Volume One, Chapter 15: If He Does Not Embrace All Her Flaws, Can He Still Be Called a Man?

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At first, she had worried that she would be unable to repay the debt to the Splendid Embroidery Studio. But after thinking it over, she suddenly saw the light. Their Lu family was destined to rise straight to the heavens in the years to come—what was a mere five thousand taels of silver?

Besides, there would surely be money left behind after the eldest son’s death. When Changqing went to Jiangning to arrange the funeral, she had instructed him to bring back all of his elder brother’s belongings.

They could use those first to plug the hole at the Splendid Embroidery Studio.

“The matter hasn’t even begun to take shape, and Mother already dares to speak as though it were settled.” Fang Qianxue arched a brow.

Even according to the plot of the original novel, Lu Wanrou had never married into a noble household. Fang Qianxue remembered that she had seemed to catch the eye of the son of Du Qianxu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and had been taken as his favored concubine.

“Here!” Lu Wanrou brought over two fine Hetian jade bracelets and slapped them unwillingly onto the desk. “I’ve never seen a woman so shamelessly obsessed with money!”

Fang Qianxue handed the bracelets to Cuishuang, then turned back to Chen-shi and Lu Wanrou. “Tomorrow is Yuan’er and Yao’er’s third birthday. I’m hosting a banquet at Plum Blossom Retreat and have invited a few friends. If Mother and Third Sister do not object, please come and share a celebratory drink with us.”

“I’m not going.” Lu Wanrou turned her head away with an arrogant pout.

What friends could Lady Fang possibly have after all these years? And now that the Fang family had been confiscated and exiled, the guests she invited were certain to be a pack of nobodies. Who would go merely to lend her support?

“Changli has been gone for less than half a year, and you’re already holding a birthday banquet?” Chen-shi said unhappily. “How extravagant and wasteful.”

“I had originally thought that, since Big Brother had only just passed away, it would be inappropriate to hold a lavish celebration,” Fang Qianxue replied. “But I heard that Second Master is already impatient to marry Madam Xu, and that the invitations have even been sent out. Mother knows about this as well. I simply thought that if a wedding banquet can be held, there is no reason a birthday banquet cannot.”

Chen-shi was momentarily rendered speechless. Frowning, she said, “This… I do not meddle in the affairs of you young people. I only mean that you should save some money. The two children will both need it in the future.”

“You have money to take a new bride, but not to hold a birthday banquet?” Cuishuang had entered her usual mode of grumbling again. “Our madam is using her own silver to celebrate the young master and young lady’s birthdays. What’s wrong with that? She hasn’t asked you for a single coin.”

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“Enough, enough. Do as you please. I’m not going anyway.” Chen-shi assumed that with Fang Qianxue’s meager funds and Plum Blossom Retreat’s limited space, she would merely be inviting a few insignificant distant relatives from the Fang family and holding a shabby little feast.

After Fang Qianxue left with Cuishuang, Lu Wanrou was furious.

“She has money to hold a birthday banquet for those two little wretches, yet she refuses to repay the debt to the Splendid Embroidery Studio. She’s obviously bullying me!”

“Don’t shout.” Chen-shi looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with exasperation. “How many times have I told you? A woman must be composed and graceful, keeping her emotions hidden. If you want the young marquis to take an interest in you, you must restrain yourself.”

Her two sons had inherited her calculating nature; they were perfectly capable of smiling sweetly while hiding a dagger. But this daughter of hers was just like her late father—unable to keep anything bottled up. By now, nearly everyone in the city knew that she was infatuated with the young marquis.

“I understand.” Lu Wanrou lowered her head. “Mother, may I take my leave?”

“Go and fetch your second brother. It’s time he cleaned up this mess.” Chen-shi stared at the account books and tally tokens on the table, her head beginning to ache.

For several days, Lu Changqing had been wrapped up with Xu Miaoyan. He felt somewhat guilty toward Fang Qianxue, so on his way home from court that day, he bought the roasted chestnuts in sugar that she loved.

Yet when he reached the entrance to Plum Blossom Retreat, he hesitated for a long while, pacing outside with the paper-wrapped packet in his arms instead of going in.

When he learned that Madam Xu had deceived him into killing his wife, he had truly wanted to reprimand her. But in the end, he could not bring himself to be harsh.

Madam Xu was only sixteen or seventeen, and she had given herself to him. If he could not forgive all her mistakes, could he still call himself a man?

Besides, Madam Xu had already promised him that she would never again feign illness to deceive him, nor ask for any blood from his heart.

To recognize one’s error and mend one’s ways was the greatest virtue of all.

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“Second Master,” Chenggong asked his master’s attendant, “you’ve been waiting here for half an hour. Are you going in or not?”

“Oh. Come on, follow me inside.” Only then did Lu Changqing come back to himself. Bracing himself, he entered through the courtyard gate.

He had not set foot inside Plum Blossom Retreat for several days. He had assumed that Fang Qianxue would be living a bleak and miserable life, like a resentful widow. Instead, he discovered that the entire residence was brightly decorated. Though the blossoms had fallen from the several plum trees, red lanterns hung from their branches.

Anyone who did not know better might have thought Fang Qianxue was the one getting married.

There were no sounds of weeping or lamentation from within the courtyard. Instead, the clear laughter of children and the silver-bell laughter of women drifted out, warming the heart of anyone who heard it.

Lu Changqing’s long brows drew together, and his heart felt strangely sour.

How could Fang Qianxue be living so joyfully without him?

It made no sense at all.

“Second Master, I’ll go inside and announce your arrival.” A maid sweeping the grounds caught sight of him and was just about to enter when Lu Changqing stopped her with a wave of his hand.

“What are you doing? Why have you hung so many lanterns?” Chenggong asked the maid.