Since it was so strange, Lu Yu naturally had to go see what Qian Xingzhi was up to.
With Yin Tan away, the food at the Qian Mansion had reverted to its former level. When Lu Yu arrived, he found her sitting alone, staring blankly at an empty table.
"What's wrong?" Lu Yu appeared in a fluttering red robe. He circled to her side, bent down to look at her dazed expression, feeling an inexplicable panic. "What happened?"
"Liang Shi'an told me he had an audience with His Majesty and advanced the wedding date."
Lu Yu thought his ears were playing tricks on him. "…What?"
Qian Xingzhi slammed the table and stood up. "That bastard Liang Shi'an, to avoid the mourning period, advanced the wedding to the sixth day of the sixth month—next month! It's outrageous!"
The words "sixth day of the sixth month" stunned Lu Yu. "Next month?"
Qian Xingzhi turned to look at his shocked face and spread her hands. "Lord Lu, all you can do is repeat what I say?"
Everything connected to Qian Xingzhi always seemed to slip from Lu Yu's control.
What could he say? Congratulations? He had been overly confident that the wedding would be postponed, or too careless in assuming the Liang family wasn't eager for this match. Now, he had miscalculated.
But after all, it was just Qian Xingzhi getting married and having children? Why should it matter so much to him?
He just didn't like things beyond his control. Lu Yu thought to himself and spoke. "I'm just very surprised. The Liang family must have full confidence in you."
Qian Xingzhi didn't know why she had called Lu Yu over in the middle of the night, nor why he had come when she called. "I don't think so… The Liang family is up to something. Being caught between the Third Prince and the Crown Prince is giving me a headache."
"So it's not the marriage itself that troubles you?" Lu Yu insinuated. "I thought you just didn't want to get married."
Qian Xingzhi gave a bitter smile. "I'm afraid there's no escaping it. For now, I'll worry about court affairs."
"Does it still count?"
Qian Xingzhi was confused. "What counts?"
"What you said—that you have feelings for me. Does it still count?"
The sudden question caught her off guard. She looked blankly at Lu Yu's calm expression. "I… of course it does."
It was a lie, just a casual flirtation, and she knew it well. Lu Yu had done many things that moved her, but it wasn't enough to make her fall for him. Or rather, she couldn't love anyone in Nansheng at all.
If she had a choice, she would leave everything behind and return to her original world.
But now, she could only say what she didn't mean. "What, is Lord Lu planning to steal the bride?"
"What if I said yes?"
Qian Xingzhi froze. Yes? Really steal the bride? How? This was an imperial match! No, wait—even if it were a steal, men don't steal men.
For a moment, Qian Xingzhi felt her heart race.
"Not steal the bride," Lu Yu hastily explained. "I was just thinking if there's a compromise to force you to spend time together and delay things."
Qian Xingzhi steadied herself. "What good idea does Lord Lu have?"
"I'll try my best. Wait for my news."