Chapter 25.1

Lu Minghua’s gaze was intense, fixed on the woman before him, waiting for her answer. Her demeanor was straightforward, and her words were filled with laughter. She silently urged the other party to provide evidence.

The woman naturally didn’t have any. She forced a smile, continued to mumble, and couldn’t say anything more. Inside, she was even more frustrated, not knowing what was wrong with her man, who had made her do this in front of everyone for no reason. She thought it would be an easy task; after all, these young ladies are pretty sensitive and can be flustered with just a few words. But who would have thought that Lu Minghua would be so composed?

After carefully recalling, Lu Minghua couldn’t remember ever having a grudge against the other person. She thought it was her natural demeanor and didn’t think much of it. Seeing the other person unable to speak and hurriedly taking her leave, she finally turned around. As soon as she looked up, she saw Madam Qin frowning at her. “Minghua, we’re all family. How can you speak like that?” She sighed disapprovingly.

Lu Minghua almost wanted to laugh coldly. How could she speak like that? When that woman spoke about her, what was she, as a mother, doing?

“Mother, is there anything wrong with what I said?” Lu Minghua looked at Madam Qin, her gaze clear and calm.

Madam Qin opened her mouth but was speechless.

What Lu Minghua said was naturally not wrong, but her attitude… She wanted to teach her a few words but found herself unable to say anything.

“Minghua, why are you like this now?” she asked confusedly. The previous Lu Minghua was considerate and kind, always friendly and rarely causing trouble, never needing her to worry, and was the most sensible. But now, she was cold and harsh, not even listening to her parents’ orders. She didn’t understand why this was happening.

Feeling absurd, Lu Minghua laughed mockingly. Why was she like this? Wasn’t it all thanks to her family?

In her boudoir days, she always endured, only hoping to marry a decent man, have children, and have a home of her own. She didn’t even dare to ask for much, but in the end, despite her carefulness, everything was ruined. Since that was the case, why should she continue to wrong herself?

Looking at Madam Qin, who seemed to know nothing, Lu Minghua suddenly wondered.

Did her mother really not know, or did she not want to know? But that didn’t matter anymore. She had long since lost the desire to be entangled with these people. She just smiled slightly, found an excuse, and left directly.

Madam Qin stood in a daze, staring at Lu Minghua’s departing figure.

“Madam?” the maid reminded softly.

Only then did she come back to her senses and walk away.

After the ancestral worship that afternoon, Lu Minghua prepared to return to the villa. Unexpectedly, Lu Chengwen stopped her with all sorts of reasons.

“Uncle, is there something you need from me?” Lu Minghua asked, puzzled. She really didn’t want to stay in this uncle’s mansion for even a day.

Lu Chengwen hesitated for a moment, coughed lightly, and finally said, “I have an old friend whose second son’s wife passed away, and he has no children…”

Lu Minghua immediately understood his meaning. She frowned slightly, wanting to say that she had no intention of getting married for the time being, but was stopped by Lu Chengwen’s gaze and had to listen to him continue.

In short, it was a widower without children, who was upright, gentle in temperament, fond of poetry and literature, from a scholarly family, and lived in the south. Lu Chengwen thought this was a good match for Lu Minghua to remarry and wanted her to meet him.

Lu Minghua was caught off guard and somewhat surprised. “Didn’t you say he lived in the south?” she asked.

“He happened to have some business in the capital,” Lu Chengwen said with a smile.

“Uncle, I…” Lu Minghua wanted to refuse.

“I’ve already arranged for you to meet him,” Lu Chengwen interrupted, even mentioning the location, which was in the afternoon by the Sui River in the city.

Lu Minghua was helpless and did not respond, thinking about how to refuse.

“Their family is very reputable locally. Although not very wealthy, they can ensure you a worry-free life. I know you don’t like Uncle’s mansion. If you could marry to the south, wouldn’t that be perfect?” Lu Chengwen continued to persuade her.

“Uncle, I am living quite comfortably alone now and have no intention of remarrying for now. I can only decline your kind offer,” Lu Minghua finally refused.

Although she didn’t want to reject this kindness, as she said, being alone made her feel free, so why bother remarrying?

Who knows, it might turn out to be another Wei family.

Lu Chengwen, seeing her firm attitude, had no choice but to give up and sighed, “Alright, alright.”

“Uncle, I know you mean well, but I am really scared,” Lu Minghua said apologetically, not wanting to hurt the feelings of the rare person who considered her and sighed as well.

Lu Chengwen was indeed disappointed, but seeing her like this, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. After all, at this point, it couldn’t be blamed on the child.

“Forget it, forget it, it’s just not meant to be. We’ll talk about it later,” Lu Chengwen said, not wanting to give up.

Lu Minghua felt even more helpless but couldn’t say anything more.

“By the way, uncle, do you have any news about that little monk?” she asked, taking the opportunity to bring up the matter.

Lu Chengwen shook his head, his expression serious, and said, “The south is too far from the capital. I sent someone, but it’s been several months, and there’s no news.” As he spoke, he frowned slightly, finding it somewhat tricky.

Feeling disappointed, Lu Minghua forced a comforting smile and changed the subject.

The uncle and niece chatted for a while, and when Lu Minghua was about to take her leave, they heard footsteps outside. The servants greeted someone, addressing him as the second young master.

“This child is still so reckless,” Lu Chengwen frowned immediately.

The newcomer was his second son, Lu Yaozhong. A few years ago, the family managed to get him into the Imperial Guard, where he usually stayed at the yamen. He was used to being carefree, and this time, he came back suddenly without even notifying anyone in advance.

Outside, Lu Yaozhong and a tall man came together. Both wore the Imperial Guard’s blue wolf uniform, with a fierce wolf head on their chests, exuding an imposing aura.

Seeing the servants bow, Lu Yaozhong casually nodded and then pushed open the door.

The servant at the door tried to stop him but was too late.

Lu Yaozhong didn’t notice, but the man beside him did and glanced at the study ahead.

The door creaked open, and the scholarly-looking man behind the desk frowned helplessly while the woman in the pink dress beside him looked on with a teasing smile.

The two happened to lock eyes, and Lu Minghua was startled. She hadn’t expected Lu Yaozhong to bring someone along, so she quickly withdrew her smile and turned her head.

The man’s gaze lingered for a moment, clearly impressed.

“Father, Third Sister is here too,” Lu Yaozhong said, visibly surprised to see Lu Minghua. He glanced behind him, looking a bit awkward.

Lu Chengwen immediately frowned and saw his foolish son step aside, awkwardly saying, “This is my superior, Lord Gao Mingcheng. We had arranged to play football this afternoon. I wanted to inform you, and Lord Gao said that since he was here, he should pay his respects to you, so I brought him along.” He quickly finished his sentence, looking at his father, desperately trying to show that he didn’t mean any harm.

“Uncle, you have guests here, so I’ll take my leave,” Lu Minghua said, standing up to leave as an outsider was present.

Lu Chengwen glared at his useless son and smiled in response.

“Second Brother, I’m leaving now,” Lu Minghua said, nodding to the person beside him before walking past them.

Lu Yaozhong kept nodding, a sheepish smile on his face.

Back at the small courtyard, everything was already packed, and Lu Minghua set off on her journey.

During this time, she was constantly on guard, fearing that Lu Chengsong would stop her like last time. But to her surprise, there was no commotion even after the carriage left the city gates. She was surprised and slightly relieved, but her brows furrowed again.

Lu Minghua understood her father. In his eyes, only his sons mattered. Whether it was her or Lu Mingxi, they were all just tools for gaining benefits. Now that he had a chance to marry her off to a prince, he wouldn’t give up easily.

On this Qingming Festival, someone was playing the guqin by the roadside. The sound of the guqin was lingering, slightly melancholic, evoking a sense of remembrance. Lu Minghua listened attentively, her eyes brightening.

What beautiful music, what skill.

The carriage continued, gradually leaving the sound of the guqin behind. Lu Minghua’s fingers moved slightly, following the rhythm of the music, but her finger movements didn’t resemble playing the guqin.

Not far from the city gate, the sound of golden bells jingled as a luxurious carriage approached from the front. The coachman immediately made way, but the carriage slowed down as it passed them.

“Is the young lady of the Lu family inside?” a delicate voice called out, sounding flat and slightly arrogant.

Lu Minghua lifted the curtain and saw the speaker was a maid in the carriage beside them. Her gaze swept over the carriage, and her heart skipped a beat. Her hand in her sleeve clenched tightly.

The maid’s expression changed slightly upon seeing Lu Minghua’s face. First, a look of jealousy flashed across her face, followed by worry and inexplicable schadenfreude.

“Your Highness, it is indeed Miss Lu,” she said softly, ignoring Lu Minghua and lifting the curtain to speak to someone inside the carriage, her tone even more coquettish.

“Hmm? Let me see,” a somewhat indifferent male voice responded. A pair of hands with painted nails lifted the window, revealing a man with faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, a ruddy complexion, and still showing signs of his youthful handsomeness. He was dressed in a purple brocade robe, leaning against the carriage, with beauties on both sides, enjoying himself.

This was Prince Changping.

Although she had only seen him a few times, Lu Minghua recognized him at first glance. She flicked her hand and immediately lowered the curtain.

“She has a temper, I like it,” Yan Rongchen said with a smile, his gaze lingering on the curtain, savoring the fleeting beauty he had just seen.

Lu Chengsong wasn’t lying; his daughter was indeed quite beautiful.

Of course, her temper of slamming the curtain was even better. Having a temper was good; he liked women with a temper.

“Let’s go,” Lu Minghua ordered.

“Her voice is pleasant too,” Yan Rongchen’s eyes lit up.

Inside the carriage, Lu Minghua turned her face away, feeling her heart churn.

The coachman in front lightly urged the horses, but they stopped again just as they started moving.

“Miss,” Xiao Chun said in a panic from outside, “there are guards blocking the road ahead.”

“Please ask the prince to order the guards to clear the way,” Lu Minghua said, trying to remain calm despite her anxiety.

“Oh, does Miss Lu know me?” Yan Rongchen didn’t rush to give orders but started a conversation.

Lu Minghua had no intention of chatting with him. She remained silent, raising her hand to take out a hairpin from her hair and holding it in her hand.

After a moment of silence, seeing that Lu Minghua indeed had no intention of responding, Yan Rongchen sighed.

“If the beauty has no interest, I won’t force it. Let them pass,” he said. The guards blocking Lu Minghua’s carriage immediately made way.

Xiao Chun, full of joy, reported this to Lu Minghua.

“Let’s go,” Lu Minghua said softly, still not at ease.

The carriage slowly moved away, leaving the luxurious carriage behind. As the curtain fluttered, Lu Minghua could see the guards standing on both sides of the road, their figures lean and agile. Her heartbeat quickened, and she tightened her grip on the hairpin. Even after they had traveled far enough that the carriage behind was no longer visible, she couldn’t relax.

“Go, find someone to follow them and see where she lives. How can I miss such a beautiful spring scene? I should go and see more,” Yan Rongchen ordered as he watched the group move away.

The guard obeyed, riding a horse to follow from a distance.

“Your Highness, are we not serving you well? Don’t forget us when you have someone new,” the two beautiful women beside him immediately clung to him, speaking softly and coquettishly.

“Of course, of course, who else would I care for if not you?” Yan Rongchen coaxed them with a smile, still thinking about the fleeting beauty he had just seen, savoring it even more.

These noble ladies had a different demeanor and elegance. Even though they were only sitting there, with their straight shoulders and long, graceful necks, they exuded a refined beauty that couldn’t be compared to the women in his arms.

“Why do you insist on marrying her? There are so many beauties in the capital. Why marry a divorced woman?” one of the women asked, puzzled.

“Naturally, because she is pleasing to the eye and has a good status,” Yan Rongchen patiently explained to his beloved.

His wife’s position is vacant, and no one can enter the palace to pay respects. He needs a woman with a respectable status to be his wife. But those willing to marry him either have unsuitable family backgrounds or unappealing appearances. In this way, Lu Minghua is just right.

“What status does she have? I heard that the reason the Wei heir sought to marry her was because she impersonated her own sister to get this marriage,” the woman snorted disdainfully.

“Oh? Is that so?” Yan Rongchen was slightly surprised. Then, a disgust crossed his face, and he smiled indifferently.

Seeing that he didn’t respond, the woman shook her body and said, “Your Highness, don’t you believe me?”

“You, silly, haven’t you thought about why this rumor spread right after Wei Yuntai married his wife’s sister?” Yan Rongchen chuckled lightly.

“Your Highness means?” The woman blinked in confusion, then suddenly gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

“Lu Minghua, a mere girl, can’t scheme against the heir of the Marquis’ mansion,” Yan Rongchen said with a sudden smile. “Even if it’s true, it only proves that Wei Yuntai, the heir of the Marquis’ mansion, is foolish and incompetent to be so easily schemed against.”

He pondered for a moment and said, “Wei Huailiang isn’t that stupid. This matter might not have been done by the Ningguo Marquis’ mansion.”

Smart people know that it’s best to stay calm and quiet now. After a few years, no one will bring up this matter again. So, who could have done this?

Before the hour of You, Lu Minghua finally returned to the other courtyard. She had been tense all the way, and only when she saw the familiar distant gate did she finally let out a long sigh of relief.

All the way, every time she heard a noise outside, her heart would tighten, making her extremely exhausted.

As usual, Mama Li came up to greet her. Seeing the faces of people, her heart sank. After attending to the exhausted Lu Minghua and helping her bathe, she pulled Xiao Xia aside and carefully asked what had happened during their trip back.

Xiao Xia obediently started from the beginning.

When she heard the people gossiping behind their backs, Mama Li’s face turned cold, scaring Xiao Xia into silence. With a glance, she signaled her to continue.

Xiao Xia then resumed her story. When she mentioned encountering Prince Changping on their way back, Mama Li was startled again.

“What? Is the young lady alright?” she hurriedly asked before Xiao Xia could continue. Seeing Xiao Xia shake her head, she felt slightly relieved, but her heart remained heavy.

Mama Li understood that Prince Changping’s inaction was simply because he believed her young lady couldn’t escape. She dismissed Xiao Xia and couldn’t help but sigh.

Her young lady only wanted to live a peaceful life, but why was it so difficult?

Inside, Lu Minghua finished her bath and came out, dressed in white inner garments, and sat in front of the dressing table to comb her hair.

The sandalwood comb, emitting a faint fragrance, glided down her black hair bit by bit. With each stroke, her eyes half-closed, her mind gradually calmed down.

The deliberately crafted hairpin lay on the dressing table, its sharp tip flashing a cold light under the afternoon sunlight that streamed into the room.

Mama Li was startled when she saw it.

“Miss,” she wanted to advise but didn’t know how to start. She swallowed her words and picked up a comb to help her comb her hair carefully.

In the gentle tremor of her hair, Lu Minghua completely calmed down.

It’s just a matter of life and death, she thought.

She opened her eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, and said, “Mama, help me tie it up. No need for a bun.”

Mama Li quickly responded, deftly helping her loosely tie her hair at the back of her head. Then, she took a white jade hairpin and pinned it up, hiding the chilling hairpin deep in the dressing table.

Lu Minghua saw it and couldn’t help but smile. She got up and called for dinner, then sat by the window, lost in thought.

Mama Li was worried about her appearance, fearing she might have some resolute thoughts again. She hurriedly spoke, “I heard rumors spreading in the capital. Do you have any clues, Miss?”

“Who else could do such a thing besides Lu Mingxi?” Lu Minghua smiled, not caring.

“That’s right,” Nanny Li thought the same and then asked, “Have you decided what to do, Miss?”

“Nothing needs to be done,” Lu Minghua said.

Mama Li was stunned, showing confusion.

“Right now, the ones who want this rumor to disappear the most are not me, but the Ningguo Marquis’ mansion,” Lu Minghua’s smile grew more intense, her eyes filled with sarcasm. She shook her head and said, “Lu Mingxi is just afraid she hasn’t exposed herself quickly enough.”

Mama Li was still confused, looking at her young lady, waiting for an answer.

Lu Minghua didn’t want to explain in detail, but seeing her like this, she had to continue, “My reputation is certainly not good, but Wei Yuntai is no better. If I really deceived him, others would only think he’s foolish. If not, then it means he’s acting improperly and trying to smear me.”

Hearing that Wei Yuntai would end up in such a situation, Mama Li’s eyes lit up.

“The best way is to calm this matter down, let no one talk about it, and over time, it will naturally be forgotten,” Lu Minghua said with a sneer. “But Lu Mingxi doesn’t know this, or rather, she wants people to know her innocence more than anything.”

“Fourth Miss has always been like this,” Mama Li frowned.

Most of the hardships her young lady had endured were because of her, yet she pretended to know nothing, just falling ill, coughing, and fainting, and Madam Qin naturally did as she wished.

“Yes, who would care about a frail and sickly woman?” Lu Minghua’s smile faded slightly.

The room fell silent.

Mama Li wanted to comfort her, but the past was already gone, and this matter had become a knot in her young lady’s heart. Saying anything was pointless. Fortunately, dinner was ready, so she busied herself with preparations.

After dinner, Lu Minghua got up to walk and digest her food. Suddenly, she thought, “Mama, where is my pipa?”

Mama Li quickly found it for her. It was a four-stringed pipa, black and yellow in color, with a peony delicately outlined in gold thread. It was understated yet elegant.

Lu Minghua took it, gently plucking a string. Even though it hadn’t been used for a long time, its sound was still crisp and bright. She couldn’t help but smile softly. Holding the pipa in her arms, she began to play, her fingers moving slowly at first, then gradually becoming more skilled. Finally, she played a lively tune.

‘The spring river flows into the sea, and the moon rises with the tide.’

It was a familiar melody, “Spring River Flower Moon Night.”

She played earnestly, her eyes lowered, gentle and joyful, as if her entire being was immersed in the beautiful scene painted by the music.

Mama Li watched from the side, her stern and cold face slowly relaxing into a gentle smile.

Her young lady had loved playing the pipa since she was a child. When the female tutor at home taught, she was the most serious. After only a few lessons, she could play smoothly. None of the other young ladies in the mansion could compare to her; even the tutor always praised her.

Lu Mingxi claimed she couldn’t stand the sound of the pipa, saying it made her dizzy. Madam Qin didn’t want to argue with the tutor, so she forbade her young lady from playing in the courtyard. After the tutor’s lessons, her young lady never played again. When the two young ladies of the main house got engaged, and the tutor left, her young lady never touched the pipa again.

Seeing her now picking up the pipa again, Mama Li was truly happy.

Her young lady could finally do what she liked.

After playing a piece without any mistakes, Lu Minghua smiled with satisfaction. Her good mood lasted through dinner and until she went to bed.