Chapter 2

“If Madam Cui has come today to discuss these irrelevant past matters, then please return.”

Observing Jiang Wanrou’s clearly displeased expression, Madam Cui understood—this beautiful wife of the commander still harbored resentment about what had happened back then.

And why wouldn’t she? After all, such a scandalous affair caused an uproar in the capital back in the day. She faced cold stares and ridicule whenever she attended social gatherings. It wasn’t until Lord Lu took charge of the Jinglong Bureau and silenced people by having several tongues cut that the gossip finally ceased.

Madam Cui let out a deep breath and declared with certainty, “Madam, don’t be alarmed, but hear me out.”

Feeling confident in her bargaining chip, Madam Cui dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a silk handkerchief, tidied her hair, smoothed her sleeves, and regained her composure before speaking: “Recently, someone at my household caught a foolish pest—a woman from the back kitchen who, unnoticed by the steward, frequently stole silver charcoal to sell.”

“This kind of thieving woman should have been beaten to death straight away, but in order to save her own life, she began spouting nonsense about her previous employer’s household, making up absurd claims with such detail that it seemed believable. So, I immediately sent someone to investigate…”

Madam Cui cast a sidelong glance at Jiang Wanrou. “And guess what? That thieving woman—she was thrown out of the Ning’an Marquis’s household! The timing aligns perfectly; it was five years ago.”

Jiang Wanrou’s dark lashes trembled as she tightened her grip on the embroidered handkerchief in her hands.

Madam Cui watched Jiang Wanrou’s reaction carefully before continuing, “According to the woman’s testimony, she had a unique talent for making pear blossom pastries, which earned her favor with her masters and kept her in the small kitchen. However, five years ago, she got involved in a huge scandal and was expelled.”

This “huge scandal” was something Jiang Wanrou, of course, knew about. Everyone in the capital did. In broad daylight, the illegitimate daughter of the Marquis’s household had been caught climbing into the bed of her prospective brother-in-law. The disgrace had utterly humiliated both families.

Because it was the birthday of the Marquis’s old madam, attendees included many prominent nobles, and such a scandal quickly spread throughout the capital, becoming the talk of the town during meals and gatherings. As for Lu Feng, he suffered little—after all, he was a man, and people at most sighed and called it “youthful indiscretion.” Jiang Wanrou, however, was far less fortunate. Losing her chastity in such a public spectacle, especially with her elder sister’s fiancé, left her with no prospects. If Lu Feng had rejected her, she would have had no way to survive.

Recalling this distressing past, Jiang Wanrou still seemed shaken. She grabbed a nearby teacup and took a sip, the tea’s distinctive bitterness filling her mouth.

After a long pause, she said, “Send that thieving woman over.”

Madam Cui was overjoyed and eagerly asked, “What about the matter of my husband?”

“Those who accept a salary must do their duty. This principle, I understand.”

Before Madam Cui could break into a smile, Jiang Wanrou calmly added, “But let me be blunt: even the palace concubines are forbidden to interfere in state affairs. As for important matters of governance, we women in the inner quarters have no real consequences. I can give it a try, but ultimately, we do what we can and leave the rest to fate.”

Madam Cui’s hopes rose for a moment only to crash down again, leaving her with an awkward and forced expression that was almost comical. After a brief silence, she gritted her teeth and said, “As long as Madam is willing to speak kindly, this old sister will be content.”

Jiang Wanrou remained indifferent. She neither acknowledged Madam Cui’s thanks nor indulged her self-proclaimed sisterly intimacy. Lowering her gaze, she adjusted her colorful shawl and stood up.

Cui Zhu, her maid, softly called out, “Be careful, Madam,” and hurried forward to support her arm. Madam Cui also stood quickly, as if intending to say more, but Jiang Wanrou lightly but firmly dismissed her. Surrounded by attendants, she returned to Jinguang Courtyard, dismissed everyone, and sat alone by the window, lost in thought for a long time.

“Madam, here’s the sweet soup sent from the small kitchen. Try it and see if the cooking time was just right—does it taste good?”

Cui Zhu presented a delicate white porcelain bowl, palm-sized, to Jiang Wanrou, but seeing her lack of interest, she gently encouraged her, “Madam, please have a little. You oversee the household affairs day after day. Setting everything else aside, we servants only hope you take care of your health and perhaps… give the Young Master a little brother.”

Jiang Wanrou paused, her heart heavy with another touch of sorrow.

Lu Feng, while serving the Emperor, had his hands stained with blood, performing what could be bluntly described as grave-digging tasks. In the early years, when his power base was still fragile, his enemies dared not target him directly but instead set their sights on the women of his inner household. While Jiang Wanrou was pregnant, she endured three assassination attempts. Though none succeeded, the constant worry day and night led to her giving birth prematurely at nine months due to fright. Their son, Huaiyi, was born with congenital weaknesses, and the imperial physicians declared he wouldn’t live long.

Fortunately, the Lu household, with its mountains of wealth and abundance of rare medicinal herbs, managed to raise him to the age of five despite many ups and downs. Even so, his health remained frail, and he relied on a continuous stream of medicinal treatments. While no one dared to speak openly about it, many privately believed the delicate young master wouldn’t have a long life. Cu Zzhu, one of Jiang Wanrou’s trusted maids, often subtly mentioned the idea of seizing the opportunity to have another child.

Cui Zhu said, “The imperial physician stated that your health is robust, Madam, and the Master is in his prime. How wonderful it would be to add another young master!”

At only twenty years old, Jiang Wanrou had consulted numerous physicians, from imperial doctors to renowned practitioners, and even barefoot traveling healers. All confirmed her pulse was stable, with no signs of illness. Her complexion was radiant, her cheeks glowing like peach blossoms. Yet, frustratingly, she hadn’t conceived again after giving birth to Huaiyi. Later, Lu Feng procured a special medicinal tonic from the palace, and she diligently drank a full bowl after every intimate encounter without fail. Still, the results were minimal.

“Forget it. Let it be.” Jiang Wanrou put down the porcelain bowl, her tone distracted.

When Jiang Wanrou gave birth to Huaiyi, she desperately needed a child to establish her position in the noble household. Now that her overbearing mother-in-law was no longer pressuring her and Lu Feng seemed indifferent about having more heirs, rather than criticizing her, he even softly persuaded her to let go of the idea, which gradually eased her concerns.

Huaiyi had already drained her energy and spirit, leaving her doubtful that she had the strength to raise another child.

“Oh dear, Madam, the Master may not say anything, but that medicine—the small kitchen brews it every day! This morning, Master specifically instructed that the lamps in Jinguang Courtyard should be lit tonight.”

Jinguang Courtyard was Jiang Wanrou’s residence. As the head of the household, Lu Feng had his own quarters in Molin Courtyard, the largest and most auspicious part of the estate. Early in their marriage, Lu Feng rarely visited Jinguang Courtyard. Over time, however, his stays there grew longer—first three days, then five, then ten. Now, he spent over twenty days a month in Jinguang Courtyard, and the rest of his time was spent either at the Court of Judicial Review or the Ministry of Punishment. Whenever he returned to the estate, he went straight to Jiang Wanrou, neglecting Molin Courtyard.

Regardless of the reality, to outsiders, their relationship appeared deep and harmonious, like a perfect melody of marital bliss.

Jiang Wanrou dabbed the corners of her lips with a silk handkerchief. After a moment, she lowered her gaze and said, “The roads are slippery in the cold. Tell the maids to sweep the snow thoroughly and prepare some hot water.”

“Yes, Madam!”

Cui Zhu cheerfully responded, her nimble hands removing the bejeweled hairpins and ornaments from Jiang Wanrou’s hair. Her smooth, silk-like black hair cascaded down, accentuating her radiant skin, which seemed to glow.

Cui Zhu gently gathered her long hair, tied it up neatly, and drew down the bed’s jade-hooked curtains. In a soft voice, she said, “Madam, rest a little longer. I’ll keep watch outside.”

Though such an act technically breached etiquette, the current situation was far from conventional. The family matriarch in Chunhui Hall no longer involved herself in household matters, the harsh mother-in-law had been confined to the Buddhist hall, and the willful younger sister-in-law had been married off to Jiangnan. Lu Feng propped up the Lu household entirely, and the sisters-in-law wouldn’t dare challenge Jiang Wanrou. She was now the undisputed head lady of the household—who would dare criticize her?

It was a far cry from her early days in the household, when she was heavily pregnant and learning the rules under her overbearing mother-in-law. Life was infinitely better now.

Be content with what you have. Jiang Wanrou reminded herself as she slowly closed her eyes.

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Lu Feng had always been a man of his word—when he said he would return, he always did. However, for some reason, tonight, he was still nowhere to be seen, not even past midnight.

When the time for the maid shift arrived, Cui Zhu respectfully bowed and left to rest, while another personal maid, Jin Tao, took her place. Jin Tao refreshed the incense burner in the room and gently said, “Madam, you should rest for a bit. I’ll attend to the Master when he returns.”

“No need, I’ll wait for him.”

Jiang Wanrou’s reddened eyes betrayed her exhaustion, but she still shook her head. She got up, walked to the copper basin, tested the water temperature with her hand, and instructed, “The water has cooled. Add some hot water.”

Not only had the water cooled, but the midnight meal on the table had as well. No matter whether Lu Feng returned early or late, since the one time he had requested additional dishes at night, Jiang Wanrou had made it a routine to prepare a night meal for him. It wasn’t much—three meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, a pot of wine, and a bowl of soup. If he were hungry, he would eat; if not, the dishes would be cleared and distributed among the maids and guards on night duty.

Even though nine times out of ten Lu Feng didn’t touch the food, Jiang Wanrou never skipped preparing it. She even ensured that the dishes were still warm whenever he returned.

Jin Tao added hot water and looked up to ask, “Madam, are the dishes still warm?”

Jin Tao had two considerations in mind. Firstly, at this hour, the Master hadn’t returned yet, and it was highly likely he was attending a banquet elsewhere. Secondly, it was already past midnight, and if the Master returned and ate this late-night meal, he’d only have less than three hours to sleep before sunrise. It seemed certain that tonight’s meal would go untouched. In light of this, she thought, why bother going through the trouble?

Jiang Wanrou replied calmly, “Warm.”

“By the way, how’s the belt I asked you to make a few days ago?”

Startled by the question, Jin Tao lowered her head guiltily and answered, “Madam, I’ve completed the base, but…but I haven’t had enough time to finish the edges.”

Jin Tao was skilled in embroidery, and Jiang Wanrou often asked her to craft small items like sachets. As for the belt, Jiang Wanrou hadn’t specified when she needed it, so Jin Tao hadn’t prioritized its completion. Feeling regretful, she suddenly heard a gentle voice from above, “It’s fine. I’m free now—give it to me.”

Jin Tao let out a sigh of relief and quickly brought over the half-finished belt along with the sewing tools. Still, she apologized earnestly, saying, “Madam, I admit my mistake. Please punish me.”

Jiang Wanrou chuckled softly, her laughter in the quiet night sounding as gentle as flowing water. “It’s just a trivial matter—why be so troubled over it? You’re older than Cui Zhu, yet why is your courage so much smaller?”

Jin Tao bit her lip and lowered her head, daring not to respond.

Jin Tao and Cui Zhu now serve as Jiang Wanrou’s senior maids at Jinguang Courtyard. In fact, Cui Zhu had arrived a year later; when Jiang Wanrou first entered the household, it was Jin Tao and another maid named Jin Jie who attended her. Back then, Jiang Wanrou was weak and unestablished, despised by everyone in the household—even the servants dared to bully her. Jin Jie had repeatedly spoken disrespectfully, and now grass had already grown two feet high on Jin Jie’s grave.

Of course, this had nothing to do with Jiang Wanrou. Jin Jie’s downfall was entirely her own doing, brought upon by her misguided ambitions to rise above her station. In Jin Tao’s memories, although Madam Jiang possessed stunning beauty that seemed like it could bring misfortune, her temperament was incredibly gentle and kind. She never arbitrarily punished or scolded her servants and even granted them additional monthly allowances. Nowadays, who in the Lu household didn’t feel grateful for Madam Jiang’s benevolence? Serving by her side, Jin Tao had witnessed one misfortune after another befall those who had mistreated Madam Jiang in the past. Without competing or fighting, Madam Jiang’s life only grew more prosperous.

Jin Tao, though not particularly quick-witted, suddenly realized that Madam Jiang was not merely a stunning beauty nor as fragile and easy to bully as she might appear. This realization made her increasingly silent, and she served Jiang Wanrou with even greater dedication, ensuring that there was not even the slightest hint of disrespect.

Both mistress and maid kept their thoughts to themselves, and neither spoke further. After roughly the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, steady footsteps echoed outside, casting the tall, imposing silhouette of a man against the door.

“Has my husband returned?”

Jiang Wanrou bit off the golden silk thread in her hand, placed the basket on the most prominent table near the entrance, and opened the door with a radiant and graceful smile.