Half an hour later.
Lu Lingxiao erged from the dungeon, gazing at the dark clouds obscuring the moon above the do, his eyes turning icy cold.
This Grand Commander was ten, no, a hundred tis more arrogant and ruthless than the rumors had suggested.
To have such a treacherous minister in Great Zhou is truly a calamity. Action must be taken promptly to remove this threat for the court and for Your Majesty.
As Lu Lingxiao stepped into the carriage, ng Qianqian was already inside.
Recalling the events in the dungeon, his chest felt stifled, yet he could not speak to her of them. After all, she was rely a little woman of the inner chambers, entirely ignorant of such matters.
He took a seat across from ng Qianqian.
ng Qianqian didn’t look at him, sitting quietly as if she intended to completely ignore him.
Lu Lingxiao scrutinized her from head to toe, noticing that she had changed her attire again. But with the lesson from last ti, he refrained from questioning her this ti.
"Were you... frightened today?"
ng Qianqian ignored him.
"Were you hurt?"
Lu Lingxiao continued to inquire.
ng Qianqian still did not respond.
Lu Lingxiao said, "Mother is very worried about you. Great-grandmother is asking why you haven’t returned yet."
ng Qianqian remained silent.
Frowning, Lu Lingxiao urged, "Say sothing."
ng Qianqian cast him a frosty glance and said coolly, "Does my husband hope I’ll say sothing like, ’I’m fine,’ or ’I escaped danger unscathed,’ or ’The Beiliang spies didn’t almost kill ,’ or ’The Jinyi Guard’s hidden weapons didn’t nearly cut in half!’ Or would you prefer to say that my dear husband, who vowed he’d co to rescue , only showed up late in the night, arriving just barely too late to collect my still-warm corpse had the Grand Commander suspected even a little?"
"Ah, but that wouldn’t be surprising, would it? Husband, you were the one who, in front of everyone, handed over to the Beiliang n! I suppose my survival ans you’ve missed your chance to live blissfully with your beloved. What a pity, isn’t it?"
"ng!"
Lu Lingxiao stood up, seething. Forgetting it was a carriage, he slamd his head against the roof with a loud thud, grimacing from the pain before gritting his teeth and sitting back down.
"When did I ever hand you over to the Beiliang n? Don’t spout nonsense! Wan’er is pregnant. If I hadn’t saved her, she might have died along with her unborn child. And besides, she was closer to at the ti..."
ng Qianqian chuckled faintly. "Taking her to the Governor Mansion to enjoy my position was because she was closer to you as well?"
Lu Lingxiao flared up in anger. "Why are you still bringing up past grievances? That matter is over! Let’s not ntion it anymore!"
ng Qianqian: "Ha."
Lu Lingxiao said, "Besides, if you’re angry at , direct it at alone. Stop dragging Wan’er into this. She’s done nothing that wronged you. Keeping her at the Governor Mansion was a consideration for the big picture—she refrained from clarifying for the sake of my future. There’s no need for you to humiliate and expose her publicly like you did today."
ng Qianqian sneered in fury. "Was that what she told you?"
She had thought that when a man’s heart turns blind, his eyes would be blind as well. But evidently, it’s worse than she imagined—even his brain ceases to function.
Lin Wan’er impersonated her, took her place, and yet he blad her for exposing it.
This was the husband she had been widowed for, for five years.
She refused to believe no one had told him what really happened, but he simply chose not to believe that his Wan’er had done anything wrong.
His Wan’er, even if she erred, she must have been forced to. She must have had her reasons. But as for ng Qianqian—whatever she did was always wrong.
As long as she remained in the position of rightful wife, she would forever be the one bullying Lin Wan’er.
Even if it was her identity that was stolen, even if it was her who was abandoned.
Lu Lingxiao said, "Who said it doesn’t matter. There are so things I hope you don’t misunderstand—Wan’er’s choice not to clarify was for the bigger picture."
ng Qianqian replied, "Running faster than a rabbit was for the bigger picture too?"
Lu Lingxiao frowned deeply. "Wan’er rushed toward at that ti to protect —to block the Beiliang n’s blade on my behalf. She’s not the kind of person who values her life over others. Her father and brother died fighting Beiliang; father and son alike were courageous martyrs. Wan’er is also a woman of integrity. Do you think she’s never been captured by Beiliang before? At least you returned whole, while she—she not only had her martial arts destroyed by them, but her voice was poisoned mute. These are the things I owe her."
ng Qianqian continued to stroke the silk handkerchief in her hand. "So whoever is weaker must be in the right?"
Lu Lingxiao opened his mouth, "Is that what I ant?"
"Is it not?" ng Qianqian’s deep gaze locked onto his eyes. "You only rember what you owe her. What about what you owe ?"
Her eyes were clear and serene, yet they were sharp and cutting as a treasure sword encased in icy bluntness—a gaze impossible to et directly.
Lu Lingxiao diverted his gaze, resting his hands on his knees, speaking lowly. "Why are you bringing up the silver again?"
Turns out, in this man’s heart, the only debt he owed her was silver.
ng Qianqian said, "If not silver, then what? Shall we discuss the love that should exist between husband and wife? My dear General seems to have forgotten that between you and , such a thing does not exist."
Lu Lingxiao’s voice deepened. "Wasn’t it just a matter of borrowing so silver? Once Your Majesty’s rewards arrive, I’ll return it to you!"
"Fine, then I’ll have the ledger sent over when we return," ng Qianqian said coldly. "Please don’t go back on your word, and make sure to reimburse for my dowry promptly!"
With that, ng Qianqian lifted the curtain and stepped off the carriage, not sparing him a single glance in her departure.
Lu Lingxiao felt anger boiling over.
Forget it!
She’s suffered grievances today—let her vent however she wants.
Upon his return to the Lu Family estate, Lu Lingxiao first checked in to reassure Lu Mother, then headed to the study to see Lu Xingzhou.
He recounted the events in the dungeon in ticulous detail, including the mont he heard the Beiliang spies were there to assassinate the Holy Emperor, and Lu Yuan made the brazen comnt, "Had I known earlier, I wouldn’t have stopped them."
As for Lu Yuan’s arrogance and wolfish ambition, Lu Xingzhou seed utterly unsurprised. But when he learned that Lu Yuan killed the Beiliang spy who slandered Lu Lingxiao and ng Qianqian without hesitation, he couldn’t help being montarily startled.
After a long pause, Lu Xingzhou murmured, "It seems he’s resolved to win you over. Taking Qianqian to the Governor Mansion for interrogation was, in na, to question her, but in truth, it was to lure you there, to curry favor. Killing the Beiliang spy who defad you was a declaration of his trust—he believes in you."
He spoke of defamation toward "you," and not "you two."
In Lu Xingzhou’s eyes, all the Grand Commander’s moves were aid at wooing his son—they had nothing to do with ng Qianqian.
Lu Lingxiao also found his father’s reasoning sound. "Father, what should we do?"
Lu Xingzhou said, "On the surface, don’t antagonize him. Wait and watch for further developnts."
Lu Lingxiao said, "Understood, Father."
Lu Xingzhou added, "One more thing: you’ve been back for a while now, but you’ve been neglecting Qianqian. Tonight, move to Haitang Courtyard. Until Qianqian conceives a legitimate son, you are not allowed to leave."
Lu Lingxiao’s expression darkened. "Father!"
Lu Xingzhou spoke harshly: "If you can’t manage that, send that Lin woman away!"
Leaving the study, Lu Lingxiao called over a servant boy from the courtyard. "Who’s been here just now?"
The boy thought for a mont before replying, "The Eldest Young Madam."
Lu Lingxiao’s fists clenched tightly.
Snow began to fall as the night settled in, the wind bitterly cold.
Ban Xia was about to lock the door when she saw Lu Lingxiao arrive at the entrance, his face chilly.
She turned away, not even bothering to greet him as "Master."
Lu Lingxiao entered the room without a word.
ng Qianqian was eating fried pastries and reading a storybook. She glanced at the shadow cast on the ground and asked without looking up, "Is this about coming to repay the silver already?"
Lu Lingxiao’s deep gaze fixed on her. "After you returned to the estate, you went to see Father, didn’t you?"
ng Qianqian uttered an acknowledgnt.
Lu Lingxiao clenched his fists tightly. "So it was you! Earlier, I even thought you had been wronged today—felt it was only right that you vent your anger at . I never expected you to be so manipulative! Using Father and Wan’er to force !"
ng Qianqian caught the heavy scent of alcohol on him and frowned slightly. "If you want to act drunk, go back to your own courtyard and do it."
Lu Lingxiao suddenly grabbed her wrist, yanking her up forcefully, and threw her onto the bed with a heavy motion. His voice was cold as he said:
"Isn’t it true that you just want to consummate the marriage? Fine, I’ll grant your wish!"
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