Lu Jin'an gazed at the budding crabapple branches in the courtyard, his thoughts drifting into a daze.
In his previous life, whenever he practiced martial arts in this courtyard, Su Jinhuan loved to stand under the crabapple tree to keep him company. Back then, the Su family had not yet fallen, and she was still full of laughter, her eyes brimming with love whenever they met his. The entire tree would be in full, glorious bloom, yet its beauty could not compare to even half of her smile. Looking back now, those beautiful times had gradually blurred in his memory.
"An'er!"
Li Wanqing’s voice drifted from behind, jolting Lu Jin'an into the realization that he had been lost in thought for quite some time. He had trained in martial arts since childhood and possessed keen hearing; yet now, he hadn't even noticed when his mother, a mere woman, had reached his side.
"Mother!"
"Did you go to the Chancellor's Estate?" Lu Jin'an asked, a sinking feeling taking hold when he saw the displeasure on Li Wanqing's face.
"It is still early spring, the weather hasn't warmed up yet, and you are dressed so thinly—what if you catch a cold?" Li Wanqing answered his question with concern, handing him the cloak she was carrying.
Lu Jin'an reached out to take it and, following her wishes, draped it over his shoulders. "Mother, did you go to the Chancellor's Estate? What was the outcome?"
Staring into his intense gaze, Li Wanqing had no choice but to recount the events exactly as they happened. Though she tried her best to calm herself, her anger remained palpable in her words.
"I had thought that Su Jinhuan was a compliant girl, but I didn't expect her to be raised so haughty and utterly devoid of manners. And then there’s Jiang Shuying, who was incredibly mean-spirited, using every word she spoke to insult me. It is truly a case of 'like mother, like daughter'—the woman looks down on everyone. As far as I’m concerned, we are better off without that Su Jinhuan."
"Although Su Huaize wields great power, there are plenty of other high-ranking officials in the imperial court; there is no shortage of noble young ladies from prestigious backgrounds. In my view, Song Xiangwan, the daughter of the Secretariat Chancellor, is a fine choice. What do you think, An'er?"
Lu Jin'an didn't hear a single word she said. His attention was entirely focused on her claim that Su Jinhuan did not recognize him. How could that be? In his previous life, even though they hadn't yet confessed their feelings at this point, Su Jinhuan had already set her heart on him. After they spent more time together, her devotion only deepened, and she eventually defied her father to marry him. He had even gone to the Chancellor's Estate specifically to vow that he would never let her down in this life, which had caused the Chancellor to change his opinion of him. It was only because of her stubbornness that the marriage was finally approved.
That must be it, he thought. It was definitely because he had not yet met Jinhuan in this life that she was acting differently than before. In a few days, he would find an opportunity to approach her, and everything would proceed exactly as it had in his previous life.
Feeling that he had figured it out, Lu Jin'an felt a sense of calm return. "Mother, I have already decided that in this life, I only have eyes for Jinhuan. Please, do not mention Song Xiangwan again!"
Li Wanqing had already been fuming because of Jiang Shuying. She had expected that by embellishing the story, she would convince Lu Jin'an to give up on his pursuit of Su Jinhuan. She never expected that, instead of siding with her, he would declare his singular devotion to the girl. A man having three wives and four concubines was perfectly normal; to speak of "only having eyes for one" was simply absurd. If she listened to An'er, how would the bloodline of the Anping Marquis Estate be continued?
Li Wanqing started to retort, but seeing Lu Jin'an’s solemn expression, she turned her head away. Finding herself momentarily speechless, she offered a few words of concern before leaving, feeling disgruntled. Her heart was filled with irritation; she wondered what fox-like tricks the Su girl had used to make her son so obsessed. She wished she could make sure everyone in the capital knew how haughty the girl was, just to see if anyone would dare to marry her. As she thought this, a sudden realization dawned on her—a plan took shape. If the girl’s reputation were ruined, An'er would surely give up on her.
After Li Wanqing left, Lu Jin'an removed his cloak and looked at the crabapple tree, unable to stop himself from reminiscing once more. After Su Jinhuan died in his previous life, he had felt a hollow space in his heart. While clearing out her belongings, he had found a hidden compartment under her bed in the Longjin Pavilion, filled with a box of paintings. Every single one depicted him.
They captured him from the time he came of age until his thirtieth year. There were drawings of him practicing martial arts, reading, smiling, frowning... but toward the end, the paintings only showed the blurred silhouette of his back. It was only then that he realized that the lamp that always burned in the Longjin Pavilion, the soups tailored to his taste sent from the small kitchen while he studied, and the perfectly chosen books left on his desk... all had been her doing. Love was always realized too late, but unfortunately, it was already too late.
But fortunately, the heavens were merciful to him. He had woken up to find that he had returned to the year he first met Su Jinhuan. Though rebirth was beyond belief, it had truly happened to him. He believed that perhaps his sincere repentance had moved the heavens, and so they had granted him this chance to make amends. This time, he would hold onto Jinhuan’s hand tightly and never let go again.
Relying on his memories from his previous life, he knew that this time, he would certainly rise to become a powerful official, bringing glory to the Anping Marquis Estate—even without the help of Bai Xiluoge. He remembered that after the Su family fell, it was the First Prince who eventually defeated the Third Prince. He tried to remember who had ascended the throne in the end, but his memory was a blank slate. No matter; based on the current situation and his past life's memories, it was undoubtedly the First Prince who would wear the crown. In this life, he would have both Jinhuan and power.
With such ambition, Lu Jin'an felt emboldened. However, the most important thing right now was to find a chance to meet Jinhuan. Thinking of her, still so young, he couldn't help but feel a deep longing for her.
At the Chancellor's Estate, because Su Jinhuan was still unwell, Jiang Shuying had kept her confined to the estate for a few days so she could rest. Su Jinhuan was actually enjoying this rare period of intimacy, spending her days with Jiang Shuying and relishing the leisure.
One day, while Su Jinhuan was in the garden with Xiyin and the others collecting morning dew—the sweet spring dew that was best for brewing tea for Su Huaize—Jiang Shuying walked in, a faint look of anger on her face. Su Jinhuan didn't know why, but she hurriedly pulled Jiang Shuying to sit in a nearby pavilion.
"Mother, what has made you so angry?"
Jiang Shuying's expression stiffened. "Oh, Jinhuan, you noticed?"
Deciding there was no point in hiding it, she continued, "You don't know, but there have been rumors in the capital these past few days. They say that you, an unmarried young lady, know the name of the Young General Mo, and that you must be involved with him! If Lady Han hadn't mentioned it to me, I would still be kept in the dark."
Su Jinhuan didn't need to think twice to know this must be Li Wanqing's doing, out of spite.
Jiang Shuying clearly understood this as well. "This Li Wanqing is truly detestable! Since the marriage proposal failed, she wants to ruin your reputation. How despicable!"
She was clearly beside herself with rage. Su Jinhuan comforted her, "Mother, don't be anxious. The innocent stay innocent. Besides, this is the capital—the more you try to suppress these rumors, the more they will spread."
"Once the frenzy dies down, it will naturally pass. Besides, Li Wanqing is angry at us, but when you think about it, this is truly a case of unmerited trouble for the Young General Mo!"
Jiang Shuying was still angry, but realizing it wasn't appropriate to discuss such things in front of Su Jinhuan, she changed the subject.
"Today, a letter arrived from the palace."
"Oh?" Su Jinhuan asked, curious. "Did my aunt invite you to the palace?"
Jiang Shuying shook her head and looked at Su Jinhuan instead. "No, this letter is for you."