Chapter 24

“Thank you, Miss,” Yan Yuanhua said directly, smiling and cupping his hands in a gesture of respect.

“Oh, no need for that,” Lu Minghua, who had seen his casual demeanor many times, was still surprised and quickly stepped aside.

Yan Yuanhua raised his eyebrows, smiled at Lu Minghua, and said casually, “It’s just a joke; there’s no need to be so formal.”

Lu Minghua smiled helplessly.

The two walked back, one in front of the other, chatting as they went, and before they knew it, they had reached a place.

Several maidservants behind them exchanged glances, wondering if the two were too close, but seeing the calm and composed manner of the two in front, they thought they might be overthinking it.

“The day after tomorrow is the Qingming Festival; I need to go home. What about you, Miss Lu?” Yan Yuanhua asked.

“I am a woman who has divorced and returned home. Ancestor worship is not my responsibility, so I won’t go back.”

In fact, a few days ago, someone from the Wen’an Earl’s Mansion came to call her, but Lu Minghua refused. She didn’t want to see those two people at all.

Yan Yuanhua nodded in agreement. His subordinates reported that Lu Chengwen’s injuries had just healed in the past few days, and he had started associating with Prince Changping again. Who knows what they are plotting?

It was best for Lu Minghua not to go back. Feeling slightly relieved, he changed the subject with a smile.

“Do you need me to bring anything?”

Lu Minghua shook her head and smiled, “The servants at home go back and forth every day. There’s no need to trouble you, sir.”

As they chatted, they unknowingly reached the courtyard gate.

“I will return to the capital in a few days. Zhao Shiyi will stay behind. If there is any inconvenience for your family of women, you can send someone to find him.” Yan Yuanhua glanced at Lu Minghua’s slender figure and advised with some concern.

“Then I will thank you in advance, Young Master Yuan.” Lu Minghua had no such intention, but since it was Yan Yuanhua’s kind offer, she did not refuse.

The two parted ways and Lu Minghua returned, only to encounter someone sent by her uncle again.

“Third, Miss Master has instructed everyone to go to ancestor worship this time to comfort the ancestors. Since you have returned home, you should also go to pay respects.”

“Did my uncle send you to call me?” Lu Minghua was a bit surprised.

Previously, her aunt had sent the people who came, and they didn’t seem to care much, so she directly refused. But now that her uncle had spoken, she had to seriously consider it.

“Yes. Master learned that you hadn’t returned, so he specifically sent this old servant.”

Lu Minghua immediately frowned.

Filial piety has been valued since ancient times. For such an important event as ancestor worship, it was acceptable when she was married, but now that she is staying home, she should not refuse under any circumstances. Moreover, she understood her uncle’s intention. The collateral branches would also attend, and there might be criticism if she did not appear. After hesitating for a while, she finally agreed.

The servant breathed a sigh of relief and then withdrew to rest under Mama Li’s arrangements.

Inside the house, Lu Minghua remained silent for a while. The thought of returning to that home gradually dissipated her happiness, leaving her with nothing but emptiness.

“Miss,” Mama Li returned and, seeing her like this, couldn’t help but worry.

“Mama, I don’t want to go back,” Lu Minghua said softly, looking at her with a sigh, feeling downcast and unable to be happy.

Mama Li felt heartache but understood that the uncle’s consideration was correct. If the young lady did not return, those people might think she was not on good terms with the uncle’s family, which would not be good for her.

After thinking it over, she changed the topic, “Just now, Steward Zhao from next door came to visit, saying that Young Master Yuan instructed that if there is anything in the next two days, you can go to him. Since you are going back, should I go and tell him it’s not necessary?”

Hearing this, Lu Minghua’s expression softened. Even though he had already told her once, he still had Steward Zhao come again.

Young Master Yuan…

Feeling touched, Lu Minghua finally showed a hint of a smile. With no relatives or reasons, this kindness seemed even more precious.

Next door, Zhao Shiyi went to report to Yan Yuanhua that he had already visited the neighboring house.

Yan Yuanhua nodded and continued reading the military book that Lu Minghua had given him. It was indeed rare, and he had only heard about it. These days, he had been reading it over and over again, finding more and more interesting points each time.

Seeing that there were no further instructions, Zhao Shiyi withdrew. As soon as he stepped out, he received a letter from Mama Li and quickly returned.

“She wants to go back?” Yan Yuanhua put down the book and frowned.

Zhao Shiyi nodded silently, feeling very sympathetic towards Miss Lu. Born into such a family, knowing it was a quagmire, yet bound by familial ties, it was hard to escape. Previously, he thought it was all too coincidental and might have been a calculated move, but after a thorough investigation, he found out it was all true.

Moreover, what he discovered was far more than he knew. Favoritism towards a younger sister, entanglements between her husband and her sister, her biological mother begging her to divorce—there were so many issues. Even he couldn’t help but feel it was tragic.

That Wei Yuntai, who was supposed to be a gentleman, couldn’t even compare to a finger of their prince.

“How is the investigation on Prince Changping?” Yan Yuanhua asked.

Zhao Shiyi paused and then made a bitter face, saying, “This prince, apart from being lecherous, hasn’t done anything else.”

Yan Yuanhua frowned, “Nothing at all?”

“I investigated. All his beauties have clear backgrounds. They are either willing, agreed by their families, or given as gifts. Indeed, there is nothing else.” Otherwise, this old prince wouldn’t have lived so peacefully to this age.

It seemed that Miss Lu belonged to the second category.

“Then keep an eye on him,” Yan Yuanhua said to Zhao Shiyi in a deep voice.

Zhao Shiyi straightened up and immediately agreed.

The next morning, Lu Minghua was preparing to leave, only to see Yan Yuanhua’s carriage slowly leaving the mansion as well. She couldn’t help but lift the curtain to take a look, just in time to see him looking out from the carriage window.

“Since we’re both heading to the capital, why not travel together?” Yan Yuanhua leaned lazily against the window and said with a smile.

“If that’s the case, I’m afraid it will be a grievance for your horse,” Lu Minghua said with a smile, glancing at the horse, which was obviously more majestic than her own.

“Maybe my horse is also lazy and unwilling to go fast,” Yan Yuanhua chuckled.

The horse neighed loudly as if protesting his words.

Lu Minghua couldn’t help but laugh: “Look at that. Even the horse doesn’t want to hear you say that.”

“Failed, failed, too disrespectful. I’ll deduct your fodder later,” Yan Yuanhua shook his head repeatedly, pretending to threaten.

The horse moved its hooves but ignored him.

Lu Minghua’s smile grew wider.

Yan Yuanhua watched her laugh, and a smile also appeared in his eyes.

The carriage was ready, and Mama Li reported it, so they slowly set off.

Half a day later, they arrived in the capital. After parting ways outside the window, the two carriages separated on a bustling street.

Lu Minghua went straight back to the Earl’s Mansion, paying respects to her uncle and aunt, then returning to her small courtyard with no intention of seeing Lu Chengsong and Madam Qin.

The two waited in the main hall for a while. When the maid reported, Lu Chengsong immediately frowned, glared at Madam Qin, and scolded, “Look at the good daughter you raised.”

After speaking, he waved his sleeve and got up.

On the way, Lu Chengsong’s face was gloomy. He had planned to be kind to his eldest daughter to lower her guard, but he didn’t expect her to be so stubborn. He felt a faint pain in his back again.

In the study, Lu Chengsong sat down, thought for a while, and gave some instructions.

That girl must have become foolish living in the mountains. Being a princess consort is better than staying in that desolate place. Once she sees the reality, she will understand.

Meanwhile, the carriage made several turns and returned to the King Rui Mansion.

This mansion had been under construction since the current emperor ascended the throne, but its master truly moved in last year. However, he left again in less than two months. Therefore, when Yan Yuanhua finally returned, the chief steward, Eunuch Yu, was almost moved to tears. He was a trusted confidant brought into the palace by the current empress dowager from her family and had watched Prince Rui grow up. He placed him first in his heart. When Yan Yuanhua decided to live outside without him, it broke his heart.

“Master, you finally returned,” Eunuch Yu greeted him, holding a handkerchief, his eyes red.

Yan Yuanhua’s face twitched, and he averted his gaze, unable to look directly at his chief steward’s tearful face—

No matter how many times he saw it, he could never get used to it.

“Eunuch, I’m back. Is the water ready? I need to bathe first.” He took the initiative to give orders. Otherwise, if the eunuch started talking, he might nag until he fell asleep at night.

Caught off guard, Eunuch Yu didn’t think much of it and immediately responded with concern about making arrangements.

Seeing the eunuch leave, Yan Yuanhua breathed a sigh of relief. After washing up, he didn’t delay and went to the palace to pay respects to his biological mother, the current Empress Dowager.

Having not seen her son for a long time, she was annoyed that he didn’t stay in the capital, but she was still happy to see him. After some comforting words, she brought up an old topic—

“I’ve found several suitable girls. This time, you are not allowed to leave. In a few days, I’ll host a banquet for you to meet them and see if you like anyone. Your brother can then grant the marriage.”

Previously, Yan Yuanhua had avoided her urging by leaving, and now hearing her mention it again, he felt helpless and immediately started thinking of ways to avoid the matter. Having been accustomed to the battlefield, he couldn’t stand those delicate and hard-to-please noble girls. It would inevitably lead to resentment. Of course, if it were someone like Lu…

Realizing that Lu Minghua’s image had appeared in his mind, Yan Yuanhua was momentarily stunned and quickly dismissed the thought.

---

Everyone got up early for the Qingming Festival ancestor worship. The whole family waited outside the ancestral hall, waiting for the time to pay respects to their ancestors.

The Wen’an Earl’s Mansion had its roots in Wuzhou. When elders in the family passed away, they were always sent back to their hometown for burial. The journey was long, taking half a month by carriage and horse, so every year, it was enough to pay respects at the ancestral hall.

Lu Minghua stood quietly behind Madam Qin, ignoring the glances Madam Qin kept giving her. She vaguely heard the whispers of the people behind her.

“That’s the Third Miss.”

“She’s the one who divorced the Marquis of Ningguo’s heir, and then he married her twin sister.”

“Sisters marrying easily, I wonder what happened.”

“Haven’t you heard? It’s said that the heir originally wanted to marry her sister, but then…” The person left the sentence unfinished, implying something deeper.

“Hiss—” Someone gasped, and the voices became lower, so Lu Minghua couldn’t hear the rest.

But she knew what they would say.

It was nothing more than those speculations. She had been guessed at like this by close people before, and now it was the turn of these unfamiliar people. Surprisingly, Lu Minghua didn’t get very angry.

She was already used to it. These were just irrelevant people.

The Wen’an Earl’s Mansion had been around for over a hundred years, with countless branches. This time, there were about a hundred people coming to pay respects. By the time the complicated rituals were over, half an hour had passed.

As the crowd dispersed, Lu Minghua walked out with the people.

Suddenly, she heard someone say.

“Doing such a disgraceful thing and still having the nerve to come back to worship the ancestors. If it were me, I’d be ashamed to death.” The person seemed to be right behind her, and as the words fell, everyone around looked at Lu Minghua. She paused and turned around directly.

Madam Qin was startled and wanted to pull her back, but it was too late.

“This—sister-in-law, who were you talking about just now?” Lu Minghua looked the woman up and down, vaguely recognizing her as someone called sister-in-law, and asked straightforwardly.

The woman was stunned, then gave an embarrassed smile and said, “No one, no one.”

She dared to make insinuations, but she didn’t have the courage to face someone directly. Seeing Lu Minghua’s confident demeanor, she immediately felt guilty.

“Indeed, if someone has committed disgraceful acts, such as plotting to harm or slander, the first thing to do is to go to the government office. Under the wise rule of the current emperor, the officials there will give you justice,” Lu Minghua said, looking at the woman with clear, bright eyes and laughing softly. “What do you think, sister-in-law?”

The woman’s face turned ugly. Lu Minghua almost directly accused her of talking nonsense.