Transmigrated into the Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Prime Minister - Chapter 35

Across the street stood Lu Huaying and a boy of about ten years old. The boy wore a jade coronet on his head and was dressed in brocade robes, his appearance bearing some resemblance to Lu Huaying.

Lu Huaying’s husband was the second young master of the Zhang family, owners of the Yu Chun Brothel in the county. Back then, she coveted the Zhang family’s wealth, ignoring the fact that the second young master was a notorious rake, and married him against the advice of Village Elder Lu.

Spoiled by his family, the Second Young Master Zhang spent his days cockfighting, horseracing, and frequenting brothels. As a result, he died last year on the bed of a male courtesan in the Yu Chun Brothel.

Upon his death, the Zhang family’s main branch gained complete control, and Lu Huaying’s life took a turn for the worse in every aspect.

She had originally married into the Zhang family for a life of luxury and enjoyment, but in the end, her monthly allowance was severely reduced, and she had to constantly tolerate her sister-in-law’s condescension.

Lu Huaying was unwilling to stay in the Zhang family as a widow. As soon as the year-long mourning period was over, she moved back to her maiden home.

The customs in Xiliang were open, and it was common for widowed women to remarry. The Zhang family completely ignored her returning to her family, but the elderly matriarch of the household firmly refused to let her take away her precious youngest son, the sole male heir.

Lu Huaying figured that since her son was a Zhang family descendant, staying there would at least ensure he’d inherit a portion of the family estate. If he left the Zhang family to follow her, he might not receive a penny.

After weighing the pros and cons, she left her son behind.

“Xiao Ze, this is for you from your mother, your favorite chestnut shortbread,” Lu Huaying said with a beaming smile, offering the paper bag in her hand to her son, Zhang Chengze.

“I don’t want it,” Zhang Chengze said dismissively, not reaching for the pastry in Lu Huaying’s hand. “It’s always chestnut shortbread, I’m completely sick of eating it.”

Lu Huaying awkwardly withdrew her hand, and said ingratiatingly, “Then what would you like to eat? Mother will go buy it for you right now.”

“I don’t want to eat anything,” Zhang Chengze frowned and waved his hand. “If you don’t need anything, I’m going back. Grandmama is waiting for me to eat.”

Hearing this, Lu Huaying was overjoyed. “Do you go to your grandmother’s place for meals often now?”

“Yeah, I eat dinner there every day,” Zhang Chengze said, frowning even more at this.

The Old Matriarch’s food was too bland, and it didn’t suit his taste at all.

“That’s good, that’s good,” Lu Huaying said with a cheerful smile, then continued to advise her son, “This is a good thing, son, you must remember to please your grandmother more now, as long as she…”

“Enough, enough,” Zhang Chengze interrupted her impatiently. “You’ve said it so many times, stop nagging. I’m going back now.”

He finished speaking and turned to leave. Lu Huaying, wanting to say a few more words to him, quickly grabbed his hand and led him toward the shop across the street.

“What do you want to eat? Mother will buy it for you right now.”

Lu Sheng didn’t want to greet them, so she turned and walked away with Qi Zhenshu before the two of them could reach her.

“I don’t want to eat, I don’t want to eat,” Zhang Chengze tried to break free from her grip, but then stopped. The impatience on his face instantly vanished, and he said with an ingratiating smile, “Mother, I don’t lack for food, but I do have an item I’d like to have these days.”

“What do you want?” Lu Huaying quickly chimed in.

“I want a gyrfalcon.”

Another day passed. Just before their departure, Qi Nan specifically came to ask her if she could take the time to inquire about her sister, Qi Bei, near the City God Temple in Qinzhou, if she had the opportunity.

Lu Sheng promised her that after they finished their main business, she would definitely go to the City God Temple to help her look for her.

Dawn broke, with a faint, pale mist. The morning breeze carried a chill, shaking off the cold dew from the branches.

The two walked along the river until they reached the stone bridge outside the county town.

“Achoo!” The cold wind made Lu Sheng sneeze.

“You’re not dressed warmly enough,” Qi Zhenshu looked at her. Seeing that she was only wearing a long-sleeved ruqun (a style of traditional Chinese dress), he said, “You should find a thicker outer coat to put on.”

Lu Sheng sniffled and shook her head, saying muffledly, “It’s a little cool in the morning, it’ll be fine once the sun comes out. I didn’t bring an outer coat.”

Qinzhou was south of Binhe County, and the temperature there was quite a bit higher. Lu Sheng, finding it bothersome, hadn’t brought thick clothing.

Hearing her words, Qi Zhenshu slightly furrowed his brow and looked at her plump bundle, feeling a little confused.

If she didn’t bring thick clothes, what was packed in that bundle?

Before she could ask, Lu Sheng sneezed heartily again.

Qi Zhenshu slightly frowned, then reluctantly opened her own bundle, found an outer coat, and handed it to her. “If you freeze any longer, you might catch a cold.”

Lu Sheng was stunned for a moment, then happily took the coat. “Thank you.”

Qi Zhenshu was quite a bit taller than her, but her build was slighter. The outer coat, aside from the sleeves being a bit long, was a suitable size. The moonlight-white outer coat also matched the light pink ruqun she was wearing very well.

After putting on the coat, Lu Sheng felt much warmer. The clothing smelled of soap, but also had a faint scent of ink.

It was the usual scent of Qi Zhenshu.

The light fragrance she occasionally noticed before now completely enveloped her.

With just a gentle sniff, Lu Sheng inexplicably felt her face heat up.

Three Li Pavilion, south of Binhe County.

When they arrived, the Qin Wu Escort Agency’s convoy had already been waiting there for a long time.

Looking from afar, Lu Sheng roughly scanned the scene: two covered carriages and one horse-drawn flatbed cart. The flatbed cart was flying the Qin Wu Escort Agency’s banner, and there were four armed escorts on horseback beside the cart.

As they got a little closer, a woman in red jingzhuang (a type of close-fitting martial arts attire) dismounted her horse and walked toward them.

The woman smiled heartily and asked, “Are you the little Sheng and little Shu?”

“Yes,” Qi Zhenshu nodded and replied, “I am Qi Zhenshu, and this is my wife, Lu Sheng.”

“I am Qin Si’s daughter, Qin Feiyan. I’m older than you, just call me Sister Yan,” the woman said with a smile, introducing herself. “I’m leading this escort trip. If you have any issues along the way, just tell me.”

Qin Si and Lu Hualin were sworn brothers, so they were distantly related to Lu Sheng and Qi Zhenshu. Qin Feiyan was straightforward and didn’t treat them as outsiders.

“Okay, Sister Yan.”

“The people in that carriage are our employers. They are moving to Qinzhou and hired us to escort them all the way,” Qin Feiyan explained, pointing to the carriage behind her. “Their young lady prefers quiet, so we won’t bother them with a greeting.”

Lu Sheng glanced at that carriage. The curtain was drawn, making it impossible to see inside. Outside the carriage sat a maid dressed in plain cloth and the coachman.

“It’s about time, let’s set off now. We’ll take a short break near Liulin Village at noon, then continue directly, aiming to stop for the night in Huayang County before dark,” Qin Feiyan led the two toward the other carriage in front. “The two of you will ride in this carriage. If you need anything, just call out, I’ll be right ahead.”

“No trouble at all, Sister Yan.”

“Thank you.”

“We’re all family, no need to be so polite,” Qin Feiyan said with a wave and a smile.

Before getting into the carriage, Lu Sheng made a point of noting the people in the convoy.

There were five escorts from the Qin Wu Escort Agency: Qin Feiyan and four burly men, plus two coachmen and the maid in plain cloth.

“Set off!”

As they got into the carriage, Qin Feiyan’s shout came from outside, and then the carriage wheels slowly began to move.

As soon as Lu Sheng sat down, the cloth bag at her waist stirred. A small gray paw scraped open the mouth of the bag, and then Yu Ling fluttered its wings and climbed out.

Yu Ling scratched the crest feathers on its head with a claw and complained, “Oh, I was stifled to death.”

“I told you not to come, but you insisted on following,” Lu Sheng put down her bundle, jokingly criticizing it with a smile. “Now you complain about being stuffy.”

“Hmph!” Yu Ling raised its neck, unconvincingly asserting, “Sister promised to take me with her every time she goes out in the future.”

“Haven’t I brought you? What are you still upset about?” Lu Sheng ruffled its crest feathers, then took two Jinyingzi (Cherokee Rose hips) from her bundle and handed them to it.

Yu Ling grasped one and squatted on Lu Sheng’s lap to eat it.

“Is your bundle filled with wild fruits you brought for it?” Qi Zhenshu couldn’t help but interrupt, watching the interaction between the woman and the bird.

“Huh?” Lu Sheng turned her head to look at her. Realizing the question, she replied with a smile, “Not exactly, I just brought a little on the side.”

“Then what is in it?” Qi Zhenshu asked curiously.

“Just some food and seasoning, for an emergency,” Lu Sheng said, opening the bundle to show her.

Inside the bundle was a small bag of Jinyingzi, a few sesame flatbreads (Huma Bing), a clay jar filled with mixed seasoning, and a roasted chicken.

Bringing dry food was understandable, but why bring seasoning and a roasted chicken?

Why was she so fond of eating chicken?

Although Qi Zhenshu no longer suspected Lu Sheng was a fox spirit, she still couldn’t understand why this person loved eating chicken so much.

She wanted to ask, but she truly didn’t know how to phrase the question.

Qi Zhenshu had long confirmed that the person in front of her was not the previous Lu Sheng, but based on her continuous observation, Lu Sheng did not know that she had guessed, so Qi Zhenshu did not want to reveal the matter.

Other than knowing that the current Lu Sheng would not harm them, Qi Zhenshu did not know her too well, and she didn’t know how Lu Sheng would react if she brought it up.

Would she stay or leave?

If she were to leave, Tangtang would surely be sad.

Qi Zhenshu sometimes thought that if the current Lu Sheng was willing to stay and maintain their “respectful distance” marriage, being a couple in name only, it would still be quite good. At the very least, Tangtang would have a mother who loved her.

Putting aside the thoughts in her heart, Qi Zhenshu nodded to her as if nothing was amiss, then took out a book from her own bundle and started reading.

Seeing her reading, Lu Sheng did not engage her in conversation further. She lifted the carriage curtain and leaned against the window, watching the scenery along the road.

The carriage was traveling on the official road, which was relatively smooth and not very bumpy. In the distance, they could occasionally see a house or a village.

Having gotten up in the dark this morning, coupled with the swaying motion of the carriage, Lu Sheng felt sleepiness creep up on her shortly after sitting down.

Qi Zhenshu read for a while, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a certain person nodding off, her head bobbing up and down.

She thought about how Lu Sheng had spent the last few days either cutting herbs on the mountain or washing and drying them at home. It was rare for her to have a chance to rest properly like today.

“Lu Sheng,” Qi Zhenshu couldn’t help but call out softly.

Lu Sheng was sleeping soundly and did not wake up. Qi Zhenshu sighed lightly, took her own clothing bundle, and placed it on the seat next to Lu Sheng.

Qi Zhenshu reached out to help her lie down, but as soon as her hand touched Lu Sheng’s shoulder, she suddenly opened her eyes.

Lu Sheng swiftly clamped down on her wrist, a flash of fierce darkness passing through her bright, black pupils.

It was the first time Qi Zhenshu had seen such an intense look from her, and she was momentarily taken aback.

“Qi Zhenshu?” The sharpness in Lu Sheng’s eyes vanished, turning clear as spring water once again, her voice tinged with the grogginess of being half-asleep.

Composing her surprise, Qi Zhenshu’s tone was as usual. She pointed to the bundle beside them, “You won’t be comfortable leaning like that. You can lie down and rest for a while.”

“Mm~ Thank you.” Lu Sheng narrowed her eyes and smiled at her, then yawned and lay down on the bundle.

The sound of even breathing once again filled her ears. Qi Zhenshu shifted her gaze from the book to the peaceful, pretty face and watched quietly for a long time.

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