The Female Regent’s Daily Guide to Spoiling Her Wife - Chapter 40

“Xu Yunxia, admit it; you cannot bear to leave her.” Yunxia’s heart trembled as she thought helplessly.

After a long while, just as Yunxia felt she could no longer stand on her own, Lu  Zhao finally released her. She rested her forehead against Yunxia’s, her eyes bright and filled with a smile.

Yunxia’s eyes were misty as she lay obediently in her arms.

Lu  Zhao held her waist with satisfaction, about to say something, when a hurried knock sounded at the door. It was accompanied by Xi Gui’s excited voice. “Master! Master! General Lin has arrived!”

Lu  Zhao frowned. She picked up the flushed Yunxia and carried her to the bed, tucking her in tightly with the quilt. She leaned down and left a gentle kiss on her forehead, her voice husky and deep. “Xiaxia, wait for me.”

Yunxia gripped the quilt and let out a nearly inaudible “Mhm,” not daring to look Lu  Zhao in the eye.

Lu  Zhao reached out and pinched the soft flesh of her cheeks. “My Master is here. I do not know if Mistress came as well. It is late today; tomorrow, I will take you to meet them.”

Lu  Zhao leaned down, her lips brushing against the shell of Yunxia’s ear, and whispered, “Master and Mistress are also women, you know.”

Lu  Zhao emphasized the word “also” heavily. Her warm breath crawled into Yunxia’s ear. Sensing the deep meaning behind the words, the flush on Yunxia’s face deepened, and her toes curled beneath the quilt in shy embarrassment.

Seeing such an adorable and bashful display, Lu Zhao felt even more delighted. She let out a low laugh and walked out.

Only after hearing the door close did Yunxia dare to carefully examine her surroundings. This was Lu Zhao’s own quarters within the Regent’s Mansion. Previously, she had always stayed in the Lan Residence, but this time Lu Zhao had brought her directly to the living quarters near the study.

The room’s furnishings were simple yet expensive, much like the woman herself, noble and aloof. Yet, such a person had said she loved her! She said she wanted to be with her!

Yunxia carefully lowered her head to sniff the scent of Lu Zhao on the quilt; it was clean, cold, and carried a hint of fragrance that made her lose herself in it. For the first time, she thought with a touch of madness that perhaps she and her mother would have different endings. After all, Sister was so good. A voice in her heart cried out: Believe her; Lu  Zhao is different.

Lu  Zhao walked quickly into the study. Her Master, Lin Huaian, was standing by the window holding her Mistress, Shen Wanning. They were speaking in low, indulgent tones. “Once  Zhao is done with her business here, I will take you around Yindou. You have never been here before.”

Wanning leaned softly into Huaian’s embrace and acted spoiled. “Then Anning wants to eat the best sweets in Yindou.” Her voice was tender and soft, a tone reserved only for her beloved.

Huaian pulled Wanning closer and chuckled. “Whichever you like best, I will go and learn how to make it, so I can make it for you when we return home.”

Lu  Zhao watched the silhouettes of her Master and Mistress in silence, her heart filled with emotion. Her Master and Mistress had been this close since she was a child, and after all these years, they remained the same. She thought that perhaps she and Xiaxia could be like this in the future too.

Lu  Zhao cleared her throat slightly and called out softly, “Master, Mistress.”

Wanning turned around and saw Lu  Zhao standing quietly at the door. She happily broke free from Huaian’s embrace and rushed to her side, laughing softly. “Zhaozhao, come let Mistress look at you. Ever since you returned to Yindou, Mistress has not seen you for a long time.”

Wanning was nearly forty now, but time seemed to favor beauties; her skin was as white as snow and her expression was gentle. Occasionally showing the demeanor of a young girl, she looked to be only in her early thirties, possessing even more charm than before.

Wanning immediately saw the bloodstains on her shoulder. She pulled her over to sit down with heartache, asking anxiously, “What happened here? Quick, call a physician to take a look.”

Huaian placed an arm around Wanning’s shoulder and looked at Lu Zhao with a half-smile, speaking indifferently. “She has practiced martial arts since childhood. This bit of injury is likely kept there for a pity play; only you would feel bad for her!”

Wanning shot her a glare. She pulled Lu Zhao to sit on the soft couch beside her and snapped at Huaian, “I watched Zhaozhao grow up. If you do not care for her, I certainly do!” She turned back to look at Lu  Zhao’s wound, her eyes turning red. “Xi Gui said you were poisoned. Your Master and I rushed here immediately. I was so afraid something would happen to you.”

Huaian cast a cold look at Lu  Zhao, her expression full of warning, as if saying: My wife is about to cry; that is quite enough from you.

Lu  Zhao pressed her lips into a line. Ignoring Huaian, she looked piteously at Wanning. “Mistress, now that you are not here, no one stands up for Zhaozhao anymore.”

Wanning could least of all withstand a cold and aloof Lu  Zhao acting spoiled. Lu  Zhao had been independent since she was a child; whenever she acted spoiled, it either meant she was truly wronged or she truly wanted something.

Wanning immediately coaxed her softly, “Mistress is here. Whatever it is, Mistress will decide for you. Your Master and your mother are not a problem.”

Lu Zhao wanted to say more, but Huaian interrupted her. She took Wanning by the shoulder and said softly, “Anning, why don’t you take the medicinal meal we brought to the small kitchen to warm it up? You should give it to Zhaozhao to drink later. If you do not watch them, the others might not know how to prepare it.”

Wanning reluctantly got up to leave. She cherished Lu  Zhao most and could not stand to see her suffer even a little.

After Wanning left, Huaian tapped the table, murmuring after a long silence, ” Zhao, your mother has told me everything about your situation. You are ambitious. If you choose this Third Young Lady Xu, have you considered that you are essentially losing the support of Grand Tutor Song? And how will you explain this to Emperor Shunan?”

Lu  Zhao said in a deep voice, “Master, I do not need to explain myself to anyone. The imperial decree was never issued. The merit of saving the Emperor allows me to decide my own marriage. Besides, does Grand Tutor Song not have his own selfish motives? He allowed Song Jin to curry favor with my mother by any means necessary; what exactly is he after?”

Huaian frowned and continued, “I have heard and seen much on my way here. Great Yin is currently not at peace. There is widespread public resentment in Changzhou, and collusion between officials and merchants is rampant. Prince Qing is currently under house arrest, and the Crown Prince is certainly unwilling to risk himself. What if Emperor Shunan sends you? The Imperial Merchant Yang family is in Changzhou. You killed Yang Yuan for that Third Young Lady Xu; if you go to Changzhou, will they spare you?”

Lu  Zhao stood up and looked at the sky as it gradually grew dark, speaking indifferently. “Master, I understand all of this. But she is so good, so clever, and so stubborn. Since I met her, I… I do not want to be alone anymore. I want her to accompany me as I share in this prosperous world.”

Lu  Zhao looked at Huaian with firm eyes, her tone more solemn than ever before. “Master, my mind is made up. I need her, just as you need Mistress.”

Huaian let out a sigh and said helplessly, “Zhaozhao, the path you want to take is already treacherous. You know that Third Young Lady Xu is by no means the best candidate. Think of your mother; are you going to make her worry for you every day? You are placing the Eldest Princess’s Manor and the Regent’s Mansion in the middle of a trial by fire.”

Lu  Zhao tapped lightly on the windowsill. “Master, this Great Yin has long been riddled with holes. My Uncle is focused only on the Tao, the Crown Prince is weak, and Prince Qing is ruthless and sinister.”

She stared fixedly at Huaian. “Even if the road ahead is perilous, I will make all the necessary arrangements. I want both this world and that one person!”

“Tomorrow, I will take the initiative to ask the Emperor for a decree to go to Changzhou to manage the drought. I will allow her to stand by my side openly and honorably.”