Chapter 43: The Wutong Lock for Qiu

As Lu Chengfeng approached, he noticed a young maid following behind Cai Zhang. She wore a close-fitting blue blouse with floral-patterned skirts and had a silver hairpin in her hair. The little maid looked fair and clean, with a hint of baby fat on her face, and big, jet-black eyes. The only striking feature was her slender, pointed brows, giving her an impression of sharpness and decisiveness.

Seeing Lu Chengfeng, Cai Zhang's face lit up as if he had found a savior. He gave a wry smile to the maid behind him and said, "Young Lady Die'er, this is my senior brother, Lu Chengfeng."

He then introduced her to Lu Chengfeng, "Senior Brother, this is Die'er, Lady Qiu Tong's personal maid. She's here to…"

"Let me do the talking!" Die'er's voice was clear yet direct, interrupting Cai Zhang. She stepped forward and took a thorough look at Lu Chengfeng before speaking.

"So, you're the one named Lu Chengfeng? My lady told me to inform you that she had already seen you from her window and indeed found you to be impressive, handsome, and dignified."

"Seeing how you arrived here at Houde Pavilion without even removing your armor, still dusty and bloodstained, does show some sincerity."

At these words, Lu Chengfeng's heart skipped a beat with excitement. But a moment later, his face froze as Die'er's expression turned displeased.

"But you are indeed a bit of a lecher, aren't you?" Die'er continued, clearly unimpressed. "Just a moment ago, you couldn't take your eyes off Miss Qin as she passed by. You should know that Miss Qin is only fifteen years old this year."

She shot Lu Chengfeng a disdainful glance, as if he were some shameless womanizer.

Lu Chengfeng felt a wave of frustration, finding himself wrongly accused. He had only thought he might get a chance to meet Lady Qiu Tong face-to-face, but it turned out she had only observed him from a distance. It was pure misfortune that she happened to see him glancing at the young girl who had passed by. He had merely been curious about her striking green eyes, nothing more.

He wanted to explain, but Die'er didn't give him a chance, quickly pressing on.

"My lady said that matters of marriage require careful consideration, especially when becoming a concubine. She must choose a reliable family, or else she'll face endless suffering down the line."

Die'er's tone was disdainful, looking at Lu Chengfeng as if he were an incorrigible philanderer. "Hmph, it's a pity my lady didn't take my advice. If it were up to me, I would've sent you away already."

"But my lady has a kind heart. She asked me to tell you that, as long as you agree to three conditions, she will consent to the marriage."

Lu Chengfeng's emotions surged up and down in these few moments. Now, hearing her words, he quickly responded, "Whatever Lady Qiu Tong requests, I will agree to, as long as it's within my power."

Though Die'er still looked dissatisfied, she began listing Lady Qiu Tong's terms one by one.

"The first condition is that if the marriage is settled, my lady must have a separate residence and not live together with your main wife."

Die'er's displeasure was evident. "I heard that not long ago you married your own teacher's widow as your wife. If the two of them are forced to live together and they don't get along, my lady, as a mere concubine, will undoubtedly suffer."

"You can arrange for her to live somewhere else, and if you really care for her, you can visit her often."

Lu Chengfeng nodded. "That's easy. There are plenty of empty residences on Bixiao Peak. Lady Qiu Tong can choose whichever suits her best."

Seeing his straightforward agreement, Die'er's expression softened somewhat before she continued, "The second condition has to do with what you relayed earlier. My lady said that if you're in such a hurry to formalize the relationship, she's willing, but she won't move into your residence until the demon tide is over. You're also not to disturb her until then."

"Only after the demon tide ends will she consider moving over."

Lu Chengfeng understood. This condition ultimately stemmed from her concern that he might not survive the demon tide. She didn't want to entangle herself too closely with him until the situation was safe. They would establish the relationship quietly, without informing the sect, so that if something were to happen, her reputation would remain untarnished.

"That's exactly what I intended. As long as we can establish the relationship, we can settle everything else after the demon tide. If I don't make it, it'll be fate, and I won't have the fortune to spend my life with Lady Qiu Tong. As for the betrothal gift, it'll serve as a token of our encounter."

Lu Chengfeng spoke decisively. He wasn't pursuing her simply for her beauty or companionship but for the alliance in name.

Seeing him agree so readily, Die'er's disapproval finally faded, and after appraising him a bit more closely, she hesitated slightly before speaking again, "The last condition is a bit unconventional and may not align with societal customs. But my lady said that if you agree to this, she'll yield to you in all other matters."

Lu Chengfeng cupped his hands, his tone earnest. "Whatever the condition is, please speak. My desire to marry Lady Qiu Tong is genuine, without any deceit."

Die'er, now seeing him in a new light, softened her tone. "My lady says that after marriage, if there comes a day when you tire of her or lose interest, you must allow her to leave…"

Her voice trailed off, growing softer as she spoke, her large eyes blinking as she cautiously observed Lu Chengfeng's reaction.

In traditional terms, a wife could be divorced, but a concubine could not. Once a woman entered the household as a concubine, she belonged to the family, in life or death.

A concubine, in many cases, was regarded as little more than a plaything! If another man heard this, he would likely be outraged, taking it as an insult, and storm off without hesitation.

Even Lu Chengfeng felt a pang of displeasure. If his concubine left of her own accord, it would surely become the subject of gossip. Typically, only those who eloped with another man would have such an ending.

His expression turned slightly grim as he took a deep breath to suppress his irritation. "If Lady Qiu Tong enters my household, I will treat her with sincerity and never let her suffer."

"But if one day she truly wishes to leave, so be it. A forced bond is never sweet."

"However, I must make one thing clear—she must remain virtuous and avoid bringing disgrace upon me. Otherwise…"

"That will never happen," Die'er hastily promised, her expression earnest. "My lady is not that kind of person."

"Very well. I agree to all three conditions. Will Lady Qiu Tong accept the marriage?" Lu Chengfeng asked directly, cutting to the heart of the matter.

Die'er carefully took out a jade pendant from her pouch, shaped like a lock and threaded with a red string.

"This is the longevity jade lock my lady has worn since childhood, crafted especially by her parents. My lady's name is Qiu Tong, and wearing this lock represents the wutong tree, holding onto autumn, symbolizing beauty preserved and long life."

As she spoke, she held out the jade lock with her pale hands. "Accepting this jade lock signifies the marriage is settled."

Lu Chengfeng exhaled deeply, feeling a tremendous weight lift from his heart, and his heartbeat began to quicken with excitement.

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