Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Shen Anning and Lu Suian emerged from Brocade Manor, one after the other.

This was their first encounter since that dream. Though only a few days had passed, it felt like a lifetime.

In the year leading up to her death, Lu Suian had already earned renown across court and country for his swift and iron-fisted methods. Before turning thirty, he was exceptionally promoted to Chief Minister of the Dali Temple, a third-grade official overseeing the nation’s criminal justice. He was the sharpest sword in the new emperor’s arsenal, striking fear into the hearts of officials wherever he went.

He was ambitious, ascending rapidly through the ranks, with a future full of promise.

His demeanor grew increasingly authoritative and composed; he had even grown a short beard.

A stark contrast to the young man before her now, who still bore traces of an affected maturity.

Throughout the entire day, the couple had made no physical or eye contact.

Only Shen Anning knew that the supposed fear of contagion was merely an excuse.

As long as she remained in the Marquis’s household, as long as they remained married, they were bound as one. Meeting and interacting were unavoidable.

Yet, Shen Anning still hadn't fully figured out how to face her cold, utterly detestable husband. Should she feign courtesy and play along, or should she be two-faced and break all pretenses?

In truth, Madam Fang’s breakdown today was within Shen Anning’s expectations. Perhaps in this regard, only Shen Anning could truly empathize with her.

That feeling of being ignored, treated as if she were air, was the most despairing aspect of her seven-year marriage. Compared to knowing that Lu Suian would eventually have a clandestine relationship with Meng Anran, the constant lack of love, care, and acceptance—the effort that never once earned his notice—was what truly crushed her spirit.

Lu Suian was heartless, unfeeling, and cold. He was a stone that could never be warmed. The only trace of tenderness in him had long been reserved for someone in his heart. Loving such a person was a path to certain death.

Yet, aside from not loving her, not caring for her, and barely acknowledging her existence, Lu Suian was not a harsh man. He never struck or verbally abused women, nor did he humiliate or berate them. He valued propriety and decorum, always maintaining his dignity. He was not promiscuous or lustful—at least for the first five years of their marriage, during which she had failed to produce an heir, he neither took concubines nor frequented pleasure houses. It was only after she fell ill that he became involved with Meng Anran.

At least in those first five years, they maintained peace between them.

Besides, among men, Lu Suian was considered among the finest specimens.

Enough. Let it be. She would no longer try to warm his heart, no longer love him…

Let neither hinder the other. For now, let them coexist peacefully.

Shen Anning thought she would be hysterical, filled with hatred and disgust. But after emerging from that dream that felt like life and death, standing quietly under the yulan magnolia tree and watching Lu Suian approach step by step, she found herself surprisingly calm.

Lu Suian paused for a moment when he saw the pale green figure beneath the white yulan magnolia tree.

In the past, his wife had been earnest and careful, nervous and hesitant, afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. She always watched his expression, attending to his every need. His natural mother Madam Fang’s words, though hurtful, were not entirely wrong. Were it not for the emperor’s decree, she would never have qualified as the wife of the heir to the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household—even if she was the granddaughter of a Chief Grand Secretary.

But today, she simply stood there quietly, for the first time not actively approaching him.

It seemed somewhat different from before.

Lu Suian, being from the Dali Temple, possessed a sharp and piercing gaze. He was accustomed to scrutinizing everyone as if they were criminals. Any change in anyone rarely escaped his notice.

He immediately detected a subtle difference in his wife.

Yet, he paid it no mind. He had never understood Lady Shen well, nor did he care much about her.

Whether she changed or not made no difference to him.

In a few steps, he was before her. She spoke first, calmly: "Earlier, in a moment of anger, I spoke recklessly and said many things in haste. If His Lordship finds it inappropriate, I will go apologize to Madam and retract those foolish words."

Shen Anning spoke indifferently, but upon closer inspection, she seemed no different.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, she lightly frowned and smoothed her skirt with her hand holding a handkerchief.

Bai Tao, standing nearby, immediately asked alertly, "Madam, does your leg still hurt?"

Lu Suian followed her gaze, glanced at her legs, and asked casually, "What’s wrong with your legs?"

Shen Anning shook her head gently and said it was nothing. But the next moment, an indignant Bai Tao interrupted: "How can it be nothing? Your legs have been swollen for a while."

With eyes red with emotion, Bai Tao suddenly knelt before Lu Suian, kowtowed with force, and said through gritted teeth, "Please do not blame this servant for gossiping or stirring trouble, but today Madam was merely slightly late for her morning obeisance and was reprimanded by Madam Fang. Not only was she scolded in front of the Third Lady, the Fourth Lady, and even Lady Luo, but she was also made to kneel in punishment before all the maids and servants in the courtyard for a full half-hour. His Lordship, may I ask: what sense does it make for Madam and the other wives to dine contentedly indoors while our Madam kneels outside until she nearly faints? Madam has just recovered from a serious illness and hasn’t even had a drop of water today. This isn’t about teaching rules—it’s outright humiliation!"

Bai Tao had been holding in grievances accumulated over half a year. Once the floodgates opened, her words poured out uncontrollably: "But what does today’s humiliation even matter? For most of this year, Madam Fang has always berated and punished our Madam arbitrarily—even the Third Lady hasn’t been treated this way. Is it just because we come from the countryside that we deserve such abuse? Madam’s background is pitiable enough. We thought things would finally turn for the better, but who would have thought—"

"If we had known that marrying into the Marquis’s household meant living like this every day, it would have been better to stay in the countryside and live freely."

Bai Tao poured out all the accumulated grievances of the past half-year.

Like the Yellow River's torrent, they surged forth uncontrollably.

It wasn’t until Shen Anning sternly rebuked, "Xiaotao, stop talking nonsense," that Bai Tao looked up with red, swollen eyes and said stubbornly, "Whether it’s nonsense or not, Madam knows better than anyone."

The mistress and maid played off each other.

Lu Suian’s sharply angled brows furrowed slightly.

He truly had not been aware of these matters.

In her previous life, Shen Anning, out of consideration that Madam Fang was his natural mother, never revealed any of this to him. Moreover, due to her own humble background, she knew little and understood less. Not only could she not share his burdens, but she also feared causing trouble daily and earning his disdain. She often bore her grievances in silence.

Even if rumors occasionally circulated within the household, they never reached Lu Suian’s ears. He spent only a day or two in the residence each month. On the rare occasions he heard something, he knew his natural mother’s character was never easy to deal with, but he never gave it much thought.

Although Lu Suian did not care deeply for his wife, that did not mean he was unwilling to protect the dignity of Lu Suian’s wife. For a moment, his dark, piercing gaze swept over the maid before settling firmly on Shen Anning’s face.

Narrowing his eyes, he scrutinized her fixedly.

His expression remained unchanged, yet it made Shen Anning’s heart tighten slightly.

His gaze was like a sharp weapon, capable of piercing through exteriors straight into the depths of one’s soul.

For a moment, Shen Anning felt exposed, as if he had glimpsed the deepest secrets of her heart.

Shen Anning tightened her grip on the handkerchief, then forced herself to suppress the emotions entangled over seven years. She raised her face slightly, gathering her courage to meet his gaze directly—

Just then, someone hurried over from afar, interrupting his cold, severe scrutiny.

Finally, Lu Suian withdrew his gaze and said lightly, "From now on, go only on the first or fifteenth day of the lunar month. On other days, there’s no need."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Bao Gui, a front courtyard attendant, rushed over sweating profusely and said breathlessly, "His Lordship, someone from the palace has arrived. You are requested to come to the palace."

At these words, even Lu Suian’s expression, which usually remained unchanged under pressure, showed a flicker of surprise, though it vanished quickly, hidden once again behind his stern and composed countenance.

He immediately turned and left, without another glance at Shen Anning, leaving her behind without another thought.

Once he was gone, Shen Anning let out a sigh of relief and gave a faint cold smile.

So what if he knew everything? He merely had the final say on these matters without offering any comfort or solace to her in response to Bai Tao's words, nor any momentary concern or pity—not even a single word of care or inquiry.

Let alone grow to dislike or condemn Fang Shi because of it.

It was an answer she had long anticipated, wasn't it?

But for herself in this lifetime, this outcome was more than enough!

Lu Suian was exceptionally perceptive; Shen Anning knew that her back-and-forth with Bai Tao couldn't possibly escape his notice. She was gambling—betting that Lu Suian would not tolerate his family bullying her, an "outsider." He was too proud and too arrogant, and she was betting on that very pride and arrogance.

Indeed, she won the bet.

But winning so effortlessly left Shen Anning feeling somewhat absurdly ironic, bittersweet and sorrowful.

So it was this simple—just a single sentence was enough to save her from all the torment of those seven years in her past life.

Yet, in her past life, she had been foolish enough to accept it gladly.

She was lost in thought for a moment until Bai Tao's voice brought her back to reality. Shen Anning looked down to see Bai Tao's legs weak, kneeling on the ground and unable to get up.

Shen Anning hurriedly helped her up, and Bai Tao said with lingering fear, "Madam, you scared me to death. When the Heir gave me that look just now, I thought I was a dead woman."

Bai Tao's legs were still trembling.

When she knelt before the Heir earlier, his cold, sharp glance made her legs go weak instantly. Though she had done nothing wrong, she felt like a criminal beyond redemption, about to be arrested and dragged to prison at his command.

Shen Anning chuckled and said, "I felt much the same."

Lu Suian stood well over six feet tall, stern and unsmiling. A single glance from him could often intimidate even the most vicious of individuals, let alone women from the inner chambers like them.

Though Shen Anning spoke this way, Bai Tao could clearly see that she remained calm and composed, without a trace of fear. Because of this, Bai Tao could finally be sure—her Ling sister had returned. The familiar Ling sister had truly come back.

After the joking, Bai Tao pinched herself hard, still feeling as if it were all a dream, utterly unreal. "Madam, is it true that we no longer have to wait upon the mistress of Jinyuan? And we only need to go once a month? Am I dreaming?"

Bai Tao still looked incredulous.

It felt just like a dream.

In the blink of an eye, not only had the Heir called off the wedding, but he had also freed my lady from the morning and evening courtesies? How did all these good things happen on the same day?

How did all of this come about?

How?

Shen Anning lowered her gaze faintly.

It was because she knew those two people extremely well—what they would say, how they would react to certain words—Shen Anning could guess eighty or ninety percent of it.

In her past life, she hadn't been present today and didn't know the specifics, but Lu Suian's rejection of the marriage was inevitable. After recovering from her illness in her past life, when Shen Anning went early in the morning to pay respects to Fang Shi, she was met with a searing teacup.

Fang Shi had vented all her resentment and dissatisfaction on her. In her past life, she was struck until her head bled.

Putting it all together, she only needed to provoke at the right moment to endure today's kneeling. Whether Lu Suian appeared or not, news of her kneeling would spread throughout the entire marquisate. Shen Anning had planned every step of this process.

And Lu Suian did appear; the teacup arrived as expected. Everything fell into place, saving her from having to take further steps.

Though it required some effort, she had finally removed Fang Shi, the biggest trouble from her past life.

For the first time in seven years, she felt so liberated—a strong sense of vitality, as if she was finally living for herself.

The first round was a small victory. Next, she could finally sweep the snow from her own doorstep.

"Wake up, stop dreaming. There are more important matters waiting for us."

Shen Anning pulled the dazed Bai Tao back to Riverbank Residence.

However, Shen Anning didn't notice that, the moment they turned around, at the edge of the dense forest, Lu Suian—who had hurried away—suddenly turned back without any warning and glanced into the distance, his piercing, narrow eyes sweeping over her swiftly moving legs.

As soon as they left, Xiao Fang Shi and Yu Shi sneaked out through a side gate, looking disheveled from cutting through the woods.

Watching the couple going their separate ways in the distance—both Lu Suian and Shen Anning were dressed in green that day—their retreating figures seemed strangely well-matched from afar, which Yu Shi found inexplicably irritating.

Fang Siyan, however, couldn't understand how, in the blink of an eye, the situation had reversed so drastically. Wasn't it supposed to be about the Heir taking a concubine or remarrying? How did they end up being the ones stuck with the consequences?

Fang Siyan fumed with resentment.