Chapter 2: Knocking

The curtain at the entrance was lifted, and Concubine Qian entered with Lu Ke, bringing in the cold air.

Lu Ke rubbed his hands together and immediately asked Fen’er, a maid in Wen Ruyu’s room, “How is Mother?”

Fen’er glanced at Lu Ke and shook her head. “I wasn’t attending to her closely, so I’m not sure. But I heard some talking inside just now, so I suppose she’s doing better than yesterday.”

Hearing this, Lu Ke nodded and strode inside.

Concubine Qian, upon learning that Wen Ruyu was recovering, showed a fleeting trace of displeasure on her otherwise lively face. However, since Wen Ruyu’s authority still held sway in the household, she dared not openly express it.

Deep down, Concubine Qian had wished that Wen Ruyu would succumb to her illness. She was even willing to trade five or ten years of her own life to make it happen.

But realistically, Wen Ruyu was not even forty yet, and the chances of dying from a mere fever were slim.

So, though the thought was there, it was just a passing wish. She felt a momentary disappointment but not enough to make her completely disheartened.

Upon entering the room, Qiu Mai and Qing Xue lifted the inner curtains. Meanwhile, Nanny Yan had already let down the curtain surrounding Wen Ruyu’s bed.

At the moment, Wen Ruyu was only wearing a light outer robe. Even between mother and son, propriety had to be observed, so a curtain was drawn to separate them.

Concubine Qian and Lu Ke paid their respects to Wen Ruyu. Wen Ruyu glanced at Concubine Qian’s silhouette through the curtain and said, “You don’t usually come here to observe the rules, but these past few days, you’ve been quite diligent in your visits.”

Concubine Qian didn’t catch the underlying meaning in Wen Ruyu’s words and simply replied, “Since the old madam is ill, it’s only natural to be more attentive.”

Wen Ruyu let out a cold laugh. “If you were truly here out of concern, that would be fine. But I fear you’re just waiting for the moment I breathe my last so you can be the first to see it and then stir up talk about splitting the family estate.”

Concubine Qian’s expression turned awkward. She thought to herself, The old madam does have a sharp tongue, but she doesn’t usually speak so bluntly.

It seemed that someone had relayed her private conversations to Wen Ruyu, which had angered her.

Even though what Wen Ruyu said was true—Concubine Qian indeed had such thoughts—she could never admit it.

So, she forced a smile and said, “What is the old madam saying? How could I possibly mean that?”

Wen Ruyu had no intention of pressing the matter. Her health had only just begun to improve, and even if she wanted to engage in inner-court power struggles, now was not the time.

Dealing with a concubine without a powerful background wasn’t something that required much effort. Wen Ruyu just needed Concubine Qian to stay quiet.

Besides, her third son was already grown. Though he wasn’t the most devoted, he still showed the necessary respect and filial piety in public. Wen Ruyu didn’t want to make things difficult for his biological mother in front of him.

After all, the Lu family’s wealth was only temporarily under her management. She handled the finances while she was alive to ensure a comfortable life. But ultimately, the estate would have to be divided among these suddenly appearing sons.

Thus, Wen Ruyu merely said to Concubine Qian, “I remember you’ve learned a few words. Since you have such devotion, why not copy some Buddhist scriptures for me?”

The original Wen Ruyu was a Buddhist, though not overly devout. She would burn incense, pray, and copy scriptures when she had important matters at hand. Otherwise, she merely wore prayer beads and donated to temples occasionally.

Concubine Qian’s expression became troubled. “Old madam…”

She barely knew how to read! The late master, who had taken the imperial examination, had a moment of weakness with her, resulting in one fateful night together.

Although Concubine Qian gained status after giving birth to a son, the master’s heart had always been with Wen Ruyu.

In her jealousy, Concubine Qian had once forced herself to learn some characters from the literate servants in the house.

But she had only managed to recognize two or three hundred characters before giving up. That was years ago—she had probably forgotten them all by now.

She didn’t even know where her old calligraphy brush was.

Now, being asked to copy Buddhist scriptures felt worse than kneeling for an hour.

Just as she was about to refuse, Wen Ruyu cut her off.

“Qing Xue, bring a few Buddhist scriptures for Concubine Qian.”

As soon as Wen Ruyu finished speaking, Qing Xue responded, “Yes, madam.” Then she left to fetch the scriptures.

Shortly after, Qing Xue returned with several Buddhist texts and handed them to Concubine Qian as instructed.

Wen Ruyu watched as Concubine Qian accepted the scriptures before saying, “It’s cold in winter, so there’s no need for you to visit me often in the coming days. Just focus on copying the scriptures properly. You can find peace of mind, and I can rest. It’s a win-win.”

Concubine Qian cast an unwilling glance at her son, only to see that Lu Ke had no intention of speaking up for her. Biting her lip, she had no choice but to say, “Yes.”

Only then did Wen Ruyu dismiss her. “Alright, you may leave. Ke’er, stay—I have a few words for you.”

Curious about what Wen Ruyu wanted to say to her son, Concubine Qian hesitated but ultimately left, unwillingly clutching the scriptures as she departed with a maid.

Once Concubine Qian was gone, Wen Ruyu looked at her stepson through the curtain.

The curtain was thin, allowing her to vaguely make out his silhouette.

Lu Ke was dressed in a slightly worn silk robe. His frame was a bit thin, but at seventeen, he had already grown to about 1.7 meters tall.

He had a scholarly air about him, unlike his more boisterous brothers. He was quiet and reserved, making him seem like a man of few words.

At just seventeen, he had already passed the imperial scholar examination—a rare accomplishment.

He was the second scholar in the family. Wen Ruyu’s eldest son, Lu Songnian, had also passed at sixteen or seventeen, displaying remarkable intelligence.

Unfortunately, his father had passed away when he was seventeen.

Since then, Wen Ruyu had struggled to manage the household. The Lu family had some land and two fabric shops that barely made a profit.

When the master died, their financial support dwindled. Wen Ruyu, unable to refuse needy relatives, watched as the family savings dwindled year after year.

After becoming a scholar, Lu Songnian gave up further studies to support the family. He began trading fabrics, traveling north twice a year, ensuring a stable income.

But travel was long and uncertain. Winter was here, and her eldest son had not yet returned. Wen Ruyu, feeling unwell, watched the snow outside with a sense of melancholy.

Dragging her thoughts back, she turned to Lu Ke. “I punished your mother. What do you think about that?”

Lu Ke was stunned.

Though he officially had only one mother, Concubine Qian was his birth mother.

He couldn’t openly oppose Wen Ruyu, but he also couldn’t betray his mother.

For the first time, Lu Ke found himself at a loss for words.

Seeing this, Wen Ruyu didn’t press him. Instead, she said, “I’ve heard rumors that Concubine Qian has been plotting to divide the family as soon as I’m gone. Do you think this is true?”

The room was warm from burning charcoal, yet Lu Ke broke out in a cold sweat.

Because what Wen Ruyu said was true. His mother had indeed been planning exactly that.