Chapter 101: Fury

Chapter 101: Royal Wrath

From the bitter cold of winter to early summer, the couple had been away from home for nearly half a year. Lu Huaiyi was dressed in a royal blue narrow-sleeved round-collared robe made of brocade, adorned with auspicious cloud patterns embroidered in silver thread on the lapels. A silk sash with a mutton-fat-jade buckle hung at his waist, and he wore black satin court boots. His tall, slender frame, paired with his pale complexion, radiated noble elegance.

He had grown taller and appeared more composed than before. Upon seeing his long-absent parents, Lu Huaiyi's expression flickered with excitement for only a moment before he steadied himself, stepped forward, and bowed. "Your son greets Father and Mother."

Lu Feng glanced at the orderly crowd at the gate and grunted in acknowledgment. Jiang Wanrou, unable to tear her gaze away, stared fixedly at Lu Huaiyi. Lu Feng turned. "Are we not leaving?"

Jiang Wanrou startled from her reverie, gave her eldest son a meaningful look, lifted her skirt, and hurried after Lu Feng with quick, small steps.

The Prince of Qi's household was not large, with no elders above them—only Aunt Li, who was "staying" in the residence. Given her awkward status, Aunt Li would not make an appearance at such a time. Thus, Lu Feng and Jiang Wanrou had no elders to pay respects to and went straight to Brocade Radiance Courtyard to bathe and change, washing away the dust of their journey.

Most of the servants in Brocade Radiance Courtyard had been brought by Jiang Wanrou from the Duke of Lu's residence. They knew their place and were discreet. Moreover, after the Prince of Qi's victorious campaign, where he seized several Turkic cities, his prestige had soared. Now, whether in court or among the common folk, none dared speak of the Prince of Qi without reverence. The maids in Brocade Radiance Courtyard moved with hushed steps, serving with utmost diligence.

Before she could even freshen up, Jiang Wanrou was embraced by a tearful Cuizhu, who wept openly. She then hurriedly ordered the twins to be brought over. It was clear that Aunt Li had taken good care of them—the plump infants flailed their pudgy arms, the silver bells on their wrists jingling.

Jiang Wanrou’s heart softened as she took turns holding the boy and the girl, kissing their soft cheeks. Logically speaking, since their birth, Jiang Wanrou had been forced to follow the army, and infants under a year old understood nothing. These two had tempers—they would cry when held by strangers. Yet, when Jiang Wanrou cradled them, they smiled as though knowing their mother.

The girl was lively and restless, her chubby hands reaching eagerly for the swaying golden hairpin in Jiang Wanrou’s hair. Jiang Wanrou pulled it out to tease her, sighing with both joy and sorrow. "They’re so young, yet they still remember me."

Cuizhu, holding the drowsy boy, explained, "It’s all thanks to Aunt Li."

The Princess Consort’s birth mother was respectfully addressed as "Aunt Li" by the household. Others might have seized the opportunity to flatter, saying something like "blood recognizes blood" to please their mistress. But Cuizhu was straightforward. "After you left, no one knew when you’d return. Aunt Li feared the little ones would forget their mother, so she placed garments you'd worn in their swaddling and often brought them to Brocade Radiance Courtyard."

Children this young couldn’t speak, let alone recognize faces—they relied solely on the familiar scent of their mother. Jiang Wanrou froze at these words, her heart churned with emotion.

Only when raising children does one understand a parent’s love. Now a mother of three, she realized how much her own mother had planned for her sake. Yet upon returning today, she had scanned the crowd and found no trace of her.

She knew what her mother was thinking—she didn’t want to be a burden.

Jiang Wanrou sighed softly, asked about Aunt Li's wellbeing, and sent word that she would visit her the next day.

Tonight, they might be summoned by the Emperor or attend a family banquet with Lu Feng present. With him around, even Lu Huaiyi would speak and act with caution—hardly as relaxed as dining alone with her mother.

She would visit after settling matters tomorrow. That was her mother’s intention. This incident only strengthened Jiang Wanrou’s resolve to free her mother from the Marquis of Ning'an’s household.

...

Fearing an imperial summons, Jiang Wanrou reluctantly had the twins taken away. She bathed, changed into a brilliant scarlet princess consort’s ceremonial robe, and applied cosmetics with care.

After all the effort, as evening approached, an edict arrived from the palace: His Highness the Prince of Qi was summoned for an audience.

Well, she wasn’t even mentioned. Jiang Wanrou chided herself for presumption. Lu Feng, with characteristic composure, said to the eunuch delivering the decree, "This prince will enter the palace shortly."

Jiang Wanrou had assumed "shortly" meant changing clothes, but Lu Feng waved his hand and ordered dinner served instead.

Seated imposingly at the head of the table, he lifted an eyebrow at Jiang Wanrou’s stunned expression. "Not hungry?"

Jiang Wanrou hesitated before sitting obediently to his side, her face creased with concern. "Husband, His Majesty’s summons—won’t this be... improper?"

He had just won a great victory, yet upon returning, he showed presumption, disregarding imperial authority. Even if the Emperor doted on his son and didn’t mind, others might seize this as a pretext to criticize Lu Feng.

Jiang Wanrou rolled up her sleeves, poured him a cup of tea, and said gently, "Leave household matters to me."

Lu Feng toyed with the cup and chuckled. "How dutiful."

She could not fathom his intent when Lu Huaiyi entered. With the small household—aside from the babbling infants—the "family banquet" consisted only of the couple and their eldest son.

While Jiang Wanrou was being powdered and pampered by a crowd of attendants, Lu Feng had already summoned Lu Huaiyi to the study to quiz him on his lessons. Though Lu Huaiyi prided himself on answering fluently without failing his tutor's teachings, he only received an "adequate" evaluation from Lu Feng.

Even knowing his father had always been strict, Lu Huaiyi couldn't help feeling disheartened. His fine-featured face tensed as he bowed. "Father, Mother."

Lu Feng nodded and said, "Sit." With Lu Huaiyi's interruption, Jiang Wanrou couldn’t resume her earlier urging. After all, Lu Feng had his own plans—she needn’t fuss over him.

The family reunion dinner was unusually quiet. Lu Feng spoke little, and though Jiang Wanrou had much to say, this wasn’t the time for a heart-to-heart with her son. Only the crisp clinking of jade chopsticks against plates filled the silence. After a while, Lu Huaiyi stood and placed a slice of bamboo shoot on both Jiang Wanrou and Lu Feng’s plates.

Pressing his lips together, he said, "Father, Mother, you’ve had a long journey. These are bamboo shoots I dug myself from the back hill—tender yet savory. Please try them."

Lu Feng calmly picked one up and ate it, neither praising nor criticizing. Jiang Wanrou, however, burst out, "Servants should handle such tasks. You’re delicate—why trouble yourself with rough work?"

Lu Huaiyi smiled, his boyish energy finally showing in her presence. "Mother, I’m perfectly healthy. While you and Father were away, I never once called for the imperial physician. And now, I can draw a five-jin bow!"

Before their departure, he could only manage a three-jin bow. In just half a year, such progress was remarkable—even Lu Feng rarely offered praise, yet he remarked, "Hmph. Decent."

Jiang Wanrou and Lu Feng’s parenting styles differed entirely. Lu Feng expected excellence in both civil and martial arts, while Jiang Wanrou simply wanted a healthy son. A mother’s soft heart often led to doting.

She gushed over Lu Huaiyi until his ears turned pink, then stacked his bowl sky-high with a meatball, urging gently, "Don’t overexert yourself—health comes first. Whether it’s a three-jin or five-jin bow, you’ll always be my brave boy."

"Here, your favorite beef. Eat more."

Jiang Wanrou had always thought Lu Huaiyi too thin, and after half a year apart, she piled his plate high. But in focusing on him, she neglected another—until a sharp *thud* made them both startle. Lu Feng had slammed his cup onto the table.

"More tea."

His gaze locked onto Jiang Wanrou. A maid, about to step forward, froze mid-motion.

Jiang Wanrou rose gracefully, taking the teapot from the maid and refilling Lu Feng’s cup. As if oblivious to his dark look, she smiled. "My fault—I couldn’t help talking too much after so long apart from Huaiyi."

"Are you full, husband? Shall I have them bring more of your favorites?"

Lu Feng’s expression softened slightly. He wasn’t one to dine slowly, and he was mostly full—but seeing Jiang Wanrou’s attention diverted, even to their own son, left him displeased.

Lu Feng had always been domineering. If he was unhappy, no one else would be either.

Thus, Lu Huaiyi adhered strictly to "no talking during meals," staying silent while Lu Feng bossed Jiang Wanrou around, ordering her to serve him dishes. Her poise was impeccable—every movement fluid, even in her elaborate princess attire and gold hairpins studded with gems. When she leaned to pour tea, the tassels at her temples barely swayed, a sight pleasing to the eye.

Lu Feng showed a shred of consideration. Noticing her discomfort, he had her serve only a few dishes before reclaiming her full attention. He rinsed his mouth *noisily* with the tea she offered.

As stars dotted the sky, Lu Feng rose to depart for the palace, instructing, "Turn in early tonight. Don’t wait for me."

Exhausted and annoyed, Jiang Wanrou fell face-first into bed and slept soundly till dawn.

Only the next morning did she understand the meaning behind Lu Feng’s "don’t wait for me."

As she dressed, Cuizhu rushed in, in a panic, reporting that the Prince of Qi had somehow drawn the Emperor’s fury and had been kneeling in the Hall of Mental Cultivation—all night.

"What?"

Jiang Wanrou shot to her feet. "Calm down. Explain properly."

From the Duke’s estate to the Prince of Qi’s mansion, Lu Feng had stood like a bulwark for his household. She had never imagined he could face trouble. Cuizhu, even more overwhelmed, went ghost-white as if the world was ending.

Cuizhu panted, "They say... His Majesty is truly furious with the Prince this time. In the past... the Emperor never made the Prince kneel..."

Lu Feng had been exempted from kneeling due to his leg ailment ever since his notorious days as Commander of the Forbidden Dragon Bureau. Knowing this, Jiang Wanrou grew even more anxious.

What grave offense could he have committed to provoke the Emperor's wrath?

Cuizhu turned pale, her legs trembling uncontrollably: "They say the Prince acted first and reported later without authorization—claiming the Turkic tribes were too cunning and war might reignite, so he... he left the Tiger Tally at the frontier."

The Tiger Tally!

Jiang Wanrou's eyes widened abruptly. The Tiger Tally was a matter of utmost gravity—no sovereign could tolerate others coveting it, let alone... when the tally wasn't even at the border at all!

During their journey back, in a moment of passionate distraction, her hand brushed against Lu Feng's firm chest and touched something hard. As he kissed her and pressed her onto the bed, he casually tucked that object beneath the pillow.

Through dazed eyes, she glimpsed half a tiger's body carved with intricate patterns, with a cold gleam. She'd even asked him about it, to which he'd replied hoarsely, "It's something precious."