After being reprimanded by Wei Rao, Lu Zhuo closed his eyes again to rest.
Wei Rao inhaled the scent of alcohol emanating from him while silently calming her emotions.
Lu Zhuo had offended her several times before, but he had never made any improper advances. His earlier words must have been due to his drunken state.
Wei Rao had very few male elders on either side of her family, but she had heard others say that men often act wildly when drunk. Even the most refined and courteous gentleman might insult elders or make improper advances toward women when intoxicated, let alone a hypocrite like Lu Zhuo.
Thinking this, Wei Rao shifted further away, facing the carriage window while keeping a wary eye on Lu Zhuo from her peripheral vision.
The courier station soon came into view. Lu Zhuo remained motionless, leaning against the seat with steady, long breaths as if fast asleep.
The coachman, Bitao, Zhao Song, and Zhao Bai were all waiting outside. When Wei Rao's soft calls failed to rouse him, she frowned and tugged at Lu Zhuo's sleeve.
After three tugs, Lu Zhuo finally opened his long-lashed eyes, gazing at her with a dazed expression.
Wei Rao said disdainfully, "We've arrived at the courier station. Get off."
Lu Zhuo seemed not to understand her words. After a moment, he straightened up, lifted the curtain to look outside, then stood and moved toward the carriage door. Seeing him sway slightly, Wei Rao feared he might fall and embarrass himself—and by extension, her—in front of the station servants. She quickly warned Zhao Song, "The heir is heavily drunk. Support him."
Zhao Song immediately strode over and steadied Lu Zhuo by the arms.
Once Lu Zhuo regained his balance, he turned to look inside. Worried he might still be putting on an act, Wei Rao hurriedly signaled Bitao to come assist her.
Thus, the couple entered the courier station's designated courtyard separately supported by their trusted attendants.
Bitao instructed the kitchen to brew sobering tea. After drinking two bowls consecutively, Lu Zhuo appeared somewhat clearer-headed.
Still uneasy, Wei Rao had Bitao carry out Lu Zhuo's bedding before immediately closing the door and blocking it with a chair. This way, if Lu Zhuo tried to drunkenly pick the lock in the middle of the night, she would hear the noise when he pushed against the door.
With any other man, Wei Rao wouldn't fear losing a physical confrontation. But Lu Zhuo was different—she had witnessed his martial prowess firsthand.
He was a formidable military commander who happened to possess the handsome face of a top imperial examinee. Enemy generals on the battlefield likely underestimated him to their detriment.
Fortunately, Lu Zhuo caused no trouble that night.
At dawn, Wei Rao rose, changed into practice clothes, took her sword, quietly moved the chair, and opened the door. Darkness still enveloped the interior and exterior. As her eyes adjusted, she saw Lu Zhuo lying motionless on the daybed, facing away from her.
Wei Rao slipped past silently into the courtyard. The servants had not yet risen. With complete focus, she began her sword practice.
After half an hour, the black night sky had faded to pale blue. Early-rising birds flitted through trees, chirping cheerfully.
Wei Rao completed her final sword stance, sheathed her blade, and exhaled deeply.
Turning, she saw Lu Zhuo had awakened at some point. Dressed in snow-white underwear, he stood under the eaves, his handsome face pale and weary.
In contrast, Wei Rao's delicate cheeks were flushed pink, with fine beads of sweat glistening on her forehead and nose tip—like dewy peaches hanging from rain-kissed branches, fresh and enticing.
Unaware of her own appearance, Wei Rao walked toward the entrance with her sword in hand.Lu Zhuo stepped aside to let her pass, then partially closed the door behind Wei Rao as she entered.
Wei Rao tightened her grip on the sword. Having never been drunk before, she didn’t know if a single night was enough for someone to fully sober up. But if Lu Zhuo truly harbored ill intentions, she would not hesitate to act.
Unable to see what Lu Zhuo was doing behind her, Wei Rao didn’t rush back to the inner chamber. Instead, she walked to the tea table in the Hall and stood sideways to him, pouring herself a cup of tea as if to quench her thirst.
Lu Zhuo approached, rubbing his forehead, his voice hoarse as he said, "I was drunk last night and can’t clearly recall what happened after the banquet ended. I only remember discussing the Yang family’s hunting arrangement with you. Later, I’m not sure what I said, but you seemed to glare at me. Could it be that I acted inappropriately and offended you in my drunken state?"
After speaking, he sat down opposite Wei Rao and added with a bitter smile, "If I did offend you, I sincerely apologize. I only ask that you not take the words of a drunkard to heart."
Wei Rao met his gaze for a moment before replying sternly, "You were indeed drunk. I praised Miss Yang for her candid and straightforward nature, yet you spoke recklessly, suggesting you would take her as a concubine to keep me company. That’s why I reprimanded you severely."
Lu Zhuo stared at her in astonishment.
Wei Rao retorted, "Were those merely drunken words, or do you harbor improper thoughts about Miss Yang?"
Lu Zhuo straightened his expression and said, "I have never met Miss Yang and know nothing about her. How could I disrespect her? The idea of taking a concubine certainly did not come from me. Are you taking advantage of my hazy memory to fabricate such claims and tarnish my reputation?"
Wei Rao sneered, "You asked, and I answered truthfully. If you don’t believe me, so be it. However, Miss Yang has been nothing but sincere to me, and I cannot be sure of your true intentions toward her. If you truly have no interest in her, it would be best for you to avoid tomorrow’s hunting event to prevent any misunderstandings."
Finally, Lu Zhuo understood Wei Rao’s motive.
If she were truly trying to slander him by accusing him of disrespecting Miss Yang, he would have been angry. But since she was merely making up a story to shake him off, he found himself more amused than upset.
He looked into her challenging eyes and suddenly smiled. Pouring himself a cup of tea, he declared candidly, "If I avoid the event, it would seem as though I have a guilty conscience. Since you doubt my character, I will accompany you and let you see for yourself what kind of person I am. The Lu Family does not harbor lecherous men. Even if Miss Yang were as beautiful as a celestial being, I would not spare her a second glance."
Wei Rao’s attempt to provoke him had failed, and she lost interest in continuing the charade. Snatching up her sword, she strode into the inner chamber.
Hearing footsteps in the courtyard, Lu Zhuo knew Bitao had arrived with the attendants. He promptly followed, carrying his bedding into the inner chamber.
Wei Rao remained lying with her back to him, buried under the covers. As Lu Zhuo spread out his bedding, she deliberately remarked, "It stinks."
Hearing this, Lu Zhuo picked up a corner of the quilt and sniffed it. There was no trace of alcohol.
How could there be? The night before, he had bathed, changed his clothes, and rinsed his mouth thoroughly before bed. Wei Rao was simply finding fault with him.
Sitting down, he turned his head toward her and asked, "You don’t want me to join the hunt?"
Lu Zhuo remembered every word of their conversation in the carriage the previous night, including his mild teasing of Wei Rao. Afraid she might be angry, he had pretended to be too drunk to recall, but Wei Rao, clever as a fox, had tried to turn the situation to her advantage and shake him off.
Wei Rao replied coldly, "If you truly wish to hunt, then come along. But if you’re only doing this out of fear that something might happen to me and you’ll have to answer to the Old Lady, there’s no need."Lu Zhuo looked at his hand propped on the bed and said softly, "I am indeed worried about something happening to you, but not solely because of the Old Matriarch. Since I brought you out, I am responsible for your safety. Jin City is five hundred li from the capital. You have no relatives or friends here. If you go into the mountains alone with the Yang siblings and anything goes wrong, even if the Old Matriarch doesn't blame me, I could never forgive myself."
Wei Rao retorted, "In the end, the Young Lord just looks down on my martial skills."
Lu Zhuo hadn't meant it that way. Her sword techniques were exquisite, and in a fair duel, she could indeed defeat ordinary masters. But if faced with multiple attackers or ambushes, she would have no choice but to surrender.
However, since she was angry, reasoning with her would likely be futile. Lu Zhuo went along with her words, "A woman's flowery fists and embroidered kicks—I truly don't think much of them. How about this: tonight, we'll have a match. If you can withstand three moves from me, tomorrow you may go on your own."
Wei Rao had always taken pride in her swordsmanship. For Lu Zhuo to humiliate her with a challenge of three moves—how could she not be furious?
She threw off the covers and sat up, glaring at Lu Zhuo. "Fine, let's compete! If I can block three of your moves, from now on, you must listen to me in all matters concerning me!"
Lu Zhuo smiled. "Agreed."
During the day, Lu Zhuo went out, while Wei Rao meticulously prepared in the courtyard for her evening duel with him.
Angry as she was, Wei Rao didn't dare underestimate her opponent. If Lu Zhuo was confident he could defeat her in three moves, it meant he might truly have the ability.
No matter what, since she had accepted the challenge, she would give it her all.
As night fell, Lu Zhuo returned. He seemed to be in good spirits and had even brought back a local specialty for Wei Rao—sour plum cakes.
Having shared so many meals with her, he knew her tastes.
Wei Rao truly couldn't resist sweet-and-sour snacks. While Lu Zhuo was called away by Zhao Song, she nibbled on two pieces.
She intended to give the rest to Bitao.
Bitao laughed, "These were specially brought back for you by the Young Lord. I wouldn't dare eat them."
Wei Rao shot her a glare.
Bitao awkwardly fell silent.
After eating the cakes, Wei Rao soon grew drowsy—so tired that she felt something was off.
She wanted to say something to Bitao, but her body went limp and she collapsed.
Bitao was terrified. Just as tears welled in her eyes, Lu Zhuo returned.
"Don't worry. Your mistress has been struggling to sleep these past two nights due to the unfamiliar bed. I added a little something to her cakes to help her sleep. She'll wake up naturally tomorrow morning," Lu Zhuo explained gently.
Bitao was stunned. Was this even allowed?
Lu Zhuo motioned for Bitao to carry Wei Rao inside.
Bitao couldn't lift her, so she hoisted her unconscious mistress onto her back and carried her into the inner chamber.
Lu Zhuo instructed, "Stay here tonight and attend to her."
He didn't want Wei Rao waking up the next morning suspecting he had taken advantage of her while she was unconscious.
Bitao made a bed on the floor and kept watch over her mistress all night.
The next day, as dawn approached, Wei Rao indeed woke up. The room was dim, making it hard to tell if it was early morning or dusk.
Confused, Wei Rao asked Bitao, "What time is it?"
Relieved to see her well, Bitao cheerfully replied, "It's almost dawn. You slept very soundly, miss."
It was then that Wei Rao learned the whole story from her trusted maid.
Clenching her fists, she told Bitao to summon Lu Zhuo.
"You said we would duel. What do you mean by drugging me?" Wei Rao demanded, glaring at Lu Zhuo angrily.Lu Zhuo stood behind the screen, looking at her blurred face and said, "I said I would compete with you in three moves, but I never said all three would be fair and square duels. Just like when you followed the Yang siblings alone into the mountains for hunting—if they had ill intentions and drugged your food, what could you do? Or if you encountered a lost child, and out of kindness you approached to ask, but they sprayed a face full of knockout powder at you, what then?"
Wei Rao had read about knockout drugs in storybooks, but only after experiencing such a drug firsthand did she truly understand its potency.
This was Lu Zhuo's way of warning her about the dangers outside. If Lu Zhuo had ill intentions toward her, if he had slipped something into her tea...
Wei Rao suddenly felt a chill of fear, and her gaze toward Lu Zhuo became filled with vigilance and wariness.
Lu Zhuo chuckled and tossed a small packet over to her. "This is what's left. Soak it in water or tea and smell it often to remember the scent."
Wei Rao picked up the packet of powder, squeezed it gently, and looked at the hem of his robe with mixed emotions. "Thank you."
Thank you, Lu Zhuo, for teaching her this lesson.
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