Chapter 3: Her snow-white, jade-like skin clung tightly…

Chapter 3: Her snow-white, jade-like skin clung tightly...

Commander Lu handed his sable cloak to Jiang Wanrou, his expression somber, his black eyes icy.

Seeing this, Jiang Wanrou bit back her words and remained silent. She shook off the fine snowflakes from the cloak and hung it on the nearby clothes rack. Then, rolling up her sleeves, she wrung out the towel soaked in the copper basin and gently wiped Commander Lu's face.

Commander Lu, who could stop a child's night crying, was not as terrifying as the rumors suggested. On the contrary, he was exceptionally handsome. With a high forehead, a straight nose, sharp eyebrows, and thin lips—years ago, before Commander Lu had broken his leg, he was a noble gentleman, as dignified as the wind under a pine tree, the dream lover of countless young ladies in the capital.

Sadly, that was a long time ago. Nowadays, few dared to meet his gaze directly. A deep scar ran from his brow to his temple, turning his once handsome face into one of fierce severity.

"My lord, would you like to dine?"

Jiang Wanrou asked softly, unsurprisingly receiving a "No" in response. Cuizhu bowed and took away the reheated dishes, while two maids knelt on either side to remove the master's boots and tend to his feet.

Unlike Jiang Wanrou, Commander Lu was a harsh master. Once, a maid accidentally spilled soup on his leg, and he coldly ordered her to be flogged to death. Since then, the servants in the mansion had been trembling in his presence, not daring to make a single mistake.

The night was deep, and Cuizhu quietly led the two maids away. Commander Lu narrowed his eyes and said coolly, "How many times have I told you, there's no need to wait for me."

Jiang Wanrou smiled softly, gently massaging his temples, "My lord, if you don't return, I can't sleep, always feeling restless."

"Only when you return can I sleep peacefully."

As the saying goes, beauty is best seen by lamplight. The soft candlelight cast a glow on Commander Lu's handsome yet menacing face. Jiang Wanrou leaned against his back, her long nails stained with henna, slowly exploring the buttons on his chest, trying to undo them.

"Let me help you undress."

Commander Lu suddenly grabbed her mischievous hand, his dark eyes sinking, "Don't tease, my lady. Today... you must bear with it."

Prince Gong had many tough subordinates, and he had been interrogating them until midnight, seething with suppressed anger. He was used to employing brutal torture methods and knew he had no restraint. Tonight, he just wanted to sleep quickly and didn't wish to take out his frustrations on her.

Even though he had been dissatisfied, even resentful of this marriage initially, after many years, his wife had been obedient, considerate, gentle, and quiet, always putting him first and even bearing him a legitimate son after a full-term pregnancy. Even a man like Commander Lu, as hard as tempered steel, could be softened by such unwavering devotion.

Who could dislike a beautiful woman whose eyes were filled with nothing but you, who loved you wholeheartedly and stood by you through your darkest moments?

Moreover, after Commander Lu had broken his leg, his temperament had become erratic, and he was extremely wary of others getting close to him. Thus, he had no concubines or mistresses. Jiang Wanrou was his first and only wife.

As a man, he naturally had some tenderness for his own woman.

With this tenderness, Jiang Wanrou had firmly secured her position as the mistress of the household, and she performed her duties exceptionally well, earning the respect of the entire household. This was also why she dared to speak up today.

Having been married for many years, she knew Commander Lu's temperament well. What Lady Cui had requested would surely displease him. She had worked hard to get to where she was today and didn't want to damage their marital relationship over such a trivial matter. In a moment of impulsiveness, she came up with a bold plan.

The plan didn't need to be new; it just needed to work.

Commander Lu was twenty-six, at an age where he had tasted the pleasures of the flesh. No matter how cold and stern he was outside, within the curtains of the bedchamber, he was just an ordinary man. In the depths of passion, she could even see a hint of confusion in his dark eyes.

As if filled with deep affection.

At such times, he was particularly easy to talk to.

Jiang Wanrou pretended not to hear the man's warning, her arms subtly tightening, her snow-white, jade-like skin clinging tightly around him...

***

The next day, when Jiang Wanrou woke up,

The sun was already high in the sky.

Cuizhu came in to help her wash and prepare for breakfast, saying, "The master ordered this morning not to disturb you. Chunhui Hall also sent word, asking you to rest well."

Chunhui Hall was where Commander Lu's grandmother lived, the eldest matriarch of the household. At seventy, she had passed the age of rarity and spent her days secluded in Chunhui Hall, avoiding worldly affairs. She disliked fuss and had repeatedly exempted Jiang Wanrou from morning greetings. Now that Jiang Wanrou was managing the household smoothly and had the matriarch's blessing, even if she didn't go, no one could find fault with her.

Jiang Wanrou, however, remained as cautious as when she first entered the mansion, visiting daily without fail, rain or shine. Both inside and outside the mansion, everyone praised Lady Lu for her pure filial piety.

"Hmm, how much did Huai Yi eat for breakfast?"

Despite having drunk honey water to soothe her throat, Jiang Wanrou's voice still carried a hint of hoarseness. The matriarch was generous and kind, so she wasn't worried about her, but Huai Yi was still young, and without her supervision, he could easily turn the household upside down.

Sure enough, without his mother present this morning, Lu Huaiyi, the most cherished young master of the Lu household, was not pressed to eat much. He only had half a bowl of lean meat porridge and a few pieces of pastry, not touching the main course at all.

"This child."

Jiang Wanrou sighed softly. It's often said that children are burdens from a past life, and she must have owed Lu Huaiyi a mountain of gold in her previous life. Ever since he was born, there hadn't been a single day when she didn't worry about him.

She instructed, "Have the kitchen prepare a bowl of small wontons, with beef filling, and add more ginger—ouch—"

A sharp, tearing pain made her frown deeply. Last night, Lu Feng had been like a man under a spell, relentlessly tormenting her until she passed out. Cuizhu, who had attended to her for many years, was already accustomed to such things and quickly stepped forward to support her mistress, saying, "Shall I have someone call the young master over?"

Without waiting for Jiang Wanrou to respond, she continued, "The weather has finally cleared up today, and the doctor said it's good for the young master to move around more."

Lu Huaiyi was already five years old, and as the eldest son of the Lu household, he couldn't be raised solely by women. Lu Feng had taken him to the front courtyard for instruction, and the round trip took about the time it takes to burn two incense sticks. His health was weak, and Jiang Wanrou usually treated him with great care. If it had been snowing heavily like yesterday, she would never have allowed her son to make the trip.

With Cuizhu saying this, she found it hard to argue.

Jiang Wanrou, enduring her discomfort, leaned back on the pearwood couch and listened as Cuizhu mentioned that Lady Cui had come to visit again today. The maids, not daring to disturb her rest, had already sent her away. Jiang Wanrou's expression darkened. She had originally planned to casually mention a few things to Lu Feng, whether it worked or not, just to have something to say to Lady Cui. But last night, she had suffered a double loss, gaining nothing!

"Cuizhu!"

Jiang Wanrou grew angrier the more she thought about it, gritting her teeth as she said, "Tell both the main and auxiliary kitchens that with the matriarch's birthday approaching, there should be no meat in the household meals from now on."

"Huh?" Cuizhu looked puzzled, saying, "The matriarch's birthday is still two months away. Why so early this year?"

The matriarch, who practiced vegetarianism and Buddhist chanting, disliked greasy and meaty foods. To please her, the Lu household traditionally adhered to a strict vegetarian diet during the month of her birthday, and the entire household would follow suit. This had been the rule for many years. Moreover, since Jiang Wanrou had taken charge of the household, she had balanced strictness with kindness. The monthly stipends in the Lu household were more than double those of other places, so no one harbored resentment.

But the matriarch's birthday was after the New Year, and it was only the beginning of the twelfth lunar month. It shouldn't have been this early.

Jiang Wanrou shot her a sidelong glance, her tone leaving no room for argument, "Just do it."

She had been thoroughly exhausted last night! The man had been completely unrestrained and reckless, and his ox-like build was likely the result of constant nourishment. With pork, venison, beef, and mutton being consumed daily, how could he not have strength?

Eating more vegetables would do him good, cooling his internal heat.

As Cuizhu, having received her orders, headed to the kitchen, she directly encountered Jintao, who was on her way to fetch Lu Huaiyi. The two exchanged a few words, and by the time Lu Huaiyi arrived, a steaming, aromatic bowl of wontons was already placed on the pearwood table, plump and juicy, looking very pleasing.

"Mother, I hope you are well."

Lu Huaiyi bowed respectfully. He was wearing the winter clothes Jiang Wanrou had personally made for him, with luxurious bamboo-green silk on the outside and fox fur lining on the inside. The cuffs and collars were adorned with soft, fluffy rabbit fur, adding to the warmth.

When Jiang Wanrou had made them, she had been overly concerned about the cold wind harming her frail son, so she had made them extra thick. However, on Lu Huaiyi's slender frame, they looked somewhat bulky, making it difficult for him to bend over.

"Why so formal? Come here and let Mother see if you've lost weight again."

Lu Huaiyi obediently stepped forward. Due to his lack of exposure to sunlight, his skin was extremely pale, but unlike his mother's radiant, healthy glow, his was a sickly, cold white. His face was delicate and pointed, with a pair of dark eyes fixed on his mother, looking both handsome and obedient.

Jiang Wanrou's heart ached for him. There was a bit of ink on Huai Yi's sleeve, clearly from practicing calligraphy before being called over. She couldn't bring herself to scold him and instead spoke gently, "The kitchen made your favorite wontons. Finish them before heading back to the study."

With that, she scooped up a plump wonton with a spoon and brought it to her son's lips. Lu Huaiyi's face flushed slightly as he awkwardly said, "Mother, I can do it myself."

He was already five years old; how could he still be fed like a baby?

Jiang Wanrou didn't insist, as long as he finished the bowl of beef wontons. But as soon as Lu Huaiyi took a bite, his delicate brows immediately furrowed.

"Mom, this has meat in it."

"Huh? What's the problem with meat? I thought you liked this dish."

Lu Huaiyi said, "Aunt Jin Tao just said we're going vegetarian starting today for Great-grandmother's birthday celebration, to show our respect."

Jiang Wanrou: "..."

She'd really shot herself in the foot this time. Jiang Wanrou's smile froze for a moment before she softly said, "While that's true, you're still young and your health is weak. Great-grandmother understands your feelings—it's not just about a simple bowl of wontons."

But Lu Huaiyi shook his head, his expression serious. "Mom, that's not exactly correct. The little things show what really matters. If I can't even control my appetite, how can I talk about filial piety? Besides, since you're running the household now, as the saying goes, 'It's not scarcity but unfairness that causes trouble.' If I accept your favoritism, where does that leave you?"

"..."

Jiang Wanrou felt a migraine brewing. These days, people don't believe that untalented women are more virtuous. Well-to-do families have their daughters educated from childhood. For example, her elder sister Jiang Wanxue, known as the "First Talented Lady of the Capital," managed to marry into the royal family as the principal wife from a second-rank marquis's household. Unfortunately, she didn't have the same resources as Jiang Wanxue. As daughters of a concubine, they only had a washed-up scholar as their tutor. Later, when the scholar failed the imperial exams for three years and packed up to return to his hometown, she never studied again.

She hated all this highbrow classical nonsense, yet her own son kept quoting "as the ancients said," leaving her speechless. If she dared to refute, Lu Huaiyi would open his big, dark eyes and ask, "Mother, are the sages wrong?"

How could she possibly argue with that?

Jiang Wanrou took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Then I'll have them whip up a vegetarian version for you. Eat it before you go."

Lu Huaiyi looked at the sky, his face showing some difficulty. "Mom, Dad says I have to practice twenty big characters every day. Today's homework isn't done yet—I can't wait."

"You can do your writing later; it's no big deal."

"No, I can't."

Lu Huaiyi said earnestly, "I've got to study in the afternoon—the tutor will be checking my work. I don't want to disappoint him."

Jiang Wanrou helplessly said, "Then do it tomorrow! Sweetheart, how can you focus on writing if you're hungry?"

"Mom, no." Lu Huaiyi shook his head again. "Today's work should be done today—tomorrow has its own responsibilities. We can't push today's work to tomorrow. As the old saying goes, 'Tomorrow and tomorrow—how many tomorrows are there?'"

"Alright, alright, no more quoting. I have a headache."

Jiang Wanrou turned her head as if in pain. Lu Huaiyi quickly came over, his small hands gently massaging her forehead, concerned. "Let me blow on it to make it better."

Jiang Wanrou: "..."

In the end, she let Lu Huaiyi go, fearing to delay his writing and studying time. Jiang Wanrou prided herself on not being virtuous, and Lu Huaiyi even less so. Who would have thought that such rotten parents could produce such a fine son? Could it be that the Lu family ancestors were smiling down from heaven?

Huaiyi's uprightness and kindness were good, but she didn't want him to become a bookworm who only knew classical references and was ignorant of practical matters! Jiang Wanrou thought for a moment and decided to go to the ancestral hall tonight to burn three incense sticks.

Jin Tao, noticing her mistress's bad mood, reported in a softer voice, "I've already sent the meal to the front courtyard, with two extra beef pancakes and a bowl of goat milk. Please don't worry."

Jiang Wanrou hummed noncommittally, then suddenly said to Jin Tao, "How is that cook sent by Madam Cui yesterday?"

"Bring her to see me."

Her voice took on a sudden edge.