Two miles out of the capital, Lu Zhuo signaled the coachman to stop the carriage.
Wei Rao had her hands tucked into the fox-fur-lined hand warmer, comfortably leaning against the carriage board with her eyes closed to rest. When the carriage suddenly halted, she opened her eyes. Just as she lifted the thick cotton curtain to see what was happening outside, the carriage door was abruptly opened, revealing Lu Zhuo’s handsome but pale face.
It was a windy day, and after being exposed to the biting winter wind all the way, no one’s face could retain any color.
The cold wind rushed into the carriage. Wei Rao, clutching her hand warmer, shifted aside to make room for Lu Zhuo as he stepped in.
Lu Zhuo turned and sat beside her, bringing a chill with him. Even his breathing sounded cold to Wei Rao.
Had it not been for their previous argument, Wei Rao might have hypocritically inquired about his health. Now, however, she couldn’t be bothered to waste even false pleasantries.
Finding a comfortable position, Wei Rao resumed her doze. Her grandmother lived far away, and the carriage ride would take over an hour.
Lu Zhuo’s hands were freezing. While riding, he had held the reins, leaving them exposed to the frigid air until they were nearly numb.
Glancing at the feigning Wei Rao, his gaze lingered briefly on the hand warmer in her arms. He opened the drawer of the side cabinet—three layers in total. When he pulled open the second drawer, he found a set of tea utensils inside.
The teapot kept in the carriage during winter was specially designed to retain heat. Lu Zhuo took it out and drank two bowls of slightly hot Pu'er tea before finally feeling warmth spread through his body.
After putting away the tea set, Lu Zhuo also closed his eyes.
The carriage moved steadily, its thick curtains blocking the cold wind outside. Inside the nearly sealed compartment, the faint aroma of Pu'er tea lingered.
Lu Zhuo thought of the Secluded Manor. After returning to the capital, he had visited Cloud Mist Mountain twice—once accompanying Qi Zhongkai for horseback riding and hunting, and another time with his grandmother and family to admire the flowers. Each time, he passed near Shou An Jun’s Secluded Manor. Though the manor was far from the capital, its grandeur and elegance were evident even from the official road. That Emperor Yuanjia had put such effort into building it for his wet nurse spoke volumes about Shou An Jun’s standing in his heart.
Rumors in the streets claimed that Shou An Jun’s exceptional beauty had led to an entanglement with the late emperor.
Lu Zhuo had never met Shou An Jun, but judging by Wei Rao and her cousin Zhou Huizhen, he could imagine the charm Shou An Jun must have possessed in her youth.
Gossip was unreliable, yet the fact that Shou An Jun had managed to extricate herself from the Empress Dowager’s grasp and maintained favor for many years suggested she had considerable skill.
As the carriage approached Cloud Mist Town, voices began to drift in from the road outside.
With the New Year approaching, families from nearby villages flocked to the town to purchase their final provisions for the festivities. Even the harsh wind and snow couldn’t dampen the people’s enthusiasm for the celebrations.
Though Shou An Jun had a poor reputation in the capital, the locals around Cloud Mist Town admired and respected her. For any family, having a man work in Shou An Jun’s fields or a daughter serve as a maid in her Secluded Manor was considered a great honor.
Although Lu Zhuo had entered the carriage, the Duke of Yingguo’s two carriages and accompanying servants still drew the attention of the townsfolk.
A Gui, who believed the Young Lord and his wife shared a sweet relationship, cheerfully answered any inquiries from the curious locals.
The procession entered Cloud Mist Town, preparing to pass through its main street.
“Young Madam, Zhang Shu’s shop is still open. Would you like some sugar-coated haws?”
As they passed a store named “Zhang’s,” Bitao called from outside Wei Rao’s window.Upon hearing this, Wei Rao felt her mouth water.
Sugar-coated haws were a common sight everywhere in the northern regions during winter. Wei Rao had always enjoyed sweet-and-sour snacks since childhood and had eaten plenty of sugar-coated haws. Among them, Zhangji’s version suited her taste best—the sugar coating was as thin as a cicada’s wing, so it wouldn’t crumble when bitten, melted quickly in the mouth, and never stuck to the teeth.
Zhangji’s sugar-coated haws were plump and brilliantly red, without a single unripe fruit. The hawthorns were fully ripe, delivering a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness enhanced by the sugar coating. During her most gluttonous phase, Wei Rao could devour two skewers in one go. Now that her cravings had eased, one skewer was enough.
Wei Rao had the carriage stop and called out from behind the curtain for Bitao to buy twenty skewers—one for each of the masters, with the rest to be given to the young maids at Secluded Manor.
Bitao entered Zhangji’s shop and emerged a moment later, saying they would have to wait a while. Their order was too large, and about ten skewers needed to be freshly prepared.
Wei Rao was in no hurry and peeked through the curtain gap at the shops along the street.
Lu Zhuo tapped his knee lightly with his index finger, then stopped after two taps.
After waiting for roughly a quarter of an hour, Bitao handed in five packets of sugar-coated haws. Three packets contained five skewers each, one held four, and the last packet had only one.
Wei Rao placed the four packets with more skewers on a tray and took the single one for herself, eating it with relish.
The sweet-and-sour aroma wafted through the carriage.
Lu Zhuo glanced toward the window curtain.
Before he was sent to the frontier for training, he had been the eldest legitimate grandson of his family. His grandfather and grandmother had raised him with strict discipline, and aside from sleeping and eating, Lu Zhuo spent all his time studying and practicing martial arts. While other young masters from noble families went out to enjoy themselves, he never did. Later, his grandfather sent him to the frontier, where army rations were coarse—steamed buns, flatbreads, meat pies, and rice porridge. Only occasionally, when he entered the city, could he dine well at a restaurant.
As for sugar-coated haws, no one had bought them for him when he was young, and as he grew older, he disdained to buy them himself.
Yet sweet-and-sour foods were the most appetite-stimulating. Inhaling the enticing scent and hearing the crisp sound of Wei Rao biting through the sugar coating, Lu Zhuo had to carefully control his swallowing to avoid being overheard.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the sugar-coated haws Wei Rao had placed on the tray. He thought, since she bought so many, surely there was a portion for him?
But even if she offered, he would not accept.
Wei Rao paid no attention to Lu Zhuo. After eating the last sugar-coated hawthorn, she lifted the curtain, tossed the bamboo skewer into the weeds by the roadside, then let the curtain fall. She took out a handkerchief and a small hand mirror, carefully wiping her lips while examining her reflection.
“By the way, do Old Madam and the Lady of the House enjoy sweet foods?” After tidying her appearance, Wei Rao suddenly remembered the two elders of the Duke of Yingguo’s household and tilted her head to ask Lu Zhuo.
Her skin was luminous and fair. When Lu Zhuo turned to look, his gaze was immediately drawn to her full, glossy lips, which were the same color as the sugar-coated hawthorns.
Just as she said “by the way,” Lu Zhuo had genuinely thought this woman had finally considered asking if he wanted some sugar-coated haws. Who would have guessed she was inquiring about his grandmother and mother instead?
“I don’t know,” Lu Zhuo replied, turning away with an indifferent expression.
He truly did not know. In the latter half of the year, he had been away on campaign, and during the first half, he had mostly taken his meals alone in the Hall of Pine and Moon.Wei Rao did not dwell on why Lu Zhuo was unaware of his elders' dietary preferences, simply deciding that if Zhang's shop was still open on their return, she would buy a few more sticks of sugar-coated haws to bring back to the Duke of Yingguo's Manor. Delicious treats should not go unappreciated—if the Lu family elders didn't care for them, she could distribute them among the young maids to add to the New Year's festive spirit.
When the Secluded Manor finally came into view, Wei Rao passed the sugar-coated haws to Bitao through the carriage window. Looking ahead, she saw Lu Zhuo standing beside the carriage, poised to assist her descent.
Several servants from the manor had already gathered nearby. With a light smile, Wei Rao bent forward and placed her right hand into Lu Zhuo's outstretched palm.
His hand was twice the size of hers, and as his fingers closed, they enveloped her slender hand completely.
Wei Rao marveled at the length of his fingers, while Lu Zhuo was struck by the softness of her hand. Yet the moment was fleeting—the instant her feet touched the ground, both withdrew their hands simultaneously.
Having sent word the previous day of their visit, Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo had barely disembarked when her younger cousin Zhou Huizhu came skipping out joyfully. Lu Zhuo’s strikingly handsome face, reminiscent of a captivating fox spirit, briefly dazzled the young girl. Fortunately, Huizhu had glimpsed him from afar during the army’s triumphant entry into the capital. After a moment of awe, she scurried to Wei Rao’s side, exchanging playful glances.
Wei Rao introduced her to Lu Zhuo: "This is my younger cousin, Huizhu."
Lu Zhuo nodded courteously with a smile.
"Brother-in-law!" Huizhu chirped brightly.
The three proceeded inside to the main reception hall, where they found only Shou An Jun present as the mistress of the house. Even Liu Momo, who was usually inseparable from Shou An Jun, was absent, leaving only a few young maids in attendance.
Puzzled, Wei Rao watched as Shou An Jun’s gaze swept over Lu Zhuo. After exchanging greetings, the older woman explained with a sigh, "Your cousin has caught a chill, and your aunt is tending to her. Both are coughing now, so I didn’t let them come today to avoid spreading illness."
Wei Rao faintly suspected that her aunt and elder cousin must have done something again to upset her grandmother.
Lu Zhuo expressed concern, asking if a physician had been summoned, and mentioned knowing a skilled doctor in the capital.
Shou An Jun chuckled. "No need, no need. It’s just a minor cold—a few days of medicine from the local town doctor will suffice."
While thoroughly satisfied with Lu Zhuo’s qualities, Shou An Jun’s foremost curiosity was whether the young couple had truly become husband and wife.
Regrettably, with no male heads in the Zhou family, Shou An Jun had no opportunity to speak with Wei Rao privately without Lu Zhuo present.
It was only after lunch, when Wei Rao first took Lu Zhuo to her own courtyard and left him to rest, that she sought out Shou An Jun on her own.
"Grandmother, what exactly happened with Aunt and Cousin?"
Shou An Jun snorted. "Has the heir not mentioned it to you?""
Wei Rao grew even more confused. "Mention what?"
What Shou An Jun referred to was Wang Shi and Zhou Huizhen’s attempt to seduce Lu Zhuo on Cloud Mist Mountain, which he saw through and humiliated them thoroughly.
Liu Momo had witnessed the incident and reported it to Shou An Jun upon returning. At the time, Shou An Jun had no idea the man involved was Lu Zhuo. It was only when Wang Shi and her daughters went to watch the army’s triumphant return, and Wang Shi and Zhou Huizhen inadvertently revealed their encounter upon seeing Lu Zhuo again, that Shou An Jun discovered the "celestial gentleman" her daughter-in-law and granddaughter had set their sights on was none other than the heir of the Duke of Yingguo.If Wei Rao hadn't married Lu Zhuo to ward off misfortune, it wouldn't have mattered much, since the family had almost no opportunity to interact with Lu Zhuo anyway. Who could have predicted such a coincidence—the two families had become in-laws!
Shou An Jun decided that whenever Lu Zhuo visited the Secluded Manor, her daughter-in-law and Zhou Huizhen should stay quietly indoors and not embarrass themselves by appearing outside!
Still, Shou An Jun was somewhat concerned: might Lu Zhuo, noticing the resemblance between Zhou Huizhen and Wei Rao, deduce that the mother and daughter who had once tried to seduce him were Wei Rao's aunt and cousin? And if so, would he hold it against Wei Rao?
The more aristocratic the young master, the more he cared about propriety and decorum.
After hearing the whole story, Wei Rao's expression darkened.
Lu Zhuo already looked down on others with disdain; if he truly guessed her aunt and cousin's identities, he would surely think even less of their entire family.
What's more, was it possible that Lu Zhuo had already figured it out and that was why he treated her so poorly?
Fortunately, Wei Rao didn't care for his approval anyway. Let Lu Zhuo think whatever he wanted.
"It was just a brief encounter a year ago, and the young master has been through life and death since then. He must have long forgotten," Wei Rao reassured her grandmother.
Shou An Jun looked at her and asked, "How does the young master treat you? The two of you…"
Having already deceived Old Mrs. Wei once, Wei Rao was even more adept at fooling Shou An Jun. Her words and bashful expression were flawless.
But Shou An Jun knew more and wasn't as easily convinced as Old Mrs. Wei.
"Since you've consummated the marriage, tell your grandmother: how did it feel when he entered you for the first time?"
Shou An Jun fixed her gaze on the young girl.
Wei Rao's mind worked quickly. She immediately recalled the illustrations in the booklet her grandmother had given her and understood what "entered" meant.
But the feeling…
Her thoughts raced as she tried to piece together an answer from the gossip she'd heard over the years.
"Why remarry? They're craving men, that's why. Just look at that family of women with their seductive looks—you can tell they can't do without men. How could they endure the loneliness of long nights and an empty bed?"
A fragment of some woman's idle chatter surfaced in her mind. Not daring to delay too long, Wei Rao lowered her head shyly and said, "It was… alright."
Shou An Jun raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'alright'?"
Wei Rao braced herself and blurted out, "It… it was… I liked it."
Shou An Jun laughed in disbelief and pinched Wei Rao's ear. "You liked it? Don't tell me an eight-foot-tall military man is equipped with nothing but a bean sprout?"
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