Chapter 71 The desire for control led to the consummation of their marriage.
Lu Xiuyi knew what she meant, so he sighed and said, "Yu'er, I never intended to imprison you."
Meng Yu smiled coldly and retorted, "You keep saying you don't want to imprison me, yet you confined me to the manor on the very first day I returned, and wouldn't even let me see any guests. What is this if not imprisonment?"
Her tone was full of undisguised sarcasm, but Lu Xiuyi wasn't angry. He patiently explained, "Some things happened outside, and I was afraid you'd feel bad if you heard about them. Once I've dealt with them, I won't stop you from going wherever you want."
He spoke with such high-sounding words, but Meng Yu gave a silent, cold laugh: "I want to go and pay respects to my mother tomorrow. You're not going to stop me from even that, are you?"
After a long silence behind her, just as her patience was about to run out, Lu Xiuyi finally relented: "I'll go with you."
"No need, I think Mother wouldn't want to see you."
"Then let Chuze go with him."
Meng Yu was about to retort when she heard his tone suddenly turn cold: "Yu'er, don't push your luck. You know, everything is different now."
really.
Everything was different from before. Even though she had come back with him, he still harbored deep suspicion towards her.
His words suppressed Meng Yu's desire to refute. Once trust collapses, it is indeed impossible to restore it to its original state. But she did not regret it. Living by his side was too oppressive. Only after gaining those two years of freedom did she have the courage to move forward again.
Silence fell for the rest of the night.
After finding Meng Yu, Lu Xiuyi stopped drinking the calming soup. As long as she didn't move around too much, he could sleep until dawn as soon as he lay down.
Yesterday, he rushed around all day and got most of the military affairs in the western camp done. So today, he didn't rush out. Instead, he had breakfast with Meng Yu, then had Chu Ze prepare the carriage and gave her a few instructions. Only after watching her get into the carriage did he turn around and go back to his study.
With a tail trailing behind her, Meng Yu only brought Zhi Mian with her this time.
Aunt Shen's tomb is located ten miles outside the city, nestled against the mountain and beside the water. It was personally chosen by Lu Xiuyi. The carriage arrived in about half an hour after leaving the city.
“After the young lady left, the general would come to pay his respects every year, staying for a whole day. He would ask me to help prepare the incense, candles, and paper money.” Zhi Mian knelt beside him and put the paper money into the fire.
There wasn't a single weed around the tombstone, and the grave mound was neatly maintained. Even if Zhi Mian didn't mention it, Meng Yu knew that this must have been Lu Xiuyi's order. It was absolutely impossible for Yuan Shi to have done it; it would have been good enough if she hadn't dug up Aunt Shen's grave.
Thinking of this, Meng Yu couldn't help but feel a little more favorably towards Lu Xiuyi.
Scenes from the past flashed before her eyes; thick smoke billowed as incense and paper money burned, and tears welled up in her eyes.
After finishing the worship, Meng Yu was about to board the carriage to return home when she suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats in the distance. She subconsciously turned her head to look and saw a familiar figure riding towards her with a serious expression.
Upon seeing who it was, Chu Ze frowned and immediately stepped forward to urge, "Madam, it's getting late, the General is still waiting for you at the manor."
The person who arrived was Ning Sui.
Meng Yu stopped stepping on the low stool, her gaze still fixed on the person in the distance.
Chu Ze became anxious and blurted out in a cold voice, "Madam, let me give you a piece of advice: do not anger the young master for the sake of some unimportant people. The young master's temper is not as good as before. If you anger him, it will not be good for you or the people around you. You may even never be able to step out of the General's Mansion again."
Before his last words had even finished, Meng Yu suddenly turned her head as if he had hit a fatal spot, staring coldly at him, then stepped onto a low stool, entered the carriage, and slammed the curtain shut.
Chuze immediately told the coachman to turn around and take a shortcut back to the mansion.
The horse pulling the carriage was still slower than Ning Sui. Seeing that she was about to catch up, Chu Ze immediately ordered one of the soldiers to bring Meng Yu back to the general's mansion without stopping for even a moment. Then he immediately turned the carriage around and blocked the middle of the road.
“Miss Ning, our lady has returned safely. The young master is only willing to let you off the hook because of Young Master Qin. Why do you still have to interfere?”
Ning Sui tightened the reins, stopping in front of Chu Ze, and sneered, "I'm waiting for him to come and settle things with me. What? Is he going to be a coward?"
Chu Ze remained expressionless, unaffected by her words: "Stubbornness won't do you any good. I advise you, if you want to conquer Beiliang next year, you'd better not interfere anymore."
“In this world, apart from my brother, no one can threaten me.” Ning Sui’s eyes flashed with coldness as she drew the sword from her back and leaped towards Chu Ze.
Chu Ze reacted quickly, drawing his sword with a slight movement and swiftly parrying her attack.
The blades clashed with a piercing sound, and the two were lifted into the air by the saddle. Ning Sui swung her sword first, aiming straight for the opponent's forehead. Chu Ze dodged to the side, but the sword wind was real. Where the sword wind swept, the big tree collapsed with a crash.
Ning Sui shouted, "In terms of martial arts, you are no match for me. If you know what's good for you, get out of my way, or I will show no mercy with my sword."
"Although I am no match for you, don't even think about using any more tricks." Seeing that she was ruthless, Chuze knew that he could not hold out for long. So, as she swept her sword, he quickly turned to the side, cut off a tree branch, and struck the horse not far away.
"hiss……"
The horse suddenly let out a shrill neigh. Ning Sui turned her head and saw that the horse's front legs had been broken and bent over.
"You're despicable." Ning Sui was furious and turned around to teach Chu Ze a lesson, but he took advantage of her distraction caused by the sound of the horse and rode away.
“All's fair in war,” Chu Ze’s voice rose slightly, carrying an irrepressible joy that drifted from afar. “Miss Ning comes from a military background; she wouldn’t be ignorant of such a simple principle.”
Ning Sui looked at the horse with its broken leg, gritting her teeth in anger, and could only watch Chu Ze ride away in a cloud of dust.
Before Chuze returned to the manor, news of Ning Sui chasing him to the outskirts of the city had already reached Lu Xiuyi's ears. After hearing the report from the secret guards, his expression remained indifferent.
But he turned around and charged at the door with his sword.
The Ning family's guards were no match for Lu Xiuyi. Ning Jianxing happened to be in the mansion and rushed over upon hearing the commotion.
The front hall was in complete chaos, with tables and chairs scattered all over the floor. The guards were all lying on the ground, some clutching their stomachs, others with injured arms or legs. Fortunately, Lu Xiuyi did not kill them, and they were all only injured to the point of being unable to move.
The butler stood awkwardly to the side, watching Lu Xiuyi cross his legs, sipping tea, with the bloodstained sword lying casually beside him.
"Lu Xiuyi, this is the residence of the General of the Cavalry, after all. It's going too far for you to force your way in." Ning Jianxing appeared outside the door. Although his tone didn't reveal any anger, the coldness in his eyes was startling.
Snap!
Lu Xiuyi slammed down his teacup, his sharp gaze fixed on the person opposite him: "As the saying goes, the eldest brother is like a father, but as the elder brother, you have not taught your sister well, allowing her to interfere in the matter between Meng Yu and me. I have only come to ask for an explanation. Who has gone too far?"
Knowing he was in the wrong, Ning Jianxing gave the steward a wink, and the steward quickly withdrew. He then stepped forward, his dark shoes making no sound on the floor. Without batting an eye, he said, "My sister was merely helping someone in need. Even if she was wrong, it was only in using the wrong method."
After all, she was his younger sister whom he had raised himself, so Ning Jianxing was much more protective of her in front of outsiders.
"What a fine example of standing up for justice," Lu Xiuyi said, raising his voice slightly. "Your sister forged the general's seal and secretly released my wife out of the city. If I report this to the Emperor, what do you think he will think? Will he think that if she can release a general's wife today, will she be able to release a spy tomorrow? Or will he think that if she can forge the general's seal today, will she be able to forge the imperial seal tomorrow and usurp the throne?"
"Lu Xiuyi." Ning Jianxing raised his voice suddenly, his brows furrowed and his originally indifferent face showing a hint of anger.
Lu Xiuyi felt that wasn't enough, so he added fuel to the fire: "People who have been in high positions for a long time inevitably have different mindsets from ordinary people. You understand this better than I do, don't you?"
The simple "Isn't that so?" shattered Ning Jianxing's composed demeanor. Memories buried deep within his heart, concealed by the darkness, surged back into his mind. He felt his legs go weak, his throat dry, as if his soul had been stolen, and he couldn't utter a single word of rebuttal.
As if realizing he had spoken too harshly, Lu Xiuyi's expression darkened, and he suddenly felt somewhat disheartened. His anger vanished in an instant, and he stood up, sword in hand: "Keep an eye on your sister and don't let her interfere in our marital affairs again, or I won't show any mercy."
After saying that, he turned to leave, but as he passed Ning Jianxing, he couldn't help but whisper, "You did nothing wrong about that matter."
***
When Ning Sui returned, it was already lunchtime. The mess in the front hall had been tidied up, and the food was laid out on the table, but Ning Jianxing was nowhere to be seen.
Normally, it's her brother who waits at the dinner table, and she's the one being urged. Today is very unusual, so Ning Sui couldn't help but ask the steward, "Where did my brother go? I remember there was nothing going on at the military camp today. He said he was going to rest at the manor for a day."
The butler frowned and replied, "Young Master is in the ancestral hall."
Ning Sui found it strange. Her brother rarely went to the ancestral hall unless it was the anniversary of their father's or mother's death. After thinking for a moment, she put down her chopsticks, stood up, and said, "I'll go take a look."
The ancestral hall is located on the west side of the mansion. You can walk around it from the dining hall and through a long corridor.
It snowed last night, and the snow piled up on the bare branches of the Chinese scholar tree outside the ancestral hall, occasionally emitting a muffled groan.
Ning Jianxing knelt on the prayer mat, motionless.
Thinking that Ning Jianxing had done something wrong, Ning Sui frowned and stepped forward to ask, "Brother, what's wrong? What happened? Why are you kneeling here? Get up quickly."
Before Ning Jianxing could speak, Ning Sui reached out to pull him up, but Ning Jianxing remained unmoved, still kneeling on the prayer mat, and said as if to himself, "An elder brother is like a father. I have not taught my sister well. Do you think I should be punished?"
He slowly raised his head and silently scrutinized his sister, who looked puzzled.
Ning Sui felt a little awkward under his gaze, not even realizing when she had let go of his arm. She just forced a stiff smile and said, "Brother, what are you saying?"
Ning Jianxing frowned: "Now that things have come to this, you still won't tell the truth?"
“What truth? I don’t understand.” Ning Sui took a step back.
Ning Jianxing was so angry that his chest tightened. He stood up, pressing his aching knees: "Even now, you still won't confess. Do you know what the consequences will be if the Emperor hears about your forgery of the commander's seal? At best, you'll be imprisoned for a few years; at worst, your family will be wiped out, your clan exterminated, and you'll be exiled to the borderlands. The Ning family will never be able to recover."
From childhood to adulthood, perhaps because her parents died early, Ning Jianxing always spoke softly to her and rarely yelled at her.
Ning Sui was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realized that the seriousness of the matter was obvious to him, and she was well aware of it. However, she dared to do this because she was very confident, so she calmly said, "I did it very discreetly. Besides, only Lord Kong saw the commander's seal once, and I did not leave any traces during that time. How could His Majesty know?"
Ning Jianxing lowered his voice: "There are no secrets in this world. Do you think Kong Shiyuan's mouth is sewn shut? He can submit to you, and he can submit to others."
"He betrayed me?" Ning Sui's expression hardened.
Ning Jianxing said with exasperation, "If you can threaten him, why can't you threaten him in the same way?"
Ning Sui immediately realized: "Brother, Lu Xiuyi came by?"
As if he had touched something untouchable, Ning Jianxing paused, suppressed the anger in his eyes, turned to face the memorial tablet in front of him, and said in a calm voice without expression: "Let this matter go. Don't interfere in his and his wife's affairs anymore."
Ning Sui couldn't help but raise her voice: "Lu Xiuyi is a villain. He plotted to have Ayu take the bridal sedan chair in his place and threatened her with the lives of her family. She is in dire straits. Now that I know about this, how can I sit idly by?"
Snap!
Apart from the ancestral tablets, the ancestral hall was empty in every corner, and the crisp sound of slapping echoed in the spacious room.
Ning Jianxing struck with extreme force, and Ning Sui's face was turned to one side, with bright red blood gradually appearing on her face.
Ning Jianxing saw the bright red on her face and felt a burning pain in his palm. He paused, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes, but he suppressed it tightly, his tone containing a trace of anger: "Since you know he is a villain, you still interfered. Do you want to drag all of the Ning family's more than one hundred people into the fire before you're satisfied?"
Ning Sui stared in disbelief for a long time before slowly turning her head: "Benevolence, kindness, integrity, honesty, and the belief that one should rather die than live in dishonor—these are all principles you taught me, brother. But what's wrong with you now? Just because of Lu Xiuyi, are you going to abandon the principles you've always upheld?"
Ning Jianxing was rendered speechless by her retort, and Ning Sui silently scrutinized him.
After a long silence, Ning Jianxing looked at his father's memorial tablet and said calmly and restrainedly, "In short, you are not allowed to interfere in the affairs between Lu Xiuyi and his wife. If I find out that you are interfering in their affairs again, you can forget about returning to Dongying, let alone leaving this capital city."
As if she had heard something unbelievable, Ning Sui's eyes widened in shock: "You know that conquering Beiliang is what I've always wanted in my life, yet you still do this. Are you really the brother I used to know?"
Ning Jianxing was speechless, closed his eyes, and remained silent.
Knowing she had nothing more to say to him, Ning Sui glared at him, then turned and ran out of the ancestral hall.
***
When Lu Xiuyi came from the study, he didn't see Meng Yu at the dining table. He casually asked the maid standing beside him, "Where is Madam?"
"Sister Zhimian said that Madam has no appetite and doesn't want to eat." The maid who replied was a new maid assigned to Longxiang Pavilion after Meng Yu returned to the mansion.
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiuyi turned and headed towards the side room.
Four or five maids stood outside the door. When they saw Lu Xiuyi, they hurriedly tried to bow, but Lu Xiuyi raised his hand and they immediately withdrew.
Meng Yu was sitting at a round rosewood table reading a book when Zhi Mian, who was standing beside him, was about to curtsy when he waved her hand behind her. She glanced at Meng Yu and then tactfully left the room.
“Not eating is bad for your health,” Lu Xiuyi said, snatching her book and putting it back on the table while taking her hand. “Come eat with me.”
He wasn't very strong; Meng Yu easily shook him off.
A familiar scent rushed into her nostrils without warning. She frowned, sat up straight, and picked up her book again: "Whether I'm healthy or not is none of your business. Although I've returned to the capital with you, please don't make decisions for me so easily. I'm not a puppet."
Her tone was cold and distant, as if she were talking to a complete stranger. Thinking of how he held her in his arms every night as they fell asleep, they should be the closest people in the world to each other, but her heart remained as firm as a rock and could not be moved an inch. Lu Xiuyi couldn't help but feel angry.
He stubbornly snatched the book from her hand, threw it into the corner, and forcefully pulled her hand to leave.
Meng Yu was disgusted by his appearance. She flung her hand away and finally couldn't hold back her emotions, which had been suppressed since the time of He Jiuyun Village, and burst out: "Lu Xiuyi, that's enough. I'm not a puppet. I don't have to do whatever you say. I have my own thoughts and my own dignity. Whether I eat or not is my own choice. It's none of your business who I meet."
Her angry roar startled Lu Xiuyi. After a moment of silence, he seemed to have thought of something and suddenly sneered: "So what? Who do you want to be with? Jiang Xuanli, who confessed his feelings to you before? Or Feng Huai, who always cared about you and cleared obstacles for you in that remote and impoverished place? Or do you want to use the same old trick again and have Ning Sui help you escape from me?"
Seeing his exasperated state, Meng Yu found it laughable: "Whether it's Jiang Xuanli or Feng Huai, they both understand love better than you. You keep saying you love me, but you're constantly oppressing me, both mentally and physically. So what if I confessed my feelings to Jiang Xuanli? So what if I really fell in love with Feng Huai? So what if I still harbor the desire to have Ning Sui help me escape...?"
Bang!
The words were suddenly swallowed up, and a pain shot from his back into his limbs and bones.
Before Meng Yu could think any further, a feeling of suffocation suddenly overwhelmed her. Lu Xiuyi grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall with a loud bang.
The heavy groan startled Zhi Mian, who was waiting outside the door. She rushed in and saw Lu Xiuyi with a gloomy and ruthless expression, tightly gripping Meng Yu, with veins bulging on the back of his hand.
Zhi Mian knelt down with a thud, pleading with tears in her eyes, "General, please don't do this. Whatever the girl said, she didn't mean it. Please forgive her this time."
"When did I call you in?" Lu Xiuyi held Meng Yu's hand tightly, looking at her coldly, but said to Zhi Mian, "Get out."
Zhi Mian's legs, however, felt as if they were filled with lead, and she remained completely still.
Lu Xiuyi raised his voice instantly and turned his head: "If you want me to spare her, get out of here."
Zhi Mian was startled by his icy gaze and glanced at Meng Yu in fear. Meng Yu forced a smile at her and gestured for her to leave first.
Zhi Mian had no choice but to leave.
Lu Xiuyi looked at the smile on her lips and found it increasingly irritating. Even when she was with a maid, she smiled much more than when she was with him. What was it about him that she disliked?
The more he thought about it, the angrier Lu Xiuyi became. This anger was like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, intending to burn the vast grassland to the ground.
Seeing her face gradually turn pale, his rationality returned slightly, and the hand gripping her neck loosened a little.
He suppressed his anger, took a deep breath, and looked up at her with a gloomy expression: "Meng Yu, take back what you said, and I can pretend nothing happened."
Having caught her breath, Meng Yu gasped for air. Suddenly hearing his words, the pent-up grievances welled up inside her, and she couldn't help but roar, "You're so magnanimous, you can pretend nothing happened, but I can't! If it weren't for you, how could I be trapped inside these four high walls? If it weren't for you, why would I have to live in anonymity, constantly on edge? If it weren't for you, how could I not even attend my mother's funeral? Lu Xiuyi, I can fire kilns, train animals, brew wine, and build fan carts. Without you, my life is bright; without you, my days are smooth and happy; without you, I live freely. What right do you have? What right do you have to make me take everything back with just a few words? No, I absolutely refuse!"
Her eyes were filled with tears, but she bit her lip tightly to prevent them from falling. She spoke with righteous indignation, as if all the blame lay with him.
Lu Xiuyi felt like he had a lump in his throat, unable to breathe or suppress it, as if a raging fire was burning his chest.
After a long silence, he slowly released her hand, took two steps back, and looked at her with no warmth in his eyes: "Meng Yu, who was it that grabbed me first? Who was it that knelt on the ground and begged me? And who was it that said that as long as I could save your mother and sister, they wouldn't care if they were slaves or maids? You're so shrewd, haven't you ever heard that a slave can also be a concubine? Even if you didn't know these things, did you know that I wouldn't want you when you begged me? Meng Yu, don't fucking push all the blame onto me. Remember, it was you, it was you who provoked me first."
Meng Yu coldly looked at his crazed appearance, knowing that it would be pointless to say anything more to him. She glanced at him sideways, turned around and left: "I have nothing to say to you."
"You have things to say to Feng Huai, Ning Sui, and everyone else in this mansion, but you have nothing to say to me, right?" But before she could take two steps, a cold shout came from behind her.
His rage seemed to have reached its peak, and Meng Yu, not wanting to say anything more, turned and left.
"Perhaps I've been too lenient with you."
The low voice, tinged with self-mockery, drifted into Meng Yu's ears. Meng Yu frowned, suddenly sensing something was amiss, and quickened her pace toward the door.
Sunlight streamed down her feet, and she was about to step out the door when a sharp gust of wind suddenly swept up from behind. Before she could react, Lu Xiuyi swept her up in his arms, and at the same time, the door slammed shut with a loud bang, blocking out all the sunlight.
A dark expanse spread into her vision, and a tall figure, radiating boundless rage, loomed over her. As if sensing that this time was different from many times before, Meng Yu was terrified and struggled desperately, but her hands were pinned above her head and her legs were tightly bound, leaving her completely unable to move.
Lu Xiuyi could no longer control the desire that he had suppressed for so long. He buried his head in her neck and sucked on her frantically, while using one hand to remove all of their clothes.
Her thin undergarment was torn, and a cool sensation enveloped her entire body. Despair overwhelmed Meng Yu like a raging flood in that instant. A strange feeling permeated her entire body, and tears seeped from the corners of her eyes, soaking the person who was burying his head in her body. But Lu Xiuyi did not stop as before, and his movements showed no pity whatsoever.
"You said you wouldn't touch me without my permission."
Her originally sweet voice was now low and hoarse, with a barely perceptible tremor and panic.
At this moment, she was like a flower swaying precariously in the wind and rain. He had tried his best to take care of her, but he not only failed to get any response from her, but also got hurt all over by her thorns.
Lu Xiuyi continued looking down, then slightly raised his head, his voice containing a kind of suppressed, cold violence: "That was before, things are different now."
Taking advantage of the moment when he loosened his grip on her hands while he was speaking, Meng Yu quickly reacted, broke free of his hands, sat up abruptly, bent her knees slightly, and kicked him in the stomach.
Lu Xiuyi winced in pain and instinctively released his feet from pressing down on her. Seeing this, Meng Yu raised her elbow and slammed it into his forehead.
Lu Xiuyi was dizzy from the impact. When he tried to chase after her, he saw that Meng Yu had already grabbed her clothes, put them on, and got off the bed. Without even putting on her shoes, she suppressed her fear and rushed out barefoot.
Zhi Mian, who was waiting outside the door, suddenly saw her rush out wearing only a thin outer garment, her hair disheveled, her face as white as paper, looking as if she had been greatly frightened. She immediately guessed what had happened and hurriedly took off her thick outer garment and put it on her: "Miss, come with me."
"Meng Yu, you fucking get back here right now."
Lu Xiuyi's angry roar came from inside the room. Fortunately, apart from Zhimian, all the other maids in Longxiang Pavilion had been sent out, so no one saw her in this state.
The situation was urgent, and Meng Yu didn't have time to think. Upon hearing Lu Xiuyi's stern shout, she turned around and ran after Zhi Mian without looking back.
Going out of the side gate of Longxiang Pavilion, there is a small path. Following the path, you will find a rockery with a path leading to the back gate of the General's Mansion.
Zhi Mian pulled Meng Yu into the cave entrance of the artificial hill. The cave was pitch black inside, but fortunately, Zhi Mian was used to walking around and could easily clear away any stones she kicked. The two of them made it through safely.
The blinding sunlight suddenly appeared before her eyes. Meng Yu subconsciously raised her hand to shield her forehead, but she felt Zhi Mian suddenly stop in her tracks, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"A mere servant girl dares to abduct the madam? I think you're tired of living." As soon as I opened my eyes, a voice as cold as ice seeped into my ears, and Lu Xiuyi's gloomy face, backlit, came into view.
He rubbed his forehead, which she had bumped into, and coldly said, "Guards, drag this ignorant slut out, give her thirty lashes, and hand her over to Steward Cao to be sold off."
Upon hearing the commotion, the soldiers standing behind him immediately stepped forward to pull Zhi Mian away. Zhi Mian did not beg for mercy, but stubbornly stood in front of Meng Yu.
The armor reflected a chilling light in the warm sun. Meng Yu stepped forward, shielding Zhi Mian behind her. Barefoot, she stepped on the cold stone, the chill creeping into her body and instantly forcing her confused thoughts back: "Lu Xiuyi, I forced her to take me away. Let her go, and I'll go back with you."
She remained expressionless, her tone still indifferent and aloof, as if she had already anticipated that she could control him. Lu Xiuyi hated her calm, lifeless expression towards him.
The guards only felt a sudden gust of wind pass by them, and when they came to their senses, they saw the general grabbing his wife by the neck and pressing her against the artificial hill.
Lu Xiuyi gritted his teeth, his eyes bulging as if he were enraged to the extreme: "Meng Yu, you've provoked me time and time again. Don't think this trick will always work on me. You... um..."
The rest of his words were swallowed up, and everyone quickly turned their heads away.
The warm touch silenced Lu Xiuyi. Seemingly not expecting Meng Yu to do this, he paused for a moment, then quickly regained control.
Meng Yu reached out and clung to his chest until her face turned red and she almost suffocated from the kiss, before Lu Xiuyi reluctantly let go of her.
Having caught her breath, she gasped for air. Lu Xiuyi muttered angrily, "You little vixen, I'll drown in your presence sooner or later."
Meng Yu gently grasped his chest, suppressing her despair as she lowered her head: "I was wrong about what happened today, please..."
Lu Xiuyi naturally knew what she wanted. He picked her up in his arms and gave the head guard a wink. The guards immediately withdrew.
"I'll spare you this time for the sake of Madam. But if there's a next time, it won't be as simple as just selling you off." He glanced indifferently at Zhi Mian kneeling beside him, said coldly, and then turned and went back to his room with Meng Yu in his arms.
Lu Xiuyi's clothes brushed past her eyes. Zhi Mian raised her head and glanced ahead, only to be met with Meng Yu's face, which was filled with despair.
The figure before her eyes and the curtains above her head blurred together, and Meng Yu felt dizzy and disoriented. Tears soaked her temples, pillow, and even the quilt.
"Yu'er, you are too kind, so you are destined to be entangled with me for the rest of your life."
Lu Xiuyi finally couldn't help but raise his head, only to see her with her eyes closed and her face full of tears. He gently wiped away the warm tears, and a voice like that of a demon came from behind him.
She knew it, she knew it clearly when she returned from Hejiuyun Township with Lu Xiuyi. She could dodge it once, but could she dodge it a second time?
She can't drag anyone else down with her.
Sweat and tears mingled together, sunlight and time intertwined, seemingly never tiring.
In the end, Meng Yu felt completely exhausted. In the last few breaths before she fell asleep, she saw his shadow floating back and forth on the bed curtains.
Sunlight streamed through the gauze window, and although the rays were long, they never reached her.
The voice still echoing in her ears made her blush, and she closed her eyes in despair.
***
When Meng Yu woke up, she was already sitting in the bathtub, and the person behind her was carefully wiping her with a fine towel, the rough fingertips tracing over her skin.
She tried her best to stop trembling.
"Awake?" Lu Xiuyi's voice had lost its low hoarseness and was replaced by a clear and mellow tone after a satisfying meal.
Meng Yu nodded and reached behind her back: "I, I can do it myself."
As soon as she opened her lips, she realized that the sound coming out of her throat was very hoarse.
Lu Xiuyi did not hand her the handkerchief, but instead took her hand and walked over to her.
With her fair skin exposed to the air without any cover, Meng Yu felt slightly uncomfortable as the man's gaze fell upon it. She subconsciously pulled her hand back to shield her face, but when she put her hand back on it, she felt it was somewhat superfluous.
Seeing this, Lu Xiuyi wiped her clean while smiling and said, "Yu'er, we are now a real couple. Between husband and wife, we should be completely honest with each other, both physically and mentally, and we should be completely unguarded. Don't you agree?"
Meng Yu felt his words were superfluous. Did he think she valued chastity so much? Did he think that just because she gave herself to him, she would be devoted to him forever?
Although she was inwardly cursing, she didn't show any anger on her face, but simply lowered her hand slowly.
Now that things have come to this, she doesn't want to provoke him anymore.
Seeing her gradually shed her outer layer of thorns, revealing an unprecedented gentleness, Lu Xiuyi once again felt that he had done the right thing.
No matter how stubborn she was, she was still a woman. He and she were not only husband and wife in name, but also in reality. His heart, which had been uneasy again because of her resistance, finally settled down.
She is his.
This life, the next life, forever.
Thinking of this, I could feel the undulations in the area where my palm was wiping.
He paused, then felt another surge of heat coursing through his body.
Feeling the warmth from his palm, Meng Yu was slightly startled.
"Yu'er..."
His clear, melodious voice became low and hoarse, as if it were filled with desire.
Before Meng Yu could even speak, he had already impatiently stepped inside.
The water that had reached her chest overflowed the bathtub in an instant, and warm lips momentarily blocked her breath.
Meng Yu's legs went weak once again.
***
She and Lu Xiuyi missed dinner because they fell asleep, and it was already late at night when they woke up again.
Darkness descended heavily, leaving only the shallow breathing of the person beside me.
Lu Xiuyi buried his face in the crook of her neck and hugged her tightly: "Are you awake?"
Although Meng Yu was awake, she still dared not open her eyes. The soreness in her body made it impossible for her to even lift her legs. This man seemed insatiable and would ignite at the slightest touch. She was truly afraid, afraid that he would know she was awake and want to have sex with her again.
Even though she didn't open her eyes, Lu Xiuyi still noticed that she was pretending to sleep, and couldn't help but laugh: "You're not saying anything, so you want to do it again, huh?"
Upon hearing "one more time," Meng Yu was startled and hurriedly blurted out, "I'm awake, I'm awake."
After saying that, as if afraid that Lu Xiuyi might want to come again, she hurriedly added, "I'm too tired, and I haven't had dinner yet. Can you let me rest for a while?"
As if to confirm her words, her stomach rumbled twice at just the right moment.
Lu Xiuyi was quite pleased with her docility and coquettishness, and smiled with satisfaction: "Would you like something to eat?"
***
Half an hour later, Meng Yu sat down at the dining table, where there was steamed duck with fermented rice wine, braised goose feet and pork hock, and red date and millet porridge.
She looked up at Lu Xiuyi, who was wearing his clothes, and asked in surprise, "Did you do all of this?"
Lu Xiuyi shrugged and sat down next to her: "What else? The servants are asleep at this hour, and I'm too lazy to go and wake them."
Seemingly surprised, Meng Yu held her chopsticks and looked at him meaningfully. But when she saw him turn his head to look at her, she quickly lowered her head and started eating again. As she ate, she gave a thumbs up and praised him generously: "The goose feet are chewy and delicious. The pork knuckle is not fatty or greasy and is also delicious."
As she was talking, she remembered something and said, "I remember you used to never cook. That time you made a lily pastry and it took you forever. I even fell asleep while waiting."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiuyi's expression darkened.
He put down his chopsticks and hid his hands in his wide sleeves. The soft lamplight made his face look slightly pale. "I thought you were gone. I thought about how I was often busy with military affairs after we got married and rarely had time to spend with you. I didn't want anyone else to interfere with the offerings, so I learned to cook. I thought that if you tasted my cooking, you might be willing to come and see me."
The last syllable was drowned out by a sob.
Lu Xiuyi looked up at her, his eyes filled with tears.
Meng Yu was somewhat taken aback by his gaze and didn't know how to respond for a moment.
His love was too intense, too obsessive, too domineering, and too controlling. She simply didn't know how to respond, and she couldn't accept a relationship that was both obsessive and domineering.
"So your wish has come true, and I am now actually eating the food you cook." Meng Yu couldn't stand his ardent gaze, which was like a snake tightly coiling around her, almost suffocating her. So after a moment of silence, she could only take the initiative to speak and break the silence.
Looking at the face he had longed for for two years, Lu Xiuyi finally couldn't resist. He immediately took off his clothes and put them aside, then picked her up and held her in his arms. She was so small that she curled up into a ball after being placed on his knees. He lowered his head and wanted to kiss her.
Meng Yu was startled and quickly raised her hand to cover his lips, stammering, "I, I haven't finished eating yet."
“I’m hungry too, let me have a bite first,” Lu Xiuyi said with a smile when he saw her face turn red. He immediately guessed that she had misunderstood. “I’ll just give you two kisses, nothing else.”
Before Meng Yu could respond, Lu Xiuyi leaned down and sealed her lips with his.
The man's kiss was passionate yet slow, taking in and deepening little by little, as if savoring the most delicious thing in the world. He lingered with her until her face turned red before reluctantly letting her go.
Fresh air rushed in, and Meng Yu's chest heaved violently. Lu Xiuyi smiled, reached out and gently stroked the tip of her nose, his face full of affection: "You should learn to breathe through your nose when you kiss, so you won't feel uncomfortable."
He still held her on his lap.
Meng Yu shifted uncomfortably, straightening her back and trying to tiptoe to the ground.
Lu Xiuyi tightened his grip around her waist.
"I want to go downstairs for dinner." She suppressed the urge to raise her elbow and poke his chest, holding back her anger, taking a deep breath, and constantly reminding herself not to provoke him, not to provoke him.
Lu Xiuyi picked up the bowl, scooped a spoonful of rice porridge, and brought it to her lips: "I'll feed you."
Meng Yu: "..."
"What's wrong?" Lu Xiuyi asked, his eyes wide with confusion.
She had no appetite at all.
While he was looking at her with a puzzled expression, Meng Yu snatched the bowl, quickly jumped off his lap, sat back down, and began to eat by herself.
Seeing that she was eating heartily, Lu Xiuyi was not angry, nor did he pull her back onto his lap. He simply rested his chin on his hand on the table and watched her.
The intense gaze lingered above her head for a long time, but Meng Yu ignored it, quickly finished a bowl of porridge, and then looked up: "Aren't you hungry?"
The person opposite her had a gentle, shimmering gaze, like ripples spreading outwards, as if trying to drown her in them. He stared at the corner of her lips and suddenly leaned over. Meng Yu was startled and tried to get up, but he pulled her close and held her firmly in the chair.
A faint scent of cedar enveloped her, and Lu Xiuyi leaned over, his lips gently capturing hers.
The kiss was fleeting, like a dragonfly skimming the water, and in an instant, he sat up straight, smiling broadly, and said, "I'm full."
He moved his mouth very, very slowly, and then swallowed.
Meng Yu realized what was happening instantly, her face flushed red, and she quickly got up and returned to the bedside to lie down.
Lu Xiuyi stopped her in time: "You can't lie down right after eating, it's bad for your stomach."
As the saying goes, a full stomach makes one think of other desires. Meng Yu didn't want to stare at him like that, but Lu Xiuyi seemed to read her mind and suggested, "Would you like to go see the moon?"
***
Lu Xiuyi took out a cloak and tied it on Meng Yu, then added some new charcoal to the hand warmer before tucking it into her arms and leading her into the courtyard.
The north wind was biting, and the cold whistled past their ears. Lu Xiuyi, carrying her, used the bare tree trunk next to them to lightly leap onto the roof.
The eaves were a bit steep and the tiles were slippery. Meng Yu was a little afraid of heights. Looking down, she instantly forgot about her sore legs and just hugged Lu Xiuyi tightly.
Lu Xiuyi looked helpless, but he also enjoyed the feeling of being needed by her. Even though she was holding him so tightly that he could hardly breathe, he still couldn't bear to ask her to loosen her grip.
He put his arm around her waist and sat down on a slightly flatter spot. Only when his feet were firmly planted on the roof tiles did Meng Yu dare to let go of his arm.
Lu Xiuyi shoved the hand warmer back into her hands, and the warmth seeped from her palms into her limbs, dispelling the biting chill.
The moonlight, as clear as water, bathed the entire Longxiang Pavilion, as if a thin mist had settled upon it. Four or five lamps were lit under the eaves, casting a hazy, flickering glow.
The entire general's mansion seemed to have fallen asleep, the four walls appearing to have disappeared into darkness, losing their daytime menacing appearance and dissipating their suffocating terror.
Meng Yu felt completely relaxed.
“When I lived in the Marquis’s mansion, I loved to climb onto the roof, feel the wind, and look at the sky. It was as if all my troubles, all my hardships, and all my biases disappeared. I was just myself, without having to live with anyone’s expectations, resentment, or hatred. Aunt Zhuang didn’t like me like this. She said she was afraid to watch me like this, afraid that I would fall and hurt myself. But she didn’t know how much effort I had put in and how much I had sacrificed to be able to climb up here.”
Lu Xiuyi's gaze seemed to drift into the distance, as if weighed down by a stone, heavy with an indescribable sense of sorrow.
Compared to him, she is perhaps still considered fortunate.
She had Aunt Shen, Huaiyin, and along the way, she had met so many kind people, like Ning Sui, Yun An, and Uncle Ge...
“She knows,” Meng Yu suddenly said.
"Hmm?" Lu Xiuyi turned his head to look at her, his eyes filled with doubt.
She repeated, "I said, she knows, Aunt Zhuang knows."
Knowing how much effort he had put into climbing to this position, and knowing how much he had sacrificed to seek justice for his mother, that's why Mrs. Zhuang felt so sorry for him.
Lu Xiuyi looked at her quietly for a moment, then turned his head to look at the dark distance. The moonlight fell on him, as if he were in the mist: "Maybe you are right, maybe she really does know."
The cold wind entered his ears, making Meng Yu feel even more awake.
The two fell silent. Lu Xiuyi rested his head on her shoulder and quietly watched the crescent moon hanging in the night sky.
As the charcoal fire in the stove burned out and the sky began to lighten, shouts drifted in from the alley outside the gate, and rustling footsteps echoed from inside the mansion, accompanied by whispers of yawns.
Amidst the myriad lights of homes, he finally found a place to stay.
Meng Yu yawned, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Lu Xiuyi lifted his head, which was starting to ache from leaning back: "Do you want to sleep a little longer?"
She instinctively shielded herself, watching him warily.
Lu Xiuyi found it amusing and quickly raised his hands: "I really just want to sleep, I promise I won't touch you."
***
Lu Xiuyi did not touch her again, but the two of them slept until lunchtime.
Everyone was secretly puzzled, but they all knew what had happened yesterday, so no one dared to knock on the door and disturb them. Even when Lord Chu came to deliver military documents, he heard about this and consciously put the documents in the study and left.
After the two finished washing up, the meal was ready.
Having eaten a braised pork knuckle in the middle of the night, Meng Yu didn't feel hungry yet. Looking around, she couldn't find Zhi Mian.
She frowned: "Where's Zhimian?"
"Reporting to Madam, Sister Zhimian said early this morning that she was going to Xunmanlou to buy Madam's favorite roast goose and braised duck. She should be back in about 15 minutes."
The maid who answered was named Huayi. She was also new and looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her voice was sweet, like a spring breeze sweeping across a barren hillside, making people feel inexplicably uplifted.
Meng Yu nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
Lu Xiuyi hadn't eaten much in the middle of the night, but now he had a bowl of mutton soup and some vegetables, so he was full.
“I have something to do today and need to go to Xiying. You stay home and behave yourself. If you want to eat or drink anything, just have them make it for you. There’s only one thing,” he said as he got up, “If you want to go anywhere, wait for me to come back and I’ll go with you.”
Meng Yu was taken aback by his words and her face turned cold: "Even though I am your wife, you still don't trust me."
Lu Xiuyi walked to the door, paused upon hearing this, turned around and sighed: "I used to trust you, but you shattered that trust. Now that you want to mend it, you should give me time and let me see your sincerity, shouldn't you?"
His words left Meng Yu speechless. What he said was perfectly reasonable; if she were in his shoes, she would have done the same.
After lunch, Meng Yu had nothing to do, so she asked someone to fetch a few books from the library to pass the time.
Halfway through, she suddenly remembered something and quickly called Huayi over: "Has Zhimian not returned yet?"
Hua Yi frowned and shook her head, a question arising in her mind: "No."
Something seemed amiss, so Meng Yu quickly put away her book: "When did she leave?"
Hua Yi pondered for a moment and replied, "About two hours ago."
Xunmanlou is only two streets away from the General's Mansion. No matter how much she was delayed, she shouldn't have been gone for two hours and still hadn't returned.
Realizing something was wrong, Meng Yu quickly instructed Hua Yi, "Have Steward Cao come here."
Upon hearing the commotion, Steward Cao put down what he was holding and hurried over to Longxiang Pavilion.
"Get the car ready immediately, I need to go out."
Upon hearing that Meng Yu was about to go out again, Steward Cao was startled and felt dizzy and throbbing: "Madam, the General has instructed that you are not allowed to go out."
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