In the first month of the fifteenth year of Yuanshuo, the war between the Northern and Southern countries ended.

The South achieved a narrow victory.

Afterwards came peace talks and negotiations.

After the New Year, the Southern capital Jianye already showed signs of spring, while the Northern Nanyang counties still received several snowfalls. During the melting, night after night came the pitter-patter dripping, snowmelt gathering into small streams in the corners under the eaves, flowing continuously.

For a month, Third Young Master Lu, Lu Yun, lay recuperating on his sickbed, intermittently hearing these water sounds day and night.

The sounds of people walking and talking also came and went beside his ears.

Lu Yun had been ill for over half a month. Luo Ling Yu wept constantly, originally wanting to bring Lu Yun back to the Luo family for recovery. However, because Lu Yun held many positions – both as a provincial governor and a military colonel – many people came daily to consult him about government and military matters, making it quite inconvenient for Lu Yun to stay at the Luo residence. Luo Ling Yu could only painfully part with her savings, emptying them to purchase a residence in Nanyang City for Lu Yun. She comforted herself that after marrying Lu Yun, all the lost money would be earned back. So each day, the young lady would leave at dawn to visit and care for her betrothed, then drive back to the Luo residence to rest at night.

Sometimes she wouldn’t return home at all.

The Luo family of Nanyang pretended not to know – Luo Ling Yu had saved Third Young Master Lu, and now she was not only the Lu family’s future daughter-in-law but also Third Young Master Lu’s lifesaver. This would greatly help elevate Luo Ling Yu’s status after marriage, and the Nanyang Luo clan was extremely pleased. After all, glory and shame were shared. They hoped Luo Ling Yu would win Third Young Master Lu’s favor.

While ill, Lu Yun still had to handle official business, causing his condition to fluctuate with persistent low fever. Luo Ling Yu argued with him several times, finally forcing Lu Yun to petition the court, hoping they would send capable people to take over Lu Yun’s daily duties. Previously, the Jianye court had ignored Lu Yun’s petition to recruit troops, but now they actively responded to these matters.

Within ten days, the court sent an official to serve as the new provincial governor. Lu Yun was promoted – after handling the final peace talks between North and South and handing over Nanyang affairs to his successor, upon returning to Jianye, Third Young Master Lu became Director of the Secretariat. The Department of State Affairs held great power, and the Director of the Secretariat shared in this power, managing central state secrets. Being constantly at the emperor’s side, the Secretariat’s location had long been known as the “Phoenix Pool.”

Entering the central government, and managing crucial matters, was the necessary path to becoming an Imperial Adviser. And Imperial Adviser was an additional title – equivalent to Prime Minister.

The Lu family had paved a bright road for Lu Yun; it only remained to be seen if Lu Yun could live up to it.

Third Young Master Lu was responsible for the peace talks between North and South, with other officials assisting. On the Northern side, they sent officials to first ransom back the Luoyang Governor who had nearly died in the avalanche, before beginning peace talks. The Luoyang Governor’s face was ashen – the North’s swift defeat this time was not unrelated to his being bewitched by beauty and losing the Gunpowder Master. This Luoyang Governor would likely reach his limit; upon returning North he would surely be demoted.

Both sides fought for every inch of land as the peace talks progressed slowly and difficultly.

Surprisingly, while the court sent officials to assist Lu Yun, they also sent him a pleasant surprise – his Second Brother, Second Young Master Lu, Lu Xian, had also come along with the officials as a peace talk representative.

Lu Yun thought it over and concluded that the Second Brother’s participation in the talks was false; coming to visit him was true. Indeed, Second Young Master Lu Xian had only managed to convince their parents to let their son leave after repeatedly explaining that Nanyang was now safe, with Lord Lu and Lady Lu reluctantly agreeing. Second Young Master Lu perfunctorily met once with the Northern peace talk officials, then the next day drove to stay at his Third Brother’s residence to visit him.

Lu Xian was anxious, and seeing Third Brother at the sickbed, while his heart relaxed, he also felt sorrow. The young lord had grown thinner, leaning against a pillow, wearing casual white clothes that draped his body like frost competing with snow, extremely loose. Hair half-bound, eyes clear and dark, though his face was somewhat pale and spirits low, such a thin young lord, in his weakened state, possessed a different kind of beauty distinct from his usual appearance.

Enough to drive all the young ladies in the world mad.

Lu Xian remarked on how Third Brother’s good looks persisted, maintaining his noble lord’s elegant and distinguished appearance even after more than half a year of wind and sun. However, regardless of how chaotic his dreams had been, Lu Yun ultimately survived that death fate. Sitting at Third Brother’s bedside, Lu Xian spoke rapidly: “Thank goodness… seeing you well, I can finally feel at ease. Father wouldn’t let me come to Nanyang, not knowing how worried I was about something happening to you…”

Second Young Master Lu frowned, thinking back with lingering fear.

His father Lu Mao wouldn’t let him take risks, so he could only write letters to Third Brother. But letters took time to deliver, and he always feared he would be too late, missing the chance to help Third Brother. He worried daily, and now finally said “Amitabha Buddha” in relief: “I knew Buddha would protect you, Third Brother.”

Lu Yun was speechless: … Had his survival depended on Buddha’s protection rather than his efforts and the multiple assists from Luo Ling Yu, Lu Xian, Prince Chen, and Zhou Yangling?

Lu Yun calmly pulled the topic back from supernatural discussion: “I should thank Second Brother most, for worrying about me so much.”

Second Young Master Lu was handsome and refined; hearing this, he shook his head casually, indicating he hadn’t done much. Seeing his bedridden Third Brother’s gaze flickering thoughtfully, he brought up what they were both thinking about: “…Thanks to my prophetic dream.”

Lu Yun paused.

His mind was in chaos, instantly recalling those stories that hadn’t happened, which he had dreamed of while near death. The suffering in the dream felt so real that even after waking, his heart still pounded. It was as if it had truly happened. Indeed, if not for Second Brother’s intervention, things might really have happened that way… but Lu Yun’s heart was half freed from its shackles; he had escaped his death fate.

Lu Yun thanked him again.

He remained distracted, seeming to think much about Second Brother’s dream but ultimately not asking. However, Second Young Master Lu was dejected: “…Following the pattern of the previous two times, when something happens in reality that acts as a trigger, I would begin to dream. But since your death fate passed, a month has gone by, and even the New Year has passed, yet I still haven’t had the next dream. I’m uneasy.”

Lu Yun: “…Second Brother, your dreams are just prophecies. When many things’ trajectories can be seen, why wait for your prophecy? The core of your dreams was me, and since I’ve survived, perhaps you won’t dream anymore in the future. Being free of it should make you feel relieved.”

Lu Xian: “…”

His face remained composed, but his heart was extremely confused, not understanding what Third Brother was saying. What did he mean by “many things’ trajectories can be seen”? Where had he seen any trajectories? He hadn’t seen anything at all. Wasn’t he the one who had the dreams? Why did Third Brother sound like he knew more than him? The difference between people… was too great, wasn’t it?

Lu Xian struggled internally: “I don’t wish to take shortcuts. Rather, I’m thinking about what my dreams mean. Pondering my dreams, I’ve realized that between the first dream and the second dream, the trajectories of major events overlap to varying degrees. For example, Nanyang would be caught in war, and Third Brother would nearly die in both. The reason I’m so worried is that next, whether in the first dream or second dream, Jianye would be caught in war, with scholars fleeing south.”

Lu Yun’s heart paused again as he looked at Second Brother in surprise: “Perhaps your guess isn’t wrong.”

Encouraged by Third Brother’s response, Second Young Master Lu was delighted, mistakenly believing his understanding of major events had improved enough to discuss these matters with Third Brother. He continued with his speculations: “Then, it’s not just your death fate, Cousin Ling Yu is the same. In my first dream, Cousin Ling Yu died in the end.”

Lu Yun’s face darkened.

He thought of how things had developed with Luo Ling Yu marrying Prince Hengyang. Although in reality Luo Ling Yu and Prince Hengyang weren’t very familiar, this thorn stuck in Lu Yun’s heart made him uncomfortable whenever he thought about it, uncomfortable and full of jealousy.

He just held it in without saying anything.

Second Young Master Lu didn’t notice Third Brother’s half-darkened face and continued talking freely: “And in the second dream, Cousin Ling Yu finally left Jianye, destination unknown. I don’t know where she took Huan’er… but there’s one possibility – the reason for ‘destination unknown’ is that she was no longer in this world.”

Lu Yun’s eye twitched: “…”

He looked at Second Brother in amazement.

Second Young Master Lu felt great pain, saying sadly: “Next might well be Cousin Ling Yu’s death fate.”

Lu Yun: “You’re overthinking it.”

Second Young Master Lu: “But that’s what the dreams indicate.”

Lu Yun calmly: “You’ve misinterpreted your dreams.”

Second Young Master Lu: “…”

Lu Yun: “Nothing will happen to Ling Yu. Her death in your first dream was only due to being caught up in the Southern country’s destruction. At that time, anyone could have died. That was a result, an inevitable outcome of how things developed, not a random accident. In your second dream, she left Jianye, which simply means leaving Jianye. She’s not the type to commit suicide, she was just too heartbroken, unwilling to see familiar faces daily. How would that lead to death?”

Lu Yun paused: “And now, that cause has been cut off. That outcome won’t exist. So Second Brother is overthinking.”

Second Young Master Lu: “…If only you had been the one having these dreams. I can’t understand anything.”

Lu Yun smiled slightly, carelessly: “Second Brother is wisely foolish, a lucky person. Haven’t you noticed that in all your dreams, you’re always the one who survives? No, not just survive – you never encounter any accidents, never suffer any great misfortune. People around you either die or leave, but you’re always an observer.”

Lu Xian was stunned, suddenly stiffening; he had never thought about it from this angle.

Seeing Third Brother give him a slight smile, full of deep meaning: “Second Brother, you’re the one heaven favors. Such luck, others wouldn’t have in a lifetime.”

Second Young Master Lu was convinced by Third Brother and left in a daze, considering whether it was because he had always remained safe that he could save Third Brother. At the same time, Second Young Master Lu was frustrated that his carefully guessed dream developments had been directly denied by Third Brother. He unwillingly asked Third Brother to guess, but Third Brother said he wanted to experiment to see if it matched his dream.

Lu Xian left with a wooden expression, anyway, in the end, he didn’t understand what Lu Yun was being mysterious about. Lu Xian took a deep breath, deciding to keep it simple and comfort the frontier soldiers. Those troublesome matters, let Third Brother worry about them.

…

When Lu Xian came to visit Third Young Master Lu, Luo Ling Yu was also in this residence.

However, since the brothers were talking, she hoped Lu Yun would hint to Lu Xian about marrying her, so she pretended to be shy and hid away, hoping Third Young Master Lu would understand her thoughts. Luo Ling Yu was blindly optimistic, desperately longing for marriage, but didn’t know Lu Yun never had the habit of discussing such matters with others. She had her maid eavesdrop on their conversation; when Lingyu returned saying she hadn’t heard Third Young Master mention marrying Young Lady, Luo Ling Yu was truly disappointed in Lu Yun.

Just then, as they were removing the old to welcome the new, the maid brought up matters of cutting and preparing clothes. Lingyu tried to please Young Lady by specifically bringing Third Young Master Lu’s daily clothing combinations for Young Lady’s review. Lingyu smiled: “These are the clothes Third Young Master has worn from arriving in Nanyang until now. The steward brought them, asking Young Lady which should be discarded, whether to cut some new ones. Or should we wait until we return to Jianye?”

“Third Young Master never manages these things. Daily attire was all managed by Sister Jinyue before. Unfortunately, Sister Jinyue is in Jianye, and the steward here in Nanyang doesn’t dare ask Third Young Master, so they can only seek Young Lady’s help.”

Luo Ling Yu felt a surge of anger just seeing Lu Yun’s clothes. She casually rifled through his old clothes, full of disgust, wanting to say burn them all. But as her hand carelessly moved, disturbing the clothes underneath, a pink handkerchief floated lightly out from among the pile of clothes. Luo Ling Yu’s beautiful eyes widened as she watched this handkerchief float onto her knee, landing gracefully.

…A young lady’s handkerchief!

And embroidered with two mandarin ducks!

Luo Ling Yu’s mind went blank with a boom, her whole body numbing as if struck by heavenly thunder. She couldn’t believe it but tremblingly reached out to grab this handkerchief. The maid Lingyu also guessed something, immediately turning pale. Seeing Young Lady spread out this handkerchief to examine closely – the handkerchief was embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water, full of passion and romance, though the embroidery work was very ordinary, with nothing worthy of praise.

In the lower right corner of the handkerchief were embroidered two small characters – “Chen Xue.”

A young lady’s name.

Luo Ling Yu: “…”

Her face turned deathly pale, then she trembled with rage – she had always been with Lu Yun, never seeing any women associated with him. He had even pretended to keep away from women in front of her. The only times she wasn’t by his side were when she hadn’t yet come to Nanyang and when he went to Luoyang.

Given Lu Yun’s arrogance, if he wasn’t particularly fond of that lady, how could he possibly accept her handkerchief? When Luo Ling Yu first tried to attract Lu Yun, he wouldn’t even accept the flower water she had prepared.

Yet he accepted someone else’s handkerchief!

Sitting stunned on the couch, the maid watched worriedly as Young Lady, frost in her eyes, twisted the handkerchief almost to destruction. The young lady repeatedly looked at the handkerchief in her hands, imagining her beloved lord with that handsome face, dallying in bed with another lady. Laughing, red curtains flying – Luo Ling Yu’s heart ached as if dying –

Who exactly was Chen Xue?!

Had he been intimate with that woman called “Chen Xue”? Is that why he took her handkerchief?

Men are all bastards! He had just taken her body, just said she was in his heart and already started eating wild game outside… She had thought Lu Yun was different, but… she would kill that pair of adulterers, wuu wuu wuu!