Chapter 23

Chapter 23

That crimson robe was truly exquisite.

Under the sunlight, it gleamed with golden and silver threads, auspicious cloud patterns faintly visible. A jade belt accentuated his slender waist, and the golden crown shimmered brilliantly.

No wonder Lu Yu had spoken so little last night, doing nothing but kissing—perhaps out of a sliver of guilt.

Yun Wan sat in the covered corridor, staring vacantly toward the main gate, tears streaming down her face.

When Lu Yu had married her, he hadn’t dressed like this.

Back then, he had just escaped the gates of hell, dragging his ailing body to hold her hand as they registered their marriage at the county office.

She had thought it was merely a stopgap measure, a fake marriage to reclaim the old house from her uncle. Yet, to her surprise, after they settled in the county town, Lu Yu solemnly knelt before her parents’ graves and placed a bridal veil, embroidered with a dragon and phoenix symbolizing marital bliss, over her head.

There was no wedding dress, no Master of Ceremonies.

With heaven as their witness and earth as their matchmaker, they wed before her parents’ graves.

That evening, back in the county town, they simply celebrated with a mutton hotpot meal at a tavern.

At that time, all their money had been invested in the printing house. Though poor, their hearts were fervent and passionate.

Now, her husband had donned resplendent robes to seek to marry another girl, demonstrating his sincerity to her parents.

Yun Wan dared not think further; her heart felt as if being cut by a dull knife, her entire chest convulsing with pain. Tears of fury flowed uncontrollably.

She was going mad.

The entire day, Yun Wan was in a daze, accidentally shattering the teacup in her hand.

Late at night, Lu Yu pushed the door open, dressed in a dark blue robe and carrying a faint smell of alcohol. He paused upon seeing Yun Wan sitting upright at the round table.

He lowered his eyes to hide his emotions and asked as he usually did, "Why aren’t you asleep yet?"

Yun Wan seemed frozen in place, silent, yet the tear stains on her face told the full story of her sorrow today.

Lu Yu sat before her without a word, his fingers clenched tightly.

Until the candle suddenly went out, plunging the room into silence, all emotions erupting in that moment.

Lu Yu leaned forward to gently peck at the corner of Yun Wan’s lips, about to say something.

Yun Wan instantly stood up, pushing Lu Yu away with all her strength. Her voice trembled as she said, "I haven’t yet congratulated the Young Marquis on his fortunate match."

With that, she lowered her eyes and bowed respectfully, remaining in that position for a long time.

Lu Yu’s fingers trembled slightly, his lips pursed. "Wanwan, she won’t interfere with you. She will have her own main residence, and you will still live in Lanting Pavilion. We will carry on with our lives as usual."

"Wanwan, listen to me. Since my father passed away, the influence of the Marquis of Xuanping’s mansion in the capital has plummeted. Our clan relatives in our hometown of Liyang depend entirely on the main household in the capital for support..."

Lu Yu paused. "Since I was ten, the responsibility of the entire Marquis of Xuanping’s mansion has rested on my shoulders... I cannot act recklessly. The marriage with Duke An's Mansion is the result of careful consideration of the advantages and disadvantages."

"If..."

"If I had nothing to my name, I would take you away from here... but that’s simply impossible..."

Lu Yu lit the glazed lamp, and the dim candlelight instantly illuminated the entire room.

He watched Yun Wan’s frail body trembling slightly on the floor, his heart clenched suddenly. He reached out to help her up but saw her face already streaked with tears.

His large, broad hand wiped the tears from Yun Wan’s cheeks. "Don’t cry."

"After the wedding, let’s elevate Wanwan to concubine, alright?"

Yun Wan bit her lips tightly, tears streaming down, but she remained silent. Her eyes were already bloodshot as she pushed Lu Yu’s hand away. "I don’t want to."

Lu Yu thought Yun Wan was throwing a tantrum. "After becoming a concubine... Xiao Bao’s education will be assured. Be good, listen to me."

Yun Wan didn’t want to speak anymore. Her heart was shattered, stabbing her chest with pain. The idea of becoming his concubine was somehow framed as a favor.

Everything Lu Yu said today had only one purpose: to make her accept that he would be someone else’s husband.

Later, he would also make her accept that he would be the father of another woman’s children.

Forcing her to witness her husband, who had lost his memory, marry another woman—nothing could be more cruel.

When only she remained aware of their shared memories, every moment they had spent together would become a blade lacerating her heart, carving away her flesh and blood in the years to come.

Perhaps Lu Yu would remember the past again—maybe fifty years later, perhaps at the banks of the Forgetful River in the underworld, or maybe not even in the next lifetime.

At this thought, Yun Wan’s eyes filled with despair, her lips turned pale, and the light in her eyes vanished.

Their conjugal bliss now felt like a dagger stabbing into her, gutting her organs, turning her body into an empty shell.

From that night onward,

Yun Wan’s heart seemed perpetually shrouded in a chilly, damp rain. Her body felt as if clothed in soaking wet garments—chilly, damp, impossible to remove, and occasionally sending shivers through her.

Suddenly, a harsh, shrill voice rang in Yun Wan’s ears.

"Miss Yun, Madam summons you."

Yun Wan paused, slowly turned around, and looked at Xing Hua’s face. She lowered her gaze and whispered, "Alright, I’ll go right away."

"Hurry up! Don’t keep the mistress waiting!" Xing Hua urged sharply and sternly, but Yun Wan’s expression remained dazed and vacant.

In the main hall,

Maidservants filed in carrying various dishes, arranging the aromatic and visually appealing food neatly on the round table.

The Lady Marquess said gently, "I heard yesterday that Li Pingting would visit today, so I asked the chef to prepare some of your favorite dishes. They might not be as good as those from Duke An's Mansion, but I hope you don’t mind."

Li Pingting smiled and waved her hand. A maid beside her stepped forward with a tray holding an embroidered box.

When the box was opened, it revealed an ancient scripture.

"I heard Madam enjoys Buddhist teachings, so I specially had someone bring this from my maternal grandfather’s academy in Jiangnan as a gift for you."

"You’re too kind. Thank you for remembering me."

Both women, being noble ladies from prestigious families, exchanged pleasantries for a long time, as if they were about to become as close as mother and daughter.

Lu Yu impatiently twirled his thumb ring and said in a deep voice, "Mother, let’s dine before the food gets cold."

The Marchioness looked up at the still-empty doorway and said with a smile, “Let’s wait a little longer.”

Lu Yu frowned, puzzled, but still complied.

“Madam, she’s here.”

Nanny Li whispered softly into the Marchioness’s ear.

The Marchioness smiled gently at Li Pingting and said, “Today, I specifically called for the maid who serves the heir to attend, so she can also get acquainted with the future wife of the heir.”

As soon as the Marchioness finished speaking, a timid voice sounded at the door.

Yun Wan lowered her head and eyes, stiffly bowed, and said softly, “...This maid... pays respects to my lady, to the young master.”

Her body trembled slightly, but her fingers tightly clutched the silk handkerchief.

“Come and greet the future wife of the heir. Do not be impolite.”

The Marchioness’s voice was cold, laced with an icy severity. Yun Wan felt her scalp go numb, as if icicles were piercing her spine.

She slightly raised her eyes, daring only to steal a glance at Li Pingting, who was seated beside Lu Yu.

Her legs felt as if filled with mud, making even kneeling and bowing extremely difficult. Her chest tightened, and her breathing grew rapid.

“Do you even need to be taught the rules?”

Yun Wan was suddenly pushed to the ground. Trembling, she instinctively bowed, struggling to speak from the depths of her throat, “I pay respects to... I pay respects to the future wife of the heir.”

In an instant, Yun Wan’s tears fell to the ground, her heart overflowing with anguish.

It was painful.

Her knees ached, and her heart ached even more.

She did not want to see Lu Yu being affectionate with another woman, nor did she want to be the lowest of the low here.

Li Pingting, noticing Lu Yu’s flickering gaze and his restless fidgeting with his ring, quickly feigned gentleness and said, “There’s no need for such formalities. Please rise quickly.”

Yun Wan thought it was over, but it was only the beginning.

“Begin serving the dishes. You will attend to today’s lunch,” the Marchioness said indifferently.

Lu Yu’s cold voice interrupted the Marchioness’s order, “No need. Let her go back.”

“Yun Wan, are you willing to serve the future wife of the heir?”

The Marchioness’s voice was gentle yet stern. What could Yun Wan say? She could only nod, tears in her eyes.

Lu Yu’s gaze remained fixed on Yun Wan, but she did not look at him even once.

Yun Wan picked up a pair of ebony and silver chopsticks. With teary eyes, she glanced around helplessly, but none of the maids nearby offered assistance. She had no choice but to begin serving the dishes.

Her delicate hands carried scalding hot pots and poured boiling tea. Even the attendants beside the Marchioness deliberately assigned her difficult tasks.

Yun Wan spun around like a top, her eyes growing redder and emptier. She worked numbly, busying herself with the tasks, not even shedding a tear when she accidentally spilled boiling tea.

Lu Yu watched her silently, not uttering a single word to protect her.

It was only when Yun Wan returned to her room in a daze that she broke down.

Yuan Yuan gasped in alarm as she bandaged Yun Wan’s fingers. The cool ointment soothed her scalded hands, and Yun Wan’s tears burst forth like a flood, silently streaming down her flushed cheeks.

When Xiao Bao saw Yun Wan return, he struggled to sit up, smiling innocently and reaching out his hands, “Mommy... hug...”

Yun Wan’s arms could no longer support the child’s weight. She could only touch his cheek with her bandaged fingers, open her arms, and force a smile, “Come to Mommy.”

That night, Lu Yu once again pushed open Yun Wan’s door and saw only a faint candlelight burning on the round table.

He slowly lifted the bed canopy, only to find Yun Wan’s swollen eyes staring directly at him.

Lu Yu’s throat tightened, his voice low and hoarse as he demanded, “Wanwan, why won’t you beg me? Why won’t you speak gently to me? Why do you insist on suffering?”

Yun Wan smiled bitterly, tears streaming down her cheeks, “Isn’t this what the heir wanted?”

“I’ve preserved the heir’s dignity in front of the future wife of the heir, and there’s no sign of favoring a concubine over the wife.”

“The heir remains lofty and unattainable, while I am just a lowly village woman from Yun County in the northwest.”

Yun Wan was not foolish. Today’s events were clearly the Marchioness establishing authority for Li Pingting. As the pawn, what else could she do but comply?

As she spoke, Yun Wan’s gaze at Lu Yu was filled with heart-wrenching sorrow and nostalgia.

Lu Yu’s face darkened instantly. He gripped Yun Wan’s wrist tightly, “Wanwan, are you punishing me? Making me realize that protecting you is impossible?”

Yun Wan reached out with her other bandaged hand, caressing Lu Yu’s cheek affectionately, but said nothing.

Lu Yu suppressed his anger, his voice raspy, “Wanwan, who are you seeing when you look at me? Are you still thinking of your deceased former husband? Am I not worth even an ounce of your affection?”

Yun Wan mustered all her strength to struggle, her eyes filled with despair and tears.

“Yes, you are not worth it at all.”

“From beginning to end, you could never compare to him. I loved him, I miss him, I cherished him...”