Chapter 144: Heartfelt Devotion
Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Heartfelt Devotion
"What did I do wrong?"
Cao Luyun’s almond-shaped eyes filled with tears as she choked out the question, as if all her misfortune stemmed from Liang Wan, who had stolen everything that should have been hers.
Liang Wan watched her quietly, at a loss for words.
As far as she could remember, Cao Luyun had never spoken so much at once. She must have been bottling this up for a long time.
She had felt that way before.
In truth, Cao Luyun wasn’t wrong. She and Lu Xiu were indeed husband and wife, while Liang Wan was merely a concubine. How could she not be considered an intruder?
Liang Wan’s gaze sharpened. "You can’t have told me all this just to complain. What is it you want? You might as well say it plainly."
Cao Luyun was taken aback for a moment. She lowered her gaze, bit her lip, and confessed, "I don’t want to divorce His Lordship."
...
The weather was cold, so Liang Wan prepared a hot pot.
A long time ago, she used to make it often, gathering mushrooms in the mountains and digging up lotus roots from the ponds... It was enough to impress people, masking the fact that she wasn’t actually very skilled in the kitchen.
Liang Wan and Gu Yu had just come out of the kitchen.
It had been especially cold the last two days, and their breath plumed in the air whenever they spoke.
Halfway there, Gu Yu glanced toward a nearby gallery, as if unintentionally.
"Liang Ji, His Lordship has been on leave at home these past few days. Isn’t Lady Cao coming to see you a bit too frequently?"
Liang Wan was slightly surprised. This was a clear reminder to be wary of Cao Luyun.
She smiled. "She is the Great General’s Wife. It would be perfectly normal even if she went to see His Lordship directly."
"The Great General’s Wife?" Gu Yu’s eyes widened in astonishment. "Setting aside everything else, just think about that day we returned. His Lordship called her ’Lady Cao’ at the gate. Who in the residence doesn’t understand what that means?"
Liang Wan shook her head. "Whether they understand or not, as long as there is no divorce, they are still husband and wife in name and right."
"My lady, you’re—" Gu Yu’s expression was hesitant.
Liang Wan turned to look at her. "Is His Lordship a man who indulges in love and romance?"
Gu Yu froze, then frowned at her. "He certainly wasn’t before. Now... it’s hard to say."
’Can’t Liang Ji see how much His Lordship treasures her?’ Gu Yu sighed to herself.
Liang Wan glanced at Gu Yu’s expression and understood instantly. She could only sigh. ’Some things aren’t always as they appear.’
"’A lament for the maiden, do not with a scholar tarry!’ For a man like His Lordship, who deals with power and influence all day, love is merely icing on the cake, not a necessity. Even without it, his life is full and varied in other ways."
Gu Yu dared not agree. "This servant was talking to you about Lady Cao."
Liang Wan smiled at her. "Her claim is perfectly legitimate. Why should I stop her? And in what capacity would I even do so?"
Gu Yu drew a sharp breath. "You really have a lot of faith in His Lordship."
’Faith?’
’This really has nothing to do with faith.’
’I don’t even know if I’ll be able to stay or have to leave, so why should I interfere in other people’s affairs...’
Liang Wan said no more.
But it was a case of speak of the devil.
Gu Yu whispered, "Isn’t that Lady Cao!"
In their line of sight, Cao Luyun was heading toward Lu Xiu’s rooms with several maids. The maids were carrying Jade Plates, laden with various items.
Liang Wan’s heart was like a clear mirror; she understood everything perfectly. Cao Luyun’s deliberate displays of goodwill these past few days were nothing more than attempts to test her limits.
But Cao Luyun had clearly picked the wrong person to test.
The crux of the problem between those two had never been her.
「Inside the room.」
Various vegetables were laid out on the low table: mallow, taro, winter melon, bamboo shoots, lotus root...
On the other side, the Five-cooked Pot was constantly emitting white steam, bubbling and gurgling. Liang Wan loved this sound, especially in the twilight of a day threatening snow. It was incredibly cozy.
She picked up a slice of lotus root with her chopsticks and dropped it into the pot, where it immediately sank.
"I heard you were cooking. I thought it was for me... Who would have thought you’d be holed up in here, eating all by yourself."
Liang Wan’s hand froze. She looked up to see a rather reproachful look in Lu Xiu’s eyes.
She smiled at him. "I can’t make anything too refined. I only dare to throw something simple like this together for myself."
The moment the words left her mouth, she felt they were inappropriate. It sounded like she was being jealous, which was entirely unnecessary.
She ground her teeth in frustration, then jutted her chin at him. "If you want to eat, help yourself."
Lu Xiu raised an eyebrow at her, then suddenly smiled. "Alright."
Liang Wan avoided his gaze and just kept her head down, eating as if she were starving.
Lu Xiu knelt across from her. Seeing her head constantly lowered, his smile faded. "I have already written the Divorce Letter for her."
A small piece of lotus root caught in her throat, and she choked so hard she could barely breathe.
But just this afternoon, she had seen Cao Luyun make so many pastries and deliver them specifically to his study...
Lu Xiu reached out to pat her on the back, his voice cold. "Is there a need to be so surprised?"
Liang Wan took a moment to recover, carefully pushing his hand away. She looked up with tear-filled eyes and shook her head. "This whole time, I thought you two—"
"’Us’?" Lu Xiu frowned at her and said nothing more.
Liang Wan felt sheepish.
She really shouldn’t have been surprised, because this was Lu Xiu’s consistent way of doing things.
With his personality, if he had absolutely no interest in Cao Luyun, he would never have given her the chance to get close to him. But these past few days...
So if he wasn’t rejecting her, what reason did she have to reject her on his behalf?
Lu Xiu put down his bamboo chopsticks. "You truly are heartless."
’What a thing to say.’
Liang Wan lowered her head and sighed quietly. "This was something you were supposed to do. Why should I have done it for you?"
Lu Xiu just stared at the top of her head. "I much preferred your initiative when we first met."
’Back then, there was something to be gained. Now...’ She didn’t want to continue this conversation.
Liang Wan raised her eyes and met his gaze. He looked like a hunter waiting for his prey.
Her heart skipped a single beat, then returned to normal.
Liang Wan sighed softly. "Are you going to send her back to the Prime Minister’s Mansion? Won’t an act like this make it clear that you’re disobeying... How will you explain it to the Grandmaster? You told me to be patient and discreet in all things, but when it comes to this, you yourself—"
Lu Xiu’s large hand shot out and dragged her over from the other side of the table. "I thought I had made myself clear to you before, but it seems you didn’t understand at all."
THUMP. Liang Wan was caught off guard and tumbled in front of him. Wincing in pain, she shot him a hateful glare.
"Other matters, I don’t particularly care about; they are merely forced by circumstances. But matters of the heart concern my own heart. Why should I tolerate them?"
"As for you, I do not force you, but that does not mean I do not want you. I simply dislike taking what I want by force in this matter. But to serve me as your master, to offer your body and soul—that was your own promise. I don’t care if you were sincere or feigning it at the time. Since you made a promise, you must keep it!"
"And if you can’t—" He paused, then smiled. "You can try me."
Pinned by his sharp gaze, Liang Wan gave a weak, awkward smile. Even the steam rising from the Five-cooked Pot seemed to have turned into a chilling mist.
’I was truly fooled by his occasional illusion of gentleness. He hasn’t changed one bit, deep down in his bones.’
Perhaps seeing her trembling, Lu Xiu softened his gaze and pulled her into his arms.
"Wanwan, though I cannot help you with what you are doing, I will watch over you."
Liang Wan sighed. She could only press herself obediently against his chest and wrap her arms around his waist. Angering him right now would be an exceedingly unwise move.
’When you’re under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head.’
"I know."
Her voice was small and low.