To Marry the Elder Brother of One's Late Husband - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Her clothes were torn to shreds, and he pressed close…

Jiang Shu turned her head, only to find Lu Changji gazing at her. While a smile played upon his lips, it was superficial and did not reach his eyes.

Shrinking back slightly, she said politely, “The mountain road is difficult to traverse; I wouldn’t want to trouble Uncle.”

At those words, Lu Changji’s smile turned even more unpleasant. His face seemed to be encased in a mask of ice—cold, hard, and frightening. He walked to her side, his jaw clenched, and whispered harshly, “Sister-in-law, get down this instant. One must maintain some dignity in broad daylight.”

His voice was low, yet it carried the chill of midwinter. As he spoke, he extended his hand toward her.

Jiang Shu dared not say another word. She reached out and placed her hand in his palm, using his strength to slide off Jiang Chun’s back and stand firmly on the ground. His hand was powerful and warm, radiating a masculine strength that made her feel deeply uneasy. As soon as she found her footing, she tried to pull away.

However, Lu Changji had no intention of letting go. He gripped her hand and shot her a stern look. “Why are you moving? Do you wish to fall again?”

His tone was far from kind, so she stood timidly by his side, not daring to argue.

Only then did Lu Changji turn his attention to Jiang Chun. “Do you know the identity of the person you were just carrying?”

Faced with such an imposing figure, Jiang Chun guessed his identity. He quickly bowed. “Greetings, Grand Secretary. I am Jiang Shu’s paternal cousin, a student at the Imperial Academy. I have long admired your name and am overwhelmed to meet you today.”

Upon learning they were cousins, the ice on Lu Changji’s face began to thaw. “Shu’er is reckless. Thank you for your help today; I shall remember this favor. The Chancellor of the Academy was once my student. If you encounter any difficulties, simply mention my name.”

It was a stroke of incredible luck for Jiang Chun. Lu Changji then placed one hand on Jiang Shu’s waist and hooked the other under her knees, lifting her into a horizontal carry toward his carriage.

His chest was broad, and through their thin summer clothes, Jiang Shu could feel the heat of his body. Her breathing grew rapid, and she pulled her hands away from his neck, clutching them to her chest to create distance. Lu Changji felt the change in her, and a primitive joy surged through him, though his expression remained grim.

Suddenly, he realized the impropriety. This was his brother’s wife. He quickened his pace, wanting to deposit her in the carriage and escape this “sinful pleasure.” His sudden speed caused Jiang Shu to wobble, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck again.

As he leaned down to place her on the carriage’s soft cushions, her lips accidentally brushed against his prominent Adam’s apple. It was a fleeting touch, almost as if she had taken the protrusion into her mouth for a split second.

Lu Changji froze. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, and the veins in his temple throbbed. Jiang Shu, remembering her aunt’s words that Adam’s apple was a man’s “other vital spot,” stammered, “Uncle, I didn’t mean to…”

He turned away stiffly, his voice raspy as he instructed his guard, Cheng Yong, “Take the Second Young Mistress to the foot of the mountain. Drive carefully.”

…

The New Servant and the Secret Plot

The next morning, Jiang Shu noticed a new, handsome servant named Zhang Qiu attending to Lu Changyi. Lu Changyi claimed he was more capable than the previous servants. However, Jiang Shu sensed a worldly, almost “powdered” air about the man.

What she didn’t know was that Zhang Qiu had been bought from a “Male Courtesan House.” Lu Changyi, fueled by the humiliation of his impotence and the taunts of his brother, had a dark plan. If he couldn’t have a child, he would push his wife toward someone else—as long as the child was born from her, it would secure his inheritance.

“The courtyard is deep and the Second Young Mistress is lonely,” Lu Changyi whispered to Zhang Qiu after dismissing Jiang Shu. “Whether you can ‘relieve’ her loneliness depends on your skill.”

Zhang Qiu was stunned but soon realized the Heir was likely impotent. Looking at Jiang Shu’s beauty, he felt like he was floating to heaven.

Later, Lu Changyi sent Jiang Shu to pick lotus pods at Qin Lake, specifically sending Zhang Qiu to “protect” her. On the lake, Zhang Qiu secretly pulled a plug from the bottom of the boat. As water leaked in, he tried to grab Jiang Shu to “save” her.

However, Jiang Shu, who could swim well, jumped into the water herself, leaving the disappointed Zhang Qiu to swim behind her with the lotus pods.

…

The Wrath of the Earl’s Mother

While Jiang Shu was visiting her mother, Madame Yang, with the lotus pods, a fierce woman named Madame Liu—mother of the Zheng Heir—burst into the hall.

She insulted the Jiang family’s status and called Jiang Ran a “worn-out shoe” for seducing her son. She even threw a bowl of pearls onto the table as a “reward,” treating Jiang Ran like a common prostitute.

After the woman left, a humiliated Jiang Ran threw the pearls to the ground. Madame Yang realized that if the Zheng Heir’s mother was this hostile, Jiang Ran’s future in the Earl’s manor would be a nightmare. Furthermore, she discovered the Zheng Heir was a violent man who had beaten several concubines to death.

Madame Yang, realizing Jiang Shu had likely orchestrated this “opportunity” to trap Jiang Ran with a monster, flew into a rage. She headed straight for the Xinyang Marquis Manor.

…

The Confrontation in the Garden

In a secluded garden at the manor, Madame Yang cornered Jiang Shu. “You slut! You dared to plot against Ran-er? You’ve tied her to a brute who kills his women!”

In her fury, Madame Yang slapped Jiang Shu across the face. A chaotic scuffle ensued between Jiang Shu’s maid, Zhu’er, and Madame Yang’s servants. During the struggle, the servants tore Jiang Shu’s summer robes to shreds, exposing her white skin.

“Tear them! Strip her so she has no face left!” Madame Yang shrieked.

Suddenly, a voice boomed, “What stray dog dares bark in the Marquis Manor?”

Cheng Yong, Lu Changji’s guard, appeared. With swift movements, he incapacitated the servants and pinned Madame Yang’s arm behind her back. When she claimed to be the “mother-in-law,” Cheng Yong mocked her, saying such a shrew couldn’t possibly be the mother of the virtuous Second Young Mistress.

Jiang Shu, her clothes in tatters and unable to face anyone, asked Cheng Yong to take the “drunken” Madame Yang away quietly to avoid a scandal.

After they left, Jiang Shu sat on a stone bench, trying to pull her torn clothes together. It was impossible; she was exposed. She stared blankly at the lake, where a tall reflection appeared in the water.

Lu Changji stood there, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and pity. “Jiang Shu, is this the result of your ‘painstaking’ schemes?”

She offered a bitter smile. “I’ve given Uncle a joke to watch.”

Lu Changji scoffed, but then he saw the red handprint on her cheek. His eyes turned icy with a burning rage. He stepped closer. “What happened to your face? Did that toxic woman do this?”

When she nodded, Lu Changji turned on his heel toward the gate.

“I am going to have someone kill that woman,” he said.