only had this one sister-in-law, so naturally she wanted to be closer to her.
Lu Changying looked at Que'er and ordered, "Go to Xinchun Garden and ask the second sister-in-law to come over and play mahjong."
Que'er said yes and was about to leave when she heard Lu Changying continue, "Second cousin's wife is pregnant and has difficulty moving around. Remember to send her a sedan chair."
Lu Changying is harsh in her words but has a simple mind. Jiang Shu doesn't hate this sister-in-law. Since Lu Changying has extended an olive branch to her, she is also happy to be close to Lu Changying.
Jiang Shu rode in a sedan chair into the Xixi Flower Garden. She saw Zhao Yingyun the moment she entered. Zhao Yingyun smiled and took her hand, gently asking, "The weather is nice today, perfect for playing mahjong. Has my second cousin ever played mahjong before?"
Jiang Shu just said no, and Zhao Yingyun responded, "Second cousin is smart. She learned it after watching it twice. When you learn it, you must give us a prize."
Jiang Shu got the hang of it quickly and soon started playing with Zhao Yingyun and Lu Changying.
Lu Changying loved the hustle and bustle of life, wandering around every day and staying up-to-date on the latest news. She smiled happily, "Did you hear? My third brother got beaten up last night."
Without waiting for Jiang Shu and Zhao Yingyun to respond, she continued, "Third brother went to a brothel last night to have fun. I don't know who he offended, but he was severely punished on the way back home.
I heard from the maids at Bihua Tower that he is now bruised and battered all over, unable to even get out of bed."
Lu Changying became happier as she spoke: "If you walk too much at night, you'll eventually encounter ghosts. Third brother Jian Tian'er's mischief has finally paid off. Now that he can't even get out of bed, let's see how he can act like a demon again."
Jiang Shu was also very happy to hear the news. Lu Changfeng had often made things difficult for her, but she couldn't get angry because of her status. Now that Lu Changfeng was beaten, she couldn't be happier.
Jiang Shu was in a good mood, and her luck at playing mahjong had improved a lot. She was playing enthusiastically when she heard Zhao Yingyun let out a low "Ouch!" She looked at Lu Changying with some embarrassment and whispered, "My underwear belt is untied. Please help me tie it, cousin."
Lu Changying has always liked Zhao Yingyun, so she was naturally willing to help her. She said "Hey" and took Zhao Yingyun into the inner room.
The two of them soon went to the outer room together. They chatted for a while and then continued to play cards. The three of them had a lot of fun playing mahjong. At noon, Lu Changying specially arranged a table for them. Jiang Shu returned to Xinchunyuan after finishing the meal.
At nightfall, Jiang Shu was having her evening meal when Nanny Zhou came in.
Nanny Zhou was always polite to Jiang Shu, but this time she looked a little unhappy. She bowed to Jiang Shu and said calmly, "Second Madam, Madam would like you to go to the Banquet West Hall."
Jiang Shu had a bad feeling, so she put on an outer coat and followed Nanny Zhou into the West Banquet Hall.
The lights in the flower hall were on, and Lu Changying was sitting next to Zhao with a dark face, looking at Jiang Shu with contempt and disdain.
Lu Changying said angrily, "Mother, today my cousin, my second sister-in-law and I were playing mahjong in the hall. My cousin's belt came undone, so I went to the inner room with her to tie it.
During that time, the second sister-in-law was the only one in the hall. She must have noticed the exquisite jade pendant on the table and stole it."
"I used to think I was narrow-minded and prejudiced against my second sister-in-law because of her family background. Now it seems that my second sister-in-law is really not worthy of being on the stage, and she only does petty thefts."
Lu Changying spoke with certainty, as if the matter was already a foregone conclusion.
Zhao Yingyun interjected at the right time: "I'm afraid my cousin has misunderstood. My second sister-in-law holds my second cousin's private property. She has everything she wants. How could she be jealous of a jade pendant?"
Lu Changying curled her lips and said, "Cousin, you don't know that the jade pendant was given to my elder brother by the Queen Mother. It has a soft texture and the carved persimmon and ruyi patterns on it are so exquisite that it's no exaggeration to say it's a precious treasure.
My elder brother saw that I liked the jade pendant, so he gave it to me. I never thought that it would be stolen by my second sister-in-law.
Everything must be based on evidence, and Jiang Shu would not allow Lu Changying to slander her with such rhetoric. Just as she was about to defend herself, she heard Zhao say, "Ying'er, I know your second sister-in-law's character better than you do.
Let alone a jade pendant, even if you put mountains of gold and silver in front of her, your second sister-in-law would not be moved. Stop your nonsense and slander your second sister-in-law."
"Mother." Lu Changying hadn't expected Zhao to defend Jiang Shu. She glared at Zhao angrily, "My jade pendant has been in the flower hall, but my second sister-in-law went there to play mahjong and it disappeared. If it wasn't my second sister-in-law who stole it, who else could it be?"
"Shut up." Zhao said softly to Lu Changying, "You are no longer a child. You must be responsible for what you say. You keep saying that your second sister-in-law is slandering you. Can you produce evidence?"
Evidence? How could Lu Changying produce any evidence? She was dissatisfied, but she didn't know what to say.
At this time, Zhao Yingyun said, "Ying'er was reckless in what happened today, but it won't be difficult to clear my second cousin's name. We just need to send someone to search Xinchun Garden, and we'll know for sure."
Jiang Shu was frank in her heart and extremely humble in her attitude: "Mother, you can send people to search. You can't ruin the friendship between me and my sister just because of a jade pendant."
Zhao looked at Madam Zhou and whispered, "Madam Zhou, take your men to search Xinchun Garden."
About half an hour later, Nanny Zhou returned to the Banquet West Hall. She glanced at Zhao, then turned her gaze to Lu Changying and said, "Miss, I have searched Xinchun Garden inside and out, but I haven't found your jade pendant."
Lu Changying was very surprised and at the same time felt a little ashamed. She knew she was wrong, but she refused to admit it. She muttered softly, "Did Mother Zhou miss some places and not search them all?"
Zhao looked at Lu Changying and said sternly, "Mother Zhou is the most cautious in her actions, so don't try to be unreasonable.
Since you misunderstood your second sister-in-law, you should apologize to her. Why are you making excuses here?"
Lu Changying was in the wrong. After hearing Zhao's scolding, she had no choice but to lower her head and whispered to Jiang Shu, "Second sister-in-law, I misunderstood you. I hope you can be magnanimous and not argue with me."
Zhao Yingyun looked at all this and her face turned slightly pale. How come they didn't find it? She clearly had someone hide the jade pendant in the flower hall of Xinchunyuan.
Nanny Zhou was indeed old. She used to be a capable and meticulous person, but now she couldn't even find a jade pendant.
While thinking about it, I suddenly heard Zhao say, "Yun'er and Ying'er should go back to bed first. Jiang's staying."
Zhao Yingyun didn't say much and walked out of the flower hall.
As the door closed, Zhao's face immediately tensed up. She looked at Jiang Shu and whispered, "Kneel down."
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Zhou took out the Shishi Ruyi jade pendant.
Nanny Zhou had been with Zhao for decades and knew her best. Zhao was arrogant and proud. If her daughter-in-law did something despicable, she would definitely cover it up.
Therefore, even though she found Lu Changying's lost jade pendant in Xinchun Garden, she did not say much in front of others.
Jiang Shu stared at the jade pendant and knew that she was framed.
Lu Changying has a clear distinction between love and hate, and her joy and sorrow are all shown on her face. She would not and would not bother to frame her. Could it be Zhao Yingyun? If Zhao Yingyun had not taken Lu Changying to the inner room to tie her belt, Lu Changying would not have suspected her?
But she and Zhao Yingyun had no grudge against each other at all, so why did Zhao Yingyun frame her?
Jiang Shu was completely baffled and knelt on the ground as Zhao had instructed. With the evidence before her, even an explanation would be pointless, so she simply kept silent.
Zhao huffed, "I thought you were a calm and respectable person, but I never thought you were so short-sighted. Even if the jade pendant is a rare treasure, it's not worth it for you to shamelessly steal it."
"I will help you suppress this matter today, but I cannot let you off easily. I must teach you a lesson so that you will remember this lesson."
Zhao took a copy of the Tao Te Ching from the bookshelf and threw it onto the table. "Go to the ancestral hall and copy the Tao Te Ching in front of Yi'er's tablet."
"You have fallen short of virtue, and if you earnestly comprehend the profound meaning of the Tao Te Ching, you will be able to reform yourself."
Jiang Shu said yes, lowered her eyes, picked up the "Tao Te Ching", and walked towards the ancestral hall.
The Lu family is a century-old family with a rich heritage. The tablets in the ancestral hall are arranged in rows, as high as a mountain. At the bottom is the tablet for Lu Changyi.
Although Jiang Shu had no romantic feelings for Lu Changyi, she used to regard him as a family member. Now, just one look at his tablet made her feel heartbroken.
Jiang Shu turned the chair around, turned her back to Lu Changyi's tablet and began to copy the "Tao Te Ching".
Autumn nights are already cool, but the weather was not good and it started to rain again. There were lightning, thunder, and heavy rain, and the ancestral hall became even colder.
Jiang Shu felt cold all over, her lips turning purple from the cold. She wrapped her clothes tightly and shivered as she copied the Tao Te Ching.
The court affairs were extremely complicated, and it was already late at night when Lu Changji returned home. He had just sat down when Cheng Yong walked in.
Cheng Yong whispered to Lu Changji what had happened in Yanxitang, and added, "Second Madam is currently copying books in the ancestral hall. The weather is cold, and the ancestral hall is filled with gloomy energy. I don't know if Second Madam can hold on."
Lu Changji pinched his brows, took out a jade pendant from the drawer and handed it to Cheng Yong: "Go and give this jade pendant to Madam, and tell her that you found it on the road.
As for the jade pendant found in Xinchun Garden, it was a gift I gave to my second brother."
The Queen Mother originally gave Lu Changji a pair of identical jade pendants. He gave one to Lu Changying and kept the remaining one in a drawer. Now it is useful.
When Cheng Yongxing arrived at the West Banquet Hall, Zhao had already gone to bed. However, upon learning that Lu Changji's attendants wanted to see her, she hurriedly put on her clothes and went to the flower hall to meet them.
Cheng Yong presented the jade pendant to Zhao and said in a gentle voice, "My Lord found this jade pendant on the corridor when he was returning home. Last year, my Lord made great contributions during his patrol, and the Empress Dowager specially gifted him a pair of jade pendants.
The master gave one to the young lady and the other to the prince. Now I found it on the corridor, but I don’t know if it was dropped by someone from Xinchunyuan or by the young lady.
"It is already late, and it is not appropriate for you to disturb the women in the mansion. I have asked you to give this jade pendant to Madam, and please make your decision."
Zhao raised her eyebrows. It turned out that Ying'er was so impulsive that she pulled the jade pendant onto the corridor, causing her to wrongly accuse Jiang Shu.
Lu Changyi has countless treasures, so it is understandable that Jiang Shu didn't know that he had that jade pendant.
Zhao Shi didn't want to say much in front of Cheng Yong, so she just took the jade pendant and sent Cheng Yong away.
After Cheng Yong left, she called the maid and instructed her, "Go to the ancestral hall and ask the Second Madam to go back to her room and sleep early."
She pondered for a moment and added, "Tell Second Madam that I was wrong about her today. Please apologize to her on my behalf."
The maid was surprised. The mistress had a strong personality and would not give in in front of the Marquis when faced with issues of principle, so the relationship between the two was like water and fire.
Now she has to apologize to the second grandmother, and no one knows what happened.
The maid didn't dare to ask any more questions and walked towards the ancestral hall holding an oil-paper umbrella. From a distance, she saw a row of guards standing at the door of the ancestral hall. Those guards were wearing Chengzi clothes, with straight postures and imposing aura. They were Lu Changji's personal guards.
It was the dead of night, and I didn't know what the uncle was doing in the ancestral hall. My second grandmother was still inside, and it didn't make sense for my younger brother and sister-in-law to be in the same place with my uncle.
The maid walked forward, saluted the guard and was about to go in, but unexpectedly the guard at the door stepped forward and blocked her outside.
The maid frowned and said softly, "I am here on Madam's orders to ask the Second Madam to return to her room."
The guard said, "Before the master came in, he had already asked the Second Madam to return to Xinchun Garden. Miss, please go back first."
The maid suddenly relaxed and secretly blamed herself for being narrow-minded. The master was a very considerate and polite person. How could he do such a thing as staying in the same room with his sister-in-law in the middle of the night?
The second wife has already returned to her room. As for the apology, it is not too late to talk about it tomorrow. The maid no longer hesitated and walked back to Yanxi Hall.
The night rain was drizzling. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder roared. Lu Changji put away his oil-paper umbrella and quickly stepped into the ancestral hall.
There was a storm outside, and the candlelight inside was flickering. The candles placed in front of the tablets flickered, casting shadows of varying lengths on the ground.
Jiang Shu had fainted at some point, her eyes were closed and her cheeks were abnormally red.
Lu Changji reached out and touched Jiang Shu's forehead, which was extremely hot. He bent down, picked up Jiang Shu, and went straight back to Canaan Courtyard.
When Cheng Yong saw Jiang Shu's face, he knew she was ill, so he immediately rode a fast horse to ask for Doctor Wen.
Lu Changji placed Jiang Shu on the couch and could feel her burning sensation even through her clothes. She was pregnant, and a prolonged fever would not only harm her body but also the fetus.
Lu Changji hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took off Jiang Shu's coat.
Jiang Shu's shoulders and arms were exposed to the air. Her skin, originally as white as jade, was now covered with a light pink layer due to the heat, just like the peach blossoms on the branches in March, so attractive that people couldn't take their eyes off it.
Lu Changji's Adam's apple rolled twice. He forced himself to look away and wrung out a towel to wipe Jiang Shu's body.
The handkerchief slid across her cheek, then brushed across her neck and shoulders. The coolness came over her, and Jiang Shu's temperature dropped a little.
In a daze, she dreamed of what happened that night again. Although she had consummated her marriage with Lu Changyi, it was only that one time after all, and she was still a little awkward about it.
Unfortunately, he was gifted, and she simply couldn't accommodate him. When the two of them collided, her body felt so painful that it felt like it was about to break apart.
She wanted to withdraw, but he wouldn't give in. She was in so much pain that she had to beg for mercy quietly.
"Uncle, uncle, please be gentler and spare me!" A gentle voice came from Jiang Shu's lips.
Lu Changji's body stiffened, and thousands of brilliant fireworks exploded in his mind.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
