Chapter 58

“What?!” The Empress Dowager was immediately shocked. Her voice was steady, but her eyes were instantly sharp.

“A divorced woman?” she asked again.

Seeing that she wasn’t angry, Yan Yuanhua became even more nervous. He knew that his mother was taking this seriously.

“Who is it?” The Empress Dowager sat down and asked slowly.

“If I tell you, Mother, you might think I’m biased,” Yan Yuanhua said directly. He hadn’t planned to hide it from the Empress Dowager, but the timing hadn’t been right before. Now that Minghua was willing to take that step, he needed to act.

“Mother, you can investigate yourself. I won’t interfere. She is indeed a good person, and you will like her,” Yan Yuanhua said confidently.

Seeing his confidence, the Empress Dowager’s expression softened.

A divorced woman, in her mind, was naturally not suitable for her child, regardless of whether she liked her or not. But since Yan Yuanhua had said so, she wanted to see who had made her son, who had always been indifferent to women, fall in love.

Leaving Shoukang Palace, Yan Yuanhua thought for a moment and went to the Taiji Hall.

“Today is a rare occasion. What brings you to see me?” the Emperor joked.

“Brother, I want to ask you to grant me a marriage,” Yan Yuanhua said. Although he believed there wouldn’t be any issues with his mother, he still couldn’t be at ease and came to see the Emperor.

“Grant a marriage? Didn’t you say she wouldn’t marry you?” The Emperor raised an eyebrow, not immediately agreeing.

“Lord Wen’an is investigating Yuan Ji’an. Minghua must have told him,” Yan Yuanhua said directly.

“Yuan Ji’an?” The Emperor couldn’t help but be stunned for a moment, then remembered that Yuan Ji’an was the alias Yan Yuanhua had given himself. He immediately burst into laughter, saying, “You, I wondered why you suddenly started getting busy. Turns out your cover is about to be blown.”

Yan Yuanhua remained silent, knowing he would be ridiculed before he even arrived.

“Should I arrange for a Yuan Ji’an?” The Emperor, rarely able to tease his younger brother, said thoughtfully.

“Brother!” Yan Yuanhua interrupted, looking at him with annoyance.

“They’re looking for Yuan Ji’an. What does that have to do with you?”

Yan Yuanhua replied confidently, “How does it not? That’s all me.”

“You, after a few years at the border, if nothing else, your skin has certainly thickened,” the Emperor said, pointing at him and laughing heartily before taking a sip of tea. “Did you tell Mother?”

Yan Yuanhua nodded.

“Then I won’t interfere,” the Emperor said, not wanting to provoke the Empress Dowager. “When Mother agrees, I’ll issue the decree.”

“Don’t try to scare me by talking about taking Lu Minghua to Jingzhou. Without my permission, you won’t go anywhere,” the Emperor said, having recovered from his initial shock.

A prince going to his fiefdom was no simple matter. Without the Emperor’s consent, Yan Yuanhua couldn’t go.

“Yuan Ji’an is the one going to Jingzhou with Minghua, so he can go anytime,” Yan Yuanhua said naturally.

“You,” the Emperor, unable to outdo him in stubbornness, was momentarily speechless and pointed at him, saying, “Get out, get far away.”

“No, you haven’t agreed yet,” Yan Yuanhua insisted.

“Agree to what? I won’t issue the decree lightly. I’ll find a way with Mother,” the Emperor said, glaring at him. Issuing the decree was easy, but what about afterward?

Yan Yuanhua knew that if he went against the Empress Dowager’s wishes, even if he married Minghua, she would make things difficult. So he had long prepared to go to his fiefdom.

“Thank you, Brother,” he said, standing up, his smile fading, showing his seriousness as he bowed.

The Emperor’s expression softened, and he sighed. Alright, seeing his sincere and earnest demeanor, he couldn’t help but assist him.

“Alright, get up,” he said.

Yan Yuanhua stood up, his brows relaxed, and he smiled, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Knowing that Yan Yuanhua was deliberately showing this expression, the Emperor couldn’t help but smile, thinking that even this kid had his day.

After a few jokes, the Emperor remembered something and said, “By the way, there’s a princess from Beiyi who came this time, probably for you. Be careful.”

He would rather Yan Yuanhua marry Lu Minghua than get involved with the Beiyi people.

“Don’t worry, Brother. I know what I’m doing.” This capital was, after all, their Great Yan’s capital. Beiyi’s every move after arriving in the capital had not escaped their attention. Yan Yuanhua naturally knew that those people had been secretly investigating him.

“That’s good. I heard that Beiyi’s princess is quite beautiful. Don’t—” The Emperor, still worried, wanted to remind him.

“No woman in the world can compare to Minghua,” Yan Yuanhua interrupted, not wanting to hear more.

“Alright,” the Emperor thought to himself and stopped talking.

Finally settling this matter, Yan Yuanhua could leave the palace with peace of mind.

A carriage pulled by four fine horses passed through the market, with carved beams and painted pillars adorned with colorful jewels and guards accompanying it. Without needing to say a word, the pedestrians on the street respectfully made way. This was the carriage of the current Prince Rui, and they could recognize it.

“Brother, is that Prince Rui?” In an elegant room upstairs, a woman leaned against the window, unaware that she had caught the attention of several pedestrians on the street, who were mesmerized by the departing carriage.

She turned back to look inside, her eyes slightly raised, her willow brows faint, her full lips lazily curved, her figure graceful, and her beauty captivating.

“Indeed.” The man’s expression was cold, and his eyes still held hostility. He was none other than Tuo Ba Feng, the third prince of Beiyi.

Four years ago, during the battle at the Beiyi border, he was the deputy general. At that time, Yan Yuanhua was still a noble son who didn’t know what to do on the battlefield and had even been defeated by him several times. But unexpectedly, this very person managed to hold the Great Yan border and even broke through Beiyi royal city three years later.

To him, this was a humiliation. He didn’t believe Yan Yuanhua had truly defeated him; given more time, he was confident he could have turned the tide. But those useless people in the royal city surrendered directly.

Tuo Ba Rou chuckled lightly, her eyes sparkling, and murmured, “The biological younger brother of the Great Yan Emperor, a prince.”

This was much better than those people in the royal city. Moreover, the Great Yan was so prosperous and truly enviable.

“What, are you interested? They might not even look at you,” Tuo Ba Feng said coldly, seeing her reaction.

“If you say that, then you can send me back right now,” Tuo Ba Rou, not one to be trifled with, retorted. Her mother came from a Beiyi noble family, even more powerful than Tuo Ba Feng’s maternal family.

Hearing this, Tuo Ba Feng’s face twitched, and he finally regained some composure. “I misspoke earlier. You’ve seen all the information we’ve gathered about Yan Yuanhua. How confident are you?”

“What do you think, brother?” Tuo Ba Rou twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her eyes sweeping lightly, exuding charm.

“I await your good news. Let’s go back,” Tuo Ba Feng said indifferently, standing up to leave.

Tuo Ba Rou’s expression slightly darkened. She saw the indifference in Tuo Ba Feng’s application and couldn’t help but snort softly.

We’ll see.

---

On the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, the weather was clear, a rare good day.

“Minghua, quickly greet your great-aunt.” At the Marquis of Shangyang’s residence, Madam Yuan greeted the old lady and called Lu Minghua, warmly holding her hand and looking at the old lady sitting above. “Aunt, Minghua is now my daughter. My two daughters are married far away, and I have no one to accompany me, so I shamelessly asked my sister-in-law for a daughter.”

Hearing this, the ladies sitting in the hall looked at Lu Minghua and then at Madam Sun, the wife of Marquis Ningguo.

They all remembered the rumors that had spread throughout the city this year. Previously, the Wen’an Earl’s residence had remained silent, clearly hoping to let the matter pass quietly. But unexpectedly, they had now directly adopted the daughter of the second house into the main house.

The daughter of the second house is quite different from that of the Wen’an Earl’s. It seems that the Wen’an Earl truly values Lu Minghua. Considering that she left the Ningguo Marquis’s residence after her divorce and later Wei Yuntai went to Yunshan to find her, many people’s thoughts were stirred.

Regardless of other things, at least in those previous matters, Lu Minghua was clearly the ultimate winner.

Madam Sun’s expression remained unchanged, her smile unaltered as if the scene before her had nothing to do with her. The group of people immediately understood.

“Aunt,” Lu Minghua stepped forward and curtsied after Madam Yuan finished speaking.

“Good, good child, come, let your great-aunt take a look.” After her cousin passed away, the old lady’s relationship with the Wen’an Earl’s residence was not as close as before, and she was not very familiar with the children of their residence. However, she knew about these two girls. She understood her nephew’s character well enough to know that if he protected this child, she must be a good one.

Lu Minghua obediently went over, letting the old lady hold her hand, gently supporting it, not daring to let the old lady exert any force.

Feeling the movement in her hand, the old lady’s smile deepened.

“Yes, good, very good, a beautiful girl. You are indeed fortunate to have gained such a good daughter,” she said, patting Lu Minghua’s hand and smiling at Madam Yuan.

Madam Yuan nodded in agreement, saying, “Isn’t that right?”

In these few days of getting along, she realized how much peace of mind Lu Minghua brought. She was obedient, sensible, and capable, reducing even the troublesome matters.

“Come, good child, this is a gift from your great-aunt. In the future, you must be filial to your parents,” the old lady said with a smile, taking off her jade bracelet and putting it on Lu Minghua’s wrist.

“This, I can’t accept, Mother,” Lu Minghua didn’t dare to refuse, so she looked at Madam Yuan.

“Since it’s given to you, you should take it. It’s a rare gift from your great-aunt,” Madam Yuan said with a smile. Her mother was a close friend of the old lady, and it was through her that she married Lu Chengwen.

Lu Minghua said nothing; she just smiled and thanked her great-aunt.

After greeting the relatives, more people arrived, and Madam Yuan asked Lu Minghua to go out and play with the nanny.

The room was filled with the wives of various families, and after the young ladies had greeted them, they were sent to play elsewhere.

Lu Minghua obediently went out, following the corridor to a delicate courtyard. Lifting the curtain, she was greeted by a wave of warmth and a faint fragrance, making her relax.

A beautiful and elegant woman approached. She was the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Shangyang, surnamed Han, who was acquainted with Lu Minghua. Upon seeing her, she smiled and called her sister.

The nanny left after delivering her, and the room full of young ladies couldn’t help but look curiously at Lu Minghua as soon as she entered.

The older ladies had managed to stay composed, but the young ones couldn’t. As soon as Madam Han seated Lu Minghua, someone eagerly asked, “Sister Lu, why did you divorce Heir Wei?”

“Was it because of your sister?” someone couldn’t help but add.

“Oh, now she’s your cousin. Didn’t you hear Sister Han say that Sister Lu has been adopted into the main house?” someone corrected.

The girls bickered, still staring at Lu Minghua, not noticing the dark expression on Lu Mingxi’s face in the corner.

Lu Minghua had noticed Lu Mingxi as soon as she entered and saw the resentment and anger hidden in her eyes. Now, hearing the girls’ words, she glanced at her.

The sisters exchanged a distant look.

Lu Mingxi’s expression changed, and she was about to speak when Lu Minghua nonchalantly looked away.

Seeing the charming girls in front of her, Lu Minghua smiled lightly and was about to speak when a loud crash interrupted her.

Everyone immediately looked at the overturned stool, unsurprised to see that Lu Mingxi had caused the commotion.

“Nonsense.” Seeing Lu Minghua about to speak, Lu Mingxi couldn’t hold back any longer. She stood up abruptly, gritting her teeth. Her eyes swept over the many girls in the room, struggling to suppress her resentment. When she saw Lu Minghua, she couldn’t help but let some of it show.

Today, Lu Mingxi managed to attend the birthday celebration, but she didn’t expect Madam Yuan wouldn’t take her to see the old lady. Instead, Madam Yuan had a nanny bring her here and only take Lu Minghua with her.

When she arrived, the young ladies and wives only glanced at her, then acted as if she were invisible, lowering their heads and talking among themselves. Occasionally, they would look at her with curiosity, mockery, or disdain, making it clear that they weren’t saying anything good. Now that Lu Minghua had arrived, they openly talked about her, completely disregarding her presence.

It was simply too much!

Looking at her, Lu Minghua sighed inwardly, not understanding what she was thinking.

Unlike her, Lu Minghua knew that many people would be curious about her situation after her divorce. They would try to pry information from her without considering her feelings, and some would even be eager to mock her—

After all, she had married Wei Yuntai.

So, she had avoided all social gatherings and stayed at the other residence. But Lu Mingxi was different. She seemed completely unaware of her situation, not understanding what being abandoned meant for her, yet she insisted on coming.

Why put herself through this?

“Miss Lu, such arrogance. We were asking your sister, not you,” a girl sitting to the side spoke before Lu Minghua could respond. Dressed in luxurious clothes and adorned with beautiful accessories, she had an arrogant demeanor. She was surrounded by several young ladies, clearly of high status.

The question “Was it because of your sister?” had come from her.

Lu Minghua recognized her as Ning Yunxi, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Anguo’s family.

Many people couldn’t help but feel pity for this young lady. Her mother had given birth to three daughters but no sons. Now, the Duke of Anguo’s heirs were sons born to concubines. Although no scandalous rumors had spread, it was clear that mother and daughter relied on each other, making life in the Duke’s mansion difficult.

Lu Mingxi’s face stiffened at Ning Yunxi’s blunt words, forcing a strained smile, her eyes brimming with tears, and her body swaying as if about to collapse. She looked pitiful and said, “My sister divorced because she didn’t get along with Heir Wei. What does that have to do with me? Everyone has misunderstood.”

“Then how did you marry into the Ningguo Marquis’s residence? Was it because of your natural beauty, your proximity to your brother-in-law, your pitiful demeanor, or your ability to seduce?” Ning Yunxi was most annoyed by these seemingly pitiful girls who acted as if they were being bullied, just like her troublesome half-sisters at home.

Everyone in the world, like her father, seemed to have poor judgment and favored such girls.

“Miss Ning, you misunderstand me.” Lu Mingxi had never been publicly mocked like this before. Her face turned pale, and she stammered, not knowing what to do.

Ning Yunxi sneered. She had heard enough of such “misunderstandings” from her sisters, who had often caused her to be scolded.

“Save it. There’s no young master here. Who are you putting on this act for?”

“Miss Ning, I really didn’t—”

“Hmph,” Ning Yunxi sneered.

Lu Mingxi, unable to defend herself, covered her face and stumbled out, crying.

“Please keep an eye on her, nanny. I don’t want any trouble blamed on me,” Ning Yunxi said nonchalantly to the nanny. After the nanny left, she turned to Lu Minghua, smiling lightly as if nothing had happened. “Miss Lu, could you enlighten me?”

Seeing that Lu Mingxi couldn’t refute and that Ning Yunxi had driven her away, Lu Minghua felt a mix of emotions, mostly relief.

“These matters are inconvenient to explain. I apologize, Miss Ning,” she said with a hint of apology, but her eyes couldn’t hide her amusement.

She genuinely admired Ning Yunxi’s straightforward and decisive nature, something she could never learn.

Lu Minghua’s sincere apology made Ning Yunxi a bit embarrassed. She knew her question was inappropriate but was eager to know. She waved it off, saying it was fine, and invited Lu Minghua to sit with her.

The girls were all curious about Lu Minghua’s experiences and had many questions, making the room lively.

Outside, Lu Mingxi stopped in a secluded spot, her eyes filled with hatred. She found Ning Yunxi infuriating, having done nothing to provoke her, yet she had attacked her without reason. She gritted her teeth and thought about today’s arrangements, straightened her clothes, and walked outside.

The Duke of Anguo’s son was Ning Yunxi’s half-brother. Since she was so protective of Lu Minghua, perhaps they could become sisters-in-law in the future. With this thought, Lu Mingxi felt a bit better and smiled gently.

Slowly approaching the outer courtyard, she heard the faint voices of men. She had previously inquired and knew this was where the Marquis of Shangyang entertained male guests.

Lu Mingxi found a place to wait. Soon, an inconspicuous servant came over, took a small sachet from her hand, and went into the courtyard. She then turned to find the maids waiting in front.