Returning from Zhongyi Hall, Lu Zhuo accompanied Wei Rao in receiving greetings from all the servants of Songyue Hall.

Wei Rao discovered that Lu Zhuo surprisingly had not a single maid by his side. In all of Songyue Hall, except for the kitchen staff, laundry women, and rough-work maids, those who could approach Lu Zhuo to serve him were all young male servants.

No wonder Bitao said Lu Zhuo only had them clean the west room and bring water morning and evening. For everything else, Lu Zhuo handled it all personally and didn’t need close personal service. This must be the Lu family’s household tradition – forbidding Lu family men from taking concubines without cause, and not arranging personal maids for them, completely eliminating the possibility of young masters being distracted by feminine charms.

After completing a full set of ceremonial procedures, Lu Zhuo went to the study while Wei Rao returned to rest in Yafeng Residence at the back.

At noon for the meal, Lu Zhuo appeared before Wei Rao again.

He brought a list of return visit gifts for Wei Rao to review.

Wei Rao looked it over carefully. Indeed, Lu Zhuo was quite trustworthy – the gifts were prepared as if he were truly very satisfied with Wei Rao.

“The heir has put much thought into this,” Wei Rao smiled at him.

That smile was charming and flirtatious. Lu Zhuo looked away and said, “There are no outsiders here; you needn’t put on an act.”

Having performed all morning, Lu Zhuo had no mood to continue the charade.

Wei Rao raised an eyebrow: “How is it putting on an act? Can’t I thank the heir for his thorough consideration?”

Lu Zhuo: “Merely fulfilling an agreement. Nothing to thank me for.”

Wei Rao understood – as long as they were back in Yafeng Residence, no matter what Lu Zhuo did, she shouldn’t give him a pleasant expression.

The maids brought over dinner. Wei Rao chose the main seat facing south, so she wouldn’t have to see Lu Zhuo’s face every time she looked up while eating.

The two had nothing to say to each other, making this meal exceptionally quiet.

When finished, Lu Zhuo rinsed his mouth and asked Wei Rao, who was about to return to her room: “What time shall we go garden touring this afternoon?”

Wei Rao turned her face aside and said, “Garden touring is meant to show that we, husband and wife, are newlywed lovebirds. But there’s no rush. We can wait until your body has recovered before touring. If we go today, I fear people will criticize me for not knowing how to cherish the heir’s health.”

Lu Zhuo stood up and said, “Then let’s wait a few more days.”

The newlywed couple – one returned to her room for an afternoon rest, the other went to the front courtyard.

The next day was beautiful weather. The sky was azure blue, the sunlight bright, and even the constantly blowing cold winter winds had ceased.

The servants silently loaded the return visit gifts onto carriages while Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo went to bid farewell to Duke Ying and his wife.

Duchess Ying, angry as she was, still cared about Lu Zhuo: “Your wound has just scabbed over. You should ride in the carriage with Raorao later.”

Lu Zhuo smiled: “Grandmother worries too much. My wound is no longer a serious problem, and our two families live close to each other. Riding slowly on horseback won’t affect the wound.”

Wei Rao sided with the elders, gently persuading: “The heir should ride in the carriage with me. Your previous serious illness was precisely because you repeatedly pulled at the wound. Before it’s completely healed, it’s better to be cautious.”

Duchess Ying nodded approvingly. Even after being so humiliated by her eldest grandson, she still cared about him – what a good girl.

Duke Ying directly ordered Lu Zhuo: “Listen to your wife. When you’ve recovered, you can ride to your heart’s content.”

Lu Zhuo, facing three against one, had no choice but to agree to take the carriage.

Leaving Zhongyi Hall, they arrived at the spacious and impressive main gate of Duke Ying Mansion, where two carriages and accompanying maids and servants were all prepared.

“A’Gui, help the heir into the carriage, be careful.”

The coachman set out the step stool as Wei Rao gently instructed A’Gui.

A’Gui nimbly ran to the heir’s side. With the heir’s build, only he could support him – none of the maids had the strength.

Lu Zhuo wasn’t that weak. Glancing at his arm firmly grasped by A’Gui, he endured it.

After Lu Zhuo got in, Wei Rao smiled and boarded the carriage.

The carriage set off.

Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo sat at opposite ends of the long bench. Lu Zhuo lowered his eyes with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth. This way, even if the window curtain was suddenly blown open by wind, outsiders would see him in good spirits – the Duke Ying Mansion heir happily accompanying his newlywed wife on her return visit.

Wei Rao leaned comfortably against the carriage wall, playing with the jade pendant at her waist as she softly introduced her family members to Lu Zhuo. The population of Earl Cheng’an Mansion was much simpler than Duke Ying Mansion – Old Madam Wei, Earl Cheng’an, and his wife Guo Shi, plus the siblings Wei Zizhan and Wei Chan. Wei Rao’s eldest cousin Wei Shu had married and become Princess Duan, while her second cousin Wei Xian married far away with her husband’s family not in the capital.

Lu Zhuo noted everything and asked her: “The five-year agreement – should we tell Old Madam?”

Wei Rao shook her head: “Let’s keep it from my grandmother and maternal grandmother for now. I don’t want them worrying about me for the next five years. I told Old Madam because she would never need to worry about me being wronged by you – this is different from a girl marrying out.”

Lu Zhuo: “As you decide. When you no longer want to hide it, just let me know.”

Wei Rao: “Good.”

The two carriages traveled steadily through the streets, one after the other. Some common people recognized the Duke Ying Mansion crest on the carriages and curiously gathered around, chasing after Bitao and other servants following the carriages to ask what was happening.

A’Gui cheerfully said: “Our heir is in excellent health and is accompanying the young madam on her return visit today.”

A’Gui firmly believed that the heir’s awakening was all thanks to the young madam, so he smiled particularly joyfully. The watching common people, listening and observing, guessed that the heir was probably also very satisfied with his newly wedded beautiful wife.

“I heard that Fourth Lady Wei is particularly beautiful, called the peony and herbaceous peony, along with Sixth Lady Xie. With such a beauty who also has the blessing of a recovery marriage, of course, the heir likes her.”

“Speaking of which, the heir is still the most blessed. If he hadn’t been injured, he would have encountered the Xie family’s mourning period and had to delay marriage for three years at his advanced age. But with this injury, he switched to a beauty and married early. What good fortune with women!”

“But Sixth Lady Xie has a better reputation…”

“Can a good reputation fill your stomach? Marriage and having children – isn’t it all about that business? Being beautiful and able to bear children is enough. Besides, Duke Ying Mansion is already the highest noble house in the capital. Marrying any family’s daughter would be marrying down.”

“Fourth Lady Wei picked up a bargain, marrying the enviable ideal husband everyone wants. Poor Sixth Lady Xie – delayed by the mourning period, she’ll be an old maid in three years. Will she still be easy to marry off?”

“No matter how bad off she is, she’s still the capital’s first talented woman and first beauty. Is it your turn to worry about her?”

Various discussions drifted faintly into the carriage.

Wei Rao glanced sideways at Lu Zhuo.

Lu Zhuo rested with his eyes closed, his profile gentle as jade.

Wei Rao looked toward the window curtain, thinking of how the Empress Dowager and Empress had once used the marriage between Sixth Lady Xie and Lu Zhuo to mock her for being unable to marry. Yet in just over half a year, this “good marriage” had fallen to her. The person in the palace must be quite uncomfortable about it, too.

As for that Sixth Lady Xie whom she’d never met, whether her future marriage would be good or bad had nothing to do with Wei Rao.

Lu Zhuo wasn’t someone she had stolen. It was Duke Ying and his wife who had personally come to her door begging her to marry.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of Earl Cheng’an Mansion.

Wei Rao got out first, then, with A’Gui, helped Lu Zhuo down from both sides.

Yongning Alley had already gathered some spectators. Seeing with their own eyes the Duke Ying Mansion heir Lu Zhuo, who had been awakened by marriage, seeing Lu Zhuo, who appeared only somewhat gaunt but otherwise unharmed, standing shoulder to shoulder with Wei Rao like immortals descended from heaven, the spectators’ expressions became quite entertaining.

Envious, jealous, admiring – in any case, Lu Zhuo’s appearance added considerable excitement to Yongning Alley.

At Earl Cheng’an Mansion, Old Madam Wei and three generations of the family were all waiting in the main hall.

Wei Chan stood beside her mother, Guo Shi, watching Lu Zhuo and Wei Rao approach, seeing Lu Zhuo’s divine appearance. That such an excellent man had become Wei Rao’s bedmate made Wei Chan’s heart feel like an overturned vat of vinegar, so sour her eyes were about to turn red. If Sixth Lady Xie married Lu Zhuo, Wei Chan would be completely convinced – she had beauty and talent. But switching to Wei Rao, Wei Chan only felt that Wei Rao was unworthy! She felt that since Wei Rao could marry him, if her luck had been just a bit better, Lu Zhuo’s wife could have been her, too!

The way Wei Chan looked at Wei Rao could hardly conceal her jealous hatred.

Wei Rao only felt embarrassed.

Just a man with a somewhat handsome appearance – was he worth Wei Chan acting like this? There she was, being jealous and hateful toward her sister. Perhaps Lu Zhuo was secretly despising the Wei family women’s upbringing, just like that day on Cloud Mist Mountain when Lu Zhuo had loftily implied that she and her two cousins had been seen by outside men because they were all immodest and brought it upon themselves.

Lu Zhuo didn’t know he had already become the ideal husband that all young ladies wanted to marry, nor did he think Wei Chan wanted to marry him. But the way Wei Chan looked at Wei Rao clearly showed the sisters didn’t get along well, and Wei Chan was not happy to see Wei Rao’s advantageous marriage.

Wei Rao was merely immodest, but Wei Chan’s jealousy toward her sister was already vicious.

“Shoucheng, when Raorao was married off, it was Old Madam’s decision. At that time, you were unconscious, and we elders didn’t know your attitude. Now that you’ve seen Raorao too, are you still satisfied?”

After the greetings, Old Madam Wei smiled as she teased.

Lu Zhuo looked at Wei Rao with tender eyes, making Wei Rao blush and lower her head. Only then did Lu Zhuo smile and say to Old Madam Wei: “Raorao is wonderful. I should also thank my grandmother for agreeing to this marriage, allowing me the honor of becoming husband and wife with Raorao.”

Old Madam Wei said with relief, “There’s a difference in our family standings. As long as you don’t feel wronged, that’s good.”

Lu Zhuo stood up and said, “Grandmother’s words truly shame me. This life of mine was saved by Raorao. I’m grateful to her beyond measure – how could I feel wronged?”

Wei Rao acted coquettishly at the right moment: “Grandmother, please don’t say these things anymore. One of you belittles me and the other praises me, making me not know whether to feel ashamed or happy.”

Old Madam Wei laughed: “Fine, fine, fine. A married daughter is indeed like spilled water – I can’t even nag a few words as a grandmother.”

Finishing, Old Madam Wei arranged for Earl Cheng’an and his son to entertain Lu Zhuo while she called Wei Rao to her side. The grandmother and granddaughter walked away hand in hand.

Naturally, Guo Shi and Wei Chan followed.

Old Madam Wei sent away the mother and daughter Guo Shi without ceremony.

When speaking intimately, Wei Rao lied to the old madam, only saying that she and Lu Zhuo had become true husband and wife.

Old Madam Wei wasn’t quite convinced: “When he woke up to find his wife had been switched, the heir didn’t resist at all?”

Wei Rao snorted: “What would he resist? Being able to marry me is his good fortune – he should be secretly delighted.”

Old Madam Wei probed: “Then you two have… consummated?”

Wei Rao thought of the improper illustrations of men and women embracing in the little book, blushed, hung her head, clenched her hands, and said with both shyness and disgust: “Mm, he’s just a hypocrite. His wound hasn’t even healed, but he comes to bully people. If I weren’t afraid of touching his wound, I really would have wanted to kick him off.”

Old Madam Wei knew her little granddaughter knew martial arts and quickly said: “You absolutely mustn’t! His bullying you also shows he likes you – you mustn’t hit him.”

Wei Rao buried herself in her grandmother’s embrace, just acting too shy to say more.

This same act she could use with Duchess Ying, but Wei Rao was unwilling. She wanted Duchess Ying to go make trouble for Lu Zhuo, so she wouldn’t start acting now, only to have Duchess Ying suspect something was wrong with her body when she became eager for great-grandchildren later. Conversely, if the grandmother or maternal grandmother asked, she could easily blame Lu Zhuo for being inadequate.