Afterwards, the people welcoming at the door finally bowed. Because it wasn’t a day off, Jing Wan’s grandfather and eldest uncle were busy working at the magistrate’s office. Of course, even if grandfather was home, he wouldn’t have come out to welcome them. At a rough glance, the first branch, second branch, and third branch people were probably all gathered here, in addition to the servants, a dense mass of people. Jing Wan felt dizzy just looking at them. After that, there was also the fourth branch’s entire family that entered the capital together with them. Heh, heh, it’s going to be lively in the following days.

Jing Wan greeted her elders. Seeing these people all with smiles on their faces, but in fact, quite a few must be pretty upset inside, especially the same generation tang[1] sisters. Because of her, they’d spent at least half a month more time on this trip. One can see just how favored she was before the old madam. One has to know, fourth uncle’s youngest son, the old madam’s youngest blood related di[2] grandson that had been under her watch since birth wasn’t as favored as she was either.

In this family, aside from grandfather, Luo Pei Shan, old madam’s position was the highest. It goes without saying what it means to be doted on by her, especially when quite a few amongst the grandchildren’s generation were nearly ready for talks of marriage.

Jing Wan looked to her parents that she haven’t seen in three years. They were more or less the same as three years ago. Her father, Luo Rong Yan, still had a calm and indifferent look. As for her mother, Zhang-shi[3], she was still delicately beautiful and untainted by the everyday affairs. Truthfully speaking, this pair of husband and wife really did seem very well matched. Both were the type of people that regarded wealth as dirt and pursued a dissipated life. To be able to be like this for a whole lifetime was also quite a blessing. It’s just, their children will have to work hard. She naturally was indifferent, but as for the others, well wasn’t there still elder brother at the top.

Looking to her mother who was about to cry because of her sickly appearance, Jing Wan could only smile to appease her.

“Mother, the trip has been rough, let’s go in and rest first. As for the other matters, we can talk slowly later, alright?” She spoke as she went forward.

Jing Wan’s eyes met with Luo Rong Yan’s, reaching a tacit understanding between father and daughter, and consciously retreated a step back.

The old madam, seeing her second daughter-in-law like that, was also helpless. She also missed her sons and grandchildren too, so it was good to let them, the mother and daughter pair, have a talk first. Thus she pulled her second son’s hand, “Wan Wan, go back first with your mother. No need to come over. Come again at nighttime to pay your respects to your grandfather.” After Jing Wan made a sound in response, the old madam headed towards the interior of the manor as she inquired about the situation in the capital. The others all tightly followed behind her.

Zhang-shi hastily stepped forward, examining Jing Wan all over and asking a series of various questions from head to toe. Holding Jing Wan’s distinctly boney hands, she recalled her fair and tender daughter from back when she left Qi’an Fu three years ago and could no longer hold back anymore. Her tears rolled down like falling pearls.

Jing Wan originally could still endure the discomfort, answering her every question with ample patience, but now……she helplessly sighed in her heart, “Mother, I’m really fine. I’ll be better after a few days. Don’t cry anymore, alright?” While she wipe her mother’s tears for her using a handkerchief, she gave her elder brother standing to the side a meaningful look. But this idiot that had specially stayed behind for her, this little sister, instead just shrugged his shoulders at her, indicating he was unable to help no matter how much he wanted to.

However, because of this one interaction, that bit estrangement between the two siblings formed in those three years disappeared without a trace.

“Madam, don’t cry anymore. If you continue crying, third miss will feel bad as well. Won’t her body then feel even more worse. Don’t you think this is logical? The most important thing right now is to let third miss rest first.” To the side, a seemingly gentle and dignified looking woman urged in warm voice.

Hearing this, Jing Wan swept a glance over. She’d never seen her before, yet she stood behind her own mother, styled in a married woman’s hairstyle, and in addition, next to her even stood her father’s concubines. It goes without saying what her identity was. She was probably taken in during these three years. It’s just, this manner that was more like a di wife than her own mother, who was she acting for to see? If her mother couldn’t stand straight, then you as a concubine, should obediently shrink back even more. Looking again to see her unconsciously lightly stroke her stomach once, Jing Wan dimly didn’t express anything.

“Right, right.” Zhang-shi hurriedly wiped her own tears, “Wan Wan, mother won’t say anymore. Go back first. Your courtyard, mother has already set up for you, go take a look. If there’s anything you don’t like, tell mother, I’ll change it for you.”

“If it’s set up by mother, then there’s definitely nothing to not like.” Jing Wan said with a smile.

As she was about to step through the Luo Manor gates, she turned her head around for a glance, seemingly sensing something. Diagonally, on the other side, under a crooked tree, sat a teal colored horse carriage, and there wasn’t any special markings on it either. Because it was blocked by the shadow of the tree trunk, she could only vaguely see the curtains seemingly half hanging. As for the situation inside the horse carriage, she wasn’t the least bit clear. There wasn’t a single soul outside the carriage, could it be there was still someone inside the carriage? Someone was watching her? Probably was just her imagination.

From the moment Jing Wan got down from the horse carriage to until she entered the Luo Manor, Li Hong Yuan had been watching her without even blinking. He used all the strength in his entire body to not let himself directly charge over in the instant she appeared, and in front of all the people of the Luo Manor, snatch her over and then press her into his bones. “Wan Wan, Wan Wan…..” He repeatedly warned himself that it was still far from time. There will inevitably be a day, where he will officially marry her, and let her completely and thoroughly belong to him.

Behind the carriage, An Yi listened to his master’s low murmurings, faintly smelling the faint scent of blood coming from inside the carriage. He was very much shocked. He’d been following by his master’s side for six years. Although there were countless of times where his master reeked of blood, but those were never his own blood. He’d never seen his master pierce his skin anywhere before. And now, he’d only merely saw that Miss Luo, and he injured himself?

“An Yi, deliver the things that were prepared.” The hoarseness and exhaustion penetrated through Li Hong Yuan’s voice.

An Yi was once again startled. One has to say, that Miss Luo wasn’t some national grace or heavenly fairy. And from what he knew, this was Miss Luo first time coming to the capital, and master had never left the imperial capital before since birth. Why was master’s obsession towards her that deep? No, not only is it just obsession, it was simply a mantra.

There must exist a secret not known to anyone between this, but that wasn’t something they can look in to. Stopping all thoughts and strictly adhering to one’s own role, that is the correct path. Master has always been clear with rewards and punishments. If you overstep what is proper, even if by a bit, then he will certainly make you regret ever being alive. And if the matter was related to Miss Luo, or if you attempt to pry into his innermost secrets, then you will live far worse than being dead.

“Yes.” From the moment Miss Luo left Qi’an Fu and started feeling unwell, master had already received an extremely and incomparably detailed report from the shadow guards. During that period, master was unusually violent. He clearly knew that the more he knew, the worse he would feel, yet if the shadow guards dared to overlook anything, they best be prepared to jump into the Yellow Springs[4]. In their eyes, they who’ve been serving close by for a long time, it was practically self abuse.

On the surface, everyone was affected by him. Once this one started acting unreasonable, even if it was those imperial sons and daughters, which one didn’t try to avoid him to some degree. Even the Emperor headache endlessly, making him get far away. ‘If there’s nothing, don’t enter the imperial palace.’ Don’t have to mention what was said in the dark…….

Actually, the worst off was still the Ministry of Works. Jin Qinwang’s[5] horse carriage was uncomfortable, so they were requested to remodel the horse carriage. This long, and they still haven’t made any progress. It nearly caused him to smash the entire Ministry of Works. Encountering this demon lord, they could only pray for their own luck.

Back then, he’d gathered countless things that could help Miss Luo relieve her discomfort. And even if they must make many twists and turns, they still needed to deliver those things into her hands. Now, they naturally could also use the same method to send over those high quality tonics completely without a trace. Even if someone investigated from head to tail, they wouldn’t be able to find any traces of someone purposefully acting out.

“Properly arrange the matters inside the Luo Manor, don’t give Wan Wan’s matter to Zhang-shi, that stupid woman.”

“Yes.” An Yi felt powerless. With master’s current attitude, that stupid woman will a hundred percent become master’s mother-in-law. Is it really okay to say that about one’s own future mother-in-law? Didn’t she just not let your darling go rest in time?!

“Return to the manor.”

“Yes.”

They silently arrived back at the Jin Qinwang Manor. Li Hong Yuan got down from the horse carriage, “Prepare water, I’m going to bathe and change.”

Eunuch Mu hastily ordered people to prepare. And only after careful examination did he notice that his clothes had been drenched in sweat. Also, there was that bit of bloodstain on the corner of his mouth that wasn’t wiped clean.

Everything was prepared at a nearly terrifying speed. Eunuch Mu stood outside the door, covering the door. Only glancing once at An Yi, before quickly moving away his line of sight, not having the slightest intention of inquiring.

Li Hong Yuan undid his clothes and conveniently let it slide to the floor, exposing his slender yet muscular body. Lifting his foot, he stepped into the bathtub, resting his two arms back on the rim of the tub and raising his head to lean back. Then he closed his slightly reddened eyes.

[1] Tang – Same surname paternal cousins; father’s brother’s children

[2] Di – Legitimately born children from the legal wife.

[3] shi – Means ‘from the family of’; usually married women are referred to like this by their maiden surname, because it indicates which family they married from.

[4] Yellow Springs – The underworld in Chinese mythology

[5] Qinwang – Wang of the first rank, the highest rank of Wang; sometimes it’ll be written as just wang.

T/N: VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ! This novel is very political and world-building heavy, the romance is very secondary to the politics. This novel spends a lot of time on characterization and the complex relationships between other characters. In a way it is more political intrigue + slice of life kind of pacing. There’s a lot of reading between the lines and understanding implied meaning in words. THIS NOVEL AIN’T GONNA SPOON FEED YOU. Also this novel is R18 so if you too young…….read at your own discretion.