To Marry the Elder Brother of One's Late Husband - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Let Me Carry You

Since knowing Lu Changji, Jiang Shu had made a fool of herself before him numerous times—be it through calculating worldliness or sheer embarrassment. None of that mattered much, but the one thing she dreaded most was letting him see her dark and ruthless side.

Like a scallion, once the layers were peeled away, what was revealed wasn’t a translucent core, but a heart steeped in venom. The contrast was too great; anyone would feel the rage of being deceived.

Intelligent and sharp-tongued as she usually was, Jiang Shu panicked. She wanted to say something to mask her wretchedness, but her lips parted only to remain silent. What could she say? The tryst between Jiang Ran and the Zheng Heir was indeed her handiwork. The facts were laid bare; no matter how flowery her words, she couldn’t wash her hands of it.

Anger fermented slowly in Lu Changji’s chest. He was a man who remained as immovable as a mountain amidst the treacherous winds of the imperial court, yet Jiang Shu had managed to make him burn with rage. She certainly had a talent for it.

He knew of the friction between the sisters, and he knew Jiang Shu had motives for helping Jiang Ran, but if she could orchestrate such a scheme for her sister, had her “accidental” encounters with him also been calculated?

The gentle sweetness, the helpless vulnerability, the complete reliance on him—was it all an act?

The more he considered it, the more indignant he felt. He had spent years in the halls of power and was used to deception, but he could not accept being toyed with by Jiang Shu. Her weeping on that moonlit night, her fear of the cat, her bashfulness when her clothes were half-undone—he remembered every detail. He had pitied her because she seemed so fragile, and he had helped her without reservation.

If all of it was a lie, he felt played. An indescribable mix of bitterness, loss, and fury intertwined in his heart. He looked at her soft, flower-like face again. Perhaps it was because she was so beautiful that he had lowered his guard and fallen into her trap.

He was so angry he feared what he might do if he stayed. He averted his gaze and walked away with great strides.

Knowing he was likely disgusted with her, Jiang Shu felt her heart burn with anxiety. If he loathed her, her plans would never succeed. She instinctively ran after him and grabbed his sleeve.

“Uncle!” she called out softly. When she looked up, her face was already streaked with tears, her eyes red like blooming phoenix flowers.

Lu Changji suppressed the urge to wipe them away. He stared at the slender hand clutching his sleeve and said coldly, “Sister-in-law has lost her sense of propriety. What is our relationship that you would pull my sleeve?”

His voice was heavy, lacking its usual refined warmth. Jiang Shu winced and let go.

After a moment of desperate thought, she guessed the root of his anger. She straightened her hairpiece, her voice turning soft as water: “Uncle, you are a busy man, and those around you are tight-lipped. Even if I wanted to scheme, I would be powerless. On that moonlit night when I quarreled with the Heir, how could I have predicted you would be in the garden? Or at Biyun Pavilion—even if I were mad, would I dare strip before you on purpose? Do I have the power to summon a cat to scratch me?”

At the mention of Biyun Pavilion, an image of a beautiful, half-clothed figure flashed in his mind. His reason told him her logic was full of holes, but the memory scattered his thoughts. A strange heat rose in his body.

It was madness. He blamed her for scheming, but what was he doing? For the first time, this man of absolute authority felt fear. He had comforted himself that his physical reaction at the pavilion was purely biological, but now, just seeing her tears made his heart a mess.

Feeling flustered and unsure of how to face her, he turned and fled. Jiang Shu tried to keep up but couldn’t. She cried out “Ah!” and feigned a twisted ankle, sinking to the ground. Lu Changji paused for a single heartbeat before forcing himself to keep walking.

…

The Aftermath of the Banquet

Disappointed, Jiang Shu stood up and straightened her clothes. She didn’t have time for sorrow; the banquet was ending, and she had to help Madame Zhao see off the guests.

By the time she reached the front courtyard, the wind had dried her tears. She ran into Zhao Yingyun, the well-bred daughter of a prestigious family who always treated Jiang Shu with respect. They exchanged pleasantries before Lu Changying, the spoiled sister of the Lu family, interrupted.

“Cousin, why talk to her?” Lu Changying sneered, pulling Yingyun away. “I heard my aunt has a new cat with different colored eyes; let’s go see that instead!”

Madame Zhao’s face darkened. Though she didn’t like Jiang Shu privately, she upheld the family’s dignity in public. She scolded her daughter for her rudeness, but Lu Changying only burst into tears of frustration. To avoid a scene, Madame Zhao sent Jiang Shu back to her room to care for Lu Changyi.

…

Matchmaking and Money

The next day, word came that Madame Wen and Madame Lin were coming to the Jiang house to formally propose the marriage for Jiang Rong. Jiang Shu stayed at the manor to accompany Lu Changyi, who was being particularly clingy due to his ill health.

At the Jiang residence, Madame Yang was dazzled by the gifts Madame Wen brought. Madame Wen explained that Lin Yunzhi, the Vice Minister of Justice, was a man of integrity with no concubines, but he sought a new wife to care for his household and children.

Madame Yang knew of Lin’s “wife-killer” reputation. She wouldn’t dream of marrying Jiang Ran to him, but for Jiang Rong, a concubine’s daughter, it was a different story. If the dowry was large enough, she didn’t care if Jiang Rong survived or not.

When Madame Wen mentioned a dowry of over a thousand taels of silver—ten times what Jiang Rong had ever cost the family—Madame Yang’s heart sang with joy, though she pretended to be a “concerned mother” who needed to ask for the girl’s opinion first.

After the visitors left, Jiang Wenhuan (Jiang Shu’s father) returned. He initially protested the “wife-killer” reputation to save face, but Madame Yang quickly gave him a “ladder” to climb down, blaming the deaths on the previous wives’ poor health. They agreed to the match, provided the wedding happened after Jiang Rong turned fifteen.

…

The Desperate Heir

Back at the Xinyang Marquis Manor, Lu Changyi was increasingly distressed by his brother Lu Changfeng’s taunts. Lu Changfeng’s wife was pregnant and healthy, and he openly mocked Lu Changyi for being unable to produce an heir.

Lu Changyi looked at Jiang Shu. A bold, absurd, and desperate thought took root: He couldn’t have children, but Jiang Shu could. As long as the child came from her womb, the title of the Marquis would stay with his line and not fall to Lu Changfeng.

“Shu’er, do you want a child?” he asked her in the garden.

Jiang Shu, unaware of his dark thoughts, answered vaguely about fate. Lu Changyi patted her back. “You are different from me; you are destined to have a son to care for you in your old age.”

The next morning, Jiang Shu went to the White Horse Temple to pray for Lu Changyi’s health.

The temple was quiet due to poor weather. She paid for a “nine-tael” ever-burning lamp, though she found the commercialization of faith a bit cynical. While wandering the back gardens, she spotted Jiang Ran and the Zheng Heir slipping into a private room together. She smiled, knowing her trap for Jiang Ran was tightening.

As she walked back, she slipped on some wet moss and twisted her ankle. Her maid, Fang Yu, tried to help her, but the mountain path was long.

Nearby, watching from a pavilion, was Lu Changji and his assistant, Cheng Yong.

“Sir, the Second Young Mistress has twisted her ankle. Should I help?” Cheng Yong asked.

“No need,” Lu Changji said coldly. He suspected it was another one of her “acts.”

However, when he saw a man (Jiang Chun, a relative or acquaintance of Jiang Shu) approach and lift Jiang Shu onto his back to carry her, Lu Changji’s composure shattered. In this era, such physical intimacy between a married woman and another man was scandalous.

He dropped his chess piece and hurried down the stairs.

“Sister-in-law, are you unwell? Come here. I will carry you down the mountain.”

Jiang Shu, already on Jiang Chun’s back, froze as Lu Changji’s voice sounded right behind her.