Accidentally dressed as an empress

Chapter 226 Ji Yun Goes to the North

Wufeng City, Lu Family

In early February, spring was still in the air and the chill had not yet completely faded away, but the Lu family was decorated with lights and was extremely lively.

The courtyard was filled with bright red lanterns, and festive red silk fluttered gently in the breeze like leaping flames, dispelling the last trace of coldness.

Ji Yun was wearing a gorgeous wedding dress, and there was a hint of loneliness on her face that was out of tune with the atmosphere.

She took a deep breath, stepped into the courtyard, and thus became the wife of Lu Zhuo, the young master of the Lu family.

In the bridal chamber, the red candles with dragon and phoenix patterns were burning brightly, and drops of candle wax were slowly sliding down the candle body.

Lu Zhuo sat quietly on the edge of the bed, nervously tugging at the corners of his clothes with his hands, feeling indescribably nervous and shy.

Ji Yun slowly sat down next to Lu Zhuo. After a moment's silence, she gently held Lu Zhuo's hand and said, "Lu Zhuo, I know today is our wedding night, but there are some things I must make clear to you."

Lu Zhuo raised his head slightly, his eyes filled with confusion and uneasiness, and asked stammeringly, "Wife, what's wrong? Is there something I did wrong?"

Ji Yun smiled bitterly and shook his head, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes. "No, it's my fault. You're still young, and the Lu family needs to pass on the incense. You should find another wife. I suffered too much hardship and torture when I was a child, and my body is already full of holes. The doctor said that I'm afraid I won't be able to have children in this lifetime."

Hearing this, Lu Zhuo's eyes widened suddenly, his face full of shock and heartache: "Wife, I don't care about these, I only want you."

Ji Yun gently stroked Lu Zhuo's cheek. "Silly boy, this is not something you can decide. The Lu family needs an heir. I can't be so selfish."

As the days passed, Lu Zhuo became more and more dependent on Ji Yun, and he secretly thought in his heart that he must find a way to change Ji Yun's mind.

However, Ji Yun never stopped his plan.

She began to secretly practice martial arts with the Lu family's guards and use the Lu family's connections to expand her trade routes.

At the same time, she did not forget to study military books and formations.

As time went by, Ji Yun's changes were noticed by the elders of the Lu family.

Their initial suspicion towards their daughter-in-law turned into admiration, and they even began to support her in some business decisions.

Ji Yun also gradually gained a foothold in the Lu family with his intelligence and courage.

Lu Zhuo collected various rare medicinal herbs and made medicine for Ji Yun to regulate his body.

One day, Lu Zhuo came to Ji Yun excitedly, holding an ancient book in his hand, saying that he had found a miracle doctor who might be able to cure her body.

Ji Yun looked at Lu Zhuo and shook his head: "It's useless."

Lu Zhuo wanted to say something else, but Ji Yun gently covered his mouth and said softly, "Don't say anymore. I have made up my mind about this matter. In the future, I will find a good woman for you who is suitable for bearing children." After that, she stood up and walked to the window, looking at the flickering candlelight, her thoughts drifting away.

When Lu Zhuo heard this, his eyes instantly turned red. "Whose memorial tablet is that in your room? And who are you planning to remain chaste for?"

Ji Yun's body suddenly stiffened.

Lu Zhuo walked over to the memorial tablet, clenched his hands, and trembled slightly with anger and grievance. "Of course I know! From the first time I stepped into your room and saw this memorial tablet, I knew you had someone else in your heart! If you couldn't forget him, why did you marry me?"

Ji Yun slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down: "Lu Zhuo, he is my relative."

"Hmph, do you think I'll believe you?" Lu Zhuo turned around, tears welling up in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall. "Then why don't you want to be my wife? Why would you rather guard a dead person than give me a chance? A chance for our future?"

Ji Yun walked over to Lu Zhuo, gently picked up the incense on the memorial tablet, lit it, and inserted it into the incense burner. He said with a somewhat empty look in his eyes, "The Lu family needs an heir, and I can't give them. This marriage was never my wish, and I don't want to delay you. As for him, his death was related to me, and I owe him this."

Lu Zhuo's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. "Just because of a dead person? You're going to give up our lives? Ji Yun, you have such a cruel heart!"

After saying that, Lu Zhuo turned around and rushed out the door, leaving Ji Yun standing there blankly, staring at the spirit tablet.

Outside the window, the night was deep, as if shrouded by the sadness in the house, with a faint sense of oppression.

In the following days, Lu Zhuo avoided Ji Yun. The servants of the Lu family seemed to have noticed this subtle atmosphere and talked about it in private.

Ji Yun walked with steady steps into the study of the head of the Lu family, which was elegantly decorated yet majestic.

The sandalwood incense was curling in the house, and the charcoal fire in the stove was burning brightly, forming a sharp contrast with the spring chill outside that had not yet dissipated.

The sunlight coming through the carved window lattices shines on the neatly arranged ancient books and exquisite ornaments in the house, as if covering them with a layer of golden gauze.

The head of the Lu family sat behind a carved pearwood desk, gently stroking a warm jade pendant in his hand. His eyes passed through the lingering aroma of tea and fell on Ji Yun who came in, with a bit of inquiry and consideration.

Ji Yun bowed slightly, then straightened his back, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Master, although the family business is stable now, if we want to move to the next level, we must expand our trade routes. I am willing to work tirelessly to find new trade routes for the Lu family."

"Although the family is running smoothly now, the situation is changing rapidly. If we want to prosper forever, we need new trade routes." Lu Zhen said, "But it doesn't necessarily have to be you. I think Xuan'er is a good choice."

Ji Yun said, "Master, I would like to go to the north to do business and open up new trade routes for the Lu family."

Lu Zhen asked with a pleasant expression, "Could it be that you had a quarrel with Xiao Zhuo and wanted to run away?"

"That's not the case. Ji Yun is deeply grateful to the Lu family for taking me in, and to Young Master Zhuo for his love for me." Ji Yun knelt respectfully and saluted, his voice firm. "It's just that I can't have children. I tried to persuade Young Master Zhuo to take a concubine, but he refused. That's why I want to leave for a while, so that Young Master Zhuo can accept someone else."

Lu Zhen's face changed. She put down the jade pendant and tapped the table rhythmically with her fingers, making a thudding sound, as if she was weighing the pros and cons.

After a moment, she slowly spoke, "The north is remote, cold, and the situation is complex. This journey will be extremely difficult and dangerous. Are you completely confident?"

Ji Yun took a step forward, clasped his hands in front of him, and looked at the head of the Lu family. He said without hesitation, "Don't worry, head of the family. As a member of the Lu family, I will naturally share the family's worries."

Lu Zhen looked at Ji Yun with a scrutinizing gaze. He stared at Ji Yun for a long time before finally nodding slightly. "Okay, then it's as you say. The Lu family fully supports your actions, and the necessary supplies and manpower can be deployed."

Ji Yun bowed again and expressed his gratitude: "Thank you for your trust, Master. I will definitely live up to your expectations."

Time flies like a white horse passing by. A month and a half passed in the busyness and rushing around. Ji Yun and his business team arrived in the north.

The cold wind in the north was like a knife, bringing with it a blizzard that lashed the earth mercilessly, and the world was in chaos.

Wherever he went, it was a silver world, water turned into ice, and it was freezing cold.

Ji Yun was wearing a black fur coat, carrying the sharp weapon carefully forged by the Lu family on his back, standing in the snow.

A group of people stood quietly in the vast snowy field, and the breath they exhaled instantly turned into white mist and dissipated in the cold air.

Ji Yun trudged through waist-deep snow with difficulty, and every step seemed to be swallowed up by the biting cold and heavy snow.

Her black outfit was covered with ice and snow, her eyebrows and eyelashes were covered with fine frost, her face was frozen purple, her lips were cracked and chapped, and the hot air she exhaled instantly turned into icy mist in front of her.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Ji Yun and the others saw a blurry figure swaying in the snow in the distance.

When I got closer, I saw an old hunter with a haggard face. He was wrapped in a sheepskin coat that was so worn out that its color could no longer be seen. In his hand, he was tightly holding a simple hunting rifle, the barrel of which was covered with scratches and traces of weathering.

Ji Yun hurried forward and asked in a trembling voice, "Old man, is there any place nearby where we can shelter from the wind?"

The old hunter raised his cloudy eyes, looked at Ji Yun, and said in a dry voice, "Girl, there is no place to hide from the wind in this damn place! There is a cave five miles ahead, but it is very cold there too!"

A glimmer of hope flashed in Ji Yun's eyes. After thanking the old hunter, he struggled forward towards the cave.

Along the way, the cold wind penetrated her clothes and the icy snow water seeped into her boots, freezing her feet numb and numb.

The group finally arrived at the cave, which was dark, damp, and filled with a foul smell.

Several people hurriedly picked up some dry firewood and grass, and tremblingly took out the tinder from their pockets. It took a lot of effort to light a weak fire.

They moved closer to the fire, curled up, rubbed their hands on the fire, took a sip of wine, tried to warm themselves up, and looked at the wind and snow still raging outside the cave, determined to find the city as soon as possible.