Transmigrated as a Cannon Fodder Wife A in Ancient Times - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Wei Lan and Lu Zijin woke up very early the next day. Lu Zijin still had a pile of things to handle back home, and Wei Lan also needed to return to work on her carving project.

She ate breakfast at Lu Zijin’s place and hurriedly returned to Fuqu Pavilion. After changing into work clothes in her bedroom, Wei Lan went back to her workshop.

She took out the white jade and sat in front of the spinning wheel to start grinding. In this step, Wei Lan mainly cut away the excess parts of the jade from the raw stone, giving it a preliminary shape.

She stepped on the wooden pedal beneath her feet, and the steel disc on the spinning wheel began to rotate. Wei Lan sprinkled jade-dissolving sand on the jade’s surface, pressed the jade against the steel disc, and slowly started cutting. The day before, she had already drawn the rough shape with pomegranate juice, so the cutting went quickly.

In no time, Wei Lan began the polishing work, smoothing out the jade’s edges. She worked very carefully, spending almost the entire morning to make the jade smooth, but this was only the preparatory work for carving the jade.

Wei Lan stayed in the workshop all morning, and her clothes were nearly soaked through. She asked someone to prepare water for a bath and then quickly ate lunch.

After lunch, she didn’t rest. Since Lu Zijin needed the carving urgently, and Wei Lan wanted to make it as perfect as possible, she used all her daytime hours and planned to rest well at night.

In the afternoon, Wei Lan first polished the jade roughly to give it a glossy shine. Then came the most important step: adding patterns. Wei Lan switched to a different spinning wheel and began using a small chisel to carve patterns into the jade. The most skill-demanding step in the entire carving process was adding these patterns.

Wei Lan’s hands were steady. For convenience, she tied her hair back with a rope after lunch, placing it behind her head to feel less hot.

The small chisel moved nimbly in Wei Lan’s hands, and one line after another began to appear on the jade.

Wei Lan’s heart was calm as water. Her eyes and mind focused only on the piece of jade in front of her. Each cut she made formed a complete line.

Soon, a vivid landscape of mountains and rivers, wind-swept willow trees, and lifelike birds on the branches gradually came to life with Wei Lan’s movements.

She was like a painter, but instead of a canvas, she used white jade as her medium, and the chisel became her brush.

The work of adding patterns was immense. Wei Lan was very particular about jade carving and demanded perfection in every small detail. By the time it was nearly dark, she had only completed half of the pattern work.

She stood up to stretch, opened the door to check the light outside, and confirmed she couldn’t continue. For a carver, besides protecting their hands, the most important thing was protecting their eyes.

Wei Lan sent someone to heat water. While soaking in the hot bath, she thought about the things to pay attention to for tomorrow’s carving. She planned to use a double-sided carving technique, and for the mountains and willow trees, she intended to use a hollowed-out technique, adding some high-level difficulty. This way, Madam’s five thousand taels wouldn’t be spent in vain.

While she was bathing, the voices of maids reporting came from outside.

“Main Lord, the Young Lady sent someone to bring you a fruit drink,” a maid outside said.

Wei Lan immediately perked up. “Just place it on the round table.”

As she spoke, Wei Lan got out of the bathtub, wiped herself dry, and started changing clothes. The weather was hot, and having a fruit drink made her quite happy.

After drying her hair, she sat at the round table and began scooping the fruit drink from the bowl.

The so-called fruit drink was actually juice made from watermelon, apples, and other fruits, with shaved ice and various fruit pieces mixed in. It was cooling and refreshing in her mouth, lifting Wei Lan’s mood considerably.

While she was eating the fruit drink, the maids outside began preparing dinner. By the time Wei Lan finished the drink, the food was served on the table.

Today, the mansion had bought fresh shrimp, and the cooks made braised shrimp in oil.

Wei Lan ate happily. The other side dishes were also delicious. The Lu Mansion worked with nearby farmers, who delivered fresh vegetables and fruits every morning, which was why the food at the Lu Mansion was so tasty. Fresh ingredients were the key to delicious meals.

After dinner, Wei Lan walked around the courtyard for a while to digest, then went to bed early. Lu Zijin was just as busy as her, with the competition for the imperial merchant position looming. She and several managers were strictly overseeing the quality of the cloth from the workshops below to avoid any mistakes.

Wei Lan woke up early the next day as usual, ate breakfast, and then dove into the workshop, not coming out once all morning. She was so focused on work that she didn’t even have time to drink water.

Fortunately, by the end of the day, Wei Lan had completed the pattern work on the entire jade piece. Tomorrow, she could start the hollowed-out carving, and the day after, she would likely finish.

Thinking of this, Wei Lan’s eyes curved slightly.

Over the next two days, Wei Lan woke up even earlier. She spent a day and a half completing the hollowed-out carving technique for the entire piece and half a day finely polishing it. By the time the polishing was done, it was almost dark.

The next morning, Wei Lan went to Yuya Pavilion early and happened to run into Xiao Nanyan.

Xiao Nanyan saw her coming and smiled. “Why are you here so early?”

“Hmm, I came to pick up something,” Wei Lan replied. To keep up appearances, she would take back the jasper raw stone she had brought earlier, making it seem like she had retrieved the carving from Qing Lan.

“By the way, these days, a lot of people have been asking me about you, and many want to commission your carvings,” Xiao Nanyan said.

“Not right now. I’ll be busy for a few more days at least.”

“Alright, just come back when you’re free,” Xiao Nanyan said, not in a rush. Since Wei Lan didn’t want to reveal her identity, if she wanted to sell carvings, she would still go through Yuya Pavilion.

“Alright.” After a few more pleasantries, Wei Lan went to the second-floor room and brought out the jasper raw stone. As she came out, she ran into Chen Zhou.

Wei Lan had no impression of Chen Zhou, but Chen Zhou held a deep grudge against her. Seeing Wei Lan carrying something out, Chen Zhou frowned and said, “Wei Lan? Why are you here?”

Wei Lan was stunned for a moment. “I came to buy jade. And you are?”

Hearing that Wei Lan didn’t even recognize him, Chen Zhou’s refined expression nearly cracked. “I’m Zijin’s cousin, Chen Zhou.”

Wei Lan was stunned again. She glanced at Chen Zhou, sized him up briefly, and said lightly, “Hmm, I’ll leave first.”

Chen Zhou hadn’t expected Wei Lan’s attitude to be so cold. The fist at his side nearly clenched to pieces, especially when he saw what Wei Lan was holding, which made him feel increasingly uneasy.

“Miss Xiao, what did Wei Lan buy from you?” Chen Zhou, afraid that Wei Lan had gotten Qing Lan’s jade carving before him, hurriedly asked.

“Sorry, we keep our customers’ purchases confidential. Young Master Chen, as a businessman, should understand,” Xiao Nanyan said, her face still veiled. She continued, “If you have business, let’s talk in my study.”

“Alright.” Chen Zhou gritted his teeth to maintain his composure and followed Xiao Nanyan to the study, with Qi Jinsheng always by her side.

Once in the study, Xiao Nanyan sat behind the desk and smiled. “I don’t know what brings Young Master Chen here this time?”

She had long heard that Chen Zhou was inquiring about Qing Lan and had even sent people to keep an eye on Yuya Pavilion, though she didn’t mention it.

“I came to ask Miss Xiao for help. I want to buy a jade carving by Master Qing Lan. Is Miss Xiao willing to make the connection? Of course, I’m willing to pay a high price,” Chen Zhou said immediately. With only two or three days left until the imperial merchant selection, he had to come directly to Xiao Nanyan.

Xiao Nanyan smiled and said, “What a coincidence. Qing Lan went out of town a few days ago and won’t have carvings for sale anytime soon. If Young Master Chen wants to buy, you can wait until she returns.”

“I’m in a hurry. I need it in the next few days. Please help, Miss Xiao. I’m willing to pay ten thousand taels of silver. Is that enough?” Chen Zhou was desperate. In the past, buying carvings from Liu Bingkun or Huo Feng would have sufficed, but now with Qing Lan around, not getting her carving would seem insincere.

“Sorry, Young Master Chen. Qing Lan only has a cooperative relationship with Yuya Pavilion. I can’t order her to do anything. She’s truly unavailable these days, so if you’re in a rush, you can look at other carvers in the city,” Xiao Nanyan continued to deflect.

Hearing Xiao Nanyan say this, Chen Zhou had no choice but to take his leave. In the end, he sent someone to Treasure Pavilion to buy a jade carving by Liu Bingkun. Though he couldn’t get Qing Lan’s, he figured others couldn’t either, which reassured him. After all, he had spent ten thousand taels on Liu Bingkun’s piece.

Meanwhile, Wei Lan carried her small bundle back to the Lu Mansion, thinking about Chen Zhou the whole way.

Chen Zhou was decent-looking, but he was nowhere near good enough for Lu Zijin. Lu Zijin was beautiful and excellent at business—Chen Zhou just didn’t measure up.

Wei Lan had been in a great mood that day, but meeting Chen Zhou ruined it. Male leads were, as expected, the worst.

Wei Lan returned to Fuqu Pavilion dejectedly. She brought the small bundle back to her workshop and placed the jasper inside a wooden box on the floor, filled with raw jade stones.

Then, she wrapped the white jade landscape piece in the same red cloth and carried the bundle to Jingchen Courtyard.

Wei Lan hadn’t thought much about the male lead before, as he didn’t seem to cause much trouble. But now things were different—she had met him today. Plus, she and Lu Zijin weren’t always together. Maybe Lu Zijin often saw Chen Zhou?

Wei Lan shook her head, pushing these thoughts out of her mind. Lu Zijin married her to silence gossip. Lu Zijin had an official match, and Wei Lan must have gotten too comfortable at the Lu Mansion lately, deluded into thinking she could stay forever.

Wei Lan’s expression darkened. Perhaps she should look around Panyang City and buy a small courtyard. That way, when she and Lu Zijin divorced, she wouldn’t be left without a place to live. Of course, she had no intention of returning to her original family’s home—she had no attachment to them. At most, she’d send them some silver in the future.

Thinking this, Wei Lan felt even more listless. Sure enough, relying on soft rice wasn’t sustainable.

She sighed deeply, lamenting the difficulty of living off others.

As her thoughts wandered, she flipped through the book in her mind again. The page in her head was just a summary of the story: the original Wei Lan schemed step by step, overstepped with Lu Zijin, and tried to swallow the Lu family’s wealth. In the end, Lu Zijin and her childhood friend broke both her legs and threw her out of the Lu family. She died a few days later.

Wei Lan shivered. She didn’t want her legs broken—that would hurt terribly. Between soft rice and a healthy body, she’d choose health. After all, medical care in ancient times was poor; diseases treatable in modern times could be fatal here.

Thinking this, cold sweat formed on Wei Lan’s forehead. She’d been too complacent lately, and Lu Zijin’s kindness had made her subconsciously ignore the original story’s plot. She should stay away from the male and female leads. Distance creates beauty, and staying away ensures safety.

With this thought, Wei Lan relaxed slightly. As long as she didn’t seek attention in front of Lu Zijin, she shouldn’t end up too badly when the divorce came.

While thinking these things, she arrived at Jingchen Courtyard.

Qianxue saw Wei Lan from a distance and hurried to greet her. “Main Lord, you’re here? The Young Lady is in the study.”

“Oh, alright, I’ll go find her in the study,” Wei Lan said, a bit distracted, but still walked toward the study.

When she arrived, there were several unfamiliar faces in Lu Zijin’s study, likely managers or servants working for the Lu Mansion.

Seeing Wei Lan enter, Lu Zijin’s face unconsciously lit up with a smile. “Main Lord, you’re here?”

Wei Lan forced a smile. “Hmm, I brought the carving back to show you. I won’t disturb your business.”

Saying this, Wei Lan placed the carving on Lu Zijin’s desk and was about to leave.

Seeing her rush to leave, Lu Zijin’s smile faded. “Wait, what’s the hurry? Stay and look at it with me.”

Wei Lan turned back, reached out, and unwrapped the bundle on the desk, revealing the jade carving inside.

The white jade landscape carving was lifelike, with even the leaf textures clearly visible. The mountains and willow trees in the background used the hollowed-out technique, and the nearby managers let out unconscious gasps of amazement.

Lu Zijin was the same. She looked at the carving and murmured, “This is too exquisite.”

Then she smiled gently at Wei Lan. “Thank you for your hard work, Main Lord.”

“It’s nothing, it’s what I should do. Madam, you all carry on. I’ll head back,” Wei Lan said, smiling at Lu Zijin, looking like she didn’t want to interrupt their work.

Lu Zijin’s lips pressed slightly together, feeling something was off with Wei Lan today. But seeing the room full of people, she thought she might be overthinking. Wei Lan was probably just being reserved because of the crowd.

“Alright, I’ll come find you when I’m done,” Lu Zijin said reassuringly. The little Qianyuan had helped her greatly, and she naturally wanted to treat her well.

But Wei Lan quickly waved her hands. “No need, no need. Focus on your work. The imperial merchant matter is more important. I’ll head back.”

With that, Wei Lan quickly left the study.

Lu Zijin’s brow furrowed slightly, but she said nothing and continued assigning tasks.

“Qing Zhi, send someone to deliver a visiting card to the City Lord’s Mansion. I’ll visit the City Lord this afternoon,” Lu Zijin instructed.

“Yes,” Qing Zhi replied, hurrying to prepare the visiting card.

Lu Zijin continued assigning work to the people in the study. She was busy until noon before she could rest.

Thinking of Wei Lan, she asked, “What has the Main Lord been doing today?”

“The Main Lord went out once, came back to deliver something to you, and then stayed at Yuya Pavilion without going anywhere else,” Qianxue replied.

Lu Zijin nodded. The little Qianyuan was so well-behaved; she must have been overthinking. “Good. Prepare some pastries from the small kitchen and send them to the Main Lord. She likes them. Also, tell her I’ll be very busy these days and might not be able to spend time with her.”

“Yes, Young Lady,” Qianxue said, quickly sending someone to prepare. It seemed the Young Lady treated the Main Lord quite specially.

Meanwhile, Wei Lan had returned to Fuqu Pavilion. She had been busy carving the white jade piece these past few days, waking up early. Originally, she planned to rest today, but her bad mood drove her back to the workshop.

She took out the jade hairpin again and continued working. Carving jade calmed her heart.

She only paused when the maids’ voices came from outside.

She opened the workshop door and saw several maids from Jingchen Courtyard.

The lead maid bowed to Wei Lan. “Main Lord, these are pastries the Young Lady sent us to bring you. She said she’s busy these days and can’t come see you.”

Wei Lan felt relieved instead. “Got it. Put the pastries in my bedroom for now.”

“Yes.”

After speaking, Wei Lan closed the workshop door again. Her phoenix hairpin had reached the hollowed-out carving step, which she enjoyed most. Though difficult, it allowed her to empty her mind and focus entirely on the jade.

Not wanting to think about other things, she continued carving the hairpin.

At noon, Wei Lan took a bath and had food prepared.

She brought out the pastries Lu Zijin had sent. Biting into one, it was fragrant and chewy, still delicious.

Wei Lan’s eyes curved slightly, but thinking of her earlier reflections, she decided to keep her distance from Lu Zijin. She shouldn’t keep seeking her out like recently. She had even suggested sleeping with Lu Zijin before.

Wei Lan closed her eyes, feeling her legs ache. She absolutely couldn’t do that again—she wanted to keep her legs.

After eating, Wei Lan took a short nap and continued carving the hairpin in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Lu Zijin took people to visit the City Lord’s Mansion that afternoon.

Lu Feng naturally knew what these merchants wanted. Recently, many had brought jade carvings to ask for favors, but he declined them all, sending them away. After all, selecting an imperial merchant for the court was a big deal, and he wouldn’t agree to anything for small favors.

“Miss Lu, please sit. What’s the matter?” Lu Feng asked, sitting in the main seat.

“Nothing major. I came to visit the City Lord and brought a new carving for you to appreciate,” Lu Zijin said with a smile.

Qianxue placed the carving on Lu Feng’s desk, unwrapped the red cloth, and revealed the jade carving inside.

Lu Feng didn’t pay much attention at first, as most merchants brought carvings by Liu Bingkun or Huo Feng, which he already had and didn’t find special.

But when he glanced down, he was stunned. “This is… hollowed-out carving?”

Lu Feng was shocked and then asked, “Miss Lu, may I pick it up to examine it?”

Seeing Lu Feng’s expression, Lu Zijin felt today’s matter was almost certain. She smiled. “Of course. I don’t know much about jade. This jade piece would just gather dust at my place. It’s better suited for the City Lord.”

Lu Feng carefully picked up the carving, examining it with fascination. He hadn’t wanted to owe merchants favors, but this carver’s skill was exceptional. He had never seen such a beautiful landscape carving.

“How could I accept this?” Lu Feng said, though his smile never faded, and his attitude toward Lu Zijin was even warmer than before.

“You’re an expert in jade. I’m just an outsider. Keeping this jade is useless to me. I’m merely offering it as a gift. Please, City Lord, accept it.”

“Well, since Miss Lu insists, it would be impolite to refuse. Thank you, Miss Lu,” Lu Feng said, clearly unable to part with the carving.

“You’re too kind, City Lord,” Lu Zijin replied with a smile.

“I understand what Miss Lu wants to discuss. Honestly, the dyeing workshops in Panyang City are similar in skill. I naturally choose the most reliable. The Lu family has always been the city’s largest merchant. I can trust you with the imperial merchant matter,” Lu Feng said directly.

“Then I thank you, City Lord.”

“No need. By the way, which master made this carving?” Lu Feng asked curiously.

Lu Zijin smiled. “I asked my Main Lord to have Master Qing Lan carve it.”

“No wonder the technique looks familiar. Qing Lan is truly remarkable. Given time, she might become someone like Gong Jinsheng,” Lu Feng said, then added, “So, your Main Lord knows Qing Lan?”

“Yes, they’re friends. My Main Lord also loves jade,” Lu Zijin said with a smile.

“Loving jade is good. This piece is excellent. The hollowed-out patterns are perfectly uniform—rare, truly rare.”

Lu Zijin chatted with Lu Feng a bit longer. Seeing he wanted to admire the carving, she took her leave.

Her goal was achieved, and she felt a bit relieved. Now, she just had to wait.

Not long after Lu Zijin left the City Lord’s Mansion, the news reached Chen Zhou. He had placed spies around the mansion to report on visitors.

“What’s the matter? Who went this time?” Chen Zhou asked.

“Young Master, it was Miss Lu,” the servant replied quickly.

Chen Zhou sneered. “Lu Zijin, I knew she couldn’t sit still. No matter, keep watching.”

Chen Zhou believed that if he couldn’t get his jade delivered, others couldn’t either. Without Qing Lan’s carvings, everyone was stuck with Liu Bingkun or Huo Feng’s, so no one would succeed. This thought satisfied him.

He sneered again, growing more displeased with Lu Zijin. A Kunze like her, always showing her face in public—only a useless person like Wei Lan couldn’t control her. If he were Lu Zijin’s husband, he’d keep her in the mansion, handling business himself.

Thinking of his earlier encounter with Wei Lan, Chen Zhou’s face darkened further. Then he tensed, wondering if Wei Lan went to Yuya Pavilion to buy Qing Lan’s carving.

But he dismissed the thought. If even he, with his status, couldn’t get Qing Lan’s carving from Xiao Nanyan, there was no way Xiao Nanyan would give face to a mere son-in-law like Wei Lan. Feeling better, he thought Wei Lan was just a nobody, not worth a second glance.