Cold on the Lonely Sandbar (Part Two) (This chapter is free)
Chen Caozhi exchanged greetings with Sima Yu, Huan Mi, and Xi Chao in turn, then followed the Princess of Nankang's procession into Jiankang. Huan Wen had a Grand Marshal's Residence in the capital, and Chen Caozhi went all the way there, leaving only after paying his respects to the Princess of Nankang. He then went with Ran Sheng, Xiao Chan, and the others to the Gu Residence in Hengtang.
The moment Gu Kaizhi saw Chen Caozhi, he exclaimed, "Zizhong, why have you only arrived today? If only you had come the day before yesterday! Ah!"
Chen Caozhi hurriedly asked why. Gu Kaizhi said, "Young Lady Lu was forced by her second uncle to leave Jiankang and return to Wu Commandery."
Chen Caozhi had been thinking of nothing but seeing Lu Weiwei. He had never expected this outcome, and however well he could usually master himself, he could not contain his anger. Lu Shi was utterly unreasonable. Treating his own niece this way was simply cruel. Unable to do anything to Chen Caozhi, Lu Shi was venting his anger on Wei Rui. He immediately asked Gu Kaizhi, "Did Wei Rui leave the capital the day before yesterday?"
"Yes," Gu Kaizhi said. "A-Tong saw her off for ten li. When she came back, she said Young Lady Lu had cried until she was a figure made of tears. Oh, and Lu Weiwei entrusted A-Tong with a letter for you." He immediately sent a young maid to fetch the letter from the inner courtyard.
Chen Caozhi asked, "Did Lady Lu of the Zhang Clan return to Wu Commandery with her?"
Gu Kaizhi shook his head. "They say Lady Lu is pregnant and cannot endure the jolting of a long journey, so she