Chapter 121:
Lu Ziyan stared for a few breaths, then suddenly reached out to take the cup of wine held up by the woman and drank it all in one gulp.
The hall, which had been deathly silent, immediately erupted in cheers.
Chen Wen’s eyes gleamed, and he smiled at his daughter, saying, “Since Lord Lu has taken a liking to you, you shall stay by his side from now on. Remember to serve him well.”
“Wait,” Lu Ziyan raised his hand and said, “I have no intention of taking a concubine.”
At these words, Chen Wen frowned slightly, then quickly smiled again. “Lord Lu is not yet married, so it is indeed not suitable to take a concubine first. It is my daughter’s good fortune to serve you; even as a servant girl, it would be fine.”
Even as a concubine’s daughter, she was still the concubine’s daughter of a third-rank official. Offering her directly as a servant girl was lowering their stance to this extent; refusing further would seem inhumane.
Lu Ziyan glanced again at the young lady whose face had gone pale and tacitly agreed.
In the latter half of the banquet, Chen Xi’er sat by his side. Every time she poured wine for him, she tried several times to lean her body closer but was deterred by the cold aura around him.
Until the banquet ended, Lu Ziyan did not look at her squarely again.
However, when leaving the table, he did take her away.
In the carriage.
Looking at the man who was leaning against the carriage wall with his eyes closed, clearly somewhat tipsy, Chen Xi’er knelt on her knees. Without the charming and alluring demeanor from the banquet, she said in a choked voice, “Thank you, Lord Lu, for saving me.”
Lu Ziyan slowly opened his eyes, showing no interest in her story. Without asking what “saving” meant, he only frowned and said, “Shut up.”
Chen Xi’er trembled all over and dared not speak again. Since she had not been told to rise, she could only maintain her stiff kneeling posture in place.
By the time they got out of the carriage, her knees were already sore and weak, and she could not walk steadily. Anyone who saw her would think something unspeakable had happened in the carriage.
Ming Jian saw it and also thought the two had already consummated. He felt secretly pleased.
He had long noticed his master’s obsession with Miss Xie. Now that he was willing to cast his gaze on another woman, even if she was a substitute, it was a great joy.
Thus, when Lu Ziyan came out after bathing, he saw the woman dressed in light gauze with her plump breasts half-exposed, lying on his couch.
His footsteps halted, his gaze suddenly turned icy cold, and he abruptly grabbed a jade pot and smashed it toward the door.
“Get in here!”
The door was pushed open, and Ming Jian walked in. Seeing the woman with her delicate body half-exposed on the couch, he hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to look more.
Lu Ziyan was amused to anger. “You arranged this?”
“……Yes.” Ming Jian finally realized he had done something wrong. He lowered his head in shame. “This subordinate will go receive punishment now.”
“Wait,” Lu Ziyan pointed to the bed and said, “She’s yours as a reward.”
“No!” The woman who had been shrinking on the couch cried out urgently. “Xi’er is yours.”
Lu Ziyan ignored her and said to the stunned Ming Jian, “Didn’t I tell you to marry her? Take her first; I still have use for her later.”
With that, he strode toward the door. Behind him came a muffled thud—the sound of someone rolling off the bed wrapped in the quilt.
Chen Xi’er cried, “Please, for the sake of my cousin, do not humiliate me like this.”
Cousin…
Lu Ziyan’s eyes turned cold. He slowly squatted down, lifted her chin with his fingertip, looked down at her, and said, “Who told you that you look like her?”
“……It was my concubine mother.” Chen Xi’er’s gaze flickered slightly. “When Xi’er was young in the capital city, she met cousin a few times. Please, for her sake…”
The sudden pain in her jaw made her unable to continue.
“Don’t mention her again.” Lu Ziyan released his fingertip, stood up, and said, “I’ll give you two choices: go back where you came from, or your life and death are in my hands.”
Chen Xi’er said, “Xi’er is yours; my life and death are already yours to decide.”
Lu Ziyan sneered, turned his head to look at Ming Jian, and asked, “Want her?”
Ming Jian hurriedly shook his head.
What a joke—this woman looked so much like Miss Xie; he wouldn’t dare touch her.
“Fine,” Lu Ziyan looked down at the woman kneeling on the ground and said indifferently, “Remember this: you will never be mine. If I hear those words again, you won’t keep your life.”
His eyes held undisguised killing intent. Chen Xi’er had no more illusions and hurriedly kowtowed. “Yes, Xi’er understands.”
Ming Jian took her away.
But the woman’s powder scent lingered in the room for a long time. Lu Ziyan glanced at the bed that had been lain on and turned to leave.
Outside in the courtyard, the moon hung high in the sky, its cold light spilling toward the mortal world as usual.
Another full moon night.
The footsteps that were about to head to the study halted. Lu Ziyan stood on the covered walkway, gazing dazedly at the moonlight.
Only when footsteps sounded behind him did he slightly turn his neck and say, “Tell me, what is she doing at this moment?”
“…” Ming Jian was silent for a moment before saying, “Probably sleeping.”
It was so late—who wouldn’t be asleep or preparing to sleep?
Feeling heartbroken for his master’s unobtainable desire, Ming Jian comforted him. “Rest assured, Miss Xie has not shared a room with that man.”
Rest assured…
Lu Ziyan almost wanted to laugh.
What could he feel assured about?
Every day and every night without seeing her, he had never been at ease.
He worried that in these days spent with that sickly person, she had developed more affection.
He worried that she had completely cast him aside.
He worried… whether she had kept her promise and not let that sickly person get close…
He also worried what if that sickly person suddenly could perform?
Fortunately, everything in Qingzhou City was settled, and he could set off back to the capital tomorrow.
He wondered if, during the three months he had been away from the capital, that heartless young lady had thought of him even for a moment.
“Should that Miss Chen come back to the capital with us?” Ming Jian suddenly asked.
Lu Ziyan hummed indifferently. “If something like today happens again, deal with it yourself.”
“…” Ming Jian wanted to speak but hesitated.
He really wanted to remind him that last time, they brought back a young lady, and he even lost his fiancée.
This time, since he wasn’t interested, what was the plan in bringing her back?
…………
The Xie Wanning who was being thought of was indeed not asleep at this moment.
She sat on the couch, holding a few sheets of letter paper, her gaze fixed on them—sometimes widening her eyes in shock, sometimes frowning, reading with great interest.
During the day, when Pei Yuqing mentioned that the Second Prince had flaws in private morality, she hadn’t taken it seriously.
Only upon seeing this letter did she realize what “flaws in private morality” meant.
Being promiscuous and having many wives and concubines could only be considered romantic.
What was written on the letter was that the Second Prince most favored married women, followed by unmarried girls in their boudoirs.
These women were mostly commoners’ good families who feared his power, with a few high-born noble ladies whom he had seduced and violated. Once he had his way, they could only submit in fear and anxiety.
And the girls were even more shocking.
Just the names listed included several young ladies Xie Wanning knew, and all those she knew were capital city’s noble ladies.
Their statuses, even if not enough for imperial consort, were at least worthy of a side consort position—and each prince could only have two side consorts…
There still wouldn’t be enough to go around.
New month, some monthly tickets please~~
Have always wanted to update the side story for Sealing Heart and Locking Love, but realized that after writing two ancient romances in a row, I’ve somewhat forgotten how to write modern ones.
Wrote a few opening paragraphs, all overly literary, can’t find the feeling~~~
Anyway, will try to write Shen Chen’s side story today.
