Chapter 91:
Lu Ziyan thought for a long time, trying to figure out where the problem lay.
What he could be sure of was that his self in this world was truly dreading something.
Political enemies at the imperial court?
He came from a loyal and valiant prominent family, yet he did not idle on his ancestors’ merit records; he had reached this point through his own strength, far ahead of his peers long ago, blocking no one’s path, with a bright and brilliant future.
Even if someone was truly dissatisfied with his arrogant temperament, they absolutely would not oppose him without massive conflicting interests.
If there truly was such a political enemy, he could not possibly have failed to notice before.
And looking across the entire imperial court, the one who could make him dread to the point of even cold-shouldering his own wife absolutely would not be some court minister.
Could it be… the one on the dragon throne?
At this thought, Lu Ziyan’s brows furrowed again, and he quickly dismissed it.
If it were truly the one on the dragon throne who intended to suppress him, there would have been no need to painstakingly cultivate him all these years.
To re-employ him, grant him military power, give him trust.
If not him, then who could it be?
Who else could make him dread to this extent?
Such blatant favoring concubines and neglecting the wife, making everyone think he liked Liu Manrou and was cold and heartless toward his principal wife.
Lu Ziyan wanted to investigate the truth, but for some reason, he could not leave Xie Wanning’s side.
It was as if he had entered this dream so that some existence under the guidance of fate wanted him to witness with his own eyes, in this world where she insisted on marrying him, all the hardship she suffered.
He could only watch everything from Xie Wanning’s perspective.
What a waste!
Lu Ziyan gritted his teeth and cursed.
He had been dissatisfied with this ‘self’ for a long time; how could he be such a waste, marrying her back yet unable even to properly cherish her.
Two years!
His Wanwan had already endured such bitter days for a year, and yet he still made her wait two more years!
Lu Ziyan seethed with hatred and pain, yet had no way at all to stop any of this from happening.
The story continued to unfold slowly.
Perhaps Xie Wanning’s aloofness made Lu Ziyan feel uneasy; in the days before leaving the capital, he came to Shao Guang Courtyard every day.
He would start asking what she had been busy with during the day, but Xie Wanning no longer had the mood to confide.
Seeing her lack of interest, he would proactively talk about idle gossip he had heard outside.
Xie Wanning would occasionally hum in response, no longer her former enthusiastic and vibrant self.
The once bright and charming young lady had been married in for just over a year, yet under her husband’s day after day of cold treatment, she had become taciturn.
In their time alone, aside from the entanglement on the bed, the two were mostly silent toward each other.
But even their bedchamber affairs no longer had the infatuation of newlyweds.
One bit her lip in endurance, the other vented ruthlessly in teasing.
The more she showed coldness and resistance, the more frequent and intense his demands became.
On the eve of his departure from the capital, Lu Ziyan arrived under cover of night.
At that moment, Xie Wanning was bathing, and he actually barged right in; Er Qing and several little maidservants naturally could not stop him and knelt on the ground beside them.
He waved away the servants and slowly stepped into the bathtub.
Steam rose, and the young lady inside was completely bare; her exposed neck, collarbone, and shoulders were all marked with traces he had left the night before, beautiful like plum blossoms slowly blooming in the snow.
Xie Wanning panicked completely, shrinking back into the tub again, her face flushed unknowing whether from shame and anger or the steam.
Lu Ziyan gazed fixedly at her for a good while, then suddenly reached out to lift her chin.
The instant their eyes met, Xie Wanning saw the desire in his gaze, her mind exploding with a boom, and she said tremulously, “My hair and makeup are disheveled; it’s inconvenient to be seen. Please withdraw first.”
“Wanwan forgot; I’ve seen you at your most embarrassed.” Lu Ziyan leaned in close, whispering, “However, we have yet to bathe together…”
As he spoke, his hand reached into the water; Xie Wanning hurriedly dodged, clutching her chest, and repeated, “You go out first!”
Lu Ziyan’s hand paused; seeing she truly did not want it here, he slowly withdrew it.
He seemed helpless as he said, “You and I are a couple fulfilling our marital duties; why be so formal.”
Xie Wanning clenched her teeth. “Yes, I am your wife.”
But how are you any different toward me than toward a concubine who serves your bedchamber.
Rushing in lustfully at night, leaving sated in the morning.
Lu Ziyan did not know her thoughts, but he could tell she felt grievance.
He flicked her nose tip with a finger, sighed lightly, and finally retreated.
When she emerged from the bathhouse, he was sitting on the soft chair by the window, gaze fixed outside, lost in thought; hearing footsteps, he turned back, saw her, and rose to walk toward her.
Xie Wanning’s fingers in her sleeves clenched fiercely.
Lu Ziyan took a soft cloth to dry her long hair, naturally feeling her stiffness.
“Nervous about what?”
Xie Wanning did not speak.
Lu Ziyan’s gaze darkened slightly; during this time, she had spoken even less to him.
“I leave the capital tomorrow,” he dried her hair bit by bit, tone flat as he said, “Three months at least, five months at most, and I’ll return.”
Xie Wanning softly hummed in acknowledgment.
“I said I’m leaving the capital tomorrow,” Lu Ziyan gazed at her unwaveringly. “Don’t you have anything you want to say to me?”
“…Hope your journey goes smoothly.”
“That’s it?” His expression darkened.
Xie Wanning looked puzzled. “Else what?”
Lu Ziyan said nothing more, face grim.
These past days, he had shown goodwill and yielded multiple times, yet she remained coldly indifferent.
As if keeping people at a thousand miles’ distance.
His expression was truly unpleasant, and Xie Wanning felt somewhat uneasy.
Until her hair was fully dry and he gripped her wrist to press her down on the couch, she instinctively turned her head to avoid, and meeting his cold, dark gaze, she hurriedly blurted out something.
“A few days ago I just embroidered a sachet; do you want it?”
The coldness in Lu Ziyan’s eyes gradually eased, and he released her wrist.
Xie Wanning hurriedly scrambled out from under him, ran to the embroidery basket in the side cabinet of the dressing table, and took out a sachet embroidered with a colorful fortune doll to give him.
Actually, judging by the pattern, this sachet definitely was not meant for him.
But Lu Ziyan’s chest of urgent anger was instantly soothed.
The little doll on the plain sachet was embroidered plump and cute; his heart softened, thumb lightly stroking the fine stitching, staring at it in a daze.
After a long while, he said, “Wanwan, when I return, I’ll give you everything you want.”
Everything I give you will be more than you imagine.
His voice was gentle and extremely pleasant, but Xie Wanning was stunned, her gaze falling on the sachet, realizing he had probably misunderstood.
He thought she was eager for a child?
After all, they had been married over a year, and she had yet to become pregnant.
But this sachet was just something she had embroidered on a whim following a random pattern.
They already disliked each other; who wanted to have his child.
Her waist tightened as Lu Ziyan set aside the sachet in his hand and embraced her again.
Xie Wanning stiffened all over, pushed at him with her hand, and said, “I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable; can you let me rest for a day?”
Went into small black room before chapter 89, now out; those who missed it can go back and catch up~~
