Chapter 41

Shen Wei paused mid-step upon hearing his voice. Holding the brocade box in her hands, her tone remained as calm as ever: “The palace sent over some items. I thought you might find them useful, so I brought them to you…” She hesitated briefly before continuing, “I’ll leave them in the outer room. You can send someone to fetch them later.”

As soon as she finished, she resumed walking, but before she could take another step, Lu Qi Huai’s voice called out from behind her, “Mother, please wait. There’s something I’d like to ask you…”

Lu Qi Huai’s voice was as clear and composed as always. Seeing her stop, he finished dressing himself, pulling the outer robe from the rack and draping it over his shoulders. Once fully dressed, he turned back toward Shen Wei and spoke warmly, “Mother, you can turn around now.”

Shen Wei’s back stiffened for a moment upon hearing this.

After glancing at the brocade box in her hands, she exhaled deeply and turned around.

By now, Lu Qi Huai was already fully dressed in his usual black robes, looking no different from any other day. Yet for some reason, the image of his bare, sunlit back lingered in Shen Wei’s mind, as though it had been touched by a radiant glow.

Her heartbeat quickened inexplicably at the memory, and even a faint blush crept up her ears.

Goodness, have I been in this ancient era for too long? Am I really becoming like those women here? It was just a bare back—what’s there to be embarrassed about?

Chiding herself inwardly, Shen Wei’s expression remained unchanged. She walked over with the brocade box, placed it on the table, and sat down on a round stool. In a composed tone, she asked, “What is it you wanted to ask me?”

No matter how well Shen Wei hid her emotions, Lu Qi Huai’s perceptive nature didn’t miss the faint blush on her ears. A slight smile flickered in his eyes, though he quickly lowered them to conceal the expression.

He smoothed out the creases in his robe and walked over to sit across from her. Instead of answering immediately, he poured her a cup of tea, his voice gentle: “Mother, you must be thirsty after your journey. Please have some tea first.”

Shen Wei didn’t argue. After the bumpy ride, she was indeed feeling parched. Accepting the tea he handed her, she noticed the tea was still steaming. As it steeped, the leaves unfurled, turning the water cloudy and releasing a fragrant aroma.

She inhaled deeply and took a sip before looking at him. “Biluochun from this spring?” she asked.

Lu Qi Huai met her gaze with a smile, his tone warm. “Mother knows tea?”

There was something pure and focused in his gaze that made Shen Wei almost instinctively respond, Yes, I do. Back in the modern era, one of her major clients had a passion for tea, prompting her to learn extensively about it. This Biluochun, for instance, was categorized into seven grades, and the tea he served her—its delicate, spiral-shaped leaves—was of the finest quality.

However, it was still early in the season for Biluochun to be available. Even the elderly Madam Xie didn’t have any yet. How did Lu Qi Huai get his hands on such premium tea?

Suppressing her thoughts, she replied casually, “I’ve tasted it before, but I wouldn’t say I truly understand it.” Setting the tea cup down, she dabbed her lips with a handkerchief and then raised her eyes to look at him again. “You mentioned earlier you had something to ask me. What is it?”

Lu Qihuai silently studied her again upon hearing her words.

He had investigated earlier and knew that the Lady of the Duke Rong disliked tea’s bitterness and rarely drank it, often replacing it with milk or honey water. Yet, this woman could identify the type of tea after a single sip—hardly a trait of someone ignorant about tea. However, he said nothing, merely sipping his tea before speaking gently:
“I’ve already looked through the invitation Mother sent me.”

After pausing briefly, he added,
“However, I still don’t fully understand the hierarchy and relationships of the city’s noble families. To avoid making any mistakes in the future, I wanted to consult with you.”

Shen Wei heard his question and didn’t find it suspicious. After all, Lu Qihuai would need to prepare himself if he was to interact with these families. However, not even the original owner of her body fully understood such intricate social relations. Thus, she said,
“I’ll send the steward over later. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask her.”

Lu Qihuai nodded and replied,
“Thank you, Mother.”

In truth, he hadn’t called Shen Wei here for this reason. Who in the city would understand these noble relationships better than him? But this woman was naturally cautious, and it seemed she wouldn’t easily reveal anything unusual.

Seeing that he had no further questions, Shen Wei stood up, adjusting her handkerchief. Her gaze briefly landed on the embroidered box on the table, and she said,
“The Empress specially gifted this to you. It contains supplements and medicinal ingredients. Consult a physician first, and if everything is fine, remember to use them.”

As she spoke, she noticed Lu Qihuai’s hand pause briefly on the teacup, the smile on his face momentarily stiffening. However, when she looked over, his expression returned to normal.

Shen Wei narrowed her eyes slightly, clutching her handkerchief a little tighter, though her tone remained calm as she said,
“After all, it is a token of goodwill from the imperial family. We mustn’t waste it.”

“Understood,” Lu Qihuai responded, setting his teacup down. After bowing respectfully to her, he added,
“My health is still recovering, so I won’t escort you out.”

Shen Wei merely nodded. She turned and walked towards the exit, but as she reached the curtain, she stopped and glanced back. Lu Qihuai still stood in the same spot, slightly turned. The sunlight fell on him, obscuring his expression. Yet in his eyes, Shen Wei caught faint traces of undisguised disdain and indifference.

What connection did Lu Qihuai have with the imperial palace? Why did he always seem unsettled whenever it was mentioned? Shen Wei couldn’t resolve her suspicions, but to avoid being noticed, she lowered her gaze, lifted the curtain, and walked out.

Not long after Shen Wei left—

A shadowy figure appeared in the room. They glanced first at the gift box on the table, then at Lu Qihuai. Noticing the indifference and disdain in his eyes, the shadow quickly lowered their head and softly asked,
“Master, what should be done with this?”

Lu Qihuai’s expression returned to calmness as he composed himself.

After closing his eyes briefly, he replied coolly,
“Get rid of it.”

The days transitioned into April, and the weather grew increasingly warm.

Lu Qihuai’s health had finally recovered after months of convalescence.

Previously, because of his injuries, Old Madam Xie had excused him from his morning greetings. But now that he had recovered, there were no longer any excuses. It was mid-morning, and the Dachen Hall was already bustling with family members. Aside from Lu Buyang, who was attending court, all the other Lu family members were present.

Yet the atmosphere in the room was far from lively.

Madam Wang held a teacup, her gaze involuntarily drifting toward Lu Qihuai, who sat across from her. Seeing him seated there, perfectly fine, made her heart ache as if gripped by an invisible hand. When the master of the house had forbidden them from making any secret moves, he had also warned that if any of them acted recklessly and caused trouble for Old Madam Xie, they would no longer have a place in this household.

This wasn’t just a warning—it was essentially a threat of divorce.

Given her age, what would she do if cast out of her family? Madam Wang’s own concubine-born mother had been out of favor, and while her elder brother now led the Wang family, their relationship had always been distant. Returning to the Wang household would be nothing short of humiliating, a fate likely met with derision and scorn.

Thus, even though she felt jealousy and hatred, she could do nothing.

Though she couldn’t act on her feelings in secret, neither could she fake a smile in front of others. She was a senior, after all. Was she expected to lower herself to curry favor with a junior? The thought filled Madam Wang with resentment. If only her son had been the one to save the Emperor, then all that Lu Qihuai possessed would rightfully belong to her child.

Old Madam Xie sat on the reclining couch, calmly fingering her prayer beads as always. Naturally, she noticed the tension in the room, especially the jealousy and resentment on Madam Wang’s face.

Old Madam Xie sighed inwardly. She had once allowed her second son to marry Madam Wang because of her family background and her son’s affection for her. At first, Madam Wang had only shown a bit of pettiness in her actions, but now it seemed her temperament had worsened with age.

Fortunately, her second son remained sensible. Otherwise, Old Madam Xie feared things might spiral out of control.

Turning her attention to Lu Qihuai, Old Madam Xie saw a poised young man with an air of elegance and strength. It wouldn’t be long before he would once again stand tall in front of the world.

This was only the first step.

This man would take back everything he had lost.

No one knew what challenges and hardships lay ahead, nor how much time it would take. She wasn’t even sure if she would live to see the day this man ascended to that position.

Beside her, Nanny Wei noticed that Madam Xie had been silent for a while. She turned her head and, seeing the dazed look on her face, worried that others might notice. Taking advantage of the moment as she poured tea, she softly called out, “Madam.”

Hearing the voice, Madam Xie came back to herself. She took the tea cup, sipped the hot tea, and then looked at Lu Qihuai below, speaking gently, “Xuan Yue, is your health fully recovered now?”

Lu Qihuai put down his tea cup upon hearing this and respectfully replied, “To answer your question, the physician said I’m fine. As long as I avoid alcohol and such for the next few days, there shouldn’t be a relapse.”

Madam Xie nodded at his response, placing the tea cup back on the table. She continued counting the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand as she said, “Since you’ve recovered, it’s time for you to prepare for your new post. Although the Emperor has permitted you to fully recuperate before taking office, many eyes are watching. If you delay too long, it may invite criticism.”

Once her words fell—

Lu Qihuai immediately responded, “Yes.”

Madam Xie nodded again and turned to Shen Wei, saying, “Now that Xuan Yue holds an important position in court, aside from the usual attendants, it’s time to add a few more guards and escorts for him.”

Shen Wei responded softly, “I understand. Once we return, I’ll instruct the steward to select a few capable guards for Xuan Yue.”

Satisfied, Madam Xie said no more on the matter. Instead, her gaze shifted to Lu Qiyan, seated on her left. Her fingers paused over her prayer beads. Besides her concerns about Lady Wang, the one who troubled her most in the family was Qiyan.

Qi Xuan was clever and knew what should and shouldn’t be done.

But Qiyan’s temperament…

Ever since the incident with the Huo family, his former friends had severed ties with him. Lately, Qiyan had stayed home every day, and she often heard the maids whispering about how “the Third Young Master frequently loses his temper and occasionally curses at the Eldest Young Master.” If this continued, someone of that nature wouldn’t tolerate him for long.

With this thought, Madam Xie spoke up, “Qiyan, you’ve been staying at home for several months now. You’re no longer young—it’s time for you to go out and gain some experience.”

Lu Qiyan, who had been glaring at Lu Qihuai, was caught off guard when his grandmother suddenly addressed him. Turning his head to look at her, he was about to respond when she continued, “Our family’s business may not be as vast as others, but it still spans several provinces. Recently, Manager Liu mentioned plans to open a few shops in Jiangxi. Since you’re idle at home, you might as well go and take a look. It’ll also be a good opportunity to learn from the experienced managers.”

This was essentially suggesting that Lu Qiyan go into business.

Before Lu Qiyan could say anything, Lady Wang interjected, “Mother, how can Qiyan go to such a desolate place as Jiangxi?”

Not to mention that Jiangxi was far away, opening shops wasn’t an easy task. Who knew how much time it would take? Qiyan had always been pampered—how could he handle such work? The more she thought about it, the more she felt the Old Madam was being blatantly biased. She took meticulous care of the eldest branch’s illegitimate son, ensuring his new position and even worrying about his protection.

But her Qiyan?

Not only was he being sent into business, but he was also starting at the bottom. It was outrageous, especially when her husband was so filial to this Old Madam, who clearly had a hidden agenda.

The more Lady Wang thought about it, the more indignant she became, her voice growing sharp. “Our family’s main business is in Bianliang, yet you insist on sending Qiyan all the way to Jiangxi. You—”

Before she could finish, Madam Xie slammed the table heavily and sternly rebuked, “Enough!”