Lanting

Capítulo 8

Her words pierced my heart. “For the sake of the family, our arrangements were not wrong. It was Xiyue who helped us win over the army. You and Jihe… believe your aunt, one of you will ascend to the position of empress, no, it is inevitable.”

I stiffened. "Aunt, your reason for wanting me to marry Lu Li isn't just to consolidate power; it's because you're worried the Emperor might be deposed."

I dared not say any more.

The Empress smiled, her voice trembling. "Having been in the palace for so many years, I should have seen things clearly long ago. Hong'er is soft-hearted, loyal, and easily misled. His behavior is somewhat impulsive, and he has long troubled the Emperor. With his character, his position as Crown Prince is unstable. Now, the Emperor favors Lin Shi and shows great favor to Lu Min. I know that in the Emperor's heart, he will always surpass Hong'er. As for Lu Li... he has an innate aura that surpasses everyone else. Even though I still hold hope for the Crown Prince, I cannot bear the consequences of any miscalculation. That's why I want you to marry the Seventh Prince. Therefore, whether the throne belongs to Lu Li or Lu Hong, the Empress's position will belong to our Rong family... This is what your father and I want as well. All our scheming is for the long-term benefit of our family. Zhaozhi, you must understand our good intentions."

Understand? Does understanding come at the cost of passively accepting it?

I gave a bitter smile. It's nothing but power. Nothing but fleeting clouds.

I was in a daze the whole way. Before I knew it, I had arrived at the mansion.

Lu Lichang's single-layered green robe cast a long shadow in the moonlight. I was helped out of the car and went to meet him.

As night fell, I remained silent, simply staring at him as if I had never seen him before.

Could the handsome and gentle face before me truly possess the aura of a supreme ruler?

Fate has bound us together for the sake of my family and his royal family.

Am I destined to ascend to the highest heavens and descend to the deepest hell with him?

Chapter Eight: Fourth Master

After Lu Li went to the palace on official business, my Ning Prince's Mansion became even more idle. Taking advantage of his absence, I would often listen to operas, play chess, and chat with my sisters-in-law, and the days would pass by in a flash.

"Alright, alright, I always lose to you." Fourth Sister wiped the chessboard and took a sip of tea.

"I heard that Fourth Brother went on a long trip recently," I said casually.

"He's such a busy man, always on the go."

I covered my mouth and laughed, "If my husband could run around like that, my life would be even better."

Fourth Sister-in-law approached me and whispered, "You and Seventh Brother... are still like that?"

I nodded.

Fourth Sister-in-law glanced at me, then frowned. "Could it be that he's never been to your room even once?"

"Don't even mention my room. Even if it were me, I doubt he'd given me a second glance." I laughed without thinking.

Fourth Sister-in-law poked my forehead, "You fool, I really don't know what's the point of being a legitimate wife."

I rubbed my head. "Seventh Sister-in-law is right."

"Oh, by the way, I bought a few bolts of fabric last time, top-quality stuff. I went and found them for you, you can pick a few to take back."

"What can I say when I see how much my fourth sister-in-law dotes on me?"

Another poke, "Your mouth has all the flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy."

Watching my fourth sister-in-law hurriedly leave, I followed her into the yard. I smelled a burning odor, and it seemed that the small kitchen on the south side was on fire. I approached and found it strange. It wasn't cooking time, and there shouldn't be anyone in the kitchen. Just as I was about to turn around and call for help to put out the fire, I heard faint crying coming from the kitchen.

I walked closer and, through the thick smoke, saw a small figure in the kitchen. I was startled. It was my fourth sister-in-law's only son... Jing Qing.

Without thinking too much, she covered her mouth and rushed in. Jing Qing probably couldn't find her way out because of the smoke.

I bent down and picked him up, retracing my steps. The smoke grew thicker, and I choked on it several times. I could vaguely see the doorway not far away, and there was a commotion outside. I could hear many feet moving in the distance, and my fourth sister-in-law calling out for Jingqing.

Just as we were about to find an exit, Jingqing tugged at my sleeve, "Auntie... Qianqian is still behind us."

I was taken aback. I had only been focused on Jingqing and hadn't realized there was another child.

"Jingqing..." I whispered in his ear, "Listen to your auntie, cover your mouth and don't let go. In a little while, your auntie will push you out. If you fall, don't complain about the pain, just keep running forward. Your mother is right in front. Do you understand?"

The child nodded understandingly. I used all my strength to push Jing Qing away and hurriedly looked back for the other child.

Sure enough, there was a little girl in the corner, but she had already fainted.

I picked her up and realized that her complexion was already a bit off. I became even more anxious, but I couldn't find a way out. The fire showed no signs of abating. In the small kitchen, I was lost and bumped into walls everywhere.

Breathing became increasingly difficult. With his faint consciousness groping around, he suddenly... touched a wall of people.

Those cold eyes were fixed on me, filled with exasperated anxiety.

"Fourth Master..." I called out with difficulty, and then everything went black before my eyes. I felt myself being caught firmly in an arm.

My eyelids felt incredibly heavy, but I still managed to open them.

"Thank goodness, you're finally awake." Fourth Sister-in-law breathed a sigh of relief.

"How is Jingqing?" I took a breath. "And that child too."

"It's all good, it's all good. Why risk your life to go back and save a servant's child?" Fourth Sister comforted me, telling me to rest, and then hurriedly withdrew.

I guessed she was busy cleaning up the mess, and after she left, I leaned against the headboard alone, quietly closing my eyes.

The door opened, and the footsteps sounded like a man's.

I quickly opened my eyes, feeling somewhat awkward, "Fourth Master..."

He just stared at me. The faint evening sunlight streamed in through the window, separating us, making the room dim.

He walked to the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp. His voice was still hoarse. "If you encounter something like this again... stay far away from me."

I was taken aback; I hadn't expected him to say that.

“But that’s Jing Qing…” I said in a low voice.

"Stay far away from me." He suddenly raised his voice, and something seemed to be burning in his eyes, reminding me of the flames in the south kitchen. "As for Jing Qing, someone will naturally go to save her."

He walked up to me, barely containing his anger, "If I had arrived a moment later... you..."