Chapter 9

Jiang Wanrou’s chest tightened. Yao Jinyu was not one to speak without reason—could she have discovered something?

She couldn’t help but think of the agate, her heart growing stifled and uneasy.

Jiang Wanrou said, “Third sister-in-law, I’m a straightforward person. If you have something to say, lay it out clearly. I don’t understand roundabout talk, and it might lead to misunderstandings.”

“You’re being modest, eldest sister-in-law,” Yao Jinyu said with a playful laugh. Who in the household would dare underestimate the lady of the house now? When she first entered the manor, Jiang Wanrou seemed gentle, harmless, and benevolent. If not for the few quiet losses she had suffered at Jiang Wanrou’s hands, Yao Jinyu might have been thoroughly deceived by her act.

This woman, adept at putting on airs, still has her muddle-headed Third Master fooled—he goes around chanting, “Eldest sister-in-law is like a mother.” Hah! Does he even consider his age or that of the “eldest sister-in-law” he praises? His real mother is still confined to the Buddhist hall, so where does “like a mother” even come from?

Yao Jinyu remarked, “I won’t waste words on other things. Eldest sister-in-law probably doesn’t care about them either. But this time… childhood sweethearts, youthful admiration—those are entirely different.”

Jiang Wanrou’s heart was shaken, her mind forming a vague suspicion. Yao Jinyu leaned closer, her voice so soft it was barely audible, “The Lu family’s carriage has been parked at the back gate of Prince Gong’s residence for three days. How many days has it been since you’ve seen the eldest master?”

“Often, what we can’t have is what we value most.”

After speaking, Yao Jinyu gracefully took her leave, leaving Jiang Wanrou sitting alone in her armchair, motionless for a long time. The carved lattice window was half open, and warm sunlight, like golden threads, spilled in, outlining her exquisite and radiant profile. The gold-thread embroidery of begonia flowers on her bodice gleamed brightly.

“Cui Zhu.”

After a long while, Jiang Wanrou rose to her feet, expressionless, and said, “Prepare the meal. We’re going to the Jinglong Buraeu.”

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The carriage wheels rolled forward, and Jiang Wanrou leaned back in the cabin, resting her eyes.

Suspicion? Sadness? Anger?

Suppressing these complex emotions, Jiang Wanrou gradually regained her composure.

People once said she married only because her older sister rejected the match, but if given the choice, Jiang Wanrou would never have chosen to wed into the Lu family. She bore a tarnished reputation, lacked support from her maternal family, and was unwelcome by her husband’s household. The matriarch was harsh, her sister-in-law cunning, and two other sisters-in-law schemed against her constantly—it was truly a difficult life.

This marriage wasn’t something she stole; Jiang Wanxue had abandoned it herself! Now everything had changed—nobody dared show her disrespect. Huaiyi was so obedient, even her once-hostile sisters-in-law had become pleasant. She wouldn’t let anyone destroy the life she had now.

Neither Jiang Wanxue nor even Lu Feng would succeed.

Over the years, Jiang Wanrou had meticulously fulfilled her role as a good wife, waking early and working late to serve him, managing household affairs, bearing children, and honoring elders. She believed she had done right by Lu Feng. But Yao Jinyu’s words rang true—what one cannot have often becomes the most cherished.

Knowing her older sister Jiang Wanxue, who was prideful and ambitious, she was certain that as the chief examiner in the Prince Gong case, Lu Feng could not have been met with kindness from her. Then what was Lu Feng doing at Prince Gong’s residence now? Was he investigating the case, or did he still harbor feelings for the fiancée who had once abandoned him?

Could the red agate troubling her belong to Jiang Wanxue?

She needed to uncover the truth piece by piece.

…

Lost in thought, Jiang Wanrou suddenly felt a jolt as she heard the neighing of horses nearby. Her body lurched forward, but she reacted quickly, gripping the window frame to avoid falling.

“Madam, madam! Are you hurt?” came the concerned voice of her attendant.

Cui Zhu quickly got up to support Jiang Wanrou. Fortunately, neither of them was injured, but the food box was ruined, with its contents spilling all over, soaking the embroidery on Jiang Wanrou’s skirt.

At that moment, a guard’s slightly flustered voice came from outside, “Madam, forgive us! A carriage suddenly appeared ahead, startling the horses. Are you alright?”

“Alright? Everyone will get a beating when we return!”

Before Jiang Wanrou could respond, Cui Zhu angrily lifted the curtain and exclaimed, “Who dares to be so careless as to collide with the Lu family’s carriage!”

In the capital, the carriages and horses of noble families bore distinctive marks. Given that Lu Feng operated under the Emperor’s command to oversee officials, the Lu family’s carriage was never obstructed. Even in a narrow encounter, others would sensibly yield the way. The coachman, accustomed to this privilege, had not expected to encounter someone unyielding today.

Hearing Cui Zhu’s words, a young servant from the other side retorted indignantly, “This road was ours to begin with! You’re the ones who blocked the way and scared our horses. Now you’re blaming us?”

“Under the Emperor’s rule, is there no justice or law left?”

Cui Zhu, her face flushed with anger, snapped, “How dare you! Whose household are you from? Do you know who my master is? If I told you, you’d be scared to death—”

“Cui Zhu,” Jiang Wanrou interrupted her sternly, turning to ask the guards outside, “Is what they said true? Did we block their path?”

The guard hesitated before replying, “It is true, but they refused to yield…”

If the matter were judged fairly, they were indeed in the wrong. However, this had been the norm for years. With Lu Feng holding immense power in the court, others would instinctively avoid carriages marked with the Lu family insignia. The guards had grown used to this privilege, not even recognizing their own fault.

Instead, they found the opposing party’s defiance to be irritating and intolerable.

“Enough. Let’s end this here and move on,” Jiang Wanrou decided.

Jiang Wanrou immediately understood that her household was at fault. Ever since she took charge, she had been strict with the servants, issuing firm orders against abusing the Lu family’s name to act recklessly. However, certain things, like the arrogance of the guards and coachman, were beyond her control. Just as the saying goes, “water too clear has no fish,” she couldn’t afford to be excessively harsh.

She chalked the incident up to bad luck. The overturned food box and the soup stains on her embroidered skirt, even though Cui Zhu had wiped them clean with a handkerchief, left her feeling uncomfortable. Resolving to return home, she abandoned her initial plans.

As if the misfortunes weren’t enough, the frightened horse refused to budge! The coachman dared not use the whip—after all, animals lack human reasoning. If the horse panicked again and injured the lady, he would bear unthinkable consequences.

The coachman, visibly flustered, turned red in the face. Just then, a man’s voice came from the opposite side, calm and warm like polished jade: “Might this be the family of Lord Lu Feng?”

The voice carried a refined quality, steady and soothing like a spring breeze.

It must belong to the master of the opposing household.

Jiang Wanrou responded, “I am Lu Feng’s wife. I deeply apologize for causing trouble today. Please, go ahead.”

The other party seemed momentarily surprised by her identity but then replied with a gentle laugh, “So it turns out the great flood has reached the Dragon King’s temple. Madam Lu, I am Pei Zhang.”

Hearing the name, Jiang Wanrou thought it sounded familiar. After pondering for a moment, she realized that Pei Zhang was her fifth sister’s husband! By familial ties, she ought to call him “brother-in-law.” Indeed, it was like a “flood reaching the Dragon King’s temple,” with family members failing to recognize one another.

Feeling a bit awkward, Jiang Wanrou recognized that the time and place were unsuitable for casual reminiscing. Besides, she had no meaningful history with Pei Zhang. She had married before her fifth sister, and when her sister wed, Jiang Wanrou had not been invited, merely sending a gift to congratulate her. Later, when Pei Zhang and her sister left the capital for his official duties, Jiang Wanrou never had the chance to meet him.

Pei Zhang appeared to step down from his carriage, and given their familial hierarchy, it would have been impolite for Jiang Wanrou not to greet him. Fortunately, the alley was relatively empty. She lifted the hem of her skirt gracefully and stepped down to pay her respects.

“Fifth brother-in-law, the timing isn’t ideal today. I will prepare a proper gift and visit you and my fifth sister another day,” Jiang Wanrou said, observing Pei Zhang discreetly.

Pei Zhang had an impressive appearance: fair-skinned, tall, and exuding a scholarly elegance. However, he wasn’t the rigid, dull type of scholar but rather refined and gentlemanly.

With a gentle smile, Pei Zhang replied, “There’s no need for such formality. Wan Ying and I just returned to the capital and are temporarily staying in Xinyue Alley in the southern part of the city. It’s a modest abode, not worthy of hosting you, my dear sister-in-law.”

Jiang Wanrou’s eyelids twitched at his words, finding the remark intriguing. His tone carried politeness, yet he casually revealed their lodging. Was it an invitation for her to visit or a subtle discouragement?

Jiang Wanrou could only reply, “It’s a must.”

The two stood five zhang apart, Jiang Wanrou accompanied by her maid and guards, while Pei Zhang had his coachman and servant. Under the watchful eyes of their entourages, their exchange remained polite yet distant.

Fortunately, Pei Zhang understood this wasn’t the appropriate place for conversation and left promptly. Meanwhile, the horse pulling Jiang Wanrou’s carriage recovered from the earlier fright and began moving forward slowly.

Inside the carriage, Jiang Wanrou reflected on the encounter and, after some time, sighed softly to herself: “Fifth Sister truly is blessed.”