Chapter 103: Shu Brocade is the Most Nostalgic
Cheng Xianzhi was silent for a moment, then chuckled. Perhaps, she was a conceited person. Besides, to outsiders, there seemed to be no loophole between him and Gongsun Xue. How could she, such a clear-headed person, be willing to poke around here?
"After I finish supervising the troops, I want to see her." Cheng Xianzhi said it so lightly, the fatigue from the training grounds swept away, and his features became a little more bold.
Xie Zhao was still in the team, training with the army. His blood was boiling, passionate and wild, and the muscles in his arms were as hard as stone. Cheng Xianzhi thought of the Sunset Bow.
Gongsun Xue had been feeling weak for a few days, so she didn't go to Weiyang Tower.
On the day when Lu Tingwan was taking a day off, Cheng Xianzhi went to the palace gate to pick her up. She got on the carriage reluctantly. After not seeing her for a month, she felt a sense of strangeness.
This was the first time Lu Tingwan felt so uneasy. She swallowed several times, her hands didn't know where to put them, and her mind was full of the words the palace maid had said.
Red beans comfort lovesickness!
She couldn't help but ask, although she was hesitant, but she couldn't blindly accept feelings that she shouldn't accept. If he didn't mean that, it would be fine. If he did, she would never interfere with the relationship between him and Gongsun Xue just because she was a concubine.
Besides, he promised a divorce, so maybe I misunderstood.
"What do those red beans mean?" The shaking of the carriage also shook the two uneasy hearts.
His breath mingled with the rumbling of wheels. Cheng Xianzhi smiled calmly, his gaze far away, filled with endless affection. He murmured with his thin lips, "Red beans grow in the south, and in spring they sprout. I wish you would pick more..."
He didn't say the last sentence.
This is the most lovesick thing!
Lu Tingwan followed silently.
Seeing her serious expression, he changed his tone, "Persia sent a batch of red bean varieties as tribute, mixed in with varieties from Dalan. The red beans sent were different varieties from Persia and Dalan. Didn't you teach the villagers about farming in Qingyao Mountain before? I want you to pick out which varieties are the tribute from Persia?"
Lu Tingwan's mood was up and down. What he had believed in was shattered again by his few words. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief and quietly lowered his raised shoulders.
She had studied every red bean. They were similar in shape, but of varying sizes and shades of color. She thought it was simply due to the different seasons, but why did she have to pick on them?
"Why do we have to pick and choose?" Lu Tingwan asked. "If we have to separate the varieties, why mix them up? Wouldn't that be time-consuming?"
"Because some varieties inside are similar to red beans, but they are not red beans, can't be processed?" His voice was clear and cold, and he shuddered.
"No time." After getting the answer, Lu Tingwan dared to put aside his original worries, and even his tone returned to his usual impoliteness.
Cheng Xianzhi still liked her like this. Just now, when he saw that she had some suspicions, he was afraid of pushing her away, so he made up a random excuse to talk about it. There was no variety of beans sent from Persia in it. They were all the same basket of beans.
After returning to Yansheng Hall, Lu Tingwan carefully recalled the past, frame by frame, scene by scene, like a historical scroll spread out in his memory, and his words were like a huge game.
From the beginning, when her identity was exposed and she learned that she was the shopkeeper of Zhichunli, she agreed on divorce terms with him. Later, when she was promoted to Shangshu, he refused the divorce several times, and it was reasonable to say that he was using her.
They met again in Qingyao Mountain and made another agreement. This time, they were not as reckless as they were the first time and did not make any emotional bargaining conditions.
He returned to Kyoto, asked for an official position, and entrusted the military power of the imperial guards. The Lu family fell into despair. He finally tried to take her away, but she was unwilling. Cheng Xianzhi respected her wishes and went to Tanzhou.
He also ignored his official duties and returned to Kyoto to save his life, and was willing to give her a good place to go until she was no longer of any use.
After all these actions, Lu Tingwan fell into deep thought and despair, and he couldn't even tell whether it was exploitation or friendship.
She placed every red bean sent to Jinhua Palace under the scorching sun, and used the light to see through the essence inside. She was not an unsympathetic person, but she was unwilling to admit her relationship with Cheng Xianzhi.
There is an insurmountable obstacle between them, and that is Gongsun Xue. If Cheng Xianzhi has to choose between the two of them, she, Lu Tingwan, cannot do that.
If she is determined to accept a person, she will not allow him to share his body or soul with others.
If not, she would rather not have it!
The next day, Lu Tingwan took Cheng Xianzhi's carriage back to the palace. When she arrived at the study, she happened to meet him wearing court robes. Lu Tingwan was about to salute, but Luzhu from Yingyue Pavilion was the first to salute the two of them, and then turned to pass on the message to Cheng Xianzhi.
"Madam said that if the master finishes his official duties tonight, please come to Yingyue Pavilion. A batch of fresh fruits arrived from Jiangling yesterday, and Madam even brought some new tea from Weiyang Tower."
Cheng Xianzhi thought to himself that if her plan failed, she would come up with another one to trap him.
"I understand. Tell her that I will go see her after I finish my official duties." Cheng Xianzhi glanced sideways, observing the person beside him, but did not move.
He walked straight out of the mansion. Lu Tingwan glanced at Luzhu and followed him.
She was thinking all the way, recalling the several times when she came back from vacation to Cheng's house and saw the lights in the study burning until late at night, or Cheng Xianzhi came out of the study early the next morning, obviously not staying overnight in Yingyue Pavilion.
She had never paid attention to these matters in the inner house before, nor had she thought about other things. But now that she had thought more about it, she felt that something was really wrong.
If these two were so close as the rumors said, why did they sleep in separate rooms? Why did they seem more distant from each other?
If Cheng Xianzhi loved Gongsun Xue, he would never let her stay alone in the empty room every night. She had always been concerned about the business in Zhichunli, and later entered the palace to serve. She was indeed not aware of the things going on in the mansion. She had always thought that the two of them should have the harmony and intimacy that an ordinary couple should have. Now thinking about it carefully, it seems that this is not the case.
She was lost in thought, her attention completely distracted. She didn't even notice she had reached the gate of the mansion. The threshold was high, and she didn't pay attention for a moment. It was just that she had walked too much, and the memory of lifting her foot was still there. However, the arc of her step was too small, and she tripped and fell straight forward. As she walked, Cheng Xianzhi noticed that the people behind her were absent-minded.
He paid more attention and, as expected, the official hat tilted to one side due to the force of her fall. The gatekeeper became panicked when he saw this, but fortunately Cheng Xianzhi caught it.
Lu Tingwan was still in shock. At the moment she fell, she thought she was going to be covered in dust, but she was supported by a strong force. A pleasant sandalwood scent came in, and she couldn't help but take a few more breaths. She even forgot that she was entangled with that person at this moment.
There was nothing wrong with their actions. Lu Tingwan lay in front of him, one hand tightly hugging her lower back to maintain her balance, while Cheng Xianzhi held her whole body tightly with both hands. Looking from the direction of the mansion, this posture was obviously a bit frivolous. The servant turned around and didn't dare to stare.
Lu Tingwan's soul was still reeling. She had been lost in thought, completely unprepared. After being caught, she couldn't recover for a long time. Her breathing was heavy against her chest. After a long pause, Cheng Xianzhi lowered his gaze and said softly, "What are you thinking about?"
Lu Tingwan was convulsed. The body that was being hugged tightly was Cheng Xianzhi, and she was completely trapped in his arms. There was a warm breath on her body, and there was a force on her waist and back that seemed to press her into his body. Cheng Xianzhi had no intention of letting go.
The hot cheeks were ripe, wiping away all the new makeup, leaving only the red heat.
A pair of eyes as clear and shimmering as clear water looked up at him, a layer of mist floating on them due to the shock. Cheng Xianzhi stared at those eyes nakedly, like the dawn that came after the mist had passed through.
Lu Tingwan was frightened and was about to straighten her body to distance herself. Cheng Xianzhi noticed it and calmly withdrew his hand. The moment they separated, the morning breeze rolled in between them, dissipating the remaining warmth from each other, leaving nothing behind.
"No, I didn't think anything," Lu Tingwan hurriedly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Thank you."
A panicked figure got on the carriage. Cheng Xianzhi looked at his back. An unseen smile was carried in the wind, and a faint glow appeared on the eaves.
He walked out with brisk steps, and her scent lingered on his body.
After Lu Tingwan returned to the palace this time, she no longer received the red beans sent by Cheng Xianzhi. At first, Lu Tingwan accompanied the empress dowager to attend court, and returned to Jinhua Palace to take care of palace affairs. Whenever she had time, she looked outside the palace, as if with some expectation, but no one knew what she was waiting for.
Maybe she was worrying too much. As he said, he really sent these beans to cause trouble for her.
Lu Tingwan put all the red beans in the boxes into a purse, and ordered people to put the wooden boxes back in place. After they were put away, everything returned to normal.
She had not yet told Xie Zhao about the Sunset Bow. He had recently been transferred to the barracks. It seemed that Cheng Xianzhi's plan was also progressing. Lu Tingwan looked up at the sky, her eyes slowly moving to the Queen Mother's bedroom. After a long time, she closed the window and immersed herself in palace affairs with a pen in her hand.
Bashu presented a new batch of Shu brocade as tribute this year, and Li Tingfeng rewarded them to Jinhua Palace and Rongfei. Rongfei was pregnant with Li Tingfeng's first son, so she naturally received the emperor's favor.
The harem had few concubines, and Empress Dowager Jiang had originally intended to select women from aristocratic families to bring into the palace to produce an heir. This candidate, she thought, would be someone who could be used by the Jiang family. The selection list was passed through Lu Tingwan's hands. She served the Empress Dowager, had heard a great deal about state affairs, and was well aware of the connections between the various factions in Kyoto.
She was ordered to deliver these Shu brocades to the residences of the officials on the list, in the name of rewards from the Empress Dowager.
In fact, it was also a test by Queen Mother Jiang.
Lu Tingwan was ordered to leave the palace and deliver Shu brocade to every official household.
At the Minister of Rites' residence, Miss Liu was enjoying tea with a friend when Lu Tingwan arrived to deliver a gift. The maid in the courtyard respectfully led him into the main room to wait. After serving the tea, she asked Lu Tingwan to stay for a while. Miss Liu, upon hearing that he was from Jinhua Palace, did not dare to neglect him.
Miss Liu remembered that she had been close to her elder sister at the previous flower-viewing banquet and had been to Zhichunli many times. In addition, the head of Jinhua Palace, Lu, had become even more famous recently.
Before seeing the person, I have heard his voice, "I didn't know that Master Lu was coming. I am sorry for the inconvenience. I hope Master Lu will forgive me."
Lu Tingwan raised her eyes. Miss Liu walked quickly and approached her in a few steps. She put down her teacup and bowed, saying, "No problem. Meet Miss Liu."
Lu Tingwan raised her hand to signal the palace maid, "Bashu has sent a batch of Shu brocade as tribute. The Empress Dowager is kind and sympathetic to Lord Liu's respect for the virtuous and his dedication to governing the country. Therefore, she is offering this Shu brocade as a token of her appreciation. A banquet will be held in the palace in ten days, and the invitation will be delivered to your residence soon."
Miss Liu felt a little apprehensive and knelt down to accept the Shu brocade. "Thank you, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, for the gift. I will always remember your kindness."
Lu Tingwan still had a few more families to see off, so he didn't say much in the way of pleasantries. "I heard that Miss Liu has good friends at home, so I won't stay for long."
Miss Liu pondered for a moment. Seeing Lu Tingwan's figure walking away, she felt a sense of melancholy that things had changed and people had changed. Suddenly, she called out to him, "Master Lu, please stay."
Lu Tingwan paused, stopped and looked back, "What's the matter, Miss Liu?"
Miss Liu's eyes rolled, and Lu Tingwan waved her hand, "You guys go wait for me outside first."
After sending everyone away, Miss Liu stepped forward, her expression changing from respectful. Lu Tingwan saw kindness in her eyes.
Miss Liu studied her for a moment, took a deep breath, and said in a nostalgic tone, "You have a bright future now, and you are very successful. If Ting Wu knew about this, she would definitely be very pleased."
When he heard his elder sister's name, Lu Tingwan's heart suddenly trembled, and a look of sadness flashed across his brows. He wanted to speak but the words were stuck in his heart.
Miss Liu continued, "I was there that day and heard what happened afterwards. You are the only remaining member of the Lu family. Seeing your loved ones die before your eyes is a pain others may not be able to understand."
"A Wu once told me before she died that the thing she regretted most was letting you marry into the Cheng family for her. She owed you this for her whole life, and that's why she cherished her relationship with Jiang Yanli so much, because it was bought at the cost of your freedom and happiness."
"During the time you left Kyoto, she often told me about her guilt."
Lu Tingwan had let go of this matter a long time ago. Since she had agreed to marry in a substitute marriage, she would not take it to heart because it was her own choice and she should bear the consequences of the rest of the journey herself.
"My elder sister once told me the same thing." Lu Tingwan looked up. A few white clouds floated in the blue sky. Inside the clouds, a smiling figure appeared, staring back at her. "But I no longer blame her."
"You don't owe the Lu family anything. It's the Lu family that owes you." Miss Liu said, "That's what Ah Wu said."
"Seeing that you are doing well now, Ah Wu will surely rest in peace in the afterlife. However, there is one thing I don't understand, and I have never had the chance to ask. Now that you are here today, I think it is also a chance."
Lu Tingwan suppressed his emotions and asked attentively, "What's the matter?"
"Tingwu said you wanted to leave Kyoto. Minister Cheng has already saved your life. After the Lu family's scandal is over, you can just ask for your resignation and leave from Minister Cheng and Madam Cheng. I believe they won't make it difficult for you. Why do you want to enter the palace? Don't you want to leave Kyoto?" Lu Tingwu could tell Miss Liu all this, so it can be seen that the relationship between the two is very close.
Lu Tingwan smiled sternly: "People's ideas will change. Thank you Miss Liu for telling me this today. My sister has a friend like you, and I am happy for her."
After saying this, Lu Tingwan bowed and walked out.
When he walked out of the courtyard and just stepped into the front yard from the backyard corridor, he saw Cheng Xianzhi chatting and laughing with the eldest son of the Liu family. It seemed that they had finished discussing important matters, and the eldest son of the Liu family came to see him off.
Lu Tingwan had already wasted time, so if he didn't look at her at this moment, it would be fine for her to just ignore him and leave.
Just as he was thinking this, someone in the front right corner of the corridor called out, "Lu Tingwan!"
Lu Tingwan lowered his head and turned around, as if he had just seen someone else. He asked in surprise, "Cheng Xianzhi? Why are you here too?"
Normally, she didn't like to call him by his official title. She had to call him by his title in public out of courtesy, but behind others' backs she always called him by his name, so she blurted it out just now.
Cheng Xianzhi turned sideways and whispered a few words to the eldest son of the Liu family. The eldest son of the Liu family bowed and walked away.
There was no one around, so he walked through the corridor. The wind blew in from outside the hall and swept across the man's clothes. When it fluttered, there was a sense of immortality that separated him from the world. Lu Tingwan was immersed in this scene and his eyes gradually became dull.
It wasn't until she smelled the familiar sandalwood scent that she regained consciousness and asked again, "Why are you here too?"
Cheng Xianzhi didn't answer but asked, "Why are you here?"
Lu Tingwan thought of the important matter and said, "I am sending Shu brocade here on the orders of the Queen Mother."
Cheng Xianzhi raised an eyebrow and guessed, "Is there more than just this one family?"
Lu Tingwan looked around and lowered his voice slightly: "Well, Shu Jin is just a bait, just to find out the truth."
Cheng Xian understood it all and guessed the Queen Mother's intention. She wanted to use Shu brocade to test the attitudes of these officials. If they were willing to make friends with the Jiang family, she could select women of appropriate age from among them to enter the palace and serve the monarch. If they could conceive an heir to the throne, they would be honored and glorious.
Lu Tingwan looked at him carefully, and astutely sensed something unusual: "Is your visit to the Liu family related to what the Queen Mother is planning?"
"You are meticulous and careful. The more you know, the more dangerous it is. Do you understand?"
Cheng Xianzhi tapped his knuckles lightly, and Lu Tingwan covered his forehead with his armrest. His action brought the two closer together. Lu Tingwan was angry but dared not say anything, and his eyes were filled with resentment.
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