Chapter 61

The incident happened very suddenly. The carriage was forced to stop, and all the guards were intercepted.

Lu Minghua frowned at the sight of those strong and tall guards.

Such people were not something an ordinary family could afford. She quickly closed her eyes to focus and carefully observed.

“Lu Minghua,” the owner of the nearby carriage called her.

“Young Master Ning? Why did you stop my carriage?” Lu Minghua recognized him as a notorious playboy in the capital, the illegitimate eldest son of the Duke of Anguo’s residence.

“Naturally, I have something to say to you.” Seeing her act as if she didn’t recognize him, Ning Yunchan found it amusing. He liked these women who pretended to be more dignified and knowledgeable than anyone else, only to reveal their true selves in front of him. This was much more interesting than the brothel women who made a living by selling smiles.

Knowing that these noblewomen valued their reputation, they wouldn’t dare to get close to him even if they liked him. Ning Yunchan, feeling considerate, had his guards drive away Lu Minghua’s carriage driver and ordered them to head to a secluded courtyard he had prepared.

Knowing how much he was hated in the capital, Ning Yunchan brought over a dozen guards, leaving Lu Minghua and her entourage with no choice but to follow.

Lu Minghua was increasingly puzzled by his vague words but knew he meant no good. She raised her hand and gently drew out a hairpin hidden deep in her hair. She never dared to be without it.

Turning into a small alley, the carriage entered a quiet courtyard.

Several guards, caught in the middle, glanced at each other. They were outnumbered and prepared to seize Ning Yunchan at the right moment. On the street, Ning Yunchan had stayed in the carriage, giving them no opportunity. Here, it was different.

But Ning Yunchan was cautious. As soon as they arrived, he ordered his men to watch them closely, leaving only Lu Minghua to enter.

The guards grew anxious. That was the Prince’s beloved. If anything happened to her under their watch, it would be disastrous.

The courtyard gate closed with a bang, and Lu Minghua’s heart tightened.

“Minghua, come down quickly,” Ning Yunchan called warmly.

He acted as if they were familiar, and Lu Minghua’s mind raced, suddenly suspecting something.

“I don’t seem to know you, Young Master Ning,” she said calmly.

“Minghua, there’s no one here. You can relax,” thinking she was afraid of being seen, Ning Yunchan, always considerate of young ladies, smiled.

“Young Master Ning, I said I don’t know you,” Lu Minghua’s suspicion grew, and she closed her eyes briefly, anger boiling inside.

Lu Mingxi!

“Don’t know me? Have you forgotten that day at the Marquis of Shangyang’s residence when we…”

“I said, Young Master Ning, you have mistaken me for someone else. That day, I was chatting with the young ladies and never saw you. The person you’re talking about must be my twin sister, Lu Mingxi,” Lu Minghua interrupted coldly, not wanting to hear his lewd words.

“She is in poor health, more delicate and pale than most people. If you look closely, Young Master Ning, you should be able to tell the difference,” she said in one breath.

Outside, Ning Yunchan thought for a moment and realized it was true. He frowned, annoyed that he had been deceived by that little girl, but looking at the person sitting in the carriage who hadn’t come out yet, he was delighted.

This truly dignified and self-possessed young lady was much better than Lu Mingxi, who secretly flirted with him.

Not to mention, this one matters more to Wei Yuntai.

Speaking of which, Ning Yunchan didn’t have much of a grudge against Wei Yuntai, but everyone praised Wei Yuntai’s achievements. Even with his recent scandals, people just sighed and hoped he would find his way back.

They were doing the same things, and Wei Yuntai was even more outrageous. He hadn’t played with two sisters, so why did people only criticize him and not Wei Yuntai?

“I see, but I didn’t look closely at the time.” Ning Yunchan suddenly lifted the carriage curtain, wanting to enter, and smiled, “Why don’t you let me take a good look, Minghua, to tell the difference?”

Lu Minghua was startled and instinctively wanted to hide, but where could she hide in the carriage?

“Yes, indeed different. Minghua, you look much better than your sister,” Ning Yunchan praised. He hadn’t looked closely before, but although they had the same appearance, Lu Minghua’s eyes were clear and elegant, unlike the timid Lu Mingxi.

As he spoke, he leaned towards Lu Minghua, reaching out his hand.

“Young Master Ning, please behave yourself,” Lu Minghua reminded coldly, looking at Ning Yunchan expressionlessly. Her hand gripped the hairpin in her sleeve so tightly that her arm felt stiff. She suddenly regretted not getting out earlier. Now, there was nowhere to hide.

“Behave? Love between men and women is natural. I’m just following the words of the sages,” Ning Yunchan laughed indifferently, finally reaching Lu Minghua and trying to touch her face.

Lu Minghua turned her head to avoid him.

Her aloof demeanor made Ning Yunchan even more eager. He lunged forward, trying to pull her into his arms. But the next second, a sharp pain pierced his chest, and he let out a howl.

Looking down hurriedly, he saw a hand holding a hairpin being pulled out, warmth spreading from the wound, making him both panicked and furious.

“You wretch!” he shouted, clutching his chest and glaring at Lu Minghua, raising his hand to strike her face.

Lu Minghua, holding the hairpin, her hand stained with warm, slippery blood, gritted her teeth and stabbed at Ning Yunchan’s arm again.

Ning Yunchan dodged, but being a man, he soon grabbed Lu Minghua’s arm, seeing her holding the hairpin, unable to move. He sneered coldly. He had intended to be gentle, but since she didn’t appreciate it, he wouldn’t be polite.

A daughter of an earl’s family, being slept with by him, was her fortune.

He raised his hand to tear Lu Minghua’s clothes, but unexpectedly, she lifted her other hand and stabbed again. This crazy woman, how many hairpins did she have?

He dodged, and Lu Minghua, without hesitation, stabbed at the hand holding her wrist.

Ning Yunchan immediately let go, gritting his teeth and glaring at Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua, holding the hairpin, felt her whole body trembling, but she couldn’t show it, staring back at him.

They were at a stalemate.

“Hmph.” Ning Yunchan sneered, turning to get out of the carriage to deal with his wound. This courtyard was full of his people; where could Lu Minghua run?

Just then, the door was kicked open with a bang. Startled, Ning Yunchan looked over and saw a black figure rushing in. Before he could see clearly, he was kicked in the chest and sent flying. The intense pain made him fall to the ground, his vision darkening. Before he could recover, someone grabbed his arm and dragged him out. His face scraped painfully against the ground, but it brought him back to his senses. Looking up desperately, his heart sank. His men were all tied up on the ground, and several people stood in the courtyard, looking at him as if he were a dead man.

“Who, who are you? Do you know who I am? I’m the eldest son of the Duke of Anguo’s residence. Let me go!” he shouted in panic.

“Behave yourself,” a guard sneered, kicking him.

“The Duke of Anguo? Even the King of Heaven can’t save you now.”

Ning Yunchan’s heart sank. Though arrogant, he knew the situation was dire.

Just then, there was a commotion outside, and someone pushed the door open, looking at the scene in the courtyard in shock.

“Why is Heir Wei here?”

Ning Yunchan was initially startled but then relieved, thinking that with Wei Yuntai present, these people wouldn’t dare to kill him. He heard the person stepping on him speak calmly, almost lazily. Even more terrifying was that Wei Yuntai’s expression remained unchanged, not surprised at all. His heart sank further.

“Guard Zhao, is the Prince inside?” Wei Yuntai asked, nodding slightly at Zhao Shiyi, who was stepping on Ning Yunchan.

Zhao Shiyi nodded.

Prince?

“What Prince?” Ning Yunchan asked in his fright.

“Naturally, it’s our Prince Rui,” Zhao Shiyi glanced at him, already contemplating his fate.

Ning Yunchan’s heart turned cold.

Prince Rui and Lu Minghua? He thought in disbelief, what kind of woman didn’t Prince Rui have, and how did he get involved with Lu Minghua?

“The Prince will handle Miss Lu’s matter. Heir Wei, please leave,” Zhao Shiyi began to dismiss him.

Their Prince was surely thinking of ways to appease Miss Lu, so why keep Wei Yuntai around to interfere?

“No matter, I’ll wait for Minghua to come out,” Wei Yuntai said, his face pale, smiling lightly.

Why bother, and besides—

“Heir Wei, you should address her as Miss Lu,” Zhao Shiyi reminded.

Wei Yuntai’s expression trembled slightly, and he lowered his eyes. His voice was so light it seemed it could be blown away by the wind, and he said, “Yes, thank you for the reminder, Guard Zhao.”

After that, Zhao Shiyi didn’t bother to speak further. Tired of stepping on Ning Yunchan, he kicked him unconscious and found a place to sit, waiting for the people inside to come out.

The courtyard fell silent, and Wei Yuntai stood there, staring blankly at the courtyard.

So close, yet so far.

Yan Yuanhua lifted the curtain and met Lu Minghua’s wary, sharp gaze. He looked down and saw her blood-stained hand tightly gripping a hairpin. Without speaking, he stepped forward, knelt down, and gently pried open her hand, taking the blood-stained hairpin. He used a handkerchief to wipe the blood from her hand carefully.

The memory of the Lantern Festival was vivid; he remembered Lu Minghua’s aversion to blood. The sticky, nauseating feeling gradually faded, and her fingers became clean again. The damp handkerchief wiped gently, and Lu Minghua’s stiff arm slowly relaxed.

After cleaning her hand, the handkerchief was mostly red. Yan Yuanhua tossed it aside, dipped a corner in tea, and continued wiping her hand.

The black corner, woven with gold thread, was still smooth and soft. Lu Minghua looked down at his focused actions, wanting to smile, but tears fell instead. He was truly good to her, but why did he have to be who he was?

She wanted to be happy, but thinking of his status, she felt only bitterness.

Tears fell, landing on Yan Yuanhua’s hand. The tears were warm, but he felt them scorching, burning his heart.

Finally, her hand was clean. Yan Yuanhua stood up, but Lu Minghua stopped him.

“What happened to your hand?” she asked softly, seeing the wound on his palm.

“I accidentally pricked it.”

It was clearly not an accident.

Lu Minghua took out a handkerchief, carefully wrapped his hand, and advised, “See a doctor later.”

Such care and thoughtfulness made Yan Yuanhua wish it could always be like this. He agreed and pulled her into his arms.

Lu Minghua didn’t resist, leaning gently against him.

The embrace was warm and broad, seemingly able to shield her from all storms, but she felt like a thief, taking what wasn’t hers.

“Minghua,” feeling her breathing steady, Yan Yuanhua spoke softly, with a hint of confusion, “You had the courage to act, so why not try marrying me?”

“Is marrying me more dangerous than this?” he added with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

How could it be the same? She acted to protect herself and eliminate the threat to her. But marrying him was a threat to her stable life. Lu Minghua thought but didn’t speak.

Yan Yuanhua wanted to say more, but she softly said, “I’m tired. Please don’t talk, okay?”

She was exhausted and just wanted to find a place to sleep deeply. She had no energy to discuss these things with Yan Yuanhua now.

Yan Yuanhua had to keep quiet, feeling the warmth in his arms, gradually becoming addicted.

Lu Minghua closed her eyes, thinking she just needed a little rest.

Unknowingly, she fell asleep.

The relaxation after the tension made her quickly sink into a dream, and the presence of the person beside her made her feel at ease. When she opened her eyes again, she saw a dimly lit room and couldn’t tell what time it was.

Turning her head, she saw Yan Yuanhua sitting by the bed, with a corner of his sleeve held in her hand. Her fingers trembled, and Lu Minghua gently let go, sitting up.

“Minghua,” Yan Yuanhua woke up instantly, instinctively grabbing her arm as if she would disappear the next moment.

“How long did I sleep?” Lu Minghua didn’t rush to pull away, asking softly first.

“Don’t worry, it’s still early, about an hour,” Yan Yuanhua said, knowing her concerns.

“I should go back,” Lu Minghua said, firmly pulling her arm back, smiling lightly, “Thank you, Your Highness, for coming to my rescue this time. I am weak and unable to repay you, but I will remember it in my heart.”

“Minghua,” Yan Yuanhua called out heavily, not wanting to see her speak like this.

“Call me Ji’an,” he said.

Lu Minghua didn’t respond to this, bowed slightly, said goodbye, and turned to leave.

He had known she was stubborn, but now that this stubbornness was directed at him, Yan Yuanhua realized how helpless it made him feel. He stepped forward, following closely behind Lu Minghua.

In the past, Lu Minghua found it amusing, thinking he was like Ping An, but now, it only brought her sorrow. She felt as if she had suddenly become prone to tears. Otherwise, why did she feel like crying again?

They hadn’t gone far; they were still in the courtyard. After stepping outside, Lu Minghua saw the maids waiting outside. They breathed a sigh of relief and quickly surrounded her, asking questions one after another.

“I’m fine. Nothing happened. Go find a carriage; we should go back,” Lu Minghua said calmly, showing no signs of her previous panic.

Even when she saw Wei Yuntai, she only glanced at him briefly before looking away.

The maids obeyed and quickly called a guard to fetch a carriage.

“Minghua,” Yan Yuanhua called out, feeling completely ignored.

Lu Minghua didn’t want to pay attention to him. Unable to love, unable to hate, she appeared calm but was actually in turmoil. Her thoughts were scattered, and she felt exhausted.

“Minghua.” Yan Yuanhua didn’t give up. She ignored him, so he kept calling her.

The more he called, the more irritated and confused Lu Minghua became. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore and snapped, “Stop calling me. I can hear you.”

“If you don’t respond, I’ll keep calling,” Yan Yuanhua said seriously.

Lu Minghua remained silent, pretending not to hear.

Yan Yuanhua continued calling her.

The maids watched quietly, hoping Young Master Yuan could quickly appease their young lady. Everything had been fine before, so why had it come to this?

Wei Yuntai stood there, stunned, never imagining that Prince Rui would act like this in front of Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua had never scolded him like that before. He didn’t feel happy; instead, he felt a heavy weight in his heart because of what it meant.

“Miss Lu, I’m glad you’re okay,” he said softly after a while, stepping forward.

His words were interrupted, and Yan Yuanhua’s eyes darkened as he looked at him.

“Thank you for your concern, Heir Wei, but as I said, my matters are none of your business,” Lu Minghua said, in a bad mood and not bothering to maintain etiquette. “Seeing you only makes me feel annoyed. If you truly feel sorry for me, then please stay away. I never want to see you again.”

She had never said such hurtful words before, but she felt a sense of relief after saying them.

Lu Minghua was thoroughly fed up with Wei Yuntai’s guilty, patient, and inexplicably affectionate demeanor. It was too late; she no longer cared.

Wei Yuntai stared at her, the annoyance in her eyes so genuine, with no trace of affection—

Inexplicably, he remembered earlier when Lu Minghua was also impatient, but when Prince Rui spoke, she still subconsciously paused. His heart ached as if he had swallowed bitter herbs or been pricked by needles. Wei Yuntai could hardly breathe, his face turning pale.

“Minghua, I just want to make it up to you.” He had made too many mistakes and didn’t dare hope for Lu Minghua’s forgiveness. He just wanted to protect her and make her life smoother.

And to see her more often.

The dreams, clearer each night, reminded him daily of how absurdly wrong he had been.

“Then stay away from me, and don’t let me see you again,” Lu Minghua said coldly, her expression indifferent.

Whether his guilt was real or fake, she no longer cared. All that remained was annoyance.

Wei Yuntai was speechless.

Yan Yuanhua felt somewhat relieved, but his heart sank again when he saw Lu Minghua still ignoring him. He would rather Minghua argue with him than this.

“By the way, this time it was my fault,” Wei Yuntai said carefully, trying to compose himself.

Lu Minghua and Yan Yuanhua immediately looked at him.

Wei Yuntai explained what he had done before, smiling bitterly, “I found out that Lu Mingxi had used your name and discovered your whereabouts today, leading him here. My men saw them coming and going but didn’t think much of it. I didn’t expect…”

He didn’t expect Ning Yunchan to come looking for Lu Minghua. By the time he received the message and rushed over, it was already too late. Fortunately, Prince Rui’s demeanor seemed to indicate that everything was fine.

“It was my fault. Please forgive me, Miss Lu,” Wei Yuntai said, feeling even more guilty, not expecting Lu Mingxi to do such a thing.

He thought he was helping Lu Minghua, but he still caused her trouble in the end.

Yan Yuanhua also felt regretful. His subordinates had made the same mistake, seeing Lu Mingxi and Ning Yunchan together without thinking much of it. By the time they realized, it was already too late.

“It’s alright. The one with ill intentions wasn’t you, Heir Wei,” Lu Minghua said calmly, not blaming him but thinking about how to resolve the matter.

Lu Mingxi had targeted her before, but never with such malice. Now, she seemed almost deranged. If this continued, there would surely be more trouble ahead.

“Minghua, leave it to me,” Yan Yuanhua said softly.

Lu Minghua glanced at him but said nothing. Although she had refused, he might not have listened to her anyway, so she didn’t bother.

Not knowing her thoughts, Yan Yuanhua was pleased that she didn’t refuse.

Soon, the carriage arrived, and Lu Minghua immediately took her leave. The courtyard was left with only Yan Yuanhua and Wei Yuntai. Wei Yuntai was about to leave when he saw Yan Yuanhua stride away, his face no longer showing the gentle smile he had for Lu Minghua.

“Wei Yuntai, stay away from Minghua. Don’t let me see you near her again.”

With that cold remark, Wei Yuntai’s face turned bitter.

The trip had been harrowing. As soon as Lu Minghua got into the carriage, she collapsed, exhausted. She was so tired she didn’t even want to get up. But she still had to get up when the carriage arrived at the Earl’s residence.

She had been out for too long, and Madam Yuan had been waiting for her. Seeing her enter the room, Madam Yuan’s initial joy quickly turned to concern. Although Lu Minghua’s expression seemed normal, a careful observer could see the forced nature of her smile. Moreover, she was usually calm and composed. When she left, she was fine, but now her hair and clothes were slightly disheveled. Looking at the maids, Madam Yuan was even more certain that something had happened during her outing.

“Minghua, come here. What happened? Let me see,” Madam Yuan said, pulling her over before she could even greet her properly, scrutinizing her.

Lu Minghua was slightly stunned. Was it that easy to see?

She hadn’t planned to hide it. Today’s incident wasn’t over, and it was better for her parents to hear it from her than from someone else.

“Mother, can you call Father over? I have something to say,” Lu Minghua finally stopped smiling and said softly.

Without a word, Madam Yuan immediately sent someone to fetch Lu Chengwen. After dismissing the servants, Lu Minghua hesitated for a moment, not mentioning Yan Yuanhua, and recounted the encounter with Ning Yunchan.

Both of them immediately frowned.

“Bang!” Madam Yuan slapped the table, causing the teacup to jump. She gritted her teeth and said, “Has Lu Mingxi gone mad? What good does this do her? Hurting Minghua, does she think it will make her life better?”

Lu Chengwen didn’t rush to speak. He sat there, thinking about how Lu Chengsong had helped Lu Mingxi before. He remembered that the guards around Minghua were quite capable. It was unlikely that Lu Mingxi alone could track her movements.

Lu Minghua lowered her eyes, her thoughts drifting. Ning Yunchan was still in Yan Yuanhua’s hands, and she didn’t know what he would do.

Yan Yuanhua acted decisively. He took Ning Yunchan to the Duke of Anguo’s residence and, in front of the Duke, had Ning Yunchan’s limbs crushed.

Amidst the agonizing screams, the Duke of Anguo, Ning Sitang, looked stiff. Hearing Ning Yunchan call out for his father, he first looked at Yan Yuanhua and cautiously asked, “Your Highness, what did my son do to offend you?”

Most people remember Yan Yuanhua for his great achievements in guarding the border and pacifying the northern barbarians, but the nobles remember him more for his difficult nature. As the youngest son of the late emperor, with elder brothers and a high-ranking mother, this young Prince grew up domineering. Many tried to provoke him, hoping to see a conflict between brothers, but his carefree and flamboyant nature meant he never cared. He would even go directly to the late emperor to complain, causing trouble for many families.

The Duke of Anguo remembered this well.

Of course, the most important thing was that although Yan Yuanhua was domineering, he never caused trouble without reason. If he took action, there was always a cause.

“Because he deserved it,” Yan Yuanhua said, leaving it at that.

Ning Sitang’s face twitched, but he held back his anger, pretending not to see or hear anything, and invited Yan Yuanhua for tea.

Watching the tea, Yan Yuanhua accepted it.

Ning Sitang felt slightly relieved, thinking he hadn’t completely offended him, but then saw Yan Yuanhua stand up, slowly pour the tea over Ning Yunchan’s head, and leave with a curse.

The guards quickly followed, leaving the Duke of Anguo’s residence in a domineering manner.

Ning Sitang, with a forced smile, saw them off. When he returned, Ning Yunchan had already been taken care of by the steward. Ignoring him, Ning Sitang called the guards to find out what had happened.

After hearing the story, his anger dissipated. Intercepting someone was one thing, but intercepting Yan Yuanhua’s beloved was another.

Ning Sitang felt that Ning Yunchan was lucky to be left alive.

The steward reported Ning Yunchan’s injuries: all his limbs were crushed. The doctor said that even if they healed, they would likely be uneven, and he might never lift heavy objects again. Though Ning Sitang felt some pity for his son, his concern for the family outweighed it. After some thought, he ordered a carriage to take Ning Yunchan to the countryside, not even allowing him to stay in the residence overnight. He had plenty of sons, but the most important thing now was to calm Prince Rui’s anger and ensure he didn’t hold a grudge against the Duke’s residence.

The servants busied themselves loading Ning Yunchan onto the carriage, preparing to leave the city.

Outside, as the carriage departed, the guards leisurely approached and conveyed Yan Yuanhua’s later message.

“Have my son take Lu Mingxi as a concubine?” Ning Sitang asked in surprise. Wasn’t she the one Wei Yuntai from the Marquis of Ningguo’s residence had divorced? How did she get involved with his son?

“The Duke might want to ask the eldest son’s attendants. I’ll be going now. By the way, the Prince said the sooner, the better, preferably within the next two days.”

Ning Sitang’s face twitched. After the guards left, he sighed and ordered Ning Yunchan to be brought back. With his bones already broken, this back-and-forth only added to his suffering.

He spent half the day questioning people. The guards didn’t know the details, thinking Ning Yunchan had acted on a whim, but the servants who followed him knew about his dealings with Lu Mingxi.

“Wretched maid causing trouble!” Ning Sitang finally understood the situation and angrily exclaimed, realizing why the Marquis of Ningguo had divorced her.

Despite his anger, he still sent people to the Wen’an Earl’s residence the next day, preparing to follow Yan Yuanhua’s instructions.

When the people from the Duke’s residence arrived, Lu Chengwen was in the ancestral hall.

Following the decisive adoption of Lu Minghua last time, this time, he intended to separate the second house, and naturally, the third house, which was illegitimate, was no exception. However, the third house’s people were not in the capital, having gone with Lu Chengzhang to his post, so he only needed to send a letter.

Lu Chengsong was unwilling, but he couldn’t oppose Lu Chengwen’s decision. The clan elders were somewhat surprised, but since it was the Wen’an Earl’s family matter and it was customary to separate the family after the elders passed away, they had no objections.

After waiting for half a day, the people from the Duke’s residence were finally led in.

Learning their identity, Lu Chengsong was surprised and confused. Even if the matter was settled, they shouldn’t have come to him. After sitting down and inquiring, he understood the situation and was delighted, agreeing without hesitation.

Lu Mingxi had already been divorced and was unable to find a new marriage. The fact that the Duke of Anguo’s residence was willing to take her as a concubine was considered a good thing.