Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Crazy
When their eyes met, Lu Changji's gaze was warm and scorching, as if it wanted to burn people through. From the beginning to the end, he treated her very well, and it was she who let him down.
Jiang Shu felt a little guilty and lowered her eyes awkwardly. Only then did she realize that Lu Changji's calf was wrapped in a layer of gauze. The gauze was very thick and blood was faintly seeping from it.
Dull pain spread from the chest, and a faint sourness appeared in the throat. Jiang Shu felt very uncomfortable. She wanted to ask about Lu Changji's injuries and why Lu Changji was injured so badly. Hadn't Lu's party been eliminated? How could someone still hurt him?
Worry wove itself into a dense web, but she couldn't speak it out loud. Since she had decided to marry Ye Qian, she shouldn't give Lu Changji any more hope.
Jiang Shu forced herself to look away from Lu Changji's wound, turned over, faced inward, and closed her eyes in silence.
Lu Changji saw through Jiang Shu's every move like a glimpse into her heart. He raised the corners of his lips and smiled, then took off his coat and climbed onto the couch.
The quilt beside her sank slightly, and the elegant fragrance of green bamboo filled the air. Then, a hot body stuck to Jiang Shu's back like a spoon.
When they were taking care of Lu Changji in Fengzao Palace, although they lived in the same room, they slept on separate beds. Today was the first time they slept on the same bed together.
Jiang Shu's heartbeat quickened, her nerves suddenly tense. She shifted forward uncomfortably, and Lu Changji clung to her like a vine. His long arms wrapped around her waist, clinging to her tightly.
"Get out of the way!" Jiang Shu shouted, raising her hand to wave away Lu Changji's arm. Lu Changji didn't say anything, but raised his right leg and put it on Jiang Shu.
The white gauze was like a nail, piercing Jiang Shu's eyes. Jiang Shu paused, not to mention moving, even her breathing became much lighter, her body tense, for fear of hurting Lu Changji.
Tonight was supposed to be a sleepless night, but smelling the familiar scent of green bamboo behind her, Jiang Shu fell asleep unknowingly.
The rules in Canaan Courtyard are very strict. Not to mention the noise, even footsteps can't be heard on weekdays. The courtyard is quiet, so Jiang Shu sleeps soundly. When she wakes up, it is already noon. The autumn sun shines into the house, casting rays of light and shadow.
Jiang Shu slowly sat up, gathered her hair together, tied it with a gold hairpin, got out of bed and walked out the door.
The courtyard was silent, and the chirping of birds was particularly clear and pleasant. Jiang Shu looked in the direction of the sound and saw a golden wire cage hanging under the eaves. Inside the cage was a fragile bird, pecking at millet.
Lu Changji stood leisurely beside the golden wire cage, and when the bird finished eating the millet, he added another spoonful to it.
Seeing Jiang Shu, Lu Changji smiled and said softly, "I asked the kitchen to make some plum cakes. They've been warming on the stove. It's perfect for you to eat now."
Jiang Shu shook her head and said she was not hungry. Her face looked gloomy, in stark contrast to Lu Changji's cheerful expression.
Lu Changji walked over to Jiang Shu and clasped her hands in his palms: "If you're unhappy, go for a walk outside. When you're in a good mood, you'll naturally feel better."
Jiang Shu sneered: "Where can I go?"
Lu Changji replied, "You can go wherever you want."
Jiang Shu took the opportunity to ask: "Can I go see Ye Qian?"
It was she who made him a laughing stock, and he was the person she felt most sorry for.
Lu Changji's smile grew even brighter: "Of course not."
He held Jiang Shu in his arms and whispered in her ear, "Isn't it good for us now? It's not easy for Minister Ye to get to where he is today. Why do you want to hurt him?"
Jiang Shu shuvered, staring at Lu Changji angrily, her voice suddenly sharp: "Are you crazy? You've already separated me from Brother Ye Qian, are you going to kill me?"
Lu Changji remained silent. He gently stroked Jiang Shu's earlobe and whispered, "Anger is harmful to your health. Don't be angry. Whether Ye Shi says it's good or bad is up to you. If you are happy, his career will be smoother!"
"Lu Changji, you are shameless." Jiang Shu was so angry at Lu Changji that she was shaking all over and her chest was heaving. She didn't want to look at Lu Changji anymore and turned around and went back to the inner bedroom.
The door slammed shut with a thud, and Lu Changji's voice drifted into the room from the window, "Cheng Luan, send breakfast to the inner chambers. If she doesn't eat, lock up Minister Ye and let him starve with her."
His voice was gentle as water, but it made Jiang Shu's liver burst. She picked up the vase beside her and smashed it to the ground.
Cheng Luan pushed the door open and walked in, admonishing Jiang Shu in a gentle voice, "Madam, although Master may be harsh in words, he values you more than anyone else in his heart.
Half a month ago, Longyuan was in danger. After arriving in Longyuan, the uncle took drastic measures to deal with the Lu party. The Lu party was desperate and wanted to kill the uncle.
The master was cautious by nature and always asked the Iron Cavalry Battalion to protect him whenever he went out. On that day, when he learned that you were going to get married, he was afraid of delaying the time, so he did not even mobilize the Iron Cavalry Battalion and risked his life to return to Bian Jing.
The remnants of Lu's gang took advantage of the situation and ambushed me in the woods. After I entered, they rained arrows down on me. I had no martial arts skills and nearly died."
Cheng Luan observed Jiang Shu's expression and saw that she was a little moved, so he continued to persuade her: "Young Madam, please treat the master better. Only when you are happy will the master be happy."
Cheng Luan spoke with such conviction that Jiang Shu didn't know what to say. It was like there was a thorn stuck in her throat, which made her feel uncomfortable and unable to move it up or down.
In the next few days, Lu Changji was very busy. When Jiang Shu went to bed, he had not returned home yet. When Jiang Shu woke up, he had already entered the palace. If it were not for the residual warmth on the bed, Jiang Shu would not have known that Lu Changji had returned to the Xinyang Marquis Mansion.
Jiang Shu is not the type to be melancholy about the passing of time. She is powerless to change her current situation and can only accept it calmly. She only feels sorry for Ye Qian.
Ye Qian had a bright future, but he became notorious because of her. Fortunately, the officials of the Hanlin Academy were upright and would not rush to please Lu Changji, otherwise, Ye Qian's future would be worrying.
Lu Lin prided himself on being open-minded and free-spirited, but for the first time in his life, he felt the urge to kill a powerless woman. He hid the dagger at his waist and headed towards Canaan Courtyard.
On the day of Jiang Shu's wedding, after seeing off the guests, Lu Lin went into the house to discuss with Zhao. They had been husband and wife for more than 20 years, and he thought that Zhao had a tacit understanding with him. Unexpectedly, when he proposed to poison Jiang, Zhao flatly refused.
Zhao squinted at him like a fly, her eyes filled with disdain. "Lu Lin, I thought you were useless at other things, but at least you had some sense of responsibility. I didn't expect that when you encountered problems, you would just push the blame onto women."
"Let me ask you, what was Jiang's fault in this matter today? Was she the one who had to abandon Minister Ye and stay at the Xinyang Marquis's residence? Was she the one who put the Xinyang Marquis's residence at the center of public controversy, the very subject of public gossip?"
"Everything that happened today was caused by Xue Ji. If you want to vent your anger, you should go to Xue Ji. What does this have to do with Jiang Shi?"
"Jiang's mother's family has declined. If the Jiang family had a place in the court, they would have gone to the palace and beat the drum to sue Xue Ji long ago. How could they have fallen to the point of being ridiculed by others?"
Zhao's eyes were as sharp as a knife, slicing at Lu Lin's face again and again: "Lu Lin, if you want to properly resolve today's matter, you must properly control Xue Ji and stop thinking of any unorthodox methods."
Discipline Lu Changji?
Lu Lin was deflated all of a sudden, his arms hanging weakly to his sides. Although he was Lu Changji's father, he had long lost the ability to discipline Lu Changji. If Lu Changji had listened to his teachings, he would not have kidnapped Jiang Shu in the street.
Lu Lin gritted his teeth. His eldest son was a man of integrity and uprightness. Although he did not listen to his teachings, he had never done anything immoral.
If Jiang had not deliberately seduced him, how could his eldest son, who was like a banished immortal, do such a paradoxical thing?
Jiang is so hateful!
She was born with a beautiful face, and came here specifically to bring disaster to his Lu family.
The Lu family is famous, and a century-old reputation cannot be destroyed by a woman.
The gate of Canaan Courtyard was wide open, and Lu Lin walked into the courtyard. When he was about ten meters away from the flower hall, Cheng Luan came out to greet him.
Cheng Luan bowed to Lu Lin and said gently, "My Lord, if you have any instructions, just send someone to let me know. Why did you come here in person?"
Lu Lin said it was nothing serious: "I left a fan pendant in Xue Ji's study. I'll go get it myself. You don't have to wait on me."
Lu Lin looked indifferent, but Cheng Luan did not dare to slack off at all. He followed Lu Lin closely and opened the door of the study.
Cheng Luan is quite skilled, and with him by his side, Lu Lin might not be able to succeed.
Lu Lin was a little annoyed and scolded in a low voice: "I am the Marquis of Xinyang, not a nameless villain. You are guarding against me like a thief. What exactly do you want to do?"
If it were an ordinary person, facing the criticism of the Marquis of Xinyang, he would be frightened and retreat, but Cheng Luan was not like that.
His master is Lu Changji, and he only serves Lu Changji.
Cheng Luan didn't contradict Lu Lin, but bowed his head and said, "Your Excellency's study is usually kept in order by me. I have never seen the Marquis's fan pendant in the study. Did you remember it wrongly?"
Cheng Luan was like a piece of shitty plaster, and Lu Lin just wanted to get rid of him. Lu Lin followed Cheng Luan's words and said, "I did remember it wrong. Go to Yufangzhai and see if I dropped the fan pendant there."
Cheng Luan said yes and strode towards the gate of the courtyard. Lu Lin glanced at the flower hall. He knew that Jiang Shu lived in the last room of the flower hall. The room was spacious and bright, and it was the most magnificent bedroom in Canaan Courtyard.
With his skills, he could kill Jiang Shu in less than a quarter of an hour if he entered the bedroom. Killing Jiang Shu would dispel the rumors.
In the future, Lu Changji will marry, have children, and live in a high-class house. People will only envy him. Who will remember that he was once so powerful that he forcibly took his brother's wife away?
Killing someone and paying with their life is a shackle for common people, but the law has no shackles for a top-tier family like the Lu family. Lu Changji holds great power, and no one would attack the Lu family for a woman from a small family.
Lu Changji did value Jiang, but no matter how much he liked Jiang, he could not become an enemy of his biological father for Jiang.
Lu Lin clenched the dagger and strode towards the corner. For the reputation of the Lu family and for Lu Changji's future, he had to kill Jiang Shu, the beauty who brought disaster.
Just as Lu Lin stepped onto the steps, Cheng Luan, who had already reached the gate of the courtyard, turned back. Cheng Luan was accompanied by a man in his twenties. The man was short but very tall, standing straight on the ground like a green pine tree.
Cheng Luan pointed to the guard beside him and said to Lu Lin in a gentle voice, "My Lord, this is Jing Hong, the guard bestowed upon you by the Empress Dowager. Even this year's top martial arts champion wouldn't last more than ten moves against him. Let him stay by your side. If you need anything, just ask him to run errands."
Cheng Luan looked at Lu Lin with a smile. He did not force Lu Lin, but tried to persuade him and monitor his actions.
Lu Lin frowned: "I'm in my own residence, I don't need anyone to accompany me."
Cheng Luan suppressed his smile and spoke in a gentler tone, "My Lord, I have been ordered to protect your wife. You are a skilled martial artist. As long as you remain in Canaan Court, you must have someone by your side."
Madam? Lu Lin scoffed. Jiang was a widow. Even if she gave herself to Lu Changji, she would still be a shameless slut. How could she be called a madam?
He glared at Cheng Luan and said unhappily, "You're becoming more and more unruly. You're outspoken and unrestrained. You're not fit to be Xue Ji's staff member."
Cheng Luan ignored Lu Lin's words and did not refute them. He continued to speak, "I will go to Yufangzhai to find the jade pendant for the Marquis. If the Marquis gives any instructions, I will just order Jing Hong around."
Lu Lin glanced at Jing Hong. How could he possibly act with this door god standing before him? He snorted, ignored Cheng Luan, and left Canaan Courtyard in a huff.
Cheng Luan moved to Jing Hong's side and lowered his voice, saying, "The Marquis has ill intentions. You must protect the Madam. If anything happens to the Madam, neither of us will be able to see the Master alive."
Jing Hong nodded. Although he was good at kung fu, he was very taciturn and rarely spoke.
Cheng Luan and Jing Hong stayed in the yard, but after just a quarter of an hour, Lu Changying came in again.
Jing Hong took the lead and stood in front of Lu Changying, saying in a harsh voice: "Madam is not seeing guests, Miss, please go back!"
Cheng Luan coughed lightly, pulled Jing Hong aside, bowed to Lu Changying, and said gently, "Miss, are you here to visit the lady?"
Lu Changying was a little nervous, a thin layer of sweat oozing from her palms. She raised her voice and said, "The kitchen has made chrysanthemum soup. I'll send one to my second sister-in-law."
Cheng Luan made a "please" gesture to Lu Changying and personally escorted her to the door of the side room.
After they entered the house, Cheng Luan said to Jing Hong, "The Lord loves and respects Madam. Apart from not allowing Madam to meet with Minister Ye, he does not interfere with Madam's social interactions."
Jing Hong nodded, seemed a little bored, and lay down on the rattan chair under the tree to take a nap.
Cheng Luan looked at Jing Hong and sighed helplessly. People with abilities usually have strange personalities. He had no abilities and could only do his job conscientiously.
After Jiang Shu moved into the small room, Lu Changji ordered people to drop gauze and hang pearl curtains in the house. The gauze and pearl curtains complemented each other, making it seem like a fairyland.
When Lu Changying entered the room, Jiang Shu was sitting on the tea couch by the window, doing needlework, with her head lowered, revealing a slender white neck.
She was beautiful, and no matter what she did, she looked like a painting. Looking at her profile, Lu Changying's voice softened.
"Second sister-in-law, I brought you a bowl of chrysanthemum soup. Would you like to try it?"
Jiang Shu put down her needlework, smiled at Lu Changying, and said softly, "Third sister, you are so thoughtful. I don't have much of an appetite right now. I'll try it at lunch time!"
Lu Changying did not comment. She put the chrysanthemum soup on the tea couch, looked out the window, and then took out a letter from the lunch box.
Lu Changying stuffed the letter into Jiang Shu's hands and said in a low voice, "Second sister-in-law, yesterday I went to the restaurant to buy some silk candy and ran into Ye Shijiang."
She hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Minister Ye has lost a lot of weight and looks very haggard. I approached him and offered to deliver a message for you, so he asked me to give this letter to you."
Lu Changying was a sensible girl. After handing the letter to Jiang Shu, she turned around and faced away from Jiang Shu, never wanting to pry into other people's privacy.
Jiang Shu opened the envelope and saw Ye Qian's clear handwriting. Ye Qian said that everything was fine at home and he just hoped that she could take good care of herself. If there was a chance in the future, he would give up everything and run away with her.
Jiang Shu stared at the letter, tears streaming down her face unknowingly.
The person she felt most sorry for in her life was Ye Qian. She had dragged him into this vortex for her own selfish desires, so how could she disregard his future and his years of hard work and elope with him?
She couldn't just walk away with him. There had to be a way to resolve the problem, and she couldn't let him down.
She picked up the pen and wrote back to Ye Qian. She had a thousand words in her heart, but she didn't know how to start. After thinking about it, she only wrote two sentences: The day is a little warm, and the year is a little peaceful.
Life cannot be smooth sailing, and Lu Changji cannot always have people watching her. They will always have their own happiness.
Jiang Shu put the letter into the envelope and pulled Lu Changying's sleeve, and Lu Changying turned around.
Jiang Shu handed the letter to Lu Changying and whispered, "Third sister, you are the only one willing to help me in this Xinyang Marquis Mansion. I will remember your kindness in my heart. If I have the chance in the future, I will definitely repay you."
Lu Changying waved her hands quickly: "Big brother did something wrong. I'm helping you just to atone for your sins. You don't need to take it to heart."
Jiang Shu pursed her lips and chuckled. Lu Changying not only resembled Zhao in appearance, but also in personality. She was clearly a warm-hearted person, but she was tough in words.
Lu Changying put the letter in the food box and said to Jiang Shu, "Second sister-in-law, I'll deliver the letter to the Ye residence right away. Don't worry too much. You must be well!"
As she spoke, she hurried out the door. Lu Changying walked very fast and when she reached the corner, she bumped into someone.
Looking up, who else could that person be but Lu Changji?
Lu Changying felt guilty and unconsciously hid the lunch box behind her back. She stammered, "Big Brother, why did you come back so early today?"
Lu Changji did not answer Lu Changying's words. His eyes were fixed on the food box in her hand. Noticing Lu Changji's gaze, Lu Changying felt even more guilty and said anxiously, "Big brother, I still need to go to Jinyifang to make new clothes. I, I..."
Lu Changji looked at Lu Changying quietly, reached out to open the lid of the lunch box, and took the envelope in his hand.
Lu Changying's heart was beating like a drum, and she explained weakly: "Big brother, this letter is mine, give it back to me."
Lu Changji ignored him, tore open the envelope with his slender fingers, and unfolded the contents bit by bit.
His eyes were fixed on a line of small calligraphy written in the style of a hairpin: The day has a little warmth, the year has a little peace.
The days are a little warmer, and the years are a little peaceful.
From the beginning to the end, she regarded him as a setback in life, and wanted to overcome this setback and live happily with Ye Qian!
Lu Changji raised his thin lips in a sharp arc, holding the letter, and strode towards the temple.
The door was pushed open with a sudden creaking sound, and Lu Changji rushed into the room with a chill. His face was as gloomy as water, and veins in his temples bulged like a snake ready to pounce.
Lu Changji first picked up Jiang Shu's sewing basket and poured out the odds and ends inside. Seeing that there was nothing he was looking for, he went to rummage through the dressing table.
He was like a mad beast, searching for intruders in his territory.
Jiang Shu knew that Lu Changji had most likely discovered her correspondence with Ye Qian. She and Ye Qian were only one step away from becoming husband and wife, and she had a clear conscience about their correspondence.
But looking at Lu Changji pretending to be crazy, Jiang Shu felt her heart pounding. If Lu Changji saw that Ye Qian wanted to live with her, she didn't know what he would do.
The letter was right next to Jiang Shu's hand, folded into a small piece by her. She took advantage of Lu Changji's inattention and stuffed the letter into her sleeve pocket.
Lu Changji searched every possible place where the letter could be hidden, then walked over to Jiang Shu with a sullen face, staring at her coldly: "Take out the letter."
Jiang Shu's scalp tightened and her heartbeat quickened. She pinched her palm secretly, raised her arm to grab Lu Changji's sleeve, and said softly, "I don't know what you are talking about."
The veins on Lu Changji's forehead trembled slightly, and it was obvious that he was trying his best to endure. He said in a hoarse voice, "Shu'er, take out the letter. I don't want to fight with you."
Jiang Shu knew she couldn't hide it from Lu Changji. She took a deep breath and whispered, "I've burned the letter."
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Shu felt dizzy. Lu Changji pinched her waist and pressed her upper body onto his knees.
Jiang Shu lay on Lu Changji's knees with her legs hanging down and her buttocks raised high. She knew that as long as Lu Changji lowered his eyes, he would be able to see her buttocks clearly. This posture made her very embarrassed.
Jiang Shu held onto Lu Changji's thighs and tried to stand up. Lu Changji noticed her intention and pressed one hand on her waist while patting her buttocks with the other. He said in a gentle and low voice, "Shu'er, don't play tricks on me."
Numbness and humiliation spread from her buttocks to her limbs. Jiang Shu trembled slightly, and her cheeks turned pink.
Lu Changji stared into Jiang Shu's eyes, slapped her on the buttocks, and said softly, "Take out the letter."
Jiang Shu couldn't help but moan. This moan made her shame reach its peak. No matter what happened between her and Lu Changji, he shouldn't humiliate her like this.
She raised her arm and pushed Lu Changji's chest hard. Her wide sleeves were thin and light, and a corner of the letter slipped out of her sleeve.
Lu Changji stared at the corner of the letter paper, his eyes suddenly darkened. He pinched Jiang Shu's wrist and slowly pulled the letter out.
The force pressing on her waist suddenly relaxed. Jiang Shu stood up and saw Lu Changji staring at the letter intently.
Her heart sank to the bottom of the valley, a chill spread throughout her body, and her body trembled uncontrollably. Jiang Shu grabbed Lu Changji's wrist and said weakly, "Give me back the letter. This is..."
Before she could finish her words, she saw Lu Changji fold the letter and put it on the tea table. He looked at her with a smile and said softly, "Ye Qian wants to live with you forever, do you want to go with him?
The last person who wanted to steal something from me was Lu Zhun, he's dead now, and now Ye Qian wants to steal something from me too, what do you think I should do?
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