Chapter 59

The servant quietly entered the courtyard, intending to deliver the sachet to the eldest son of the Duke of Anguo’s residence as planned. However, he was stopped halfway.

Looking up, he immediately bowed and greeted, “Greetings, Heir Wei.”

“Hand over what that woman just gave you,” Wei Yuntai said calmly.

Over the past few months, he had become significantly thinner, but his elegance remained undiminished. Standing in the breeze under the corridor, his clothes fluttered lightly, his face was handsome, and his expression was calm, almost otherworldly.

But the servant couldn’t appreciate this at the moment, feeling only a tightness and extreme panic.

“W-what thing? I don’t know,” he tried to deny.

Wei Yuntai had no patience for his excuses and said directly, “Will you hand it over yourself, or should I call your house steward?”

The servant dared not let Wei Yuntai call the steward. Trembling, he took out the sachet hidden in his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

“Who did Lu Mingxi ask you to give this to?” Wei Yuntai asked, looking at the sachet embroidered with twin lotuses, his expression darkening.

He had been keeping an eye on Lu Mingxi all this time, not out of lingering feelings but out of caution. She had always resented Lu Minghua, and now that she was back home, she might do something again.

Sure enough, less than a month after her return, Madam Qin fell ill and called Lu Minghua back. So, he had people watch her closely and discover this.

“It’s the eldest son of the Duke of Anguo’s residence, Ning Yunchan.”

Wei Yuntai tightened his grip. He had heard of Ning Yunchan’s notorious reputation and didn’t believe Lu Mingxi would be interested in him.

Then…

“Leave,” he said, opening the sachet.

To the servant, this was like hearing heavenly music. He quickly bowed and left.

Inside the sachet was a short poem with a specific location written on it.

Wei Yuntai read it, put it back, and called a servant to give some instructions.

Lu Mingxi’s heart raced a few times before calming down as she returned to the room. When she entered, she saw everyone chatting and laughing, with Lu Minghua among them, looking relaxed and at ease.

“Sister,” she said, her expression changing slightly as she moved to sit beside Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua was sarcastic and impatient with her, but she pretended well outside. She wanted to see how long she could keep up the act.

“Miss Lu, you’re not welcome here. Please leave,” Ning Yunxi said directly.

Lu Mingxi’s hand tightened in her sleeve, almost forgetting that Ning Yunxi, whom she disliked, was there. She forced a smile and walked behind Lu Minghua, saying softly, “Sister, I just want to sit with you. Since you went to Aunt’s place, I’ve been taking care of Mother every day. We haven’t seen each other for a long time. Sister, Mother thinks about you all the time.”

She said this gently as if it had no deeper meaning.

However, most of the girls sitting there were legitimate daughters of their families, and they all had sisters. They could easily understand the deeper meaning of her words, and their expressions changed slightly.

Being adopted was fine, but if it meant not recognizing one’s biological mother, that would be inappropriate.

Ning Yunxi couldn’t help but frown slightly, looking at Lu Minghua. She had a deep bond with her biological mother and couldn’t stand people like this.

Facing the subtle glances from those around her, Lu Minghua listened calmly and smiled lightly. What was she trying to imply? That she didn’t care about her biological mother and only wanted to curry favor with Yuan Shi and climb the social ladder?

“Aunt thinks about me?” Lu Minghua had originally planned to leave some face for her, making future encounters easier. But she remembered Ning Yunxi’s earlier demeanor—

Since she was now adopted into the main house, she could act more freely.

Looking into Lu Mingxi’s usual innocent eyes, Lu Minghua smiled, “What does she think about? I don’t have a husband now, so she can’t beg me to give him to you again.”

Several people gasped.

Lu Mingxi’s face changed dramatically, and her expression paled as she looked at Lu Minghua, almost unable to recover. In this setting, she had directly revealed family secrets, disregarding the Wen’an Earl’s reputation. Wasn’t Lu Minghua always considerate and understanding, looking at the bigger picture?

“Sister, don’t talk nonsense. How could Mother do such things?” Without thinking, she quickly defended herself.

But her earlier demeanor had already made things clear to everyone.

“Now that I’ve been adopted, Aunt only has you as a daughter. There’s no need to say things like you’re in poor health, and I should give way to you. From now on, everything is yours alone. You don’t have to worry about having something I don’t and making me angry. What’s wrong, sister, aren’t you happy?”

After saying this in one breath, it felt as if an invisible blockage had disappeared. Lu Minghua couldn’t help but let out a light sigh.

“Sister, are you resenting Mother?” Lu Mingxi looked pale and incredulous, almost collapsing.

“Sister, that’s your mother,” Lu Minghua reminded her calmly.

“Sister—”

“What, your mother—no, your former mother—really made you give your husband to her?” Ning Yunxi, not wanting to see Lu Mingxi’s pitiful act any longer, ignored her and asked Lu Minghua directly.

“Miss Ning,” Lu Mingxi, not daring to let Lu Minghua continue, tried to interrupt.

“Miss Lu, please sit elsewhere. Didn’t your etiquette teacher tell you what manners are? Or do you want me to invite you over?” Ning Yunxi, annoyed, looked at Lu Mingxi, and the two maids behind her stepped forward.

There was no need to explain what “invite” meant.

Lu Mingxi’s lips moved, but she didn’t dare to gamble on whether Ning Yunxi would let the maids take action. She left a sentence, “Sister, you really misunderstood,” then hesitated and left.

Her demeanor did make a few people waver, thinking there might be more to the story. But they weren’t ordinary people, and after careful thought, they suppressed those ideas.

“Thank you, Miss Ning.” Seeing her leave, Lu Minghua felt she could breathe more freely. She couldn’t help but smile, picked up her teacup, and toasted Ning Yunxi from a distance.

Ning Yunxi didn’t mind as it was just a sentence, and she sighed, “Your sister really has no sense. In my family, they would know what to do without me having to lose my temper.”

Lu Mingxi naturally didn’t know that she had always pretended well in front of others, and today, being exposed suddenly, she would be like this. Otherwise…

Lu Minghua didn’t want to talk about her, so she smiled and started chatting about other things.

Some people were still thinking about what Lu Minghua had said earlier, but seeing that she didn’t want to talk about it, they had to hold back. They couldn’t ask, but it was gnawing at them, making them very uncomfortable. Was there really such a mother in the world? Making the elder daughter give her husband to the younger daughter?

“Speaking of flowers, I recently got a Zhaojin plant. Its colors are truly extraordinary,” Lu Minghua continued the previous conversation about flowers. In the long winter, the less they saw flowers and plants, the more interested they were in talking about them.

“Zhaojin, you have a Zhaojin?” A flower-loving girl beside her exclaimed in surprise, saying, “This flower is very difficult to cultivate. Most people don’t know how to care for it, and it’s hard to find. Miss Lu, where did you get your Zhaojin?”

Zhaojin, so rare?

Lu Minghua was slightly stunned. She had only known that this flower was rare but hadn’t realized it was this rare.

“Yes, my servant brought it back from the south. It is indeed difficult to cultivate, and it withered a few days ago,” she said, sighing lightly as if regretting it.

The girl also sighed, saying, “Indeed, I had people bring back quite a few before, but they all died. I heard that someone in the palace has successfully cultivated it. I wonder if we can see it at the New Year’s banquet.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and Lu Minghua couldn’t help but be distracted during the subsequent conversation. She was called twice before she responded. Only in the palace? Then, where did her still-thriving Zhaojin come from? What was Yuan Ji’an’s true identity?

After chatting for a long time, it was finally time for lunch. Several tables were set up outside, and the young ladies and wives found familiar people to sit with. Lu Minghua was still somewhat distracted and soon accidentally got her sleeve wet with wine spilled by a maid serving the dishes.

In the cold winter, wearing wet clothes was out of the question. After Han Shi came to check, she quickly called a maid to bring Lu Minghua to change clothes.

In the corner, Lu Mingxi quietly left.

“Where are we going?” Lu Minghua, still cautious, asked.

The maid mentioned a place and led her towards the back courtyard.

Seeing this, Lu Minghua felt slightly relieved. The back courtyard was a place for women, and male guests were unlikely to come there, so it should be safe.

However, they soon encountered a male guest.

“Oh, Heir Wei, what are you doing here?” The maid recognized him, bowed, and asked in surprise.

“Minghua, I have something to tell you.” Wei Yuntai stepped forward, signaling the maid to leave. Without waiting for Lu Minghua to speak, he took out a sachet and straightforwardly explained the previous events.

Lu Minghua glanced at it but didn’t take the sachet.

“Thank you, Heir Wei. I understand, so you don’t need to trouble yourself or concern yourself with such matters in the future.” She looked at Wei Yuntai, telling him with utmost seriousness.

“Minghua, I just want to help you.” Seeing her unconcerned and even outright rejection, Wei Yuntai felt a pang in his heart and pleaded slightly.

“Thank you, but I don’t need it.” Lu Minghua politely refused, not wanting to waste any more time with him, and walked away.

The maid quickly followed, glancing back to see Heir Wei standing under the corridor, still staring at Miss Lu’s back, and couldn’t help but sigh, feeling a bit envious. He was also a pitiable person.

Given the past events, it seemed there were hidden reasons. If Heir Wei could reunite with Miss Lu, it would be a beautiful thing, given his deep affection.

The room was filled with warm fragrance. After changing her clothes, Lu Minghua returned to the living room and glanced around, noticing that the corner was empty and Lu Mingxi had not returned. She felt a sense of unease. Could it be that Wei Yuntai had done something else?

Beside her, Madam Han, seeing her return, finally breathed a sigh of relief and quietly instructed the nanny to send the maid far away. She had just received a report that a maid had claimed to have been instructed by Lu Minghua’s servant, saying that her mistress needed to leave the banquet and asked her to spill wine while serving. She had accepted the money and actually did it. However, upon questioning, it turned out that the maid was not Lu Minghua’s servant but seemed to have been brought by Lu Mingxi.

The sisters’ intentions were unclear, but nothing could happen at the Marquis Shangyang’s residence. It seemed that Lu Minghua hadn’t fallen into the trap, but Lu Mingxi… she still hadn’t returned.

In a secluded room, the cold wind outside made the doors and windows creak, masking the soft sobs.

Lu Mingxi used all her strength but couldn’t push the man in front of her away.

Breathing deeply at the beauty’s neck and feeling the slender waist under his hand, Ning Yunchan was satisfied. Looking at the tearful beauty in his arms, he said with interest, “Whose daughter are you? Don’t be afraid. I’ll inform my parents and bring you into the residence.”

As for the beauty’s resistance, he didn’t care. Since she had invited him over, she couldn’t be an innocent girl. Besides, she didn’t seem like a virgin. She must be lonely and wanted to invite him for some fun.

Lu Mingxi trembled all over, feeling desperate and unable to understand why this was happening. It wasn’t supposed to be here. It was supposed to be Lu Minghua who faced this, but why was she dragged here by this man, unable to escape?

Marry her?

Lu Mingxi’s lips twitched. Looking at the man’s lustful face, she felt a surge of malice and said softly, “I am Lu Minghua.”

“Lu Minghua?” Ning Yunchan was stunned for a moment, raising an eyebrow. “You are Wei Yuntai’s ex-wife?”

Heart pounding, Lu Mingxi nodded.

“Such a beauty and Wei Yuntai divorced you? He has no taste,” Ning Yunchan sighed, his hand wandering, and he laughed lightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll treat you well.”

The thought of the woman in his arms becoming his concubine excited him, and he even wanted to tell Wei Yuntai to see his reaction—

He had heard that Wei Yuntai couldn’t forget this ex-wife and had even waited at her door in Yunshan.

It would be quite a sight.

Seeing that he wasn’t suspicious, Lu Mingxi suppressed her disgust and suddenly felt a sense of satisfaction.

“Yes, go find Lu Minghua.”

At that moment, she suddenly didn’t find Lu Minghua’s identical face so detestable. Sometimes, it was pretty useful.

After a moment of pretending and being taken advantage of, she finally managed to send this woman-obsessed fool away. Lu Mingxi tidied herself up and returned to the living room.

Lu Minghua glanced at her and noticed something was off.

Lu Mingxi’s clothes were different from before.

After lunch, they played games. Some suggested pitching pots, others wanted to play the Flying Flower Game, and some brought out chess. The lively afternoon passed quickly, and as the sky darkened, everyone dispersed and returned home.

Having been on high alert, Lu Minghua was surprised that the journey back was uneventful. Returning to her room, she felt slightly relieved. Not long after, Mama Li and others came to help her wash and change clothes, and she couldn’t help but sigh.

In the Suxian Courtyard, Lu Chengsong was throwing a tantrum.

“Didn’t we agree to catch them in the act? Why didn’t anything happen?” he glared at Lu Mingxi.

Because the Ningguo Marquis’s residence had discovered his previous actions, he was extra cautious this time, not using any of his own people. He had someone from the Marquis Shangyang’s residence deliver the sachet to Ning Yunchan, then planned to drug Lu Minghua and lock her up with Ning Yunchan before catching them in the act. He had specially prepared two strong maids for Lu Mingxi, but they weren’t needed at all.

“Lu Minghua was too cautious, always on guard against me. I had no chance to act,” Lu Mingxi didn’t mention the incident with Ning Yunchan. She knew that if Lu Chengsong found out, he would immediately send her to the Duke of Anguo’s residence.

Anyway, selling daughters made no difference to him. The reason he agreed to her suggestion was because he had long held a grudge against Lu Minghua and wanted to bring her down first.

“Useless,” Lu Chengsong scolded, frowning with some regret. If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have chosen Lu Mingxi just because Lu Minghua was not obedient. Although Lu Mingxi was obedient, she was too stupid and useless.

Knowing that pretending in front of Lu Chengsong was pointless, Lu Mingxi lowered her head and bit her lip, saying nothing.

“Anyway, she’s already in the mansion. If it doesn’t work this time, there will be another chance. Lu Minghua is human, too; she can’t always be cautious. There will be a time when she slips up.” After a while, when Lu Chengsong calmed down a bit, Lu Mingxi finally spoke.

“Easy for you to say.” Sometimes, Lu Chengsong thought about giving up. Even if Lu Minghua hated him, she couldn’t do anything to him. But he couldn’t let it go.

That girl is too cunning. Look at this past year; her reputation was in shambles, with everyone saying she was scheming and stole her sister’s lover. But now? Lu Mingxi was abandoned, and Wei Yuntai kept hovering around her. Everyone says it must have been those two who wronged her in the first place. Moreover, he worries that Lu Minghua might reconcile with Wei Yuntai and remarry him. If that happens, things could get really bad for him. So, it’s better to strike first and deal with her.

With this thought, Lu Chengsong steadied his mind.

“What are you planning to do next?” he asked Lu Mingxi gently.

Lu Mingxi gritted her teeth and said, “Since it didn’t work in the mansion, we’ll wait until she leaves and take action by force.”

Lu Chengsong’s expression changed.

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The main house usually had dinner together. Lu Yaozhong was on duty today and didn’t come back, leaving only the three of them: Lu Minghua, Madam Yuan, and Lu Chengwen.

After dinner, Lu Minghua thought for a moment and talked about what happened at the banquet today. She had exposed Madam Qin’s secrets in front of so many people, although it was because Lu Mingxi had pushed her step by step. Still, it ultimately affected the reputation of the Earl’s residence—

After all, Madam Qin was the wife of the second house of the Earl’s residence.

Lu Minghua lowered her head as she spoke, feeling anxious and ready to be blamed.

“What? You said your mother did this before?” Madam Yuan was completely shocked by this revelation and did not think about the reputation at all. Even though she had known Madam Qin was biased, she hadn’t expected her to go this far.

Lu Chengwen’s expression also tightened.

That past, which Lu Minghua thought she had long forgotten, came back vividly. Thinking of Madam Qin’s tearful face in her memories, she nodded lightly.

“She,” Madam Yuan took a deep breath, trying to hold back, but couldn’t. She almost shouted in anger, “Is she mentally ill?”

“Wife, wife, calm down, calm down,” Lu Chengwen quickly said. Her voice was loud enough to be heard throughout the courtyard.

“I can’t calm down. What is she doing? Is she crazy?” Madam Yuan slapped Lu Chengwen’s hand away, angrily saying, but still remembered to lower her voice.

“Aunt, don’t be angry, don’t be angry,” Lu Minghua quickly stood up to support her, taking over from Lu Chengwen to calm her down.

The father and daughter spoke in a similar tone.

Madam Yuan thought irritably but didn’t push Lu Minghua’s hand away. She just reminded her again, “Call me ‘Mother,’ not ‘Aunt.'”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Wife, my sister-in-law has always been like this. There’s no need to get angry,” Lu Chengwen said gently, though his brows were furrowed. He then turned to Lu Minghua and said, “This isn’t your fault. It’s good that you said it, so others won’t misunderstand you.”

After all, it was just the second house. He pondered whether it was time to consider splitting the family. With Lu Chengsong and Lu Mingxi’s behavior, it might be better to separate them for peace of mind.

Seeing him deep in thought, Madam Yuan swallowed her words and comforted Lu Minghua instead. Noticing it was getting late, she hurried her to rest.

Lu Minghua stood up to leave, her smile growing as her mood lightened.

This good mood followed her back to her room. She opened the letter from Yuan Ji’an, becoming thoughtful.

Yuan Ji’an had asked to meet, saying he had something to discuss. What couldn’t be said in a letter?

Suddenly, she remembered the Zhaojin flower mentioned by the young lady today.

Meanwhile, Zhao Shiyi was puzzled that his master hadn’t revealed his identity in the letter and wondered why he was going to such lengths.

“Such matters should be discussed in person,” Yan Yuanhua said without further explanation.

He believed Lu Minghua would never want to see him again if he had said it directly in the letter. If she were more resolute, she might even find someone else to marry immediately.

That wouldn’t do. It was better to say it in person. Even if she got angry, he could find a way to appease her.

While he was carefully planning, the Empress Dowager put down the information she had gathered and sighed.

The girl was a good child, having faced hardships since childhood but remaining steadfast. She was gentle yet strong, no wonder Yuanhua thought she would like her. But…

The thought of her son marrying a divorced woman made her uncomfortable. Her child deserved the best in the world, but this…

After much deliberation, the Empress Dowager sighed countless times. She wanted to break them up but knew her son’s temperament. If she did, the outcome wouldn’t be what she wanted. But if she approved, it made her uneasy.

This hesitation frightened the palace servants in Shoukang Palace.

Since the current Emperor ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager had never been so worried, except when concerned about Prince Rui. If the Emperor found out, he might punish them for not serving her well.

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