Chapter 22: Intoxication

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“Go and ask Yue Rong to come to my courtyard. I have something to discuss with her,” First Madam ordered.

Before long, Lu Yuerong arrived at First Madam’s courtyard.

On the way there, her eyelid kept twitching, and she could not shake the feeling that something was about to happen.

“Mother.”

The maid lifted the pearl curtain, and Lu Yuerong entered the room.

First Madam sat beside the round table, one hand supporting her hair, looking exhausted and worn out.

Lu Yuerong glanced over the accounts spread across the table, then walked behind her and gently kneaded her shoulders and neck. “If you are tired, Mother, why not let me help you?”

“What a good child.” First Madam took her hand and led her to sit down. “Yue Rong, Lu Shuyao returned today. You did not know, did you?”

“Lu Shuyao?”

Lu Yuerong’s lips, glistening with fresh rouge, parted in surprise. “Wasn’t she in the palace? Has she been driven out?”

Would that not bring trouble upon the family?

“It is because Lady Liu is pregnant. She said the Empress Dowager showed her mercy and specially permitted her to return home for a visit.”

The Empress Dowager?

How could that be?

Lu Yuerong’s brows immediately drew together.

Lu Shuyao could win men’s favor, but could she really win the favor of that old witch as well?

She did not believe it!

The Emperor cared little for feminine beauty. In her previous life, she had been forced to curry favor with the Empress Dowager Shen in the imperial harem.

That old woman had been exceptionally difficult to please.

“As for your marriage to the Xie family, let it go,” First Madam said quietly, gazing at Lu Yuerong. Her words broke through Lu Yuerong’s thoughts.

“Mother? Why are you bringing this up again?” Lu Yuerong pressed her lips together, clearly displeased.

“Your grandmother supports me as well. As for your father, he is a filial son. If the Grand Madam gives the order, he will not dare disagree.”

“But I do not want to marry anyone else.” Lu Yuerong glared at her.

“Then remain at home.” First Madam had long anticipated that answer and spoke lightly.

Lu Yuerong was thoroughly enraged by her attitude. “You would rather I never marry than allow me to marry into the Xie family. Why?”

“You are the legitimate daughter of this household, yet you insist on taking a marriage even a concubine-born daughter would reject, and you ask me why! Why did you refuse to enter the palace back then? Why did you insist on marrying into the Xie family? I think that fall from your horse damaged your mind.” First Madam had endured too much anger that day and could no longer restrain her temper. “I forbid you to marry him!”

Lu Yuerong glared at her resentfully, then turned and stormed out of the room.

She hurried to Clearwind Courtyard. After a moment’s thought, she changed into men’s clothing.

“Binglian, change into men’s clothes as well. You are coming out with me.”

“Eldest Young Miss, this…”

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“Quick!” Lu Yuerong snapped.

Seeing her expression, Binglian dared not ask anything more. She quickly led Lu Yuerong through a maze of winding paths, bribed the gatekeeper at the side entrance, and slipped out.

“Go deliver a letter to the Xie residence.” Lu Yuerong took the letter from her bosom and handed it to Binglian. “I will wait for him at the Phoenix Song Tavern.”

Binglian immediately ran to the Xie residence.

She thought Xie Liwen would soon emerge from the estate and continued waiting at the gate.

The sun gradually grew hotter and harsher. Worried that something might happen to Lu Yuerong while she was alone, Binglian had no choice but to abandon her vigil outside the Xie residence.

She hurried to the Phoenix Song Tavern. By then, Lu Yuerong had already drunk more than half a pot of wine in a private room.

“First Young Madam, you cannot drink any more.” Binglian urged her anxiously the moment she saw her.

“Has Lord Xie not come?” Lu Yuerong looked past Binglian at the empty doorway, her beautiful eyes filled with disappointment.

“Lord Xie does not seem to be at home. If he received the letter, he will certainly come soon!”

The Lord Xie in question was indeed not at home.

At that very moment, he was enjoying himself in Red Smoke Lane.

“Lord Xie, your wedding to the Lu family is almost upon you, is it not? Why have you not gone to see your little beauty with her celestial looks? Why come to me instead?”

The woman’s voice was soft and alluring, her teasing tinged with unmistakable jealousy.

“What is so good about her? She will not let me touch her or even lay a hand on her. Do not worry. Once I marry her, I will soon bring you into the household.”

Watching Xie Liwen, Ming Zhenwan could not help wondering what Lu Yuerong had ever seen in him that she would insist on marrying no one but him.

She had fallen into this sordid entanglement with him only because her father had been imprisoned, leaving her reduced to the status of a convict’s bondservant.

But what had driven the eldest daughter of the Lu family to him?

…

By the time Xie Liwen returned to the Xie residence, evening had fallen.

“Third Young Master, someone from the Lu family has delivered a letter from the eldest young madam.” The moment he entered the residence, a servant presented him with the letter.

Xie Liwen opened it and immediately understood. First Madam had caused trouble again—and this time, the disturbance was considerable. Lu Yuerong had left home altogether.

“Prepare the carriage at once. We are going to the Phoenix Song Tavern.”

He hurried there. When he pushed open the door to the private room upstairs, he saw a picture of a beautiful woman drunk on wine.

The fragrance of clear wine lingered in the room. The beauty rested her cheek against the tabletop, her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes hazy.

“Lord Xie?”

“It is me.” Xie Liwen stepped forward and half gathered her into his arms. “How did you drink so much?”

“Third Young Master, the eldest young madam is drunk. Please take us back to the residence.” Binglian was frantic with worry.

“No, I am not going back!” Lu Yuerong’s tongue had already grown clumsy, her words slurred.

“Lord Xie, take me away with you. I will go anywhere.”

Like a boneless creature, Lu Yuerong folded herself against his arm and whispered the words.

As Xie Liwen stroked her slender back, an indescribable impulse rose within him.

“All right. I will take you away.”

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He carried her downstairs from the tavern and placed her inside the carriage.

“Third Young Master, where are we going?”

Inside the carriage, Xie Liwen quietly gazed at the lovely face nestled in his arms.

“To the residence I purchased in Flowing Sand Lane.”

…

In the Jade Serenity Courtyard, Lu Shuyao had already settled down for the night.

She had returned to the Lu residence for a visit accompanied only by Nanny You and Peilan.

Lady Liu had been sleepy throughout her pregnancy. After dinner, she spoke with Lu Shuyao for a while before she could no longer keep her eyes open.

Lu Shuyao therefore retired early.

Lying in bed, she pondered the situation in the palace.

If the scheme arranged by the Shen family failed this time as well, she feared she would be their next victim.

When she returned to the palace and faced the Emperor again, she had to confess her true feelings to him at the earliest opportunity and make him understand that she was genuinely willing to serve him.

Only then could he become her support, her protection.

As she thought, Lu Shuyao heard the steady sound of footsteps approaching from outside.

“Who is it?”

“It is me, Lady Bao.” Nanny You’s soothing voice came from beyond the door.

She was carrying a lantern. Once she entered the room, she lit the lamp.

“The palace has sent an edict. Lady Bao is to return at once.”

“Now?” Lu Shuyao froze for a moment.

“Now.”

Lu Shuyao felt that this day had been nothing but upheaval.

She had risen early to go to the Palace of Benevolent Tranquility. After finally managing to return home, she was now being hurried back to the palace once more.

“Has something happened in the palace?”

Her hair had not yet been arranged, and soft black strands spilled over her shoulders.

She sat inside the carriage, her delicate little face pale and luminous.

There was a trace of worry in Nanny You’s eyes as well. “This old servant does not know.”

“Then who issued the edict?”

“His Majesty.”

Lu Shuyao nodded. “Then let us depart at once.”

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