Transmigrated as a Cannon Fodder Wife A in Ancient Times - Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Lu Zijin reached out and pulled the person up slightly, smiling, “Be careful not to choke.”

“Hmm, Madam, I finished washing. Please wait for me outside for a bit,” Wei Lan said, still feeling shy, especially since she and Lu Zijin had just kissed.

Lu Zijin, however, looked at Wei Lan with a bright smile, reached out, and hooked Wei Lan’s chin, saying, “What’s wrong? We’re already married. Can’t I look?”

“No, I’m shy,” Wei Lan replied, grabbing Lu Zijin’s wrist and shaking it gently, looking at Lu Zijin softly.

Lu Zijin nodded, thinking that since she and Wei Lan were rightfully married, she could see her anytime she wanted. There was no rush, as her little Qianyuan was too shy. Teasing her too much at once wouldn’t be good; she needed to take it step by step.

“Alright, I’ll wait for you outside,” Lu Zijin said, reaching out to touch Wei Lan’s wet hair, her eyes curving slightly.

Wei Lan waited until Lu Zijin went behind the screen, then got out of the bathtub, dried herself, and quickly put on a new dress. She wiped the remaining water droplets from her hair with a towel and walked out.

Lu Zijin was sitting at the round table, drinking tea. She smiled lightly at Wei Lan, stood up, and took the towel from Wei Lan’s hand, saying, “Let me do it.”

As she spoke, Lu Zijin gently helped Wei Lan dry her hair. When they stood face-to-face, Lu Zijin leaned forward, kissed Wei Lan’s lips, and then saw Wei Lan’s cheeks and ear tips visibly turning red.

A non-aggressive, obedient little Qianyuan was truly to her liking.

Wei Lan sneaked a glance at Lu Zijin, reaching out to tug gently at Lu Zijin’s sleeve.

Lu Zijin chuckled, looking at Wei Lan, her hands still drying her hair, and said, “Why do you get shy so easily? It seems I haven’t kissed you enough. I need to help you get used to it soon.”

After hearing this, Wei Lan felt her whole body burning red, but Madam’s lips were soft and sweet, and she actually quite liked it.

Lu Zijin took another dry towel from the screen and continued drying Wei Lan’s hair. Wei Lan stood obediently, letting Lu Zijin move.

Lu Zijin looked at Wei Lan with deep eyes, her drying movements gentle, and said, “I just instructed them that I’ll stay here tonight. Do you want to eat first or sleep with me for a bit?”

They had been busy for a while, and it was almost noon.

Wei Lan thought for a moment, looked at Lu Zijin, and said, “Let’s eat first then.”

“Alright, I’ll have them prepare,” Lu Zijin replied, drying Wei Lan’s hair a few more times before walking to the door. She opened it, gave a few instructions to the people outside, and returned to the room.

By now, Wei Lan had switched to a third towel to dry her hair. Ancient people’s hair was kept very long—it looked beautiful but was truly hard to manage. For example, just drying her hair took nearly half a day.

When Wei Lan’s hair stopped dripping, she paused, sat at the dressing table, tied her hair into a simple bun, and secured it with a hairpin.

While Wei Lan fixed her hair, maids brought in fragrant dishes one after another.

Wei Lan walked back to the round table and sat beside Lu Zijin. Seeing the dark circles under Lu Zijin’s eyes, she felt a bit guilty and picked up a piece of braised pork rib for Lu Zijin.

“Madam, eat more to nourish yourself. Sleep well later,” Wei Lan said.

“Alright,” Lu Zijin replied. The knot between her and Wei Lan had been untied, and her heart felt lighter immediately. Her appetite was better than the past few days, and since Wei Lan had picked the rib for her, Lu Zijin decided to finish it.

In contrast, Wei Lan began devouring the food on the table. Every time it was mealtime, Wei Lan ate quickly and a lot. By the time she stopped, half the dishes on the table were gone.

Back in the modern world, Wei Lan didn’t have such a big appetite. The reason she ate so much now was likely because this body was a Qianyuan’s, and Qianyuan seemed to eat more than Kunze or ordinary people.

After lunch, Lu Zijin had the dishes cleared away. She and Wei Lan washed up briefly and went to bed.

Wei Lan lay flat on the outer side of the bed, nervously clutching the blanket, not daring to look at Lu Zijin.

Lu Zijin, however, slid to Wei Lan’s side. Seeing Wei Lan avoiding her gaze, she smiled, kissed Wei Lan’s lips, and watched as the little Qianyuan blushed from head to toe again.

“Move inward a bit, or you’ll fall off,” Lu Zijin said softly, looking at Wei Lan.

“Hmm,” Wei Lan obediently shifted inward, only to find Lu Zijin straddling her waist as usual.

Wei Lan, feeling shy, glanced up at Lu Zijin and asked softly, “Aren’t you tired? Not sleeping?”

“I’m sleeping with you now,” Lu Zijin said, her right thumb gently pressing on Wei Lan’s lips. Having tasted sweetness, she couldn’t hold back anymore.

She immediately leaned down and kissed Wei Lan. Wei Lan softly complied with Lu Zijin’s actions, her hands hesitantly tugging at the hem of Lu Zijin’s waistband, pressed beneath her as they kissed.

After a while, Wei Lan felt out of breath and pushed Lu Zijin slightly.

Lu Zijin reluctantly pulled back a bit, her dark eyes still fixed on Wei Lan’s lips, as if she hadn’t had enough and licked her own lips.

Wei Lan took deep breaths of fresh air, feeling like Lu Zijin had almost devoured her.

Seeing the little Qianyuan’s cheeks and ear tips flushed red, her eyes misty and soft, Lu Zijin felt an itch in her heart, wanting more. That one kiss was far from enough.

“Be good, practice a few more times, and you’ll get used to it. Feeling better?” Lu Zijin asked, her fingertips gently brushing Wei Lan’s cheek.

Wei Lan, after catching her breath, felt much better and said, “Much better.”

“Hmm, let’s try again,” Lu Zijin said, kissing her again. Wei Lan, not fully recovered, felt her body go soft from the kiss.

Lu Zijin kissed for a while, worried her little Qianyuan couldn’t handle it, and pulled back slightly to give Wei Lan time to breathe. But finding her adorable, Lu Zijin’s kisses trailed from Wei Lan’s forehead to her nose, cheeks, and finally landed on her bond mark.

Wei Lan, already overwhelmed, trembled when kissed on her bond mark and said, “Madam, no more. I have no strength left. Let’s sleep early.”

Wei Lan’s voice was soft and delicate, but it only made Lu Zijin hold her tighter. The scent of fresh snow filled the bedroom.

Lu Zijin removed the patch from her neck, letting the scents of sandalwood and fresh snow blend together.

She nibbled for a bit, then lifted her head slightly, kissed Wei Lan’s lips gently, and said softly, “Aren’t we sleeping now? Be good.”

Wei Lan, dizzy from the sandalwood scent, soon stopped thinking, obediently letting Lu Zijin kiss her as she followed her words.

After a long while, Lu Zijin, satisfied, propped herself up slightly. Seeing her little Qianyuan overwhelmed, she finally stopped.

She gently kissed the corner of Wei Lan’s lips and said softly, “Now we can sleep.”

Lu Zijin shifted, buried herself in Wei Lan’s arms, closed her eyes, and prepared to sleep.

Wei Lan, still dazed, felt her heart race. Being kissed so much by Madam felt off—wasn’t she the Qianyuan?

Thinking softly, Wei Lan saw Lu Zijin looked exhausted and stayed quiet, letting her sleep in her arms, even reaching out to hold Lu Zijin’s waist.

In the bedroom, the scents of sandalwood and fresh snow merged. Wei Lan, smelling it, soon grew too sleepy to keep her eyes open.

Outside, Li Zhufeng and others waited, ready for Wei Lan and Lu Zijin’s call. Li Zhufeng and Zhao Linghui exchanged glances, both seeing regret in each other’s eyes.

If they had known the lord was so favored, they wouldn’t have dared to frame Wei Lan, but it was too late now.

Qianxue sent word to the shopkeepers waiting in the study, telling them to leave and report matters tomorrow.

The shopkeepers were surprised, as Lu Zijin, with her strong personality, wouldn’t neglect business even when ill.

An older shopkeeper asked, “Miss, is the lady unwell?”

The messenger, Qing Zhi, one of the three main maids of Jingchen Courtyard, couldn’t say the lady was with the lord, so she deflected, “Oh, the lady said she has important matters to handle, not health issues.”

“That’s good. We’ll leave then. Farewell,” the shopkeepers said, departing Jingchen Courtyard.

—

Wei Lan woke early after a nap, but Lu Zijin, still in her arms, was fast asleep.

Afraid of disturbing Lu Zijin, Wei Lan stayed still, lying beneath her like a mattress.

Bored, she looked at Lu Zijin in her arms. Lu Zijin’s skin was fair, her eyelashes long and curled, her lips pink and tender—no wonder kissing her felt so nice.

Recalling their earlier kisses, Wei Lan’s ear tips reddened again. Then she felt something was off. She was the Qianyuan—shouldn’t she be on top? Why was Madam always on top?

Confused, Wei Lan wondered if Qianyuan here were always on the bottom. She decided to ask Lu Zijin later.

After watching Lu Zijin for a while, Wei Lan closed her eyes and slept again. She wouldn’t finish carving that chicken plaque today; it would have to wait until tomorrow.

When Lu Zijin woke, it was already evening. She opened her eyes and saw Wei Lan.

She nuzzled her face into Wei Lan’s neck, then propped herself up, kissed Wei Lan’s lips, and asked softly, “Have you been awake long?”

Wei Lan, her ear tips slightly red, nodded and said, “Hmm, for a while. I didn’t move, afraid of waking you.”

“So obedient. Should I reward you?” Lu Zijin said, kissing her again.

Wei Lan’s lips were soft, and she found herself liking kissing Wei Lan. No wonder married people loved staying close—it was this fun. If she’d known her little Qianyuan was this good to kiss, she would’ve done it sooner.

After kissing for a while, Lu Zijin saw Wei Lan’s eyes misty again, her ear tips fully red.

Lu Zijin reached out, playfully pinched Wei Lan’s red ear tips, and, seeing her so obedient, leaned down to kiss her lips lightly, rubbing her nose affectionately against Wei Lan’s, saying, “So obedient.”

Wei Lan felt strange but didn’t dislike it. Still thinking about being the Qianyuan, she grabbed the hem of Lu Zijin’s waistband and asked softly, “Madam, shouldn’t the Qianyuan be on top?”

“Who told you that? No one says Qianyuan must be on top. Look at how soft you are—can you be on top?” Lu Zijin asked, kissing Wei Lan’s lips with a smile.

Wei Lan thought for a moment, realizing it made sense. She had no strength left, so she’d just lie there—it was pretty comfortable anyway.

“Alright then,” Wei Lan said, grabbing Lu Zijin’s collar, looking at her pitifully, and then getting kissed again.

After being kissed for a while, Lu Zijin finally let her go.

Seeing Wei Lan gasping for breath, Lu Zijin was satisfied. Smiling, she leaned down, kissed Wei Lan’s bond mark, and got off her.

Lu Zijin got up refreshed, putting on her dress, while Wei Lan, kissed until she was soft, had flushed cheeks and neck, her eyes misty.

Wei Lan pulled the blanket up, covering half her face, and looked at Lu Zijin softly.

Sensing Wei Lan’s gaze, Lu Zijin turned, walked to the bed, leaned down, kissed Wei Lan’s cheek, and said softly, “Be good. Get up, eat dinner, and sleep more later if you want.”

Wei Lan hooked Lu Zijin’s hem, acting spoiled, and said, “I have no strength.”

Seeing her little Qianyuan so obedient and delicate, Lu Zijin couldn’t resist and kissed her again.

Wei Lan was almost in tears from the kissing before Lu Zijin let her go.

She helped Wei Lan up, coaxing softly, “I’ll have them prepare your favorite chicken soup, okay? Eat more later.”

“Hmm,” Wei Lan said, nuzzling Lu Zijin’s shoulder, recovering her strength.

After a while, Wei Lan felt her legs steady, pushed Lu Zijin gently, and said, “Madam, I’m okay now.”

“Alright, get up and put on your dress,” Lu Zijin said, loosening her hold. She went to the door, opened it, gave instructions to the maids outside, and returned to the bedroom.

Wei Lan had put on her dress and was about to tie her waistband.

Lu Zijin took over, kissed Wei Lan’s lips, and said with a smile, “Let me do it.”

Wei Lan’s ear tips reddened, and she nodded lightly, saying, “Hmm.”

But as Lu Zijin tied the waistband, they ended up hugging again.

Wei Lan pushed her gently, saying shyly, “Madam, hug later. I’m hungry.”

“Alright, let’s eat first,” Lu Zijin said with a smile.

“Hmm,” Wei Lan replied, finally free from Lu Zijin’s hold.

Outside, maids brought in dinner.

But before Lu Zijin and Wei Lan could start eating, a guard came from the back door. The guard said something to Qianxue, who hurried in to report.

“Miss, this…” Qianxue said, handing a jade plaque to Lu Zijin.

Lu Zijin looked at the plaque. It was plain, except for a tiny “Chuan” character carved in the bottom right corner.

Lu Zijin pursed her lips, glanced at Wei Lan beside her, thought for a moment, and instructed, “Have the maids and servants in the courtyard leave for now. Call them if needed. Also, have the guard bring that person here.”

“Yes, Miss,” Qianxue said, hurrying to arrange for the servants and maids to leave. The maids and servants of Jingchen Courtyard returned there.

Thus, only Qianxue remained guarding Wei Lan’s bedroom door.

Wei Lan sipped two spoonfuls of pork rib porridge and asked curiously, “Madam, who’s that person?”

Lu Zijin lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and recalled her time with Wei Lan. She felt she wouldn’t replace Wei Lan with another Qianyuan, so it was time Wei Lan knew some family matters.

“It’s probably my cousin’s person,” Lu Zijin said.

Wei Lan recalled the original book’s contents. It briefly mentioned that Lu Zijin’s cousin was the marshal of the Northern Desert Army, but their families hadn’t been in contact for years, almost like they’d cut ties. There was little else, and the book was incomplete, ending when the original body was beaten and expelled from Lu Mansion.

“Your cousin?” Wei Lan asked naturally.

“Hmm,” Lu Zijin nodded. Seeing Wei Lan’s curiosity, she continued, “My cousin is stationed at the northern border of Great Zhou, in Zhuozhou, as people call it. She’s the marshal of the Northern Desert Army, commanding 100,000 troops. The emperor is old and wary of her, so we’ve publicly cut ties, but in reality, we still have contact.”

Lu Zijin looked at Wei Lan and said, “Only Qianxue and I know this in the mansion. Now you do too. Remember, you mustn’t tell anyone, or it’ll bring trouble.”

Wei Lan nodded and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. But it sounds like your cousin’s situation isn’t good?”

Lu Zijin sighed and said, “Indeed, it’s not good. She controls 100,000 Northern Desert troops alone. The emperor relies on her but fears her. Plus, the Northern Desert Army is inherited through the Fan clan and is Great Zhou’s most powerful force, so the emperor fears her even more.”

Though Wei Lan was new to this world and unclear about court politics, she knew history had many cases like this—loyal subjects distrusted, persecuted, stripped of power, or falsely accused. Lu Zijin mentioned the emperor’s old age, so there’d likely be princes vying for the throne, causing more chaos. Instead of relying on others, Wei Lan thought Lu Zijin’s cousin could establish her own power.

Unsure of the current court situation, Wei Lan kept her thoughts to herself.

Soon, Qianxue knocked on the door and said, “Miss, the person is here.”

“Let them in quickly,” Lu Zijin said hurriedly.

A person in a cloak and veiled face entered the bedroom. Qianxue quickly closed the door.

Wei Lan looked at the person, about 173 cm tall, heavily covered, even more so than when she pretended to be Qing Lan.

As Wei Lan observed the person, the person looked at her too.

Lu Zijin seemed to recognize the visitor. Seeing their gaze on Wei Lan, she said, “Cousin, she’s my Qianyuan lord, one of us.”

Lu Zijin spoke softly, especially the word “cousin.”

The visitor removed the wide cloak and veil, smiled at Lu Zijin, and said, “Is everything well at home?”

Fan Chuan had heard about her cousin’s situation. Like her own, it was tough. With the rest of the family gone, to protect Lu Mansion, her cousin had taken a son-in-law.

“Everything’s fine, Cousin. This is Wei Lan, my Qianyuan lord,” Lu Zijin said, standing to introduce her, her ear tips reddening.

Among her relatives, she considered only Fan Chuan true family, and this was like introducing Wei Lan to her only kin.

Fan Chuan paused, initially thinking her cousin’s marriage was a tactic. But now, it seemed her cousin felt differently about this Qianyuan.

Fan Chuan nodded at Wei Lan and said, “I’m Fan Chuan, Zijin’s cousin.”

“Hello, Cousin,” Wei Lan said, smiling politely.

“Let’s sit and talk,” Lu Zijin said, pouring tea for Fan Chuan.

Fan Chuan glanced at Wei Lan, hesitating to speak.

Lu Zijin understood, smiled, and said, “Wei Lan is one of us. No need to avoid her.”

Fan Chuan was impressed. Her cousin, who managed all of Lu Mansion’s affairs, had high standards. What made Wei Lan earn her favor?

Since Lu Zijin said so, Fan Chuan spoke, “I’m here to report to the capital on orders, but my army is still behind. I arrived three days early to check on you. The guards you asked for—I’ve selected them, but for safety, I’ll have them come to you in a few days.”

“Good, thank you, Cousin,” Lu Zijin said, smiling gratefully.

“No need. You’re managing such a large Lu Mansion alone—it must be hard. I have a marshal’s title but can’t help much,” Fan Chuan said. With her family gone, she treated Lu Zijin like a sister, but her special status limited her help.

“What are you saying, Cousin? I’m already happy you came to see me. But this trip to the capital—you’ll likely face scrutiny from all sides. Have you planned?” Lu Zijin asked worriedly.

Her cousin worked hard guarding the border, yet the royals distrusted her. If they could seize her military power, the emperor might have dealt with her already.

Fan Chuan sighed and said, “This time, I likely can’t resist, especially the marriage proposal. The emperor will probably insist on arranging a marriage to place someone by my side to monitor me.”

“What can we do?” Lu Zijin asked urgently.

Fan Chuan gave a bitter smile and said, “What can I do? I can only endure. The emperor is old, and those princes are probably restless. Once I’m in the capital, they’ll compete to win me over.”

Just thinking about it soured Fan Chuan’s mood. The Northern Desert’s military duties were heavy, with soldiers sacrificing their lives for Great Zhou, yet the capital’s nobles only cared about their own interests and wealth. Fan Chuan felt disheartened for her fallen family and the 100,000 Northern Desert soldiers.

Wei Lan listened, gaining a rough understanding of the court’s situation. The old emperor was weak, the princes were eager for power, and Fan Chuan held Great Zhou’s most elite 100,000 troops. Everyone wanted to win her over while guarding against her—a tricky situation.

Wei Lan pursed her lips, seeing the close bond between Lu Zijin and Fan Chuan, and couldn’t help but say, “Cousin, your 100,000 troops are both your lifeline and your death knell.”

Fan Chuan’s heart trembled. Wei Lan was right, and she knew it herself.

“The old emperor doesn’t trust you and sends people to watch you. The princes want to win you over. If you choose a side, the emperor will suspect you more, and the other princes will resent you. Even the prince you support will only thank you briefly. Once he becomes emperor, you’ll be the first he deals with because your troops are too strong. Even if you have no rebellious intent, the emperor won’t trust you,” Wei Lan analyzed slowly.

Fan Chuan was stunned, not expecting an in-law Qianyuan to say such things. She asked casually, treating it as idle talk, “If it were you, what would you do?”

All eyes in the bedroom turned to Wei Lan. She thought for a moment and said, “If it were me, I wouldn’t align with anyone. I’d show loyalty to the emperor, return to the Northern Desert, recruit more soldiers, stockpile grain, and wait for the right moment. Instead of being controlled by others, I’d take the initiative. The world belongs to the virtuous. Since Great Zhou is in such chaos, why not break it down and start anew?”

Lu Zijin and Fan Chuan were shocked by Wei Lan’s words, especially Lu Zijin, who hadn’t expected her soft little Qianyuan to think of rebellion.

She tugged Wei Lan’s sleeve and said, “You can’t say such things lightly.”

Wei Lan smiled and said, “I know. We’re among ourselves, right? I’m just suggesting for Cousin. With so many troops, whether it’s the current emperor or a future one, they’ll fear and distrust you, trying every way to take your military power. They don’t care about your loyalty or the soldiers’ hardships—only about maximizing their own interests. Of course, I’m just talking. Cousin, just listen casually.”

Fan Chuan looked at Wei Lan, her gaze lingering. She had considered Wei Lan’s idea, but the Fan family was loyal, her father and brother dying for the northern border. Could she really rebel?

Seeing Fan Chuan still thinking, Wei Lan added, “The old emperor is frail. The capital will soon be in chaos with the princes fighting for the throne. Cousin, you could raise an army under the guise of clearing the emperor’s side, giving you a legitimate cause. Of course, you’d need to prepare troops and grain in advance.”