Chapter 38: Bound Together as Husband and Wife

Chapter 38: Bound Together as Husband and Wife

Last night, the director of the Imperial Hospital was urgently summoned. After administering acupuncture and medicine, Huai Yi's fever had subsided, and he was able to consume a bowl of clear porridge in the morning. Only when dawn broke did Jiang Wanrou finally feel at ease and close her eyes.

Having stayed awake all night, Jiang Wanrou slept until noon. When she woke up, Chang'an was outside the Jinguang Courtyard, pleading for forgiveness, having waited for several hours.

"Absent last night, yet here you are now."

Jiang Wanrou took the clear tea offered by a maid, rinsed her mouth out, and another quick-witted maid immediately knelt before her, holding a spittoon in both hands.

Jiang Wanrou wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, "Allow him in."

Chang'an entered without glancing around, directly lifting his robe and kneeling on one knee, "I have failed in my duties, please punish me, Madam."

"You exaggerate."

Jiang Wanrou said indifferently, "Last night, the young master suddenly fell ill, and I panicked momentarily. I remembered my husband's instructions before he left, advising me to seek Chang'an in times of trouble."

Chang'an lowered his head even further, "I am profoundly ashamed."

Cuizhu and Jintao addressed him as 'sir' out of respect, but for the mistress to address him thus was to shorten his life. Because he was Lu Feng's close attendant, Jiang Wanrou treated him with courtesy. When Lu Feng was around, whether it was the winter heater or the summer cool tea, whatever was prepared for Lu Feng, she always included Chang'an.

Lu Feng was busy with official duties, spending more time away than in the inner chambers. Jiang Wanrou's kindness towards Chang'an was a long-standing matter. As the saying goes, even a stone can be softened by warmth. Although Chang'an was as cold-natured as his master, he deeply respected Jiang Wanrou as the mistress.

Usually, if a servant of the Jinguang Courtyard erred, Jiang Wanrou could be lenient. Now that Chang'an had been momentarily negligent, and he remained Lu Feng's man, could she really punish him?

However, it was Huai Yi who had been in trouble last night, and Jiang Wanrou was upset, her words unusually cold, "Last night I called someone else, now the young master's condition is stable, you are dismissed."

Chang'an remained motionless, head bowed, "Madam, please allow me to explain, last night was indeed a critical situation, a life-and-death matter. I was briefly confused, please punish me!"

Before Lu Feng left, he had ordered him to guard the mansion well. Last night, assassins suddenly attacked the southern city's small courtyard, their strikes ruthless and deadly. Without time to think, he immediately led people there.

Not to mention the master's regard for that place, that person... even if now fallen, in terms of status, was still a princess on the royal registry. For a princess to die mysteriously in their hands would bring untold trouble to the master.

Who would have thought that on this very night, the usually peaceful mansion would coincidentally have an incident. Chang'an now thinks it can only be described as fate playing tricks, bad luck.

Jiang Wanrou had intended to let it go lightly, but hearing Chang'an's words, she became interested instead.

She asked, "Oh? Tell me, what life-and-death matter was it?"

Half a year ago at the Forbidden Dragon Bureau, because of a careless, outspoken maid, Chang'an witnessed the mistress and master having a disagreement.

How the couple reconciled in their private chambers afterwards, and how they became sweet again, Chang'an did not know. Jiang Wanrou was appeased, and he assumed Lu Feng had told her the whole story.

As Lu Feng's close attendant, he was the first to notice the change in the master's mood. Recently, the master had become more attentive to the mistress, and before leaving, he instructed: everything is to be arranged by the mistress.

He handed the token for mobilizing troops to Jiang Wanrou.

All these signs, plus the faint sense of guilt in Chang'an's heart, he held nothing back, "Last night, the southern city's small courtyard was attacked by assassins, the princess almost lost her life."

"Cough, cough..."

Jiang Wanrou choked on her tea, her long, thick eyelashes fluttering, her beautiful eyes wide open, pupils filled with shock.

She was very intelligent, there was no need for Chang'an to mention the full name, the "princess" who could be related to Lu Feng, there was only one.

The maids beside her quickly surrounded Jiang Wanrou, bustling about, covering the expression on Jiang Wanrou's face.

"Is that so? That's really... unfortunate."

After a while, Jiang Wanrou lowered her gaze slightly and whispered, "Chang'an, tell me, what exactly is going on?"

Lu Feng was a domineering man, and Chang'an usually avoided looking directly at the mistress. At this moment, he did not notice anything unusual about her.

He had battled the cold and assassins all night, only to find that everyone was dead and all the clues were cut off. Jiang Wanxue berated him relentlessly with "dog slave" and "dog thing," leaving him utterly humiliated. When he got back to the mansion, he suddenly learned that he had another charge of "dereliction of duty."

Chang'an felt a wave of darkness, and feeling bitter in his heart, he unconsciously began to speak more.

"This whole thing is really strange," Chang'an said. "The master didn’t see this coming. Before he left, he instructed us to keep a close watch on that side. With this sudden turn of events, I’ve already sent a secret letter overnight to report to the master and await further arrangements."

Jiang Wanrou replied coolly, "So he specifically instructed you, did he? Your master seems really concerned about the princess."

During the days he was away, she had handled everything in the mansion alone. Even when Huai Yi fell ill, she dared not tell him, fearing that he would worry and be distracted.

She had been foolishly virtuous, it seemed!

Jiang Wanrou shut her eyes tightly, her chest slightly heaving. Without thinking, she bit her tongue, the slight pain and the taste of iron in her mouth calming her down.

She suddenly recalled the incident from six months ago at the Forbidden Dragon Bureau when Lu Feng had a run-in. Lu Feng had said that it was the family of an old acquaintance.

Having been married for many years, she understood his temperament. He disdained lying. Since he had not deceived her, this former childhood sweetheart and fiancée was now, to him, merely the "wife of an old acquaintance," nothing more.

An old story from many years ago, now she was his rightful wife, bearing his children. Could he still be thinking of someone else's wife?

As husband and wife, they should trust each other completely. She should have more faith in him.

Jiang Wanrou comforted herself, but this matter was like a thorn in her heart, and she couldn’t resist testing it.

She asked Chang'an, "Does my husband need the princess to do something for him... that's why he takes such care of her, right?"

Chang'an replied naturally, "Of course, the princess is crucial."

Hearing this, Jiang Wanrou felt slightly relieved and asked again, "Has my husband ever mentioned how he plans to settle... the princess? After all, she is a princess. As a subordinate, if this were to spread, it wouldn’t be good for his reputation."

This question left Chang'an stumped, and he said blankly, "The master's thoughts, I dare not speculate."

Jiang Wanrou's heart was not so at ease anymore.

She looked at Chang'an, wanting to ask many things. What was Lu Feng doing? What were his true feelings towards her elder sister, his former fiancée?

In the end, she did not ask.

These words, she should not hear from Chang'an's mouth.

She looked a bit tired as she supported her forehead and said to Chang'an, "Get up, I understand how serious this is."

"There are many things your master... he does not tell me. Even if I worry, I cannot help him. You are loyal to him, how could I blame you?"

Her words were like a breath of fresh air, warming Chang'an's heart that had been chilled by the cold wind all night. He clasped his hands and said earnestly, "Madam, you are truly gracious."

In contrast to Jiang Wanrou, the princess in the southern city seemed even more arrogant and rude.

They were sisters from the same family, how could they be so different? And she was called the "number one talented woman in the capital." To think that the world would see such a talented woman cursing and showing her ugly face, it was laughable.

In contrast, the mistress was misunderstood by many, but he had never seen a better woman than her. No wonder the master was gradually falling for her. Who could escape her gentle embrace?

Chang'an couldn't help but grumble, "If only everyone were like the mistress. In these troubled times, that one is still causing trouble, fussing over some earrings. If it weren't for the master's prior instructions, I really would have..."

"What are you talking about? An earring?"

Jiang Wanrou cut him off, suddenly remembering an old item she had long forgotten.

She pursed her lips slightly, but her face remained serious, and said leisurely, "It couldn’t be—a red agate earring, could it?"

***

Meanwhile, in Hangzhou.

The southeast is prosperous, the capital of the three Wu regions. Qiantang has been flourishing since ancient times.

During the scorching summer, Hangzhou felt like paradise on earth. Willow-lined bridges, embroidered houses, and bustling streets filled with people in flowing clothes depicted a prosperous era.

The largest brothel in Hangzhou, Red Sleeve Pavilion, was closed to visitors. Two wealthy tea merchants from the capital arrived in Hangzhou and booked the entire Red Sleeve Pavilion, causing a stir.

Red Sleeve Pavilion was a place of entertainment, with light gauze and pink curtains in the front hall and incense wafting through the air. The backyard had a bamboo grove, quite elegant.

Lu Feng emerged from the room with a grim expression. He wore a black brocade robe, bloodstains on the hem, the smell of blood overwhelming.

Pei Zhang sat on a stone bench outside the courtyard, reading official reports. Hearing footsteps, he stood up quickly and asked, "Any luck? Did you get useful information?"

Lu Feng gulped down tea silently, then let out a cold laugh, "How strange, in broad daylight, someone’s daydreaming!"

The situation was more complex than they’d imagined.

They set out from Tongzhou, sailed downstream, and disembarked in Suzhou, traveling smoothly. In contrast, Xu and Liu, who’d made a grand show of traveling south on an imperial ship, faced several assassination attempts. Xu was hit by a poisoned arrow in the shoulder, the poison spreading to his lungs, forcing them to stop in Suzhou for treatment.

The imperial ship carried the royal sword. This wasn’t just an assassination attempt on the envoys; it was a direct insult to the Emperor! Yet, Lu Feng and Pei Zhang’s journey had been surprisingly smooth. When the mountain wouldn’t come to them, they went to it. Lu Feng led his men, dressed in black and masked, to lie in wait at the port for days, finally finding the bandits’ trail. They killed some, captured others, and in the process, took down hundreds. These bandits were like weeds, growing back with the wind.

Later, perhaps on orders, they vanished, and the people and merchants applauded, finally enjoying peace. But Lu Feng and his men weren’t there to fight bandits; these skirmishes weren’t their goal.

They stayed in Suzhou for a month, but found no trace of the bandits. Both men decided to head to Hangzhou.

They bought the largest and most exquisite merchant ship in the area and arrived in Hangzhou with great fanfare. Now, the entire city knew that there were two wealthy merchants at Red Sleeve Pavilion. Unable to find the bandits’ lair, they could only wait.

The waiting process was not pleasant. Lu Feng, with his heart burdened, despised these rebels even more and personally took charge of the interrogations. The Forbidden Dragon Bureau was especially skilled in torture, and as the Commander of the Forbidden Dragon Bureau, Lu Feng made sure that those who fell into his hands would find life unbearable and death unattainable.

Today, a bandit who had stubbornly claimed to be an "ordinary person," "forced into banditry," finally admitted his true identity and was struck dead by the furious Lu Feng.

Lu Feng sneered, gritting his teeth, "Do you know what they want to do?"

Pei Zhang, who disliked the smell of blood, did not participate in the interrogations, but seeing Lu Feng’s rage, he guessed, "Restore the kingdom?"

"Ha!"

Lu Feng let out a scornful laugh, "They said, to restore the Chen dynasty."

"Prince Chen was emperor for barely a hundred days, and the history books only have a few lines about 'Chen the traitor.' They sure know how to flatter themselves!"

"Pathetic, laughable!"

Pei Zhang poured Lu Feng a cup of tea and said soothingly, "People need something to believe in their lives. Brother Jun Chi, calm down."

Lu Feng was truly furious. He had thought there were just a few rats and cockroaches in the granary, easy to squash. He hadn’t expected these rats and cockroaches to have such "grand ambitions," wanting to overthrow and rule themselves. How could this be allowed?

Pei Zhang said, "The south is rich. Those people have been plundering merchant ships, amassing gold and silver, and stockpiling weapons and troops. They even dared to attack the imperial envoys, showing their grand ambitions."

"Brother Jun Chi, the more this is the case, the more we need to keep our composure."

The slightly bitter tea soothed his throat, and Lu Feng gradually calmed down. He released the cup and said to Pei Zhang, "I was out of line earlier, I must have scared you."

Pei Zhang glanced at the cracked rim of the teacup and smiled, "Brother, you are truly heroic."

If he had only heard of Commander Lu's fame before, after traveling south together for several months, every time they encountered a battle, Lu Feng, with his single sword, moved with dragon-like agility, swift as the wind, and with the strength to break through a thousand men. One could feel his thunderous presence even from several feet away.

He finally understood the confidence with which Lu Feng brought only a few men.

Pei Zhang lowered his gaze and spread out the official report on the stone table for Lu Feng to see, "Brother Jun Chi, look, the price of rice in the capital has been steadily rising recently."

While rice price fluctuations were common, it was unusual for Pei Zhang to pay attention. From the capital to Tongzhou, then to Suzhou and Hangzhou, Pei Zhang was deeply impressed by Lu Feng's bravery, and Lu Feng equally admired Pei Zhang's meticulousness.

In addition to addressing each other as brothers, there was a mutual respect and admiration between them.

Lu Feng carefully read through the report and frowned, "Upon closer inspection, there does seem to be something unusual."

Rice prices fluctuate with the harvest; a good harvest makes rice cheap, a poor harvest makes it expensive, but generally, the fluctuations are not significant. Each prefecture and region has its own granary, and since the emperor ascended the throne over twenty years ago, the people have never gone hungry.

However, the grain in the capital mostly comes from the Jiangnan water transport, and in the land of fish and rice in Jiangnan, the grain prices in the capital are typically lower than elsewhere. The recent spike in rice prices suddenly reminded Pei Zhang of the water bandits who had vanished.

Before the two could discuss further, a green-clad servant hurried over, holding an envelope, "Commander, a letter from the capital has arrived."