Why is the Demon Venerable Like That? - Chapter 13

Lu Yuan had intended to stroll around the manor aimlessly and later ask Ling Chuandu what the maid wanted to tell him.

However, since the maid was being so secretive and trying to avoid him, the matter was most likely related to Lu Mingzhu.

The original Lu Yuan was truly pitiful; even her dowry maid was a spy planted by Lu Mingzhu.

As Lu Yuan rounded a few courtyards, he ran head-on into a group of four or five people.

The person in the lead was a middle-aged woman wearing a gold step-shake hair ornament, with intricate embroidery on her skirt hem and eyebrows that arched sharply like jade feathers. Several servants surrounded her, acting as if they were stars guarding the moon.

She was the true mistress of this Prince’s Mansion, Shen Qiuxin, the biological mother of the young Prince, Lin Chuan.

Shen Qiuxin was the sister of the current Empress and the youngest daughter of the late Marquis of Zhenbei.

To prevent the maternal relatives’ power from growing too great, the Emperor had specifically arranged for her to marry Prince Yongkang, Lin Yuanxiu.

Lin Yuanxiu was the only prince with a different surname in Nanyin. During the rebellion of Prince Zhaowu five hundred years ago, his ancestor was the cousin of the then-emperor, Emperor Yin’ai.

Although his ancestor was mediocre and only attained the position of a registrar in the Imperial Academy—a mere seventh-rank official—Prince Zhaowu was quite popular at the time. Everyone from the inspectors to the local magistrates defected to his side. Yet, the ancestor never took a stance, which led to him being granted the “merit of following the dragon” and appointed as a prince with a different surname.

As for his lineage, they were not very ambitious. By the time it reached Lin Yuanxiu’s generation, aside from their wealth growing exponentially, they had drifted further and further away from a political career.

To avoid being seen as too harsh, the Emperor publicly left some unimportant powers to Prince Yongkang, at least enough to save face for the Marquis of Zhenbei.

When Shen Qiuxin saw Lu Yuan, she quickened her pace, looked left and right, and asked, “Are you alone? Where is Chuan’er?”

Seeing Lu Yuan remain silent, her temper flared. “That brat left you alone at home again? Did he go out to fool around by himself?”

Although Lu Yuan hadn’t said a word, Shen Qiuxin had clearly already completed an entire drama in her head. She paced back and forth, as if calming herself down. “Don’t worry, my good child. When he returns, I will certainly teach him a lesson.”

Shen Qiuxin pulled Lu Yuan aside, chattering on for a few moments, until Ling Chuandu walked over quickly. Seeing his son’s gloomy expression, Shen Qiuxin’s anger flared up again.

She raised her hand, intending to strike him, but Lu Yuan quickly blocked her, standing in front of Ling Chuandu. If a slap really landed on Ling Chuandu’s face, the entire secret realm would likely be torn apart by him in the next second.

Shen Qiuxin took a few deep breaths, her finger pointing at Ling Chuandu in the air. “I let you marry Lu Yuan; do you feel aggrieved, or what?”

She and Lu Yuan’s mother were close friends, and the two had arranged a childhood marriage long ago. Seeing Lu Yuan living so submissively in their home, she would have no face to see her dear friend who had unfortunately passed away from illness.

Ling Chuandu ignored her and pulled Lu Yuan away. He walked with long, decisive strides, dragging Lu Yuan along as he ran to keep up.

From Shen Qiuxin’s perspective, it looked like her unbridled son was dragging his weak and pitiful wife away. She immediately flew into a rage and shouted, “Lin Chuan, what is your attitude!”

Lu Yuan applied some force to pull on Ling Chuandu’s sleeve and asked in a low voice, “What kind of madness are you spouting now?”

Ling Chuandu, though impatient, explained, “Lu Yuan’s second sister has contracted a plague.”

He looked down at the hand Lu Yuan used to tug his sleeve. “It is now the first year of Chunhe.”

The first year of Chunhe.

That year, the spring was bright, and the weather was favorable. By day, ten thousand acres of grain grew; by night, music filled the streets for miles, lanterns flickered, and the sound of crowds swelled.

Emperor Yinren was very pleased and chose the era name “Chunhe.”

However, by the beginning of autumn, a plague suddenly broke out, shattering this peaceful scene.

This era name only lasted for a single year before it was extinguished in the blood and tears of the people.

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Then we don’t have to wait.”

Ling Chuandu grunted, not stopping his pace.

From a distance, the two looked like they were holding hands on the corridor bridge… eloping.

Seeing that Ling Chuandu had no intention of stopping, Shen Qiuxin could bear it no longer. “Someone! Stop him!”

Lu Yuan inconspicuously scanned the surroundings. A few people rushed over—all burly with thick eyebrows and square faces, their footing stable. They were clearly house guards.

If they did not satisfy Shen Qiuxin today, they certainly would not be able to step out of the Prince’s Mansion.

In the eyes of the outside world, Lu Yuan was a weak woman, the type who would collapse if someone touched her.

As for the young Prince of the mansion, it was rumored that he loved to play with poetry and calligraphy, discussing military strategy on paper with great eloquence, but if a real fight broke out, he would only be able to stand a little longer than Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan thought: “What a perfect pair.”

He seemed to be tired of standing, so he slowly changed his posture and leaned on Ling Chuandu’s shoulder. “Mother, you have misunderstood. It was I who wanted to go out.”

Shen Qiuxin looked suspiciously at the clinging Lu Yuan. Seeing that her son was not as disgusted by Lu Yuan’s closeness as before, and that the two were currently sticking together like an affectionate young couple, she wavered. However, given Lin Chuan’s previous track record of bad behavior, she could not help but suspect that Lin Chuan had threatened the indecisive Lu Yuan. So, she kept a watchful eye and asked one more question: “Where are you two going?”

Ling Chuandu paused, having no intention of hiding it. “To see Lu Mingzhu.”

The Prince’s Mansion was filled with Shen Qiuxin’s eyes and ears; they could not possibly hide their destination, so they might as well be honest.

Hearing Ling Chuandu’s blunt reply, Lu Yuan knew this matter would not end easily. He soothingly tapped the back of Ling Chuandu’s hand with his fingertips and, before Shen Qiuxin could explode, added, “I heard my sister is feeling unwell, so I thought I would go see her.”

Shen Qiuxin found their interaction even more suspicious. Lu Yuan and Lu Mingzhu were half-sisters; although they grew up together, their relationship could never be called good. Lin Chuan and Lu Yuan’s wedding was quite grand, with feasts lasting for three days.

Lu Mingzhu was also angry in her heart. She definitely did not want to come to Lin Chuan’s wedding, but the truth was, Lu Yuan had not invited her in the first place—that was a separate matter.

Shen Qiuxin’s gaze fell on Lu Yuan’s hand and she asked, “You can go by yourself; why is Lin Chuan coming along?”

Ling Chuandu looked at Lu Yuan—who was pretending to be deeply in love—with a half-smile, and squeezed his hand back. “Because I want to be with him, even for a moment less is not enough.”

Lu Yuan’s fingertips trembled, and he wanted to pull his hand back, but Ling Chuandu curled his lips and increased the pressure.

“Let go,” Lu Yuan whispered in protest.

“She is watching,” Ling Chuandu tilted his head and whispered near his ear.

Lu Yuan felt uncomfortable from the air he breathed out, but he refused to lose his composure. He raised his other hand and gently rubbed the corner of Ling Chuandu’s mouth with his fingertips. “There is a pastry crumb here.”

Then, he rubbed his fingertips together in the air, removing the non-existent crumb.

Ling Chuandu: “…”

If he were a cat, the fur on his back would be standing on end.

Ling Chuandu decisively released Lu Yuan’s hand. He felt an indescribable sense of revulsion, especially since the person was wearing Lu Lingyue’s face.

Seeing it too much would cause nightmares.

At this moment, the maid beside Shen Qiuxin secretly whispered a few words to her. After listening, Shen Qiuxin’s expression became unreadable. She thought for a while, nodded, and made a concession. “Someone from your home came to send word that Lu Mingzhu is ill, asking you to go back and see her.”

The two looked at each other, both seeing gloom in the other’s eyes.

It seemed that Lu Mingzhu was already quite ill; otherwise, they would not have specifically come to inform Lu Yuan in front of Shen Qiuxin. It was as if they were going to pay their last respects.

The Lu residence was only a few steps away from the Prince’s Mansion, but Shen Qiuxin still arranged a sedan chair for Lu Yuan, fearing that he might die of exhaustion from walking a few steps.

After stepping out of the sedan, Lu Yuan discovered that the Lu residence’s environment was completely different from the Prince’s Mansion; it was as if they were not in the same world.

The Prince’s Mansion had wild grass growing in the corners that burst with vigorous vitality, while the Lu residence was filled with an aura of death. Even in broad daylight, the doors were tightly closed, and the interior was as silent as deep night.

The lanterns at the door were still burning in the daylight, casting a dark red light on the door lintel.

Lu Yuan intended to lift the knocker to knock, but scanning with his peripheral vision, he noticed that the bronze door knocker was eerily stained with a reddish-brown color.

It looked like dried blood clots.

Lu Yuan decisively gave up and used his wrist to knock on the main door.

Before long, an aged face peered out. From Lu Yuan’s memories, he recognized this as the Lu residence’s steward.

The old man’s eyes brightened when he saw Lu Yuan, as if he had seen a savior. “Eldest Miss, you have returned. Just in time, just in time.”

Lu Yuan frowned slightly at the man’s attitude.

“Just in time” for what? He was not a doctor.

The steward revealed a dry, thin smile and opened the door a crack. Seeing Ling Chuandu standing beside Lu Yuan, his mouth widened further, revealing yellowed teeth. “So the son-in-law has come too. Excellent, excellent.”

Perhaps because Lu Yuan and the others had stood at the door for too long, the old steward seemed afraid they would run away and waved at them eagerly. “Hurry, come in.”

Lu Yuan tilted his head and looked behind the steward, pretending to ask suspiciously, “Steward Wang, why does it seem like there is no one else in the house?”

The steward’s hand paused in its welcoming gesture, his eyeballs rolling slowly. “Everyone is here, everyone is here. The Master and Mistress have been taking care of the Second Miss, and the servants are all in the backyard.”

Today was not a holiday, so Lu Yuan’s father should not have been home. Moreover, the plague was highly contagious; even if they loved their daughter dearly, they could not stay in the same room constantly.

Lu Yuan pretended to have a sudden realization and showed an innocent smile. “Then let me hurry and see my sister.”

Having said that, he pulled Ling Chuandu and stepped into the Lu residence, his pace urgent, as if he feared Lu Mingzhu would stop breathing if they were a few steps slower.

“He is still staring at us,” Lu Yuan said without looking back, but the way the steward looked at them was simply covetous.

It was hard to ignore.

Ling Chuandu grunted in acknowledgment.

“But he does not look like an evil spirit,” Lu Yuan said, his mood quite stable, as if the steward who did not seem normal for following them was not worth mentioning.

Ling Chuandu grunted again.

Lu Yuan looked ahead, but his breathing had quietly slowed down, his concentration focused to the extreme, his shoulders and back tense like steel, ready to erupt and kill at any moment. He said, “The boundary between life and death in the Lu residence is no longer clear.”

Everything in the world has life and death, with life energy and death energy in a balanced cycle. Dead creatures condense death energy, and newborns give birth to life energy. Simply put, one cannot see death energy on a living person, nor can one see life energy on the dead.

Ling Chuandu still just grunted, his gaze fixed on the side of Lu Yuan’s face.

The thin jaw, the perfectly shaped nose bridge, and the very narrow double eyelids—it was a shape where the brow pressed down on the eyes, making him look unapproachable under normal circumstances. But Ling Chuandu knew that as long as he smiled, that arrogance between his brows would instantly dissipate.

It was like a dream; he had returned to Jiucang City.

Lu Yuan stopped, and the steward following closely behind also slowed his pace.

Ling Chuandu: “?”

Lu Yuan’s expression was uncertain, and he sighed softly, helplessly saying, “Are you a mute? All you can do is grunt.”