Chapter 4: Serving Tea

This Bewitching Heart Technique was something Lu Yuan had voluntarily presented to Xu Qiuyue in his previous life after Xu Chunhua was unexpectedly killed.

It was said to be a demonic cult's mental cultivation method.

This mental method was somewhat chicken-rib—useless yet a pity to discard.

One had to cultivate the legendary "Momentum/Force" (Shi) before being able to practice it.

And it could only deal with ordinary people.

But for Xu Qiuyue, it was incomparably suitable.

Although objects from her previous life couldn't be brought back, Xu Qiuyue had brought back her memories and her cultivation realm from her previous life.

In Xu Qiuyue's hands, this Bewitching Heart Technique quickly reached Great Perfection.

In her previous life, when she cultivated the Nameless Heart Sutra, it was too late.

By the time she learned to read, she had already lost her Primordial Yin, causing her to be unable to reach Great Perfection no matter how she cultivated.

In this life, Xu Qiuyue was determined to cultivate to Great Perfection.

She needed sufficient power to protect herself.

Xu Qiuyue looked at Lu Yuan lying on the bed and carefully helped him remove all his clothing.

After a moment's thought, following his personality, she wildly threw his inner garment onto the floor.

Then she picked up a needle, lightly pricked Lu Yuan's fingertip, squeezed the fresh blood onto a white handkerchief on the bed, and considerately applied medicine to him.

Only then did Xu Qiuyue begin to remove her hair ornaments, blow out the red candles, and lean against the chair to doze.

Sleeping on the chair was extremely uncomfortable, so Xu Qiuyue woke up very early.

Then she began to wash up and dress.

Lu Yuan slept very soundly, extremely soundly.

When Xu Qiuyue woke Lu Yuan up.

The first thing Lu Yuan did wasn't put on clothes, but rapidly jump off the bed, pick up his outer robe, feel the ginseng in the sleeve to confirm it was still there, take it out and sniff it to verify it was real, only then letting out a breath of relief.

The maids seemed to see nothing, attentively and considerately helping Lu Yuan change.

While Lu Yuan was dressing, he suddenly seemed to remember something, turning back to Xu Qiuyue and saying: "Madam, it doesn't matter that you're unlearned, don't force it. This is called 'changing clothes' (geng yi) — putting clothes on. Yesterday that was 'removing clothes' (kuan yi) — taking clothes off. Read more books in the future!"

"Husband's teaching is correct."

Xu Qiuyue said with an honest, obedient expression.

"Regardless, you're my wife now. Dressed like this, it's really improper. Chunzhu, from now on you'll follow Madam. Go fetch a better set of clothes for Madam to change into."

Lu Yuan looked at Xu Qiuyue with her head lowered. Though dissatisfied in his heart — last night had been a bit lacking in feeling — she was his wife regardless, and couldn't dress so shabbily.

Wait.

This wasn't right!

Why did he have no specific memories, yet it was no different from usual? He'd never had this before — why would he have such memories?

His father managed him strictly, not allowing him to touch the manor's maids.

The brothel was his own business — those were his assets. He was reluctant to touch them; once touched they'd lose value. If others had touched them, he feared disease. He'd worked so hard to earn this money but hadn't had time to properly spend and enjoy it. If he unfortunately contracted a disease, that would truly be a human tragedy.

Of course, this wasn't because he kept himself pure.

And he had some unspeakable hidden condition — he couldn't be close to women, yet feared people finding out, so he frequented the pleasure quarters daily.

He even specially learned a Bewitching Heart Technique, combined with drugs, that could make people hallucinate, thinking they'd had relations with him.

But actually, nothing had happened at all.

Lu Yuan glanced at the calm-faced Xu Qiuyue. His heart was in turmoil. Finally, he spoke to the maid: "Quickly go call Chunzhu back. My father dislikes extravagance and waste — this outfit will do."

Since she wasn't really his wife, might as well save money. Earning money wasn't easy.

"Wife, our family's money doesn't blow in on the wind either. Since you've married into our family, I must tell you our family rules. Though my mother is a County Princess from a noble meritorious family, my father is merely a County Magistrate — and a very honest one at that.

In the future, you must be more filial to my parents, and also understand thrift. I married you because you're a farmer's daughter who can work. The maids in this manor generally only serve me."

Xu Qiuyue didn't get angry.

If Lu Yuan were truly a good person, Xu Chunhua certainly wouldn't have been so at ease letting her marry in.

It was just doing more work.

At least there were ready-made meals here.

Xu Qiuyue didn't believe the Lu Manor could be so poor they couldn't afford meat. They should be eating white rice, not rice bran.

When she was at the Xu family, she cooked every day. The family had no vegetables, and she'd find ways to dig wild vegetables outside, do farm work, thinking of ways to earn money to buy vegetables.

Here, at least there were ready-made meals to eat.

So Xu Qiuyue naturally wouldn't get angry either.

Xu Qiuyue didn't feel that her coarse hemp clothing was shameful.

On the contrary, she felt very much at ease.

She was tired of that place where every detail emphasized rules and etiquette.

She had once followed an etiquette mama for a long time to learn etiquette.

She learned to be just like the noble ladies in the capital.

If one didn't know her origins, they might think she was a young lady from a wealthy family.

But that kind of life wasn't happy.

The Lu family didn't have many people.

Lu Yuan's father, Lord Lu, had only Lu Yuan as a child.

It was said he was once the top scholar in the imperial examinations. Unfortunately, he offended someone in the court and could only come to such a small place to be a ninth-rank minor official.

Lu Yuan's mother, Zhu Rong, was the legitimate daughter of the Prince of Ning'an, so she received the title of County Princess.

She married Lu Yuan's father, Lu Changqing, which was considered marrying beneath her station, so Lu Changqing didn't take concubines or bed-servants. The household population was relatively simple.

Xu Qiuyue followed behind Lu Yuan to the main hall.

Lord Lu and Lady Lu were already seated in the main hall.

Lady Lu was well-maintained, looking very beautiful, with no wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

A golden spiritual jade lay quietly at her collar, adding a touch of elegant grace. A pair of silver butterfly earrings hung at her ears. Her black hair was held by a slender silver hairpin with a hollow silver butterfly standing upright, styled into an exquisite willow-leaf hairpin, with a purple magnolia pinned on top. She looked fresh, beautiful, and elegant to the extreme.

It was hard to imagine such a refined woman was actually Lu Yuan's mother.

Lu Yuan wore five-colored clothing.

It looked extremely exaggerated.

Bright red, bright yellow, bright blue, bright purple, bright green.

Though not ugly, it wasn't good-looking either.

Lord Lu wore a simple cyan long robe. His attire was clean and crisp, exuding a relaxed, carefree air of watching clouds roll and unfold.

"Daughter-in-law greets Father, Mother."

Xu Qiuyue had studied etiquette for a long time. Facing such an occasion, she naturally committed no breach of propriety.

Zhu Rong looked at Xu Qiuyue's dignified and graceful bearing and was very satisfied.

Though she only wore simple brown hemp, her bearing could still be seen.

Her hair bun was simple, with only a wooden hairpin, but looked exceptionally elegant.

Under the effect of the spirit spring water, Xu Qiuyue's skin remained white as snow even though she did farm work every day.

(End of Chapter)