Volume One, Chapter 15: You Are Nothing More Than Her Male Favorite

Ruan Liuzheng withdrew her hand, and at the mere mention of the snake pit, her eyes filled with terror. She began to tremble, her eyes reddening as tears flickered faintly. Snakes were her greatest fear in life. Yet they had sent her into the snake pit?

Lu Chengze felt a sharp pang of pity surge within him and released her hand.

“Are you very scared? Does it hurt?”

Ruan Liuzheng glared at him. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been sent in there. All of you Lu family people are demons.”

She couldn’t forget the pain as those snakes coiled around her, tightening their grip. Even now, her body trembled uncontrollably.

For the first time, Lu Chengze dared not argue. The sight of the snake bites haunted him, leaving a hollow ache in his heart. She was once the cherished one he had raised; how dare they treat her so cruelly?

He muttered, “I will avenge you.”

Then he turned and strode toward the old madam’s courtyard.

“Who dragged the young madam to the secret door? Kneel down!”

The maids’ faces panicked.

“Young master, it was the old madam who ordered us to scare the young madam. We had no choice!”

Lu Chengze kicked the speaking maid to the ground.

“So what? She is my wife; only I have the right to harm her! All of you, get to the secret door!”

The maids trembled in fear and dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.

“The secret door is full of snakes! We’ll die!”

“We beg for your pardon, young master!”

Lu Chengze’s eyes reddened. “If you knew you’d die, then when she cried for help inside, did any of you respond?”

He couldn’t imagine the despair and agony she must have felt then.

“Take them all down!”

The servants dragged the maids away, their heart-wrenching cries echoing throughout the courtyard.

The old madam, disturbed by the commotion, stepped out.

“You brat, are you trying to kill the chicken to warn the monkey? Do you want to drag your own mother to the secret door as well?”

Lu Chengze knelt. “Mother, I dare not. I only beg you to stop torturing Liuzheng; she is my wife.”

The old madam sneered, “What reason do you see in her to deserve this?”

Lu Chengze didn’t know either, but when he saw her curled up trembling in the corner — so small and delicate — she should never have endured such suffering.

Once, her eyes had been carefree; soft yet dignified, clearly a noble lady spoiled in the capital.

But now, fear and unease clouded her gaze.

She should have been a carefree noblewoman of the capital.

Yet, at some unknown point, she changed.

She no longer seemed like herself.

Lu Chengze began to regret it. If he had treated her kindly as an ordinary husband, would she be this broken now?

But what about Yingying?

Right, he shouldn’t think this way; it’s unfair to Yingying.

He suppressed the pain inside, his eyes filled with struggle.

The old madam said, “Your body is just barely recovering; don’t push yourself. Go back now.”

Lu Chengze knew she had agreed to spare Ruan Liuzheng. He said, “Thank you, mother.”

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Ru Yan told Ruan Liuzheng about Lu Chengze’s furious outburst in the old madam’s courtyard.

Ruan Liuzheng scoffed, “Getting mad at the servants? What a show. Why not try it on the old madam herself? What a pretender.”

Recalling Lu Chengze’s recent words, she had a vague, bad premonition.

This man seemed mad, babbling nonsense every day. She only wanted to divorce him now.

“Young madam, what about the Qingye matter? Will you just let it go?”

“I’ve already given her a warning. If she schemes against me again, I won’t let her off easily. For now, I’ll let it be. It’s good she has ambitions to be the wife of the Lu family head.”

If she wanted that position, she could have it. As if it was something Ruan Liuzheng coveted.

“There’s a flower-viewing banquet at the palace tomorrow. Young master, maybe you shouldn’t go.”

With all her injuries, how could she possibly attend the palace? The Empress might even find ways to torment her further.

Ruan Liuzheng gave a bitter smile.

“That’s not up to me.”

A single word from Ruan Yingying meant she would crawl to the palace even if it killed her.

After all, she was the noble Empress.

But every time she saw her and Chu Yunze together, her heart felt like it was being cut by a knife, an unbearable pain.

The one who should be by his side was clearly her.

Tears welled up again, but she wiped them away.

Tomorrow would be another fierce battle. She had to steel herself.

The next day, Lu Chengze came to escort her to the palace, cautiously so.

“If your injuries are too severe, stay home and rest.”

“The Empress summoned me. I don’t have the right to refuse, nor do you.”

She truly didn’t understand what he was playing at.

Lu Chengze’s eyes glimmered with pain.

“I can plead with her for you.”

“Forget it. You’re just one of her favorites. It’s awkward.”

“Do you have to oppose me every word?”

He had already humbled himself so much—couldn’t she see?

Ruan Liuzheng simply closed her eyes, ignoring him. But her coldness stung him deeply.

“Can’t we go back to how we were?”

Back then, he was her closest cousin, doting on her, and she depended on him completely.

Now, she treated him like an enemy.

The pain from her injuries throbbed incessantly—all because of him.

Hearing his words, she sneered coldly, grabbed the teacup on the table, and splashed its contents in his face.

Lu Chengze was caught off guard, his eyes hardening fiercely.

“Are you trying to anger me again?”

“So what? Kill me if you want. No one cares if I live or die.”

Even if she died, it wouldn’t affect her parents or sister attending the palace banquet.

How tragic.

The bitter pain in her heart spread throughout her body, almost suffocating her.

Seeing her expression, Lu Chengze immediately softened.

“How could I ever kill you? Stop this nonsense. Let’s just live as ordinary husband and wife, okay?”

At these words, Ruan Liuzheng eyed him warily.

“What are you scheming?”

Lu Chengze hadn’t expected to say such things but quickly became sincere.

“You are my wife. Besides, you need to bear me the Lu family’s eldest son. Let’s live well.”

After hurting her repeatedly, how could he have the nerve to say “live well”?

Ruan Liuzheng said with disgust, “Lu Chengze, no matter what you’re thinking, it’s impossible.”

Her words were a provocation. He didn’t understand; he had humbled himself so much, why was she still like this?

But he had ways to make her obey.

“It’s alright. There’s plenty of time ahead.”

He had treated her like his sister before; now, he wanted her to be his true wife for the rest of their lives.

After all, he had watched her grow up; a little pampering wouldn’t hurt.

Ruan Liuzheng only found him more terrifying. He actually wanted to live peacefully with her.

But over the past two years, while serving as a palace maid tending to him and Ruan Yingying, that was impossible.

Not to mention how much she loathed him now.

The palace’s flower-viewing banquet was lavish beyond words. The palace was brilliantly lit, as bright as day. Rare delicacies were displayed in abundance. The guests were all royal dignitaries, dressed in splendid garments, followed by maids and eunuchs.

Seated in the high place, Chu Yunze and Ruan Yingying looked perfectly matched. Everyone knelt to perform the grand kowtow to the Emperor and Empress.

Ruan Liuzheng suppressed the bitterness in her heart and knelt with them.

She did not realize that the moment she entered, Chu Yunze’s gaze had been fixed on her.