Duchess Ying originally didn’t believe in things like wedding celebrations to ward off misfortune, but when it came to her eldest grandson being beyond medical help and only having the hope of such a celebration, and her grandson awakened on the wedding night, Duchess Ying would rather believe it was real. Perhaps other families’ wedding celebrations weren’t effective, but the Lu family’s was—Wei Rao was her grandson’s lifesaver.

No matter what, this was the destined connection between her grandson and Wei Rao, predetermined by fate.

“Alright, Shoucheng just took his medicine, rest early. We’ll come to see you again tomorrow.” Duchess Ying smiled at Lu Zhuo, giving him a meaningful look to treat Wei Rao well, then turned to quietly instruct Wei Rao that if Lu Zhuo had any inconvenient needs tonight that she couldn’t attend to, Wei Rao should just call for Nanny Miao. Nanny Miao would continue staying here until Lu Zhuo was completely out of life-threatening danger.

For a newly married young lady, serving tea and water was fine, but some matters might be embarrassing for the young couple.

Duchess Ying thought very thoroughly.

Wei Rao understood the old lady’s meaning, lowering her face in feigned shyness. She saw Duchess Ying and He Shi to the door, wanting to escort them further, but Duchess Ying shooed her back.

Nanny Miao went to the side room, while Bitao and Liu Ya would keep vigil in the outer chamber tonight, in case anything happened again in the middle of the night.

Wei Rao stood at the inner chamber door for a while, then lifted the curtain and walked in.

Rounding the screen, she met Lu Zhuo’s figure lying on his side, his eyes open, gazing at her with cold, clear eyes.

Wei Rao felt no courtesy from Lu Zhuo, which meant either Lu Zhuo believed his awakening had nothing to do with this wedding celebration, or he was so repulsed by her that his resistance to marrying her exceeded any gratitude toward her.

“The matter of the wedding celebration—the old lady has already explained it to the Young Master, hasn’t she?”

There was an embroidered stool by the bed. Wei Rao sat down, speaking politely and courteously.

Lu Zhuo nodded. He had just eaten something and taken medicine. Though his body was weak, he could barely manage to speak.

He asked directly: “Why did you agree to the wedding celebration?”

That voice was hoarse, so unfamiliar that Wei Rao almost thought another person was speaking.

“Is this how you treat your lifesaver?”

Because of Lu Zhuo’s rudeness, Wei Rao returned the same words Lu Zhuo had used to question her on the day they encountered assassins on Cloudy Mist Mountain.

Lu Zhuo countered flatly: “You still haven’t answered my question.”

On Cloudy Mist Mountain, he hadn’t saved her life, and this wedding celebration wasn’t Wei Rao saving his life either.

They owed each other nothing.

Wei Rao smiled, knowing how she and Lu Zhuo would spend the next five years.

Lu Zhuo had even seen her kill someone, and he had never treated her as a virtuous, gentle lady worthy of respect. Wei Rao felt there was nothing to pretend about, saying sarcastically, “Why agree to the wedding celebration? The Young Master is a hero who protects home and country. Duke Ying and the old lady came to the Wei family with great fanfare to propose marriage, leaving me no room to refuse. I may prefer unconventional behavior, but I dare not let my family bear the blame of being cold-blooded, heartless, selfish, and self-serving because of me.”

Lu Zhuo accepted her sarcasm: “This matter is indeed our Lu family’s fault. I owe you for this. However, I’m very curious—Miss Wei, why are you willing to remain a widow for me for five years, if I had died?”

Wei Rao raised an eyebrow: “If another young lady had married over, would you be curious about her reasons for widowhood?”

Lu Zhuo chuckled lightly: “Another young lady probably wouldn’t only observe widowhood for five years.”

The skeletal Lu Young Master’s sarcastic smile made the sarcasm even more intense, appearing quite grating to Wei Rao’s eyes.

Wei Rao returned him an extremely charming and flirtatious smile: “Another young lady simply wouldn’t be willing to risk marrying the Young Master to become a widow.”

Lu Zhuo’s eerie smile immediately disappeared.

Wei Rao’s pent-up frustration at being looked down upon was completely swept away, and she smiled very smugly.

Lu Zhuo pressed his cracked lips together, his deeply sunken eyes from extreme emaciation coldly watching Wei Rao. The marriage was arranged by his grandmother, with his grandparents begging Wei Rao to marry over. Lu Zhuo couldn’t resent his grandparents, nor did he have reason to resent Wei Rao, but asking him to truly be Wei Rao’s husband for life, to let Duke Ying Mansion bear the risk of Wei Rao ruining the family’s reputation—Lu Zhuo was unwilling.

His mother, second aunt, and third aunt had observed widowhood for his father and two uncles for many years. Their pure reputations shouldn’t be implicated by Wei Rao or the Zhou sisters.

Wei Rao saw Lu Zhuo’s unwillingness and slowly stopped smiling.

She was afraid that if she continued laughing, she might anger Lu Zhuo unconscious again.

Though Lu Zhuo was detestable, his being alive was more beneficial to Wei Rao.

Rubbing her neck, still uncomfortable from the phoenix crown’s pressure, Wei Rao kindly explained: “Alright, alright, considering you’re seriously ill, I won’t argue with you. Let me tell you the truth—I agreed to the wedding celebration for you partly because you forced me with no alternative, and another reason is that I need to use your Lu family’s power and influence to make the person who originally sent assassins to kill me wary, so they won’t dare casually target me again.”

Wei Rao needed Lu Zhuo to accompany her in acting as a loving couple for five years. For such long cooperation, some things had to be said honestly, lest Lu Zhuo suspect she had other motives and constantly guard against her.

Lu Zhuo pondered for a moment, asking: “Why five years? Are you confident you can eliminate the opponent within five years?”

Wei Rao shook her head repeatedly: “I wouldn’t dare eliminate her. I just want to avoid her. But she’s old, and I estimate five years should be about right.”

Lu Zhuo had long suspected the assassins were sent by the Empress Dowager. Hearing Wei Rao’s words, Lu Zhuo suddenly remembered that the Empress Dowager he had seen on Dragon Boat Festival day indeed didn’t have the appearance of longevity.

“Aren’t you afraid that by cursing the opponent in front of me, I might guess their identity and report you?”

Wei Rao smiled: “Naturally, I’m not afraid. First, though the Young Master isn’t completely a gentleman, he has at least half the qualities of one and shouldn’t stoop to the petty behavior of tattling. Second, I’m now the Young Master’s legally wedded wife. Whether the Young Master is happy about it or not, the Duke Ying Mansion and I are grasshoppers tied to the same rope. If the Young Master exposes me, he exposes Duke Ying Mansion.”

Lu Zhuo indeed wouldn’t report her. He didn’t know the details of the grudge between the Empress Dowager and Shou’an Jun, nor was he curious, but since Emperor Yuanjia so respected Shou’an Jun, Shou’an Jun certainly hadn’t done anything to wrong the Empress Dowager. That the Empress Dowager would plot to kill Wei Rao, an innocent woman, out of petty jealousy made Lu Zhuo deeply despise her, but whenever he encountered such situations, he would still act to save Wei Rao.

“Now that I’ve awakened, what are your plans?” Lu Zhuo scrutinized Wei Rao. This woman—she couldn’t want to be his wife, could she?

Wei Rao asked strangely: “Didn’t the old lady tell you?”

Lu Zhuo: “Tell me what?”

Wei Rao understood. Duchess Ying truly hoped she and Lu Zhuo would make a good marriage.

Unfortunately, Lu Zhuo looked down on her, and she also couldn’t stand Lu Zhuo, this type of pseudo-gentleman who was truly aloof but falsely gentle.

Wei Rao clearly articulated her third condition.

Lu Zhuo felt relieved.

As long as he didn’t have to be a real husband to Wei Rao.

Wei Rao was indeed forced by circumstances to marry over for the wedding celebration—the Lu family truly owed her for this. Therefore, Lu Zhuo was willing to accompany Wei Rao in acting as a harmonious couple for five years, waiting until the Empress Dowager passed away or the five-year agreement ended before they found a suitable reason to divorce amicably. By then, however, Wei Rao might behave would have nothing to do with him, and he would remarry a virtuous and talented lady from a prestigious family to assist his grandmother and mother in managing the household and raising children.

As for the betrothal gifts, Wei Rao could take them all—it didn’t matter.

“Good, I will abide by the five-year agreement and cooperate with you.” Lu Zhuo formally agreed.

Wei Rao said, “The old lady swore on your life for this condition. I trust the old lady, but verbal promises aren’t reliable. I’ve also prepared a written document in black and white. Once the Young Master recovers his strength in a few days, could you help me press a handprint on it?”

Lu Zhuo pressed his lips: “I can.”

Wei Rao nodded, glancing at their marriage bed.

Lu Zhuo said, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll have people carry me back to the front courtyard, using the excuse that the back residence isn’t convenient for receiving guests. During the day, when guests come to call, you’ll pretend to care for me in the front courtyard. At night, you can just return to the back courtyard to rest—I have trusted attendants to care for me. Once I can move freely, I’ll move to sleep in the west room of the back courtyard. Even A’Gui won’t see through the pretense.”

Wei Rao couldn’t ask for better, only reminding him: “Except for the old lady and our trusted attendants, no one else in the Lu family, including your relatives and friends, can know the truth about this marriage. If you slip up and cause me to be mocked by all of Capital City, then don’t blame me for…”

“The Lu family men always keep their word. If our marriage is truly exposed, the problem will only come from your side.”

Lu Zhuo impatiently interrupted her threat.

Wei Rao just smiled without speaking. She had written breach-of-contract compensation into the agreement. As long as Lu Zhuo dared sign, she wasn’t afraid of him reneging.

“Alright, you rest. I’ll have Bitao come in to sleep on the floor. If you need anything, just order her around.”

Having finished discussing everything that needed discussing, Wei Rao picked up her brocade quilt and pillow, going to sleep in the west room herself.

She had no attachment whatsoever to Lu Zhuo or the medicinal smell on him. Never mind that Lu Zhuo now looked like a ghost—even if he recovered that immortal gentleman’s appearance, neither he nor the title of Duke Ying’s Young Master’s wife held any allure for Wei Rao.

Not long after Wei Rao left, Bitao came in carrying bedding. She was timid and afraid of the Young Master’s current sickly appearance, stopping nervously behind the screen: “This servant will sleep here. If the Young Master feels uncomfortable anywhere, just call for Bitao.”

Lu Zhuo: “Mm, extinguish the dragon and phoenix candles and all the lamps.”

Bitao didn’t dare disobey. She first extinguished several lamps, then walked to the dragon and phoenix candles. Bitao hesitated: “The wedding candles should burn through the night. This servant is afraid that when the old lady comes tomorrow, she’ll ask…”

“Move them to the side room first, bring them back tomorrow morning.”

To Bitao, Lu Zhuo’s voice was still relatively gentle.

Bitao didn’t appreciate it at all. What a terrible Young Master—even after being saved and awakened by Miss, he didn’t show a bit of gratitude. Wanting to extinguish the wedding candles meant he didn’t want to be husband and wife with Miss, right?

Bitao was very angry. Miss was forced to marry over by the Lu family. Miss could dislike the Young Master, but for the Young Master to look down on Miss was just heartless.

After moving the dragon and phoenix candles, Bitao lay down without a word, both hoping the Young Master inside wouldn’t wet the bed and make her do that dirty work, and also hoping the Young Master would wet himself plenty to lose face and see how he could still put on airs.

To Bitao’s disappointment, Lu Zhuo hadn’t eaten much, and with the medicine’s effects, he slept smoothly through to dawn.

At this time, Lu Zhuo had a need.

He called for Bitao.

Bitao drowsily awakened.

Lu Zhuo listened to the sounds behind the screen, hoarsely ordering: “Go call A’Gui over.”

Bitao understood. Though she dared to curse the Young Master, when truly faced with such an opportunity, Bitao didn’t dare act recklessly and obediently went to find A’Gui.

A’Gui was sleeping soundly. He had been constantly weeping with worry for the Young Master the past few days, but now that the Young Master had hope, he had immediately fallen into a deep sleep.

Hearing Bitao’s call, A’Gui nimbly crawled out of his quilt, taking the pre-prepared chamber pot to the back courtyard.

Bitao didn’t follow in, yawning outside.

In the inner chamber, A’Gui skillfully unfastened the Young Master’s trousers.

Lu Zhuo had no previous opportunity to ask, so now, with his eyes closed, he said: “During my coma, who provided care?”

With the sound of water flowing, A’Gui was afraid the Young Master couldn’t hear, so he raised his voice slightly: “The imperial physician changed bandages and treated wounds. This servant handled all other tasks. Only yesterday, during the wedding, the old lady worried that the young madam couldn’t care for you properly and arranged for Nanny Miao to come. This servant didn’t see you the entire day—Nanny Miao might have helped twice.”

The dim lamplight couldn’t illuminate Lu Zhuo’s face. Only after the water sounds stopped and A’Gui was helping him dress did Lu Zhuo ask again: “After the young madam entered the household but before I awakened, did I have any… accidents?”

A’Gui truly didn’t know, whispering: “This servant will go ask Nanny Miao and report back to you later.”

Lu Zhuo fell silent.

A’Gui paused, comforting his master: “Master, don’t think too much. People are all in a sorry state when sick. Once you recover and regain your former vigor, the young madam will love you dearly and won’t remember any of this.”

Lu Zhuo: “Withdraw.”

A’Gui: …