The document is clear to the world - Chapter 13
I raised my voice, "Or, I can have someone take you there."
He glanced at me and said indifferently, "If you're tired, you should go back first."
I hurriedly agreed and ran out of the main hall, afraid that if I stayed any longer, I would drown in embarrassment.
The next day, after Lu Li finished his court session, he took me to the palace, saying that the Emperor had summoned everyone.
When we entered the main hall, only Fourth Master and Fourth Sister-in-law were there. Seeing me step in, Fourth Brother still inadvertently raised his head, staring at me for a moment in surprise. I lowered my head, the shadow of that day when he called my name at his residence lingering.
"Fourth Brother." I bowed to Lu Li.
He sighed and looked down at something.
Lu Li pulled me to sit down beside him, and he talked to his fourth brother about politics. His fourth sister-in-law pulled me aside and chatted about the recent situation of each of the sisters-in-law.
"Hey, Fourth Brother and Seventh Brother are here early!" A clear voice came from outside the door, accompanied by hurried footsteps.
He strode in, followed by his eighth brother and sister-in-law. They bowed to Fourth Master and Fourth Sister-in-law, then turned around to bow to us as well.
"I haven't met Seventh Sister-in-law yet, but today I finally have the chance—" He said, looking up at me with a pause in his eyes, a hint of shock in his gaze.
I quickly glanced around and immediately replied, "It's all thanks to Eighth Brother's influence that I've finally seen his true face today."
Fourth Sister-in-law, who was standing nearby, quickly laughed and took my hand. "You're right. This ancestor has a lot of face and a lot of airs. When you got married, he was sick and stayed at home for quite a while."
Lu Xiu calmed himself down and then chuckled twice.
I didn't care how affectionately Xiwen bowed to Lu Li; my heart was in my throat.
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Fourth Sister-in-law exchanged a few pleasantries with Xiwen, then focused on continuing our previous conversation with me. Seeing there was nothing more to say, Xiwen got up and said she was going to see the Empress. Fourth Sister-in-law didn't stop her, and as she walked away, she gave Lu Xiu a strange smile, "Your formidable wife would allow you to take a concubine?"
Lu Xiu gave a stiff smile. Fourth Sister-in-law glanced at me and chuckled, "You have no idea how anxious he was yesterday when he begged Seventh Master. It startled us all. But which maid in your household is so clever that she stole Eighth Master's heart?"
Lu Li smiled slightly, put down the teacup, and glanced at Lu Xiu indifferently, "Which girl is it? I just told your seventh sister-in-law to deliver it to her."
I stiffened, looked up, and met Lu Xiu's gaze. His eyes held loneliness, resentment, and... a cold smile.
My hands and feet suddenly felt cold.
Lu Xiu abruptly shifted his gaze to Lu Li, a smile spreading across his face. "She is indeed a clever girl. I'm afraid Seventh Brother cannot afford it, so let's just forget about it."
I breathed a sigh of relief, but Lu Li frowned. "Is Eighth Brother teasing your Seventh Brother again? What kind of talk is that? She's just a girl, how can you not afford her?"
Lu Xiu forced a smile, "It's not that Seventh Brother can't afford it, but... he's reluctant to give it."
Lu Li stared in even greater confusion, and even his fourth brother and sister-in-law glanced at him slightly.
Lu Xiu waved his fan, looking relaxed, but his gaze was fixed on me. "What do you think...Seventh Sister-in-law?"
I was deathly pale, wondering what he would say next.
"Hmph, what kind of woman is she that even the Seventh Prince wouldn't give her to?" The Empress's gentle voice came from outside the door. At this moment, Xi Wen was helping her in.
After taking her seat of honor, the Empress looked at Lu Xiu with a smile, "You philanderer, which maid in your seventh brother's household have you taken a fancy to?"
Lu Xiu smiled ingratiatingly, "The sons of Seventh Brother's family are not fortunate enough to enjoy this. Let's just forget about it."
The Empress raised her eyebrows and looked at me. "But don't you even know which maid in your household you have?"
I quickly steadied my breathing and said, "Your Majesty, I truly do not know..."
Lu Xiu looked at me with disdain and smiled.
Several wives were playing cards in the Winter Warm Pavilion. I sat by the charcoal fire, lost in thought. I had just come out of the main hall. Although Lu Li hadn't said anything, his face was very unpleasant. I followed behind him, but couldn't keep up with his pace. When we reached the deserted pavilion in the backyard, he stopped, his voice cold.
"You really don't respect me at all." He tapped my forehead with one finger, and I froze, unable to move.
“I don’t understand what you mean, sir.” I stared at him, “If it’s because of Eighth Master… I have something to say too.”
He looked at me coldly, his lips pressed tightly together like a thin blade. "My woman can be proud, but she cannot be arrogant."
"You're calling me spoiled?" I bit my lip and looked at him.
"What good deeds have you done while I was away? Did you have to cause such chaos?" His eyes were cold, giving me no chance to explain. "Did you seduce Lao Ba because of Xi Wen? I never knew you were so scheming. I was wrong all along. What's buried beneath your quiet nature? Xi Wen may be mean to you, but she shouldn't be hated by you this much. She and Lao Ba didn't get along to begin with. Are you waiting to see Xi Wen betray you by meddling in this?"
He was angry... not because of me and Lu Xiu, but because of Xi Wen... it was Xi Wen again!
I clenched my fist slightly and stared intently into his angry eyes.
He smiled slightly. "You're scared now that I've seen through you?! Ever since you entered this manor, I've always respected your status as the legitimate wife. Your outward appearance of magnanimity and virtue has indeed fooled many eyes. Regarding Xi Wen's matter, you've repeatedly pretended to be confused, repeatedly tested me, and then used bait on the Eighth Prince. Your methods were clever, but be careful not to play with fire. It's always been your idea to have Xi Wen divorced and ruined, hasn't it... You hate me, and you really shouldn't have targeted her... In this matter, you were too clever for your own good. She's a simple person, not as unfathomable as you. Please, have mercy and release Xi Wen, and release the Eighth Prince."
A surge of soreness rushed from my heart to my eyes. I smiled coldly, but my mind was in turmoil.
"Your Excellency speaks so well. I never knew I was so capable. You are absolutely right. I have hated, I have been unwilling to live like this. I was unwilling to be looked at with displeasure by you every day, unwilling to pretend to be indifferent when I was clearly wronged, unwilling to put on a righteous act when I was angry inside. I was unwilling to see myself being sent around like an object time and time again, unwilling to have come all this way with such difficulty—yet still not treated like a human being. If you don't treat me like a human being, then I am not a human being. But I cannot bear the infamy of avenging Xiwen. Your Excellency loves Xiwen so much that you see me this way. I have nothing to say, and I don't want to wrong Your Excellency. Whether you divorce me or kill me, I am at your disposal!"
The cold wind brushed against my face, causing a sharp pain, but my stubbornness prevented me from showing any weakness. I just looked at him defiantly, without tears, without grievances, without resentment, just... proudly refusing to show weakness.
"I'll watch you continue your pretense, see what other tricks you have up your sleeve. I'll also use the identity of Princess Ning to trap you for life—a woman like you may be worthy of being the legitimate wife of the Prince's mansion, but she's not worthy of love." He mocked cruelly, his cold tone cutting into my heart like a knife, causing raw, bleeding pain.
I slapped him across the left cheek! My palm stung...
He was unworthy of love... In his heart, the woman he married, the woman he had been with since childhood, was actually like this.
Chapter Thirteen: The Fourth Master's Intentions
A cool night breeze blew by.