After spending a day at the military camp, Lu Zhuo returned to the residence in the evening and took the initiative to pay his respects to the Duchess of Yingguo. He Shi happened to be there as well.
"Did Old Mrs. Wei say anything last night?" The Duchess of Yingguo was quite worried about Shou An Jun, as her grandson had truly gone too far this time.
Lu Zhuo explained, "Old Mrs. Wei doesn't know the details of my argument with Rao Rao. It's just that Rao Rao doesn't want to see me."
The Duchess of Yingguo breathed a sigh of relief. The young lady was soft-hearted and easy to appease. If Shou An Jun knew what her grandson had done, she probably wouldn't let Wei Rao return.
Feeling relieved, the Duchess of Yingguo found her own grandson even more displeasing: "Look how sensible Rao Rao is. Even though you bullied her like that, she still covered for you and spared our Lu Family's dignity. Otherwise, if Shou An Jun found out I raised such an impolite descendant, I wouldn't have the face to see her!"
He Shi had already learned from her mother-in-law during the day why her daughter-in-law was angry. She completely sided with her daughter-in-law and joined her mother-in-law in scolding her son: "Shoucheng, how could you say such things? Do you think it was wrong for Rao Rao's mother to return home and remarry? What do you, a man, know about such matters? If a woman in the inner chambers loses her husband, what awaits her is a long and lonely life. In our family, with so many people around, I usually chat and play cards with your two aunts, talk about you cousins, and the day passes by unnoticed. When Rao Rao's mother was at the Cheng'an Marquis' residence, she only had one sister-in-law and only Rao Rao as a daughter. Of course she had to plan a way out for herself while she was still young. Otherwise, once Rao Rao married, she would have lost her last bit of solace."
The Duchess of Yingguo nodded and said to Lu Zhuo, "Rao Rao's mother has already done well enough. After Master Wei the Second passed away, she observed the mourning period at her husband's home for three more years. Given her temperament, those three years were likely for Rao Rao's sake. By the time she truly returned home, Rao Rao was already over ten years old and sensible. I heard that back then, she wanted to take Wei Rao with her, but Old Mrs. Wei couldn't bear to part with her granddaughter."
Lu Zhuo looked at the two elders with a complicated expression. Were they actually in favor of widows remarrying?
Lu Zhuo had thought...
The Duchess of Yingguo understood her eldest grandson's look. After a moment's thought, she sighed and said, "Lice only itch when they're on your own head. All these rules of womanly virtue were made up by men to restrain women. Look at those men who lost their wives—how many of them never remarried for the rest of their lives? Some might even bring a new wife home right after their wife's burial. Does anyone criticize them? These principles shouldn't be discussed with a young man like you, but who would have thought you'd be so stubbornly conventional?"
Lu Zhuo lowered his head in shame.
"Enough, enough. You were in such a hurry yesterday. Go again tomorrow during your day off. I've already prepared the apology gifts."
Lu Zhuo took his leave.
Returning to the Hall of Pine and Moon, he found that his grandmother had indeed sent over all the apology gifts.
Lu Zhuo asked A Gui to prepare water for a bath. Having slept on the floor the previous night, he needed to cleanse himself.
The next day, Lu Zhuo set out after having breakfast at home. He rode on horseback while A Gui led an uncovered carriage filled entirely with apology gifts.
The commoners on the street came and went, curious about the scene and gathering to inquire.
This time, A Gui was too embarrassed to answer.
However, with such a display, it wouldn't be long before the news spread that the Young Lady had been angered into leaving by the Young Lord.
An hour later, Lu Zhuo and his party arrived at the Secluded Manor.
The sunlight was bright. Wei Rao and her cousin Zhou Huizhu were swinging together in the large garden of the Secluded Manor. The warm spring sunlight bathed them, making them feel so comfortable they could almost fall asleep.Shou An Jun sent a young maid to invite Wei Rao to the reception hall.
Wei Rao leaned lazily against the swing rope and asked nonchalantly, "Has something happened?"
The maid replied, "The Young Lord has brought a carriage full of apology gifts to make amends to you, Madam."
Zhou Huizhu exclaimed, "Wow!" Peeking over from the neighboring swing, she said to Wei Rao, "Sister Rao, Brother-in-law was here just the night before last, and now he's back again. He truly cares for you."
Wei Rao glared at her. "What do you know? If he really cared, he wouldn't have angered me. And until my anger subsides, you call him Young Lord, not Brother-in-law."
Zhou Huizhu shrank back.
Wei Rao told the maid, "Go back and inform the Old Madam that I've grown tired from playing and have returned to my room to rest."
Wei Rao often stayed at the Secluded Manor, and the maids here were familiar with her temperament. Without another word, they smiled and went to deliver the message.
Zhou Huizhu swayed on her swing, tilting her head to look at Wei Rao in amazement. "Sister Rao, Brother... Young Lord is such a handsome man. If it were me, I wouldn't have the heart to stay angry at him. How can you be so resolute?"
Wei Rao snorted. "The more handsome they are, the more conceited they become and the less considerate they are toward others. For example, if a noble son even more handsome than him stood before you, pointed at your face, and called you 'little fatty,' would you be angry?"
Zhou Huizhu's face flushed red with anger instantly. Among her four cousins, she was the chubbiest. Though not excessively so, her grandmother never commented, but her mother and older sisters constantly urged her to eat less. Over time, Zhou Huizhu grew to despise anyone mentioning her weight. Wei Rao's "little fatty" example had struck a nerve perfectly.
"Not just angry—I'd beat him up!" Zhou Huizhu fumed.
Wei Rao laughed.
In the reception hall, Shou An Jun dismissed the young maid and shook her head helplessly at Lu Zhuo. "She's still not over her anger. Tell me, Young Lord, what exactly did you argue about? Perhaps I can help mediate."
Lu Zhuo dared not say. If he truly upset Shou An Jun and made her ill, Wei Rao would resent him, and his grandmother and mother at home would continue to blame him.
"Old Madam, could you persuade Raorao to meet with me?" Lu Zhuo pleaded. This time, he truly knew how to make amends.
Seeing his confidence, Shou An Jun said, "I'll try this afternoon."
At noon, Lu Zhuo joined Shou An Jun for lunch as usual. After the meal, he followed Gonggong Li to a guest room to rest. At the appointed time with Shou An Jun, Lu Zhuo was led by Gonggong Li to a Waterside Pavilion by the lake in the garden. The pavilion extended into the lake via an embankment, surrounded by water on all sides—serene and elegant, perfect for quiet reflection or a conversation between two.
Gonggong Li had tea and snacks prepared before taking his leave.
Lu Zhuo sat on the left side of the tea table, facing the winding embankment. If Wei Rao approached, he would notice her in his peripheral vision.
Willow trees lined both sides of the embankment. In the second month, their branches were densely covered with buds, waiting for the spring warmth to sprout tender leaves.
A fish leaped out of the water with a plop before diving back in.
Gradually, Lu Zhuo's attention drifted to the garden scenery. With the spacious suburban grounds, the Secluded Manor's landscape blended grandeur with refinement. In terms of scenery alone, even the Duke's Manor could not compare.
The tea in his bowl gradually lost its warmth, and the warm sun slowly shifted westward from mid-sky.
Having waited too long, Lu Zhuo grew thirsty. He picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of the cooled tea.As she set down the teacup, the gloomy early spring scenery in her peripheral vision finally gained a splash of vibrant color.
Lu Zhuo turned his head and spotted Wei Rao at the other end of the embankment. She wore a plum-red embroidered jacket, its matching sash cinching a slender waist so delicate it seemed graspable in both hands. When the wind stilled, the lightweight sash rested quietly against her white long skirt, but when a lake breeze swept through, both the plum-red sash and snow-white skirt swayed in unison, as if an immortal had descended with the wind.
Her maid Bitao remained ashore while Wei Rao approached alone. She carried a round fan, idly flicking it as she walked—the sheer gauze veil alternately concealing and revealing her exquisite jawline and radiant lips.
Lu Zhuo withdrew his gaze and rose from his seat.
Wei Rao had no desire to see Lu Zhuo, but her grandmother had warned that if she refused to appear, he would remain at the Secluded Manor until she showed herself.
Stepping into the Waterside Pavilion, Wei Rao halted and addressed the approaching man: "What does the heir wish to say?" Her tone brimmed with impatience, suggesting she would leave the moment their conversation ended.
Lu Zhuo lowered his gaze. "To be frank with you, Miss, since my return to the capital when I first learned of your maternal family's circumstances, I could never condone the Old Madam's tolerance of the Zhou women remarrying, nor your own unrestrained excursions beyond the city walls into the mountains. This stems from my father and two uncles falling in battle, while my mother and aunts chose to live in chaste widowhood—leading me to believe all women should follow this example."
Wei Rao curled her lip. She had anticipated this.
Lu Zhuo continued, "Thus, when I awoke from unconsciousness to discover you were my bride, I concluded you were utterly unsuited to be a virtuous wife of the Lu Family. I treated you with profound disrespect and, in moments of impulse, repeatedly uttered harsh words. The grave wrong has been done. I know you won't easily forgive me. Today, I merely wish to convey that my grandmother and mother both hold you in high regard. They've helped me understand why your mother remarried and the hardships widows endure. From this day forward, I shall never again disrespect your mother nor harbor any prejudice against you. I implore you to consider our elders' sentiments and return with me to the manor, so both families may set their hearts at ease."
Wei Rao studied him for a moment before inquiring curiously, "Did these words come from your own heart, or did the Old Madam instruct you to say them?"
Lu Zhuo lifted his eyes, meeting her probing gaze directly. "Every syllable I just spoke comes from the depths of my conscience."
Wei Rao scoffed lightly, fanning herself as she drifted toward the railings. Gazing at the glittering lake, she murmured, "I've long known you looked down on me, but I never cared. My agreement to the Marriage to ward off misfortune was never about you. I left in anger because your insults cut too deep. The resentment still burns—even if your remorse is genuine, I cannot quickly forget the humiliation I suffered. To return now feels utterly unjust."
Lu Zhuo understood. Watching her fair profile, he asked, "How long do you intend to stay here then?"
If Wei Rao had a choice, she would never return. But reality left no room for willfulness.
With a bitter smile, she mused almost to herself, "I'd prefer to remain until month's end, yet I fear worrying the Old Madam excessively. Very well—if you're willing, come to the Secluded Manor again on your next day off to maintain appearances. I shall return with you to the Duke's Manor then."
This wasn't forgiveness toward Lu Zhuo, but a reluctant concession to avoid prolonging the elders' distress.Lu Zhuo could sense her attachment to the Secluded Manor, and in that moment, he understood his grandmother's words.
His grandmother had always praised Wei Rao for her maturity. Even when Wei Rao had stormed off to the Secluded Manor in a fit of pique, his grandmother had set the end of the month as the deadline for him to coax her back. Wei Rao had also intended to stay until the month's end, yet she had compromised, voluntarily moving her return date forward by ten days to spare the Duke of Yingguo's Manor from ten more days of public gossip.
"Thank you," Lu Zhuo said sincerely.
Wei Rao shot him a sarcastic glance before turning and leaving the Waterside Pavilion.
After bidding farewell to Shou An Jun, Lu Zhuo and his party entered the capital city gates, only to be met with pointing fingers and whispered comments from passersby.
With Wei Rao's promised return date secured, Lu Zhuo felt completely at ease.
The Duchess of Yingguo and He Shi, upon learning that Wei Rao was willing to return, temporarily ceased their reproaches toward Lu Zhuo.
However, over the following days, numerous female acquaintances came calling under the guise of concern, all probing for the reason Wei Rao had fled to the Secluded Manor.
The mother and daughter-in-law pair simply attributed it to a marital quarrel, placing the blame squarely on Lu Zhuo.
The capital's officials and commoners eagerly discussed the Lu-Zhai couple's affairs, and even Qi Zhongkai heard about it, rushing over to demand what Lu Zhuo had done.
Qi Zhongkai's expression and tone carried a distinct sense of righteous indignation on Wei Rao's behalf.
Fortunately, Lu Zhuo knew that Qi Zhongkai's feelings toward Wei Rao were more akin to a protective admiration for a delicate flower rather than any profound romantic attachment, so he didn't take offense at his good friend's excessive concern for his wife.
"None of your business," Lu Zhuo responded indifferently.
Qi Zhongkai scratched his head in frustration, wanting to continue berating Lu Zhuo but afraid Lu Zhuo might misunderstand that he still harbored feelings for the Fourth Young Lady.
Unable to vent his anger, Qi Zhongkai stewed for a long moment before finally hitting upon the most crucial question: "So did you apologize to her? You wronged her—you should properly admit your mistake, right?"
Even before his friend, Lu Zhuo maintained his aloof demeanor: "I'll go fetch her back during my next day off."
Qi Zhongkai: "How come I heard that last time you brought a whole cart of apology gifts and still couldn't placate her?"
Lu Zhuo pressed his lips together.
Qi Zhongkai punched him in the shoulder: "I told you you're dumb, but you wouldn't believe me. What's the use of giving her those vulgar gifts? You need to give her something she actually likes, something that'll make her eyes light up. I remember when I was little, every time my mother was angry with my father, he'd give her a piece of jewelry. She'd put it on, and all her anger would vanish."
Jewelry?
Lu Zhuo thought of the New Year's money Wei Rao had returned to him. If he tried to placate her with jewelry, she would surely interpret it as him insulting her with gold and silver. Their first argument had been related to money matters.
Still, Qi Zhongkai had a point. Next time he went to the Secluded Manor, Wei Rao would certainly return with him, but she hadn't forgiven him for his offense. If he could use a gift to dissolve the resentment between them and ensure harmonious relations going forward, his grandmother and mother would be pleased, and he wouldn't have to endure the family's reproaches anymore.
The question was, what kind of gift would Wei Rao like? What kind of gift could make her forget the humiliation inflicted upon her parents?
Lu Zhuo visited the storeroom at the Hall of Pine and Moon. After looking around, he found nothing there that Wei Rao couldn't purchase with silver—no rare treasures that would truly impress her.
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