The wedding was scheduled to take place after Huo Shiran’s coming-of-age ceremony. In this way, once he had formally reached adulthood, he could rightfully take a wife and establish his own household.
The coming-of-age ceremony for the Huo family’s young general was held with great grandeur.
The Marquis of Wuan’s residence hosted banquets for three consecutive days. Guests streamed through the doors, congratulatory gifts piled up like mountains, and nearly every prominent noble and distinguished family in the capital sent representatives to offer their congratulations.
It was partly to show respect to the Huo family—
And partly to build anticipation for the imperial wedding that would soon follow.
When news of the celebration reached the Marquis of Yongning’s residence, Lu Jiaojiao was sitting by the window, leisurely trimming the dead leaves from a potted orchid.
As her maid Xiaochun excitedly described how lively the Huo residence had been and how impressive the young general looked as he formally received his ceremonial cap, Lu Jiaojiao did not even raise her eyelids.
She merely responded with a faint, indifferent, “Mm.”
It was as though she were listening to some piece of irrelevant gossip from the streets.
Her recent display of “detachment from worldly concerns” had almost convinced everyone that she had truly resigned herself to the marriage and was preparing to wait quietly for her wedding.
However, only Xiaochun, who attended her closely, vaguely sensed that beneath her mistress’s seemingly calm eyes lay an abundance of mischievous schemes.
After trimming the final imperfect leaf tip, Lu Jiaojiao set down the silver scissors and carefully wiped her fingertips with a damp cloth, removing dust that did not exist.
She then walked to her writing desk.
She spread out a sheet of gold-flecked stationery, ground the ink, and picked up her brush.
Her movements were elegant and unhurried.
Curious, Xiaochun leaned closer.
She saw the corner of her mistress’s lips curve into an extremely faint yet deeply meaningful smile.
It did not quite look like a smile.
Rather, it resembled the expression of a hunter who had finally finished setting a trap.
“Turning twenty and undergoing the coming-of-age ceremony means that one has become an adult. It is an important occasion.”
Lu Jiaojiao murmured softly. Her voice was calm, betraying neither happiness nor anger.
“As his future… virtuous wife, I should naturally show a small token of my affection and send him a grand gift.”
Her wrist paused.
The tip of her brush, heavily laden with dark ink, touched the paper.
A line of elegant handwriting appeared, its graceful strokes concealing a sharp edge.
When she had finished, she gently blew on the ink to dry it. Then she folded the letter and placed it inside an ordinary envelope.
At the seal, however, she used a small personal stamp she had secretly kept hidden.
Its design was unusual.
It was neither the Lu family crest nor one of the flower-and-bird patterns commonly used by young ladies.
Instead, it bore an abstract design that looked rather like…
A chicken’s claw.
“Xiaochun.”
She called out and handed the envelope to her maid, her tone still perfectly calm.
“Find someone trustworthy and deliver this congratulatory gift to the Huo residence. Make sure it is personally handed to Young General Huo.”
“Tell him that Third Miss Lu offers her congratulations on the occasion of his coming-of-age ceremony. It is merely a small token of her regard, and she hopes that he will…”
She paused slightly.
“…accept it with pleasure.”
Xiaochun accepted the feather-light envelope, yet for some reason, it felt extraordinarily heavy in her hands.
She did not dare ask any questions and hurriedly acknowledged the order before leaving.
Lu Jiaojiao returned to her seat by the window.
Her gaze drifted in the direction of the Marquis of Wuan’s residence as her fingertips lightly tapped against the window frame.
Huo Shiran…
I hope you enjoy this “coming-of-age gift.”
The letter Lu Jiaojiao had prepared was soon secretly delivered from the Lu residence.
Meanwhile, another, far more “substantial” congratulatory gift—also chosen with great “care” by Lu Jiaojiao—was openly carried into the Marquis of Wuan’s residence by servants from the Lu family.
Huo Shiran had just finished dealing with another round of toasts and was looking for an opportunity to catch his breath when the steward approached and respectfully reported:
“Second Young Master, Third Miss Lu of the Marquis of Yongning’s residence has sent a congratulatory gift in celebration of your coming-of-age ceremony.”
The moment those words were spoken, a wave of suggestive laughter and teasing erupted around the banquet.
Who did not know that Third Miss Lu would soon become the second young mistress of the Huo household?
For her to send a gift on the occasion of his coming-of-age ceremony naturally carried special significance.
Even Huo Tingyuan, the Marquis of Wuan, who was seated in the place of honor, raised an eyebrow with visible interest.
The uneasy feeling in Huo Shiran’s heart immediately intensified.
But with everyone watching, he had no choice but to brace himself and maintain a proper smile.
“Bring it over.”
It was a square rosewood box about a foot wide, exquisitely crafted and clearly valuable.
Under the curious gazes of the guests, Huo Shiran stepped forward and personally lifted the lid.
The box was lined with soft red velvet.
Resting quietly upon it was an ebony-and-silver letter opener of antique design.
The blade was sleek and elegant, while the silver decorations were refined and tasteful.
Judging from the object alone, it was quite a fine piece.
The surrounding guests nodded in approval.
It seemed that the future Second Young Mistress of the Huo family had finally learned to behave herself and had sent a gift appropriate to her status.
Huo Shiran relaxed slightly.
Perhaps Lu Jiaojiao was simply going through the motions this time?
He reached out, intending to pick up the letter opener and display it to everyone, properly acknowledging the gift.
However, the moment his fingertips touched the cool surface of the blade and lifted it slightly
His movements came to an almost imperceptible halt.
As the angle changed, only he, the person holding the letter opener, could clearly see what was engraved in a hidden spot near the handle on the polished silver blade.
The characters were extremely small.
Yet they were perfectly clear.
The handwriting was elegant, but it possessed an unusual strength and firmness. It was obvious that the writer had practiced diligently.
It was nothing like the old “chicken-scratch handwriting” he used to mock her for.
On one side of the blade were engraved four characters:
“A childish twenty-year-old.”
And on the other:
“Dull as stubborn iron.”
A childish twenty-year-old.
Dull as stubborn iron.
Eight words.
Eight words that struck Huo Shiran’s eyes like eight red-hot needles, piercing straight into his heart.
A surge of emotions—absurdity, anger, and the embarrassment of having his sore spot hit with devastating precision—rushed straight to his head.
His ears instantly grew hot.
He could practically imagine Lu Jiaojiao sitting in her room, gritting her teeth as she carefully planned these words, wearing that smug and thoroughly satisfied expression!
This woman!
So she really had no good intentions!
What a sinister little gift!
“Huo the Second! What treasure did Third Miss Lu send you? Hurry up and let us see!”
One of his unsuspecting friends urged him with a laugh.
Huo Shiran suddenly came back to his senses.
His fingers tightened around the handle until his knuckles turned white.
Yet his expression remained perfectly composed.
He even forced out what could barely be called a gentle smile.
With a flick of his wrist, he naturally turned the engraved side toward his own palm, showing everyone only the smooth ebony back and the portions of silver decoration without any writing.
“It’s nothing more than a letter opener. You’re all making too much of it.”
His tone was casual.
Then, with a loud clack, he tossed the letter opener back into the wooden box and snapped the lid shut.
His movements were so swift they practically cut through the air.
“Third Miss Lu was thoughtful.”
“Steward, put it away and send it to my study.”
His reaction appeared ordinary enough.
But the excessive decisiveness of his movements—and the sudden chill in his eyes did not escape those who knew him well.
Lu Baiyang, for one, narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he watched the wooden box being swiftly carried away.
Huo Shiran ignored the teasing around him and returned to his seat.
Picking up his wine cup, he drained it in a single gulp.
Yet the cold liquor did nothing to suppress the fire burning in his chest.
A childish twenty-year-old?
Dull as stubborn iron?
Fine.
Very fine.
Lu Jiaojiao, he would remember this “generous gift.”
He would very much like to see the expression on her face after she married into the Huo family and discovered that he used that very letter opener—bearing her “words of praise”—every single day to open and deal with official documents.
He wondered just how spectacular her expression would be then.