Chapter 36 Chapter 36 She treated Lu Changyi more intimately than him...
When the Prime Minister arrived, Jiang Wenhuan, the birthday boy, didn't even dare to sit in the main seat and gave it to Lu Changji.
Jiang Wenhuan sat to the side and glanced at the dining table. The table was filled with dishes with a rich variety. However, he was afraid of offending the distinguished guest, so he held the menu in front of Lu Changji.
"I don't know what dishes you would like, sir. Please take a look at this menu. If you find anything you like, please order it."
Lu Changji took the menu and said without even looking at it, "Add a dish of honey-fried plum soup."
Jiang Shu was slightly stunned. Honey-fried plum soup was her favorite soup. She remembered that Lu Changji had a light taste and should not like such a sweet and sour taste. Why did he order honey-fried plum soup?
It can’t be that it was ordered specially for her, right?
Jiang Shu shook her head, driving away the absurd thoughts in her mind.
The waiter brought the honey-fried plum soup to the table. Jiang Wenhuan personally filled a bowl and brought it directly to Lu Changji.
Lu Changji took the soup bowl and placed it in front of Jiang Shu naturally.
Jiang Shu was a little flattered, but considering Lu Changji's personality, she thought that this move was probably to honor her in front of her family, so she didn't think much about it and happily accepted the bowl of soup.
Jiang Wenhuan watched the two people's actions and felt happier. Since Lu Changji was willing to pass the soup to Jiang Shu, it showed that he valued Jiang Shu.
He had previously asked Jiang Shu to lobby for the censor. It must be because Jiang Shu had risen to a high position in society and was unwilling to take care of family affairs, so she deliberately shirked her responsibilities.
Since Jiang Shu was unwilling to help him, he would fight for himself. After all, he was Jiang Shu's father. Since Lu Changji valued Jiang Shu, he would definitely give him face.
Jiang Wenhuan filled a glass of wine, held it in both hands and presented it to Lu Changji, saying with a smile: "It is a blessing for me that the Prime Minister can celebrate my birthday.
All my respect for you is in this glass of wine. Please accept it and it will be the fulfillment of my heart."
Lu Changji frowned, his expression clearly unchanged, but Jiang Wenhuan felt a sense of pressure. His hands holding the wine glass hung in the air, hesitating, not knowing what to do.
Jiang Shu thought that Jiang Wenhuan had made some progress because he was always by Censor Luo's side, but she didn't expect him to be so ignorant that he didn't even know that Lu Changji didn't drink alcohol.
She looked at Jiang Wenhuan and reminded him gently, "Father, Lord Lu never drinks. Please put down your glass!"
Jiang Wenhuan's old face turned red, and he secretly blamed himself for Weng Tianzhi's view. He didn't know whether this move would backfire and offend Lu Changji.
He placed the wine glass on the table, stood up, and bowed repeatedly to apologize: "This humble official is short-sighted and has offended Lord Lu. I hope Lord Lu will be magnanimous and not hold it against this humble official."
The room fell into silence. Lu Changji raised his eyelids and glanced at Jiang Wenhuan. He said calmly, "Master Jiang is my elder. Don't be so polite. Get up quickly."
Lu Changji called Jiang Wenhuan his elder, referring to their kinship rather than their official position, which shows that he did not accept Jiang Wenhuan from the bottom of his heart.
Jiang Wenhuan only remembered the food and not the beating. After being uneasy for a while, he forgot all about Lu Changji's beating.
He then turned to Lu Changji and said, "I once had the honor of dining with Lord Lu. I wonder if Lord Lu still remembers him."
My father and Yang were married for life, and they were both shameless.
Jiang Shu stared at Jiang Wenhuan with wide eyes, picked up a piece of sea bass with chopsticks and placed it on the plate in front of Jiang Wenhuan, saying loudly, "This sea bass is very delicious. Father, please try it!"
Jiang Wenhuan naturally knew Jiang Shu's intentions, but feigned ignorance for his own selfish reasons. He ignored Jiang Shu and continued to say to Lu Changji, "Censor Luo admires Lord Lu very much and wants to pay him a visit. I wonder if Lord Lu has..."
"Lord Lu is busy with all kinds of affairs. He leaves at dawn and returns at dusk every day. How could he have time to receive irrelevant people?" Before Lu Changji could say anything, Jiang Shu interrupted Jiang Wenhuan.
As a court official, Jiang Wenhuan did not think about doing practical things to benefit the people. Instead, he was greedy and wanted to climb up the ladder by bribing his superiors. Even Jiang Shu found him disgusting.
Jiang Shu was not a proud person, but she was always very self-respecting in front of Lu Changji, fearing that he would look down on her. She also did not want her family to be embarrassed in front of him.
Jiang Wenhuan had no idea what Jiang Shu was thinking. He just thought Jiang Shu had no conscience and had ignored her parents' home after marrying into a wealthy family.
If he doesn't teach this ungrateful person a lesson, she might even forget her own name.
Jiang Wenhuan looked at Jiang Shu and whispered, "Shu'er, after dinner, go back to the mansion and visit your aunt. Your aunt is not allowed to go out and is confined to the mansion every day. She is looking forward to you going back to see her!"
The words were not harsh, but they were reminding Jiang Shu that her aunt was in his hands, and she'd better be obedient.
Jiang Shu pursed her lips and smiled, then said with a simple yet powerful tone, "Auntie is a woman from the inner house, and she should stay at home. Our family is small, and apart from father and Bin'er, no one else should show up in public."
Jiang Bin is Jiang Wenhuan's only son. Jiang Wenhuan may ignore others, but he treats Jiang Bin like the apple of his eye.
Jiang Shu turned to look at Jiang Bin and asked with a smile, "Bin'er, do you still want to study at Master Zhao's house?"
The Zhao family was a prosperous family for centuries, with a strict family tradition, passing down poetry and literature. The private school within the mansion was even more famous in Bianjing. Most students from the Zhao family had bright futures. Even those with mediocre talents could still pass the imperial examination to become a juren, even if they failed to pass the jinshi exam.
Because Zhao was Jiang Shu's mother-in-law, Jiang Wenhuan specifically asked Jiang Shu to mediate and wanted Jiang Bin to study in Zhao's family.
Jiang Shu glanced at Jiang Wenhuan. The matter had already been settled. Since Jiang Wenhuan wanted to control her, it was still uncertain whether Jiang Bin could still go to the Zhao family private school.
It is important to please Censor Luo, but it is far less important than Jiang Bin's future.
Jiang Wenhuan didn't dare to take Jiang Bin's future seriously, so he quickly softened his stance towards Jiang Shu, saying, "Although your aunt was a slave, she gave birth to you and Ran Jie'er. She has worked hard and made great contributions. Even if she wants to marry, we can accommodate her."
Jiang Shu smiled slightly, picked up the spoon and added a bowl of beef soup to Jiang Wenhuan.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door, and the neighboring General Yan came in. He looked at Lu Changji and said loudly, "Minister Lu, everyone is waiting to serve you tea, please hurry up!"
Jiang Wenhuan intercepted him halfway and was too embarrassed to force him to stay, so he slowly escorted Lu Changji out of the room.
After such an incident, the following events were bound to be unpleasant. Everyone finished their meal quietly and left the banquet hall.
Jiang Wenhuan was not satisfied, but he did not dare to get angry with Jiang Shu. He got into the carriage with a gloomy face.
After finally getting out of the house, Jiang Shu was like a bird that had flown out of a cage. She didn't want to go back to the Xinyang Marquis Mansion at all. She originally wanted to go shopping at the garment shop, but before she set off, she was stopped by Cheng Yong.
Cheng Yong raised his hand and pointed at Lu Changji's carriage: "Second Madam, the Master invites you to have a chat."
Jiang Shu was a little indignant. Since Lu Changji had already rejected her, why did he provoke her?
She had stood naked before him twice, and even though she was wearing clothes now, she felt as humiliated as if she had been stripped naked.
Jiang Shu sat at the place farthest away from Lu Changji, quietly, without saying a word, looking straight at Lu Changji.
Lu Changji pointed to the embroidered couch at the side and said, "Come sit next to me."
Jiang Shu felt a little uncomfortable, but still sat next to Lu Changji as she was told.
She must not have eaten well after the commotion at the banquet just now. Lu Changji stuffed the snacks on the small table into Jiang Shu's hands and waited for Jiang Shu to take a few pieces before he spoke.
"When water is too clear, there are no fish. There are many officials in the officialdom who are promoted through nepotism. We are relatives by marriage. With my current status, promoting Jiang Tongpan is just a matter of words.
Why are you so rigid and unyielding, showing no mercy to Judge Jiang? Judge Jiang is your father, and you should be more accommodating when dealing with him."
Jiang Shu understood the truth, but everything in the world requires give and take and balance. Lu Changji is a high-ranking official, and the Jiang family will only ask him for help, and there will never be a time when he needs the Jiang family.
If he helped Jiang Wenhuan, how would Jiang Shu and the entire Jiang family repay him? Since he couldn't pay it back, he shouldn't shamelessly take advantage of others.
Jiang Shu knew what was going on, but she couldn't say the words no matter what.
She said perfunctorily, "Everyone has their own destiny. My father wants to win the favor of his superiors, so he should rely on his political achievements. What's the point of using these unconventional methods?"
Her answer sounds fine at first glance, but if you think about it carefully, you can tell that she is not answering the question.
With Lu Changji's intelligence, how could he not know what Jiang Shu was thinking?
Jiang Shu often took gold and silver from Lu Changyi's private treasury to help the Jiang family. Now that Jiang Wenhuan needed Lu Changji's help, she tried to stop him.
After all, she treated Lu Changyi closer than he did.
The contrast between the two was so great that Lu Changji couldn't help but feel angry.
Is she close to Lu Changyi and distant from him? On the day she took Chinese medicine, it was he who helped her relieve her stress. The two of them have become so close, so why is she still unwilling to rely on him?
I'm afraid they feel he's useless now and want to distance themselves from him.
The tranquil lake of his heart surged into a turbulent sea. Lu Changji sneered, and a layer of coldness appeared on his elegant face. He squeezed out a word from between his teeth: "Jiang Shu, you are really very good!"
Faced with Lu Changji's sudden attack, Jiang Shu was somewhat unprepared. She didn't know how she had offended him, and even if she wanted to make amends, she didn't know where to start. She just stared at Lu Changji blankly.
She was a very good-natured person, and even treated the servants in the Xinyang Marquis' Mansion with kindness. But now she could watch him get angry without trying to appease him, which clearly showed that she didn't care about him.
The more Lu Changji thought about it, the more aggrieved he became, so he simply stopped talking. However, his tightly pursed thin lips still revealed his displeasure.
Jiang Shu was usually very perceptive, but now she was completely confused. She had no idea why Lu Changji was angry. Moreover, she had been rejected by him many times and her dignity had been lost, but she could still talk to him calmly. Why was he angry with her?
Jiang Shu had a good temper, but she wasn't someone to be trifled with. She didn't want to give Lu Changji any more perfunctory words and said, "I know Uncle is thinking about me and the Jiang family, but he's already helped us a lot. As for my father's promotion, I won't bother him."
She opened the curtains, pretended to glance at the sky outside, and then said, "It's getting late. I need to go back home to take care of my affairs. Uncle, please go home early too!"
After saying this, he stood up quietly and turned to get out of the carriage.
Jiang Shu walked briskly and disappeared in a moment, leaving only the carriage curtain swaying slowly, stirring people's hearts.
Jiang Shu returned to Xinchun Garden, and as soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Lu Changying sitting under the shade of a tree weaving grasshoppers.
Seeing Jiang Shu, Lu Changying placed the grasshopper in her hand on the stone table and said in a domineering tone, "My cousin is also going to stay at Qingyang Temple for a while. Please arrange for my room and my cousin's room to be together. We have been friends since childhood and even lived in the same courtyard when we were at the Zhao family."
Jiang Shu knew that Lu Changying liked Zhao Yingyun. Under normal circumstances, it would be understandable to arrange them to live in the same room.
But thinking of Zhao Yingyun's feelings for Lu Changji, Jiang Shu became a little hesitant. Zhao Yingyun came to stay at the Lu family this time, obviously to get close to Lu Changji. If Lu Changying and Zhao Yingyun were arranged in adjacent rooms, it would probably be inconvenient.
Jiang Shu didn't want to match Lu Changji and Zhao Yingyun. Zhao Yingyun had helped her before, so she should repay the favor.
She lowered her eyes to look at Zhao Yingyun, and said calmly, "I have already sent my maids to decorate the rooms in Qingyang Temple. There is really no way to change them. If you want to get closer to my cousin, you can visit us in your free time."
Lu Changying never took Jiang Shu seriously. She thought that as long as she asked, Jiang Shu would do what she said. She didn't expect that Jiang Shu would dare to disobey her.
She glared at Jiang Shu and said unhappily, "You are of humble origin. If you hadn't caught my second brother's eye, how could you have entered the Marquis' Mansion?
Now that Mother has given you the power to manage the household, you should be cautious and consider everyone's wishes. How dare you go against my will?"
Lu Changying's temper is like a firecracker, coming and going quickly. There is no point in arguing with such a person, even if you win. Jiang Shu was too lazy to pay attention to Lu Changying and turned to walk towards the flower hall.
Lu Changying stared at Jiang Shu's back angrily, with sparks in her eyes. If she hadn't been concerned about Lu Changyi's health, she would have followed him into the house and killed Jiang Shu's prestige.
Lu Changying ran to Feiniao Pavilion in a huff and told Zhao Yingyun everything that had just happened: "I think Jiang Shu doesn't know her own weight. A person who comes from a poor family dares to interfere with my decision.
If she has any integrity, she will just do as she pleases. If I ever catch her doing something wrong, I will definitely punish her."
Lu Changying was straightforward, but Zhao Yingyun was thoughtful. Knowing that Jiang Shu had offended Lu Changying out of consideration for her, she quickly tried to mediate: "Ying'er, you've never managed household affairs before, so you don't know how tedious they are. My second cousin's wife is arranging sacrifices, and she has to consider the family's food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as her personal preferences. She really has to take everything into consideration.
For example, in that room, I like reading, so my second cousin's wife will prepare the four treasures of the study in my room. You like to play tossing pots, so my second cousin's wife will put ear pots in your room.
These mundane tasks may seem insignificant, but they are incredibly troublesome. We're leaving this evening, and it would take an entire afternoon to furnish two rooms. It's understandable that my second cousin-in-law refused your request."
Lu Changying was not an unreasonable person. After hearing what Zhao Yingyun said, she felt very ashamed. However, she was used to being superior and could not act humble.
Blushing, she grabbed her sleeve and whispered, "I just thought my sister-in-law was deliberately making things difficult for me, so I just said a few words to her. It turns out she has her own difficulties too."
Zhao Yingyun smiled and patted Lu Changying's head, saying softly, "Since you know you are wrong, you must control your temper and get along well with your second cousin's wife.
My second cousin's wife may not have been born into a prominent family, but she is incredibly gentle and considerate. We shouldn't judge people by their birth. If you spend more time with her, you'll realize her strengths."
Lu Changying said "hmm", smiled embarrassedly, and ran outside to dance the white rope with the maid.
Zhao Yingyun handed the round fan she had just painted to Mianwu and said in a gentle voice, "Give this fan to Second Madam and tell her that I know her kindness and am very grateful to her."
The fan was made of kesi silk, and painted on it was a picture of a yellow oriole singing in a willow. The willow leaves were fresh, and the yellow oriole was lifelike, as if it could fly at any time.
Jiang Shu had little education and knew nothing about poetry or painting. Because of her own shortcomings, she admired women with literary talent very much.
She held the round fan in her hand, looking left and right, and always felt she couldn't get enough of it.
Lu Changyi leaned on the bed and whispered, "It may look elegant to write in a fancy way, but it is useless if you take a closer look.
As a woman, the most important thing is to have children and expand the family line for the husband's family."
Jiang Shu didn't know why Lu Changyi brought up this topic. He was weak and sensitive, and she was afraid of touching his weak spot, so she simply kept silent and just lay quietly beside him to keep him company.
The faint fragrance entered his nose, and Lu Changyi's body stiffened slightly. He took a deep breath and whispered, "Shu'er, I'm a little cold. Can you hold me?"
When they first got married, they often fell asleep in each other's arms, but Lu Changyi tried repeatedly but failed, so they gradually became distant, and only held hands to sleep more often, and were no longer as intimate as before.
Jiang Shu paused, turned sideways, put her hands on Lu Changyi's waist, put her forehead against his chest, and silently hugged him.
His body was cold and thin, but hers was fragrant, soft, and full of life and energy.
She didn't know how much he liked her.
Lu Changyi hugged Jiang Shu back, rested his chin on the top of her head, and whispered, "The weather is so hot, but I always feel like I'm falling into an ice cave. No matter how thick the clothes I wear, it's useless.
I know I won't live long, but you've been with me for so long and treated me with such care, I can't let you go."
Jiang Shu leaned against Lu Changyi's chest, tears streaming down her face. She choked up and said, "My Lord, you are a blessed person. You will be safe and healthy. You must not give up on yourself."
Lu Changyi didn't know how many times he had heard such words. At first, he still had hope, but as time passed, his health showed no improvement and even became weaker and weaker, so he no longer believed such words.
He brushed Jiang Shu's hand away, struggled to sit up, and said, "Let me draw your eyebrows for you. It will also fulfill my dream of being on equal footing with my wife when I was young."
Lu Changyi was too weak and didn't even have the strength to stand up. Jiang Shu couldn't bear to see him working so hard, so she stood up and helped him to the armchair in front of the dressing table.
She moved a small embroidery cushion and sat in front of him, tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and assumed the posture that was most convenient for him to write.
Lu Changyi is good at painting, but his hands are a little unsteady now. It took him a cup of tea to finish drawing Jiang Shu's eyebrows.
He handed a small bronze mirror to Jiang Shu and said weakly, "Take a look at the painting."
He drew eyebrows like distant mountains, slender and long, which made Jiang Shu look even more beautiful.
Jiang Shu nodded and said softly, "Your Highness's painting is very good. I am very happy."
"As long as you like it." Lu Changyi said while holding Jiang Shu's chin, bending down and lowering his head.
His lips felt slightly cool against hers.
The setting sun gradually spread across the western sky, and the summer heat dissipated.
It's time to set off.
Lu Changyi did not go to see Jiang Shu off because it was windy outside and he couldn't stand it.
Leading the way were Zhao and Lu Lin's carriages, followed closely by Jiang Shu's carriage.
Jiang Shu sat upright in the car, holding the packet of aphrodisiac tightly in her hand, her heart beating like a drum.
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