Conquering the Male Supporting Character – CH 044

Chapter 44. Initial Investigation

On the carriage ride back, Lu Xiao was still in a daze. Although he still could not understand Xun Fang’s actions, his inner turmoil had lessened considerably.

Lu Wan, seeing her brother’s brows gradually relax, felt relieved and poured him a cup of tea.

“Brother, moisten your throat.”

“Mm.” Lu Xiao picked up the cup, took a sip, and seemed slightly lost in thought.

“I am still troubling you with today’s matters, thanks to Master Xie,” he suddenly said.

Then he continued, “I heard what you said afterwards.”

Did he hear about the wedding ceremony?

Lu Wan awkwardly looked away, the blush that had not faded showing signs of returning.

However, Lu Xiao’s next words were: “Master Xie is right. We are the ones who came first, and it is normal for us to make mistakes. However, regarding the follow-up matters…”

Suddenly, she felt that this brother might not be her biological brother; he was not thinking of his sister first, but rather of Xie Yu’s words.

Lu Wan, her face stiff, watched Lu Xiao, who was beginning to regain his composure, and felt that his bookishness had returned.

That was fine too. She forced a smile, pretending to listen attentively to his plans, occasionally offering a word of agreement.

Thus, this turmoil that had dragged on since the second month was finally truly over.

*

Xie Yu was right; the auspicious wedding date sent by the Imperial Observatory was in the seventh month, only three months from now. Lady Zhou was somewhat displeased upon receiving the news.

She slammed down the account book in her hand. “Which young lady does not need a year or six months to prepare for marriage? But Ah Wan’s schedule is so tight. What if we are not prepared properly and lose face?”

Lu Yuan, standing beside her, disagreed. “A royal marriage—the Ministry of Rites will handle all the betrothal and ceremony matters. I think we only need to prepare some minor details. The time is not too rushed. And the date is after the Crown Prince’s investiture of his consort.”

Lady Zhou frowned and retorted, “A young lady has plenty of trivial matters to attend to. What do you know…?”

Lu Wan, the person involved, sat quietly to the side, her heart unmoved, focused on a bowl of fruity shaved ice, pretending nothing was wrong.

The ice stored in the cellar during winter—a piece broken off, ground into fine shaved ice, then mixed with chopped seasonal fruit and poured into buttermilk—could not be more delicious, she thought contentedly.

Unexpectedly, the two suddenly formed an alliance and turned their attacks on her.

“Ah Wan, what do you think?”

Lu Wan reluctantly put down the pinkish-white peach flesh from the silver spoon, snuggled up to Lady Zhou, and pouted, “This is already settled; what can I say?”

Lady Zhou’s temper had become a bit more irritable since becoming pregnant. She tapped Lu Wan’s forehead with exasperation, scolding, “I am only doing this for your own good.”

As if remembering something, she added, “By the way, in a couple of days, it is Baozhen Tower’s monthly market. Now that I am heavily pregnant, you should bring your gold and silver and pick out some jewelry and other items you like as part of your dowry.”

Baozhen Tower’s monthly market? Lu Wan had nothing else to do lately, so after thinking about it, she nodded in agreement.

When the day arrived, Lu Wan was astonished by the large crowds coming and going.

The market was bustling with activity. Besides the elegant carriages and jade palanquins of aristocratic ladies, there were many dashing young men in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, and numerous well-dressed commoners mingled among them.

As for the various items displayed along the street—gold and silver, precious jewels and jade, food and accessories—everything imaginable was available.

This simple market trip had surprisingly created a festive atmosphere, rivaling even the Lantern Festival, Lu Wan thought to herself.

A-Miao, who was attending the market for the first time, clicked her tongue and exclaimed, “No wonder the family members who came with us before raved about it for days afterward! It truly is lively!”

“A market every three months, of course, it is lively,” Lu Wan said, casually picking up a wooden comb from a nearby stall and stroking it with her fingertips, quite tempted.

Although not made of any rare material, it was cleverly carved with a moon rabbit perched on an osmanthus tree, which was quite charming.

The stall owner, a smooth talker, exclaimed, “Young lady, you have a discerning eye! This comb, though not particularly valuable, was carved by a disciple of the master carver Baozhen. He was expelled for committing a crime, which allowed his skill to be passed down…”

Lu Wan, impatient with his rambling, simply gestured for A-Miao to pay and then led her maids towards Baozhen Tower.

Even the expelled disciple was so skillful; she actually wanted to see the master’s craftsmanship.

Even the usually composed A-Miao showed a hint of shopping delight. “Young lady, does Baozhen Tower really have so many good things?”

Hearing this, Lu Wan looked up at the distant, heavily guarded, multi-tiered pavilion with its soaring eaves; the words “Baozhen” on the plaque were clearly visible from afar.

Lu Wan said, “That’s natural. I’ve heard that Baozhen Tower has existed since the previous dynasty, and it often sells rare items. It is usually closed, with a small market every month and a large market every three months. At the large market, the building’s prized works are always for sale, and everyone who comes here admires them and goes there with great pleasure. Over time, many vendors who relied on the area started gathering nearby to set up stalls on this day, making it even more lively.”

A-Miao listened intently, her heart filled with longing. “Young lady, let’s hurry! If we go late, we might not get there first.”

A-Yu, beside her, chimed in, “Yes, young lady, let’s go quickly!”

Neither of them had been there before. Lu Wan smiled good-naturedly and explained, “Baozhen Tower just opened; there’s no use in rushing.”

A-Yu glanced at the sky. “We will be there soon, wife. It is good to go early and grab a spot.”

Lu Wan shook her head. “Going early will not help. The seating inside is arranged in order. We might as well stroll around the area. I see there are many other good spots with interesting things.”

“We can wander around near Baozhen Tower and go in later.”

A-Yu was disappointed for a moment but quickly cheered up. They sold all sorts of things nearby. She pointed to a stall not far away displaying many candied fruits and dried fruits.

Crimson, light blue, and orange—all were crystal clear and neatly arranged in glass bowls commonly used by the Hu people, scooped out with palm-sized silver spoons. They looked incredibly tempting.

Lu Wan’s index finger twitched slightly. She led them forward and asked the stall owner to weigh out a little of each.

On the other side, Zhou Kan, mounted on horseback, pointed to the handsome young man beside him. “Wenxu, is not that Fifth Young Lady Lu?”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan’s cold, phoenix-like eyes darted away, and his brow furrowed deeply. “What does it have to do with me?”

Zhou Kan grinned. “True, she’s already betrothed. Even if you wanted to, you would not have the chance.”

He shook his head, his tone nonchalant. “There are so many beautiful women in the world. You looked down on her before; there’s no reason you’d change your mind now.”

Zhou Yan’s face was cold. He swung his whip, the leather whistling through the air, nearly striking Zhou Kan’s face, startling him so much he leaned back.

He was not angry, though. He chuckled, “Never mind, never mind. Let’s go, let’s go. Are you not going back to your fiefdom soon? After all these years, you should buy some nice things for your stepmother and brothers at Baozhen Tower.”

Zhou Kan, with the air of someone who’d been there all along, patted his shoulder sympathetically.

“They were the ones who sent you to Luoyang back then; they should at least put on a show of politeness.”

The thought of returning to face those vile people filled Zhou Yan with sudden rage. He cracked his whip and rode off at full speed, kicking up clouds of dust, completely ignoring the shouts of his friends behind him.

After strolling around for a while, Lu Wan, accompanied by several maids, rested at a roadside eatery, casually sampling the seasonal delicacies. Seeing that the hour had passed, she headed towards Baozhen Tower.

As expected, there were many people there. She was led to a room on the left side of the stairs on the second floor. The guide politely said, “Please have a cup of tea and wait a moment, young lady. At a quarter past nine, you can go and choose your favorite treasures.”

Lu Wan nodded, instructing her maids to open the lattice window in the room. She stood by the window, watching the people entering the tower. Most were familiar faces from noble families; she even spotted Zhou Yan.

She suddenly thought of Xie Yu. She had sent someone to deliver a message to him yesterday, but he only said he had some urgent business today and would come later if he had some free time.

Not knowing when he would arrive, Lu Wan returned to the table, took a sip of tea, and waited for the sale to begin.

Speaking of which, was this not just the scarcity marketing of later generations? Create a gimmick, and naturally, you could sell at a high price.

She thought somewhat idly that the owner behind Baozhen Tower was quite shrewd.

At the hour of Si¹, musicians hired by the tower began playing lively and unrestrained Western Region tunes. Lu Wan, accompanied by her maids, went outside and peeked through the railing, almost getting dazzled.

The red was ruby, the green was jade cat’s-eye, and the white was pearl and white jade—and that was all. Even coral trees a foot long from the sea and wild ginseng thousands of feet deep in the mountains were there; it was truly an eye-opening experience.

“Young lady!” A-Yu exclaimed softly from behind.

Lu Wan glanced at her with a smile. “Let’s go too.” She led them downstairs.

Soon, she spotted a hairpin and was about to reach for it when someone snatched it first.

“Young Lady Lu has excellent taste. This hairpin is carved entirely from mutton-fat jade, and the peony on the head is also exquisitely crafted.”

The newcomer was young, stroking the white jade peony on the hairpin’s head with a smile; her tone was sharp with sarcasm. “Clearly, you have a keen eye; otherwise, how could you have won the favor of the Xie family’s young master?”

“Will this ever end?”

Lu Wan raised an eyebrow, realizing for the first time how charming Xie Yu was. He seemed to attract unwanted attention almost everywhere he went, even from young girls like this.

Poetry gatherings, flower banquets—that was one thing, but even a stroll in the street could lead to him encountering her.

She was too lazy to respond, smiling slightly. “This hairpin is indeed quite nice. If you like it, young lady, why not take it?”

Having subtly observed her, Lu Wan had already discerned that while the girl before her possessed an air of grandeur, the glimpse of her inner garment revealed was merely plain silk, indicating she was all show and no substance and likely would not be able to afford it.

The newcomer seemed surprised by her immediate abandonment, her eyes widening as she muttered, “I do not like it anymore.”

She pretended to put it back, then brazenly followed Lu Wan around.

Every time Lu Wan picked something up, the white-clad woman would snatch it away, examine it for a moment, and then not buy it, which annoyed Lu Wan.

What kind of behavior was this? It was clearly meant to annoy her.

“Young lady?” A-Yu pouted, tugging at Lu Wan’s sleeve, almost speaking.

Lu Wan reassured her, turning to the white-clad woman with a smile. “Young lady, which family are you from? It seems we always seem to like the same items; is that not fate?”

She suppressed her annoyance, needing to find out whose family it was; if she’d offended someone powerful, would not that be troublesome?

“Who said we are destined to meet?” The young woman in white pursed her lips, answering curtly.

Lu Wan frowned slightly, walking back to the white jade peony hairpin she had initially chosen. She reached for it, but the other woman snatched it first.

“I am thinking of buying it again now. I think this one is really nice.” She even picked it up and tried to put it in her hair.

Unfortunately, the young woman was still too young, her hair styled in a playful double bun, leaving no place to insert the hairpin.

“A brat,” Lu Wan labeled her, yet felt somewhat helpless.

These kinds of immature girls were the most annoying, and you could not treat them like you would anyone else. If you argued with her, she was shameless and persistent, practically impossible to shake off once you’ve got her involved.

If you did not argue, she was just a persistent nuisance.

“Today’s been a really unlucky day,” Lu Wan thought to herself.

“Ningrou, what are you doing here?”

Lu Wan turned around and saw Zhou Yan frowning, staring at the person beside her.

Zhou Kan, standing beside him, looked even more pained and immediately grabbed the young woman.

“Brother, let me go!”

The young woman was very indignant, still lying through her teeth. “I came with my elder sister and the others; what’s wrong with looking around?”

Zhou Yan’s gaze bypassed Lu Wan and settled on the white jade peony hairpin. He called over the shop assistants scattered throughout the area, “Put this hairpin on my tab.”

He gave a slight bow. “My cousin is young and does not know proper etiquette; please forgive her, Young Lady Lu.”

While offering his apology, his expression was cold, not even glancing at her.

“I was quite rude at the last flower banquet. This is my apology; please forgive me, Young Lady.”

What did the flower banquet have to do with Zhou Yan?

Lu Wan had no recollection of it, and besides, the gift was valuable; she could not accept it. So she stepped aside to avoid his bow.

“It’s nothing; I did not take it to heart. Young Master, please do not take offense. This gift is valuable; I absolutely cannot accept it.”

Did not take it to heart?

Zhou Yan’s eyes sharpened, his hand clenching into a fist, almost piercing his palm.

The sincere words he had spoken, after mustering his courage and lingering outside for so long, were treated as trivial, not taken to heart by her.

As if something was burning in his heart, unbearably agonizing, Zhou Yan quickly glanced at Wan, did not reply, and turned to leave in a miserable state.

Zhou Kan, carrying his troublesome younger sister, followed behind, also looking troubled.

“Young lady? Should we still keep this hairpin?” A-Yu asked cautiously.

“Of course we should.” Lu Wan picked up the hairpin. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, clearly a high-quality piece.

She was not short of money, and there was no need to take advantage of such a small thing. “Have someone settle the bill before Zhou Yan does.”

After selecting a few more items she liked, Lu Wan planned to return. On the carriage, she could not help but admire the jade hairpin in her hand, growing more and more fond of it with each look.

The craftsman’s skill was remarkable; he had perfectly captured the peonies’ vibrant and delicate beauty. Even the tiny, intricate stamens were lifelike.

Most wonderfully, a touch of caramel color on the stamens had been cleverly carved into the shape of a butterfly about to take flight, which was very pleasing.

“If the young lady likes it so much, let me put it on for you,” A-Miao suggested with a smile.

Lu Wan handed the hairpin to her, then took out a small mirror, watching as she tucked it into her hair.

A white jade peony peeked out from beside her dark, cloud-like bun, accompanied by a delicate butterfly seemingly drawn by the fragrance of the flower—truly indescribably beautiful.

“It suits your hairstyle perfectly, young lady!” A-Yu praised with a grin.

It did indeed look good. Lu Wan was in a very good mood, her slender fingers stroking the blooming peony in her hair. She felt that this was the most satisfying piece she had acquired that day.

Halfway through the journey, the carriage suddenly stopped. The people inside exchanged surprised glances.

“Young lady, Master Xie has arrived!” Zhou Da announced loudly from outside the carriage, his voice filled with joy.

Xie Yu had arrived?

It seemed he had finished with his work and was coming to fetch her.

Lu Wan smiled slightly. She had her maid help her down from the carriage and saw Xie Yu had just dismounted as well.

“Did you not say you were very busy today?”

She raised an eyebrow, deliberately feigning a coquettish expression, waiting for Xie Yu to say something nice to appease her.

Hmm, she would complain later about how his unwanted attentions had caused trouble again today, making him reflect on his behavior and try to avoid attracting unwanted attention in the future.

“The peony in Ah Wan’s hair is very beautiful.”

Xie Yu’s expression was indifferent, his gaze fixed on the peony in her hair, his tone somewhat cold.

Something felt off about his words. Lu Wan frowned slightly, then saw Xie Yu’s coldness vanish so quickly it seemed like her imagination.

His eyes were gentle, and he smiled faintly. “It’s still early; how about coming to my place for a while?”

“Are you done with your work today?” Lu Wan looked up at him, her eyes filled with doubt. Xie Yu nodded. “It’s just about the Yuening Prince’s trip to the capital. The Emperor gave me some instructions to arrange, and it cannot be rushed.”

He reached out and took Lu Wan’s hand, a slight smile playing on his lips. “I can spare half a day to spend with you.”

Lu Wan nodded and left with him, quickly forgetting Xie Yu’s momentary strangeness.

Perhaps she was overthinking it; Xie Yu was just making a casual compliment.

He had not sent anyone to monitor her, so how could he know that the hairpin had almost been connected to Zhou Yan?

The weather was fine today, so Xie Yu had a feast prepared in the lakeside pavilion, laden with seasonal fruits, candied fruits, and pastries. He even had his zither brought over.

The afternoon sun shone brightly. Lu Wan admired the beautiful scenery on the lake, glanced at Xie Yu’s handsome face, listened to his melodious zither music, and ate various snacks. Suddenly, she felt as if she had reached the pinnacle of life.

Beautiful man, beautiful scenery, delicious food, and wonderful music—it could not be more perfect.

“Why did you laugh, Ah Wan?”

Xie Yu suddenly stopped playing the zither and quietly looked up at her.

Did she actually laugh just now…?

Lu Wan paused for a moment. She could not very well say that she was admiring his handsome face, so she made up an excuse.

She pointed to a plate of pale yellow pastries in front of her. “These mung bean pastries are quite good, sweet and refreshing, very much to my liking.”

Xie Yu lowered his gaze, but what still appeared before him was the dazzling peony in her hair. He parted his lips and asked gently.

“Did you buy anything you liked at Baozhen Tower today?”

“It was alright,” Lu Wan thought, recalling the other items, but she still thought the one she was wearing in her hair was the best.

Lost in thought, she unconsciously touched the white jade peony hairpin at her temple.

“I think this jade hairpin is quite nice, especially the butterfly on the flower’s stamen, cleverly carved using the natural colors of the jade—it’s very charming.”

Xie Yu’s fingertips trembled, and the guqin emitted a mournful sound. He rose and smiled slightly at Lu Wan.

“A few days ago, I had someone search the storeroom and found a peony jade hairpin. I originally intended to give it to you, but I had not found the opportunity yet.”

He clapped his hands, and a maid respectfully presented a brocade box, placing it before Lu Wan.

Long, jade-like fingers gently moved the brass lock, lifting the lid. Inside, a vibrant peony carved from red jade was revealed to Lu Wan.

Her gaze froze. Human nature was to appreciate beautiful things, and this jade hairpin was exquisitely beautiful; even her heart skipped a beat.

The crimson jade was as vibrant as blood, and the carved peony was exquisitely beautiful. In comparison, the hairpin in her hair paled in comparison to the stunning one in the box.

Xie Yu picked up the hairpin from the box and said gently, “How about I put it on for you?”

Without waiting for Lu Wan’s reply, he gently plucked the hairpin from her hair, casually placed it on the table, and pinned the red peony hairpin in her hair.

Suddenly, a crisp sound of jade shattering rang out. Lu Wan looked down at the ground at the sound.

The mutton-fat jade peony hairpin that Xie Yu had placed on the table was now lying on the floor, broken into several pieces, the peony at the tip shattered into pieces.

As if the sound of shattering jade had shattered the fog obscuring her vision, an unbelievable thought appeared in Lu Wan’s mind, and she suddenly understood.

Lu Wan stroked the red jade peony in her hair, her heart trembling. She stared into Xie Yu’s gentle, unwavering eyes and slowly spoke.

“You were at Baozhen Tower today, too, were you not?”

Xie Yu did not avoid her gaze, only raising an eyebrow slightly, his tone questioning. “I only left the Court of Judicial Review at noon; I did not go to Baozhen Tower.”

He glanced at the broken pieces on the ground, a hint of pleasure flashing in his eyes, before hesitatingly saying, “Just now, my sleeve accidentally brushed against Ah Wan’s jade hairpin; it was my fault.”

Xie Yu’s fingertips gently traced the cool red jade hairpin, his tone sincere and gentle.

“Someday I will find another peony hairpin of mutton-fat jade to compensate Ah Wan, alright?”

Lu Wan’s gaze fell on Xie Yu’s sleeve, her long eyelashes trembling. This was clearly the lightest Hangzhou silk; how could it have brushed away the heavy jade hairpin?

She forced a smile. “Lord Yu has already given me this red jade hairpin, which is enough. How could I possibly ask you to give me another one?”

Since he had not been to Baozhen Tower, yet knew about Zhou Yan’s affairs, that meant he had someone watching her…

Lu Wan took a deep breath, steadied herself, and acted nonchalantly as she dealt with Xie Yu, also explaining herself to him.

“I originally saw this hairpin at Baozhen Tower, but a young lady snatched it first. She even repeatedly took what I wanted because of you. Later, I learned it was Princess Ningrou. Zhou Kan and Zhou Yan were passing by, so they apologized on her behalf.”

Speaking of Zhou Yan’s name, Lu Wan glanced at Xie Yu again. Seeing his long eyelashes lowered, obscuring his eyes, but the corners of his lips still slightly upturned, she continued.

“Zhou Yan said he wanted to offer this hairpin as an apology, but I had A-Miao pay the bill directly and did not accept his offer.”

She explained the whole story, but he still did not react.

Thinking that he might have someone watching her, she became annoyed and tried to get up, but he gripped her wrist tightly.

“Ah Wan,” Xie Yu finally spoke, his voice clear and gentle, “do you like this red jade peony hairpin?”

Lu Wan was stunned, not knowing what he wanted to say, and nodded.

Xie Yu then smiled. “Then this one is broken. If you really like it, I will find you an exact match.”

How could it be the same? Lu Wan frowned. She suspected Xie Yu had not understood her, so she explained again gently.

Finally, she concluded, “This hairpin has absolutely nothing to do with Zhou Yan.”

Xie Yu lowered his eyes, seemingly indifferent, and sighed softly, “I did not care.”

But his fingers tightened their grip on Lu Wan’s wrist. “Ah Wan, let’s just let this matter pass.”

His reaction and his words were practically an admission that he truly knew about it.

Lu Wan felt a chill run down her spine. She found it hard to believe that Xie Yu would have arranged for someone to secretly observe her every move and report back to him.

Was it because she had not given Xie Yu a sense of security? Or was he inherently suspicious?

Could this be the reason his favorability rating had remained stagnant for so long?

She paused, then grasped Xie Yu’s wrist in return, slowly asking, “How did you know what happened to me today?”

She wanted to give Xie Yu a chance if he told the truth.

But Xie Yu was clearly not the type to tell her the truth. He slightly turned his face away, smiling faintly.

“The heat of the seventh month is gradually building, and the wedding dress is heavy and elaborate. I consulted the Imperial Observatory, and there are auspicious days in the sixth month as well. What does Ah Wan think?”

Lu Wan suppressed the urge to sit further away. She suddenly felt she could not see Xie Yu clearly anymore.

But she still smiled and lowered her eyes. “This date is a bit rushed. My father and mother would not approve.”

Xie Yu leaned slightly, pulling her into his arms. His chin gently rested on the cool jade hairpin in her hair, and he whispered, “But I cannot wait any longer.”

Their posture was very intimate. Lu Wan lowered her head and remained silent. This embrace, which used to feel comfortable and warm, now felt like thorns in her back.

Even the familiar, slightly bitter scent felt foreign.

Why did Xie Yu arrange for someone to watch over her? She and Zhou Yan really had no connection, so why was he so calculating?

She had initially thought that Xie Yu, while not exactly a social butterfly, was at least considerate, possessing a gentle and aloof gentlemanly demeanor. Even if his heart was somewhat cold and possessive, she believed she could always warm him, making him relatively easy to win over.

But now, she suddenly felt that Xie Yu’s treatment of her was like that of someone he cherished—tender and affectionate, but lacking equal respect and understanding.

In fact, in Xie Yu’s eyes, she might be seen as something he was about to possess, hence his inability to tolerate anyone else.

Lu Wan shuddered almost imperceptibly, suddenly having a bad premonition. The remaining goodwill might not be so easily gained.

Xie Yu sighed softly; he had naturally guessed some of Lu Wan’s thoughts.

He had not yet married her, so of course, he could not frighten her.

“I intended to leave early today, but I was bogged down with official duties. I was also worried you might be disturbed, so I arranged for someone to keep an eye on you at Baozhen Tower. It was not the intention to spy on your whereabouts.”

This was a lie. There was a family in the alley near the Lu residence whose people he had arranged to keep track of Lu Wan’s movements.

This was clearly a lie, Lu Wan thought to herself. If he were truly worried about her, he could have simply told her directly.

But she decided to stop while she was ahead, so she reached out and wrapped her arm around her beloved’s slender waist, looking up at him with genuine guilt in her eyes.

“So that’s how it is. I misunderstood you, Lord Yu.”

Xie Yu’s eyes softened, and he gently kissed her smooth forehead.

“It’s nothing; I am glad you do not blame me.”

After Lu Wan left, Xie Yu stood alone by the railing, watching the graceful woman’s figure disappear into the distance, a hint of displeasure rising in his heart.

If he could get Zhou Yan to his fiefdom sooner, or even eliminate him this time, perhaps he could feel much more at ease.

He ground over the uncollected fragments of mutton-fat jade on the ground and picked up a piece of flower stamen—the exquisitely carved butterfly that Lu Wan had once praised.

Then, with a flick of his finger, he tossed it mercilessly into the lake.

“Three more months.”

He looked at the shimmering surface of the lake and whispered, his voice barely audible.

On the twenty-second day of the fourth month of the fifth year of Yuanhe, at the hour of Hai², an earthquake struck Luoyang, stretching for dozens of miles. Grass and trees shook, roof tiles fell, and the Dazhao Palace was particularly badly affected. —From The History of Huan, Volume 3

As night fell, Lu Wan, still thinking about Xie Yu’s actions that day, tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Finally, she drifted off to sleep, only to feel the bed shaking.

An earthquake!

She immediately threw on her clothes and got up, then heard the panicked shouts of the maids outside.

“Young lady, young lady, the earth is shaking!” A-Miao rushed in, flustered. “You must come out quickly!”

Lu Wan remained expressionless, hurriedly slipped on her shoes, and went outside. She was worried about Lady Zhou, who was pregnant and easily frightened.

But when she reached Lady Zhou’s courtyard, she saw her and her father standing calmly in an open space, calmly directing the maids to check on their children.

“Mother, are you alright?”

Lu Wan went to her side, supporting her on one side, and asked with concern.

“Fortunately, it was just a minor incident,” Lady Zhou said, patting her hand with lingering fear. “We still need to be more careful tonight.”

Seeing Lu Xiao and Lu Ling rushing over, and noticing that most of the houses in the mansion were wooden-framed and none had collapsed, Lu Wan gradually relaxed.

She frowned, somewhat puzzled.

The original story did not include an earthquake.