Chapter 19: The Promise Of A Concubine

After Yun Xiang stepped out, she immediately wrote a note to Chen Zhou.

She found Tian Da and told him to deliver it to Chen Zhou at once.

Tian Da did not get to see Yun Xiang all the time—after all, she had to serve in Miss’s courtyard—so he had not yet given her the item Chen Zhou had asked him to pass along.

Tian Da took a long rectangular brocade box from his sleeve and handed it to Yun Xiang.

“Young Master Biao specifically asked me to give this to you.

He also said he will definitely fulfill what he promised.”

Yun Xiang immediately took the brocade box.

Her face bloomed with delight as she clutched it tightly to her chest.

“Young Master really said that?”

Tian Da glanced at her in confusion, not understanding why she was so excited.

“Mm.

I’m leaving.

I need to hurry and deliver the letter.”

Tian Da was not particularly loyal to Chen Zhou.

The real reason was that every time he delivered a letter, Chen Zhou rewarded him with ten taels of silver—far more than his monthly wages.

Who wouldn’t want to earn more silver?

On the other side, Yun Xiang’s smile never faded.

As senior maids like her and Qing Zhi each had their own rooms in the courtyard, Yun Xiang hurried back to her room, shut the door, and—just to be safe—latched it from the inside.

Only then did she sit at the table and take out the brocade box.

When she opened it, she saw a gold hairpin inside.

Her eyes lit up instantly.

The style was new, and the craftsmanship was exquisite.

Yun Xiang quickly sat before her bronze mirror to fix her hair, deliberately replacing her usual hairpin with the gold one.

Of course, she was not foolish.

She usually wore silver hairpins; suddenly wearing gold would arouse suspicion.

She fondled the gold hairpin fondly, recalling Chen Zhou’s promise.

A blush crept across her face.

Young Master Biao had promised her that if he succeeded in marrying Miss, he would take her as a concubine.

At that time, she would become a mistress of the Lu household, no longer ordered about by others.

If she could win Young Master Biao’s favor, she might even stand on equal footing with Miss.

At that thought, the smile on Yun Xiang’s face grew even wider.

Meanwhile, Tian Da had already delivered the note.

After collecting his reward, he left.

Inside Chen Zhou’s room, the sound of porcelain shattering filled the air.

“Wei Lan, Wei Lan—I’ll kill you sooner or later!

You dare stay the night in her room?

I’ll kill you!”

Chen Zhou grabbed the two vases on the table and hurled them to the floor.

“And you, Lu Zijin!

We grew up together—I don’t believe there’s no place for me in your heart.

For the sake of the Lu family fortune, you actually let a useless thing marry in as a live-in son-in-law.

Fine.

Very good.

Sooner or later I will seize the Lu family property.

And sooner or later, you will be mine.”

More porcelain crashed to the ground.

Only after quite some time did Chen Zhou call servants in to clean up.

When he stepped out of the room again, he had returned to his usual gentle and refined demeanor.

***

Lu Zijin felt that she had slept extremely well.

It was as though she were wrapped in snow—cool and refreshing—easing the heat of her rut.

She comfortably rubbed against Wei Lan’s arms, burying her face in Wei Lan’s neck with no intention of getting up.

Wei Lan had taken her medicine and slept the entire afternoon.

By now, her fever had subsided.

She woke groggily and realized something was pressing on her—more precisely, someone.

Wei Lan was not particularly pleased.

She lowered her gaze to look at the person in her arms.

Lu Zijin was sleeping soundly against her chest, her face still buried in Wei Lan’s neck.

The warm breath brushing against her skin made Wei Lan feel slightly ticklish.

Lu Zijin looked rather pretty when asleep.

Wei Lan couldn’t help but look at her a little longer.

And this time, Lu Zijin had actually allowed her to sleep on the bed.

Wei Lan felt much happier.

Madam was not truly cold-hearted.

Seeing her unwell, she had softened after all.

With that thought, Wei Lan’s eyes curved slightly.

She had originally intended to push the person off her, but since Madam had allowed her to sleep on the bed this time, letting Madam lie on her for a while wasn’t unacceptable.

So Wei Lan stayed still.

Lowering her gaze, she idly began counting Lu Zijin’s eyelashes.

They were long and curled, like tiny brushes.

After being stared at for some time, Lu Zijin gradually woke up as well.

She felt light all over; the discomfort from her rut had eased considerably.

When she lifted her eyes, she met Wei Lan’s bright gaze.

Seeing Wei Lan staring at her with shining eyes, Lu Zijin was momentarily distracted.

Then she reached out and pinched Wei Lan’s chin in warning.

“Don’t think that just because I let you sleep here, you can start having improper thoughts.”

Wei Lan was baffled.

She had merely been bored and counting Lu Zijin’s eyelashes.

“What improper thoughts would I have?”

“You know very well,” Lu Zijin replied, her eyes fixed steadily on Wei Lan.

“And don’t forget what I said before.

You are merely a tool I married to keep up appearances.

Do you understand?”

Wei Lan nodded.

Of course she knew she was a tool.

“Understood.”

Only then did Lu Zijin’s expression soften slightly.

She released Wei Lan’s chin and instead reached out to touch her forehead.

“Is your head still dizzy?

Let me see if you still have a fever.”

“Much better.

Not very dizzy anymore,” Wei Lan replied, looking up at her.

“That’s good.

I’ve had the room next door tidied up.

If you’re tired, go rest there,” Lu Zijin said.

Wei Lan was awake now, and her fever had broken.

Lu Zijin felt she could not allow her to remain in her bedchamber any longer.

Some things could not become habits.

For example—just now, when she had been asleep, she had found Wei Lan’s arms rather comfortable.

Lu Zijin did not consider that a good sign.

She did not wish to depend on anyone, nor to stand beneath any Qianyuan.

Her relationship with Wei Lan would go no further than this—there would not be even the slightest increase in intimacy.

Besides, Lu Zijin was certain that the only reason Wei Lan’s embrace had felt comfortable was because she was in rut.

If she were not in rut, she would absolutely never feel that way.

Wei Lan understood the meaning behind her words.

Wasn’t this just another attempt to drive her away?

She was quite used to it by now.

Over the past few days, she had been chased out several times.

But at least this time Lu Zijin had acted decently—she had prepared the adjacent room, so Wei Lan could still rest nearby.

Wei Lan’s eyes turned thoughtfully.

If she was going to live off Lu Zijin anyway, she might as well eat well too.

Since she was already eating soft rice, she would eat more—and eat happily!

“Madam, can I eat in your courtyard later?”

Wei Lan asked obediently.

“After dinner, I’ll sleep next door and go back to my own place tomorrow.

That way, if your rut hasn’t ended tomorrow, I won’t have to keep running back and forth.”

Lu Zijin found her reasoning sensible.

Tomorrow would be the fourth day of her rut.

She had taken too many scent-suppressing pills before; it was possible the rut would extend into a fourth day.

Wei Lan had indeed worked hard these past few days.

More importantly, she was obedient—and that pleased Lu Zijin.

She nodded.

“Very well.

Wear my clothes tonight.

They’re all new.

I’ll have someone send your meal to the room next door.”

Wei Lan’s eyes lit up when she heard that.

“Thank you, Madam.”

The corners of Lu Zijin’s lips curved slightly.

Wei Lan was like a little dog—her happiness and displeasure written plainly across her face.

Just like now, she looked exactly like a puppy who had just been rewarded with a treat by its owner.

If she had a tail, it would surely be wagging already.