Chapter 26: I Do Not Want His Child

"Miss!" Qiulan trotted in from outside, her face beaming with joy. "Daoist Chongxu has sent a message!"

Jiang You'an's eyes lit up.

Qiulan took the letter from her bosom and handed it over. Jiang You'an unfolded it, read it through, and the corners of her lips curled upward.

"Madame Su went to Xuanzhen Temple today. Daoist Chongxu told her that Su Mingxiu's predestined partner has appeared, and he provided the approximate date of birth, telling her that if he marries this person, it would dispel his illness. She asked for my birth date at the Old Madam's birthday banquet previously; she should be able to make the connection."

Qiulan asked, "Why didn't Daoist Chongxu just give Madame Su your exact birth date? Then she would have come directly to you."

Jiang You'an poked her forehead. "You silly girl, that would be too precise and would only make Madame Su suspicious. Just wait, she will come looking eventually."

Qiulan grinned. "Then, Miss, you should start preparing to marry Young Master Su."

The plan was proceeding very smoothly, and Jiang You'an was in such high spirits that she could hardly hide the smile on her face.

She burned Daoist Chongxu's letter and was about to rest when she suddenly saw Lu Xuanheng push the door open and enter.

She was startled and hurriedly stirred the charcoal in the brazier to ensure the letter was completely reduced to ash.

"Why are you here?"

She rubbed her hands together, feeling guilty. Just as she forced a smile, she noticed that Lu Xuanheng's face was as gloomy as if he were about to devour someone.

Her heart suddenly tightened.

Could he have discovered her secret collusion with Daoist Chongxu?

Lu Xuanheng ordered Qiulan to leave. After closing the door, he slowly walked toward Jiang You'an, a layer of chill shrouding his dark eyes. "Has your health recovered? You mentioned before that your period was irregular. I shall have a physician check on you tomorrow."

Jiang You'an did not expect him to be talking about this with such a cold face. For a moment, she was at a loss. "There is no need. I have taken a few doses of medicine and am much better."

Lu Xuanheng took Jiang You'an's hand, his voice sounding eerily gentle. "Your health is not good; it has been so long, and yet there is no child."

Jiang You'an's expression stiffened. Why was he suddenly talking about children?

She certainly could not let him know that she hadn't conceived because she had been drinking contraceptive decoctions. She could only go along with his words: "Perhaps I am naturally frail, making it difficult to conceive."

Lu Xuanheng's lips curled, but there was no warmth in his eyes. "Then it is all the more reason to find a reliable physician to properly restore your health. Tomorrow, I will have someone come to check your pulse."

Jiang You'an's face tightened, and she said hurriedly, "No need..."

"Why not?" Every word Lu Xuanheng spoke seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth. "Are you afraid the physician will discover that you have been drinking contraceptive decoctions?"

Jiang You'an's heart jolted.

He already knew...

Lu Xuanheng let out a low laugh, his large palm gripping Jiang You'an's wrist tightly. "If I hadn't been cautious, how much longer would you have kept this from me?"

Jiang You'an averted her gaze. "I..."

Anger burned in Lu Xuanheng's eyes. "Last night, you were still crying in my arms, saying you were afraid the Eldest Madame would marry you off and that you only wanted to stay by my side, yet this morning you were already drinking contraceptive decoctions. How long have you been doing this? Do you dislike having my child that much! Are you afraid that a child would tie you down so you could never leave?"

He had guessed almost everything correctly, but Jiang You'an could never admit it.

She forced herself to stay calm and put on a pitiful appearance, pressing her lips into a thin line as her eyes gradually filled with tears. "How can you be so heartless? Which respectable family's young master would dare have a child before marriage? If I were truly pregnant, it would inevitably result in the mother being discarded to save the child!"

"I said, with me here, no one would dare touch you."

Jiang You'an gave a bitter smile through her tears. "You have just become engaged to the Princess; the Princess Consort of Xian had already stormed into the Lu residence just upon hearing rumors of our affair. If I were truly pregnant, do you think I could survive? Could you even protect me?"

Lu Xuanheng fell silent upon hearing this.

Jiang You'an pushed him away and sat on the edge of the bed, weeping.

In the room, no one spoke again; only the sound of Jiang You'an's sobbing could be heard.

Lu Xuanheng looked at her slightly trembling shoulders, feeling uneasy in his heart.

Her concerns were not without merit.

He walked over to sit beside Jiang You'an and gently pulled her thin shoulders into his embrace. "I was only startled to find that you were keeping things from me, especially taking such harmful medicine, and I grew anxious for a moment."

Jiang You'an turned her face, her eyes and nose red from crying, looking exceptionally poignant.

"As long as you can understand my predicament."

"Mm." Lu Xuanheng pulled her into his arms, kissed her hair, and pressed his thin lips against her ear. "However, do not let me discover you keeping things from me again."

His voice was icy, carrying a sense of oppression that felt like a little snake slithering into Jiang You'an's ear.

She kept her expression neutral and nodded obediently.

After Lu Xuanheng left, Jiang You'an's expression changed instantly, and she angrily pounded the pillow several times.

How detestable! To think that Lu Xuanheng had actually discovered it.

For now, she had to appease him to prevent him from causing any more trouble, while she continued to wait for movement from the Su family.

If things went well, Madame Su would come within a few days. Once the marriage was settled, Lu Xuanheng would no longer be able to do anything to her, and her days of suffering would finally be at an end.

...

Madame Zhao had been unable to eat or sleep well lately, all because of Lu Xuanheng.

She truly did not know what kind of love potion Jiang You'an had fed him to bewitch him so thoroughly. He was about to marry the Princess, yet he claimed he would never let Jiang You'an leave him for as long as he lived—he had truly gone mad!

She had sworn to the Princess Consort of Xian that she would marry Jiang You'an off far away so there would be no future trouble. That foolish boy might be muddled, but she certainly could not be.

She had already found a family for Jiang You'an. No matter how stubborn Lu Xuanheng was, this bane Jiang You'an could not be allowed to stay a single day longer!

"Have the people from the Xu family arrived?"

Nanny Wang bowed her head and said, "They have. They are already waiting at the inn outside the city. Once we bring Jiang You'an out of the city, she will have no say in the matter; we will force her onto the Xu family's carriage, and from then on, she will be a daughter-in-law of the Xu family."

"They are one of the wealthiest families in Lingnan; it is already too good for her," Madame Zhao sneered. "Go and do it."

"Yes."

A moment later, a maid arrived in Jiang You'an's room.

"Miss Jiang, Miss Lunyao is going out of the city for an excursion and would like you to accompany her."

In normal times, Jiang You'an would have gone, but she had too much on her mind these days and had no mood to accompany Lu Lunyao. She said, "I am feeling a bit unwell today and cannot go with her. Tell her to enjoy herself."

The maid said, "Miss Lunyao is already in the carriage at the gate, waiting for you."

Jiang You'an frowned slightly, feeling that something was strange; this was not like Lu Lunyao's usual style.

Seeing that she could not decline, she agreed and followed the maid.

Stepping out of the side gate, Jiang You'an saw a carriage parked there.

"Where is Lunyao?"

"She is waiting for you in the carriage. Please, hurry and board."

Jiang You'an felt an indescribable sense of foreboding and walked over with hesitation.