A swift horse galloped out just before the city gates closed.
Night had fallen. While lanterns still glowed within the capital, outside its walls lay complete darkness.
The evening wind of early February retained its bone-chilling bite, its icy gusts cutting through the air and clearing the turmoil from Lu Zhuo’s mind.
Only now, after hearing of her departure, had Lu Zhuo truly found peace.
He had made a mistake, and he would atone for it. If Wei Rao refused to forgive him the first time, then he would try again and again, just as his grandmother had advised. Once Wei Rao’s anger subsided, she would surely return with him to the manor, restoring peace to their household.
The path to Shou An Jun’s Secluded Manor ran alongside Cloud Mist Mountain. Even in the dark, Lu Zhuo remembered the way.
With no one else on the road, the solitude of his journey allowed Lu Zhuo to reflect deeply.
When he awoke from his coma and discovered that the bride brought for the Marriage to ward off misfortune was Wei Rao, he had been deeply displeased. In his mind, Wei Rao was the girl who loved disguising herself as a boy to hunt in the mountains, who took her sisters to bathe in remote streams—defying propriety and lacking decorum. Coupled with the reputations of Little Zhou and her kin, Lu Zhuo feared that if Wei Rao truly became his wife, she would continue her unruly ways and bring trouble to his family.
Lu Zhuo had assumed his grandmother would disapprove of Wei Rao, and that his mother, a widow of many years, along with his second and third aunts, would feel the same.
He worried that his cousin Changning and his younger cousin Weiyu might be led astray by Wei Rao, and that his male cousins might be captivated by her striking beauty, straining their fraternal bonds.
For these reasons, Lu Zhuo did not believe Wei Rao would make a suitable wife—at least, not for him.
Yet, within just two months of marriage, his grandmother had grown fond of her, his mother adored her, and his second and third aunts, disregarding Wei Rao’s notorious reputation, treated her with kindness and care. His cousin admired Wei Rao, who taught her swordplay but kept their activities within the confines of the Duke's Manor, never enticing the girl to join her in riding or hunting. Even his fourth aunt, far from taking offense at Wei Rao’s blunt inquiries, had formed a warm rapport with her, going so far as to urge his fourth uncle to reprimand him.
What did this signify?
It meant Wei Rao was not as unworthy as he had presumed. Otherwise, mere gratitude for the Marriage to ward off misfortune would not have earned her the genuine acceptance of his entire household.
In many respects, Wei Rao did not fit his ideal of a refined lady from a noble family, but she was a girl of upright character.
He should not have treated her as he did.
By the time common folk were finishing their evening meals, Lu Zhuo was still riding alone on the road. When most households had extinguished their lamps and retired, he finally arrived near the Secluded Manor.
Slowing his pace, Lu Zhuo gazed at the vast estate, now shrouded in darkness—everyone had gone to sleep.
Dismounting, he led his horse slowly forward. Upon reaching the main gate of the manor, he released the reins, found a sheltered spot out of the wind, and leaned against the wall to rest.
Early the next morning, Lu Zhuo went to Cloud Mist Mountain, seeking a stream to wash his face. As he descended, the sound of approaching hoofbeats suddenly reached his ears. Instinctively, he concealed himself behind the trees. From his vantage point, he peered through the gaps in the foliage toward the mountain path below and saw a figure in red charging toward him.
The morning light, sharp and crisp, streamed from the distance. The red-clad youth on horseback galloped headlong into the radiance, his jade-like face glowing with a pearlescent sheen. His brows and eyes were exquisitely defined, his lips as vividly red as dew-kissed berries in the mountains. Astride a white steed, clad in crimson, he swept past in a whirlwind, then vanished along the winding path at the foot of the mountain.Lu Zhuo remained motionless until the sound of hoofbeats faded into the distance, then stepped out from behind the trees.
The mountain air was far fresher than in the capital, with open vistas and numerous secluded, tranquil paths. Observing Wei Rao's expression—like a young deer freed from a hunter's cage—it was clear she had moved to the Secluded Manor to refresh her spirits.
Yet, traveling alone like this again, did she not fear the one in the palace would send more assassins after her?
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Lu Zhuo went straight to where he had tethered his horse. As he untied the reins, his brow suddenly furrowed.
He hadn't thought much when tying the horse earlier—had Wei Rao noticed the horse there as she passed by?
Lu Zhuo's steed was naturally a rare, exceptional horse, pure black without a single stray hair. Earlier in the year, Lu Zhuo had ridden this very horse to accompany Wei Rao to the Secluded Manor to visit Shou An Jun. If Wei Rao hadn't noticed it just now, all was well, but if she had, she would certainly recognize his horse.
Instead of untying the horse, Lu Zhuo walked a few yards away to the path and glanced back. If Wei Rao had been looking straight ahead without glancing sideways, she likely wouldn't have seen it.
Untying the horse and mounting it, Lu Zhuo deliberately took a detour, approaching the Secluded Manor again from the direction of Yunwu Town.
Shou An Jun had just woken up—this was due to her age, as Wang Shi and the Zhou sisters, Huizhen and Huizhu, were still fast asleep in their beds.
Gonggong Li, who managed the outer residence, immediately sent someone to inform Shou An Jun upon Lu Zhuo's arrival.
Shou An Jun hadn't expected Lu Zhuo to come so early. She first had him invited to the Hall for tea, then leisurely rose to comb her hair before arriving at the Hall with Liu Momo.
Though Shou An Jun seldom went out, she paid great attention to her appearance. Her still thick, dark hair was neatly combed, and she wore a deep red jacket with ruyi patterns. Though older than both the Duchess of Yingguo and Old Mrs. Wei, she appeared much younger. Renowned for her peerless beauty in her youth, even at sixty-one, she remained an elegant and beautiful Old Madam.
Lu Zhuo stood in the Hall with his hands behind his back. Upon seeing Shou An Jun, he immediately stepped forward to bow: "Your guilty son-in-law pays respects to the Old Matriarch."
Lu Zhuo was widely acknowledged by Wang Shi and Liu Momo as a gentleman of divine beauty. Whether man or woman, good looks always carried an advantage. Early in the morning, seeing Lu Zhuo's pleasing appearance eased Shou An Jun's eyes, and her mood wasn't too bad. She smiled and said, "So it really is the heir. Why have you come so early? Rise and take a seat."
Shou An Jun smiled as she went to the main seat and sat down first.
Lu Zhuo did not take a seat but turned to stand before Shou An Jun, bowing his head in shame: "Your guilty son-in-law arrived last night, but when I hurried here, the Old Matriarch had already retired. I dared not disturb you and stayed at an inn in town. Startled by the news of Rao Rao's departure, I rushed over in such haste that I forgot to bring gifts. I beg the Old Matriarch's forgiveness."
Mentioning this, Shou An Jun asked curiously: "What exactly did you do? Rao Rao suddenly came yesterday, saying only that you had offended her, but she didn't tell me the specifics. Ah, we've spoiled Rao Rao. If the heir only slightly offended her, yet she disregarded propriety and returned without permission, please tell me, and I will reprimand her."
Shou An Jun truly didn't know why her granddaughter was angry. However, since the two young people were in a false marriage, Lu Zhuo's sincere apology still gave her granddaughter face.
Lu Zhuo only felt deeply ashamed.His words not only offended Wei Rao's father but also expressed dissatisfaction with her mother Little Zhou's return home and remarriage. Shou An Jun was Little Zhou's mother. Wei Rao deliberately concealed this from Shou An Jun not to spare him face, but because she feared Shou An Jun would also be angered by him. The elderly's way of maintaining health requires avoiding intense fury.
Lu Zhuo had made a mistake and was willing to bear Shou An Jun's wrath, but since Wei Rao had chosen to conceal it, he could not go against her filial intentions.
"My impulsive words have hurt Raorao. I am too ashamed to repeat those words and sully your ears, Old Madam. I only beg you to ask Raorao to come out, so I may apologize to her in person."
Shou An Jun glanced at Liu Momo, who shook her head slightly.
The young mistress might seem playful, but she was actually very sensible. For the Young Lord to have angered her enough to return home and now come with such humility to apologize, the reason for their dispute was certainly not simple. If she forgave him too easily, and the young mistress obediently returned as soon as he arrived, it would only make her appear as if she were making a fuss over nothing.
Since she had already left the city, the longer the young mistress stayed away, the more it would emphasize how deeply hurt she was and how severely the Young Lord had offended her.
Shou An Jun naturally understood this reasoning. She smiled wryly at Lu Zhuo and said, "Whenever Raorao encounters troubles, she likes to go hunting in Cloud Mist Mountain. That girl relies on her martial skills and fears nothing. She ran off again early this morning and won't return until she's caught something. Since you have duties to attend to, Young Lord, there's no need to wait for her. Have breakfast and then head to the military camp."
Lu Zhuo had seen Wei Rao—she wasn't carrying any hunting gear, so she had likely only gone horseback riding.
But Lu Zhuo knew that Wei Rao certainly did not want to see him at this moment.
His visit today was merely to show sincerity; he hadn't expected to earn Wei Rao's or Shou An Jun's forgiveness immediately.
After having breakfast with Shou An Jun, Lu Zhuo waited another two quarters of an hour. When he could delay no longer, he regretfully took his leave.
"Mother, the Young Lord has already come to apologize. Could you persuade Raorao to return home sooner?" Wang Shi suggested kindly.
Wei Rao had only been married into the Duke of Yingguo's Manor for a short time. No matter how great her grievances, she shouldn't have stormed back to her maternal family in a fit of anger. If this escalated, even if she were in the right, she would end up appearing unreasonable. The Duke of Yingguo's Young Lord was a man of high status; for him to rush over and try to appease her was already rare. If Wei Rao continued to resist and truly offended the Duke's Manor, they might leave her to stay outside indefinitely, and in the end, she would be the one to suffer disgrace.
Wang Shi had once envied how Wei Rao surpassed her own daughter in every way. But now that her eldest daughter, Zhou Huizhen, had also secured a good marriage, Wang Shi hoped Wei Rao would fulfill her role as the Duke of Yingguo's Young Lady properly, so the two sisters could support each other and establish themselves firmly in the capital's aristocratic circles.
"Stay out of Raorao's affairs. Have you finished preparing Huizhen's dowry?" Shou An Jun retorted, shutting her daughter-in-law down.
Wang Shi, having been rebuffed, slunk away in embarrassment.
"Mother, is it true that Young Lord Lu came to appeal Cousin?" Zhou Huizhen asked, having heard the news from a maid, and sought confirmation from Wang Shi.
Wang Shi nodded. "He came. They say he arrived last night but didn't want to knock on the door so late, so he stayed at an inn. Truly, he is a gentleman from a noble family—refined and courteous. If Young Lord Han treated you even half as well as Young Lord Lu treats Raorao, I would be content."Mentioning Han Liao, Zhou Huizhen felt both bashful and annoyed. If Lu Zhuo liked Wei Rao, it must be because of Wei Rao’s beauty. She herself was almost as beautiful as Wei Rao, and Han Liao had already sought to marry her twice. Once she married him, he would surely treat her even better than Lu Zhuo treated Wei Rao. Why was her mother worrying needlessly?
Outside the Secluded Manor, Wei Rao waited until she estimated Lu Zhuo had already left before leisurely riding back on her horse.
During her morning ride toward Cloud Mist Mountain, Wei Rao had noticed the black horse. Lu Zhuo’s horse was just like its owner—striking and unforgettable at first glance.
But Wei Rao had no desire to see him, nor his hypocritical face. In his heart, he looked down on her and her mother. His apology was only forced by the Duchess of Yingguo, and Wei Rao wanted no part of it.
“Why are you back so late?” Shou An Jun asked her granddaughter with concern. She knew Wei Rao had only gone for a morning ride, and she usually returned much earlier for meals.
Wei Rao rubbed her stomach and said to Liu Momo in a coaxing tone, “Momo, please have the kitchen prepare breakfast quickly. I’m so hungry my vision is blurring.”
Liu Momo smiled and went to give the order.
Shou An Jun looked at her granddaughter and said, “Just now, Lu—”
Wei Rao cut in quickly, “Don’t mention him. It’ll ruin my appetite.”
Shou An Jun sighed with a mix of helplessness and affection. “Alright, alright. Eat first, and we’ll talk after you finish.”
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