With their journey imminent, Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo did not stay for a meal at Cheng'an Marquis's residence. After sitting for half an hour, they returned to the Duke of Yingguo's Manor.
Lu Zhuo had his own affairs to arrange, while Wei Rao oversaw the maids packing their luggage in the rear courtyard.
"They say spring comes late in the northern regions. Should we bring two cloaks for the young lady?"
"The young lady is particular about her bed. Since we can't take the bed, let's pack two quilts."
"We should also bring more jewelry. Once the Young Lord arrives in Jincheng, local officials will surely host banquets. When the young lady attends, she mustn't appear too plainly dressed."
Liuya and Bitao bustled about, murmuring to themselves as they packed—sometimes soliloquizing, sometimes consulting one another.
Wei Rao sat on the couch watching them, her phoenix eyes sparkling with amusement.
After organizing one of the trunks, Liuya turned and saw her mistress on the couch. She smiled warmly. "Are you this happy just to go on a trip?"
They only knew Wei Rao was traveling to Jincheng.
The visit to the West Mountain Imperial Palace required secrecy. Wei Rao had kept even her most trusted maids completely in the dark. Throughout the capital, only she, Lu Zhuo, Shou An Jun, the Duchess of Yingguo, and Emperor Yuanjia in the palace knew this secret.
"After all this time since the young lady married, the Young Lord has finally done one thing right," Bitao remarked half-delightedly, half-disapprovingly as she arranged the quilts.
Seeing that the four trunks were nearly packed, Wei Rao said to Bitao, "You may return to your room to pack your own belongings. Liuya can manage here."
For this journey, Wei Rao could only bring one maid. She chose the cheerful, laughter-loving Bitao.
Bitao skipped away light-footedly.
Soon after, He Shi arrived.
He Shi drew Wei Rao into the inner chamber and shared many intimate words. As a mother-in-law, He Shi's primary concern was one thing: she feared Wei Rao might become pregnant during the trip, and the journey's rigors could jeopardize the pregnancy.
Wei Rao blushed. "Don't worry, Mother. If it happens, I'll be careful."
After advising her daughter-in-law, He Shi went to see her son.
Lu Zhuo's trunks had long been prepared. At this moment, he was reading in his study. Learning of his mother's arrival, Lu Zhuo came to the Hall to speak with her.
When in good spirits, Lu Zhuo embodied the most refined gentleman, treating his mother with utmost respect.
He Shi only feared her son's cold demeanor; this version of him she did not fear. After reminding him of daily trivialities, He Shi coughed, took a sip of tea, and addressed his boots: "While traveling, if Rao Rao becomes pregnant, remember to hire a reliable matron to care for her. Rao Rao and the child come first—don't focus only on yourself."
Lu Zhuo smiled. "I understand. Even if Rao Rao isn't pregnant, her happiness will always precede mine."
He Shi: ...
She had meant that if her daughter-in-law became pregnant, her son should refrain from sharing a bed with her. Why did her son's reply seem misinterpreted?
Since her subtlety was lost on him, He Shi had to speak plainly: "If Rao Rao truly is with child, the two of you must sleep separately. Well then, finish your preparations quickly. I'm leaving."
Abandoning her son, He Shi hurried away.
Lu Zhuo smiled wryly as he saw his mother out. Pregnancy? Unless acting required it, if he dared lay a finger on Wei Rao now, she would draw her sword and slay him.
Early the next morning, two carriages stood lined up before the Duke of Yingguo's Manor—one for passengers, one for luggage. A Gui, along with the servants from Songzhu Hall, successively loaded six rosewood trunks onto the rear carriage, each marked with labels. There was also one long wicker trunk for the accompanying servants' bundles.After packing the luggage, the stable boy brought Lu Zhuo's glossy black steed and tied it behind the second carriage.
As they prepared to depart, the Duchess of Yingguo, He Shi, and members of the second, third, and fourth branches came out to see them off. Even the rarely seen Fourth Master made an appearance.
Wei Rao bid farewell to the elders and approached Fourth Master and his wife. Before she could speak, Fourth Madam's ears flushed red, her lashes lowered as she avoided meeting Wei Rao's gaze. That night when they had hidden in the bamboo grove sharing intimate secrets, the darkness had made it feel natural, but now in broad daylight, Fourth Madam always felt too shy to face Wei Rao.
Seeing her embarrassment, Wei Rao didn't prolong the conversation. With a final glance at the Duchess of Yingguo, she and Lu Zhuo boarded their respective carriages one after another.
As the wheels began turning, Wei Rao let out a soft sigh of relief. Finally, they were leaving. The morning's social obligations had been exhausting—her face ached from maintaining a smile for so long.
"Have you traveled far from home before?" Lu Zhuo suddenly asked.
Wei Rao leaned against the left corner of the carriage, closing her eyes as she replied, "Cloud Mist Mountain is the farthest I've been."
Lu Zhuo glanced at her petal-soft cheeks and reminded her, "The journey to Jincheng will take seven days if all goes well. Aside from meals and lodging stops, we'll be in the carriage the entire time. It may prove quite tiresome."
Wei Rao responded indifferently, "The heir need only concern himself with his own comfort. There's no need to worry about me."
Whether it was her first long journey or the anticipation of seeing her mother, excitement had kept Wei Rao awake all night. Tossing and turning until the third watch, she had forced herself through the morning's social niceties. Now that pretense was no longer necessary, she only wanted to catch up on sleep and had no patience for Lu Zhuo's chatter.
To hint that he should take the hint, Wei Rao lifted her round fan and covered a yawn.
Lu Zhuo indeed ceased disturbing her.
When the carriage passed through the city gates, eight captains of the Divine Martial Army were already waiting there.
Each captain commanded one hundred soldiers. Lu Zhuo's mission to Jincheng involved recruiting eight hundred new recruits, who would be distributed among these eight captains for training.
The captains dismounted to pay respects to Lu Zhuo.
As Lu Zhuo lifted the carriage curtain to speak with them, Wei Rao secretly cracked open an eye. Through the gap between Lu Zhuo and the curtain, she saw two captains kneeling on one knee—both around twenty-five years old with bronze skin and robust, muscular builds that inspired confidence.
"Mount up. Let's depart."
After Lu Zhuo finished speaking, Wei Rao immediately closed her eyes again.
The eight captains remounted, joining Lu Zhuo's attendants Zhao Song and Zhao Bai to form protective positions around the carriage, serving as guards for Lu Zhuo's journey.
The road stretched ahead monotonously, made more tedious by sharing the carriage with a companion with whom she shared little rapport and even less to discuss.
Wei Rao managed to sleep for about an hour before a jolt from the carriage woke her.
Rubbing her head where it had bumped against the carriage wall, she opened her eyes to see Lu Zhuo pouring tea.
"Thirsty?" Having poured his own cup, Lu Zhuo noticed she was awake and looked over to ask.
This tea was the floral blend Bitao had prepared according to her preferences. Since Lu Zhuo was drinking her tea, she wouldn't be taking advantage by accepting his offer.
Wei Rao gave a noncommittal hum.
Lu Zhuo picked up a celadon cup, filled it seventy percent full, and carried it over in his palm.
Wei Rao took it by the rim, carefully avoiding contact with his hand.The tea was warm. Wei Rao held the cup in one hand while using the other to lift the carriage curtain, revealing a Divine Martial Army captain sitting upright on horseback. The captain, focused on riding, hadn't expected the curtain to be lifted and instinctively glanced over, meeting a face as radiant as blooming flowers. Stunned, he quickly averted his gaze upon realizing the woman's identity, but a flush of red spread from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.
Wei Rao found it amusing and lowered the curtain, turning to Lu Zhuo. "Ask the officer following us to fall back a bit. He's blocking my view of the scenery."
If the captain didn't retreat, Wei Rao would have continued enjoying the view, likely making the man even more flustered.
Lu Zhuo had also noticed his subordinate's reaction. If a sheltered young lady had carelessly exposed her face to an outsider, and if Wei Rao were his sister, he would have scolded her. But Wei Rao was not his sister—she was his tempestuous, nominal wife who often rode and hunted on Cloud Mist Mountain—so he refrained from reprimanding her.
"The weather is still cold, and the trees and flowers haven't yet turned green. There's not much scenery to admire," Lu Zhuo said indirectly, implying that as long as Wei Rao refrained from lifting the curtain and gazing about, she wouldn't be breaching etiquette.
Wei Rao was no fool and immediately grasped his meaning. This self-righteous Young Lord was mocking her lack of propriety again.
Since he wouldn't cooperate with polite conversation, Wei Rao simply smiled, hooked her side's curtain open, and eagerly looked into the distance.
Without either of them saying a word, the trailing captain promptly turned and moved to the rear.
Wei Rao thought to herself that Lu Zhuo's subordinates were far more perceptive than he was.
From the other end of the narrow couch, Lu Zhuo watched the curve of Wei Rao's crimson lips, restrained himself, and pulled out a drawer from the three-tiered cabinet to retrieve a book.
After enjoying the scenery, Wei Rao lowered the curtain again and resumed resting with her eyes closed.
By noon, the party arrived at a small town.
"Is there anything you'd like to eat?" Lu Zhuo asked softly, peering through a gap in the curtain at the passing shops.
Wei Rao only wanted to stretch her legs quickly and replied offhandedly, "Whatever you decide. Just make sure there's a clean restroom."
Though it seemed a simple request, most humble households had only pit latrines. Only a large inn could provide a dedicated restroom.
Lu Zhuo thus chose the town's most imposing-looking inn.
The restroom was located behind the inn. Wei Rao intended to bring Bitao along, but to her surprise, Lu Zhuo followed them.
Wei Rao assumed he had his own needs.
The restrooms were separated by gender. Wei Rao stood outside, sending Bitao in first to inspect the area. If anything was amiss, Bitao would tidy it up before Wei Rao entered.
A stone wall divided the two restrooms, with a carved lattice window set into it. Covering her nose with a handkerchief, Wei Rao let her gaze wander until it landed on the window—just as Lu Zhuo was standing on the other side.
At that moment, Lu Zhuo entered his side.
Wei Rao averted her eyes. Soon, Bitao emerged and said cheerfully, "Young Madam, you may use it now. It's quite clean in here."
After relieving herself and washing and drying her hands, Wei Rao exited with Bitao.
Lu Zhuo was already waiting for them there.The food at the tavern was merely passable compared to that of the Duke of Yingguo's Manor. Wei Rao's table only had her and Lu Zhuo, while Zhao Song and the others—ten people in total—were split between two tables. Bitao sat with Zhao Song, Zhao Bai, and two junior officers at another table. The men drank a little, ate heartily, and looked after Bitao, making for a lively meal.
In contrast, Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo's table was rather quiet and cold, with the only warmth coming from the forced smiles on their faces.
As the journey was pressing, the group set off again after the meal.
By now, Wei Rao was truly tired.
The carriage was equipped with cushions. Lu Zhuo took one and placed it near the door, then sat with his back to the narrow couch. In a low voice, he said to her, "You can lie down and rest."
Wei Rao glanced at the narrow couch beside her. The Duke's Manor's carriage was very spacious, and the couch was long enough for her to lie down with her legs slightly curled.
"Thank you. When I wake up, it'll be your turn to rest," Wei Rao replied courteously.
Lu Zhuo responded with a noncommittal "Hmm."
Wei Rao looked at his back, then followed his example by taking off her embroidered shoes and lying on her side with her back to him, facing the carriage wall, her feet tucked beneath her skirt.
The rhythmic swaying of the carriage made it easier to fall asleep. Wei Rao yawned silently a few times and soon drifted off.
Lu Zhuo had been reading until he grew thirsty.
He turned to pour some tea, but the sight of the beauty lying across the narrow couch suddenly filled his view. She rested on her right arm, her left arm draped in front, her smooth, silk-clad figure resembling a delicate mountain peak unveiled by the sun after dispersing the mist—yet scaled down countless times, as if presented to him by an invisible hand.
With every turn of the carriage wheel, her body swayed gently.
A sudden heat surged within him without warning. Lu Zhuo dared not look further, gave up on the tea, and quietly turned back to continue reading.
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