Chapter 6

Lan Yi had been pondering for several days without reaching any conclusion when her elder sister-in-law from her maiden family, Ji Shi, came to visit.

It was the day of the Beginning of Summer, more than half a month since their return to their hometown. Lan Yi was still in mourning and recovering from illness, making it inconvenient for her to go out. By all accounts, her maiden family should have visited earlier.

“…I did think of coming sooner,” Ji Shi began, “but on the day of your mother-in-law’s funeral, our family also set up a roadside memorial. Father even went to wait at the crossroads, only to see that scoundrel Jiang Ru standing beside your husband. He was so furious he turned right back. When your elder brother and I suggested bringing gifts to see you, Father’s face darkened the moment your brother spoke up. We were too afraid to mention it again.”

Cui Cui brought tea, her lips pursed in displeasure.

Ji Shi took the tea and continued, “It wasn’t until these past few days, when Father’s temper cooled, that he finally relented. But your brother is busy with the shop’s affairs, so I had to come alone.”

Lan Yi lowered her eyes without speaking, knowing Ji Shi wasn’t finished. Her sister-in-law had always been talkative, quite unlike her elder brother.

Sure enough, Ji Shi went on, “Elder Sister, don’t blame me for speaking out of turn, but since you’d already returned, why not hold on a little longer to see your mother-in-law off on her final journey? That would have preserved the dignity of both families and denied that wretch Jiang Ru any satisfaction. By not attending, you made it seem as though she were the rightful wife—no wonder Father was angry.”

Cui Cui’s lips curled even higher as she couldn’t resist interjecting, “Our mistress barely made it back alive, sustained by ginseng soup. The Yang family didn’t fault her for that.”

“Well, she could have held on a little longer—” Ji Shi blurted out, then chuckled awkwardly under Lan Yi’s calm gaze. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m also concerned about your health. But Father just couldn’t get over it. You have no idea how much we’ve suffered because of this. Your brother was scolded again just yesterday. Sigh, these days, Father only smiles when he sees An Ge’er. They say a man’s youngest son and eldest grandson are his treasures, but I don’t think so. Your brother and nephew combined can’t compare to that youngest son.”

There was a hint of bitterness in Ji Shi’s complaints, and for good reason. The Lu siblings were not from the same mother. Lu Lanyi and her elder brother were born to the first wife, while the youngest, An Ge’er, was born to the wife Master Lu remarried six years after his first wife passed away. He was only four years old now.

“Your brother is truly having a hard time these days,” Ji Shi rambled on, unable to stop. “Father took back the shop in the southern part of town and gave it to your brother to learn the trade. It should have been a good thing—the location isn’t bad—but your brother is an honest man. He’s spent his whole life tilling the land. How could he grasp all the tricks of the trade so quickly? The shop was originally leased to a merchant from the provincial capital who dealt in silk and cloth. Father thought he could take over a thriving business, but the merchant wasn’t foolish. He took all his goods and customers with him, leaving behind an empty shop. Your brother had to scramble just to find suppliers. After finally securing a batch of goods, he didn’t know how to sell them. It’s been nearly half a year, and he barely scrapes by on the occasional passerby’s purchase—it doesn’t even cover the rent he used to collect…”

Cui Cui wanted to usher her out: “Madam, our mistress is still recuperating.”

Sister-in-law Ji, who had also come from the countryside and hadn’t been a “madam” for long, didn’t put on much of a superior air. She paused, then scolded with a smile, “You little girl, your mistress hasn’t said anything, and you’re already complaining about me.”

“That’s because Madam has a good temper,” Cui Cui muttered.

“I’m talking about serious business,” Sister-in-law Ji persisted. “Eldest Sister, if your brother makes something of himself, won’t he be able to help and look after you too? Don’t you think so?”

She didn’t just ask Lu Lanyi; she glanced around the room, seeking agreement. Cui Cui refused to respond, while Ling Zi tilted her head innocently and said, “That’s right. Master said the same thing to the young master earlier.”

Sister-in-law Ji didn’t quite understand. “Said what? Did your father-in-law ask your husband to take care of someone?” She grew wary. “He can’t leave us out. Your husband is the only son in the family, so his brother-in-law is the closest kin. Those distant cousins or whatever shouldn’t come before us.”

Ling Zi giggled. “Not cousins—it’s the young master’s own brother. Aunt Zhou is pregnant, and Master says it’s definitely going to be a son.”

Sister-in-law Ji was stunned. “What? Those old—!”

Aunt Zhou was only three months along, and with Madam Yang’s recent passing, the news hadn’t been spread, so the Lu family hadn’t heard.

Sister-in-law Ji swallowed her disrespectful words, grinding her teeth in frustration.

It wasn’t that she truly objected to Yang Wenxu having another younger brother—it was more that she empathized, thinking of her own family’s “precious youngest son,” doted on by her father-in-law.

“Eldest Sister, we can only rely on you now.” After fuming for a while, Sister-in-law Ji circled back. “I heard that before your mother-in-law was buried, Prince Yi’s Residence also sent someone to pay respects?”

Lu Lanyi’s eyes flickered.

Her attitude had been somewhat detached until now. Despite Sister-in-law Ji’s lengthy efforts, few words had truly reached her—until this moment.

She replied, “Mm.”

Sister-in-law Ji leaned in. “When did your husband get involved with Prince Yi’s Residence?”

Lu Lanyi didn’t answer immediately, instead asking, “Sister-in-law, does our family have any dealings with Prince Yi’s Residence?”

“How could we ever reach such heights?” Sister-in-law Ji drew back. “Their influence is beyond our grasp. If we had such connections, the goods in the shop would’ve sold long ago, and we wouldn’t be worrying like this. Father-in-law wouldn’t have had to send me to you either—”

Lu Lanyi cut her off. “Father only allowed you to come because of this?”

Sister-in-law Ji glanced at her expression and quickly backtracked. “No, no, it was mainly to visit you. Look, I brought so many gifts—all arranged by Father-in-law.”

Lu Lanyi sat beside the table laden with various boxes and cases, her expression indifferent.

The Lu family had always been under Master Lu’s control. In her past life, even when Yang Wenxu rose to prominence and the Lu family came to the capital to celebrate and acknowledge their ties, it was still Master Lu and the slightly older An Ge’er who arrived. Eldest Brother Lu had been left behind in Qingzhou to mind the house.

Recalling the scene where Lu Hai’an was urged by Master Lu to “quickly call him brother-in-law,” with Lu Hai’an bowing nervously and Yang Wenxu responding indifferently, Lu Lanyi didn’t feel particularly sorry for her eldest brother, Lu Haiping.

She knew that if Lu Haiping had come instead, the situation wouldn’t have been any different.

Back in Qingzhou, she had overheard Sister-in-law Ji complaining—saying that since she had passed so early, Yang Wenxu would surely remarry after his mourning period, and all that future support would go to someone else. It was all because she had no fortune… Lu Haiping had remained silent, sullen.

Not long after Lan Yi’s death, her consciousness had been somewhat muddled, but at that moment, it was as if a cool breeze pierced her soul, granting her a brief moment of clarity. Her husband’s family, her maiden family—it turned out they were all the same.  

Better to be a wandering ghost.  

“Eldest sister, you haven’t answered yet—can your husband put in a word for us at Prince Yi’s Residence?” Sister-in-law Ji pressed eagerly, her voice full of hope.  

Lu Lanyi shook her head. “No.”  

This was the truth. At this point, the Yang family was still far beneath Prince Yi’s status. The prince’s occasional gestures of courtesy were merely to make amends for his son’s rudeness at the city gates—a sign of his thoroughness in handling affairs—not an indication that the Yang family had any real standing to ask for favors.  

Sister-in-law Ji refused to believe it and wouldn’t give up. “Eldest sister, don’t fool me. Does Prince Yi’s Residence just associate with anyone? There are countless families in Qingzhou City trying to curry favor with the prince. Forget offering money or gifts—some have even sent living, breathing beauties, yet none could get past the gates. One even got whipped by the Little Prince and nearly had her face ruined—”  

This was news to Lan Yi. Her knowledge came from the future, not the past, but it did confirm that the Little Prince had a rather unruly temperament.  

Thinking of the future, Lan Yi frowned slightly and said, “Is that so? I heard Prince Yi never remarried after his wife passed.”  

Her understanding of Prince Yi was extremely limited. In life, she had never met him; it was only after death that she saw his interactions with the Yang family—though they were hardly close. The prince himself had only visited the Yang residence once. To her, Prince Yi seemed like a catalyst, bringing Yang Wenxu subsequent wealth and glory, yet also like a shadow, fading away just as easily.  

During her idle wanderings around the estate, she had overheard servants gossiping—how Prince Yi had been deeply devoted to his Princess Consort and never took another woman after her death; how he lived a simple, ascetic life, indifferent to feminine charms; or how, perhaps, he wasn’t indifferent or devoted at all—maybe he just had certain… deficiencies, which was why he spent several months each year secluded in a Taoist temple. After all, everyone knew that besides teaching immortality, Taoist priests also brewed potent elixirs…  

In any case, it was rare for a prince to neither remarry nor take a concubine after losing his wife, so gossip inevitably circled around the topic.  

“Exactly!” Sister-in-law Ji, equally fond of the subject, perked up. “That’s why he’s a prince—so noble! Look at the men in our families—they couldn’t wait longer than a prince if they tried.”  

Lan Yi ignored her remark and continued, “Does Prince Yi have any particular interests?”  

“Taoist cultivation,” Sister-in-law Ji answered without hesitation. “Everyone in the city knows. Outside his residence, the only people who can get a word in with Prince Yi are the Taoist priests from Reverence Heaven Temple. And those priests are so arrogant—ordinary families can’t even hire them for rituals. Like your mother-in-law—she couldn’t get them this time and had to settle for a less famous temple.”  

“But,” Sister-in-law Ji added, “now that word has spread about the prince sending a condolence gift, you’ll definitely be able to hire them next time.”  

Lan Yi fell silent for a moment. “…”  

Choosing to ignore the flaw in her logic, she thought back to the scene from the day she returned and asked instead, “Is Prince Yi still at Reverence Heaven Temple?”  

This time, Sister-in-law Ji was stumped. “How would I know…?”  

If she had the means to track a prince’s movements, she wouldn’t be here begging Lan Yi for help.  

“Eldest sister, just ask your husband—all he needs to do is pass along a single word. The rest, your brother and I will handle—”  

“Pass along what word?”

A figure appeared outside the curtain and responded to the conversation.

It was Yang Wen Xu.

Sister-in-law Ji was startled. Though she had been talking nonstop in front of Lan Yi, the moment she saw her official brother-in-law, she suddenly grew timid. She stood up, stammered for a while, and finally managed to explain her purpose.

“I have no prior acquaintance with Prince Yi’s Residence and cannot convey such a request,” Yang Wen Xu refused outright.

As a distinguished Hanlin Scholar, it was unthinkable for him to plead with a feudal prince over business matters.

“W-well, alright then.”

Not daring to persist, Sister-in-law Ji slunk away, nearly forgetting to bid farewell to Lan Yi.

Yang Wen Xu paused, then took the seat Sister-in-law Ji had vacated.

This wasn’t his first visit. After completing Madam Yang’s funeral arrangements, he would occasionally come to sit here, even when there was little to say.

Lan Yi found this somewhat familiar and slowly realized—in her past life, he had done the same, only then it had been before her memorial tablet.

She had initially found this quite irritating, as it easily brought back unpleasant memories. But today, she raised her eyes and studied Yang Wen Xu carefully.

In the prime of his youth and ambition, his scholarly elegance shone through even the plain hemp robe—the distinguished bearing of a former Hanlin Scholar.

Examining this husband of hers with the critical eye of a stranger, she had to admit his excellence in worldly masculine virtues.

No wonder, about a month later, Prince Yi would visit with his son, bearing gifts to invite him as tutor to the Little Prince.

Author’s Note:

The male lead has no white moonlight—he’s just pent up with ambition.