Chapter 49

Chapter 49

That day, Shen Anning took Gui Geer to three martial arts halls and even a lion dance training hall, letting him personally experience and choose. Originally, she had planned to hire a master to teach Gui Geer martial arts at the estate, but after visiting the halls, Gui Geer fell in love with the atmosphere and ultimately decided to send him to train at a martial arts hall instead.

Gui Geer personally chose one called Wu Ji Martial Arts School, whose owner also shared the surname Wu. The head instructor was said to be a lay disciple of Shaolin Temple, specializing in Shaolin boxing. Given Gui Geer's great strength and forceful temperament, it was a perfect fit.

After settling Gui Geer's matters, Shen Anning went to buy some clothing and accessories for Cui Shi and her son, picked up some sundry goods, and finally made a special trip to Liangji Medicine Shop.

Liangji Medicine Shop was one of the properties in Shen Anning's dowry, and her adoptive father, Wu Youcai, worked there as the assistant shopkeeper. Shen Anning did not let Gui Geer follow her inside, taking only Bai Tao with her into the shop.

The head shopkeeper was Manager Qin, recommended by Butler Meng. He was a longtime employee and someone Shen Anning had known well in her previous life—dependable and trustworthy. Shen Anning took out a small, exquisite jade vial from her sleeve, about the length of a finger, and handed it to Manager Qin, saying, "Could you please examine this for me? I want to know if there’s anything suspicious inside?"

Manager Qin respectfully took it, opened the vial, and sniffed it. Immediately, he praised, "This is top-quality blood-colored bird's nest."

As he spoke, he glanced at his employer with surprise. After a moment, it dawned on him—having seen plenty of the dirty dealings in inner household matters in his line of work, he quickly understood. He sniffed it again, carefully examining it, and said, "At first inspection, there doesn’t seem to be anything else, but—"

However, since it concerned his employer, Manager Qin did not dare take it lightly. After some thought, he cautiously said, "Some substances are colorless and odorless, undetectable to the naked eye. It would be safer to have an experienced, well-versed senior physician take a look. I happen to know an old physician who has tasted hundreds of herbs and is highly sensitive to them, especially well-studied in poisons. If you’re not in a hurry, could you allow me to send it to him for inspection? I’ll report to you afterward."

Manager Qin spoke with utmost caution and respect. The title "employer" was what Manager Qin had used for Elder Shen in the past, and now he used it unchanged for Shen Anning.

Shen Anning nodded and said, "That’s fine, there’s no rush. You can report to me the next time I come to pick up medicine."

As she spoke, she instructed Manager Qin to keep the matter strictly confidential and not mention it to anyone, including Wu Youcai. She then picked up a few packets of herbal tonics for health regulation as usual and, finally, asked Manager Qin to prepare several doses of contraceptive herbs.

When Bai Tao heard the words "contraceptive herbs," she turned her head sharply, staring at Shen Anning in astonishment.

Shen Anning pretended not to notice her "overreaction," offering neither explanation nor reassurance. It wasn’t until they had dropped Gui Geer off at the old residence and were returning to the marquis’ estate that Bai Tao could no longer hold back. Anxiously and confused, she asked, "Sister Ling, why are you taking contraceptive medicine? The priority should be to secure the heir's favor and give birth to a son as soon as possible. That way, you can firmly establish yourself in the marquis’ estate and no longer suffer disdain and bullying."

After a pause, she added, "If the second household gives birth to an heir first, the marquis’ estate will be thrown into chaos again."

Bai Tao was so anxious that she forgot proper decorum, even slipping into the childhood nickname.

She wasn’t afraid of the other two households in the main branch, but she worried that if the second household took the lead, given their prominence, any child born to her mistress would be overshadowed.

She was extremely worried.

But Shen Anning lowered her gaze.

In truth, she hadn't abandoned the thought of having children. In her previous life, she had been childless for seven years, burdened by the stigma of that label, never having a day of peace or relaxation. At one point, she would have gladly traded her life for a child of her and Lu Suian’s blood.

She had an obsession with children.

But that obsession was largely rooted in her attachment and obsession with Lu Suian. Having been reborn, those feelings of attachment and obsession had faded, and with them, the obsession had also dissipated.

Moreover, she hadn’t fully made up her mind yet.

She definitely wanted children, but when to have them and with whom—she hadn’t decided yet.

At this stage, she was very busy—earning money, supporting the Shen family. She only had a seven-year advantage, and she couldn’t afford to waste it.

Besides, she had a faint sense that Lu Suian in this life seemed slightly different from the Lu Suian of her previous life, especially when it came to matters of intimacy.

Thinking this, Shen Anning took Bai Tao’s hand and said, "I’m a little scared, Tao’er. Do you remember Sister Chunhua and Cuier from our village who married out?"

Both Chunhua and Cuier had died during difficult births—one due to an abnormal fetal position, the other because she was too delicate while the baby was too big, leading to suffocation.

Shen Anning knew her absurd thoughts wouldn’t convince Bai Tao, so she used an excuse and said this.

When Bai Tao heard her mention Chunhua and Cuier, she froze. Cuier had lived next door to Bai Tao’s family, and Bai Tao had personally heard her cry out in agony for two days and nights before dying a tragic death. Immediately, her face turned pale, and she grabbed Shen Anning’s hand, saying, "Don’t be afraid, mistress. If you’re really scared, we… we don’t have to rush into it right now. Let’s focus on building up your health, building up your strength. It’s not too late to have children after you’re healthier."

Bai Tao spoke with lingering apprehension.

Seeing Bai Tao’s pale face, Shen Anning felt a pang of guilt and finally said, "Don’t let this scare you off the matter entirely. We women always have to go through this eventually. It’s just… just give me a couple more years to prepare…"

Shen Anning murmured.

Bai Tao always put Shen Anning first. Seeing her mistress like this, she quickly comforted her instead. After a moment, she remembered the matter of the swiftlet nest and felt a chill, saying, "Mistress, could there be something wrong with the swiftlet nest? But that was sent by Her Ladyship—"

Bai Tao’s heart leaped into her throat. After all, it was Her Ladyship who had sent it.

Shen Anning thought for a moment. Not wanting to cause unnecessary alarm and with no proof yet, she vaguely said, "Her Ladyship wouldn’t harm me, but anything that goes into our mouths has passed through several hands. It’s always good to be cautious."

After handling Gui Geer’s matters and settling Mu-geer, Shen Anning began quietly planning her next steps. With people in place, the next thing was to hire a tutor for Mu-geer. She also needed to find time to pay a formal visit to the Pei family to discuss the procedures for recognizing adoptive parents. Then there was the matter of Zhang Wan—she still didn’t know what was going on there. The two of them needed to meet. But since the Mid-Autumn Festival had just passed and Sister Wan was overseeing the household management, she likely wouldn’t have free time these days. They could meet in a few days.

Thinking this, Shen Anning realized she was quite busy. Further ahead, there was also the matter of co-opening a restaurant with Prince Ning.

In any case, everything had to be done step by step.

She was so busy she barely had time to catch her breath.

Meanwhile, the Court of Judicial Review was quiet that day. Everyone’s minds seemed to still be floating in the excitement of the previous day’s Mid-Autumn Festival, not yet fully returned to work. And when it came to the Mid-Autumn Festival, it was inevitable to discuss the dismemberment murder case in the East Market from the day before. Although the case had been temporarily handed over to the local magistrate's office, the capital hadn’t seen such a vicious and brutal case in a long time. Murder cases happened from time to time, but dismemberment cases were truly unusual.

"What’s the identity of the deceased? Are there any clues in the case yet?"

"If the local magistrate's office can’t solve the case soon, to reassure the public, it’ll probably be transferred to the Court of Judicial Review in a few days…"

Outside the office, colleagues were heatedly discussing.

Inside, Lu Suian was reviewing cases from Jiangnan. He had gathered all criminal cases involving officials from the Jiangnan region over the past twenty years and was sorting through them again and again. The work was tedious and disorganized, requiring patience and focus.

In the past, Lu Suian’s mind was calm like still water, free of distractions, and he could handle such tasks with ease. However, that day, he frequently found his mind wandering, repeatedly disturbed by the discussions of his colleagues outside.

It was as if he had something on his mind.

After a while, he finally pressed his fingertips to his temples, pulling his gaze away from the thick stack of case files, and gently rubbed his shoulders.

Instantly, a slight, sharp pain shot from his shoulder.

He had tended to the wound early that morning. Because the injury was in a sensitive location, he hadn’t asked for help, and since it was on his shoulder, it was difficult to treat properly. He had only applied some ointment lightly.

After all, it had drawn blood, and the wound hadn’t yet healed. Because it was on his left shoulder, he couldn’t work at his desk all day. If he wasn’t careful, the wound would rub against the fabric of his clothes and stick to it, constantly distracting him.

"Quite a sharp set of teeth she has," he thought. At the same time, scenes from recent days flooded his mind.

Dalang Pei appearing at the Shen family’s old residence.

Prince Ning at August Tower.

And the determined mention of divorce from Shen Anning's mouth.

Of course, there were also the scenes from the previous night under the candlelight—the passionate, intimate encounters that flooded his mind one after another.

He had to admit that the moment the word "divorce" came out of Shen Anning's mouth, he had been angered and displeased. Even though those words hadn’t been directed at him, he could intuitively tell that they were Shen Anning's true, unspoken thoughts.

He had to admit that the appearance of Pei Yujin and Prince Ning made him feel resentful and dejected, and also caused some discomfort and a sense of crisis. Especially after learning of Shen's intention to separate, it intensified these feelings.

He also had to admit that all of the above stirred up some unexplainable defiance in his heart, as well as a faint, indescribable competitive urge.

Of course, he had to admit even more that last night's intimacy left him emotionally aroused, with a tingle at the base of his spine, and a completely captivating experience. This was an unprecedented experience since their marriage. Although he was not particularly fond of female company, he had to admit that his wife was gradually becoming more appealing to him.

However, Shen's growing coldness and detachment left him feeling somewhat helpless and at a loss.

All these matters piled up inevitably caused some irritation.

Just as Lu Suian was feeling agitated and frequently rubbing his temples, Judicial Reviewer Zhang Min had finished organizing the case files of the Female Ghost Case from Chengde and respectfully presented them, awaiting Lu Suian's review and approval before they could be transferred to the Ministry of Justice.

Lu Suian quickly glanced through the Female Ghost Case files and was about to give his approval when he paused, frowned slightly, and pointed at one of the victim's names, saying, "The victim's name is wrong."

Zhang Min was taken aback and immediately leaned in to look. Only then did he realize that he had mistakenly wrote Wang Hongmei as Wang Meihong. The main reason was that there were too many victims in this case, and he had momentarily slipped up.

Mistaking a person's name was a serious error. Moreover, Judicial Reviewer Lu was known for being strict. Zhang Min felt a cold sweat and promptly said, "This official... this official admits the mistake. It is entirely this official's fault."

Zhang Min spoke nervously, while inwardly marveling at Lord Lu's keen eye—how could he spot such a detail at a glance?

However, contrary to his usual self, who would not tolerate even the slightest mistake, Judicial Reviewer Lu unexpectedly responded calmly, "It's alright. Just correct it."

As he spoke, there was no trace of coldness in his expression. Instead, he seemed deep in thought as he picked up the case file and studied it intently. After a long while, he suddenly looked up at Zhang Min and asked, "In your opinion, what's the heart of this case? If we could turn back time to prevent this tragedy, where should we start?"

Lu Suian's sudden, seemingly unrelated question left Zhang Min momentarily stunned.

After a moment, Zhang Min assumed that Judicial Reviewer Lu, being diligent and dedicated, was discussing the case with him or testing his understanding. Not daring to take it lightly, he thought carefully and replied respectfully, "In this official's opinion, the crux of the case lies in Young Master He's initial betrayal and heartless abandonment, which caused Qi Yiniang to lose hope and become cold-hearted, leading her to commit these tragic acts out of resentment. If we could turn back time, the only way to resolve this would be for Young Master He to treat her sincerely and wholeheartedly, win her affection back. However, someone like Young Master He, who is flighty and unfaithful, might repeat the same mistakes even if given another chance, leading to another tragedy. Thus, this official believes that even if given another opportunity, it might still be futile."

Zhang Min responded earnestly after serious contemplation.

After hearing this, Lu Suian narrowed his eyes slightly, as if somewhat enlightened.

Although Lu Suian was not Young Master He, and Shen was not Qi Yiniang, there seemed to be some subtle similarities between their situations.

Treat her sincerely?

Win her affection back?

While Young Master He might not necessarily repent and reform, Lu Suian could still take some lessons and insights from the situation.

Lost in thought, Lu Suian remained silent for a while. When he finally looked up, he noticed that Zhang Min was still standing there. He asked calmly, "Is there anything else, Judicial Reviewer Zhang?"

Zhang Min was momentarily startled, then quickly came to his senses and shook his head, saying, "No, nothing else. This official... will go and make the corrections immediately."

With that, he hurriedly picked up the case files and left.

As he reached the door, he couldn't help but glance back, thinking to himself that Judicial Reviewer Lu seemed somewhat unusual today.

Puzzled, Zhang Min left the office and accidentally bumped into Lu Suian's attendant, Chang Li, at the door.

Chang Li asked, "Why are you sneaking around, Judicial Reviewer Zhang?"

Zhang Min then stealthily approached Chang Li and whispered, "Don't you think Lord Lu seems a bit unusual today?"

Chang Li arched an eyebrow and said, "Oh? In what way is he acting strange?"

Zhang Min pondered for a while but couldn't find the right words. The two stared at each other blankly for a moment. As it was almost time to get off duty, Chang Li, well aware of His Lordship's habit of staying late at the Court of Judicial Review—often "working late"—was about to go in and ask which restaurant to order dinner from, especially since His Lordship had been quite dissatisfied with the previous meals.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered, he saw His Lordship already standing up, who said to him, "Let's head back to the estate."

Hearing this, Chang Li's eyes widened in surprise. What day is it today? His Lordship is actually leaving on time? This is truly like the sun rising in the west.

Chang Li naturally complied, fearing his master might change his mind, and immediately bolted to the stables like a whirlwind.

Now, outside the Court of Judicial Review, there is an alley next to the main street, and beside it stands a crispy fried chicken joint. The meat is crispy and fragrant, and it's a favorite among the Court of Judicial Review colleagues. Every day after work, they would buy one to enjoy as a treat, sometimes forming long queues.

That day, as Lu Suian rode past on his horse, he saw the queue already stretching to the street corner. As he passed by, he heard Lou Jing's booming voice rise up, full of amazement: "Well, look who it is! Isn't that our Sun Miao? How rare! Sun Miao usually doesn't even spend money on steamed buns, getting by on plain mantou every day. Today, he’s splurging so generously—what’s made him suddenly willing to spend such a fortune?"

Lou Jing's voice was so loud that it drew the attention of everyone around.

Lu Suian also glanced over.

He saw Sun Miao standing in the middle of the queue. Faced with Lou Jing's teasing, he looked slightly embarrassed but remained composed, smiling as he said, "I just received my salary. The missus loves this, so please don’t make fun of me, Lou Jing."

Lou Jing immediately winked and teased, "Oh, Sun Miao, you pinch pennies every day, surviving on mantou, but you’re willing to save up to please your wife. Truly, that puts the rest of us to shame."

Then Sima Nan laughed and said, "What do you know? It’s precisely because Sun Miao is so thoughtful that Mrs. Sun is devoted to him, even having two kids in three years. Unlike you, who can’t find a wife and remain a confirmed bachelor. If you had learned even a third of what Sun Miao does, you’d have a wife and children keeping your bed warm by now."

Sima Nan teased Lou Jing about being single, which instantly annoyed him. Lou Jing retorted, "That’s because I have high standards! I can’t stand those painted dolls or flirty types!" Then he turned to Sima Nan and glared, "You think you’re so capable? Well, Miss Li is demanding to break off her engagement with you!"

The two of them got worked up and soon started tussling.

It was the impotent rage of two old bachelors.

Everyone joked and teased, creating a lively atmosphere.

Just as Lu Suian was about to ride swiftly past, he couldn’t help but glance at Sun Miao’s back in the queue, recalling what Sima Nan had said: "It’s precisely because Sun Miao is so thoughtful that Mrs. Sun is devoted to him, even having two kids in three years."

Devoted? Two kids in three years?

Lu Suian fell into thought for a moment, then suddenly and decisively dismounted from his horse.

He then took the reins and walked to the end of the queue, standing with his hands behind his back.

Looking into the shop, he saw the chickens hanging on iron hooks, each crispy and gleaming with grease. They looked a bit greasy. Lu Suian was not a glutton nor particularly fond of such food. He had never tried it, but he had seen Chang Li sneak a taste before, so he assumed the taste was decent.

For a moment, he recalled the steamy, passionate moments from the previous night and the lonely figure by the lake.

This was the first time he had lowered himself to wait in line for something like this.

Seeing what His Lordship was doing, Chang Li was shocked and hurriedly jumped off his horse, exclaiming, "His Lordship, how could I let you wait in line personally? Leave it to me—"

His shout instantly made several colleagues ahead turn around in unison.

Seeing Lu Suian, the Court Reviewer, waiting in line with them to buy chicken, Sun Miao, Lou Jing, and the others were utterly stunned.

"Wait, Lord Lu is here for a snack too?"

"Who knew His Lordship was into this?"

Everyone was a bit stunned; having been colleagues with Lu Suian for so long, they had never even gone to a casual eatery with the Judicial Reviewer.

In their eyes, the Judicial Reviewer was cold and distant, above worldly matters—how could he bother to come down to earth today?

Everyone started asking all at once.

Then they saw Lu Suian, with his hands behind his back, glance at the crowd and reply casually, "My wife’s got a greedy mouth, so I’m bringing some back for her to try."

As soon as he said this, the long-time singles who had been hit twice by displays of affection fell silent: "..."

While speaking, Lu Suian’s gaze swept over the shop, noticing the crispy fried chicken hanging on the hooks was dwindling.

The moment he finished speaking, the shopkeeper called out from inside, "Only one left! That’s it, no more! Those at the back of the line, no need to wait!"

The shopkeeper waved at those further back as he shouted.

Just then, Sun Miao had finished packing one, and it was Lou Jing’s turn.

As soon as the shopkeeper spoke, he looked toward the three men talking, knowing they were all from the Dali Temple and in the same clique. His gaze seemed to ask: Which of you wants this last one?

Before Lou Jing and Sima Nan could react, Lu Suian gave a faint smile and said to them, "Surely you two wouldn’t compete with my humble wife for food, would you?"

With that, he nodded slightly to the two, brushed past them, placed silver into the shopkeeper’s money basket, and said, "Pack it up."

Seeing twice the usual amount of silver, the shopkeeper beamed with delight and wasted no time. With swift efficiency, he cut up and packaged the entire crispy fried chicken, handing it to Lu Suian.

Watching the chicken fly away, and seeing Lu Suian and Sun Miao—both with wives and now with chicken—Lou Jing and Sima Nan first exchanged bewildered glances. Then, once they regained their senses, the two bachelors once again erupted in impotent rage: Aaaah, so what if you have wives!

Author’s Note:

Thank you all so much for your support. I will continue to work hard!

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