Chapter 16

The little maid who came to report the news was still in the room. Seeing this, she was startled and looked around helplessly, but Mama Li waved her away.

Lu Minghua slowly put down the teacup in her hand and looked at Lu Mingxi, who was kneeling on the ground. She blinked lightly, looking at her with some curiosity.

“Are you begging me?” she said with a half-smile, then laughed.

“Sister,” Lu Mingxi murmured, looking at her with tearful eyes full of pleading. She crawled forward on her knees, grabbed the hem of her skirt, and choked out, “Sister, please save Yuntai. Save him. Now, only you can save him.”

She looked sincere and anxious, and just by looking at her, one could feel her affection for the person she mentioned.

“What does Wei Yuntai have to do with me? Sister, you’re asking the wrong person. You should be asking the Marquis of Ningguo,” Lu Minghua said with a smile, looking down at Lu Mingxi.

“Sister,” Lu Mingxi couldn’t accept it and called her again, saying, “It was my fault before. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have seen him. I shouldn’t have fallen ill. Sister, if you want to blame someone, blame me. Please, please, save Yuntai. He is innocent.”

“Sister, I told you, I am powerless,” Lu Minghua said with a light laugh, glancing at Mama Li. “Mama, help Mingxi up. If she faints, Mother will blame me for not taking care of her.”

Mama Li hurried to help her, but Lu Mingxi refused to get up. She insisted on kneeling and continuing to plead.

Since she wouldn’t get up, Lu Minghua ignored her, pretending not to hear her words, and picked up her teacup again.

The woman sat calmly, while the woman who looked just like her knelt on the ground, begging bitterly, making her seem heartless—

Outside, the sound of maids greeting guests could be heard. Lu Minghua stood up and went out, her skirt brushing against the back of Lu Mingxi’s hand, leaving her behind without a care.

Mama Li quickly followed, and the two left, leaving Lu Mingxi alone, facing the empty chairs. It all seemed like a one-person show, with Lu Mingxi lowering her head, listening to the sounds outside, her fingers pressing into the ground turning white, and biting her teeth hard.

“Mother, Madam? What an honor to have such esteemed guests. But if you have something to say, you can just say it. Why come to my small courtyard?” Lu Minghua said, seemingly surprised, looking around her courtyard with a slight frown and appearing a bit embarrassed.

Her courtyard was not large, even small, and the location was not good. It was not only inferior to Lu Mingxi’s but also to Concubine Zhang, who had given birth to the eldest son.

Madam Sun felt a blockage in her chest, and she was unable to swallow or spit it out. Finally, she forced a smile and said, “Minghua, I came here to see you.”

Madam Qin also looked around. She had always thought it was normal—

Mingxi was sick and needed a better place to stay. Concubine Zhang was favored, and she couldn’t make decisions for the master. She had always thought this way. But now, facing the high and mighty Madam Sun, she felt flustered and instinctively glanced at her. Fortunately, Madam Sun didn’t react, and she inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

Madam Sun, preoccupied with her son, didn’t notice these details. She stepped forward to grab Lu Minghua’s hand, but whether intentionally or unintentionally, Lu Minghua stepped back.

With a smile on her lips, Lu Minghua invited the two into the house.

Madam Qin was about to speak when she saw her daughter kneeling there, about to collapse. She exclaimed and hurried over.

“Mingxi, what’s wrong? Get up, get up,” Madam Qin reached out to help, but Lu Mingxi shook her head and refused.

“This matter started because of me. It’s my fault. As long as sister forgives me, I’ll do anything,” Lu Mingxi said weakly.

“Minghua, you—” Madam Qin was angry and about to speak but was interrupted by Lu Minghua.

“Mother, don’t misunderstand. I don’t want Mingxi to kneel, but she insists, saying she won’t get up unless I agree,” Lu Minghua explained briefly. Seeing Madam Qin still wanting to speak, she added calmly, “Mother, you should help Mingxi up. If she falls ill, I can’t take responsibility.”

“Minghua,” Madam Qin called her helplessly and turned to help Lu Mingxi up.

“Mother, I won’t get up, I—” Lu Mingxi insisted, refusing to stand.

Lu Minghua pretended not to see and invited Madam Sun to sit down.

“Sorry to make you laugh, Madam,” she said.

On the ground, Lu Mingxi seemed to notice Madam Sun for the first time. Her eyelashes trembled, and she couldn’t help but glance at her before timidly looking away.

“Indeed,” Madam Sun agreed immediately.

Seeing that she seemed to dislike Lu Mingxi, Madam Qin worriedly glanced at her daughter, who was still kneeling, and tried to pull her up again.

“Sister, please, it’s all my fault. Save Yuntai. If you are willing to save him, I swear I will never see him again,” Lu Mingxi stubbornly clung to Lu Minghua’s skirt and pleaded again.

Madam Sun’s eyes flickered, thinking that if this sickly girl truly stopped seeing her son, it might not be a bad thing. She closed her mouth and sat aside, watching the drama unfold.

“Sister, how can you say that?” Lu Minghua sighed, squatting down and gently stroking Lu Mingxi’s cheek with a look of pity. “If Wei Yuntai knew, he would think I acted out of spite and deliberately broke up a pair of lovers. He would hate me and resent you even more. I don’t want to bear that blame.”

Madam Sun’s expression changed slightly; knowing her son’s temperament, it was indeed possible.

Lu Mingxi’s gaze towards Lu Minghua changed subtly, a flash of hatred passing through.

Madam Qin looked around helplessly, not understanding anything.

Lu Minghua knew her sister too well, understanding her intentions with just a few words. Seeing this, her smile grew, and she openly enjoyed Lu Mingxi’s discomfort.

“All these years, Wei Yuntai always thought I liked him and schemed against him. It really wronged me. I don’t like people like him. Just thinking that he might believe I love him deeply makes me…” Lu Minghua frowned, pressing her hand to her chest, and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, not finishing her sentence.

But everyone in the room understood her meaning.

Madam Sun’s face turned pale, and she couldn’t help but scold, “Lu Minghua!”

If she hadn’t remembered her purpose for coming, she might have scolded even more harshly. How could her son be so despised, especially by a woman he didn’t want?

Lu Mingxi lowered her head, still choking back tears, and called out, “Sister.”

“Sister, I returned to the residence yesterday. Why didn’t you come to see me last night?” Lu Minghua asked with a smile. “Mother said you were ill. What medicine worked so well that you recovered overnight? Be careful not to hurt yourself.”

“Yes, yes, Mingxi, did you take some medicine? Weren’t you still sick last night?” Madam Qin, her heart entirely focused on Lu Mingxi, didn’t catch the meaning behind Lu Minghua’s words and immediately asked.

“Mother, don’t worry. I’m fine. Thinking about Yuntai’s suffering, how could I lie down?” Lu Mingxi’s words quickly appeased Madam Qin. Glancing at Lu Minghua and Madam Sun, she felt a blockage in her heart and hid her anger.

Her plan was ruined. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to come last night, but with Madam Sun absent, what was the point? To come and be humiliated by Lu Minghua? With Madam Qin present, she could persuade her to make Lu Minghua agree, saving the effort.

“Madam, my sister’s heart is entirely with Young Master Wei. It seems good news is near for the Marquis’ residence. I congratulate you in advance,” Lu Minghua said with a smile to Madam Sun.

“Good news?” Madam Sun glanced coldly at Lu Mingxi on the ground and said, “My son, Yuntai, deserves a good wife. If he had to marry every girl who admired him, we wouldn’t be able to marry them all.”

Those words were too harsh, and Madam Qin’s face changed as she hurriedly said, “You can’t say that. Engagement and marriage should be based on mutual affection. Otherwise, otherwise,” she instinctively looked at Lu Minghua, the implication clear.

Madam Sun, who already disliked Lu Mingxi and needed something from Lu Minghua, said this. But she didn’t expect the mother to belittle one while praising the other, making her feel a bit sorry for Lu Minghua. But looking at Lu Minghua again, she seemed indifferent, even a bit relaxed, not at all heartbroken, clearly not caring. Madam Sun suddenly felt she was being ridiculous. Indeed, with such a mother, it wasn’t worth being heartbroken.

“Well, Madam Qin, I have something to discuss with Minghua. Why don’t you take your young lady and wait for a moment?” she said directly, not mentioning Lu Mingxi’s actions, clearly not taking them seriously.

“No, no, I haven’t gotten my sister’s agreement yet. Sister,” Lu Mingxi gritted her teeth and insisted. At this point, if she left, she would truly become a joke. It was better to persist to the end. Her face grew paler as she spoke, her body swayed, and her voice weakened.

Madam Sun watched coldly.

“Minghua, just agree with her. Just one word. Do you want your mother to kneel and beg you?” Anxious for her daughter, Madam Qin looked at Lu Minghua and said urgently.

“Mother, don’t say that. I can’t bear it,” Lu Minghua looked at Madam Qin. From the moment Lu Mingxi arrived, she had anticipated Madam Qin’s eventual attitude. Now that it was as she expected, she was surprised to find a sense of relief in her heart.

Her smile remained unchanged as she calmly explained, “But this is the Ningguo Marquis’ family matter. If I go rashly, it would be inappropriate and might cause gossip.”

“How could it? Minghua, this time, Aunt has no choice but to ask you. The Marquis thinks Yuntai wronged you, so he was harsh. Just say a word, that you agreed to the divorce, and it will be fine,” Madam Sun hurriedly said, seizing the opportunity.

“Not appropriate, not appropriate. Divorce is already controversial. If I go, people will think I still have feelings for Wei Yuntai. I really don’t want that,” Lu Minghua refused.

“Just say it was Aunt who asked you. I beg you, please go save him. He’s been confined for six days. I saw him yesterday, and he looked so worn. I can’t bear it, Minghua. If not for him, then for the years we’ve spent together. Aunt begs you to go to the Marquis and say a good word,” Madam Sun, usually so proud, couldn’t care about that now. Lu Minghua’s repeated refusals had left her anxious, and she had to lower herself to plead.

“This…” Lu Minghua finally showed some hesitation.

“Minghua,” Madam Sun held her hand.

“Madam, what if others ask?”

Madam Sun hesitated. Asking here was one thing, but letting others know she had to ask Lu Minghua was another. After a while, she looked at the small courtyard and said, “I have a hundred-acre estate outside the city. I’ll give it to you in exchange for a good word for Yuntai. How about it?”

“Alright.” Lu Minghua thought for a moment and agreed.

Madam Sun finally breathed a sigh of relief. The two settled the matter with a few words, leaving Madam Qin and Lu Mingxi aside.

Lu Mingxi’s hand in her sleeve clenched unconsciously. Madam Sun’s disdain for her and her soft plea to Lu Minghua made her feel incredibly humiliated. Why, why is it like this?

It shouldn’t be this way, but everything seemed to have changed ever since Lu Minghua and Wei Yuntai divorced.

Though inexplicably uncomfortable, Madam Qin couldn’t help but feel happy seeing Lu Minghua agree. She looked at Lu Mingxi, expecting to see her happy, but saw only a pale face and a slight pause in her expression.

Lu Minghua sipped her tea, her gaze sweeping over the mother and daughter on the ground, hiding the smile at the corner of her lips.

Though she had anticipated it, seeing this scene still made her— incredibly pleased.