Chapter 68 Why Is It You Who Survived?

Chapter 68 Why Is It You Who Survived

She poured herself a large cup of cold tea, knowing that the more chaotic things got, the calmer she needed to be. Jiang Wanrou steadied her mind and called for Cuizhu to bring her ink, brush, paper, and inkstone. She began to untangle the mess of affairs, listing them one by one, and set aside the matters she couldn't decide on to ask Lu Feng later.

Lu Feng returned earlier than expected. As dusk approached, the familiar, steady footsteps echoed from outside. Jiang Wanrou breathed a sigh of relief, using a paperweight to secure the scroll on the desk before rising to open the door. A strong smell of alcohol hit her as Lu Feng stepped in, his expression was hidden in the flickering shadows, unreadable.

"Husband?"

Jiang Wanrou tentatively tugged at his sleeve, only to notice something unusual. She glanced down and saw the purple robe with a python design and the golden serpent belt wrapped around his sturdy frame, making him look even more imposing.

This version of Lu Feng felt somewhat unfamiliar, as if she had suddenly been transported back to the early days of their marriage when he was the stern and unsmiling master of the Lu household. Back then, she had been too afraid to even look him in the eye.

Jiang Wanrou wrapped her arms around his waist, helping him undo the belt, while calling out, "Cuizhu, bring the hangover remedy."

Lu Feng tilted his chin slightly, allowing her to undress him, and said, "I'm not drunk."

Though he wasn't a heavy drinker, he had spent three years training in the military, where he had grown accustomed to the strongest liquors. The fruit wine served at the banquet was little more than water to him.

Jiang Wanrou hung his outer robe and chuckled, "I know you can hold your liquor, but even if you're not drunk, too much alcohol can still give you a headache."

When he returned, Jiang Wanrou had been writing. She walked around the rosewood screen with peony carvings, and the room was brightly lit by a night pearl. She was dressed in a water-red silk sleeping robe, her dark hair half-tied, smiling at him as she had done on countless ordinary nights.

In that moment, the icy tension in Lu Feng's heart dissolved. The scheming and treachery of the outside world seemed to be blocked by the thin door.

His expression softened slightly, and he remained silent as Jiang Wanrou pulled him by the arm to sit on the pearwood couch covered with crimson woolen felt.

Anticipating that Lu Feng would drink today, Jiang Wanrou had already instructed someone to prepare hangover remedy and keep it warm. Soon, Cuizhu entered briskly, followed by three maids carrying bronze basins. Without needing to be told, two of the maids knelt by Lu Feng's feet to remove his boots and wash them, while the third maid wet a towel. Jiang Wanrou naturally took the towel, signaling with her eyes for the maid to exit.

Lu Feng closed his eyes comfortably, neither speaking nor moving. Jiang Wanrou loosened his collar and carefully wiped his forehead, eyebrows, and ears... Then she took his broad hand and wiped each of his prominent knuckles one by one. Suddenly, Jiang Wanrou let out a soft laugh.

Lu Feng opened his eyes, his brows slightly raised as if asking why. Jiang Wanrou lowered her head and said, "I was thinking of Huai Yi."

Lu Huaiyi had his mischievous moments too. When he was a child, he would play in the snow and come back covered in dirt. Jiang Wanrou would be both angry and heartbroken, just like now, making him lie on the couch while she wiped him clean.

Huai Yi had been very obedient, his small body following her instructions to lift his hands or turn over. Now, Lu Feng's robust frame lay on the narrow pearwood couch, and despite the vast difference between the two, Jiang Wanrou felt the same kind of tender emotion.

She felt tenderness for this man.

Sitting beside Lu Feng, she said softly, "Alright, if there's something bothering you, tell me. Don't keep it bottled up; it's not good for you."

Lu Feng replied, "Nothing's bothering me."

Jiang Wanrou poked his firm chest, "You're lying."

Lu Feng: "..."

As the master and mistress whispered to each other, Cuizhu tactfully led the maids out, closing the door behind them. When only the two of them remained in the room, Lu Feng tightened his grip, and Jiang Wanrou naturally leaned against his chest, her arms encircling his waist.

Listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, after a while, Lu Feng sighed softly, "The emperor's intentions are hard to guess."

Granted authority, exempted from kneeling, and given the emperor's unconditional trust, Lu Feng had once believed that the emperor favored him.

But after a conversation with the emperor in the Hall of Nurturing the Heart, he realized that it was merely the emperor's guilt. A man with physical disabilities could never ascend to the throne.

Now, the emperor had gone to great lengths to restore his status, keeping his surname "Lu" but bestowing upon him the title of Prince Qi. It was an unparalleled honor, yet at the same time, the emperor had stripped him of his position as Commander of the Forbidden Dragon Division.

As the banquet reached its peak, the emperor, his face flushed, waved his hand and said, "Jun Chi, as the saying goes, a man of noble birth should not lower himself to petty affairs. Now that you are a prince, it is beneath your dignity to engage in such violent affairs."

"From now on, you will take charge of the Ministry of Revenue."

The Ministry of Revenue is the emperor's treasury. It’s better to hand it over to my own son than to an outsider, hahaha."

The Minister of Revenue immediately stepped forward, bowing deeply, and vowed to spare no effort in assisting His Highness, the Prince of Qi, before reaffirming his loyalty. The matter was settled on the spot, and everyone was pleased.

Though he had seen this coming, the emperor’s ruthless tactics still sparked an unquenchable rage in Lu Feng’s heart.

Beyond his attachment to the Forbidden Dragon Bureau, what stung even more was the frustration of being manipulated and powerless. Lu Feng once again deeply realized that it was not enough.

Titles like 'second only to the emperor,' 'powerful minister,' 'prince,' and 'imperial favor' meant nothing. A word from the ruler could elevate you to the heavens, and another could plunge you into the dirt. In this world, only one person could do as they pleased!

Today, not only was Jiang Wanrou caught off guard, but the emperor’s sudden move also blindsided Lu Feng. He gently ran his fingers through Jiang Wanrou’s silky hair and asked, 'Did today scare you?'

Amid the day’s turmoil, Jiang Wanrou couldn’t help but feel a twinge of resentment. Such a big deal should have been mentioned by Lu Feng, so she could have prepared herself. Now she realized that he, too, was powerless.

Lu Feng hated dragging court affairs into their private life, and he wouldn’t burden Jiang Wanrou with his troubles. That would just make him look weak and useless! Outside, he was at the emperor’s mercy, but at home, he was her invincible husband, her protector from the storm.

Her only job was to be a good wife to him; the rest wasn’t her problem.

Lu Feng rarely spoke, but Jiang Wanrou often had Cuizhu and Jintao dig up court gossip. She wasn’t some clueless woman stuck in the inner chambers; she knew his struggles all too well.

She also knew that a man like Lu Feng didn’t need pity or coddling right now.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Wanrou slid off Lu Feng, her henna-painted nails fumbling with the buttons of her dress.

"You—"

"Shh, don’t speak."

Jiang Wanrou ducked her head, her cheeks flushed, and murmured shyly, 'Husband, I’m cold—mmph—'

The last time Lu Feng stained her woolen rug, Jiang Wanrou had grumbled about it. The next day, Lu Feng had someone send over a white bear pelt. It seemed the bear had been shot in the eye, and the pelt was perfectly intact. Spread out, it transformed the room into a lavish space, and Jiang Wanrou adored it.

***

In her haze, Jiang Wanrou blinked her teary eyes and thought irreverently, 'The woolen rug is still better.' The bear pelt was stunning, but the fur was so coarse it scratched her back painfully.

The next morning, Jiang Wanrou woke up in her soft brocade quilt, remembering the madness of the night before. Her face suddenly flushed, and she hurriedly lifted the bed curtain—sure enough, the bear pelt was gone.

What a fine pelt!

Flustered and a little heartbroken, she hastily called for Cuizhu. Cuizhu, naive and blushing, stammered that the master had taken care of the pelt.

As for how it was "taken care of," Jiang Wanrou didn't dare to ask for details. Cuizhu said, "Madam, the woolen carpet has been cleaned. If you don't like it, there are others in the storeroom."

Jiang Wanrou loved staying in her room during the winter. From the bed to the screen, the floor was covered with thick carpets, so she didn't need to wear embroidered shoes in the bedroom, just silk socks, which felt soft and comfortable.

Remembering the previous night’s passion, Jiang Wanrou sighed and said, 'Never mind, let’s not use it again.'

She still felt a stinging pain on her back. When she complained about her back hurting, Lu Feng had her on top, so there was always some part of her suffering.

...

Jiang Wanrou was used to Lu Feng being away during the day. Dressed by Cuizhu, she had a simple breakfast, her mind filled with the trivial matters of the household.

Yesterday, she had sorted out the tangled affairs, waiting for Lu Feng to return and discuss them. But the whole night was spent in mischief, not a single serious matter accomplished.

Jiang Wanrou rubbed her temples as she walked to the desk. The paper from yesterday was still under the paperweight. From a few steps away, she could vaguely see the ink marks that hadn’t dried... Wait, what she wrote yesterday—why were there ink marks now?

Jiang Wanrou quickly took three steps in two strides and picked it up. Beside her delicate calligraphy, there were several lines of bold, forceful characters, unmistakably Lu Feng's handwriting. What she had decided remained untouched. The matters she was unsure about—how to divide the household accounts, when to move, who to entrust the household management to after leaving, how to explain to the ancestors—each item was clearly and concisely addressed by Lu Feng.

Jiang Wanrou felt instantly at ease.

She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "At last, there's a plan."

The Second Master was aloof and out of touch with everyday matters, while the Third Master, though he was a flirt, was much better at handling worldly affairs than the Second Master. Jiang Wanrou had previously thought that the Second Master held the advantage of being the eldest, and the Third Master, though less so, had some capability. She wondered who would inherit the Lu family's ducal title. Lu Feng had told her to hand over the household management to the Second Master's wife, suggesting that the Duke of Lu's estate would depend on the Second Master to maintain its standing in the future.

Traditionally, family estates were inherited by the eldest son. Lu Feng was a stickler for rules, so this outcome didn't surprise Jiang Wanrou. She was only concerned that, within the household, Zhou Ruotong was clearly less dependable than the Third Master's wife, Yao Jinyu; outside the household, she wasn't sure if the Second Master's temperament could handle the vast ducal estate. Lu Feng still carried the 'Lu' name, and with so many years of affection, he would never stand by if anything serious happened.

Ah, there's no use overthinking. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Cuizhu noticed the worry on Jiang Wanrou's face and asked, "Madam, is something bothering you?"

Jiang Wanrou neatly folded the rice paper and smiled, "Little girl, you're quite curious. If I were really in trouble, could you help me out?"

"I can't, but the master can."

Cuizhu, still getting used to the new title, said bluntly, "The master said if Madam has any doubts, she should go to the study to see him."

Jiang Wanrou looked surprised, "Is he at home?"

Having just been ennobled yesterday, Jiang Wanrou, as a woman of the house, was swamped with chores. She figured Lu Feng would be even busier than she was.

Cuizhu said, "Miss Zhou from the Buddhist hall came by this morning, and the master went to the small Buddhist hall. Now... I'm not sure if he's back in the study. Should I go check?"

Jiang Wanrou's breath caught. The small Buddhist hall, with its harsh and critical mother-in-law, had once been her nightmare. Since taking charge of the household, she had never skimped on the provisions for the Buddhist hall but had never set foot in it.

She disliked recalling past pains. Now, her life was peaceful and happy, and she had almost forgotten about the mother-in-law confined in the Buddhist hall.

She took a deep breath and asked, "Did he... leave any message?"

Cuizhu shook her head.

Jiang Wanrou asked again, "What was his expression when he left?"

Cuizhu looked even more confused. She was never good at reading expressions. If Jintao were here today, she might have been able to say something useful, but Cuizhu was of no help at all.

Jiang Wanrou sighed lightly and stood up, "Let's go, to the small Buddhist hall."

The red flowers from back then still haunted her conscience. At this critical moment when the family was about to leave the estate, she didn't want any complications.

Jiang Wanrou, preoccupied with her thoughts, walked slowly. The Buddhist hall was located in the southernmost corner of the Duke's estate, sparsely populated, and the further in they went, the more secluded it became. The cracks in the stone path were filled with moss.

The courtyard was deep and silent, and the heart-wrenching cries of a woman became clearer, mixed with sobs and wails.

"Why? Ah! Why do you get to live? Why is it you who survived!"

"The emperor's son's life is precious, but my son, he was my treasure too!"