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Chapter 20: Consummation
Chapter 20: Consummation
Half an hour later, Lu Lingxiao emerged from the dungeon and glanced up at the sky, his gaze cold as he noted the dark clouds obscuring the moon.
This Grand Viceroy was even more arrogant and ruthless than the rumors suggested, tenfold, or even a hundredfold worse.
It was a calamity for the Great Zhou to have such a treacherous minister. He must be eliminated swiftly for the sake of the court and the Emperor.
As Lu Lingxiao climbed into the carriage, he found that Meng Qianqian was already inside.
Recalling the events in the dungeon, he felt a sense of gloom, yet he knew he couldn't share these thoughts with her. After all, she was just a lady from the inner quarters, ignorant of such matters.
He sat down across from Meng Qianqian.
She didn't look at him, maintaining a quiet silence as if she didn't intend to acknowledge him at all.
Lu Lingxiao appraised her, noticing that she had changed her clothes again. However, having learned his lesson from the previous time, he refrained from questioning her about it.
"Were you... scared today?"
Meng Qianqian ignored him.
"Were you injured?" Lu Lingxiao asked, pressing further.
Still, Meng Qianqian remained silent.
"Your mother is worried about you," Lu Lingxiao continued. "Your great-grandmother has also been asking about you, wondering why you haven't returned yet."
Meng Qianqian kept her silence.
Lu Lingxiao frowned. "Say something."
Meng Qianqian turned to him with a cold gaze. "What does my husband hope for me to say? That I'm fine, that it was all a harmless scare, that the Northern Liang spies didn't almost kill me, and that the Jinwei guards' hidden weapons didn't nearly slice me into two pieces? Or perhaps, I should say that my husband, who vowed to rescue me, finally showed up when it was already dark, and if the Grand Viceroy had suspected me in the slightest, you wouldn't have even made it in time to collect my corpse!"
"Ah, but that's not surprising, is it? My husband presented me to the Northern Liang people right in front of everyone! It's such a pity that I didn't die, ruining your chance to share a bed with your beloved. How unfortunate for you!"
"Meng!" Lu Lingxiao was so enraged that he stood up abruptly, forgetting that he was in a carriage. He bumped his head on the roof, the pain causing his face to twitch before he sat down again, gritting his teeth.
"When did I ever give you to the Northern Liang people? Stop spouting nonsense! Wan'er is pregnant. If I didn't save her, she could have lost both her life and the child's! Besides, she is closer to me..."
Meng Qianqian gave a faint smile. "And bringing her to the Viceroy's mansion to enjoy my status is also because she is closer to my husband?"
Lu Lingxiao's anger turned to rage. "Why are you bringing up old matters? That's all in the past, so let's not bring it up again!"
"Hmph," Meng Qianqian scoffed.
"Also," Lu Lingxiao said, "if you're angry, take it out on me. There's no need to always bring up Wan'er. She hasn't wronged you. What she did in the Viceroy's mansion was for the greater good, and she didn't want to affect my future prospects, so she didn't clarify things to others. You shouldn't have exposed and humiliated her in public like you did today."
Meng Qianqian laughed bitterly. "Did she tell you that?"
She had thought that a man's heart might be blind, and so his eyes would be as well, but it seemed that not only was that the case, but his brain was also damaged.
Lin Wan'er had impersonated her and taken her place, and yet he was blaming her for exposing Lin Wan'er.
This was the husband for whom she had mourned for five years.
She didn't believe that no one had informed him of the entire situation, but he simply refused to accept that his beloved Wan'er could do any wrong.
Even if she had made a mistake, it was because she was forced or had her reasons, while everything Meng Qianqian did was wrong.
Just by sitting in the position of the main wife, she would always be seen as the one bullying Lin Wan'er.
Even though it was Meng Qianqian's identity that had been stolen and she was the one who had been left behind.
"It doesn't matter who said it," Lu Lingxiao replied. "I hope you won't misunderstand. Wan'er's decision not to clarify things was for the greater good."
"Running away faster than a rabbit was also for the greater good?" Meng Qianqian asked sarcastically.
Lu Lingxiao frowned. "Wan'er rushed towards me to protect me and tried to block the Northern Liang people's knife. She's not the type to be afraid of death. Her father and brother sacrificed themselves in the battle against Northern Liang, and both father and son were loyal and brave. She, too, is a woman of integrity. Do you think she hasn't been captured by the Northern Liang people before? At least you came back with your life and limbs intact. As for her, not only was her martial arts disabled, but her throat was also damaged by the Northern Liang people, leaving her unable to speak. I owe her for all that she has suffered."
Meng Qianqian fiddled with the silk handkerchief in her hands, her eyes deep and unyielding as she asked, "Is might always right?"
Lu Lingxiao opened his mouth, taken aback by her question. "Is that what you think I mean?"
"Isn't it?" Meng Qianqian's gaze penetrated his, her eyes like a clear and calm pool, yet they held an unwavering sharpness. "You only remember what you owe her, but what about what you owe me?"
Her eyes were like a sword, cold and incisive, making it difficult to hold her gaze.
Lu Lingxiao averted his eyes, resting his hands on his knees as he spoke in a low voice, "Why bring up money again?"
In this man's heart, all he thought he owed her was money.
Meng Qianqian said, "If not money, then what about the bond between husband and wife? General, have you forgotten that we don't share such a bond?"
Lu Lingxiao's voice turned grave, "It's just a matter of lending you some silver. Once the Emperor's reward arrives, I'll pay you back!"
"Very well," Meng Qianqian replied. "When I return, I'll have someone send the account books to you. I hope you won't go back on your word and will repay my dowry soon."
As Meng Qianqian finished speaking, the carriage arrived at the Lu family residence. She lifted the curtain and alighted from the carriage without a backward glance.
Lu Lingxiao was left seething with anger.
Forget it!
She had endured a difficult day, so let her blow off some steam.
After returning to the manor, Lu Lingxiao first went to assure Madam Lu of his safety and then proceeded to the study to meet with Lu Xingzhou.
He recounted in detail everything that had transpired in the dungeon, including Lu Yuan's shocking statement when he learned that the Northern Liang spies were there to assassinate the Emperor: "If I had known, I wouldn't have stopped them."
Lu Xingzhou was accustomed to Lu Yuan's arrogance and ambitious nature, but he was still taken aback when he heard that Lu Yuan had killed the Northern Liang spy who had slandered Lu Lingxiao and Meng Qianqian without hesitation.
After a moment of silence, Lu Xingzhou murmured, "It seems he's determined to win you over. Officially, he took Qianqian to the Governor's mansion for interrogation, but in reality, he wanted to draw you there and do you a favor. By killing the Northern Liang spy who defamed you, he's showing his stance—he trusts you."
He referred to "you" instead of "you both," indicating that in Lu Xingzhou's eyes, the Grand Viceroy's actions were solely aimed at gaining favor with his son, and Meng Qianqian was merely a means to that end.
Lu Lingxiao agreed with his father's assessment, "Father, what should we do?"
Lu Xingzhou advised, "Don't offend him openly for now. Let's wait and see how things unfold."
"Understood, Father," Lu Lingxiao replied.
Lu Xingzhou continued, "There's one more thing. You've been back for some time now, and you've been neglecting Qianqian. Tonight, you'll move to the Hall of Sea Buckthorn and stay there until Qianqian conceives a legitimate heir. You are not to leave before that."
Lu Lingxiao's face twisted in surprise and protest, "Father!"
Lu Xingzhou spoke sternly, "If you can't do that, then send that Lin woman away!"
After leaving the study, Lu Lingxiao called out to a young servant in the courtyard, "Who came by earlier?"
The servant thought for a moment before answering, "The First Young Madam."
Lu Lingxiao's fist clenched tightly.
That night, snow began to fall, and the cold wind howled.
Just as Ban Xia was about to close the door, she saw Lu Lingxiao appear at the doorway, his face cold as ice.
She turned away, not even addressing him as 'Master'.
Lu Lingxiao walked into the room without a word.
Meng Qianqian was snacking on fried fruit and reading a storybook. She glanced at the shadow he cast and asked, "Have you come to return the money so soon?"
Lu Lingxiao's eyes fixed on her, his gaze intense, "After returning to the manor, did you go to see Father?"
Meng Qianqian nodded.
Lu Lingxiao's fist tightened, "So it was you! I thought you were just letting off steam after being wronged today. I never expected you to be so scheming! Using Father and Wan'er to pressure me!"
Meng Qianqian caught a whiff of the strong alcohol on his breath and frowned slightly, "If you want to drunkenly rage, go back to your own courtyard."
Lu Lingxiao grabbed her wrist, pulling her up and tossing her onto the bed. His voice was icy as he said,
"You want to consummate the marriage, don't you? I, your General, will grant your wish!"
(End of Chapter)
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