But when she caught a glimpse of Lu Qu's face, she sensed something was amiss.
Lu Qu looked strange!
Before entering the tent, her face had been deathly pale.
Once inside the tent, Lu Qu ignored everyone and walked straight to Ji Shijian's bedside.
With tears in her eyes, she gazed at the unconscious Ji Shijian on the bed.
She sobbed softly.
Seeing Lu Qu dabbing at her tears with her sleeve, Zhao Luoning was utterly confused.
This scene looked exactly like a pair of lovers: the man lying sick in bed, the woman crying sorrowfully.
But Lu Qu was Ji Shisu's concubine. By etiquette, she was Ji Shijian's sister - in - law.
With Ji Shisu present, wasn't Lu Qu going too far?
Zhao Luoning turned her head, just about to see Ji Shisu's expression as he was being cuckolded right in front of his eyes. But Ji Shisu took the lead and put his arm around her shoulder.
"Let's go outside."
"But?"
What was going on?
When Zhao Luoning was dragged out of the warm tent by Ji Shisu without a word, she was completely at a loss.
Was Ji Shisu making room for Lu Qu and Ji Shijian?
Could anyone tell her what this was all about?
As soon as they stepped out of the warm tent, the cold wind hit them.
Ji Shisu took off his cloak and tied it around Zhao Luoning.
Zhao Luoning looked at him with big, confused eyes.
Ji Shisu sighed. Since he had already brought Lu Qu to see Shijian, there was no point in hiding some things anymore.
"Would you like to take a walk with me?"
Wearing the cloak and a veil, Zhao Luoning didn't feel cold.
Thinking about what had just happened, she was as curious as a cat.
She really wanted to get to the bottom of it, so she nodded and agreed.
The military camp without the threat of war was full of warmth and harmony.
The tents were like stars scattered in the night. On this moonless night, they glowed bit by bit, piece by piece.
Laughter and chatting often came from the tents.
People from all over the country were sharing interesting stories about their hometowns.
It was indeed a good atmosphere for a chat.
Ji Shisu led Zhao Luoning to a leeward hillside.
This was his secret place.
From this angle, one could overlook the entire camp, and nothing that happened in any corner could escape notice.
Today was different. He brought Zhao Luoning to sit on this hillside not to observe the camp at night, but to tell a story.
A long story.
"Lu Qu is a distant relative of our family. After her family died of the plague, she came to live with us."
Zhao Luoning nodded.
No wonder Lu Qu was so popular in the Ji Mansion. She had long been a part of the family, and the popularity she had built up over the years was something Zhao Luoning could never match.
Ji Shisu continued:
"Grandma really liked her quiet nature and wanted her to be a granddaughter - in - law. At that time, I was..."
Here, Ji Shisu grabbed Zhao Luoning's hand, paused for a moment, and then said:
"I was engaged to you. So Grandma always tried to match Lu Qu with Ji Shijian. They grew up together and really fell for each other."
Ji Shijian and Lu Qu?
What was going on? Was Ji Shisu the one who stole his brother's love?
He didn't seem like the kind of person who would do such a thing.
Zhao Luoning turned her head and looked at Ji Shisu's profile in the lamplight.
Two years of military life had washed away much of his dandyism.
There was a new air of determination and pride in his eyebrows.
It was the aura of a great general who could dominate the world.
Looking at his handsome profile, Zhao Luoning found it hard to imagine that Ji Shisu would be the one to break up a loving couple.
He must have really liked Lu Qu back then.
Ji Shisu's eyes dimmed. He was about to pull his hand back, but Zhao Luoning noticed. Instead of pulling it back, his hand was held even tighter.
He smiled and tapped her forehead with his finger calloused from holding a sword.
"Don't worry. No matter in the past, present, or future, my heart will only flutter for one person. That's my good wife who still doubts my sincerity."
The affectionate words came with strong love, and Zhao Luoning's embarrassment was hidden by the night.
She blushed and retorted defiantly.
"I'd like to see what reasonable explanation you can give me."
Her charming look made Ji Shisu lose his senses for a moment. He wished he could drag her into the room right now and cherish her.
But there was still most of the story left.
Ji Shisu knew her temper well.
If he didn't give her an explanation today, Zhao Luoning would show her stingy "business - woman" side.
Ji Shisu would have a hard time for a while.
Especially after tasting her sweetness, such a punishment would be torture.
Ji Shisu quickly continued:
"Back then, the late emperor conquered the Wu Kingdom, and how to settle Princess Anning became a big problem. The Crown Prince, who is now the emperor, asked for permission to have Shijian marry Princess Anning. Shijian refused and wanted to elope with Lu Qu. This back - and - forth ruined Lu Qu's reputation."
Hearing this, Zhao Luoning couldn't stay calm and couldn't help but complain.
"What's wrong with the emperor? Why does he like to match - make so much?"
Zhao Luoning was speechless. No wonder the emperor had sent Lu Qu and Chen Chuliu here. It seemed he had always liked to do such things.
After complaining about the emperor, Zhao Luoning complained about Ji Shijian.
"Ji Shijian is such a hot - headed young man. As a man, how could he just drag a girl to elope? And those who gossip behind others' backs are not good people. It was Ji Shijian who proposed the elopement. Why blame Lu Qu instead? Are women just supposed to take the blame?"
Ji Shisu couldn't help but laugh.
Thank goodness this place was deserted.
If Zhao Luoning's unrestrained words were heard by the emperor, it would be a disaster.
After venting her dissatisfaction, Zhao Luoning suddenly realized something and asked Ji Shisu.
"Then why did you end up marrying Lu Qu?"
"Lu Qu came to beg me."
"Lu Qu begged you?"
"Yes. At that time, it was impossible for her to remarry, and she also wanted to stay in the Ji Mansion and be by Shijian's side."
"So, you and Lu Qu..."
"I've always only regarded her as my younger brother's wife."
Zhao Luoning thought for a moment and felt something was wrong.
"You're lying to me! If you only regarded her as your younger brother's wife, why did she have your child? You're such a jerk."
Ji Shisu felt really innocent being scolded like this.
"The child was Shijian's."
"Ah?"
"I knew that the Wu Kingdom would seek revenge sooner or later, and Liu Qingyun wouldn't stay in our family for long. Once Liu Qingyun left, there would be no obstacle between Lu Qu and Shijian. But Lu Qu, with her stubborn nature, secretly took medicine to abort the child. She said she didn't want the child to be born out of an affair and didn't want the child to have a stain on their name in the future."
Hearing this, Zhao Luoning could only say: "You brothers are really something. You're both eager to cuckold each other."