The bridal chamber was filled with candlelight as the newlyweds engaged in their passionate union, creating an intimate night of tenderness.

At first, the young lady’s voice was soft and weak, showing some discomfort, while the young lord spoke words of comfort, occasionally teasing her. Later, their hoarse, drawn-out moans intertwined like silk threads. Suppressed, entranced, and pleasurable, their voices merged as one, rising and falling like the strings of an ancient zither. Those standing outside the door surely blushed at what they heard.

Such has been the way of men’s and women’s intimacy since ancient times.

As they grew accustomed to each other, they began to savor the pleasure. Their entangled bodies, sticky with sweat, became indistinguishable from one another.

…

After his marriage, Lu’s Third Young Master appeared refreshed and energetic. The next day when discussing matters with others, they noticed his usually aloof expression had softened into a smile, becoming much more approachable than before. Throughout the day, people sighed either enviously or sourly: Lady Luo truly had the ability, managing to humble such a noble and proud young lord.

Oh, she wasn’t Lady Luo anymore, but rather Madam Lu, wife of the Third Young Master.

Lu Yun’s joy lasted barely a day before his second brother Lu Xian came to visit in the evening, sighing with a worried expression. When Second Young Master Lu saw Miss Luo in his third brother’s residence, he watched as the young lady gracefully directed servants to serve tea. Having a beautiful young woman now permanently in his third brother’s domain made Lu Xian quite uncomfortable. Yet Second Young Master Lu was also pleased: it was thanks to his help that his brother and cousin could achieve their hundred-year marriage bond. Since he had helped his brother and sister-in-law reach this point, perhaps he could also resolve that miscarriage crisis.

Luo Lingyu was skilled at reading people’s expressions. Seeing Second Cousin Lu come to discuss matters with her husband, she didn’t wait for his subtle hints and found an excuse to leave, giving the space to Second Cousin.

As the new mistress gracefully left, taking all the servants with her and thoughtfully closing the door, Lu Xian stared in amazement. Coming back to his senses, he lowered his head and said to Lu Yun, who sat properly: “…Cousin-sister is so considerate, surely this brings Third Brother great joy?”

Lu Yun sat at the small table and, hearing this, touched his chin with a faint smile: “…Mm.”

He had already guessed what kind of person Luo Lingyu would be as a wife, certain she would take excellent care of her husband. Earlier he had envied whoever would marry Luo Lingyu, never imagining that a year later, he would be the one to win the beauty. His relationship with Luo Lingyu since their first meeting had been a battle of wits, their feelings changing from dislike to love… quite a romantic tale indeed.

However, Lu Yun was different from Luo Lingyu – while she liked to show off, Lu Yun disliked sharing his private thoughts with others. He smiled briefly, then moved past the topic of his new bride, reaching for the teapot on the table to pour tea for his second brother: “What dream has Second Brother had this time? You’ve kept it hidden for so long, it must have been difficult.”

Lu Xian was speechless: …He had just arrived, yet his third brother had already guessed he’d been concealing a dream for so long.

Lu Xian’s face remained composed as he glared disapprovingly at his casual and unrestrained third brother. Lu Yun remained unconcerned, so Lu Xian finally sighed and lowered his voice: “…I originally didn’t want to tell you about this dream, because it was only partial, without beginning or end, unknown what would happen after. In past years when interpreting dreams, I often made mistakes due to such incomplete knowledge. I also feared you might misinterpret the dream’s true meaning.”

Lu Xian fell silent for a moment, then began to explain—

“…I dreamed it was summer, and chaos erupted in Jianye, with various factions fighting. The warfare spread to Danyang city. At that time, all of the Lu family was in Danyang City, and the fighting reached our women’s quarters. Cousin-sister Luo rushed back and forth, rescuing people from the fires and enemies… It was chaos everywhere, blood everywhere, enemies breaking in everywhere. Though the Lu family guards were strict, the women were only panicked at first, then followed Cousin-sister Luo’s arrangements. But she received a shock, and that night she miscarried.”

Lu Xian’s heart pounded as the dream scenes appeared vividly before him as if he could see the young lady crouching down in that deep alley, clutching her belly. Cold sweat covered her brow as blood seeped through her skirt. Although she had remained calm while running about and dealing with enemies, able to help her husband protect his family, when the blood beneath her skirt spread more and more, Luo Lingyu became frightened too.

She trembled fearfully with tears, gripping her maid’s arm: “What should I do, what should I do… I didn’t mean to…”

She said through tears: “Brother Xuecen… Brother Xuecen, quickly find him! Wuwuwu, find him—”

Her heart was confused and afraid as she clutched her painful belly. This was the first child of the Lu family’s direct line in this generation, receiving the entire family’s attention. This was also Lu Yun’s first child, but now… The dark alley in the dream, the flying warfare everywhere, cousin-sister sobbing lonely before fainting in her maid’s arms – scene after scene continued appearing before Second Young Master Lu’s eyes after waking. As Lu Xian told this dream to Lu Yun, his heart ached deeply.

Lu Yun’s pupils contracted sharply as he lowered his eyes in silence.

Seeing him like this, Lu Xian hesitated, then consoled him: “Actually this dream is very easy to prevent, much easier than your previous deadly situation. Since Cousin-sister Luo miscarried, to prevent this dream, Third Brother should simply not touch her for now. This way, she won’t become pregnant, and naturally won’t have an accident during the warfare.”

Lu Yun was startled.

He raised his eyes to look at his sincere brother offering advice. Lu Yun couldn’t help saying: “My newly wedded wife, you’re telling me not to touch her? Second Brother, are you mad or am I?”

Lu Xian frowned: “When life and death are at stake, is physical pleasure so important?”

Lu Yun: “…”

He covered his face with his sleeve and sighed, saying no more. Second Brother was a leisurely scholar, playing with literature and art, absolutely not lustful. He naturally didn’t know how when desire clouds the mind, even if the heart wants to resist, the body cannot. Death under a peony… Second Young Master Lu hadn’t yet met his peony flower, so he didn’t realize that once a man marries, he develops a taste for it and thinks constantly of that matter, difficult to resist.

Third Young Master Lu only said hoarsely and softly: “This matter… must have been an accident. Thank you for the warning, Second Brother. Lingyu and I will be careful. What happened in the dream… I absolutely won’t allow it to happen.”

Lu Xian nodded, looking at his third brother’s gentle face, but hesitated: “Xuecen, since you last reminded me that I am a fortunate person, blessed by heaven, I’ve had a feeling – I suspect that my dreams, from beginning to end, were never about you and Cousin-sister Luo’s love. I only focused on your love story… probably because in the dream, I was only familiar with you, and you were so important in the dream. It seemed every action could change the future’s direction. But the key to the dream was never your relationship, what I dreamed about was always the future situation of the Southern Kingdom.”

Lu Yun raised an eyebrow, looking at him with surprise.

Lu Xian’s heart jumped, knowing that Lu Yun’s look meant he might have guessed correctly. He had finally guessed correctly once, and Lu Xian was excited as he gripped his third brother’s hand resting on the table: “Does that mean the Southern Kingdom’s situation is for me to change? Am I really that important? What can I do… Oh right Third Brother, why weren’t we in Danyang city when it caught fire in the dream, when Cousin-sister was taking care of people? If you had been by Cousin-sister’s side then, she wouldn’t have…”

Lu Yun’s expression remained calm.

Lu Xian might not be able to interpret his dreams, but he understood his third brother. His brow jumped violently as he leaned forward, trembling as he lowered his voice: “…You know what the warfare in Jianye city is about, don’t you? It’s related to you?”

Lu Yun was quiet for a moment before giving Lu Xian a shocking revelation: “To be honest, Second Brother’s dream did surprise me. I didn’t know Lingyu might miscarry… Now that I know, I’ll naturally prevent it. But besides that, even without Second Brother telling me, I could guess what would happen next. I can even guess what you’ll dream about after Lingyu’s miscarriage.”

Lu Xian: “…!”

Seeing his third brother’s deep gaze with burning stars in his eyes, speaking slowly and calmly: “Second Brother, why do you dream? To guard against coming disasters? Always being on guard, carefully dancing with shackles along the edge of major events’ trajectory, isn’t it exhausting? I’ve experimented multiple times and had suspicions before, and now Second Brother has just confirmed my guess… Every word and action, every changed decision, your prophetic dreams are, in some way, also being led by me.”

“Prophecies are meant to create change, to guide things toward the best outcome. Major events develop according to their logic, and if one can glimpse this logic… it’s not impossible to completely change the direction of your dreams. Second Brother, one should be skilled at utilizing external factors, rather than being led by them.”

“I can guess what Second Brother will dream after dreaming of Lingyu’s miscarriage… but I can’t tell you. You would be startled and ruin my grand plans. You only need to know that I don’t need dreams to teach me what to do, rather, I will guide this future in the direction it should go.”

“Second Brother has worked hard for a long time. From now on, unless there’s a disaster, Second Brother should just watch steadily. Your dream stories are no longer of use to me, can’t guide anything, so Second Brother needn’t tell me anymore. Oh, naturally, if Second Brother dreams anything about Sister Lingyu, you can still tell me.”

Lu Xian stared in shock, gritting his teeth: “Fine, I won’t ask more… but you admit the warfare in Jianye will be caused by you, right? What are you planning to do?”

Lu Yun appeared thoughtful: “Originally it wouldn’t have been caused by me… but now, it will be caused by me. The second Brother should just observe quietly. Just trust that I won’t do anything harmful to the Southern Kingdom.”

Lu Xian talked with his third brother for two hours before leaving Lu Third Young Master’s residence in a daze. Before leaving, Lu Yun saw his brother out and instructed: “Second Brother shouldn’t tell anyone else about any dreams… to avoid affecting my grand plan.”

Second Young Master Lu nodded glumly as his third brother saw him out. Fortunately, Lu Xian’s burden felt lighter now, as Lu Third Young Master had told him his dreams were no longer useful, and he didn’t need to always be anxious, praying to gods and buddhas with a head full of questions. His doubts and worries were fully taken over by Lu Yun. Lu Xian realized his third brother had some scheme in mind, but unfortunately, what his third brother didn’t want to say, he could never get an answer about no matter how he asked.

Lu Xian smiled bitterly: After dreaming for so long… in the end, he was told the dreams were useless, and everything should be left to Lu Yun.

He was probably destined to be just a leisurely scholar.

…

What Lu Yun couldn’t tell his second brother was that the warfare in Jianye would be related to several princes’ power struggles. After experimenting with the direction of Lu Xian’s dreams, he had written to ask Prince Chen Liu Shu, who was in Jianye. Liu Shu said the old emperor was already elderly, and lately not only indulged in women but also alchemy, only listening to Daoist priests and fortune-tellers, recklessly taking pills, and ignoring imperial physicians. The old emperor wouldn’t live much longer… and the movements of those princes in Jianye were growing larger.

Prince Zhao Liu Huai was just one example.

But the new prefect Han Mingzi sent from Nanyang made Lu Yun discover that Liu Huai was colluding with the Northern Kingdom, with grand schemes. With help from the Northern Princess’s slander and Jianye officials friendly to Northern envoys, the Southern Kingdom’s prefectures would be reorganized – as long as Yingchuan, Nanyang, and other areas fell under Liu Huai’s sphere of influence, Liu Huai would gain benefits and naturally repay the Northern Kingdom. Originally giving Ruyang to the Northern Kingdom was Prince Zhao’s repayment… but it was intercepted by the observant Lu Yun.

The Northern Kingdom, having not gained any benefits, naturally wasn’t content. Liu Huai would have to pay some price.

The chaos in Jianye couldn’t be accomplished by just a few young princes without troops. The Northern Kingdom must have played a role… Lu Yun instantly deduced that Northern Kingdom troops were likely already mixed within the Southern capital of Jianye, waiting for an opportunity to fish in troubled waters.

Lu Yun smiled: Fishing in troubled waters… Wasn’t this exactly the catalyst he wanted for warfare in Jianye?

Third Young Master Lu lowered his eyes. He had reversed the influence on Second Brother’s dreams, making bold changes to alter all trajectories. He wanted to guide, to make everything follow his plans, to step by step push his years-long friend Liu Shu down the path he wanted Liu Shu to take. Now he couldn’t avoid competing… but he couldn’t tell others about Second Brother’s dreams – even if he did, others wouldn’t believe them. Lu Yun simply decided to push events forward himself.

…

After talking with Second Brother for an evening, then pacing and pondering, he wrote several letters to send to Jianye, to Prince Chen Liu Shu. Luo Lingyu still hadn’t returned, and when Lu Yun thought about her possible miscarriage, his heart felt heavy. He rubbed his forehead and went out to find Luo Lingyu.

Luo Lingyu was in an elegant side chamber, washing chess pieces. A basin of water sat before her as her fair, slender fingers stirred the water, splashing as she and her maid together poured the chess pieces into the water. The distinct black and white pieces scattered like smooth pebbles, layers of water reflections casting shifting, ethereal light on the young lady’s face as she bent over to wash them.

Lu Yun’s eyes darkened as he watched silently for a long while.

Luo Lingyu quickly noticed, looking up at him in surprise, asking with her eyes if Second Cousin had already left. Luo Lingyu yawned: “Brother Xuecen, what are you doing here? I’ll return after I finish washing the chess pieces.”

Lu Yun walked over, gesturing for the maid to leave. He stood behind Luo Lingyu and suddenly reached out to caress the jade-like skin of her neck. Having just come in from outside, his fingers were cold, making the young lady shrink her shoulders and twist around in annoyance: “What are you doing?! How can you be so mean, always bullying me!”

Lu Yun saw the anger in her eyes and laughed, seeming to enjoy teasing her.

When Luo Lingyu was about to jump up and fight this scoundrel to the death, the young lord bent down and embraced her shoulders from behind, his lips lightly brushing her temple with tender affection. Luo Lingyu was sensitive: “What’s wrong? Are you unhappy? What did Second Cousin say?”

Lu Yun lowered his eyelids, his gaze passing over her delicate chest to fall on her lower abdomen. The heaviness in his heart rose again as Lu Yun tentatively said: “When the peace talks end early next month, we’ll return to Jianye. How would Sister Lingyu feel about… not returning to Jianye, but going to Yicheng with Zhou Lang instead?”

Luo Lingyu: “…!”

She asked: “Why?”

Lu Yun spoke carelessly: “There may be warfare in Jianye… I worry you’ll get caught up in it and suffer. If you’re in Yicheng, with Zhou Zibo and those scholars like Zhou Tan watching over you… I’d feel more at ease. Will Sister Lingyu accept?”

He seemed to be discussing it with her, but his meaning was very clear – he had already made up his mind. Luo Lingyu was being held from behind but furrowed her brow. She didn’t like Lu Yun arranging things for her, and she wasn’t happy about having to leave him. She had finally married him, hadn’t even had two days of intimacy, and he was already sending her away… However, Luo Lingyu glanced at her lord’s face next to hers and saw Lu Yun’s expression was faint, his spirit seemingly not very good.

Her heart softened, unwilling to quarrel with him right after their marriage.

So the young lady smiled gently: “I’ll listen to whatever my husband says. I just like having my husband take care of everything.”

Lu Yun managed a smile, praising her understanding. His mind was elsewhere and didn’t notice the flickering in his wife’s eyes. She wasn’t going to be obedient.

…

The next day Lu Yun told Zhou Yanglin about his arrangements for Luo Lingyu. With the north-south conflict ending, her father in Yicheng was urging her to return, so Zhou Yanglin needed to leave for Yicheng soon anyway. Just as she was feeling melancholy, Luo Lingyu was entrusted to her by Lu Yun. After a moment of surprise, the clever Zhou Lang naturally sensed something. But Zhou Yanglin’s virtue was never making things difficult for others, so she immediately agreed.

Zhou Yanglin said: “Third Young Master can rest assured, I’ll certainly care for Sister Luo as if she were my sister.”

Third Young Master Lu became even more worried: “Don’t care for her too much. My Lingyu is fickle, treating feelings as ‘this one is good, that one isn’t bad either,’ most ambiguous and uncertain. If you’re too good to her, she easily develops feelings… don’t care for her so much that you turn her into an unfaithful wife for me.”

Zhou Yanglin was startled, then smiled: “…”

But that afternoon, as Zhou Yanglin was packing for the return to Yicheng, Luo Lingyu came running in breathlessly to find her: “Zhou Lang, Zhou Lang… you must help me!”

Zhou Yanglin naturally set aside her tasks to ask with concern what had happened to the young lady.

The young lady caught her breath as Zhou Lang helped her sit down. Luo Lingyu covered her face, crying and whimpering, her face covered in tears. She was utterly grief-stricken, full of resentment: “My husband is a scoundrel, we just got married and he’s already abandoning me to return to Jianye alone. He says it’s for my good, but who knows what he’s thinking? Maybe he thinks I’m not good enough to appear in public, doesn’t want me to return to Jianye with him?”

“He even criticized me before, blamed me for meddling…”

Zhou Yanglin: “…”

She wore an expression of speechlessness.

This couple… this couple… their words were so different front and back, they knew how to play games.

Luo Lingyu lowered her hands from her face, tilting her head up with red eyes, blinking her bright eyes touchingly: “I only have Zhou Lang now, Zhou Lang, you must help me. I don’t want to be abandoned…”

Zhou Yanglin just couldn’t resist Luo Lingyu’s coquettish pleading and again helplessly agreed.

How could she possibly handle this newlywed couple?

Zhou Yanglin only said: “It’s a pity Third Young Master isn’t easy to deal with, he’s sensitive and suspicious. If I speak to him, he probably won’t believe me.”

Luo Lingyu smiled mysteriously: “Just help me, Zhou Lang. As for my husband… I have ways to make him listen to me.”

…

That night was peaceful. When Lu Yun wanted to make love, Luo Lingyu refused. Since Lu Yun already had the miscarriage weighing on his mind, when she refused, he naturally didn’t force her. But the next day after finishing work and returning home, Lu Yun entered the study, originally just wanting to read for a while. He carried a book scroll into the room but saw Luo Lingyu was also there, bent over the table drawing some flowers.

Lu Yun walked past her, unconsciously turning his head to look at her twice. The young lady wore a light, gauzy dress today, over ten layers of silk, but when Lu Yun looked, he could still see her water-red undershirt beneath the gauze, her snow-white skirt hem, and that body of ice and jade. The young lady’s hair was secured with just a silver hairpin, her long hair loose over her shoulders, her profile like bright jade, wearing no powder or rouge.

Lu Yun glanced at her again and again.

Because he rarely saw Luo Lingyu without makeup. She cared too much about appearances, whenever seeing people, even him, she was always perfectly made up. Since the rouge and powder she made herself were not only vibrantly colored but also non-toxic and edible, Lu Yun didn’t say anything about it. But he still regretted rarely seeing Luo Lingyu without powder and rouge—

And now, the young lady sitting several feet away at the desk bent over her drawing, wore no makeup.

When she wasn’t made up, she looked much more petite, less sensual, more innocent. Finally looking like a teenage girl…

Luo Lingyu suddenly looked up toward the young lord lounging on the couch. Her eyes were clear and bright, looking over suddenly, and Lu Yun didn’t avoid her gaze, meeting it with a smile. Luo Lingyu questioned him: “What are you looking at?”

Lu Yun’s gaze dropped slightly, half-smiling: “Sister has grown up.”

Luo Lingyu was surprised and completely confused. She had gone without makeup to seduce Lu Yun. Giving her husband new experiences was Luo Lingyu’s consistent approach. But when she didn’t wear makeup, she should look younger, so why did Lu Yun say she was “grown-up”?

Luo Lingyu followed Third Young Master Lu’s gaze downward, his eyes staring directly at her chest… Luo Lingyu: “…”

The corners of her eyes flushed red as the young lady jumped up!

She knew it, this man was completely shameless.

Luo Lingyu fled in panic, and Lu Yun gave a low laugh, not rising to pursue but truly lowering his head to read. But after a while, those departing footsteps returned, and Lu Yun’s peripheral vision caught the young lady’s skirt hem stepping before him. He was still looking down when the young lady leaned over.

Luo Lingyu knelt on the couch, embracing the neck of the young lord who was leaning against the pillow, pressing against his lips in a passionate kiss.

Lu Yun was caught off guard by this surprise and leaned back slightly, making a brief “mm” sound.

“Pat.” The book scroll in his hand fell to the ground as the young miss curled entirely into his embrace. After a while, Lu Yun moved his lips away, caressing her as he said softly: “…You’ve been drinking?”

Luo Lingyu: “Yes, won’t Brother Xuecen have some too?”

Lu Yun sensed something was wrong and instinctively wanted to refuse, but heard Luo Lingyu buried in his arms say coquettishly: “I like you so much, I want to make love with you. Doesn’t bother to want to?”

Lu Yun’s hand gripping her wrist truly tightened as his breathing grew heavy.

The little tempest in his arms enticed him, full of tender complaint: “But you made me so uncomfortable before, I heard drinking can help with that. Won’t brother have a little drink too?”

…

Lu Yun wasn’t good with alcohol and could easily be knocked down.

But people rarely saw Third Young Master Lu drunk because when intoxicated, he was just more uninhibited than usual. On the surface, the young lord still appeared his usual self. Luo Lingyu was too sweet – though Lu Yun knew it was a trap, he was still brought down by his new bride.

Naturally, when uninhibited, he tormented the young lady between life and death, much more intense than usual. The more she cried out, the more excited he became, the more he couldn’t control his strength.

But he only did it once before laying down his banner and falling asleep.

Luo Lingyu’s thighs trembled as she moved past him, crawling out from between the bed curtains, covered in marks, her arms shaking slightly. However, Luo Lingyu fixed her appearance to hide the marks, put on a cloak, and went out. She had made Lu Yun drunk for a reason, naturally having something to do.

…

That night, Second Young Master Lu had already gone to bed but was woken by Luo Lingyu knocking at his door. His cousin-sister demanded he tell her what he had discussed with Lu Yun. When Second Young Master Lu refused, Luo Lingyu threatened him—

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll tell Brother Xuecen that you’re a beast in human clothing, that you have improper thoughts about me and took advantage of me.”

Lu Xian: “…”

He was shocked: “…Cousin-sister!”

How could you be this kind of person?!