Chapter Eighty-Seven: Advancing Further

"If my lord wishes me to study medicine, I shall certainly not fail his lofty expectations."

"Please, sit."

Jiang Wen spoke. Diao Chan’s expression shifted ever so slightly, and she took her seat without betraying a hint of it.

"Now that the Chancellor has returned to his ancestral home, I trust your task, Miss Diao, has come to an end. What do you plan to do from here?"

Diao Chan’s face took on a look of sorrowful grace, so pitiful and delicate it was hard not to pity her.

"I am already married to my lord. Though I am but a concubine, I am nonetheless a member of the Jiang household. From now on, I shall remain by my lord’s side."

With such tender vulnerability in her voice, Jiang Wen felt a stir of emotion in his own heart, and could not help but feel sympathy.

What a born enchantress she was.

Gathering himself, Jiang Wen said calmly, "Taoer has already told me. Today, an old acquaintance of yours paid a visit."

"It was my foster father. I never imagined he had left the capital and come all the way to Xiangyang," Diao Chan said.

Jiang Wen said, "You are free now. I cannot decide whether you stay or go."

"So my lord still does not truly regard me as one of the Jiang household? Still thinks of me as an outsider?" Diao Chan said, her slender body trembling faintly, her voice shaking as well.

"Then tell me this: your foster father, Wang Yun, came to Xiangyang at this time for the sake of the Han emperor, did he not? And his talk with you was also to set in motion a beauty trap, was it not? And who was the target? It could only be Boyfu."

"But I did not agree!" Diao Chan cried, her bright eyes shimmering with tears as she reddened and said, "I have already repaid my foster father’s kindness, and I would never do such a thing!"

Jiang Wen drew Diao Chan into his arms. Feeling the soft warmth of her body, Diao Chan froze at first, then embraced him tightly in return.

"I hope you truly did not agree..."

Jiang Wen gently forced himself free, but Diao Chan still clung to him and would not let go, so he had to use more strength. Only then, after a twinge of pain, did she release him.

Without another word, Jiang Wen left the West Courtyard.

He did not dare come too close. Even tonight’s embrace had already crossed the line of the courteous restraint he had kept.

Diao Chan had once wept before Lu Bu as well. She was a woman of talent, one whose wit and charm could turn the head and command the room, more than enough to navigate the space between Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu. And it was that very weeping which had moved Lu Bu to kill Dong Zhuo.

Though Lu Bu had always been a heartless ingrate.

It was a miserable feeling. With Wang Yun’s appearance, Jiang Wen found himself even less certain than before. He did not know when Diao Chan was speaking from the heart, and when she was merely performing.

One could say that Wang Yun’s arrival had left Jiang Wen only with his own judgment. He would have to guess what exactly was involved in all this, and what role Diao Chan would play in it.

When you begin to care for someone, you have already lost. Diao Chan had already planted herself in Jiang Wen’s heart.

A woman chasing a man needs only a veil of gauze, and when that woman is a peerless beauty, there is nowhere to hide.

Little Shu slipped out from the shadows with a giggle, saying brightly, "Miss, today was a big step!"

Diao Chan said nothing. She only touched her own face, feeling it burn a little, her whole body faint and tingling, and stood there with a smile blooming across her features.

This made Little Shu, standing nearby, lift her brows slightly. Had Miss gone a little silly?

The next day.

Lu Meng’s residence.

Lu Meng yawned, stretched his arms, and picked up the bow beside him, drawing it to full tension.

Whoosh!

The arrow shot out cleanly and struck the center of the target with steady precision.

"Lu Min, isn’t your husband mighty and unmatched by all under heaven?!"

"Yes, yes, mighty and unmatched. It’s just a pity that mighty as you are, you do not recognize many characters."

Lu Min rested a hand on her belly. It had already begun to swell a little, and she sat in a rocking chair. Jiang Wen had once drawn the design for the craftsman, and Lu Meng had sent someone to have it made.

It was very comfortable to recline in.

Lu Min rose from the chair, took a silk cloth, and wiped the sweat from Lu Meng’s brow, saying with love in her voice, "You’re going to be a father soon. Can’t you set a better example for your son and read a little more? Look at you—this last charge nearly cost you an arm!"

"That old man ambushed me. Otherwise, with my skills, I’d have beaten him senseless!" Lu Meng said, putting an arm around Lu Min and kissing her on the forehead, which made her blush and lean shyly into his embrace.

"What does 'beaten senseless' mean?"

"It’s a phrase Long Su used. It means to hang someone up and beat them with no chance to fight back."

Lu Min let go of Lu Meng’s hand. "I have a younger brother named Lu Xun. He wants to enter official service. You are Boyfu’s best friend—perhaps you could recommend him."

Lu Meng went to one side and wiped down the bow grip. "Lu Xun, I’ll keep that in mind. When Boyfu comes back, I’ll talk to him about it. But now that he’s returned, he’s become Chancellor. I’m afraid we’ll never drink and make merry together again."

"Since ancient times, once a man becomes ruler, he inevitably grows distant from his ministers. Even if he has deep feelings for them, when Emperor Gao of Han took the throne, he slaughtered many of the meritorious ministers of former days. Only later, after all the kings of other surnames had been wiped out, did he say: 'Those who are not of the Liu clan and call themselves kings must be attacked by all under heaven.'"

"I understand. He tosses out the dogs after the hares are caught," Lu Meng sighed. "What emperor would want power divided with others? It isn’t some child’s game of house. Long Su being demoted to a county magistrate this time is proof enough."

"Long Su was demoted to county magistrate? When did that happen?"

"Well, only a few people know about it. It was Gongjin who wrote to me and said that Long Su did not support Boyfu going to mourn, angered Boyfu, and was therefore demoted to county magistrate."

"That is truly chilling."

Lu Meng picked up his bow again. After drawing it to full tension, he released the string, but this shot missed the mark by a wide margin and only struck the outer ring.

"My lord, Lord Jiang asks for an audience at the gate!"

"Long Su is here?! Quickly, invite him in!"

In the main hall, Lu Min brought them tea she had prepared, then withdrew.

After Jiang Wen drank some tea to soothe his throat, he looked toward Lu Min. "How many months has it been?"

"I can’t quite remember. Nearly seven, I think."

Jiang Wen smiled. "You’ve moved the fastest among us. Have you chosen a name yet?"

Lu Meng shook his head. "Lu Min wants to wait and see whether it’s a boy or a girl. She says there’s no hurry. But enough about me—when are you leaving?"

"I’ve already told the servants to pack. I’ll be leaving Xiangyang today."

"So soon?!" Lu Meng said, a little displeased. "I was even planning a farewell banquet for you. If you leave this quickly, how am I supposed to prepare anything?"

Jiang Wen smiled faintly. "Save your trouble. The Chancellor has only just died. If someone catches you on some careless remark, you’ll have plenty of regret and no time for it."

Lu Meng sighed. "Don’t worry. Once Boyfu returns, I’ll send him memorial after memorial every day and have him transfer you back. You won’t be in Fuchun for long!"

"I didn’t come about that!" Jiang Wen straightened slightly, his expression turning solemn. Lu Meng’s face also grew serious. "Why, in recent days, have soldiers at the city gate been stopping passersby and searching them?"

Lu Meng said, "The Son of Heaven says it is to prevent local warlords from sending people in to infiltrate the city, so he ordered stricter checks."

"And the man in charge is the Protector-General, Dong Cheng?"

"Exactly."

Jiang Wen fell into a brief silence, then said, "Send a letter to Boyfu at once. Tell him to place the defense authority of Xiangyang’s garrison in your hands. Also tell him to send someone back to Xiangyang immediately to take over the Office of Internal Affairs. I’m afraid the Son of Heaven and those old ministers can no longer keep their patience in check."

"Can no longer keep their patience in check?"