Chapter 30

“Who would dare to wrong me? This girl is spouting nonsense.”

Jiang Wanrou stood up to greet him, but Lu Feng hastily pressed her down and lightly reprimanded her, “This is so reckless and frivolous—utter nonsense.”

He walked quickly, and surprisingly his legs showed little sign of discomfort. Jiang Wanrou exclaimed in amazement, “Husband, your legs…”

Cui Zhu and all the maids lowered their heads and stayed silent—they dared not even look at Lu Feng’s expression, let alone his legs.

Supporting Jiang Wanrou, Lu Feng said in a deep voice, “Yes, they’ve improved somewhat.”

She had seen him at his most vulnerable, and Lu Feng had no reservations in front of Jiang Wanrou. He remarked, “That Luo Xiaoxian has some true skills.”

“That is indeed wonderful.” Jiang Wanrou’s face blossomed with joy. Naturally, she hoped Lu Feng’s legs would recover. She dared not wish for them to become completely normal, but she did hope he would no longer suffer during the bitter winter months.

Previously, her concern about his legs stemmed from fear of his erratic temper being directed at her. Now, after many years as husband and wife, her heart was no longer hardened. He was her husband, the father of her two children, and she felt compassion for the pain he endured.

Others only spoke of Commander Lu’s thunderous methods, trembling with fear upon hearing his name. However, Jiang Wanrou saw him as a person—a person who needs to eat and drink, who feels pain and bleeds when injured.

Every year, she would donate money for incense to the Huangjue Temple, where tablets for three people’s longevity were enshrined: her birth mother, Concubine Lì, her son, Lu Huaiyi, and lastly, Lu Feng. If he was well, she was well—husband and wife were one, sharing both honor and disgrace.

“So happy?” Lu Feng, infected by her joy, let a faint smile appear on his usually stern face.

Leaning on his support, Jiang Wanrou half-reclined on the pearwood chaise by the window and said with a smile, “Look at what you’re saying. Naturally, I wish for your well-being day and night.”

It was already mid-spring, and the sunlight outside was warm. Jiang Wanrou had recently taken a liking to basking in the sun. She shuffled inward, pulled open a small blanket, and patted the empty spot beside her.

“Husband, it’s rare to have free time. Why don’t we sunbathe together for a while?”

Jiang Wanrou’s complexion was extremely pale. Under the sunlight, her skin radiated a gentle luster, resembling a plump and juicy lychee. Lu Feng was originally about to enter the palace to meet the emperor, but before he left, he paused for a moment at the sight of her.

“Alright.”

“Wait—Cui Zhu, bring the master a change of clothes.”

In the past, Jiang Wanrou always helped Lu Feng dress. Now that she was heavily pregnant, Lu Feng wouldn’t let her lift a finger. The maids in the room had attended him a few times, but he always found them too slow or clumsy, so he had simply taken to doing it himself.

He unhurriedly undid the buttons, removed his deep purple dragon-patterned official robe, and changed into a light, pristine white silk brocade outfit. The lapels and cuffs were embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns, and the wide sleeves outlined his broad shoulders and strong waist.

Perhaps it was the splendid spring sunlight or the brilliance of this moonlit-like attire, but Jiang Wanrou tilted her head to look at him, a trace of amazement flashing in her eyes.

“Husband, you look so handsome!”

Lu Feng’s usual attire consisted of black, dark, or purple tones—steady and imposing. Combined with the scar etched deeply across his brow, it gave him a fierce and intimidating aura. Recently, however, Lu Feng had been treating her with increasing gentleness. When spring clothes were being made last time, Jiang Wanrou had a sudden thought and had someone tailor this light and elegant white outfit for him. She knew his measurements well, and it fit him perfectly.

Initially, Lu Feng found the color too delicate. But when he lowered his gaze and saw the amazement in Jiang Wanrou’s eyes, the words at the tip of his tongue were swallowed back. He stiffly brushed down the wide sleeves and said, “This style is rather uncommon.”

“This is the latest style in the capital.” Jiang Wanrou, brimming with enthusiasm, said, “The fabric is silk brocade—light and breathable. The moment I saw the design, I knew it would look great on you.”

Clothes make the man. Dressed in white, Lu Feng’s demeanor transformed, as if he had returned to the days of his youth, before anything had happened, when he was still a noble young master.

Lu Feng’s emotions grew slightly complicated.

In his ingrained beliefs, women adorned themselves to please others, and it was natural for them to wear makeup. For men, however, the focus should be on achieving great deeds, with no need to care about appearances. He extended his arm, pulling the small blanket over Jiang Wanrou higher, and suddenly asked, “Marrying me—was it a grievance?”

At that moment, he suddenly understood that the appreciation of beauty was not exclusive to men; women, too, liked handsome gentlemen.

And he—back then, he was a cripple who couldn’t even stand.

“Hmm?” Jiang Wanrou rested her head on his arm, basking comfortably in the sunlight as her eyes narrowed lazily. “Husband, you’re in quite the joking mood today.”

She said, “Husband, you are noble and distinguished—a true dragon among men. Marrying you is a blessing I earned through eight lifetimes of good fortune. How could it ever feel like a grievance?”

Unequal matches—given her original status, she had never imagined herself marrying into such a prominent family as the Duke Lu household. Similarly, she had no desire to wed the so-called “well-matched” but illegitimate sons of other noble families, relying on her family’s protection while being servile for a paltry monthly allowance.

That would have been a life without any hope of change.

Neglect from her father and coldness from her stepmother left her with no path to achievements outside the household, as men had. She could only strategize for herself within the scope of marriage. Her father was a Hanlin Academician, and back then, she thought the best outcome would be to find a poor but ambitious scholar.

A poor family meant she’d be marrying down, and her in-laws, considering her marquisate background, wouldn’t dare mistreat her.

A scholar could eventually rise through the ranks—opportunities like the imperial exams held every three years transformed plowmen into ministers. It would take time, but progress would come.

Yet fate took its twists and turns, and she became a wife of the Lu family.

In truth, Jiang Wanrou hadn’t lied just now. Aside from the initial hardships of settling in and managing the large and chaotic Lu household, she truly had “married up.”

She didn’t mind Lu Feng’s legs at all. Back then, she lived in constant fear and didn’t even dare to hope for her future husband’s appearance or age. All she wanted was someone with a good temperament who treated her well and could protect both her and Concubine Li.

What Lu Feng gave her was far better than anything she had imagined. Duke Lu’s household was grand and prosperous; she didn’t have to endure a life of hardship, like “washing hands to make soup,” from the moment she married. The emperor valued Lu Feng, and as the wife of a powerful minister, she didn’t have to suffer the fate of Wang Baochuan, who waited bitterly for her husband in a cold cave. By the third year after her marriage, she was granted the title of a noblewoman. At court banquets, she sat closest to the imperial consort, and when she glanced around, there was no one younger than her.

Even though Lu Feng’s temperament could be unpredictable, after living together for so many years, she gradually figured out his ways. Especially now that she was pregnant with this child, although their intimacy had lessened, their affection had grown stronger.

Jiang Wanrou thought that her life with Lu Feng was harmonious. Now, all she hoped for was Lu Huaiyi’s health and safety, to give birth to the baby smoothly, raise them well, and, in the future, comfortably enjoy her life as a respected elder lady, living a stable and peaceful life. She felt content with her life.

Jiang Wanrou nudged Lu Feng’s arm and said lazily, “Husband, do tell—what grievances could I possibly have?”

Lu Feng remained silent. He, too, had always thought that marrying him, Lu Feng, would not be a concession for any woman in this world. Yet Jiang Wanxue’s words still echoed in his ears, causing a small crack in his once rock-solid confidence.

She had said that even if Prince Gong failed, she would have no regrets.

As a noble young master of one of the most prestigious families, Lu Feng had been a favored child of destiny since birth. When his fiancée schemed against him and chose to side with Prince Gong, he simply attributed it to her vanity and had never considered anything else.

Other than his family background, he believed he surpassed Qi Xuan in every way.

Now, Qi Xuan had fallen, reduced to less than a dog. Yet a woman as vain as Jiang Wanxue remained infatuated with him. Even with Lu Feng’s steadfast mind, he could not avoid feeling a subtle sense of comparison.

How could Qi Xuan compare to him? A frail, weakling who couldn’t even lift a chicken—those legs of his, Lu Feng would leave them on him for another two years at most, but one day, the debt of blood would be repaid with blood.

At the time when Jiang Wanxue had said those words, he had scoffed. That woman was vain, shortsighted, and utterly shallow!

Fortunately, his wife was obedient, sensible, and understanding—a world apart from those ordinary women. But now, he suddenly realized that his wife seemed… to place quite some value on appearance, too.

Just by changing into a different set of clothes, she had looked at him with such amazement, her eyes sparkling brightly. It amused him but also left him feeling somewhat helpless.

Lu Feng was silent for a moment before he slowly said, “A gentleman does not judge others by their looks. Handsome men, though pleasing in appearance, are incapable of achieving great deeds. Looking through history’s great figures…”

Steady breathing came from his side. Lowering his gaze, he saw that she had already fallen asleep, her brows relaxed, and a faint smile graced her lips. She must have been dreaming of something sweet.

Lu Feng looked at her for a moment and gently ran his fingertip along her slightly flushed cheeks. Then, lying down beside her, he slowly closed his eyes.

---

The emperor was unusually tolerant of Lu Feng. Even though Lu Feng arrived late, the emperor was not angry. However, upon seeing him, the emperor’s expression froze, and he said, “Junchi, today… you look quite handsome.”

Dressed in elegant white attire with wide sleeves, he looked vastly different from his usual stern and imposing demeanor. At a glance, much of his dark and intense aura seemed to have dissipated.

Lu Feng said, “Women’s nonsense. Let’s not discuss this. What matter has brought His Majesty to summon me?”

Not only did Jiang Wanrou have an excellent eye for design, but the fabric she selected was extraordinarily soft and comfortable. After accompanying her for a brief nap, Lu Feng found that his usual official robes now felt unbearably oppressive.

No wonder the saying goes: “The allure of beauty leads to heroes’ downfall.” The wisdom of the ancients had indeed not deceived him.

Turning to business, the emperor shed his earlier playful tone and handed him a letter through an attendant, saying, “Take a look.”

Lu Feng scanned the letter swiftly, his expression growing increasingly grave.

“I never expected it would be them.”

The emperor’s face displayed a complex mixture of emotions. Over twenty years had passed, yet the remnants of an old rebellion had reignited, and he watched helplessly as they reemerged in front of him.

Lu Feng paused and said, “It’s within reason.”

Years ago, Prince Chen’s old forces fled south in chaos, vanishing without a trace. They nearly turned the southern regions upside down, but nothing was found.

As it turned out, they had been hiding in the water.

Pei Zhang reviewed the archives of water bandits over the years and discovered that these bandits had grown increasingly rampant in the past three years. Their weapons had become more advanced, and their ambushes on merchant ships were swift and precise, resembling the organized actions of a military unit.

This timing coincided perfectly with Prince Gong’s illicit forging and smuggling of iron weapons.

Though the two matters seemed unrelated, Pei Zhang, meticulous as ever, noticed during his review of old cases involving water bandits’ robberies and murders that they frequently utilized hook halberds.

A hook halberd features a straight blade at the front and a horizontal blade at the side. It can pierce and hook, making it ideal for grappling opposing ships—especially effective in naval battles.

Among the iron weapons privately sold by Prince Gong, hook halberds were the most common.

When coincidences pile up, they cease to be coincidences. Pei Zhang didn’t fully understand Prince Chen’s affairs but reported his findings to the emperor. The emperor, seeing the broader picture, understood everything.

The emperor remarked, “Earlier, I thought Pei Zhang lacked experience, but now it’s clear my perspective was narrow.”

“Truly, heroes emerge from the younger generation. I’ve grown old.”

With a sigh, the emperor said, “Junchi, set aside your current tasks and accompany Pei Zhang to Jiangnan.”

Lu Feng knelt on one knee and said solemnly, “I obey your command.”

The remnants of Prince Chen’s rebellion could only be dealt with by him—a tacit understanding between Lu Feng and the emperor.