Chapter 12: My Lord, or My Husband?
Her nagging was useless. Lu Min remained unmoved, simply lowering his head and focusing on restoring his grip.
Although he felt more confident after his last test of his limits, the price he paid was considerable. Regaining control of his body was second only to the first adaptation. Moreover, he had been unable to control his emotions for a period of time, losing his composure and becoming so disoriented that he only wished it would never happen again in his life.
The woman before him remained enigmatic. She was like an unfathomable mystery; if she was profound, her nonchalant manner and speech were irrelevant. If she was ordinary… no one knew how many puppeteers' lives she held in her hands, or what kind of close connection existed between her and the puppet masters.
And now, she's still wailing, insisting on going to the Never-Sleeping City to see the sights, indulging in her petty temper.
He glanced at her, then looked away, uninterested. In recent years, as the Imperial Tutor, he had been stirring up trouble in the court and hadn't had much time to deal with women. He had assumed that women should all be as well-behaved as the women in his clan, but he hadn't expected to suddenly encounter such an oddity, which was quite unexpected.
He let her chatter on and on, ignoring her completely. He clenched his fist tightly, and gradually that solid grip returned. By the time the carriage entered Jiuzhang Mansion, he was finally certain that he could control his limbs freely, and he didn't need anyone's help when he got out of the carriage.
A long, straight path connects the carriage road and the inner palace, with carved beams and painted rafters on both sides. Occasionally, unnamed deities, three zhang tall, stand beneath them, making it feel as if countless eyes are watching you as you walk underneath. He used to worry that he would lose his composure in front of others and be noticed by those with ulterior motives. Now that everything is under control again, he suddenly feels that this path is perfect for running, for running forward without a care in the world.
But he eventually stopped, carefully taking each step, walking with the same dignified and steady demeanor as before. Shi Mi, following beside him, was amazed by the grandeur of the Nine Chapters Palace and quickly caught up, asking, "Lu Min, which is higher, this place or Fuyao East?"
Lu Min said, "The highest point of Jiuzhang Prefecture is nineteen zhang, and the highest point of Fuyao East is twenty-four zhang. Naturally, Fuyao East is higher."
Shimi murmured, "What were the city builders thinking... building those statues and pavilions so tall? Walking underneath them feels like entering a strange realm; sometimes it's frightening."
“So living people shouldn’t live here.” He turned his head to look into the distance, his eyes turning cold. “The people of the Yu Dynasty were greedy for grandeur. Is grandeur good? Governing a country is like governing a family. The worst thing is to be ostentatious. In the end, the country fell, but the city still remained. Didn’t it still fall into the hands of others?”
He was actually talking to himself, not to her, but after a while, when she didn't say anything, he felt something was off.
He turned his head and saw her swaying her shawl, looking around, completely ignoring his presence. He was somewhat displeased and frowned, saying, "Young lady, I have something to say to you."
Shi Mi then looked away, asking blankly, "What did you say?"
He said in a deep voice, "Please don't call me by my first name in public, lest it attract attention."
Shi Mi was very receptive to others' opinions and determined to change, but didn't know where to begin, so she smiled and said, "Then what should I call you? My lord, or my husband?"
This woman has always been bold and unrestrained. In her eyes, there aren't many rules to follow between men and women. She talks about marriage all the time, declares she wants to kiss you, and even undresses without hesitation in front of you. So, it's no longer surprising that there are discrepancies in how she addresses you now.
Lu Min patiently guided her, "For now, use the official title; we'll talk about the rest later."
Shimi nodded. "Alright, I'll remember that."
Following him into the massive portico, we passed through it and found ourselves in another world paved with white marble. Guards in black and red stood in neat rows on either side of the portico, their expressionless, motionless forms resembling newly made puppets, arranged in perfect uniformity from head to toe.
Soon, an older internal affairs officer stepped forward, bowed, and patted his knee, saying, "Cen Shenji has returned the warrant and military tally, and is waiting in the council hall. The bedroom that Counselor Luo ordered to be prepared for the young lady has also been ready. I will take the young lady there now."
Lu Min nodded, said nothing, and only glanced at her.
Shi Mi was in high spirits no matter what, saying, "I have to go and see if it's decorated as nicely as my old bedroom."
She followed the officials from the Inner Palace and had no intention of visiting the council hall. This grand Nine Chapters Palace was only one level below the White Jade Capital in terms of scale and design. Her first task was to roughly understand the functions of each department, and then choose a good place to properly settle Ran Dian and Yan Dian.
The official from the Imperial Household Department leading the way was quite skilled with his feet, walking quickly and silently. Shi Mi almost wondered if he was wearing wheeled shoes, since he had already passed through the long corridor adorned with coffered ceilings without Shi Mi ever seeing his legs cross under his robes.
She could only try her best to keep up, but upon entering her dwelling, the furnishings were quite pleasing. The walls were framed with heavy rosewood, each panel inlaid with an ancient landscape painting, layer upon layer, like a fully opened screen. A bamboo lamp hung high above the bed, and sheer gauze curtains cascaded down, half-concealing the soft, exquisite bed inside. The most unusual feature was the partition between the gauze curtains and the outer chamber, made of countless tiny silver fragments strung together. Each fragment, cut with a few strokes, created several gleaming surfaces. These surfaces reflected light, and when illuminated by candlelight, they shimmered with patches of white light.
The official from the Imperial Household Department, with his hands tucked behind his back, inquired, "Please take a look, young lady, and see if it suits your taste. If there are any shortcomings, please point them out, and I will immediately order someone to replace it."
She vaguely saw her former bedroom, which was just as exquisite and magnificent.
Only when the official spoke did she come to her senses and reply, "Very good."
Having inspected the inner chambers, he then looked around the rest of the building. Stepping into the courtyard, he casually asked, "Are there any other people living in this building?"
The official in charge of the inner palace said, "The two rooms facing north are where the maids live, so that the ladies can summon them at any time. It is very close to the Grand Tutor's bedroom; just go through the corridor."
Actually, choosing this place to stay was also on Luo Jie's instructions. Although the matter was settled, the official couldn't understand why a woman whose background had not been made public was arranged to live near the Grand Tutor.
Looking closely, the young woman was beautiful. Could it be that she entered the Jiuzhang Mansion to become the Grand Tutor's concubine?
The official from the Imperial Household Department hesitated, wanting to inquire but unsure where to begin. After a long pause, he could only manage a dry laugh.
Shi Mi saw through it and told him directly, "I am engaged to the Grand Tutor. We are traveling together these two days and will get married in two days."
The palace official was stunned. He had thought she was using her looks to please him, but he hadn't expected her to be here to rise to the top in one step.
Seeing his blank expression, Shi Mi smiled generously and said, "Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. My family is not one to stick to old customs. We just value the Grand Tutor as a good person—that's all that matters."
The official was increasingly confused. A good person… This was the first time he had ever heard anyone describe the Grand Tutor as a good person. Of course, one cannot judge the methods of governance based on personal feelings; different positions naturally lead to different perceptions. Perhaps in the young woman's eyes, the Grand Tutor was simply a kind and gentle man, a good candidate for husband.
"Quickly put on a smile of approval, what are you waiting for!" The official's face was full of joy. "What you say is absolutely right, young lady. Since the Grand Tutor's inspection tour of Zhongdu, I have been serving in the Jiuzhang Prefecture. The Grand Tutor has devoted himself to the Yan Dynasty, so much so that he is still unmarried. I am secretly very worried about the Grand Tutor. Now that you have arrived, young lady, it is clear that you are a woman of great wisdom. You and the Grand Tutor complement each other perfectly. It is truly a cause for celebration."
Shi Mi could tell that this old fellow was pulling out all the trappings to flatter him. He had no patience to waste on him, so he simply looked around and said in a critical tone, "Like the Grand Tutor, I don't like being disturbed. There are other people living in this building, which is superfluous to me. If we were to move them elsewhere, wouldn't that be too much trouble for the officials?"
"Not at all," the palace official hurriedly replied. "It's just a matter of a word, Miss. You can give the order immediately. I'll arrange it right away and transfer the person out. However, this will make it a bit inconvenient for him to serve at night..."
Shimi said, "I go to sleep when it gets dark, and I don't need anyone to serve me."
The official from the Imperial Household Department readily agreed, saying, "Then I will take care of it immediately. Young lady, please return to your room and rest."
So she openly and legitimately claimed the building for herself. She inspected it from top to bottom; the place was large and deep, just to her liking. Looking at the decorations everywhere, she wondered whether the extravagance was left by the former Yu or rearranged after the Yan Dynasty occupied the area. The level of luxury was truly astonishing; just that string of broken silver curtains alone must have cost at least twenty taels of silver.
Back in the council hall, Lu Min continued to handle official business with the same ruthless methods, but those below him felt, in a way that was hard to explain, that he was quite different from before.
The Six Guards reported on the construction work, and the Tiger-Kui Guard General kept glancing at it blankly. He noticed this and casually asked while flipping through the documents, "General Cheng, has anything changed in your guard? Do you have any military intelligence to report?"
The Tiger Guard General was immediately embarrassed. "Everything in the army is as usual. There is no military intelligence to report to the Grand Tutor."
The man at the head of the table smiled and said, "That's because I didn't handle things properly, so the general doesn't recognize me?"
General Wei panicked even more and hurriedly said, "No, no, no, this humble servant had no such intention. I just felt that the Grand Tutor looked much better today. It seems that he should take better care of himself and his health."
Lu Min closed the document in his hand and said calmly, "Let's all work hard together. Official business is important, but your health is also important. Taking a couple of days off now and then is no big deal. If you need to ask for leave, I will not object."
The Grand Tutor seemed to be in a good mood today, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The atmosphere in the council hall was unusually relaxed. Cen Yilou, the advisor, returned the token, saying, "We will meet the Emperor in three days, and we must set off no later than noon tomorrow."
Lu Min nodded. He didn't need to explain to his subordinates when or how he would leave. He only said that the construction of the sacred path needed to be expedited, "I and you have been staying in this secondary capital for more than a year. The sooner it is completed, the sooner we can return to Baiyujing."
Everyone agreed that promotion ultimately depended on being under the emperor's nose. Although the project in Chong'an City was of great importance, compared to the Six Guards of the capital, it was tantamount to exile. The Grand Tutor had initially retreated to Chong'an City to avoid being seen as overshadowing the emperor, but now, two years later, with the court already stable, his continued absence from the emperor's presence was ultimately not a good thing.
After finishing all the trivial matters in the council hall, it was already dusk. Lu Min walked out of the hall, and because of the high elevation, he could see the city lights all around him. He strolled slowly, his movements as usual, and returned to his inner residence to wash his hands and eat. Halfway through his meal, he remembered and asked his attendant, "Where is the lady who came back with me today?"
His personal attendants were rotated every so often; he had lost count of how many this was, and he didn't need to remember their names.
Those who served her had to be extra careful in their words and actions, bowing their heads and saying, "Reporting to my lord, Lady Lu has finished her meal and has gone to bed."
He chuckled after hearing this. "Madam Lu? Is that how she introduces herself?"
The waiter said, "The young lady said her surname is Lu, which is the same as the master's."
He wanted to correct her, but realized he knew nothing about her background. He only knew her name was Ami; her surname, where she was from, and nothing else. Furthermore, she showed no interest in developing a close relationship with him. She fell asleep the moment she arrived in the new environment—a composure that was quite admirable.
"Shall we invite the young lady to see the master?" the servant asked. "I will go and deliver the message immediately."
Lu Min said there was no need, put down his chopsticks, stood up, and calmly instructed, "Prepare the carriage; we'll enter the capital tomorrow morning."
The attendant bowed and said yes, and when he straightened up again, he saw the Grand Tutor, in his loose robes and flowing sleeves, heading towards the back of the palace.
A note from the author:
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200 small red envelopes~
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