Deep affections and heavy loyalties make farewells a busy affair

Shen Residence, Plum Blossom Garden, Seductive Heart Hall.

Lu Jin and Shen Yanxi had left this place not long ago.

The elderly matriarch, Bai Lu, was sitting on the couch, gazing at the enormous canvas. Beside her, a maid was gently massaging her legs.

"The young master is so exceptionally clever. Just with a few casual strokes of color here and there, the old matriarch has come to life right on this canvas," the maid said with a smile.

"Indeed he is," the old matriarch replied, her face beaming with smiles.

Bai Lu was thoroughly satisfied with the portrait of herself, feeling it was already quite wonderful as it was, yet her grandson-in-law insisted it would take much longer. The child truly poured his heart into it.

Mainly, the old matriarch was unfamiliar with this realistic style of painting. Although the overall silhouette already looked quite good now, it was still a long way from the truly finished piece.

"Head of the family!"

Hearing the maid's voice, Bai Lu looked up toward the doorway and saw her son walking in.

"Greetings, Mother."

"With so many matters demanding attention in the household every day, my son doesn't need to run over to his mother's place daily," the old matriarch said with a smile.

"No matter how many matters there are, they never delay a visit to see Mother." As he spoke, Shen Hao took over the maid's position and began massaging the old matriarch's legs.

Shen Hao made time to visit his mother's place every single day, unlike Lu Jin. Thinking of his own unfilial son-in-law, a steady stream of resentment welled up in Shen Hao. The fellow never even bothered to pay his respects to his father-in-law each day. Whenever something came up, someone had to go fetch him, acting all high and mighty like a lord.

"That's enough, stop the massage. You massage for a while, and she massages for a while—Mother's legs are going to be massaged completely numb by the two of you," the old matriarch said, feeling tenderly toward her son. It was fine just coming over to chat, why bother with massaging legs?

Shen Hao had no choice but to stand up, sit down on the other side of the desk, and pick up a cup of tea the maid had already brewed, taking a sip.

"Mother has switched to this tea as well?" Shen Hao asked doubtfully.

"What the grandson-in-law said is right; it's better for elderly people to have something light. After drinking this tea, Mother's appetite has improved a great deal."

Shen Hao's mouth twitched uncontrollably. Why didn't the fellow ever show such filial piety toward him?

"Jin'er and Xi'er told Mother about their plan to go live outside for a period of time, didn't they?" Shen Hao asked after gesturing for the maids to withdraw.

"Mm, they just mentioned it a moment ago, saying they won't come over tomorrow. It's good for them to go out and clear their minds; staying cooped up in this Shen Garden all the time is truly stifling," the old matriarch said softly.

"Does Mother think they're really just going to clear their minds?" At a single glance at his mother's expression, Shen Hao knew the two of them probably hadn't told the old matriarch the whole truth either.

"What does my son mean by this?" the old matriarch asked with a puzzled expression.

Shen Hao had no choice but to recount to the old matriarch how Shen Yanxi had requested the deployment of household guards and various other resources.

The old matriarch narrowed her eyes, stood lost in thought for a moment, and asked, "How did my son figure it out?"

"Mother should understand Jin'er's temperament as well. During this period, he's been bustling about every day, whether teaching Lun'er and the others, or busy brewing wine and making salt. He's simply someone who cannot bear to stay idle. In the past, he even told me he wanted to stockpile grain and train soldiers. At the time, I thought Jin'er was worrying needlessly, but in reality, everything he worried about has come to pass one by one. Now, at this critical juncture when the Bairong have broken through, the two of them suddenly claim they are going out to roam and hunt. Even if your son is dull-witted, I could never believe that girl's nonsense."

Shen Hao was actually somewhat angry. The two unfilial youngsters were treating him like a complete fool. Ships, weaponry, provisions, and even a thousand household guards—whose hunting trip involved such a massive display? And it wasn't as though there was a shortage of food at the suburban estate.

"Do you really think Xi'er believed she could hide it from you?" the old matriarch asked with a smile.

"Does Mother mean they actually didn't intend to hide it, but simply chose not to spell it out?" Shen Hao asked, bewildered.

"Xi'er merely felt you could pretend not to know."

"—" Shen Hao was left speechless.

"Leaving aside the grandson-in-law, could Xi'er possibly not understand? Mobilizing that many household guards—what does that mean in our Shen family? How could it possibly escape the notice of you, the head of the family?"

Shen Hao gnashed his teeth in exasperation. What a truly unfilial daughter, deceiving even her own father.

"Then what are they planning to do with so many people?" the old matriarch asked with a furrowed brow. It wasn't that she worried the two would commit villainous deeds; two youngsters with naturally pure characters couldn't do such things. But what about their own safety?

"I asked about it. Does Mother remember that band of water bandits who came to notify us last time? They were suppressed by government troops a few days ago, and a few were even captured. This time, the visitors went straight to Jin'er, and Xi'er had people use a calling card to bail them out. Your grandson-in-law has truly gone and become the second-in-command of the water bandits."

Mentioning this made Shen Hao even angrier. Rather than being a proper Shen family son-in-law, he went off to become a water bandit, and even claimed he was only playing along falsely with the enemy. He certainly played along falsely with his father-in-law, though! He only knew the fellow lacked malicious intent; otherwise, this wouldn't have ended easily.

"Water bandits?" Although the old matriarch had harbored such suspicions, she hadn't expected this grandson-in-law to actually become a water bandit. After all, given the situation back then, playing along falsely was the normal course of action. How could any normal person ever think of going to become a water bandit?

What on earth was that grandson-in-law doing taking so many household guards out? It certainly couldn't be to fight government troops; even if the grandson-in-law had such intentions, Xi'er would never let him act so recklessly. Then...

"So he intends to attack the water bandits?" the old matriarch asked in astonishment. This grandson-in-law of hers certainly had a brilliant scheme.

"How did Mother know Jin'er is going to attack the water bandits instead of doing something else?" Shen Hao asked curiously. The most direct move would be going to seek revenge on the government troops, but his mother had always been wise and would certainly not jump to that conclusion. Yet how did she think of attacking the water bandits so quickly?

"Good, good, good. The grandson-in-law truly possesses magnificent boldness." Instead of answering her son's question, the old matriarch grew increasingly emotional the more she thought about it.

Right now, with the Bairong invasion underway, who wasn't thinking solely of defending their home and country? Yet the grandson-in-law had gone against the grain, dropping a strategic piece on the outside board—and not only dropping it, but intending to leverage the momentum to rise.

Crucially, the timing of this opportunity was seized far too perfectly. Just as the water bandits were gasping their last breaths and on the verge of being cornered, while the government troops were about to be redeployed—the Lanjiang Water Alliance, unifying the martial underworld?!

The old matriarch's mouth dropped open in shock.

It was as if she could once again see that water bandit shouting at the top of his lungs. Of course, what he had shouted that day was acting on behalf of Heaven.

What a brilliant plan! Under normal circumstances, the old matriarch would certainly never have allowed such a thing, but the times were clearly no longer peaceful.

Who could say that this casually placed piece might not prove immensely useful one day? Besides, the old matriarch genuinely held a favorable impression of this faction of water bandits; otherwise, Xi'er's fate really would have been hanging by a thread.

"—" Shen Hao felt even more emotional. Through mere fragments of words, his mother had pinpointed what her son-in-law was going to do, whereas he had pondered for a long time before figuring it out. After all, the connection wasn't very direct. He had only pieced it together by combining it with his son-in-law's usual way of thinking.

It wasn't that Shen Hao was dull-witted; he was a civil official by trade, so it was completely normal for him to lack military understanding. Lu Jin, however, relied on standing upon a higher platform to view problems, an advantage the other people of Daliang did not possess. His goal was firm and singular—to survive in troubled times. Therefore, it was not strange that he could conceive of these layouts; it didn't necessarily mean Lu Jin himself possessed extraordinary strategic genius.

"Then how has my son made arrangements?" the old matriarch asked, snapping back to reality.

"I gave them two thousand household guards, fully equipped with provisions and armaments. Right now, no faction of water bandits can withstand two thousand household guards from the Shen family, and their own safety is also guaranteed."

Shen Hao didn't truly worry about the safety of his son-in-law and daughter. Not only were there so many household guards, but there were also martial arts experts protecting them. The crucial point was that even if he wanted to stop them, he couldn't.

"Good, good. My son's considerations are thorough, but it's still not enough," the old matriarch said, her eyes narrowing.

Shen Hao was stunned. Still not enough? Any more troops couldn't even be effectively deployed; the largest bands of water bandits had at most several hundred men, and having too many people would make things far too conspicuous.

"My son should have Nanmen Yue leave behind a portion of the troops to continue suppressing the bandits. In these troubled times, Jiangzhou must not fall into chaos."

*(⊙ꇴ⊙)* Shen Hao froze. Wonderful! A son-in-law and an old matriarch, scheming against the water bandits with absolute precision—caught in a pincer attack from both inside and outside, did those other water bandits even have a way to survive?

-----------------

Shen Residence, Xi Garden.

"Third Brother, tomorrow I'll be leaving to find Eldest Brother. Just focus on recovering from your injuries right here and wait for my return." Inside the small courtyard's room, Lu Jin was saying his farewells to Ma Su.

"The Second Brother can just call me Old Ma..." Ma Su tried to sit up, only to wince in pain.

"Alright, alright, don't move around recklessly. Just lie down and say whatever you need to say," Lu Jin hurriedly helped Ma Su lie back down.

"Second Brother, the government forces are overwhelmingly powerful right now. Even with your peerless tactical genius, I'm afraid the outcome is ominous and perilous. Why must the Second Brother needlessly throw away his life..." Ma Su advised in a dissuading tone.

"Yet I cannot simply watch our brothers' foundation destroyed, especially Eldest Brother, who is yearning for me with all his heart. How could I possibly let Eldest Brother down?" Lu Jin spoke with deep sincerity.

Ma Su's mouth twitched uncontrollably. Though he couldn't walk around just yet, he had heard Huang Sang recount how extravagant and grand this Shen Garden was. You have a perfectly good life you could be living, and you call being a water bandit your foundation? Just thinking about how they had spent this recent period wandering like stray dogs, never knowing what tomorrow would bring—there were times when Second Brother's brain simply didn't function right.

"But right now, even I don't know where Eldest Brother and the others actually are. Over this past period, we've repeatedly run into government troops and suffered heavy losses and diminished ranks. I'm afraid that even if Second Brother has the heart to act, you'll find yourself powerless to turn the tide."

"Human effort can accomplish anything. Even if it fails, this brother intends to fight alongside Eldest Brother and die in the same place," Lu Jin said with moving emotion.

"Second Brother must never do this," Ma Su urged anxiously. He hadn't expected Second Brother to be so utterly loyal and steadfast, discarding wealth and glory without a second thought just to fulfill this fraternal bond.

"Old Ma need not worry so; your brother is not a reckless man. I will surely assess the situation and assist Eldest Brother through this crisis. Now that the Bairong have broken through, we may very well find an opportunity. On this trip, I will take Huang Sang and a few others to find Eldest Brother, so you can rest assured and wait for my return," Lu Jin comforted him.

The reason he hadn't told Ma Su his plan right away was precisely out of fear that if he bragged and couldn't deliver, things would become rather awkward.

"Very well. Among us brothers, Second Brother has always been the most strategic. It's just a pity that my current state..." Ma Su said with heartfelt grief.

"I know your mind; we need not rush for the moment. Wait for my return—who knows, there might be a pleasant surprise waiting."

-----------------

After bidding farewell to Ma Su, Lu Jin took Shen Yanxi to have dinner at the Lu family residence and informed his aunt of their plan to go live outside for a while. The truth certainly couldn't be told, of course, or else he truly wouldn't be allowed to leave.

Though his uncle and aunt found it sudden, they knew nothing of the lives of wealthy aristocratic families; as long as there was no danger, it was fine.

When the two returned to Xi Garden, it was already past the hour of *Xu* (7:00 PM – 9:00 PM).

"Wife, rest first. Your husband is going to make a trip to Cloud Rising Terrace. Who knows when Tantai Ming will return? I need to tidy things up and leave a note for him." With everything being so hectic these days, he had almost forgotten about this.

"Will Husband be coming back then?" Shen Yanxi held Lu Jin's hand, her beautiful eyes brimming with tenderness.

"Of course. Could it be that my wife is afraid?" Lu Jin smiled.

"Husband, hurry back and forth; your concubine will surely make Husband unforgettable tonight!" Holding back her shyness, Shen Yanxi whispered softly into Lu Jin's ear.

Time and again, it was unforgettable—how much more unforgettable could it possibly be? The blood throughout his body instantly began to boil.

Lu Jin didn't even want to go anymore, but alas, the words were already out of his mouth.

"Husband, go ahead. Your concubine will just take a bath and use Husband's favorite floral scent." Listening to her husband's heavy breathing, Shen Yanxi couldn't help continuing to tease him.

"Actually, Your Husband can—" Lu Jin felt the seductive enchantress bewitching him right by his ear. To hell with Cloud Rising Terrace; Tantai Ming could do whatever he wanted, he couldn't manage that right now.

"Shuqing, escort the young master to Cloud Rising Terrace!" Retreating from Lu Jin's embrace, Shen Yanxi smiled like a charming vixen.

"Hey, hey, Wife..." Before Lu Jin could finish his sentence, he was pushed out the door by Shuqing.

"Young master, this maid will not accompany you further," Shuqing said with a smile.

Lu Jin looked at the closed door, let out a sigh of lamentation, and walked toward Cloud Rising Terrace with a completely disheartened heart.

Lighting the fire without putting it out—what kind of proper firefighter was that?

-----------------

In the study, Lu Jin was writing furiously when a sudden knock sounded at the door.

Who could it be? He had already sent the servants off to rest upon returning, leaving Lu Jin with no choice but to get up and open the door himself.

"Muxue?" As soon as Lu Jin opened the door, he saw Liang Muxue standing on the threshold, a dark-colored garment draped casually over her arm.

"Young Master!" Liang Muxue's face flushed slightly.

Standing at the doorway, Liang Muxue wore a white outer robe with a diagonal collar and narrow sleeves, the collar and cuffs subtly revealing a peacock-green inner garment. A peacock-green sash was tied around her waist. Though not male attire, it possessed an extreme neatness and capability, blending elegant refinement with a lively spirit.

Lu Jin's mouth twitched. Calling him "Young Master" one moment and "Young Master-in-law" the next—whether the people around her were confused or not, he was rapidly getting confused himself.

Based on the fact that he couldn't truly treat Liang Muxue as a mere maid, he had wanted to tell her she could just call him by his name, but knowing Liang Muxue's state of mind, he didn't dare say that either.

"It's so late already, why hasn't Muxue rested yet?" Lu Jin's gaze swept past the garment draped over Liang Muxue's arm, and he smiled as he invited her into the study.

"Young Master is leaving tomorrow, so I came to see Young Master." Once inside, Liang Muxue naturally draped the garment from her arm over the back of a chair. She had visited this study many times over the past few days, spending her time here every day listening to the Young Master explain his "commercial strategies."

"Have a seat, Muxue. You'll have to hardship yourself somewhat during the days I'm away."

"Is Young Master writing a letter? I hope I'm not—" Liang Muxue said awkwardly.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm writing to Tantai Ming; you can just hand it to him when the time comes," Lu Jin said.

As for Wu You, she probably wouldn't return so early. Leaving aside the long journey, she would undoubtedly want to spend some time staying with her grandmother at home.

Lu Jin had intended to pour Liang Muxue a cup of tea, but the moment he lifted the teapot, Liang Muxue took it from him.

"Young Master, please continue writing your letter. Muxue will attend to you." In the study with its flickering candlelight, Liang Muxue's voice was gentle and soft.

Lu Jin had no choice but to continue writing his letter; not writing would only make things even more awkward. During the past few days of lecturing Liang Muxue, he had tried his best to avoid facing her alone.

The scene was lovely, yet it was sheer torture for both of them. Each harbored their own unspoken thoughts, yet found it difficult to put them into words.

After a spell of absent-minded busyness, Lu Jin finally finished writing the letter.

"If Tantai Ming returns, just hand this to him." Lu Jin stood up and handed the sealed letter to Liang Muxue.

"Muxue has noted it down."

"Then I'll head back first, and Muxue should rest early as well." As he spoke, Lu Jin walked toward the door.

"Young Master!"

"Hmm?" Lu Jin turned back to look at Liang Muxue. Under the lamplight, Liang Muxue's eyes were like clear water, her smile charming and pleasant.

"The weather is turning cold, Young Master must remember to add more layers!"

"Muxue should as well."

Until Lu Jin was completely out of sight, Liang Muxue let out a wistful sigh.

Returning to her room, Liang Muxue gently stroked the dark-colored outer cloak draped over the back of her chair, a slight smile curving her lips as if she could see the Young Master wearing it while whipping his horse forward, brimming with heroic spirit and vigor.