Conquering the Male Supporting Character – CH 036

Chapter 36. Turmoil

Since speaking openly with Xie Yu, the two seemed to have reached an understanding, intentionally avoiding the topic of marriage proposals, which relieved Lu Wan.

After all, bringing it up was somewhat hurtful.

Building goodwill was truly difficult for her; a few more ups and downs like this would give her heart palpitations.

For a while afterward, Xie Yu seemed exceptionally busy, and Lu Wan rarely saw him.

Only every few days would he send Xie-Jue to bring her some hairpins and jewelry that young ladies would like, just to maintain his presence in her life.

As for the division of the Lu family, naturally, there was no division. Lu Ming had even said that the family would only be divided after his death, clearly indicating that he did not intend to let him go.

However, Lu Yuan was not so easily intimidated by his words.

This morning, when she went to pay her respects to Lady Zhou, her father suggested several locations for a new residence, asking the three siblings for their opinions.

Clearly, he planned to move out first.

“I think this place is quite nice. Although it is in a secluded alley, the garden decorations are extremely elegant. I went to see it yesterday; the artificial hills and flowing water are all the work of famous artists. The houses are also clean, so we will not need to renovate; we can move in directly,” Lu Yuan said, pointing to the few sketches of the layout on the paper, gesturing for them to come and see.

“Seclusion has its advantages. Your mother is currently resting during her pregnancy and needs a quiet environment so as not to disturb your younger brother or sister.”

Lady Zhou slowly sipped her fragrant jujube tea, offering no further opinion. Lu Wan leaned closer to take a look and also thought it was quite nice.

Although it was not as large as the Lu family mansion, their father held an official position, and a mansion that was too large would be against regulations. This exquisite residence was quite good.

At least she would not need to get up so early to pay her respects in the future.

“Brother, what do you think?” Lu Ling, undecided, tugged at Lu Xiao’s sleeve, intending to ask him.

But Lu Xiao seemed lost in thought, not responding for a long time.

Even Lu Wan could not bear it anymore and tugged at his other sleeve.

“Brother? Brother? Ling is asking for your opinion.”

“Hmm, it is fine,” Lu Xiao casually replied, his words clearly perfunctory, his eyes unfocused.

This was not right. Lu Wan looked closely and noticed faint dark circles under his eyes and even some bloodshot veins in his eyes, which were identical to hers—clearly from lack of sleep.

Lady Zhou also put down her tea and asked softly, “Xiao, what’s wrong? You look like you have not rested well.”

Lu Xiao smiled somewhat forcedly, his gaze unconsciously falling to his right front.

“I recently made a good friend named Xun Fang. He’s quick-witted and often discusses poetry and literature with me. Yesterday he sent me some poems, and I had not yet decided on a response, so I inevitably got a little lost in thought.”

Hearing this, Lady Zhou showed some disapproval. “These are just playful games between friends; neglecting your rest is going too far. Staying up late is very harmful to your health.”

“Your son understands.” Lu Xiao bowed respectfully.

“Ah Xiao is still young and does not know how to cherish his health. It is normal for him to do this occasionally. But what your mother is saying is all for your own good, so you must remember it.” Lu Yuan smiled, walked to Lady Zhou’s side, carefully poured her a fresh cup of tea, and did not take the matter to heart.

“Mm.” Lu Xiao nodded, a smile appearing on his face.

But Lu Wan still felt something was amiss. She had read in some miscellaneous books that when people lie, they subconsciously look up and then to the right, which Lu Xiao had just done.

She always felt her brother was hiding something from everyone, which explained his troubled expression.

However, since he had already decided to keep it a secret, she could only try to probe him privately.

So, that evening, she had soup and some snacks prepared and then sent someone to summon Lu Xiao to the lakeside in the mansion, ostensibly to admire the magnolias at night.

This was, of course, a blatant excuse. She’d only ever heard of the night-blooming cereus blooming at midnight, let alone admiring magnolias at night. Lu Xiao was delighted upon hearing this.

But since it was his beloved younger sister who had suggested it, he naturally had to go.

Lu Xiao casually hung his brush on the brush holder, had his attendants help him change his ink-stained clothes, and, without anyone else, carrying a lantern, headed towards the lakeside.

The spring night gradually warmed, and following the fragrant magnolia scent, Lu Xiao soon spotted a particularly bright light on the lakeside.

As he approached, he saw many small lanterns, about a foot tall, hanging from the surrounding tree branches. Beneath the trees sat a slender woman with delicate features.

Seeing a beauty under the lanterns was naturally more captivating, and Lu Xiao felt a surge of pride, like watching his younger sister grow up.

“Ah Wan called me here. Did you prepare something new and special just for me?” Lu Xiao smiled and stepped forward, tapping Lu Wan’s hair. His sleeve nearly snagged a hairpin, and he hurriedly put it back in.

“Brother, why are you so clumsy?” Lu Wan complained with a smile, but there was no hint of displeasure in her tone.

“Yes, yes, it is all my fault.” Lu Xiao bowed exaggeratedly to her. “It’s all Brother’s fault. I hope you will forgive me this time.”

“This is a one-time thing. Do not let it happen again.” Lu Wan raised her chin coquettishly, gesturing for him to sit opposite her.

“This is ginger I just made today. You are the first to try it. I added some spices. Brother, please taste it carefully.” As she spoke, Lu Wan pushed the plate she was holding towards him, then rested her chin on her hands, smiling at him, seemingly eager for his feedback.

Although eating ginger at night might seem a bit greasy, Lu Xiao, seeing his sister’s expectant gaze, did not hesitate to pick up a piece.

The translucent little cube melted in his mouth, with a hint of clove and cinnamon; it was quite delicious.

“Much lighter than what I usually eat,” Lu Xiao carefully compared and gave a fair assessment.

Lu Wan sighed deliberately, her gaze fixed on the dish of ginger and fermented black beans. “This ginger tastes different from usual, but my brother is different, too. It is a perfect match.”

Her words were so clear that Lu Xiao naturally understood, and his smile faded slightly.

“So, Brother, can you tell me what happened?”

Lu Wan lowered her hand from her cheek, looking at him seriously, her long eyelashes fluttering. “We are all very worried about you.”

After a moment of silence, Lu Xiao struggled to speak, his gaze drifting into the distance.

“Wan, if you discovered that a normally upright and honest gentleman had done something utterly despicable, and that person happened to be your friend, how would you treat him?”

He was caught in a mental struggle and did not notice that Lu Wan was relieved.

She had thought something had happened to her brother; it turned out it was his friend.

Forgive her for being so lacking in compassion; as long as it was not her brother who was in trouble, what did it matter to her if someone else was?

Lu Wan’s tone became lighter as she replied, “Since he could do such a despicable thing, he certainly cannot be considered a gentleman. Maybe he was just pretending all along.”

Lu Xiao sighed again, “Perhaps he was forced into it.”

So many people were forced into things, yet none of them seemed to think of doing anything about it.

Lu Wan thought to herself, but she could not say it aloud. She did not know the extent of Lu Xiao’s relationship with that friend, and she was afraid that speaking out rashly would hurt her brother even more.

But speaking of which, her brother was truly kind-hearted; he could do something bad for a friend, yet he could not sleep at night.

“Everyone has their own fate. No matter how much you think about it, you cannot change what your friend has done, so why torment yourself like this? Brother, look, this is my last remaining plum blossom soup. I soaked it all in water and made you some soup dumplings today. Please do not let my good intentions go to waste.” Lu Wan took out a bowl of warm plum blossom soup dumplings and pushed it in front of him, still carrying the fragrance of sandalwood and plum blossoms.

What Wan said was true. Lu Xiao forced a smile, responded, and suppressed the worry that seemed to have come from nowhere.

He had been troubled enough yesterday. This matter had nothing to do with him, yet it had caused his family worry; this was his fault.

At worst, he would simply cut off all contact with that person from now on.

Lu Xiao made up his mind, tasted the soup dumplings, and found them fragrant and delicious. He smiled and praised them, then continued chatting with Lu Wan.

Seeing that his expression had softened, Lu Wan breathed a sigh of relief, assuming that it was just a minor scuffle.

After a while, Lu Xiao said carefully, “It’s getting late; you should go home early too.” He then picked up his lantern and went back.

Lu Wan did not really want to go back and just brushed him off.

“Young lady, why not go and rest too? A-Yu and I will handle the tea.” Seeing Lu Wan getting up and wandering around under the magnolia tree, A-Yun approached and advised her.

“It’s still early; I will watch you do it. I will not be able to sleep anyway.” Lu Wan pinched the soft flower buds, not feeling sleepy at all; on the contrary, she was quite energetic because she had rested well at noon.

She instructed A-Yun and the others to carefully put the appropriate amount of tea leaves into the unopened flower buds and mark them on the branches, waiting for the next day to come and pick the tea leaves infused with the fragrance of magnolias.

Lu Wan’s plan was clever. She divided the tea into four portions: one for her pregnant mother, one for her father, one for Lu Xiao and Lu Ling, one for Xie Yu, and one for herself, since she did not particularly like tea.

Once the maids’ tea caddies were empty, they picked up their lanterns and prepared to return to Tingyin Pavilion.

Passing the water pavilion, Lu Wan suddenly noticed a faint light inside, and the person inside, judging from their figure, resembled Lu Ming.

She did not intend to greet him, so she quickly ordered the lanterns to be extinguished and took a side path, intending to avoid him.

However, she had not walked far when she saw the person who had been in the water pavilion standing at the end of the path, the cold moonlight casting a lonely shadow on his back, as if waiting for her.

Lu Wan forced herself to step forward and, out of politeness, gave a weak curtsy. “Grandpa.”

The man turned around, a strong smell of alcohol wafting in the air. His face, backlit by the moonlight, was dark and unsettling. He called out in a hoarse voice, “Ah Ying.”

Ah Ying?

He meant Cui Ying, did he not…? Lu Wan felt a surge of disgust. He was drunk and had mistaken her for his first wife, her grandmother, Cui Ying.

Back then, for the sake of power, he had not even bothered to find his first wife and eldest son before marrying a new county princess. Now, he repeatedly protected his second wife, causing harm to their family, and yet he had the nerve to feign affection here.

“Grandpa has mistaken me for someone else,” Lu Wan said coldly, ordering a lantern to be lit and brought closer. The young, beautiful face became clearer in the flickering candlelight and increasingly resembled her deceased loved one.

“I am Lu Wan, not Papa’s biological mother.”

Lu Ming scrutinized her, his eyes hazy, repeatedly saying, “You are Ah Ying.”

As he spoke, he even tried to pull her away.

Now that he and her father had already broken off relations, there was no need for her to continue pretending to be the naive young woman she once was in front of him.

Lu Wan took a step back, her lips curving into a cruel smile, and said, word by word, “The Ah Ying of the Cui family you speak of died more than twenty years ago.”

Her words were like a red-hot dagger piercing Lu Ming’s heart, causing him excruciating pain.

But Wan felt satisfied.

She hated those who abandoned their wives and children more than anything. Ever since she received the original owner’s memories and learned about that past, she had utterly despised Lu Ming.

Moreover, he not only abandoned his wife and child to curry favor with the powerful but also, after gaining benefits, pretended that everything was for the Lu family, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

Furthermore, when he found his father, he forced him to acknowledge his ancestors.

Years ago, he even almost forced his father to abandon his mother, simply because he despised her for being born into a merchant family.

With his sore spot exposed, Lu Ming clutched his chest, his usually ramrod-straight back slowly hunching over.

“You all hate me…” he murmured. “Ah Ying hates me, Youzhi hates me, even you, even you who look most like her, hate me…” He gasped for breath, his voice hoarse, almost vomiting blood. “But everything I did was for the Lu family!

What did I do wrong? Ah Ying disappeared with Youzhi, and I searched for them for over half a month before marrying someone else. It was clearly Ah Ying who refused to see me after returning to Luoyang. Even when Youzhi came back, he wanted to marry a merchant’s daughter—a merchant’s daughter, so lowly; how ridiculous! It almost made the Lu family a laughingstock! And yet, I still agreed.

How much I’ve schemed for the Lu family, how much I’ve sacrificed—how could a young lady like you possibly understand?”

Where did this man get the audacity to think everyone else was as power-hungry as he was?

“Grandpa, you are wrong,” Lu Wan said, unconcerned about stabbing him again, her tone laced with sarcasm. “You were only doing this for yourself.”

She was considerably taller than the hunched-over Lu Ming, looking down at the disheveled man before her.

“In that upheaval, many families were severely weakened, and many more went into hiding to bide their time. Yet you alone were exceptionally eager to marry a member of the new dynasty’s imperial family.”

She chuckled softly. “You were only doing it for yourself. You could not bear to lose face; you could not give up wealth. As long as you abandoned your first wife and son, you could have it all easily. Why not?”

“I searched for them!” Lu Ming straightened up, taking a step forward, his shoulders trembling, as if trying to prove something.

“They disappeared, so I married someone else. I searched for them for over half a month. They were missing for too long, so I married someone else.”

Lu Wan smelled the increasingly strong smell of alcohol on him, frowned, took a step back, and covered half her face with a handkerchief.

“Grandpa, why joke like that? You may have searched, perhaps for ten days or half a month, and then hastily married the only daughter of the meritorious prince.

Even illiterate commoners know that even if one’s wife dies, one must observe three months of mourning. Yet, during those three months, you already had a new wife.”

Seeing Lu Ming, both ashamed and angry, trembling as he tried to slap her, Lu Wan stepped back several paces, avoiding his blow.

“You…you are talking nonsense!” he shouted sharply, his beard trembling with rage.

Lu Wan curled one corner of her lips, refusing to let him off the hook. “Do not tell me you were completely unaware that the stepmother urged you to find Father, only for them to be chased away by the Old Madam. Now that you know, would you punish her?”

Lu Ming turned his face away, his lips moving. He wanted to answer yes, but his actions prevented him from speaking.

“I will answer for you—no.

Because her daughter is now the Emperor’s most favored concubine, because her grandson is one of the Emperor’s only two princes, because her grandson has the potential to ascend the throne—they are what you consider the future hope of the Lu family. Is that what you think?

So how can you punish her?

Even if she has done so many wrong things, how can you punish her? How dare you punish her?”

Lu Ming was speechless. He wanted to argue, but Wan’s words reflected his own thoughts.

He could not argue, nor could he refute.

Lu Ming staggered back, as if defeated by her words, collapsing heavily to the ground.

Lu Wan looked at the dejected and desperate man with feigned pity and softly said, “If that’s the case, why will you not let our family leave? Just for appearances, pretending everything is alright?”

It was impossible to reason with people like this; they only cared about themselves, yet they pretended to be selfless.

“It’s just the line of the first wife and the eldest son. Even Father could abandon them without hesitation back then. Now that you have children, what’s there to regret?”

Wanting benefits, reputation, and universal forgiveness—such a thing was impossible.

But he held the title of elder, and Lu Wan was genuinely afraid he’d use patriarchal rules and etiquette to lecture her. So, after a barrage of belittling remarks, she turned and left with her trembling maids.

It was a slight regret; she had not been able to argue with anyone in a long time, and she felt her tongue had lost its sharpness.

The group walked far away amidst the swaying flower shadows, completely ignoring the drunken man behind them, almost curled up on the ground, crying and laughing, a far cry from his usual stern and serious demeanor.

But even his sorrow could not compare to a tenth or a hundredth of her grandmother’s and father’s.

Over twenty years ago, on a bitterly cold winter day, a frail woman, weary from her long and arduous journey, returned with her young child only to find her beloved had remarried. Filled with despair, she died in childbirth.

That despair and resentment were something a selfish man like him could never repay.

Perhaps because she had just argued with someone, Lu Wan felt much better the next day.

She carefully sorted the tea leaves collected by her maids, using clean bamboo strips to divide them into several small porcelain jars. After that, she had the maids deliver three jars to each person’s courtyard.

On the remaining jar, she cleverly tied a bow with a bamboo-green silk ribbon, making the short, plump jar look exceptionally cute.

“My Lady, Zhou Da has prepared the carriage,” A-Miao reported softly to her after dismissing the messenger.

“A-Miao, do you really think I look good in this?” Lu Wan stood up and looked at herself in the mirror again, still feeling it was a bit too flashy.

Today, she had unusually changed into a Hu-style dress, brightly colored, with intricate patterns, even the waistline was extremely fitted, and her hair was styled in a masculine updo, tied up with a black veil.

This outfit was light and agile, and even her delicately painted face exuded a touch of heroism and vitality.

“No doubt about it, My Lady looks absolutely stunning in this outfit.”

A-Yu covered her mouth, laughing incessantly. “The Shangsi Festival is almost here; everyone’s going out for spring outings, playing polo, and playing marbles… For convenience, the ladies all like to wear Hu clothing. It is just that My Lady does not usually wear such, which is why she feels a little awkward.”

That made sense. Lu Wan stopped worrying and grabbed her tea canister, running towards the Xie residence.

Her luck was good today; she’d only chatted with Shi Yao for a while when she heard someone report that Xie Yu had already returned home.

“Hurry up and go.” Shi Yao turned and teased her. “If you do not go soon, I won’t be able to keep up with your mind! It flew there the moment you heard my cousin was back.”

Lu Wan playfully nudged Shi Yao, then got up and walked smilingly towards Xie Yu’s study.

Deliberately intending to startle Xie Yu, she entered the study quietly, searching for him.

Unfortunately, he was not at the desk nor under the window.

A rustling sound of fabric came from behind. Lu Wan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall, slender shadow cast across the screen, his posture as straight as bamboo.

Lu Wan curled her lips into a smile, quietly moving to the side of the screen and hiding in the shadow of the bookshelf.

Unbeknownst to her, her movements had already been noticed by the person behind the screen, who had changed out of his official robes. Xie Yu also guessed her little scheme, a smug smile playing on his lips.

He changed into civilian clothes and calmly emerged from behind the screen.

When he was almost at Lu Wan’s hiding place, he deliberately paused. This pause made Lu Wan hold her breath.

She stared at the shadow on the ground, her heart pounding. Had she been discovered?

A moment later, the shadow moved again, passing her hiding place without hesitation, and Lu Wan’s lips curled into an uncontrollable smile.

She tiptoed behind Xie Yu, pounced on him, and covered his eyes, saying nothing, only smiling silently.

Xie Yu’s lips also curved into a smile. He blinked slowly in the reddish shadow, and Lu Wan felt his eyelashes gently brush against her palm, a slight tickle.

The sunlight in the second month slanted through the wooden window frame, illuminating the two people inside, casting intertwined shadows on the floor.

The birds outside sang sweetly, and the gentle spring breeze carried the fragrance of dewy flowers into the room.

Then Xie Yu moved first. He suddenly pulled Lu Wan’s hand away, then turned nimbly, pulling her into his arms, his tone unusually teasing.

“I was just returning from court and about to rest when I caught a cat in the study. It is really bold, trying to scare me.”

“So what?” Lu Wan was not afraid of him at all. Looking up at him, she smiled and playfully scolded, “Does Judicial Minister Xie intend to arrest me and interrogate me?”

Of course not. Xie Yu smiled gently and asked, “What brings you here today, Ah Wan?”

“I just want to see you. Do you expect me to pick a day?” she complained somewhat coquettishly.

“Your outfit…” Xie Yu glanced at her, somewhat intrigued. “I rarely see you in Hu clothing.”

“Does it not look good?” Lu Wan’s face showed a hint of unease. She clutched the hem of her dress. “Before I came, the maids around me all said it looked good.”

“Of course, it looks good,” Xie Yu replied without hesitation, his eyes filled with tenderness as he looked at her. “It’s just that I rarely see you wearing it.”

The atmosphere suddenly warmed, seemingly a little too ambiguous.

Lu Wan gently pulled away from his embrace and was about to walk to the table, intending to take out the tea she had brought to show him.

But as her gaze inadvertently drifted across the bookshelf, she suddenly saw a familiar object.

A brand-new red amulet, the kind that could only be obtained by copying scriptures at Ci’en Temple.

Lu Wan paused, pointing to a shelf on the bookshelf. “Lord Yu, what’s this?”

He had clearly put it deep inside the bookshelf; he did not know who had taken it out.

Xie Yu frowned slightly, his words utterly unabashed. “It was just a gift from Master Yuanguan when I played Weiqi with him last time.”

He flicked his finger and took it, casually handing it to Lu Wan. “If you like it, it is yours.”

Even if Master Yuanguan were giving something away, would he necessarily give a talisman? Lu Wan was suspicious. She casually flipped it over and noticed a tiny mark.

Her pupils contracted sharply, then she said nonchalantly, “Since it was a gift from the master, you should keep it safe.”

She seemed oblivious to what she had noticed, changing the subject.

“Last night I placed tea leaves inside magnolia buds, infusing them all night long, and only then did I get a small jar of tea. Why not taste it?”

Xie Yu casually put the talisman back, his gentle gaze never leaving her face. He nodded slightly upon hearing this. A delicate hand sampled the new tea, its fragrance infused with floral notes. Beneath the trees in the courtyard, the two sat at opposite ends of a long stone bench, one brewing the tea, the other quietly watching.

Lu Wan struggled to maintain her composure, forcing a smile no different from her usual one, yet her heart was filled with inexplicable turmoil.

That amulet—it was clearly the one she’d dropped the day she encountered the bandits. How had it ended up in Xie Yu’s hands?

And why had he lied?

“Lord Yu, would you like to try some?” She offered the first cup of tea to Xie Yu, her eyes filled with expectant joy.

Many thoughts raced through her mind, and she almost could not suppress the question.

The amulet she’d lost was now on Xie Yu’s bookshelf—it was truly bizarre. Could it be that he had also passed by the place where she had been attacked that day?

But he was still recuperating at the mansion then, was he not?

Lu Wan felt a deep unease; she suddenly began to doubt her own perception of Xie Yu.

Xie Yu, who had been watching her closely, picked up his cup just as Xie-Jue entered, his face showing anxiety.

“My Lord, I heard someone has sounded the petition drum, accusing someone of cheating in this year’s imperial examination by obtaining the questions in advance.”

He looked at Lu Wan with some difficulty. “The Emperor is furious and has ordered the Ministry of Justice to imprison the relevant scholars pending investigation and punishment.

The third son of the Lu family… is among them…”

What? Lu Wan panicked immediately. She stood up and quickly stood before Xie-Jue, her heart filled with unease.

“You mean my brother is also involved in this matter?”

Xie-Jue nodded reluctantly. “I heard the accused is named Xun Fang. Among the gentlemen he befriends is the third son of the Lu family. Moreover, the third son of the Lu family also participated in the imperial examination, so he is naturally a prime suspect.”

Xun Fang, Xun Fang—was that not the person her brother mentioned that day, the one with whom he exchanged poems? Could it be that the person her brother spoke of doing that disgraceful thing was also this person? Her brother was an upright man; of course, he would not participate in cheating, but if he were implicated… Lu Wan bit her lip, no longer caring about the amulet; her only concern was Lu Xiao’s safety.

Right, and Mother too. If Mother found out… she was pregnant and could not withstand the shock.

She was about to leave when Xie Yu grabbed her arm.

“Lord Yu, I will go back first. I am so worried about Mother; she will not be able to handle this news.”

Lu Wan tried to pull her hand away, her eyes welling up with tears, the corners red. She was flustered and confused, no longer caring about the person in front of her.

Xie Yu’s sleeve slid down, but he held her hand, gently comforting her. “I will take you back; riding a horse is always faster than a carriage.”

That made sense. Lu Wan nodded without hesitation, quickly switching from passive to active, obediently following him outside.

Xie-Jue, left behind by the two, felt conflicted.

Having been by Xie Yu’s side, he naturally knew what was going on. Watching the two figures disappear, he silently prayed. He hoped his lord would not do anything rash.

He swallowed his words back immediately. He’d followed Xie Yu for so many years; his master was incredibly cautious, so naturally, nothing would happen.

It was just that unlucky Young Master Lu who would have to spend several days in jail for nothing.

Author’s Note:
Xie Yu—a true master of playing with fire, repeatedly teetering on the edge of danger.

Plum blossom soup noodles are made by soaking plum blossoms and sandalwood powder in water, then using that water to make dough for soup noodles. These small, flower-shaped noodles are boiled in water. It’s from Shan Jia Qing Gong. Actually, noodles evolved from soup noodles.
Ginger and fermented black beans are actually meat jelly! There are various versions with pork trotters, fish, chicken, etc., from Sui Shi Za Ji.