Chapter 57

In the jewelry shop, gold, silver, jade, pearls, and gemstones were displayed in order. Madam Yuan stepped forward to sift through each one and instructed the staff to take them out for a closer look.

Lu Minghua followed by her side, feeling a mix of emotions as she watched Madam Yuan’s serious demeanor. Such an experience of selecting jewelry with an elder was something she had never had before.

“This one looks nice. Hmm, this one is also good,” Madam Yuan nodded, then glanced at Lu Minghua, unable to decide.

“What do you think, dear nephew?” Seeing the two of them standing on either side, Lu Minghua’s gentle and serene demeanor contrasted with Bai Jiayou’s frequent glances at her, Madam Yuan couldn’t help but feel amused, understanding why Lu Chengwen liked him. He was honest, came from a good family, had no troublesome issues at home, and had no children. All these factors made him a suitable match.

Most importantly, he seemed to have feelings for Minghua. This was the rarest quality.

“Miss Lu is naturally beautiful; she looks good in anything,” Bai Jiayou said softly, glancing at Lu Minghua again, his voice tinged with shyness.

“You young people know how to talk. I always think everything looks good but don’t know how to say it,” Madam Yuan said with a smile, then looked at Lu Minghua and asked, “Minghua, which one do you like more?”

Lu Minghua was about to respond when her not-so-familiar mother said, “You usually wear jade and pearls, but I think gold and gemstones suit you as well. Let’s take them all.”

“No, Mother, I don’t need more jewelry,” she quickly refused.

Remembering her reserved and polite nature, Madam Yuan insisted, “You forgot to call me ‘Mother.’ A woman’s jewelry can never be too much.”

“Mother,” Lu Minghua corrected herself, feeling a mix of emotions.

Bai Jiayou couldn’t help but look at her. Seeing her eyes sparkle and a smile on her lips, he was momentarily stunned.

After buying jewelry, they also bought clothes, cosmetics, and other items.

Madam Yuan led Lu Minghua through the shops, keeping an eye on Bai Jiayou, who remained patient and unhurried, making her even more satisfied. Unexpectedly, as they were almost done shopping, she looked up and saw someone particularly unwelcome.

Wei Yuntai? Why is he here again?

Lu Minghua also saw him and couldn’t help but frown slightly.

Seeing Lu Minghua’s expression, Wei Yuntai felt a pang of bitterness. He glanced at Bai Jiayou, his gaze indifferent. How could this person be worthy of Minghua?

“Greetings, Aunt, Minghua, long time no see,” Wei Yuntai greeted them.

“Heir Wei, don’t be polite,” Madam Yuan said indifferently.

Wei Yuntai smiled bitterly and said, “Aunt, there’s no need to be so formal. Just call me Yuntai.”

Bai Jiayou finally understood who this person was. He carefully observed Wei Yuntai, seeing that he was indeed elegant and extraordinary. He glanced at Lu Minghua, who remained calm and felt relieved.

“Heir, you’re joking. We have things to do, so we’ll be leaving now. Please, go ahead,” Madam Yuan said, half shielding Lu Minghua, her expression slightly indifferent. She then prepared to leave.

“Please wait, Minghua, I have something to say to you. It will only take a moment,” Wei Yuntai said urgently.

Lu Minghua didn’t think she had anything to say to Wei Yuntai and shook her head.

Moreover, “My surname is Lu. Minghua is a name only close people can call me. Please be mindful of that,” she reminded him, not wanting to hear her name from Wei Yuntai’s mouth.

“…Miss Lu, please let me finish this sentence, just one sentence,” Wei Yuntai said, his face dark but still sincere, though his words were tinged with bitterness.

Blocking the street like this, Lu Minghua saw that he didn’t want to give up, and she didn’t want to make a scene—

She nodded slightly and stepped aside.

The maids stood around them, and Wei Yuntai, looking at her calm and unruffled expression, felt even more bitter. He said, “Miss Lu, I know that Mr. Bai is honest and sincere, but he is not worthy of you. Please, think it over.”

“Finished talking? Then I’ll leave.” Lu Minghua found it amusing. Even if such words needed to be said, it wasn’t his place. She nodded slightly and left with the maids.

Wei Yuntai was left behind again, looking despondently at Lu Minghua’s departing figure. Slowly, she walked over to Madam Yuan. He glanced at Bai Jiayou, who smiled at her and blushed.

Such a person, such an ordinary person, how could he be worthy of Minghua? She was intelligent, steady, composed, and had the demeanor of a great lady. Everyone said she would make an excellent mistress. How could someone from an ordinary family like the Bai family be worthy of marrying her?

He had no other intentions; he just didn’t want to see Minghua degrade herself like this.

She deserved, deserved the best.

In the bustling crowd, the gentle-eyed man stood on the street, full of sorrow, watching that figure gradually disappear, never once looking back.

Facing Madam Yuan’s concern, Lu Minghua smiled and supported her, casually asking where they were going next. Beside them, Bai Jiayou couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Realizing he had been staring at Lu Minghua, he blushed again and quickly looked away.

Feeling relieved, Madam Yuan smiled again. They still had a few more shops to visit and then had lunch outside before heading back.

Bai Jiayou mentioned he was planning to visit his uncle, so he joined the Bai family’s carriage back.

“Minghua, your father specially arranged for today. What do you think?” Madam Yuan asked gently in the carriage.

The anxiety Lu Minghua had suppressed resurfaced. She looked at Madam Yuan, unable to speak for a moment. Should she say it?

“Good child, don’t be shy. Marriage is a big deal, and your opinion matters most,” Madam Yuan thought she was embarrassed and quickly reassured her. Her newly adopted daughter was still adjusting, and she didn’t want Lu Minghua to think she was trying to control her marriage.

“Mother, I… I have someone I like,” Lu Minghua finally said after much hesitation.

“What?!” Madam Yuan’s voice suddenly rose, forgetting her previous intention to be gentle in front of Lu Minghua to avoid scaring her. She quickly asked, “Who is it? When did this happen?”

With those words, the anxiety and hesitation in Lu Minghua’s heart instantly dissipated, replaced by panic. She steadied herself, trying to remain calm, and softly began to talk about Yuan Ji’an.

Madam Yuan listened attentively, her furrowed brows gradually relaxing. Hearing Lu Minghua speak, she thought Yuan Ji’an seemed like a thoughtful person, but surname Yuan?

She carefully recalled but couldn’t think of any prominent family in the capital with that surname. Could it be that Minghua was deceived?

Seeing Lu Minghua’s smiling eyes as she talked about him, Madam Yuan felt a pang of worry. This child had already had a difficult life, and if she encountered a fraud…

She frowned, deciding to discuss it thoroughly with Lu Chengwen when they returned.

“I see. You were right not to accept his proposal,” Madam Yuan praised after hearing Lu Minghua’s story.

Lu Minghua was taken aback, not expecting this to be her first response. She thought Madam Yuan would scold her for interacting with a man so recklessly.

“Good child, let your uncle and me investigate his background and see what his family is like. Only then can we be assured of letting you marry him,” Madam Yuan said earnestly, looking at Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua was momentarily speechless. Investigate? This concept was unfamiliar to her. When Wei Yuntai proposed, her parents had almost joyfully married her off without ever mentioning such things. It turned out that other parents were not like that.

“It’s not that he’s a bad person,” Madam Yuan, who had put a lot of effort into her daughters’ marriages, knew that speaking ill of a loved one in front of someone in love often fell on deaf ears. She softened her tone, “But when you marry, you’ll face a household full of in-laws. It’s better to be familiar with them to know how to handle things. We’re not without background; we can’t let you marry blindly into another family.”

This was the common practice among noble families. Before marrying off a daughter, they would thoroughly investigate the prospective family, if not three generations back, at least the immediate household.

Like her two daughters, before they married, Madam Yuan had discreetly investigated to ensure there were no troublesome in-laws before agreeing.

“Thank you for your concern, Mother.” Lu Minghua finally regained her composure. She wanted to say she wasn’t thinking about marriage right now, but seeing Madam Yuan’s careful and considerate demeanor, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

Seeing her obediently agree, Madam Yuan felt relieved, thinking this was much better than her own two daughters, who would argue back three times for every sentence. Although it felt a bit unfamiliar, it was also refreshing.

Returning to the mansion, Madam Yuan first sent Lu Minghua to rest, then went straight back, frowning as she drank tea. She called for the nanny and confirmed multiple times that there were no wealthy families with the surname Yuan in the capital, nor any relatives of wealthy families with that surname. Her frown deepened.

Meanwhile, Lu Chengwen had been testing Bai Jiayou and was increasingly satisfied with him. After a long conversation, Bai Jiayou had many of his doubts resolved and gratefully took his leave.

Lu Chengwen personally escorted him to the courtyard gate, but Bai Jiayou insisted he return. As a junior, he couldn’t let an elder escort him to the mansion gate.

Lu Chengwen didn’t insist, signaling the steward to escort him instead. Seeing him off, he didn’t delay and went back to find Madam Yuan.

He had been waiting since they left that morning. As soon as he saw her, he asked, “How was it? How did they get along today?”

“Not well.” Madam Yuan rolled her eyes, finally showing her earlier anxiety. She took a sip of tea and told him about Lu Minghua.

“Yuan?” Lu Chengwen frowned. He hadn’t heard of that surname either.

“Let’s hope it’s not some destitute family deceiving Minghua. Some common people love to use tricks to deceive good families’ daughters, gaining both a person and wealth. It’s a double win. You should investigate quickly,” Madam Yuan urged.

Lu Chengwen nodded, unable to sit still, and quickly got up to prepare.

Seeing him leave, Madam Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief, took another sip of tea, and frowned again.

She didn’t trust this so-called Young Master Yuan and always worried that Lu Minghua was being deceived. If it were someone else, it wouldn’t matter, but Lu Minghua was now her daughter. If anyone dared to deceive her daughter—

Her eyes flashed with determination as she set the teacup down heavily. With a sharp look in her eyes, she placed the teacup down heavily.

Unaware of her new parents’ worries, Lu Minghua returned to her courtyard, feeling anxious once again.

Earlier, she had spoken out with a burst of courage, but now, as she reflected, she couldn’t help but worry. What if Lu Chengwen and his wife disagreed? What if the investigation results were unfavorable? These thoughts made her restless, and she even regretted speaking up.

But after careful consideration, she realized that she would still speak up if given another chance. If she had said she didn’t want to marry or given another reason, Lu Chengwen wouldn’t have given up on matching her with Bai Jiayou. Lu Minghua didn’t want to delay others because of her own concealment. She preferred to tell the truth. Although she didn’t want to say it, she had to admit that after speaking up, she felt a slight sense of relief.

Lu Minghua had always had various concerns about accepting Yuan Ji’an, constantly delaying. Now that she had finally spoken up, she felt a sense of closure.

As Bai Jiayou walked towards the mansion gate, he couldn’t help but pay attention to his surroundings, hoping to see a certain figure. Not far away, he spotted a faint pink figure, his heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively looked over, recognizing a familiar face.

Feeling a surge of joy, Bai Jiayou hurried forward and called out, “Miss Lu.”

Lu Mingxi’s heart stirred. Was this the person her uncle had chosen for Lu Minghua? He didn’t seem extraordinary, rather a bit dull.

She smiled lightly, feigning surprise, and said, “Who are you, sir?”

Bai Jiayou was stunned. Upon closer inspection, he realized something was wrong. Although they looked alike, Lu Minghua was always gentle and composed, while the girl before him appeared delicate and pitiful.

“I mistook you for someone else, Miss. Please forgive me. I have matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave,” Bai Jiayou quickly remembered her identity, bowed and turned to leave.

Lu Mingxi’s eyes widened, momentarily stunned. She knew this appearance was most likely to evoke pity, but why did he—

Over the past year, there have been countless rumors in the capital. Although Bai Jiayou hadn’t deliberately inquired, he had heard plenty at the Hanlin Academy. He didn’t know Wei Yuntai and Lu Mingxi well but trusted Uncle Lu. Since he believed Lu Minghua was good, she must be good. Conversely, Lu Mingxi was likely not as innocent as she seemed.

Bai Jiayou had never been particularly clever, even a bit of a bookworm, but he was good at taking advice. His father said that Uncle Lu was trustworthy, so he believed it.

The steward breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that this was the suitor Master had chosen for Miss Minghua and that Miss Mingxi couldn’t take him away.

On the other side, watching the figure walk away without looking back, Lu Mingxi gritted her teeth, barely maintaining her composure, and turned to leave. Faintly, she seemed to hear a few mocking laughs. When she looked up at the surrounding servants, they all appeared normal, as if she had just misheard.

Feeling increasingly humiliated and angry, Lu Mingxi quickened her pace.

At the prince’s mansion, the evergreen trees stood out vividly in the winter. The mansion’s carved beams, painted rafters, golden glazed tiles, and bright red lacquered pillars were particularly striking.

Inside, the floor was heated, and a small bonsai pine tree prepared by a craftsman sat on the table. Yan Yuanhua, however, paid no attention to it, only fiddling with the newly picked wintersweet flowers.

The palace servant sent by the Empress Dowager was waiting outside to deliver a message, but the personal guard hurriedly rushed in first to report Lu Minghua’s encounter with Bai Jiayou.

His grip tightened, and the teacup in his hand cracked.

Tea spilled, and Yan Yuanhua casually placed the teacup aside, his face darkening. “Is it that widower?” he asked.

The guard nodded.

“What kind of judgment does Lord Wen’an have?” Yan Yuanhua muttered.

Zhao Shiyi remained silent, recalling how his Master had praised Lord Wen’an for doing a good deed the previous day. And now?

Outside, the announcement came, and the head maid from Shoukang Palace entered with several beautiful palace maids, each with a unique charm. They all knelt in greeting.

The palace maids, each with their own unique charm—some cute, some beautiful, some elegant, and some seductive—tried to show their best side to Yan Yuanhua, hoping he would notice them. Being sent to the prince’s mansion, they understood the Empress Dowager’s intentions. If they could catch the prince’s eye, even staying as a maid would bring immense wealth and honor.

Due to the earlier incident, Yan Yuanhua was in a bad mood. Usually, he would ignore the beautiful palace maids presented to him, but now, their chatter only irritated him. He glanced at them sharply.

The palace maids were delighted, thinking they had finally caught his attention, but were startled by the sharp impatience in his eyes. One of them nearly fell but quickly steadied herself, not daring to look at him again.

The head maid observed everything calmly, knowing today’s efforts were in vain. She quickly mentioned the Empress Dowager’s gifts for her son and invited him to the palace the next day.

Yan Yuanhua agreed, his expression showing some impatience.

The head maid immediately took her leave, efficiently leading the palace maids away.

In the palace, the Empress Dowager was surprised to hear the report. “You say the prince seemed angry?”

She was quite astonished. Her son, proud and carefree, rarely got angry with others. He usually felt it wasn’t worth it or necessary. Given his current status, he could deal with anyone who dared to provoke him on the spot. But this time, he seemed genuinely upset.

The head maid nodded, confident in her observation.

The Empress Dowager thought carefully, her eyes brightening.

What could make Yan Yuanhua unhappy and only sulk? The most likely reason was a love interest.

She remained expressionless but mentally considered several candidates.

After ruling them out, she remembered Yan Yuanhua had recently visited Yunshan. Her heart skipped a beat.

Could it be that he had taken a liking to a noble lady from Yunshan?

Thinking this way, the Empress Dowager immediately ordered an investigation into all the noble families who had visited Yunshan, including their daughters, to get a clear picture.

In the palace, the Empress Dowager was busy, while outside, Yan Yuanhua received some news in the evening, his expression changing.

“You say Lord Wen’an is secretly investigating Yuan Ji’an?” He leaned forward unconsciously.

Zhao Shiyi nodded, speculating whether Lord Wen’an learned this from Miss Lu or someone else.

“It’s Minghua,” Yan Yuanhua immediately concluded.

He still clearly remembered the morning’s events, but his displeasure dissipated in an instant. Yes, Minghua was always kind and considerate. With Lord Wen’an’s arrangement, she wouldn’t want to delay others and would definitely tell the truth.

Yes, that must be it.

Suddenly standing up, Yan Yuanhua paced back and forth in the hall, his joy growing deeper until he was almost beaming with happiness.

Hearing this, Zhao Shiyi didn’t think much and immediately said happily, “That’s good news. Since Miss Lu is willing to tell Lord Wen’an, if you propose now, she will definitely agree.”

Wait, something seems off?

Yan Yuanhua’s actions also paused.

Not just off, but very wrong—

“Your Highness, Miss Lu doesn’t know your true identity yet.” Indeed, Lord Wen’an’s mansion was looking for Yuan Ji’an. Zhao Shiyi had already pointed this out.

They knew Yuan Ji’an was Yan Yuanhua, but Lord Wen’an’s mansion didn’t. If they couldn’t find him…

They would definitely think their prince was a fraud. Zhao Shiyi was certain of this.

“What should we do?” Yan Yuanhua didn’t speak, and Zhao Shiyi couldn’t help but ask anxiously.

“Shut up, you’re too noisy.” Yan Yuanhua was trying to think, but Zhao Shiyi’s constant talking made it impossible.

Zhao Shiyi closed his mouth. He had only said one sentence!

After a few steps, Yan Yuanhua calmed down and looked towards the palace.

As night fell, Lu Minghua finished washing up, her hair loose, and several maids busied themselves drying it.

Xiao Chun prepared jasmine oil and was about to apply it to her hair when Lu Minghua raised her hand to stop her, saying it wasn’t necessary. Xiao Chun was surprised; her mistress usually loved the scent of jasmine. What had changed?

Lu Minghua didn’t explain, closing her eyes slightly. The jasmine scent gradually faded, replaced by the faint wintersweet fragrance in the room.

Yan Yuanhua’s previous letter suddenly came to mind, making her cheeks warm. Seeing the flowers as people, this was truly…

Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia busied themselves, chatting about Lu Mingxi’s afternoon incident.

“She thought things could be like before.”

“Miss, you wouldn’t believe it. I heard that Mr. Bai turned and left immediately. Such a gentle person, who would have thought he would do that?”

“I heard Fourth Miss smashed quite a few things again.”

“Of course, everyone in the mansion knows she smashes things every few days.”

“She used to put on an act, but now her true nature is showing.”

“I think Fourth Miss still believes things can be like before,” Lu Mingxi always had a delicate and pitiful demeanor, which indeed evoked pity, but that was in the past. She didn’t realize how her reputation had changed.

“She deserves it, thinking everything would always go her way.”

Xiao Chun and Xiao Xia took turns talking about Lu Mingxi, their words filled with satisfaction.

Listening, Lu Minghua also smiled. Although seeing those people was distressing, hearing about their troubles was something she didn’t mind.

In the past, she couldn’t let go, but now that she had, her life was getting better while theirs was getting worse. She smiled lightly, exhaled, and suddenly felt grateful for letting herself move on.

Although Lu Minghua had only been living in the new house for a few days, she had quickly become familiar with it.

She looked up, her smile growing wider.

After fixing her hair, she had another good night’s sleep.

Today, the seamstress came to measure Lu Minghua for new clothes. Madam Yuan held embroidery samples and discussed with Lu Minghua which ones to use. Lu Minghua couldn’t decide, so Madam Yuan laughed and said, “Let’s choose them all. You need several new outfits for the New Year, so let’s prepare them all.”

“Thank you for your effort, Mother (formal),” Lu Minghua said warmly.

“You should call me Mom,” Madam Yuan thought, wondering how long it would take for Lu Minghua to get used to it.

“Yes, Mom,” Lu Minghua quickly replied.

They selected embroidery patterns, fabrics, styles, and colors.

This busy activity took up the entire morning. When someone came in to remind them about lunch, Lu Minghua realized how much time had passed. Still unsatisfied, Madam Yuan gave the seamstress a few more instructions before stopping.

Lu Minghua was still in a daze. She had never experienced such a thing before—discussing something as simple as making clothes with an elder for an entire morning.

Seeing Madam Yuan’s enthusiastic demeanor, she couldn’t help but smile.

In the morning, Yan Yuanhua entered the palace. As soon as he sat down in Shoukang Palace, the Empress Dowager brought up an old topic, “I’ve selected a few noble ladies for you. When will you take a look?”

“Mother, I don’t want to get married right now.”

“That’s fine. I have a few palace maids here. Take them back to serve you. Look at your courtyard, it’s full of men with rough hands. You need some attentive and considerate women.”

“No need, Mother. I’m used to it now. Having women around would be bothersome.”

“Bothersome? You weren’t like this before,” the Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow. Yan Yuanhua, after all, was a prince, raised in luxury with many servants. He had never been bothered before.

“Mother, you said it yourself, that was before. I’ve gotten used to the borderlands. Now that I’m back in the capital, it all feels noisy.”

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager paused, unable to hide her heartache.

The child she had raised in luxury had become like this, ultimately for her and his brother. Otherwise, how could it have come to this?

She quickly suppressed this emotion. The Empress Dowager was not one to dwell on sorrow. She hadn’t forgotten her original purpose and directly asked, “You don’t want noble ladies or maids. Be honest with me. Do you have someone in mind?”

This sudden question made Yan Yuanhua’s eyes flicker, unable to hide his reaction. The Empress Dowager noticed and immediately smiled, saying, “Since you have someone in mind, just tell me. It doesn’t matter their status. As long as she’s from a good family, I’ll ask your brother to grant the marriage.”

Yan Yuanhua remained silent, knowing that once his mother learned of Lu Minghua’s identity, she would not agree.

“Even if her status is low, as long as her family is respectable, it’s fine,” the Empress Dowager said, taking a step back.

Lu Minghua’s status wasn’t low, and her family was respectable, but…

“Still not acceptable?” The Empress Dowager frowned, looking at Yan Yuanhua with suspicion. “What is the status of the woman you have in mind? Let me tell you, those of dubious background are absolutely not acceptable.”

Yan Yuanhua’s heart stirred, but he remained silent.

“Is it really so?” The Empress Dowager couldn’t sit still, standing up and pacing. “Is she a maid? A courtesan? Or someone else’s wife or concubine?”

Seeing Yan Yuanhua’s expression, she guessed one by one.

“Mother, where are you going with this? I’m not that desperate,” Yan Yuanhua said helplessly, hesitating.

The Empress Dowager stared at him, saying, “Then what’s the matter?”

“She previously had an unfortunate marriage and is now divorced,” Yan Yuanhua said softly.