Chapter 47: Sympathize with a man, and you're cursed for life

Lin Wanqing wore an expression that suggested this was exactly as she had expected. "When was the last time they met?"

Zisu replied, "My lady, they met on the third day after the wedding when you returned home to visit your parents."

Lin Wanqing instructed, "Find a way to figure out what Madame Zhou's purpose is each time she sees her, and make sure not to alert them."

Zisu nodded in acknowledgment.

Lin Wanqing did not have a deep impression of Lu Huixin's biological mother. After all, in her past life, she had spent all her time paving the way for Su Jingcheng, and the man Madame Zhou had remarried was of humble status, having no intersection with her whatsoever. She had only vaguely heard that Madame Zhou's later years were rather difficult, especially when the General's Manor fell into ruin; Madame Zhou had completely ignored the lives and deaths of her two children.

Thinking of the General's Manor's downfall, Lin Wanqing furrowed her brow.

In her previous life, the disaster at the General's Manor had occurred ten years later.

At that time, Lu Jinoxiao was already a second-rank military official, the youngest and most heavily relied-upon general by the emperor. Several princes vying for the throne had wanted to recruit him, but he chose to be a lone minister, refusing to participate in partisan struggles.

This move was originally meant to keep him far away from disputes, but instead, it made all the princes resent him and covet the military authority in his hands. With multiple factions targeting him alone, even an immortal would have found it hard to fend them off.

The one who finally ascended the high platform was the Third Prince, and he had exerted the most effort in framing Lu Jinoxiao. As for Su Jingcheng, he was one of the Third Prince's ardent supporters, providing him with massive amounts of wealth—wealth that she herself had earned.

This meant that in the last lifetime, the downfall of the General's Manor was inextricably linked to her as well.

Fortunately, Lu Jinoxiao was a man of genuine capability; the Third Prince had never intended to put him to death, but merely stripped him of his military authority and demoted him to a commoner, intending to keep him for future use.

Regarding the Third Prince, Lin Wanqing held a very poor opinion of him. He was sinister, ruthless, narrow-minded, and extremely greedy. In her past life, the money she had worked her fingers to the bone to earn had basically all ended up in the Third Prince's pockets.

A ruler like the Third Prince would only bring misfortune to the entire Da Liang dynasty.

Yet in her previous life, she could not alter Su Jingcheng's choices and could only strive to earn money to help him secure the resources he desired.

In this lifetime, she had no wish to be dragged into these matters either.

However, could she truly stay away?

Even a man like Lu Jinoxiao could not escape it, let alone her.

Not to mention that she was now married to Lu Jinoxiao, bound to the same boat. If Lu Jinoxiao had no intention of divorcing her or parting ways, then ten years later, she would inevitably suffer alongside him at the hands of those imperial princes.

Lin Wanqing's brow furrowed even deeper.

Having lived a second life, she only wanted to live in peace.

Yet that seemed far from easy.

Thinking of the money she had broken her back to earn in her past life, only to help the Third Prince claim the empire—although it was not done of her own volition—she always felt a lingering sense of having been an accomplice to tyranny.

In this lifetime, she must absolute never do such a thing again.

As for those struggles for power, she neither wanted to meddle in them nor was capable of doing so. If she still could not avoid them in the future, she would swallow her pride and beg for a letter of separation. Given Lu Jinoxiao's character, he surely would not stubbornly refuse to let her go.

After all, when facing someone as rotten as Lin Xianyun in the previous life, Lu Jinoxiao had still magnanimously granted her freedom when she asked to leave.

With this thought, Lin Wanqing's mood improved considerably.

As for whether acting this way made her seem unfeeling and heartless, she would never torment herself with such notions.

Her marriage to Lu Jinoxiao was a matter of expediency; she would help him manage the General's Manor well, but asking her to share life and death through thick and thin with the manor—how would that be any different from her past life?

She would never fall into the exact same trap of stupidity a second time!

To pity a man is to suffer bad luck for a lifetime!

She would have these words carved onto her tombstone after she died!

Far away on the frontier, Lu Jinoxiao suddenly let out a resounding sneeze.

Mo Li asked with concern, "General, could it be that you caught a chill from the rain last night?"

Last night, those bastards from Nanyue took advantage of the rainstorm to come and stir up trouble. They had fought the Nanyue troops through the wind and rain all night, only driving them back at daybreak. Quite a few soldiers had been injured and also soaked in the rain, running high fevers. Right now, the military doctor was busy brewing medicinal decoctions to expel the cold for them.

Lu Jinoxiao had also sustained minor injuries. While fighting Nanyue's newly appointed commander, his arm had been slashed by a sneaking Nanyue soldier. Lu Jinoxiao had sent that soldier packing with a single strike, though the Nanyue commander, who had almost been cut down beneath his horse, managed to slip away in the chaos.

Lu Jinoxiao waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine. Have the military doctor work a little harder and quickly suppress the chills for the brothers."

Mo Li was still somewhat uneasy and was about to offer more advice when he heard Lu Jinoxiao say, "My wife prepared quite a bit of hemostatic ointment for me, specially mixed by a divine physician. I used a bit of it; not only does it relieve pain, but it also prevents fevers. The effect is rather passable."

Mo Li: ……

Lu Jinoxiao turned his head to look at him. "What? Didn't your wife prepare any for you?"

Mo Li: ……

Why hadn't he realized before that his general had such an obnoxious virtue?

Acting as if he were terrified that others didn't know he had a wife, seizing every opportunity to show off and boast incessantly.

As if no one else had a wife!

Though his own wife wasn't that wealthy, he had already enjoyed several years of his wife's tender care. Unlike certain people—who, though they managed to take a wife, hadn't even consummated the marriage or tasted what their wife was like—what on earth was there to brag about?!

Lu Jinoxiao was just about to show off a bit more when a soldier came running over swiftly, holding two thick letters in his hand.

"Reporting, General! There are letters from home for you."

Lu Jinoxiao raised an eyebrow. "Letters from home? For me?"

The soldier replied, "Yes."

A smile immediately bloomed in Lu Jinoxiao's eyes, yet he feigned a look of impatience as he said to Mo Li, "Are women always this clingy? I've only been here a few days, and she's already written two letters from home? Is your wife like this too?"

Mo Li: ……

He really shouldn't have opened his mouth to show concern! Who cares if he runs a high fever? It would be best if he burned to death!

Lu Jinoxiao reached out to take the letters, but upon seeing the handwriting on the envelope, the smile in his eyes instantly vanished without a trace.

This was written by that troublesome younger sister of his! He looked at the second letter—it was still that unpresentable handwriting of Lu Jinoxryong!

So he had gotten his hopes up for nothing.

Noticing the shift in his expression and glancing at the envelopes, Mo Li instantly perged up. "Why has the General's expression become so severe? Is there something amiss with these letters? Don't just stand there, General, open them quickly to see what the mistress wrote. I hope there's no urgent matter at home."

He was doing it on purpose!

He recognized Lu Jinoxryong's handwriting too—not because he was close with her, but simply because that handwriting was too dreadfully ugly, looking nothing like what a young lady would write.

Lu Jinoxiao shot him a sideways glance. "Are you that idle?"

Mo Li waved his hands. "This subordinate is merely concerned that something might have happened at the General's residence."

Lu Jinoxiao rewarded him with a kick to his rear. "Go drill the troops for me! Fighting so wretchedly last night just means your usual training isn't enough! Go on, add another hour of training for me every day!"

Mo Li instantly let out a wail. "General, if you increase the intensity any further, the brothers won't be able to hold on!"

They were already training for four hours every day; adding another hour would practically work them into the ground!

If he had known better, he wouldn't have spoken out of turn.