Chapter 45

Her lower abdomen throbbed with pain as if something was about to fall out.

Lu Mingxi tried to endure it. Fortunately, her complexion had been pale recently, so no one noticed anything unusual.

Yuman attended to her carefully, not daring to get too close.

As her gaze fell on Yuman, Lu Mingxi’s expression changed.

Her? No, no, she wasn’t enough.

She needed to think more, to reconsider. Her mind raced as she scrutinized the concubine named Yuman, analyzing her carefully.

It was said that after being taken by the Madam Marquis, Yuman had insisted that she hadn’t sent those things, claiming it was the maid’s doing. Since then, the Madam Marquis had neglected her, not allowing her into Yining Courtyard.

Moreover, as a fellow concubine, could she really be content with Shuiyao being pregnant?

If it were Lu Mingxi, she certainly wouldn’t be content. Why should others have what she didn’t?! Judging others by herself, a thought gradually formed in her mind.

Yuman kept her head down, appearing respectful. She occasionally showed envy towards Shuiyao and a bit of cautiousness from being neglected.

Feeling Lu Mingxi’s gaze on her, Yuman’s thoughts stirred, and she became even more respectful.

Outside, a maid announced that Wei Yuntai had returned. He worked in the Ministry of Revenue, and it was the autumn tax season. Taxes from various provinces were being sent to the capital, and they had to be calculated, archived and reported to the emperor before the end of the year. It was a busy time, and he hadn’t slept for several days. Now, as he returned, his expression showed some fatigue.

“Yuntai.” Lu Mingxi got up to greet him, but he quickly walked over and helped her sit down.

Yuman’s eyes flashed with envy. She was about to leave when Lu Mingxi raised her hand to stop her, indicating that she should attend to Wei Yuntai.

Feeling a surge of joy, Yuman stepped forward, but Wei Yuntai waved her away. Her eyes dimmed, and she had no choice but to leave.

“Yuntai, in my current condition, I’m afraid… I’m afraid I won’t make it. Yuman is gentle and respectful towards me. If she could take care of you, I would be at ease,” Lu Mingxi said, her voice trembling.

Wei Yuntai looked at her sorrowful eyes and offered words of comfort, but he couldn’t help but wonder. Is this the real Mingxi?

Seeing him seemingly distracted, Lu Mingxi’s eyes turned cold. Although everything seemed the same as before, it was different. In the past, Wei Yuntai always cared for her, but now…

Even though Wei Yuntai refused, Lu Mingxi would still send Yuman over and push Wei Yuntai to her room. Although he often refused, he would occasionally go.

Day by day, Yuman spent more and more time in the main room.

Lu Mingxi occasionally sighed, feeling that she might not be able to keep her child.

Yuman would come to comfort her, and Lu Mingxi would look at her and say, “If you had a child, it would be good. You could name it after me, and it wouldn’t waste our time together.”

Such words moved Yuman. If she could have this blessing, her child might even inherit the marquisate in the future…

The condition was that Shuiyao’s highly valued eldest son could not be born.

One day, Lu Mingxi, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally, suggested that Yuman visit Shuiyao.

Yuman’s heart trembled, and she agreed. As she stepped outside, the evening glow was brilliant, rolling across the sky.

As the sky darkened and night fell, Yuman gritted her teeth and went to Wei Yuntai’s study, kneeling outside to request an audience.

This concubine had always been honest, and Wei Yuntai didn’t expect her to come to his study so abruptly.

First, he frowned, then called her in. After hearing her out, his smiling face suddenly turned serious.

“Do you know the consequences of slandering the main wife?” Wei Yuntai asked, staring intently at the woman kneeling before him.

“If I am falsely accusing, I am willing to accept any punishment. But… but…” Yuman began to cry in fear.

“I saw the way the lady looked at Shuiyao, and I was truly scared. She also said those things to me… To be honest, I saw my stepmother do the same thing at home, and later, my father’s favorite concubine lost her child…”

“Your Highness, I would rather be overthinking, but if there’s even a slight chance, I can’t bear the responsibility, so I had to come to you.”

With that, Yuman bowed to the ground.

Raising a child as one’s own, mentioning the regret that Shuiyao already had a child, and finally suggesting she go play with Shuiyao—

The concubine’s words echoed in Wei Yuntai’s ears, and his expression changed. He then remained silent for a moment. Such unsubstantiated claims shouldn’t have wasted his time, and he should have scolded her and ordered her to be taken away, but Wei Yuntai remained silent.

The study fell into a deathly silence.

Yuman lay prostrate on the ground, her sobs barely audible.

“I understand. You may leave,” Wei Yuntai said coldly.

Not receiving a clear answer, Yuman looked at him helplessly before reluctantly withdrawing. She walked through the paths back to her small courtyard in the Marquis’s residence. Once inside, she dismissed the servants and hid in her bed curtains, finally letting out a deep sigh of relief. She had gambled correctly; the heir indeed had suspicions about Lu Mingxi. Now, everything would be easier. Her fear was that he would cover his eyes and ears, refusing to see or hear, stubbornly holding onto his beliefs, ignoring any anomalies.

The high house, with lacquered pillars and windows covered with translucent paper—paper that ordinary scholars found hard to buy—was used only for windows. The masters of the Marquis’s residence used ten-gold-per-piece cicada wing silk. In addition, several maids attended to her, everything meticulously arranged far beyond what her original home could compare to.

Such wealth and luxury, no wonder people said that the splendor and riches could dazzle the eyes.

Did Yuman like it? Naturally, she did. Not to mention Lu Mingxi’s words about the future marquisate’s temptation. But compared to these, she liked something even more—

Madam Marquis had promised her that if she could make the heir see Lu Mingxi’s true face, she would be granted her freedom and establish her own household, and she would be sent to live elsewhere.

This was much better than staying at the Marquis’s residence and spending her life with a man who didn’t like her. Of course, the main thing was that in the vast Marquis’s residence, with the formidable Marquis and the scheming madam Marquis, none of them were easy to deal with. Compared to them, Lu Mingxi was still lacking. After all, she was just an unimportant consort. How credible could her words be?

Comparing the two, she naturally knew what to choose. For many years to come, that day would remain vivid and unforgettable for Yuman.

It was a crisp autumn day, and chrysanthemums bloomed in the courtyard. The Marquis’s residence was wealthy, and the gardener meticulously arranged all kinds of chrysanthemums.

Shuiyao was admiring the chrysanthemums with the maids’ help, deeply engrossed, when she saw Lu Mingxi approaching with a large entourage.

Startled, she bowed lightly and quickly retreated, not daring to get close.

Lu Mingxi glanced at her retreating figure, frowning slightly, but didn’t seem to care and continued strolling in the courtyard. Until she reached the spot where Shuiyao had been, she inexplicably twisted her ankle and fell, blood spreading under her skirt, shockingly red.

Yuman, who was attending to her, felt a jolt in her heart and lowered her head, finally realizing what was happening. Previously, she thought that whatever she did, others would suspect her first because of the last incident. But she didn’t expect that this time, it wasn’t about harming Shuiyao but framing her—

As a concubine who bore the eldest son, plotting against the main wife was a logical move, wasn’t it?

Maybe she didn’t initially plan this, but Madam Marquis protected Shuiyao too well, leaving no opportunity, forcing her to resort to this desperate measure.

Such a significant event caused chaos among those present.

The nanny hurriedly sent Lu Mingxi back to Chunshan Courtyard, called for a doctor, and summoned the heir.

During the chaos, the nanny from Yining Courtyard arrived with a group, swiftly taking everyone present and separating them. At the Ministry of Revenue, a servant rushed in while Wei Yuntai was checking accounts.

Seeing the servant, he listened to a few words, quickly asked his superior for leave, and left.

Behind him, the superior shook his head, and the colleagues murmured.

This year, Wei Yuntai’s family seemed to have constant issues. Thinking about the reason, they became more alert and somewhat mocking.

Abandoning a virtuous wife to marry a sickly woman, this was…

All the close servants were taken away, leaving only the Madam Marquis’s people. They took over Chunshan Courtyard, staying by Lu Mingxi’s side.

“Greetings, Heir.” Seeing Wei Yuntai striding back from afar, the maid outside hurriedly informed the nanny inside. The nanny came out, bowed, and explained the situation and her arrangements.

The person on the bed was pale, without a trace of blood, her usual gentle smile replaced by pain. Wei Yuntai should have felt pity, but seeing her, he remembered what Yuman had said that night.

He paused, closing his eyes briefly, “Nanny, there’s no need to trouble yourself, I—”

The nanny respectfully bowed her head, waiting for Wei Yuntai to finish. It must be investigated, as it was Madam Marquis’s order. She was thinking about how to persuade Wei Yuntai when she heard his strained voice.

Wei Yuntai hesitated, his lips trembling, unable to get the words out. Finally, he said, “I’ve had someone following her all along. We’ll know by asking.”

He called out to a corner, and an inconspicuous servant stepped forward.

The nanny’s eyes flashed with surprise.

“Tell me, what happened today?” Wei Yuntai asked the servant he had placed by Lu Mingxi’s side after Yuman’s warning, his voice inexplicably dry.

The servant bowed his head and recounted everything—

Today, the lady was in a good mood and wanted to walk in the garden. After going there, nothing happened, and she inexplicably fell.

It was a short and unremarkable account. However, according to the nanny’s report, Lu Mingxi’s nanny had said she tripped over a pearl.

The pearl was now with the nanny.

The nanny took it out, frowning slightly.

It was a fine pearl, a gift from the Madam Marquis to Shuiyao when she was pregnant. She had used it to make a set of head ornaments, which she happened to wear today.

“What is this about?” Wei Yuntai asked.

The servant looked up carefully and confirmed, “I didn’t see this pearl at all.”

Wei Yuntai’s expression immediately turned cold. The meaning of these words was so clear that he couldn’t find an excuse for Lu Mingxi.

The nanny quietly called someone to find and strictly interrogate the nanny who had produced the pearl.

In the evening, Lu Mingxi had not yet woken up.

The doctor said that this miscarriage had severely damaged her vitality, and she might never be able to conceive again. Not only that, but the health she had painstakingly regained was also damaged, and she would need to be extremely careful in the future, or she might fall seriously ill.

Wei Yuntai looked at her for a while, memories of the past and present intertwining before his eyes, still filled with doubt.

How had the once fragile and pure person become like this? Had he never truly seen her, or had time and circumstances changed her heart?

Returning to his study, the poem from their first meeting was still written in his most-read book.

Just opening it, he could see it.

The poem remained the same, but the person had become so unfamiliar.

He sat quietly for half the night, feeling empty and unable to think of anything.

On the third afternoon, Lu Mingxi finally woke up, her eyes opening in confusion, only to see Wei Yuntai’s expressionless face.

Looking at the person on the bed, the nanny’s report from the interrogation echoed in Wei Yuntai’s ears.

“Lu Mingxi, tell me, where is the maid named Cui Zhi?” Wei Yuntai asked directly.

Lu Mingxi’s eyes widened, her pupils trembling.

Such obvious guilt and panic made Wei Yuntai’s heart sink to the bottom.

*

“You can name it,” Yan Yuanhua said, holding a white horse and indicating Lu Minghua to pet it.

Lu Minghua hesitated, but under Yan Yuanhua’s encouraging smile, she reached out and gently touched the horse’s mane.

It was slightly coarse but very smooth, and its spotless hooves showed it had been well cared for. The horse had a good temperament. After she petted it, it just turned its head and snorted softly, its big eyes showing a gentle expression.

“Does it not have a name?” Lu Minghua asked.

“It’s only three years old. You’re its first owner, so you should name it.”

“Owner, for me?” Lu Minghua was surprised. Wasn’t she supposed to practice first?

The reason for riding a horse stemmed from their previous daily walks in the mountains. While Yan Yuanhua was fine, Lu Minghua couldn’t handle it and felt sore all over after a few days, not wanting to move.

Yan Yuanhua felt very guilty for not noticing and promised to teach her to ride a horse after she rested for a few days.

And so, here they were today.

“You can’t keep changing horses for practice; you need to build a rapport,” Yan Yuanhua explained, sharing his experience. “This horse’s parents were excellent warhorses, but it has a gentle temperament, perfect for you.”

Although it was just a few words, Lu Minghua could sense the thoughtfulness behind them, and her heart was gently moved. After thinking for a moment, she decided not to refuse.

“But I don’t know what to name it,” she said, unable to come up with anything.

“Then take your time to think about it. For now, let’s practice mounting the horse, shall we?” Yan Yuanhua suggested.

Lu Minghua was curious but also a bit worried.

“I don’t think I can get on,” she said, looking at the tall horse. She had never paid attention to such things before and didn’t know what to do. Instinctively, she looked at Yan Yuanhua, her eyes unconsciously pleading.

Seeing this, Yan Yuanhua’s heart trembled, unable to resist. He quickly took charge, saying he would handle it.

After carefully explaining for a while, Lu Minghua finally understood how to mount the horse. But as she stepped into the stirrup and felt the gentle sway, she couldn’t muster the strength to get on, blushing with embarrassment.

“Shall I help you?” Yan Yuanhua asked, his jaw tightening as he finally spoke the words.

He extended his hand, looking at Lu Minghua.

“Minghua, come, I’ll help you,” he said again.

Author’s Note:

The last two sentences show how the young prince gradually becomes bolder, haha.