A group of servants stood gathered together, waiting to watch a good show. Some of them, ingratiating as ever, brought over a small brazier and a fox-fur cloak for Lu Wenxiu, draping it over his shoulders as they flattered him with smiles.
“Second Young Master, carrying a hundred buckets of water to the rear kitchen will take quite some effort. It’s already noon—at this rate, even by the time the moon rises, it might not be done.”
Lu Wenxiu grew even more pleased with himself. “Then let him carry until tomorrow. He can’t leave with Fourth Sister until it’s finished!”
Upon hearing this, the little girl beside him turned to look at the thin layer of ice on the river. Her legs went weak with fear. She opened her mouth, about to burst into loud sobs—but one of Lu Wenxiu’s servants quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.
Lu Wenxiu barked, “No crying! You’re so noisy. What are you crying for? You’re at least a concubine-born daughter of Prince Ning’s manor, don’t you have even this bit of courage?”
The little girl’s face turned pale under the suffocating grip, almost unable to breathe. She barely managed to gasp out, “Mother, save—”
Her voice cut off abruptly as one of Lu Wenxiu’s servants grabbed her by the back of her clothes, leaving half her body hanging over the river.
Only then did Lu Wenxiu turn around, raising his brows and crossing one leg over the other. Smiling leisurely, he said to Lu Huan, “So, what do you say? You’re supposed to be strong, aren’t you? You even showed off your archery skills before the imperial examiners last time. A hundred buckets of water should be nothing for our Third Young Master, right?”
Lu Huan fixed him with a cold stare. In those pitch-black eyes lay a shadow so deep it sent a chill straight to the heart.
He said nothing, but Lu Wenxiu already knew he would do it. Leaning back smugly, Lu Wenxiu waited to enjoy the spectacle.
Sure enough, Lu Huan glanced once at his younger half-sister, then silently walked toward the row of one hundred buckets.
A hundred buckets stood lined up—each one thick enough for a man to wrap his arms around.
Even Prince Ning’s manor had never used such massive buckets. Lu Wenxiu had specially ordered the servants to fetch these large ones—each nearly half the size of a water vat. When filled to the brim, even two servants together could barely lift one.
For over ten years, tutors had been hired to teach Lu Wenxiu and his brother Lu Yuan the Four Books, Five Classics, and swordsmanship. Lu Wenxiu, however, was idle and never learned a thing. He never expected that Lu Huan, who secretly climbed the courtyard walls to watch the lessons, would learn them in secret. If not for the recent inspection by imperial examiners, Lu Wenxiu wouldn’t even have known that Lu Huan had real ability.
He himself refused to study or practice, but seeing Lu Huan ride and shoot with skill and even compose essays only fueled his jealousy—so he took greater pleasure in making Lu Huan’s life difficult.
He knew Lu Huan was fairly strong. Carrying one large bucket of water to the kitchen would be strenuous but doable with some grit.
But carrying one hundred buckets, back and forth without rest? Lu Wenxiu didn’t believe Lu Huan wouldn’t collapse from exhaustion!
Surely by the third trip, Lu Huan would be sprawled flat!
Everyone watched as Lu Huan stepped up to the first bucket, waiting to see the pain and strain twist his face.
However—
They saw Lu Huan lift a full bucket with one hand, as if it weighed nothing at all, giving it a light swing in his palm.
Onlookers: ?
He frowned slightly, then reached out with his other hand and lifted a second bucket—still without effort.
Onlookers: ??
Holding a bucket in each hand, he turned calmly, expression cold and unchanging, and walked away.
Onlookers: ????
His robes fluttered lightly as he strode swiftly toward the kitchen.
Wait—what?!
The once noisy wellside fell utterly silent.
Everyone stared at Lu Huan, eyes wide in disbelief. Wait—weren’t those buckets… weren’t they filled to the brim? They clearly were!
Just moments ago, two strong servants had tried lifting one—only two sturdy men together could barely carry a single full bucket.
So how could Lu Huan handle them so easily—?
Lu Wenxiu shot to his feet in anger and shouted, “Did you lot even fill those buckets properly?!”
“They’re full, Young Master, look for yourself,” the two servants stammered, falling to their knees in fright.
Lu Wenxiu’s face turned an ugly shade of blue-green, suspicion and shock mingling together.
What was going on? Was Lu Huan just pretending to be relaxed earlier—or was he truly unfazed? That kind of weight—how could he lift it like it was nothing?
Before anyone could make sense of it, Lu Huan had already delivered the two buckets and come back.
This time, as if it still wasn’t enough, he grabbed two buckets in his left hand and two in his right—four in total—and started toward the kitchen again.
Everyone: “………………”
Four buckets of water—normally it would take eight strong men to carry them together—were lifted by him without spilling a single drop, light and steady as though they weighed nothing at all.
The servants stood frozen like carved wooden posts, mouths hanging open in unison.
“How is Third Young Master carrying them so easily?”
“The imperial examiners really did praise his archery last time—said he drew a bow like a god.”
A few young maids, not from Lu Wenxiu’s courtyard, couldn’t help blushing as they whispered to one another in secret.
Within just a few short trips, Lu Huan had already carried twenty buckets!
At this rate, he wouldn’t even need the time it took for a few sticks of incense to burn to finish all one hundred—completely ruining Lu Wenxiu’s plan to torment him until the next morning!
Even the concubine-born girl by the stream stopped sobbing, her tear-streaked face staring wide-eyed at Lu Huan.
Lu Huan soon returned again.
He himself found it strange—so strange that he glanced down at the buckets in his hands. They were clearly filled to the brim, yet he felt no weight at all, as though something beneath them was supporting him.
Of course, he couldn’t show any reaction. He simply picked up another four buckets swiftly.
By then, Lu Wenxiu had recovered from his dazed stupor, rage surging back to his face, alternating between blue and white. Furious, he stormed forward. “These buckets must be rigged! Lu Huan, don’t you dare try any tricks on me!”
As soon as he said it, he snatched one of the buckets from Lu Huan’s hand—
But the instant it left Lu Huan’s grasp, the bucket became unbearably heavy! Lu Wenxiu’s arm sagged; he couldn’t hold it up at all. The entire bucket crashed down onto his foot with a thud!
Everyone: …
Water splashed everywhere, soaking him completely. Even then, he couldn’t lift it. The veins on his hands, arms, and temples bulged as he gritted his teeth and grimaced, but not even an inch did the bucket budge.
It was as if an invisible foot were pressing it firmly to the ground, about to crush his foot to pieces.
Everyone: “…………uh.”
The contrast was brutal—so humiliating that Lu Wenxiu’s scalp prickled in mortification.
“Ahhh—pain, pain, pain!” Lu Wenxiu finally screamed, his cry resembling that of a slaughtered pig. “What are you all standing there for?! Hurry up and lift this bucket off me!”
Several servants hurried over, trembling as they struggled to lift the bucket off him.
Only then did Lu Wenxiu collapse onto the ground with a heavy thud, face pale and breath shallow.
It hurt—truly hurt. That bucket hadn’t been filled with water at all; it must have been filled with lead or iron.
At that very moment, two figures stood above by the covered walkway beside the stream—elegant and dignified. The Princess Consort of Prince Ning had accompanied the Old Madam out to admire the plum blossoms, only to unexpectedly witness the entire scene unfold below.
The Old Madam: “…”
The Princess Consort of Prince Ning: “…………”
The Old Madam turned away, unable to watch any longer, and scolded in fury, “What a disgrace! Can’t even lift a single bucket of water, does he want the entire capital to laugh their teeth out at Prince Ning’s manor?!”
The Princess Consort glanced at her mother-in-law awkwardly, attempting to defend him. “Wenxiu was ill a few days ago, perhaps he hasn’t fully recovered today… so he has little strength.”
The Old Madam’s anger surged until her chest heaved, almost triggering her heart ailment. She spat furiously, “Shameful! Absolutely disgraceful! You’ll be the death of me!”
