Chapter 2 Which woman, mule, and dog has Editor Lu set his sights on this time...?
"Yes." Yingniang was simple-minded and genuinely thought that the yellow turtle was unlucky. She rolled up her sleeves, flung open the curtain, and was about to rush out. The dry, cold wind instantly rushed into the room, making the stray hairs at her temples flutter wildly.
"Wait!" Lu Wensheng turned around abruptly, his voice rising sharply, and called out to Yingniang, who had already stepped out of the door.
"What are your orders, my lord?" Yingniang stopped in her tracks and turned to look back.
The cold wind made the curtains sway and dart, as if hiding countless ghosts. Several sheets of unpressed Xuan paper on the table were also whipped up by the wind, making a rustling sound.
Lu Wensheng swallowed hard and instructed, "Remember to knock the turtle unconscious before throwing it down. Make sure it sinks to the bottom before coming back." She'd rather die than lower herself to conquer Shen Hegui. Besides, the palace banquet hadn't started yet, the verdict hadn't been handed down, and she could still struggle a little longer.
She didn't want to be involved with any system or task at all.
After Yingniang left, Lu Wensheng sat blankly for a while, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses and pick out the simplest hair ornament from the box to put on himself.
Even if she survives unscathed, she'll have to live a life of humility as an official from now on. The good days are gone forever, and it will be painful. She originally planned that if she attained enlightenment, her entire family would benefit, but she never imagined that if she failed, her entire family would be sacrificed.
The mother looked around the door several times but saw no movement inside. Worried that Lu Wensheng might do something rash, she grabbed a feather duster and a white silk ribbon and rushed in, intending to put on a show of crying, making a scene, and beating her fake son who didn't value his life.
“Mother,” Lu Wensheng called out mechanically, his throat dry.
"Eh...Eh eh!" Mother Lu's gaze swept over Lu Wensheng's handsome face several times, confirming that she had no suicidal thoughts, but had just become a little dazed. She immediately threw away the white silk and feather duster hidden behind her.
"Yesterday was your 18th birthday, but we missed it. So, your mother thought we'd celebrate it again on this special day. We've prepared a meal and longevity noodles for you. Would you like to eat in the kitchen or in your room?"
Seeing her stunned silence, Song Zhiyun stepped forward and gently embraced Lu Wensheng, patting her back tenderly as she comforted her, "Back then, if you hadn't disguised yourself as your brother to take the imperial examination and secure your future, we would have been devoured by those wolves of the clan long ago, leaving not even bones behind. These five years of glory, when you think about it, were all stolen from the fingers of God."
At this point, Song Zhiyun lowered her voice and leaned close to whisper in his ear, "Think about it: do you want to listen to the clan's arrangements, marry a man in his forties or fifties as a concubine, and then have your family fortune divided up, or do you want to take a gamble and try to please the young and handsome Crown Prince?"
Song Zhiyun's embrace was warm and fragrant, carrying a reassuring aura that made the exhausted Lu Wensheng feel an overwhelming longing. She rested her forehead on Song Zhiyun's shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "Mother, it's different. The Crown Prince is my political enemy. I've caused him a lot of trouble in court in the past." Besides, she had also done a lot of things that could have led to her death.
Upon hearing this, Song Zhiyun gently lifted her daughter's face, her gaze deep, as if trying to see into her heart. She remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question: "My child, what is a monarch?"
Before Lu Wensheng could answer, Song Zhiyun continued, "I'm not as brave as you. I've been confined to the inner quarters my whole life, but I know that the emperor is not only the supreme ruler of the world, but also a lonely figure. There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. It's true that the crown prince was a political enemy in the past, but if he ascends the throne, he will be the emperor. Let the emperor realize your value, perhaps... this dead end can become a glimmer of hope."
The more Lu Wensheng listened, the brighter his eyes became.
How could she forget that Prince Su's edict of becoming crown prince was still hidden next to her family's outhouse?
If she is sentenced to imprisonment or exile, she can use this as leverage to negotiate for her survival.
Realizing she had a backup plan, Lu Wensheng finally felt hungry: "Mother, I'm a little hungry!"
Seeing that her daughter had come to terms with it, Song Zhiyun felt much more at ease.
...
The kitchen was filled with burning charcoal, and the temperature was much higher than that of the east wing.
Lu Wensheng took her seat and was genuinely shocked when she looked up at the food on the table. Was the person who had just comforted and consoled her her biological mother? This meal... was it really not a last meal before her execution?
On the deep red octagonal table, there were two huge plates, a huge basin, and a small bowl with two poached eggs lying on it.
Two huge platters, one containing a mixture of vegetables and fruits, a vegetarian dish; the other containing a mixture of braised meat, a meat dish. A copper basin holds snow-white rice.
Her family has never cooked this much for their New Year's Eve dinner! It's so lavish!
Song Zhiyun picked up her chopsticks and put some food on Lu Wensheng's plate, her voice gentle and soft: "You've always been an easy child to raise, you eat everything and aren't picky. I was thinking that if this is your last meal, I'll make sure you eat well and are full."
“Our home is close to the execution ground, so I specifically asked Executioner Zhang. The last meal for a beheading must include one meat dish, one vegetable dish, rice, and wine.” At this point, Song Zhiyun put down her chopsticks and served warm yellow wine and fresh raw meat.
"I thought that the last meal at home should be prepared properly and not be bad. If you don't survive this ordeal, you can't die of hunger without any regrets. Remember to take this raw meat to the palace later. If you go directly there, remember to feed the vicious dogs that block your way when you cross the Bridge of Helplessness. I don't know what those vicious dogs like, so I've prepared some meat for you from all the meat I could find."
Lu Wensheng's mood had just started to improve when it was instantly brought back to rock bottom by a massive amount of jokes about her "last meal before her death."
If someone else had cursed her like that, she would have definitely made a scene, but the person in front of her was her own mother, so she had no choice but to pick up a piece of each food, chew it thoroughly, and then swallow it down.
When Yingniang returned after drowning the turtle, she saw so much delicious food and started showing off with a pair of chopsticks.
There were no elders or superiors in the small courtyard, only family members who supported each other. The three of them lived a carefree and leisurely life.
Lu Wensheng held his chopsticks without reminding her, and only after Yingniang had ate several large bites did he say quietly, "This is the last meal my mother prepared for my death. Sharing is worse than enjoying alone, so eat more." As he spoke, he put several more large bites of meat on Yingniang's plate.
The chopsticks and bowls clattered together, followed by hurried footsteps and the sound of someone gagging.
Lu Wensheng slowly slurped up a mouthful of noodles and said, "Mother, look at Yingniang's reaction."
With just a glance, Song Zhiyun could immediately tell what her own daughter was about to say.
Song Zhiyun: "Mother is not cursing you. Mother is just following your teachings. You must always have a backup plan."
Lu Wensheng: "..." Is this how you use a two-pronged approach? You're advising her to live, then cursing her to die!
Her mother was the best student she had ever taught. She felt inferior to her.
Yingniang hurriedly went out, then hurriedly returned, saying anxiously, "It's terrible, my lord! I just discovered that the mules and dogs in the shed are all gone!"
Lu Wensheng wasn't worried about the missing dog, but she was concerned about how to get to the palace after the missing mule. Would it take her an hour and a half to walk there?
Feeling guilty, Song Zhiyun scolded, "If it's gone, it's gone. We can just go to the brokerage and rent a donkey cart later."
Lu Wensheng finished the longevity noodles and egg in a few bites: "That stupid mule has been hanging out with dogs for too long, he's become cunning. Maybe he sensed the danger and went out to seek refuge. I'll go with you to look for him."
Since everyone in the courtyard, including herself, was a woman, Lu Wensheng specially chose a tall and powerful wolfhound to keep, so that it could both solve the problem of leftover food and guard the house.
Of course, dealing with leftovers is just a side thing. The big wolfhound's daily dog food mainly consists of various offal mixed with rice and meat bones. After all, only when it is well-fed and healthy can it have a strong physique to guard the house.
“Then I’ll go out and hire a donkey cart, just in case I can’t find it,” Song Zhiyun said.
“Okay.” Lu Wensheng was in a hurry to find the mule and didn’t notice her mother’s increasingly guilty expression.
Winter is always cold indoors and warm outdoors. Lu Wensheng called out the names of Gou and Mule several times along the alley. Before he knew it, a layer of fine sweat had seeped out on his back, and his originally pale lips had turned slightly red, making his complexion look more vibrant.
Turning from the hutong onto Xuanwu Street reveals a completely different world. The bustling sounds of people and vehicles fill the air, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
Stepping out of the alley, the warm sunlight bathed Lu Wensheng's face, casting a soft, pale golden glow that accentuated her perfectly proportioned features. Her brows were clear and bright, her nose elegant and straight, and her eyes, both expressive and captivating, always held an androgynous beauty that seemed to defy easy categorization.
Such good looks naturally attracted attention on the bustling street. Many young women stopped or turned to look, their gazes secretly fixed on Lu Wensheng, their eyes filled with shyness and curiosity. Some of the bolder ones were already whispering from a distance, "Whose young master is this? He's so handsome. Is he married?"
There weren't many people in the alley earlier, so Lu Wensheng didn't think there was anything wrong with calling out the names of a dog and a mule together. But now that there were more people, she realized what was going on.
The big wolfhound liked to bite underwear when it was a puppy, so its formal name was Underpants. Mule was originally called Saozi, a name given to it by Yingniang because she liked to eat Saozi noodles. Originally, there was nothing wrong with this name, but Lu Wensheng felt that Saozi was not as easy to call as Sister-in-law, so he often called her Sister-in-law Mule.
She set a good example, and soon Song Zhiyun also called Mule that. There were only three people in the family, and since two of them called her that, Yingniang naturally started calling Mule Sister-in-law as well.
Standing on the street, Lu Wensheng bit her lower lip in a dilemma. It was too embarrassing to do this in public.
However, her annual salary was only a little over forty taels of silver. A mule on the market was worth about ten taels, and she also bought the big wolfhound for five taels of silver, totaling about fifteen taels. Rounding up, a mule and a dog were worth half a year's salary for her.
Never mind! Money is nothing compared to saving face!
Lu Wensheng raised his hand, cupping it into a megaphone shape, and spoke in a loud, righteous voice: "Sister-in-law, your underwear!"
"Underpants, sister-in-law!"
Seeing that the handsome young man was so vulgar, the hearts of the young girls on the street shattered instantly.
After her first two shouts, Lu Wensheng completely let loose. She shouted more and more enthusiastically, as if as long as her voice was loud enough, she could call home the mules and dogs.
Amidst the hawking cries and hushed chatter of the street, the occasional phrases "sister-in-law's underwear" and "underwear sister-in-law" could be heard.
A very low-key horse-drawn carriage was parked next to a sweet cake shop on Xuanwu Street.
Lu Wensheng brushed past the car.
Lu Wensheng: "Sister-in-law's underwear!"
After she had walked away, her clear, cold voice came from inside the car, clear and resonant yet carrying a hint of pressure and authority: "Who is making such a commotion on the street?"
The newly appointed commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Lin Shoubai, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, he looks like Lu Wensheng, the editor." He was dressed in very ordinary civilian clothes, and his appearance was not noticeable.
"Oh? Which woman has he set his sights on this time?" Inside the carriage, Shen Hegui, with his hair loose, rested his forehead on his right hand, looking weary.
Lu Wensheng, an elegant name, and quite talented, yet he always covets things he can't have. What a pity!
The imperial guards and secret police were everywhere in Yanjing. As far as the royal family was concerned, there were no secrets in the homes of officials. So Lin Shoubai explained, "It's not a woman. My sister-in-law is a mule raised by Lu Bianxiu, and the trousers are a wolfhound raised by Lu Bianxiu."
After a pause, Lin Shoubai felt it was necessary to add: "One year, when the master was short of money, he had some good puppies bred, intending to exchange them for some silver as a form of compensation. The most expensive puppy was bought by Editor Lu, which cost five taels of silver."
With a slender, strong hand, she lifted the carriage curtain, her cold, long phoenix eyes gazing at Lu Wensheng's departing figure: "How foolish! What a waste of that handsome face." Otherwise, she would have been a perfect match.
Lin Shoubai's gaze fell on the toes of the shoes, and although he agreed in his heart, he did not respond aloud.
It's not stupid. No matter how good the breed of a puppy is, it's only worth a few hundred coins. It's not worth five taels of silver.
A note from the author:
----------------------
It's basically about two fox spirits falling in love, haha, they both think the other is good-looking.
Guess where the mule and dog got into trouble? [Eating popcorn]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
