Lu Zhuo was not in the residence. After finishing breakfast, Wei Rao first went to Chunhetang to pay respects to her mother-in-law, He Shi.
He Shi welcomed her with an enthusiasm that exceeded Wei Rao's expectations.
In the three days since the wedding, Wei Rao had actually been very busy. During the day, she was occupied with the etiquette and social obligations of the Lu Family and her maternal family, while at night she was inseparable from Lu Zhuo. As a result, she hadn't had the chance to have a proper, private conversation with He Shi.
On her way to Chunhetang, Wei Rao had been somewhat worried that He Shi might hold a grudge against her due to her attitude toward Lu Zhuo after their reconciliation. After all, parents are protective of their children. In her own mother's eyes, no matter how much she tormented Lu Zhuo, it was what he deserved. But He Shi might not see it that way.
Wei Rao naturally wasn't afraid of He Shi, but since she had married into the family, she still hoped to maintain the same relationship with He Shi as before.
"Mother, do you not blame me?" After being pulled into the inner room by He Shi, with the maids having withdrawn, Wei Rao was the first to speak.
He Shi asked curiously, "Blame you for what?"
Wei Rao lowered her head, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Earlier, when I had a disagreement with the heir, I was quite harsh with him."
He Shi immediately understood. The affairs between her son and daughter-in-law had been the talk of the town in the capital, and He Shi had naturally heard about them. Every time she heard something, she would summon her son to inquire, so the version she heard from Lu Zhuo was quite different from the rumors outside.
Last year, during the celebration of the sixth child's first birthday, her son went to see Wei Rao off and was hit by a teacup she threw. Why? Because her son had urged Wei Rao to marry him quickly, and his words were too frivolous, so Wei Rao was angry at his lack of seriousness.
He Shi felt that her daughter-in-law was right to throw the teacup. When Wei Rao returned to the Cheng'an Marquis' residence to observe mourning for the old lady, the rumors outside were vicious. Now that the mourning period was over, Wei Rao could proudly resume her status as a princess and live in such a grand residence. Who wouldn't hesitate to rush into remarrying their former husband?
He Shi understood her daughter-in-law and also understood her son's impatience. Such a beautiful woman—her son had been alone for so long, he must have been terribly frustrated. That was why he eagerly went to Shou An Jun's Secluded Manor to help with farming to please his daughter-in-law, and even jumped into a river to find medicinal herbs, all to persuade her to agree to marry him sooner.
For a young couple, their quarrels were just part of their romance. Outsiders understood nothing, making wild guesses and gossiping. But look, hadn't her daughter-in-law still married him? Little Zhou had become a noble consort, her status soaring. Despite Wei Rao's elevated status due to her mother's position, she was still willing to marry her son. Didn't that prove their deep affection?
In any case, He Shi was utterly satisfied with Wei Rao. A young lady from a marquis' family who was willing to enter a marriage to ward off misfortune to save her son's life, a kind daughter-in-law who never looked down on her low-born mother-in-law—where in the capital could she find a better daughter-in-law than Wei Rao?
He Shi proceeded to comfort and reassure Wei Rao in this manner.
Only then did Wei Rao realize that Lu Zhuo had been keeping the truth from He Shi all along. Even more astonishingly, He Shi had believed everything, truly thinking that she and Lu Zhuo had never genuinely separated.
Lu Zhuo had gone to such great lengths, and her mother-in-law remained innocent and sincere. Wei Rao naturally had no intention of exposing the truth.
"I'm glad you don't blame me," Wei Rao said with a smile.He Shi patted her princess daughter-in-law's hand, smiling with curved eyes: "No blame at all. To be honest with you, Rao Rao, I've actually been hoping you'd marry in quickly. As you know, I treat Weiyu as my own daughter. These past few years I've been pondering what kind of husband would suit her best. I can't bear to send her too far away, but nearby... I'm truly unfamiliar with the families in the capital."
He Shi awkwardly twisted her handkerchief.
The Duke of Yingguo's manor had many relatives, but He Shi rarely went out visiting. Most of the madams from the same generation who came to the Lu family were closer to Second Madam, Third Madam, and Fourth Madam. Occasionally, one or two madams from humble backgrounds were willing to sit with her longer.
He Shi knew her position was awkward. She didn't blame others for neglecting her, nor did she find this situation improper. After all, she lived comfortably in the Duke's manor. Shoucheng's marriage had been arranged with Old Madam's help, and these past two years the Old Madam had been busy with several nephews' and nieces' marriages. When it came to Weiyu, relying solely on herself made He Shi immediately headache and anxious.
Wei Rao could understand He Shi's awkward position. However, she remembered that three years ago, He Weiyu seemed to have some feelings for Lu Zhuo. If He Weiyu still harbored feelings for Lu Zhuo, then helping her connect with other potential husbands might make Weiyu resentful. If she deliberately found fault with the suitors, Wei Rao's relationship with He Shi might also be affected.
"What kind of temperament does cousin prefer in a gentleman, does Mother know?" Wei Rao asked first.
He Shi sighed: "She stays cooped up with me in the back residence every day, how would she have any ideas? We have to decide everything for her." At this point, He Shi's eyes lit up as she told her daughter-in-law about Qi Zhongkai's bold declaration about marrying a beauty that she heard during Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo's wedding: "You know how beautiful Weiyu is. If we arrange for her to meet Second Master Qi, there might be hope."
Wei Rao was surprised by He Shi's "ambition," though of course He Shi wasn't like her sister-in-law Wang Shi who sought to climb the social ladder. She genuinely thought Qi Zhongkai was reliable, virtuous, and handsome - she valued him as a person.
Wei Rao had interacted with Qi Zhongkai before. He was indeed easy to get along with, without the arrogance common among scions of noble families. The problem was, would Qi Zhongkai's mother Madam Marquis of Pingxi and the Qi family matriarch approve of He Weiyu? If He Weiyu were a cousin from the Old Madam's maternal family, there might be some possibility even with her humble background. But He Weiyu was He Shi's niece from her maternal family.
"Mother, I can help matchmake with anyone else, but Second Master Qi... he came to the Princess Manor to propose marriage before. If I matchmake him with cousin now, both cousin and Second Master Qi might feel uncomfortable about it," Wei Rao said tactfully.
He Shi understood and said: "It wouldn't be appropriate for you to intervene." But if Shoucheng comes forward, it would be more convenient. I was thinking of having Shoucheng invite Second Master Qi to the Hall of Pine and Moon as a guest, then take the opportunity to let Weiyu appear before Second Master Qi and see his reaction. If he doesn't fancy Weiyu, we'll drop the matter. If he does, he'll naturally discuss marriage proposals with his parents."
Wei Rao nodded - this wasn't a bad approach.
He Shi quietly complained to her daughter-in-law about her son: "Shoucheng went to the border at twelve and hasn't been close to me since returning. When I mentioned this matter to him, he didn't seem to approve. When he puts on that stern face, even I'm intimidated by him. So I wanted you to help persuade him. He likes you so much, he'll definitely listen to you."At this moment, He Shi finally revealed a trace of grievance. The son she had worked so hard to bear was no longer close to her at all, and even when discussing matters, he seemed restrained by this and that.
Wei Rao quickly said, "Mother has misunderstood. The heir isn't distant from you—it's just that sons and daughters show filial piety differently. Why else do people say daughters are parents' close little cotton jackets? The heir has been taught since childhood to uphold propriety as a gentleman and lead troops in battle. If he were to chat casually with you like I do, you might not even be accustomed to it."
He Shi understood. When she was younger, her husband had also been stern and dignified in front of her mother-in-law, yet showed a different side when alone with her.
"In any case, I'm counting on you for this matter!"
Wei Rao smiled and agreed.
After leaving Chunhe Hall, Wei Rao went to Zhongyi Hall to pay respects to the Duchess of Yingguo.
Fourth Madam was also there, accompanied by her two-year-old Lu Bin. Children of that age are at their most adorable, and he was sitting intently on the couch playing with a set of wooden carvings. Only when Wei Rao drew closer did she recognize them as over twenty small soldier figurines, each equipped with miniature wooden spears, knives, horses, chariots, and other battlefield gear.
Lu Bin was placing a slightly larger "general" figure onto a black-painted wooden horse.
Fourth Madam asked him, "An'ge, who is this general?"
Without looking up, Lu Bin replied, "Eldest brother." Then pointing at the black horse, he added, "Flying Ink."
Wei Rao was astonished.
Fourth Madam explained with a smile, "This set was designed by Shoucheng, who commissioned Master Hu to create it based on his drawings. I heard from Shoucheng that he was inspired by you."
Wei Rao's face flushed.
Back in Jincheng, she had commissioned a woodcarver to create two sets of shepherd boy with cattle toys—one gifted to her younger brother and one she kept for herself, still displayed in her curio cabinet. While Lu Zhuo had indeed been inspired by her, the ingenuity behind this set of soldier figurines and the craftsmanship of the woodcarver had far surpassed her own creation.
"I only thought of shepherd boys with cattle—nowhere near as clever as the heir's design," Wei Rao remarked sincerely.
The Duchess of Yingguo laughed. "But without your shepherd boys, how would Shoucheng have conceived these soldiers? Let's hope Bin'ge grows up promising and lives up to his eldest brother's high expectations."
Having broadened her horizons at Zhongyi Hall, Wei Rao returned to the Hall of Pine and Moon. The more she reflected on Lu Zhuo's set of soldier figurines, the more she appreciated them. If even an adult like herself found them captivating, how could children resist adoring them?
Wei Rao saw a business opportunity.
The woodcarving shops she had visited typically focused on elaborate pieces meant as gifts for adults—purely decorative. Those carved for children tended to be monotonous items like the twelve zodiac animals. If someone could produce complete play sets that appealed to children while allowing adults to interact with them...
They could be wooden carvings or cloth dolls. Simpler crafts would suit low-cost mass sales, while intricate ones targeting wealthy households could command higher prices.
Wei Rao headed to the study in the Back Residence and spent the entire afternoon there, sketching and writing.
At dusk, Lu Zhuo returned.
Recalling Wei Rao's request the previous night to adhere to his original rule of staying in the Back Residence once every three days, Lu Zhuo smiled and said to A Gui, "I'll be reading in the study. Inform the princess when dinner is ready."
A Gui acknowledged the order and left.
Wei Rao had just emerged from the study. Upon hearing Bitao's message, she suddenly remembered He Shi's entrustment.A quarter of an hour later, dinner was nearly ready. Wei Rao sent Bitao to invite Lu Zhuo over for the meal.
Lu Zhuo had already changed into casual attire and arrived in the backyard with a relaxed expression.
It was clear he had no pressing duties to worry about. Wei Rao chatted with him briefly and waited until the maids had withdrawn before bringing up He Shi’s matchmaking plan as they ate: “This is Mother’s idea. What do you think?”
Lu Zhuo said, “The Madam Marquis of Pingxi is unwilling.”
Wei Rao pondered, “If Second Master Qi were still in his teens, the Madam Marquis would certainly refuse. But this year, he’s already twenty-five…”
“How do you know his age?” Lu Zhuo interrupted abruptly.
Wei Rao shot him a glare.
Lu Zhuo chuckled and resumed their earlier topic: “It seems you agree with Mother’s plan?”
Wei Rao replied, “It’s not about agreeing or disagreeing. It’s just that Mother has put in so much effort—as her children, we should help where we can. If this succeeds, the Qi Family has a simple household. If Cousin is willing to be Second Master Qi’s virtuous partner, given the relationship between the Lu and Qi Families, the Madam Marquis might agree to the marriage and wouldn’t mistreat Cousin after the wedding.”
Qi Zhongkai was already twenty-five—no longer young. Yet he was stubborn about marrying a beauty. The Madam Marquis of Pingxi, eager for a grandson, might very well yield to his wishes. If He Weiyu could bear an outstanding son for the Qi Family, just as He Shi had for the Lu Family, the Madam Marquis would surely grant her the respect she deserved.
Though ironic, the only point in He Weiyu’s favor with the Madam Marquis of Pingxi was that her presence might hasten the arrival of a grandson from the second son’s household—provided Qi Zhongkai and He Weiyu took a mutual liking to each other.
“Of course, I’m only conveying Mother’s suggestion. Whether to invite Second Master Qi over is up to you,” Wei Rao said calmly, continuing her meal.
Lu Zhuo pondered briefly and said, “Meeting at the Hall of Pine and Moon isn’t appropriate. If Qi Zhongkai truly takes a liking to Cousin and arranges things upon returning home, the Madam Marquis will surely guess our intentions. Instead, at the end of the month, I’ll accompany you, Mother, and Cousin to the temple to offer incense. I’ll find a way to lure Qi Zhongkai there as well. That way, it will appear to be a chance encounter.”
Wei Rao was impressed: “If Mother had half your cunning, she would have found Cousin a good match long ago.”
Lu Zhuo smiled at her: “Cunning can create opportunities, but whether a marriage succeeds still depends on fate.”
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