Chapter 508

Chapter 514: The Heat (Part 2)

Elevenniang wasn't very hopeful about this matter.

After all, it was before marriage, and such matters were often taboo—the chances of a child existing were very small. Even if there were one, it would surely be handled with great caution. If Lord Xu was the mighty dragon crossing rivers, then Zhu Anping was the local snake. As the saying goes, "a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake"—Lord Xu might not be able to uncover anything.

Lord Xu, however, felt that Elevenniang's approach was somewhat inappropriate.

Zhu Anping was shrewd, capable, and calculating—how could he risk fathering a child before marriage, tarnishing his reputation and jeopardizing his marital prospects?

But seeing Elevenniang so enthusiastic, he couldn’t bring himself to discourage her. He only ventured cautiously, "What if there is no child?"

Elevenniang replied, "Even without a child, Seventh Miss would still have more leverage..."

Lord Xu immediately understood.

If Zhu Anping had a child out of wedlock, the Luo family would already have the righteous position. Even if Seventh Miss couldn’t bear children, they could use this as leverage to secure the greatest possible benefits and familial sympathy, thus gaining the upper hand in matters of succession. If Zhu Anping had no child, that would be even better—Seventh Miss could easily pin their lack of heirs on him.

After some thought, he decided to be frank with Elevenniang: "I introduced Zhu Anping to Prince Shun, and he, in turn, introduced a merchant surnamed Wang from Youjiang to the prince. This spring, Prince Shun secured the Jiangnan textile business for this Wang merchant..."

Elevenniang was startled. "What about the Wen family?"

"Sometimes, constant enabling only leads them deeper into ruin," Lord Xu said coldly. "The Wen family’s power has grown too unchecked—it’s time for them to step back..." He sighed softly. "But the Wen family may not be willing to retreat."

"The Wen family are merchants, after all. They may not fully grasp the intricacies of court politics," Elevenniang said, thinking of how Lord Xu had been caught between the emperor and the Wen family all these years. She took his hand under the covers. "I think, my husband, you might as well lay it out plainly for them. Whether they blame you or thank you, as long as your conscience is clear, that’s all that matters."

Lord Xu squeezed her hand gently and gave a quiet "Hmm," his tone tinged with melancholy.

Elevenniang didn’t press further on the topic and instead returned to the matter of Seventh Miss: "From the way you speak, my husband, does Zhu Anping now rely on you for business?" "It’s not so much that he relies on me for business," Lord Xu said indifferently. "But if the two families were to have a falling-out, the Zhu family would certainly suffer significant losses."

Eleventh Miss let out a sigh of relief, then paused slightly, fighting back a laugh.

She and Lord Xu were so alike.

Both believed that practical gain bound people tighter than sentiment, yet their actions often went in opposite directions...

Eleventh Miss turned and nestled against Lord Xu’s arm, curling up in his embrace.

Lord Xu, feeling her nestle closer, slid his hand under her robe and gently traced the smooth, silky skin of her back with his fingertips. Lazily, he drawled, "Just mention it to Seventh Miss. Some things shouldn’t be said too plainly. If Zhu Anping thinks we’re leveraging kindness for repayment, it won’t be good..."

"I understand," Eleventh Miss whispered, twirling Lord Xu’s sash between her fingers. "I also don’t want Seventh Sister to misunderstand, thinking her husband tolerates her only because of these matters..." As she spoke, a strange feeling arose in her heart. It was as if Seventh Miss and Zhu Anping’s relationship was as elusive and illusory as flowers reflected in water, the moon caught in a mirror, while she and Lord Xu were carefully helping them maintain a facade of harmony.

In the past, she had often been the one to shatter others’ illusions, so why was she now fussing like an old woman?

"Have I ever told you, my lord, that I fell seriously ill as a child?" she said softly. "The first time I saw Seventh Sister was in the courtyard where I was recuperating. It was early summer, the weather slightly warm, and the room was stuffy with no ventilation. I didn’t dare use a fan, so Binju spread a mat under the large locust tree in the yard. I lay there, covered with a coarse indigo sheet, while sunlight pierced through the leaves like golden arrows. When the wind blew, the mottled light swayed and settled across my body and hands... I felt like a tarnished bronze relic that hadn’t seen sunlight for years, the mustiness and patina slowly fading away.

"A young girl’s voice came from the courtyard: 'There’s a wall of morning glories here.' A clear voice replied, 'Pick two to hang in the bed curtains.'

"The girl cautioned, 'We’re in mourning, and the matriarch brooks no lapses. If she finds out, the mistress will lose face.' The clear voice retorted, 'Others are strict with themselves but lenient with others. But our aunt is lenient with herself and strict with others. She stares at me for laughing twice, yet secretly makes lean meat porridge for Brother Chuang—don’t think I don’t know!' The girl’s voice trembled as she urged, 'Miss, please don’t say such things! If the madam hears, she’ll make you kneel on the punishment board again. Since returning to Yuhang, you’ve already been punished five times...'"

As she spoke, Eleventh Miss nestled even closer to Lord Xu, her voice growing lighter.

Lord Xu kissed her forehead. "The one with the clear voice was Seventh Miss?"

Eleventh Miss hummed in agreement and smiled. "Grandfather had just passed away. Father was in Fujian and returned the soonest, while Second Uncle was in Yanjing and returned the latest. By the time she came back, I was already recuperating in the separate courtyard and hadn’t seen her. She had gone to Yanjing at a young age, doted on by her parents and siblings, so she chafed at being cooped up inside after returning. She often wandered the courtyard with her maids during midday naps. When she saw me lying under the tree, she was startled, then looked at me with pity and sent her maid to fetch me a bottle of Xuejin Pills..." She chuckled. "I’ve always hated things like Xuejin Pills—inky and clumpy, like scraped-off filth. Who knows if the hands that rolled them were clean?"

Lord Xu laughed along with her.

That must have been one of the hardest times in Eleventh Miss’s life—bedridden from her sister’s beating, secluded in a remote courtyard with only two maids to attend her, surrounded by medicine, uncertain of survival or the future... Yet when she spoke of such heartbreaking moments, she did so with a wry, unflinching levity, showing remarkable resilience. His arm tightened around her. "Did you take them?"

"I did!" Lady Eleven laughed, her tone tinged with resigned amusement. "She not only insisted on giving it to me but also made sure she saw me put it in my mouth before she was satisfied. She said this Snowmelt Pill was no ordinary remedy—it was specially prepared by the imperial pharmacy at Second Aunt’s request before they returned to Yuhang. 'That good a Snowmelt Pill? You won’t find it in Yuhang!' she said..." Perhaps recalling the amusing scene, her voice brightened even more. "Who would’ve thought that after taking it, I actually felt much cooler that day? It just goes to show that what we like or dislike always has a story behind it..." Her words trailed off with a touch of hesitation.

It seemed she had never really known what Lord Xu liked.

When it came to food, he ate whatever the kitchen prepared without ever making special requests. For clothing, he wore whatever the tailor made, often rotating the same few robes at home. As for their living space—she hadn’t known before, but ever since their marriage, he had always deferred to her preferences. Whether she placed a fishbowl on the windowsill or hung strings of jade pendants with floral fragrance from the bed canopy, he never objected. And as for travel, she had no idea when he chose a carriage, a sedan chair, or a horse...

Her cheeks flushed, and she instinctively pressed closer against him.

Was she recalling something unpleasant? Like a child seeking reassurance?

Lord Xu shifted slightly, letting her slight figure lean fully against him.

"Do you like Snowmelt Pills now?"

Lady Eleven rested her head on his shoulder, finding the position comfortable.

"Not really," she laughed. "But on particularly hot days, I might take a couple of pills. They really do have a cooling effect."

Did she ever forget her sister’s kindness after that?

Lord Xu turned his face slightly—her soft pink lips were now just inches away.

"You and your sister are so close, no wonder you involve yourself in her household matters," he murmured, his voice low as he gradually leaned in, his lips inching closer... She could even feel his warm breath against her cheek.

A flash of panic crossed Lady Eleven’s expression.

To accept it would leave her with lingering unease; to reject it... somehow felt just as unsettling.

What should she do?

"Not entirely..." she blurted hastily, as if her words could stall his advance. "I just think that a husband and wife being together is what matters most... Parents will leave us first, children will leave us later... Only a couple can truly accompany and understand each other, walking side by side till the end..."

Lord Xu’s lips paused just a finger’s breadth away.

His mind reeled—what kind of reasoning was this!

A flicker of confusion passed through his eyes.

"By your logic, as long as husband and wife are harmonious, nothing else matters?" His tone carried skepticism, dispelling the earlier intimate atmosphere.

Lady Eleven sighed in relief.

"My lord, you misunderstand!" she said lightly, drawing the character *family* (jiā) in his palm. "Do you see? The top of 'family' is a roof, and beneath it lies 'sacrifice.' Among the Three Unfilial Acts, one is 'failing to seek office despite poverty and aging parents.' This is the principle—without sacrifice, a family cannot stand. And for there to be sacrifice, descendants must be able to provide and care for their elders.

"Moreover, filial piety holds that upholding the family’s honor comes first..."

Lord Xu remained silent.

He knew these principles well, but how did they connect to her earlier claim that "only a couple can walk together till the end"? Lady Eleven continued, "Take you and me, for instance. You work tirelessly for our household, while I, at home, must respect our elders, raise our children, and maintain harmony with kin and neighbors. Only when we share the same thoughts and efforts, building a better life together, can Mother enjoy her golden years without worry. Only then can Yuge, Zhun'er, Jie Geer, Zhenjie, and Jin Geer have security. Only then can we support Third Young Master and Fifth Young Master when needed. My lord, doesn’t this hold true?"