Chapter 69 p1
Wei Yan’s eyelashes trembled. He leaned in his embrace for a long time before he slowly retreated and asked in a hoarse voice, “The medicine you took… is it harmful to your body?”
Lu Ze shook his head and said, “Don’t worry, I have a sense of propriety. It won’t have any effect on my body.”
He looked at Wei Yan and coaxed him in a soft voice, “Are you not angry anymore?”
Wei Yan paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, “It’s my fault…”
He said, “I shouldn’t have hidden it from you and made you worry.”
Lu Ze didn’t say whether it was right or wrong and just said, “Then we won’t do this again in the future, okay?” He said, “I want to know everything about you, just like me. If you have anything you want to ask or know, you can just ask.”
Hearing this, Wei Yan’s lips moved slightly. He looked down at him and said hesitantly, “Why are you back now? Your mother…”
He pursed his lips. “Does she know you’re back today?”
Lu Ze shook his head. “When the butler sent me a letter, the flood in Huainan had already been dealt with, and only the finishing touches were left. I asked for leave from my superior and came back early. When I found out that you had returned to the Marquis’s mansion at the gate of the mansion, I hurried over.”
Wei Yan lowered his head and fiddled with his fingers. He didn’t speak, but he was satisfied with his attentive attitude, but he couldn’t help but worry about Lu’s mother’s attitude.
Lu Ze seemed to know what he was thinking. He got up and sat on the side, held Wei Yan’s hand, and said in a gentle voice, “My father passed away early, and my mother worked hard to support the family and raise me. It’s inevitable that her personality is a bit strong and domineering, and maybe even a little unreasonable.”
Wei Yan deeply agreed in his heart, but on the surface, he still pretended to refute, “Well… it’s okay.”
Lu Ze couldn’t help but laugh. Wei Yan looked up and glared at him.
Lu Ze held the side of his face, his voice gentle. “Have you been wronged these past two days?”
Wei Yan pouted and looked to the side, and muttered, “After all, she’s your mother…”
Lu Ze nodded and agreed, “When I was young, my family was poor. In order to save enough for my tuition, my mother found a lot of work to do, and it was indeed hard. Now that I’ve become a jinshi and an official, I should naturally be filial to her and let her live a good life.”
Wei Yan understood this principle and reluctantly nodded. “…You should.”
Lu Ze looked at him and said, “So it has nothing to do with you.”
Hmm…?
Wei Yan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly looked up, his face full of shock as he looked at him.
Lu Ze had a smile on his face and rubbed his head. “Silly.”
Wei Yan patted him. “How am I silly?”
Lu Ze said slowly, “She is my mother. She raised me. Whether I should be filial to her and how I should be filial to her is my business. She has never been good to you. Why should she ask you to be good to her?”
He looked at him and said in a soft voice, “So I will go and talk to my mother. You don’t have to worry about anything. Just be as you are, and you don’t have to take her anger. Your own happiness is the most important thing.” As he spoke, he smiled again. “After all, in the eyes of outsiders, I’m the one who’s living off the Marquis. It’s only right that our whole family should serve you.”
It was the first time Wei Yan had heard such a statement, and he was a little uncomfortable. “Are you… serious?”
Lu Ze was at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. “Why would I lie to you?”
Wei Yan hesitated. “Then I don’t have to get up early to pay my respects to her… and I don’t have to stand and serve her when she’s eating?”
Lu Ze’s heart ached slightly, and he said, “Naturally.”
Wei Yan’s fingers moved slightly. “But… what if it gets out? Will it be detrimental to your reputation…”
Lu Ze said decisively, “It won’t.” He said, “You don’t have to worry about anything. I will handle these matters. You just have to do what you want to do with peace of mind.”
He said, “Before we got married, you were a high-spirited young general. After we got married, I naturally can’t let you be wronged.”
Wei Yan looked at him and finally pursed his lips and let out a light laugh. He gently hooked his finger. “I naturally believe you.”
Lu Ze then leaned over and kissed his forehead, saying, “I’ll go and see my mother later. If you don’t want to go back, you can just stay in the Marquis’s mansion. You don’t have to worry too much.”
Wei Yan’s grip on his hand tightened, and then he loosened it. “I’ll go back with you.”
Lu Ze looked down at him and chuckled softly. “No need.”
His voice was light. “If you’re there, I’m afraid I won’t be able to perform well.”
***
It was already late spring, and the days were gradually getting hotter, but the nights were suddenly colder, and the night was still as cool as water.
The butler didn’t expect Lu Ze to go out and come back again. He hurriedly followed behind him. “Master.”
Lu Ze nodded and strode towards the Yitai Courtyard, and asked, “What is the old madam doing?”
The butler glanced at the sky. “At this hour, she should be having a meal.”
Lu Ze asked again, “These past two days, has the old madam been out? Has she given any instructions?”
The butler was a little hesitant. “She hasn’t been out, but she has given instructions…”
He carefully glanced at Lu Ze’s face. “The old madam has summoned all the managers and servants in the mansion, and has also ordered people to prepare a lot of high-quality clothes and jewelry for the young miss. She also said… she also said…”
Lu Ze looked at him. “What else did she say?”
The butler’s voice grew lower. “She also said to have the servants prepare the things for the wedding ceremony. When the master comes back, she will let the young miss in.”
As they were talking, they had already reached the entrance of the Yitai Courtyard. Lu Ze’s steps paused, and he said coldly, “This is simply absurd.”
The butler lowered his head and didn’t dare to speak.
Lu Ze waved his hand and let him go down, and he himself strode into the courtyard.
In the main hall, from a long way off, you could see a table full of dishes. Two people were sitting at the table, talking and laughing, and they were in harmony, which was very dazzling.
Lu Ze did not let the servants announce him and strode in. Although Lu’s mother had only been in the capital for a few days, she already had a bit of an official’s air. When she heard the noise, she thought it was some ignorant servant and was about to scold him, but the moment she saw Lu Ze, she was instantly overjoyed. “Ze’er!”
She quickly got up to greet him. “When did you come back? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Xu Yun, who was beside Lu’s mother, also looked up. The moment she saw Lu Ze, a hint of infatuation flashed in her eyes, and she called out “cousin” with a red face.
Lu Ze’s gaze swept over her and then landed on Lu’s mother. There was no joy on his face, only a cold and dark look. “Are you having a meal, Mother?”
Lu’s mother paused, a little hesitant. “Yes… yes, what’s wrong, Ze’er?”
Lu Ze said coldly, “You can have a meal in peace, but you don’t know that your son almost lost his official position.”
“Wh-what?” Lu’s mother unconsciously took two steps back and held his two arms in shock. “What are you talking about, my son? How can you suddenly be about to lose your official position? Don’t scare me!”
Xu Yun also had a worried look on her face and timidly came forward to call out, “Cousin…”
Lu Ze’s gaze fell on her. He took a deep breath, looking as if he were very angry, and asked Lu’s mother, “Why did you bring my cousin on this trip to the capital, Mother?”
Hearing this, Xu Yun’s body couldn’t help but tremble, and her eyes were filled with a hint of moisture. She was pitiful, but she bit her lower lip and didn’t speak.
Lu’s mother said, “What are you talking about? Yun’er is your cousin. Don’t you even recognize her?”
Lu Ze said, “If she’s just a cousin, it’s naturally fine, but do you really just want her to be a cousin, Mother? Then what’s the meaning of the words about taking a concubine that you said to the Marquis?”
Lu’s mother gasped and pointed at him. “Good, good, I was wondering. So you’ve come for that little slut!”
“Watch your words, Mother!” Lu Ze said angrily. “The Marquis of Weibei is a court official. If you insult him, are you not afraid of losing your life?”
Lu’s mother was obviously startled, and then she shouted with courage, “This is my own home. Can’t I say a few words?”
Lu Ze sneered, “Your own home? This mansion is the Marquis’s mansion, and these servants were bestowed by the emperor. How can it be your own home?”
Lu’s mother was shocked. “This… isn’t this your mansion? Isn’t this the mansion that the emperor bestowed upon you?”
Lu Ze sneered, “The so-called bestowing upon me is just a pretext for the emperor to give me some face! Do you want to see whose name is written on the title deed of this mansion, Mother?”
Lu’s mother was dizzy for a moment and a little dazed. “Then… then, since Wei Yan has married you, he is a member of the Lu family. What’s the difference between his things and your things?”
Lu Ze smiled sadly. “The so-called marriage is also just to save my face. Go and ask outside, who doesn’t know that it was I who climbed up to the Marquis of Weibei? How many people are waiting to see me make a fool of myself?”
Lu’s mother was in a daze for a moment and had not yet come back to her senses.
Lu Ze took a deep breath and softened his tone. “Mother, this is the capital, not our hometown, Xiangning Town.”
“Your son was lucky enough to be noticed by the Marquis of Weibei, and everything I have comes from him. The food and clothing you’ve had these past few days, and the clothes and jewelry you’ve made for your cousin, not to mention these, just this meal today costs several taels of silver. Your son is now fortunate enough to be a sixth-rank official with the Marquis’s promotion, and my annual salary is only sixty taels of silver. It’s even difficult to find a place to stay in the capital!”
He sighed and looked at Lu’s mother with a worried look. “The Marquis is my superior. My life, death, honor, and disgrace are all in his hands. If it weren’t for the Marquis’s good temper, just with those words of yours, I would have had to pack my things and go back to my hometown! I have studied hard for more than ten years. Is this the result you want to see, Mother?”
Lu’s mother couldn’t understand. “But… you are his husband. How can he?”
“Mother,” Lu Ze said, “he holds the title of marquis and is favored by the emperor. Not to mention divorcing his husband and marrying again, even if he were to keep a few male attendants, no one would dare to say anything. Your son is lucky enough to have some looks, which is why he was noticed by the Marquis. If I were to make the Marquis unhappy, I’m afraid I wouldn’t even know when I’ve made a mistake. At that time, would you be willing to go back to that small Xiangning Town, Mother?”
