To Marry the Elder Brother of One's Late Husband - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: High Peaks of the Snowy Mountain

Jiang Shu halted her steps and turned around sluggishly. Out of guilt, she dared not look Lu Changji in the eye, instead casting her gaze toward the bluestone floor beside her.

At that moment, a large, well-defined hand appeared in her field of vision. The hand was powerful, with veins slightly bulging on the back, and the palm held a primrose-yellow handkerchief.

Jiang Shu felt a secret wave of chagrin. She was certainly not a scatterbrained person; how could she have made such a fool of herself right in front of Lu Changji?

Fortunately, it was Lu Changji who had found the handkerchief. Had it been picked up by someone with ill intentions, she wouldn’t be able to explain herself even if she had ten mouths.

Jiang Shu hurried to thank him. As she spoke, she took the handkerchief; it still carried Lu Changji’s lingering warmth, hot to the touch as if it might burn her hand. She flipped the cloth around, gripping the end he hadn’t touched, and tucked it into her armlet.

…

Schemes and Counter-Schemes

Upon returning to Xinchun Court, Jiang Shu closed the door. She took two pieces of broken silver from her jewelry box, pressed them into Zhu’er’s hand, and whispered instructions: “Yang-shi wants to attend the Marquis’s banquet. I don’t know what she’s up to—go back and sniff around for information.”

The Jiang family’s foundation was thin, with only four maidservants in total. As a concubine’s daughter, Jiang Shu never had the right to command them. Before her marriage, Jiang Wenhuan felt it would look poor not to have a dowry maid, so he bought Zhu’er from the straw market.

Zhu’er was a “late bloomer” in domestic service and couldn’t compare to the highly trained head maids of the Marquis’s manor. However, she was honest and fiercely loyal to Jiang Shu. About two hours later, she returned with a full report.

“The Madam hasn’t been doing much business lately,” Zhu’er reported. “She’s been entirely focused on preparing Second Miss [Jiang Ran] for the banquet. She hired embroiderers from Jinxiu Pavilion for two new outfits and ordered a headpiece from the silver workshop.”

“That headpiece is exceptionally lavish, set with fifteen rubies. It’s worth over a dozen taels of silver. Madam says if the Second Miss catches a ‘noble person’s’ eye at the banquet, her future will be even greater than the Eldest Miss’s.”

The “Noble Person” Jiang Shu narrowed her eyes. In the Xinyang Marquis Manor, the hierarchy was clear:

Lu Lin: The Marquis. Distinguished but aged; Jiang Ran wouldn’t dare.

Lu Changfeng: The legitimate younger son. Already married; Jiang Ran is too proud to be a concubine.

Lu Changji: The eldest son of a concubine, yet he holds immense power. Even the Marquis treats him with caution.

Jiang Shu gave a cold sneer. Yang-shi and Jiang Ran certainly had high aspirations. What right did Jiang Ran have to covet someone as refined as Lu Changji? If Jiang Ran did something scandalous, it would stain the reputation of the entire Jiang family, including Jiang Shu herself.

…

The Gilded Cage

By the time of Shen (3:00 PM – 5:00 PM), Jiang Shu prepared to go to Yanxi Hall. Although the Marchioness Zhao-shi looked down on her, she still required Jiang Shu to come daily to learn household management.

As she rose to leave, the servant Changshun emerged from the inner chamber. “Third Young Madam, the Heir is awake.”

Lu Changyi was frail and slept more than most. He adored Jiang Shu and demanded her presence whenever he was conscious. For the first time, Jiang Shu felt a sense of suffocation—like a net tightening around her.

She was grateful to Lu Changyi, but she had to plan for herself. If he were to pass away early, she needed the skills to survive and hold her position. She told Changshun firmly: “Look after the Heir. Bring him his crickets to play with. I will return to dine with him at sunset.”

When Changshun reported this to Lu Changyi, the air in the room grew heavy. Lu Changyi’s voice was low and dark:

“When the Third Young Madam returns, go to Yanxi Hall. Tell the Marchioness that I did not marry Jiang-shi to have her manage affairs. She doesn’t need to learn those chores anymore.”

He wanted her purely for his own pleasure and company; he saw no need for her to be capable or independent.

…

A Cold Rain in the Courtyard

At Yanxi Hall, Jiang Shu was made to wait outside while Zhao-shi received a guest. Suddenly, the June weather turned, and a torrential downpour began. Without permission to enter, Jiang Shu remained standing under a tree, soaked to the bone.

Her thin silk clothing clung to her body, highlighting the “snowy mountains” of her chest. Flustered, she tried to cover herself with her sash.

Suddenly, a shadow blocked the rain. A figure in navy blue stood beside her, holding an umbrella over her head.

“Eldest Brother-in-law…” Jiang Shu murmured, looking up at Lu Changji.