Chapter 76 Think He’s Not Good Enough?

Chapter 76: Doubting His Ability?

"Huh... what?"

Jiang Wanrou was still in a daze when Lu Feng wiped his hands with a clean cloth and stepped forward to hold her hand.

His large palm was broad and thick, with rough calluses from wielding a sword, now covered in a layer of warm, slippery moisture, sending a shiver down Jiang Wanrou's spine.

"Cold?"

Lu Feng frowned and casually ordered, "Add a charcoal brazier."

Since the Prince of Qi's residence had heated floors in winter, making every corner warm, the Jin Guang Courtyard hadn't prepared any braziers. The maids exchanged glances, quickly curtsied, and retreated. When the master gave an order, even if it meant going through hell or high water, they had to satisfy him.

Soon, the curtain was gently lifted, and a maid deftly placed the charcoal brazier in a corner. The room was already warm, and Jiang Wanrou's cheeks were flushed from the heat. She removed her white jacket with red plum branch embroidery and instructed, "This light is too bright. Replace all the candles with yellow wax candles."

"Once you've replaced them, you may leave. No need to serve today."

When only the two of them remained in the room, Jiang Wanrou picked up a soup ladle, scooped a bowl of chicken soup, skimmed off the foam with a small spoon, and placed it in front of Lu Feng.

"Husband, have some soup."

Lu Feng nodded slightly and said, "Go ahead and eat. Don't mind me."

In the past, when Lu Feng came to Jin Guang Courtyard for meals, Jiang Wanrou would stand by and serve him dishes, only eating herself after he was nearly done. After giving birth to Huai Yi, perhaps wanting to show some respect to the mother of his eldest son, or perhaps because Lu Feng had gradually grown fond of her, he had repeatedly asked her to sit down. Jiang Wanrou, not wanting to refuse, began dining with him.

Lu Feng was behaving oddly today, but Jiang Wanrou was also starving. Nothing was more important than filling her stomach. She helped herself to some of her favorite dishes and didn't forget to add a couple of slices of lamb to Lu Feng's plate, smiling as she said, "Husband, eat more lamb. It's good for your health."

Lu Feng suddenly looked up, his dark eyes intense. Jiang Wanrou's smile stiffened. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Lately, she had been enjoying lamb soup. Sharing happiness was better than keeping it to herself, so she had sent some to Huai Yi and casually served Lu Feng some meat. It was said that eating lamb in winter was good for warming the body, and she had never known Lu Feng to refuse lamb before.

Lu Feng didn't let Jiang Wanrou feel too awkward. He chewed a few times, his expression slightly odd, and said, "My health... is fine."

Jiang Wanrou, puzzled, replied, "Maintaining health is a long-term process. Even if you're strong now, there will come a time when you grow old. By then, it'll be too late."

Just like how she used to have a cold constitution, possibly due to poor care during her youth. Every month when her period came, she would feel a dull pain in her lower abdomen. She disliked taking medicine, so Cuizhu brewed ginger tea for her every day. After a year or so, the chronic ailment that had plagued her for years was gone, and she felt much better every month.

Drawing from her own experience, Jiang Wanrou spoke from the heart, but her words seemed to strike a nerve with Lu Feng. He coldly asked, "Do you think I'm old?"

Jiang Wanrou was even more confused. Lu Feng was not yet thirty, still in his prime. Moreover, as a man, he didn't have to worry about "beauty fading before favor wanes." Why was he concerned about such things?

"Husband, you're not old at all."

She smiled, recalling the words Lu Feng had once said to her when she lamented her fading youth, and now she returned them to him. "Besides, birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural processes, beyond our control."

Lu Feng's expression darkened instantly.

Jiang Wanrou was even more baffled. The more she spoke, the more mistakes she seemed to make. She smiled at him and lowered her head to eat. Lu Feng, born into nobility, and Jiang Wanrou, who had long been involved in social engagements, both ate with grace and elegance. The room, now illuminated by warm, soft yellow candles, exuded a gentle, affectionate atmosphere, though the couple's thoughts were far from aligned.

Jiang Wanrou pondered: What did Lu Feng mean earlier when he said Jiang Wanying was dead? The last time Jiang Wanying caused a scene at the Duke's residence, Jiang Wanrou had been furious, regretting how easily she had let her off. Then, one thing after another happened, and she had completely forgotten about her. Now, suddenly hearing this news...

The scheming from six years ago, the scene Jiang Wanying had caused at her children's full moon banquet, the thin thread of childhood friendship—it was all gone. Jiang Wanrou felt no pity for her, but why had Lu Feng brought it up? He was a busy man; why would he suddenly care about the death of a woman confined to the inner chambers?

Now that Minister Pei was on a diplomatic mission to the Turkic tribes on behalf of the emperor, the court was focused on that. His wife's death shouldn't have gone unnoticed. Something was off, and everything felt strange. She needed to find the right moment to ask.

Lu Feng picked up a piece of blood tofu, took a bite, and the soft, smooth texture filled his mouth with the distinct metallic taste of blood, reminding him of the scene he had just witnessed.

***

He personally crushed the skull of his wife's stepsister.

A crimson liquid gushed out, mixed with a murky white. The woman's face twisted and caved in, her eyes popping out, her mouth agape, but no sound escaped.

Over the years, countless people had died at Lu Feng's hands, and he was well-versed in the eighteen tortures of the Forbidden Dragon Bureau. She was not the most gruesome death at his hands, but she was the one who made him the most furious.

He hadn't meant to kill her.

Today, urgent military news arrived from the north. In the border region between the Qi Dynasty and the Turkic, a place called Sifang Town suddenly erupted in rebellion. The rebels captured two towns in just three days. The subordinates only dared to report it hastily then, as it was not a military stronghold and the garrison was weak. General Lingxiao had already sent reinforcements.

The emperor had ended the turmoil of the princes' rivalry for supremacy years ago. For over twenty years, there had never been such a large-scale rebellion. Even someone as arrogant as Chen Fu only dared to operate as a river bandit on the water. This time, however, they were seizing cities, declaring themselves kings—true traitors!

The rebels numbered only a thousand, not enough to be feared. Once the border general Lingxiao's reinforcements arrived, they would naturally be captured. The emperor was furious, first because he couldn't believe that after decades of ruling, bringing peace and prosperity, someone dared to rebel. Second, he was angry at the incompetence of the defending soldiers, who were nothing but wine sacks and rice bags, allowing a mere thousand to take over. What angered him the most was that the rebel leader was a female slave.

Yes, not just a "slave," but a "female slave." The rebel leader was a woman.

A female slave, leading a thousand, captured two of his towns in just three days. The emperor read the report multiple times, rubbing his widened eyes, even suspecting his subordinates of deceit, unwilling to accept this fact.

Having ruled for many years, the emperor had long mastered the art of not showing his emotions. Yet, he lost his composure during the morning court session today. The emperor's wrath could lead to rivers of blood. The court officials all lowered their heads like quails, too afraid to speak. Seeing the courtiers so cowardly, the emperor grew even angrier. Only a few princes dared to step forward and offer some advice.

Among the participating princes, Lu Feng remained silent from start to finish. After the court session, ignoring the strange looks from his brothers, he quickly disappeared.

He went to the Pei residence.

The Pei residence was not large. He found Jiang Wanying kneeling before a Buddha statue. She knelt on a prayer mat, devoutly prostrating. Lu Feng glanced at the enshrined Buddha statue—a serene Bodhisattva, one hand holding a vase with a willow branch, the other cradling a baby. This Bodhisattva was "famous," so much so that even Lu Feng recognized her—this was the Goddess of Childbearing.

"Who is it?"

Startled by the sudden intrusion, Jiang Wanying calmed down once she saw his face and said with certainty, "You're here."

Calculating the time, it should be around the time of the slave rebellion in her past life. Since he had come, he must know she wasn't speaking nonsense.

If not for being in front of the Goddess of Childbearing, Jiang Wanying would have laughed out loud. It didn't matter that Pei Zhang didn't love her, it didn't matter that he had locked her up here—she had climbed onto the future emperor, she was the emperor's noblewoman!

She would make them all grovel at her feet!

Lu Feng asked succinctly, "How did the slave rebellion end?"

His face was stern, his aura commanding, making one instinctively submit. Jiang Wanying replied, "The rebellion lasted two months... no, three months, and was eventually suppressed by the court."

"So long?"

Lu Feng slightly frowned. The emperor was merely furious that someone dared to "rebel," but these ragtag forces were not to be feared. Once Lingxiao's garrison arrived to quell them, it would take only about a month.

Lu Feng was wearing a heavy purple prince's robe today, coupled with Jiang Wanying's natural fear of him, she hurriedly corrected herself, "Perhaps... it was a month, I misremembered."

How would she know how long it took? It had been over thirty years since then. At the time, this event was widely circulated, mostly praising Pei Zhang's wit and sharpness, his calmness in the face of danger at such a young age. As for the details, folk tales were not history books—how could she remember everything clearly?

Lu Feng lowered his gaze and asked again, "What was the name of the rebel leader?"

Jiang Wanying thought for a moment, then slowly said, "I think it was Yuenu... or something like Liu Yuenu, yes, his name was Liu Yuenu!"

She finally found this name in her muddled memory. It was quite special—a vicious rebel with such a name had once caused people to laugh.

Lu Feng's heart sank. The rebel leader was indeed named "Liu Yuenu." The courier station had exhausted three fast horses, and the emperor had only received the news last night. Jiang Wanying, a confined inner court woman, couldn't possibly know.

Lu Feng, who didn't believe in gods or spirits, encountered such a "mysterious" thing for the first time. No matter how astonished he was inside, his expression remained completely unchanged. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Is Liu Yuenu a man or a woman?"

"Naturally, it’s a man."

Jiang Wanying was very certain. Though the name sounded feminine, someone who could conquer cities and declare themselves king could not possibly be a woman.

His subordinates would never pledge allegiance to a woman as their leader.

Lu Feng pondered in his heart: Though this woman has some wisdom, her perspective is narrow, and she’s rather dull. Her words can be considered but not fully trusted.

He quickly grasped the reason. Knowing the emperor's temperament, having spent half his life in military campaigns, first eliminating Prince Lu and then Prince Chen, how could he, in his later years, tolerate a woman rebelling against him? He would never permit such a thing to be known and recorded in history.

With Ling Xiao guarding the northern frontier, Lu Feng had no worries. For him, the most important matter at hand was—

"You say that I am the future emperor?"

Jiang Wanying's eyes lit up, finally arriving at the main point. Emperor Wu's ascension to the throne was grand, and he was the first emperor in history to ascend the throne despite a physical disability. His legs were far from being as good as they were now, and he walked with a noticeable limp. She had only glimpsed his back from afar during his coronation, kneeling and kowtowing.

Emperor Wu’s reputation for cruelty only intensified over time, and gradually, no one dared to look up in his presence or catch a glimpse of his face. What became of his legs later was known to few, and even fewer dared to mention it.

She recalled the details of Emperor Wu’s reign far more vividly than the "Servant Rebellion," but to prevent Lu Feng from 'discarding her after she had served her purpose,' she spoke in half-truths. Lu Feng was already skeptical of her words, and with her evasiveness, he felt the 'Emperor Wu' she described was like a stranger—both familiar and unfamiliar.

At the very least, he would not foolishly waste military resources in pursuit of some "elixir of immortality." How many wise emperors had been deceived by alchemists and charlatans, leaving behind only ridicule in the annals of history?

Jiang Wanying's memory was hazy, and she thought she was being shrewd by 'holding back,' but Lu Feng had already decided not to expect any useful information from her. He gestured dismissively and asked, "If I am the emperor, then Rou'er must naturally be the empress, right?"

Rou'er... He actually referred to her as Rou'er!

Jiang Wanying nearly gritted her teeth in frustration. Why! In her past life, her husband had been tender and devoted to her, but here he was cold and indifferent. Yet this cruel and ruthless emperor could speak her name with such tenderness.

Why was it that, despite both being illegitimate daughters kneeling at Madame Qin’s feet, in every life, she always fared better? Why! Heaven is so unfair!

Jealousy flared in her heart, and Jiang Wanying momentarily forgot her fear. She forced an odd smile and said, "Your Majesty, in her past life, she was Pei Zhang's wife. She had no connection to you."

"Nonsense!"

Lu Feng's expression turned cold and stern. He said firmly, "Rou'er and I were husband and wife in a past life, fated to reunite in this one. You may speak freely on other matters, but do not spout nonsense about this!"

If it weren’t true, why would she dream of him so often? That was proof enough!

"Every word I utter is true, Your Majesty. Think carefully, how did you and she become husband and wife? It was all thanks to me."

Jiang Wanying sneered repeatedly. Back then, she had played the role of the mantis stalking the cicada, only to be caught by the oriole. She revealed everything, all the while regretting it in her heart. In her past life, the original Ying'er had met a tragic end. She had thrust Jiang Wanrou forward, never expecting her to survive.

But she had inadvertently handed her the ladder to heaven. Jiang Wanying hated it even more!

Jiang Wanrou’s success pained her more than her own failures, especially since she had played a part in it.

Suddenly, her mind cleared. Jiang Wanying raised her head and, for the first time, looked directly into Lu Feng's face.

She said, "Your Majesty, my sixth sister, in her past life, was deeply in love with Pei Zhang. They had two children together, and everyone praised them as a perfect match, a union made in heaven."

"Pei Zhang's reputation as a devoted husband was well-known, not just to me, but throughout the court."

"And you, poor thing, had no children, not even a single son or daughter."

Emperor Wu inherited the legacy of the founding emperor and had little interest in women. Under his rule, the Qi Dynasty flourished like never before, with countless beauties sent as tribute from vassal states every year. Yet, in Emperor Wu's harem, there were no high-ranking consorts, nor any so-called "favorites."

He was obsessed with military affairs, devoting most of his energy to the court. The harem was merely a place for him to relax. Once, a Beauty who had served him for two consecutive nights thought she had gained his favor. After all, the emperor was known to be indifferent to women and rarely remembered their faces. The Beauty, emboldened by her perceived favor, dared to follow the emperor's movements and went to the imperial study to seek him out. She was beaten to death with sticks outside the study.

After that, not only did the court officials fear him, but the palace concubines feared him even more. Among the three thousand beauties in the harem, how many lived their entire lives without ever glimpsing the emperor’s face, growing old and dying within the palace walls?

As a result, almost no one in the court was willing to send their daughters into the palace. Emperor Wu treated his soldiers far better than he treated his women. Without status or the luxuries of life, Emperor Wu's concubines were arguably the most miserable in history, coupled with constant intrigue. By the time of her death, Emperor Wu had neither sons nor daughters.

He was not keen on continuing his lineage and once said during a banquet, "I am a great ruler, focused on grand ambitions. These common women are unworthy of bearing my heirs."

He sought the elixir of life.

When she died, envoys from all nations came to pay respects. Every place marked on the map had been trodden by Emperor Wu's iron cavalry. He also ordered the land to be remeasured, maps redrawn, and sent people to sea... What a grand spectacle it would have been, but alas, she could not witness it.

Jiang Wanying, of course, would not mention these things. She spoke with conviction, "Your Majesty, you are alone, childless, and afflicted with a leg ailment. It is indeed pitiful."

"My sixth sister is dearly loved by her husband, with two filial children. They are inseparable, their passion turns the bed sheets red at night, and even during the day, it is said that Pei Zhang often pulls his wife into the study, right on the chair... Tsk, tsk, and he calls himself a scholar! Shameless! If they're not careful, it might even end up on the memorials, and Your Majesty might see it—"

Lu Feng, with his formidable strength, was often silently chastised by Jiang Wanrou as 'ruthless and cruel,' his passion leaving marks across her body. In truth, it wasn't his fault; that was the result of him trying to control himself. If he lost control, like now, Jiang Wanying's reddened eyes widened—it wasn't like this...

She still wanted to be a favorite in front of Emperor Wu, to crush those who had wronged her underfoot, to have many children with Pei Zhang, to be cherished and loved.

She was destined for greatness, poised to leave her mark, he had believed her, so how... did she die?

No one could answer him, and Lu Feng hadn't intended to kill her now. Jiang Wanying's last glance fell on the compassionate eyes of the Guanyin statue in the hall. In that moment, she seemed to understand something, but then excruciating pain struck, and she fell into darkness.

Lu Feng sneered. Former life spouses, loving couple? He was the emperor; the entire realm was his to command! Not merely a minister's wife, but even a former emperor's concubine—if he desired her, who could, or would dare, to stop him?

***

That woman was inept and harbored malicious intentions. He had long reminded himself not to fully believe what she said.

Lu Feng stood in the pool of blood, closed his eyes, and calmed his heaving chest. He made his way back to the royal palace on foot. Outside, the cold wind was biting, and in the piercing chill, Lu Feng cooled down a bit.

He used all his rationality to force himself not to think about the madwoman's words. Only when he returned to the Jinguang Courtyard as usual, and the couple dined together, did Jiang Wanrou serve him a few extra pieces of lamb.

Lamb, known to fortify yang and kidneys—was she suggesting he was lacking?

Inevitably, the woman's words echoed like a curse in his ears: "The affectionate couple at the Pei residence replace their bed monthly. Pei Zhang may look frail, but my sister often can't get up from under him..."

Lu Feng took a deep breath. Did she also consider him aged?

Yes, he was older than Pei Zhang, but he prided himself on being strong and healthy, not yet at the age where he needed to eat lamb!

Jiang Wanrou, in her confusion, had unwittingly dug herself into a deep hole, still unaware. The couple concluded their meal in an uneasy silence. Jiang Wanrou wanted to find out what had happened. She smiled at him, lowering her head shyly, "Husband, have you had enough?"

"Shall we... go for a stroll?"

This was her usual tactic; after all, Lu Feng was only more agreeable at such times. Isn't that what marriage is about? After a night together, all grievances can be mended.

After a long silence, she looked up and met Lu Feng's deep, dark eyes.

He said, "Alright."