The entire Marquis Pingxi household came—Marquis Pingxi and his wife, Heir Apparent Qi Bowei with his wife and daughter, as well as Second Master Qi, Qi Zhongkai.

The atmosphere should have been somewhat awkward, after all, at the Dragon Boat Palace banquet, when Marchioness Pingxi had humiliated Wei Rao with the bracelet incident, Duchess Ying had also been present.

Fortunately, they were all well-bred mistresses from prestigious families. Both Marchioness Pingxi and Duchess Ying acted as if nothing had happened, with Marchioness Pingxi even smiling as she praised Wei Rao.

Wei Rao’s response was equally dignified and appropriate.

Only Qi Zhongkai looked at Wei Rao with complicated eyes.

Wei Rao nodded slightly, then focused on staying by Duchess Ying’s side.

He Weiyu’s gaze swept between the two, silently supporting He Shi.

After visiting Lu Zhuo, everyone split into three groups: Duke Ying led away the male guests, Duchess Ying took the female guests, and Qi Zhongkai, who had a special friendship with Lu Zhuo, stayed behind.

Lu Zhuo remained in his side-lying position.

Qi Zhongkai dismissed A’Gui, moved a chair to sit in front of Lu Zhuo, but even sitting, his head was still much higher than Lu Zhuo’s.

Lu Zhuo saw his expression—neither smiling nor crying—and simply closed his eyes to feign sleep.

After a while, Qi Zhongkai sighed deeply, his breath reaching Lu Zhuo’s face. Lu Zhuo could even tell what he’d had for breakfast.

“Get away from me.” Lu Zhuo said bluntly.

Qi Zhongkai never expected that after kindly coming to visit his close friend, the first thing his friend would say to him was this.

Qi Zhongkai stubbornly refused to move, glaring at Lu Zhuo: “Are you even human? When you were unconscious, I was so distressed I couldn’t eat or sleep. Hearing you’d awakened, I rushed over early this morning to see you, and you mind me being close? What, am I blocking your view of the screen?”

Lu Zhuo held his breath, and only after a while said: “Your mouth reeks of scallions.”

Qi Zhongkai: …

Alright, he had indeed eaten flatbread with scallions for breakfast, dipped in chili sauce. His mood was heavy, and only spicy food could stimulate his appetite.

Knowing Lu Zhuo was particular, Qi Zhongkai cooperatively moved aside. Once settled, he continued looking at Lu Zhuo with those complicated eyes.

Lu Zhuo: “Speak plainly if you have something to say.”

Qi Zhongkai looked at Lu Zhuo’s haggard face, feeling both heartbroken and angry: “When you returned, how many times did I tell you not to be stubborn? You just wouldn’t listen. Now look what’s happened—you’ve tormented yourself into looking like a corpse, causing the old lady and others to worry for so long, and your good marriage with Miss Xie Sixth has also fallen through!”

That last sentence Qi Zhongkai said through gritted teeth.

Lu Zhuo glanced at him: “Are you lamenting that my marriage with the Xie family fell through, or angry that I married the person you wanted to marry?”

Lu Zhuo hadn’t forgotten that before the expedition, Qi Zhongkai had sought out Wei Rao, only to be rejected. He would have gladly licked clean the watermelon juice Wei Rao had given him. Lu Zhuo could even imagine that if Qi Zhongkai had married Wei Rao, he would become a hen-pecked husband, willingly letting Wei Rao treat him like a dog.

Faced with Lu Zhuo’s sharp question, Qi Zhongkai touched his nose and glared at Lu Zhuo: “I just can’t understand why the old lady suddenly went to Cheng’an Earl Mansion to propose marriage. Didn’t you dislike Fourth Lady?”

Though Lu Zhuo had never spoken ill of Wei Rao, Qi Zhongkai could sense it.

Lu Zhuo was the type who, regardless of what he thought inside, maintained a very gentlemanly facade. When they trained together at the frontier, they would sometimes go into town to buy wine or hunt in the mountains. There, they would encounter young ladies several times—either wealthy young misses leisurely strolling through town or farm girls in plain clothes. Lu Zhuo was gentle and courteous to these young ladies, his handsome appearance unknowingly captivating many hearts.

Only in front of the Fourth Lady did Lu Zhuo not even bother to smile.

Lu Zhuo quietly clarified: “Whatever reasons you find her appealing are the same reasons Grandmother likes her and chose her for my wedding celebration. Previously, I heard some gossip about the Fourth Lady and indeed had some prejudice against her. However, since we’re now husband and wife, and Fourth Lady has saved my life, I will naturally treat her well in the future and be a loving couple with her.”

Qi Zhongkai’s eyes widened. A loving couple?

Lu Zhuo’s smile faded as he spoke seriously: “Brother Qi, she is now my legally wedded wife. Please abandon any past feelings you had. You and I are brothers who shared life and death on the battlefield—don’t let a woman create a rift between us.”

Hearing this, Qi Zhongkai flew into a rage: “What kind of person do you think I am? Though I haven’t read as many books as you, I understand better than anyone that a friend’s wife must not be violated! You can rest assured that from now on, she’s only my sister-in-law. If I have even half an improper or disrespectful thought toward her, may I be struck by lightning and never again eat…”

“Scallions?” Lu Zhuo said deliberately.

Qi Zhongkai nearly died of anger!

Lu Zhuo smiled: “Alright, we’re brothers. Why make such vicious oaths? I naturally trust you.”

Qi Zhongkai huffed, thinking of his mother’s dislike for Fourth Lady. He reminded Lu Zhuo, “Treat her well. She’s not as bad as the rumors say. Those women are just jealous that her mother could remarry and still enter the palace as a consort. The young ladies are jealous of her beauty—when they can’t match her face, they desperately try to ruin her reputation.”

Lu Zhuo understood. He had never considered Wei Rao the type to use any means necessary for a prestigious marriage. Otherwise, during their two encounters on Cloudy Mist Mountain, if Wei Rao had any desire to climb socially, she should have tried to seduce him rather than coldly maintaining distance.

He just felt that as a young lady from an earl’s mansion, Wei Rao shouldn’t be so wild—hunting alone in the mountains on snowy days, playing in water with bare feet in broad daylight. Her reputation had already been deliberately ruined. The more this was the case, the more she should watch her words and actions to defend her good name, rather than giving up completely and making things worse.

Knowing something would cause controversy yet still doing it—this was called not respecting oneself.

Acting freely outside while pretending to be gentle in front of prestigious ladies to gain a good reputation for a high marriage—this was hypocritical and conceited.

Prestigious ladies weren’t fools to be deceived by a few performances. If not for the strange coincidence of being chosen by Grandmother, given Wei Rao’s behavior, she would find it difficult to marry into high society in this lifetime.

The Qi family party left, and new guests arrived.

From morning to night, Duke Ying Mansion’s gates were bustling with visitors. Even Emperor Yuanjia sent Eunuch Zheng to confirm Lu Zhuo’s condition.

The good news of Lu Zhuo’s awakening gradually spread throughout the Capital City.

At Cheng’an Earl Mansion, Old Madam Wei happily offered three incense sticks to the Buddha statue enshrined in their home. Lu Zhuo’s awakening was good—her granddaughter had passed the first hurdle. Old Madam Wei only hoped Lu Zhuo would know to cherish her granddaughter and not live according to some five-year agreement. Of course, forced melons aren’t sweet—if Lu Zhuo was unwilling, Old Madam Wei wouldn’t force it.

At least for now, those gossiping women could no longer criticize her granddaughter and could only envy her helplessly.

Guo Shi and her daughter Wei Chan were two such “gossiping women.”

Wei Chan was more envious, jealous, frustrated, and resentful than any young lady who wanted to marry Lu Zhuo! Because the one who ultimately married Lu Zhuo was her cousin Wei Rao. Since Duchess Ying had taken a liking to Wei Rao, it meant she approved of Cheng’an Earl Mansion’s status and good reputation. If there had been no Wei Rao, that opportunity would surely have belonged to her, Wei Chan!

Most hateful was that Wei Rao had gained glory while she, who had been surpassed by Wei Rao, became a laughingstock among the young ladies.

Ever since learning that Lu Zhuo had awakened, Wei Chan could no longer eat. She hid in her chamber alone, throwing things at the bed and pillows, her resentment having no outlet.

Guo Shi comforted her daughter: “Chan Chan, don’t be angry. There’s nothing to envy. Duchess Ying chose Wei Rao because other young ladies were unwilling to marry, not daring to risk becoming widows. Having no choice, Duchess Ying selected Wei Rao. Now that Lu Zhuo has awakened and will recover to become the Young Master everyone wants to marry, will Duke Ying Mansion still think Wei Rao is worthy of being the eldest grandson’s wife? Sooner or later, they’ll find an excuse to divorce her. When virtue doesn’t match position, this is the outcome!”

Hearing this, Wei Chan felt much better, but thinking of Wei Rao’s fox-like beautiful face, Wei Chan began worrying again: “With her looks, what if Young Master Lu is bewitched by her? Didn’t they say Young Master Lu’s mother was also from a humble family and only married into Duke Ying Mansion based on her beauty?”

Guo Shi smiled: “Though Young Master Lu’s mother is beautiful, she’s very honest and dutiful. Is Wei Rao dutiful? Even if she can attract Young Master Lu temporarily with her beauty, over time, when she goes out to flirt and seduce others and gets caught, she’ll eventually be despised by Young Master Lu. As for my Chan Chan, this year, Mother will find you a good marriage. Though not as illustrious as Duke Ying Mansion, it will still bring honor for life.”

Wei Chan breathed a sigh of relief. This was best—she didn’t want to marry worse than Wei Rao.

In Qingping Lane, at the Xie Mansion.

The little maid who had gathered information withdrew. Yang Shi sat shoulder to shoulder with her husband, Third Master Xie, on the kang, both wearing heavy expressions.

After a long silence, Yang Shi regretfully slapped herself: “It’s all my fault! If I had been braver and agreed to let Hualou participate in the wedding celebration when Duchess Ying asked, Hualou would now be Duke Ying Mansion’s Young Master’s wife, and it would be our Hualou whom the Lu family’s fourth branch would be grateful to!”

Third Master Xie looked at his wife’s slightly reddened face and sighed: “It’s not your fault. Wedding celebrations are gambles. Hualou is our youngest and most beloved daughter. Even if you had been brave, I wouldn’t have dared gamble with her lifetime of happiness. Forget it, forget it, don’t think about it anymore. This is fate. Our Hualou and the Young Master have affinity but no destiny. You can lament a bit in front of me, but don’t say anything in front of Hualou to make her feel bad too.”

Yang Shi was so regretful that tears came out. That was Lu Zhuo! The future Duke Ying, future commander of the Shenwu Army, was valued by the emperor and loved by the people. Looking throughout this dynasty, you couldn’t find a second man as fine as Lu Zhuo. In terms of noble rank, handsome appearance, and strong abilities, Lu Zhuo was first in everything!

“What should we do about our Hualou? Though she only needs to observe mourning for one year, since we parents haven’t finished mourning, it’s inconvenient for us to arrange her marriage. This delay will be three years, and when we discuss marriage again, Hualou will be nineteen. What good marriages will there be to choose from?” Even without regrets, Yang Shi had other worries.

The entire Xie Mansion’s scholarly reputation relied entirely on the Old Grand Tutor. Now that the Old Grand Tutor was gone, among the three masters of the Xie family, the highest official rank was only the fifth-rank Ministry of Justice Secretary. Oh, right, all three masters had resigned from office to observe mourning. Who knew what the political scene would be like after three years?

The more Yang Shi thought, the more regretful she became!

Third Master Xie irritably rubbed his forehead and went to the spirit hall to keep vigil.

Old Grand Tutor Xie had only passed away three days ago and hadn’t been buried yet.

Yang Shi didn’t dare see her daughter Xie Hualou, nor did she dare have anyone tell her daughter the news of Lu Zhuo’s awakening.

But such a big matter, related to the Xie Mansion, was still sensed by Xie Hualou from the attitudes of those around her.

She sent a little maid to inquire slightly and learned everything.

Xie Hualou had never met Lu Zhuo but had heard a basketful of praise about him—that he was as handsome as Pan An, that his archery and horsemanship were excellent, that he commanded troops like a god.

Such a man, even if it meant being widowed for him, Xie Hualou would have been willing.

Unfortunately, her family hadn’t asked her opinion and had decided to break off the engagement.

Xie Hualou couldn’t say anything because she had to observe mourning for her grandfather. She couldn’t seek to marry her ideal hero at this time.

Now Lu Zhuo had awakened, but he would never again have anything to do with her.