Chapter 65

The emperor barely maintained a smile as he finished writing the imperial edict. Seeing Yan Yuanhua finally satisfied, he put down the brush and exhaled slightly, looking at his unambitious brother with a thoughtful smile. He wondered what Lu Minghua would think when she heard this edict.

Lu Minghua… she listened with a blank expression.

In the morning, after finishing breakfast, she was talking with Mrs. Lu about the Empress Dowager’s words from the previous day and the matter of attending the grand court assembly tomorrow. The steward hurriedly came in, saying that Prince Rui had arrived with the person delivering the edict and asked Madam Yuan to prepare quickly.

Lu Minghua’s heart skipped a beat. Both surprised and delighted, she didn’t have time to think much. Madam Yuan quickly arranged the reception for the edict. When they went out, they saw Yan Yuanhua standing in the hall, smiling.

The one delivering the edict was the chief eunuch on the emperor’s side, but today, it wasn’t his task. The edict was in the prince’s hands.

Yan Yuanhua unfolded the edict, and everyone immediately knelt to listen.

The first few words were acceptable, but when they heard the extensive praise later on, everyone was stunned. They had never heard of an imperial edict that included such compliments.

Lu Minghua’s initial anxiety and confusion gradually dissipated. She couldn’t help but glance at Yan Yuanhua, seeing his eyes full of smiles and his animated expression. She took a deep breath, feeling her face flush. She couldn’t tell if she was embarrassed or shy.

It was clear that the words in the edict weren’t written by the emperor himself; they must have been influenced by Yan Yuanhua!

Thinking about the edict being enshrined in the ancestral hall and possibly being passed down, Lu Minghua wished she could find a hole to crawl into.

After listening to the edict with difficulty, Lu Minghua felt as calm as water. She stood up behind Lu Chengwen and his wife, stepped forward to receive the edict, and felt that the light edict in her hand suddenly weighed a thousand pounds. She couldn’t help but pray that the edict would remain quietly enshrined in the ancestral hall and never be opened by future generations.

Not daring to think further, Lu Chengwen politely invited everyone to stay for tea, but the palace attendants all declined with smiles and left. Only Yan Yuanhua stayed behind.

“Minghua, are you not happy?” Yan Yuanhua noticed Lu Minghua’s strange calmness and asked, puzzled.

“The words in the edict, were they your idea?” Lu Minghua asked to confirm.

Yan Yuanhua sensed something was off but didn’t think it was a problem. He nodded decisively.

Lu Minghua took a deep breath.

She endured.

“Why, is it not good?” Seeing her anger, Yan Yuanhua looked slightly disappointed and said, “I thought it wasn’t enough, but my brother said he couldn’t write anymore, so he had to stop. Minghua, you’re so good that the edict didn’t even capture a tenth of it.”

Indeed, the edict was about a hundred words long, and at least half of it was praising her. No wonder it couldn’t fit more.

Lu Minghua felt both embarrassed and annoyed by his words. She looked up, wanting to glare at him, but his eyes were so sincere as if he truly believed what he was saying. Her anger almost dissipated.

“Don’t play dumb,” Lu Minghua said, realizing that Yan Yuanhua, who seemed so composed and carefree, was actually quite cunning and mischievous. She didn’t believe he didn’t understand her feelings; he was just trying to brush it off. Thinking this, she got angry again and couldn’t help but pinch his side.

Her strength was nothing to Yan Yuanhua. He only felt a tingling sensation spreading from where she pinched. He resisted the urge to grab her hand, seeing the annoyance in her eyes, and pretended to be in pain. He didn’t make a sound; he just looked at her as if he was willing to endure anything she did.

Lu Minghua’s heart softened. She let go and gently rubbed the spot, frowning slightly with concern. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. My skin is thick. It doesn’t hurt. If you’re still angry, you can pinch me again,” Yan Yuanhua suggested softly, leaning closer.

Feeling something was off, Lu Minghua glanced at him, huffed, and turned to leave.

Yan Yuanhua followed with a smile. After a few steps, he saw her stop and did the same.

“Father, Mother,” Lu Minghua looked up and saw Lu Chengwen and Madam Yuan. She remembered they were not at the villa or carriage but at the earl’s residence. Thinking about her interaction with Yan Yuanhua, her face turned red.

Lu Chengwen smiled, showing no sign of noticing anything unusual, and invited Yan Yuanhua inside.

Yan Yuanhua looked at Lu Minghua, clearly intending to follow her wherever she went. Under her parents’ gaze, Lu Minghua forced a smile and said, “I apologize for my oversight. Please, Your Highness, have a seat.”

Yan Yuanhua nodded obediently.

“Father, Mother, and Minghua, just call me Ji’an. That’s my courtesy name,” he said seriously.

They went inside, and Lu Chengwen invited Yan Yuanhua to talk. Madam Yuan and Lu Minghua stayed behind. Madam Yuan couldn’t help but look closely at Lu Minghua, feeling both joy and amazement. She had never seen Lu Minghua so comfortable and at ease, even pinching Prince Rui. She had been shocked, thinking the prince would be angry, but he didn’t mind and even leaned closer to Lu Minghua. She had never imagined such a scene.

“What a wonderful match and a joyous occasion. Our Minghua is going to be a princess,” Madam Yuan finally said with a smile, finding it somewhat amusing. She had once thought that she couldn’t expect much from Lu Minghua as long as she didn’t bring trouble to the earl’s residence. But now, Lu Minghua would be a princess, and as her adoptive mother, she would also rise in status.

Such a good thing is rare in the world, and she had encountered it.

“Mother, please don’t tease me.” Hearing the word “princess,” Lu Minghua felt embarrassed. She had been too angry to think deeply, but now, with the imperial edict, she was officially Prince Rui’s consort.

“I see that Prince Rui truly cares for you. You mustn’t overthink things anymore. Being well is better than anything else.” If she had been worried before, Madam Yuan was now completely at ease. Prince Rui seemed to cherish Minghua deeply, and with such care, what could go wrong?

Lu Minghua couldn’t help but smile. In the front, Lu Chengwen invited Yan Yuanhua to sit down, and Yan Yuanhua looked at Lu Minghua, wanting to sit with her. They exchanged a glance and both smiled.

After having lunch at the earl’s residence, Yan Yuanhua reluctantly left. Lu Minghua finally had time to talk with Lu Chengwen and his wife.

“The wedding is set for February next year. Although it’s a bit tight, you don’t need to worry. Your mother and I will start preparing your dowry, and we’ll make sure you marry into the prince’s residence with great honor,” Lu Chengwen said with a smile, looking at Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua then remembered that the wedding was set for February.

February 26th. Today is New Year’s Eve, and she will be getting married in less than two months.

“Father, I’m not worried. There’s no need for such grand preparations; everything will be fine,” Lu Minghua said, her eyelashes lowered, finally feeling embarrassed.

“How can such an important event as marrying off a daughter not be grand? You just don’t worry about it and wait patiently. Leave everything to me,” Madam Yuan took over the conversation, smiling at her. “Didn’t you say you must go to the palace tomorrow to accompany the Empress Dowager? Fortunately, we made New Year’s clothes for you a few days ago. Prepare well, and if you need anything, tell me, and I’ll find a way.”

“Thank you, Mother,” Lu Minghua replied with a smile, just as a maid reported that Lu Yaozhong had returned.

Lu Yaozhong entered, greeted everyone, and then looked at Lu Minghua in surprise. “Sister, are you really going to marry Prince Rui and become Princess Rui?”

He was on duty at the Five City Military Command, resting at noon, when his superior told him about this matter, leaving him stunned. Even when his superior gave him half a day off to go home for such a joyous occasion, he couldn’t quite believe it.

In fact, even now, Lu Yaozhong still felt a bit dazed.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Madam Yuan said, “What’s true or false? The imperial edict arrived this morning. It’s a fact, no doubt about it.”

Lu Yaozhong’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t speak for a moment. His impression of Lu Minghua was that she had a difficult and pitiful life. But now, it seemed he had been wrong?

“How did you find out, Brother?” Lu Minghua asked, feeling a bit embarrassed. She was more concerned about whether the contents of the edict had been spread. She couldn’t help but tug at her handkerchief, looking at Lu Yaozhong with rare unease.

Lu Yaozhong honestly explained, chuckling, “Such a big happy event; no wonder my superior did this. I should come back and see.”

Lu Minghua couldn’t help but sigh in relief, surprised at how quickly the news had spread, and fell into a daze.

The family gathered and chatted for a while before Lu Minghua excused herself. On her way back, she noticed that the maids and servants were all beaming with joy and treated her with even more respect, their gazes both cautious and curious.

When she returned to her courtyard, Mama Li and the others couldn’t contain their smiles and congratulated her repeatedly.

Feeling embarrassed by their enthusiastic congratulations, Lu Minghua said, “Alright, alright, I’ve heard enough congratulations for today. Let’s take a break.”

“Miss, you’re being silly. How can you get tired of hearing congratulations? You’ll hear them every day from now on,” Mama Li teased.

“Mama,” Lu Minghua playfully scolded, “where would I hear congratulations every day?”

Seeing that the maids still wanted to talk, she quickly urged them to fetch her clothes and jewelry to prepare for tomorrow’s attire.

Accompanying the Empress Dowager to the grand court assembly was a significant event, and she couldn’t afford to be careless. Hearing this, everyone became tense and busied themselves, selecting several outfits. Lu Minghua chose one to wear and kept the others as backups. With all the preparations, the day seemed to pass quickly.

While the Wen’an Earl’s residence was filled with joy, other places were shrouded in gloom.

At the Duke of An’s residence, Ning Sitang was playing with a newly acquired antique when he heard the news and accidentally dropped a valuable vase, shattering it. Ignoring the broken vase, he asked again in disbelief, “An imperial marriage decree?”

Wasn’t Lu Minghua divorced? He thought Prince Rui’s affection was temporary, but now he heard the emperor decreed Lu Minghua as Prince Rui’s consort?

The servant nodded vigorously and said, “It’s true. I heard that Prince Rui personally delivered the decree, praising her endlessly.”

Ning Sitang paced back and forth before ordering someone to arrange for Ning Yunchan and Lu Mingxi to be sent to a villa outside the city overnight.

After all, they were his children, and he felt sorry for them. Previously, when Yan Yuanhua ordered him to take Lu Mingxi as a concubine for Ning Yunchan, he thought he had appeased Prince Rui’s anger and kept them in the residence. But now, with this news, it was clear that Prince Rui truly cared for Lu Minghua, and he couldn’t afford to take any chances. Sending them away and severing ties with the Duke of An’s residence was the right move.

As the eldest son of the Duke of An, Ning Yunchan wasn’t highly regarded, but his courtyard was still luxurious. However, since Ning Yunchan’s injury, fewer people have visited, and the once lively courtyard has become somber.

Ning Yunchan lay in bed, nursing his injury, growing more irritable by the day. Previously, he had loyal servants, but now they couldn’t even stand him.

Lu Mingxi, with a bruised face, hid in a corner of Ning Yunchan’s room. Ning Yunchan, unable to sleep, woke up and, in pain, called her over.

“I need water,” Ning Yunchan said, glaring at her with hatred.

Terrified, Lu Mingxi trembled as she fetched a cup of tea and fed it to him.

The tea was too cold, and Ning Yunchan angrily spat it out, “Are you trying to freeze me to death?”

Lu Mingxi’s hand trembled, and she quickly retrieved the cup and went to find hot water. No one in the courtyard paid attention to her. If she wanted hot water, she had to boil it herself. In just a few days, she had learned how to keep the fire in the tea stove burning and how to ignite it quickly. Her hand moved the fan continuously, the charcoal ignited, and the water in the teapot soon heated up. Her face was numb, but her hands didn’t dare to stop.

Ning Yunchan was still waiting. If she were too slow, she would be punished. She stared blankly at her hands. The once delicate and fair fingers had become rough in such a short time, covered with scars from burns, cuts, and bruises.

Lu Mingxi didn’t understand why she had ended up like this. All she did was send a message to Ning Yunchan to find Lu Minghua. Why were his limbs broken? Why had she become his concubine? Why did he hate her so much?

Lu Mingxi didn’t understand. Ning Yunchan refused to tell her anything and only tormented her.

“Hurry up, concubine. Young Master is waiting,” a maid outside said indifferently, making Lu Mingxi’s heart tighten. She quickly sped up her actions.

At that moment, a commotion came from outside. She listened and realized that someone from the Duke’s residence had arrived.

The maid hurried back to wait, wanting to know what message the Duke had sent and how they planned to arrange things for the young master. As soon as she reached the door, she heard the messenger instructing them to pack the young master’s belongings quickly, as they would be leaving soon.

The servants in the courtyard felt a chill and tried to stay as far away as possible, fearing they would be chosen to leave with Ning Yunchan.

The maid was also afraid, but having some connections, she felt slightly reassured and began selecting people to pack.

Inside, Ning Yunchan’s heart turned cold.

“Father wants to send me away? Fine, but I want to know why.” He tried to clench his hand, but the sharp pain from his injury made him groan. He stared at the steward.

The steward’s expression didn’t change, as if the person before him wasn’t the young master he had once served respectfully. He calmly said, “Today, an imperial edict was issued, appointing Lu Minghua from the Wen’an Earl’s residence as Princess Rui.”

Ning Yunchan’s face twitched in disbelief. “But that Lu woman is already a withered flower—”

“Young Master, mind your words,” the steward interrupted sharply.

Ning Yunchan gritted his teeth, stopping himself from continuing. The steward waited until he calmed down before speaking again, “Rest assured, young master. Although the estate arranged for you is far away, it is quite prosperous, and you will not lack anything. You just won’t be able to return to the capital.”

Far away? Ning Yunchan almost wanted to laugh coldly. He was in the capital, but the estate was in distant Xianzhou. Once there, he would never return to the capital. Unwilling and resentful, he had no choice but to close his eyes and grit his teeth, asking for some things.

The Duke of An had already arranged everything. As long as the requests weren’t excessive, the steward agreed to them all. That afternoon, a carriage took them out of the capital.

On New Year’s Eve, a day meant for family reunions, they were heading to distant Xianzhou. As the capital faded into the distance, Lu Mingxi felt almost hopeless. She struggled desperately to get out, to go back, but the ropes binding her were too tight. It wasn’t until they stopped at an inn that night that she was untied and taken to Ning Yunchan by the maid.

Ning Yunchan stared at her, his afternoon’s pent-up resentment surfacing. He coldly ordered the maid to beat her.

If it weren’t for her, if Lu Mingxi hadn’t tricked him into finding Lu Minghua, he wouldn’t be in this situation.

It was all because of this wretched woman.

The maid mercilessly struck her already bruised face. At first, Lu Mingxi could still cry out, but eventually, she had no strength left and could only whimper.

Ning Yunchan didn’t call for a stop, but the maid hesitated, saying, “Young master, if we continue, she might die.”

“Wake her up,” Ning Yunchan said, staring at Lu Mingxi with a sudden smile.

The maid immediately complied.

Cold tea splashed on her face, and Lu Mingxi gasped, slowly opening her eyes. She was dazed and unable to comprehend what was happening.

“Do you know why you’re in this situation?” Ning Yunchan asked maliciously, eager to see her reaction.

Lu Mingxi looked at him, her eyes wide, her gaunt face making her look almost terrifying.

“Because of your sister, Lu Minghua, and her affair with Prince Rui. Prince Rui broke my limbs and had my father arrange for you to be my concubine. And today, the palace issued an edict, making Lu Minghua Princess Rui. So, we were both expelled from the capital. Do you understand?”

Lu Mingxi’s eyes widened even more as if her eyeballs might fall out.

Ning Yunchan laughed heartily. He felt miserable, but seeing Lu Mingxi in an even worse state made him feel somewhat better.

Yes, he was lecherous and had offended Lu Minghua, but what about Lu Mingxi? If she had behaved and maintained a good relationship with her sister, she could have benefited when Lu Minghua became Princess Rui.

This fool, fool!

“No, impossible! This can’t be!” Lu Mingxi staggered to her feet, shouting, “You’re lying to me. You must be lying. Lu Minghua, how could she? This can’t be!”

“She divorced; even Wei Yuntai didn’t want her. How could she possibly become Princess Rui? You’re lying to me. You must be lying!” Lu Mingxi screamed hysterically.

“Stop deceiving yourself,” Ning Yunchan sneered, watching her go mad.

“Impossible, this can’t be. It shouldn’t be like this, it shouldn’t be like this,” Lu Mingxi muttered, curling up in a corner, ignoring everyone calling her.

The next day, she was somewhat better, but under the watchful eye of the maid, she served Ning Yunchan like a lifeless puppet. Previously, she had shown fear, resentment, and unwillingness, but now, all of that was gone. She was dazed all day, unresponsive to Ning Yunchan’s torment.

After a few days of this, Ning Yunchan found it boring and stopped paying attention to her.

They traveled peacefully to Xianzhou. In the morning, Lu Mingxi approached the mirror. In recent days, Ning Yunchan had stopped ordering people to beat her. She hoped her face would heal, but as the days passed, while the swelling subsided, two large red scars remained. She hoped they would fade in a few days, but when the day came, the scars remained unchanged. Suddenly, she realized her face might never heal. Unable to accept it, she knocked over everything on her dressing table and began to scream.

“What’s she going crazy about now?” Ning Yunchan said impatiently. Due to his injuries, they had traveled slowly, taking half a month to reach Xianzhou by boat.

During this time, he realized his situation. Xianzhou had many beauties, and even if he was crippled, his status would still attract many. Moreover, he had people to fear in the capital but not in Xianzhou.

The maid went out to investigate and returned, saying, “She went mad after looking in the mirror.”

“Does she still think her face can heal?” Ning Yunchan sneered.

Just offending Lu Minghua had cost him his limbs. Given what Lu Mingxi had done, how could Prince Rui allow her to keep a face identical to her sister’s? He remembered the guards’ words when he was sent back to the Duke’s residence, and his face twitched.

He had been foolish not to understand why they said Prince Rui didn’t want to see Lu Mingxi’s face again. Now, it was clear that Prince Rui had planned everything.

The maid kept her head down, pretending not to understand Ning Yunchan’s words. She had wondered why they had to ruin Lu Mingxi’s face, as she was a beauty. Given her young master’s usual behavior, even keeping her for aesthetic pleasure would have been fine. But now…

She didn’t dare think further or say anything.

Meanwhile, at the Lu residence.

Without any official position, Lu Chengsong could only call his residence a house, not a mansion. This had frustrated him for some time. As the New Year approached, his mood improved slightly. When he received the news of the imperial marriage decree, he was discussing Lu Yaoqi’s marriage with Concubine Zhang and was stunned.

Concubine Zhang was also stunned. Lu Minghua had actually become a princess?

This was a great joy. They were all family, and having a princess as a sister would be beneficial for her son, Qi’er—

Her thoughts abruptly stopped. She remembered that the family’s main branch had already adopted Lu Minghua and quickly looked at Lu Chengsong.

Lu Chengsong’s face was stiff, showing no trace of a smile. Concubine Zhang quickly quieted down, afraid of provoking his anger.

“Where is Madam?” After a while, Lu Chengsong forced a smile and asked.

It didn’t matter if Lu Minghua resented him as her father; there was still Madam Qin. He remembered that Lu Minghua had always listened to Madam Qin.

Concubine Zhang wasn’t worried. Since Madam Qin had no children, even if Lu Chengsong had a good relationship with her, it wouldn’t affect her as long as her son, Qi’er, was well.

“Since moving here, Madam has set up a small Buddhist hall and spends her days chanting and praying devoutly,” she said.

“I’ll go find her.” Saying this, Lu Chengsong went to find Madam Qin and gently told her about Lu Minghua, adding, “Such a great joy, we are her biological parents. We should go and celebrate tomorrow.”

“Minghua is a princess?” Madam Qin was still in a daze, turning her head and asking blankly.

Lu Chengsong was a bit surprised, a trace of disgust flashing in his eyes.

How long had it been since he last saw her? How had Madam Qin aged so much? He maintained his smile and said, “Yes, the emperor personally decreed it, and Prince Rui delivered the edict. The news has spread throughout the capital.”

“Good, good, we should celebrate, we should celebrate,” Madam Qin nodded quickly, turning to offer incense to the Buddha, muttering prayers.

Buddha, I know I am deeply sinful. I am willing to devote the rest of my life to you. Please bless my daughter Minghua with a smooth, safe, and happy life.

Seeing her devout behavior, Lu Chengsong sneered inwardly, gave a few more instructions, and left.

At the Wen’an Earl’s residence, Lu Minghua sneezed, startling Mama Li. After confirming she was fine, Mama Li closed the windows and insisted she drink a bowl of ginger soup.

Unable to see the plum blossoms in the courtyard, Lu Minghua regretfully read a few pages of a book and then went to sleep. She slept well through the night. The next day, she got up early and sat while a group of people dressed her. Her hair was styled, and she wore a complete set of head ornaments. Her head felt heavy, and she had to close her eyes while the maid sent by Madam Yuan applied her makeup.

Although her maids could do it, Madam Yuan wasn’t confident in their skills, as she rarely saw Lu Minghua dressed up. She sent an experienced maid to help.

Bit by bit, they finished. When the maid said it was done, Lu Minghua couldn’t help but sigh in relief. When she looked up, she was stunned.

In the bright copper mirror, she almost didn’t recognize herself. Was she really this beautiful?

Of course, she was. Yan Yuanhua thought she looked especially radiant today. He happily took her to the carriage and headed to the palace. When the people from Shoukang Palace arrived at the earl’s residence, they found Prince Rui had already taken her. They exchanged glances and had to leave, heading back to the palace.

Today was the grand court assembly. The Imperial Guards patrolled continuously on Linde Street in front of the palace gates. Ordinary carriages had to stop there, and their occupants had to walk into the imperial city. Nobles and high-ranking officials were no exception. At this time, a carriage driving straight in was particularly conspicuous. However, when people saw it was Prince Rui’s carriage, they didn’t find it unusual. The emperor had a close relationship with his younger brother, and it was said that the Taiji Hall was always open to him. Moreover, he had guarded the border for three years and achieved a great victory against Beiyi—

Thinking of this, everyone looked towards the city gate where the delegation from Beiyi was arriving, especially the woman with a veil covering her face. Just by looking at her captivating eyes, one could tell she was an extraordinary beauty. But for whom was she intended?

The carriage slowly passed through the crowd and entered the palace gates. As the curtain lifted slightly, Lu Minghua glanced up and saw the woman in the crowd looking directly at her. The woman’s seductive figure and fluttering eyelashes were enough to captivate anyone. What caught Lu Minghua’s attention even more was the woman’s scrutinizing and displeased gaze.

“Not as good as me,” Tuo Ba Rou thought, recalling the woman she had just seen. Though beautiful, she wasn’t as captivating as Tuo Ba Rou. Moreover, the woman’s dignified demeanor suggested she was dull and uninteresting, the type of woman least favored by men.

Unexpectedly, Prince Rui liked such a woman? Tuo Ba Rou frowned inwardly, pondering and beginning to adjust her previous plans.

From the start, Tuo Ba Feng didn’t think much of this plan. He didn’t care about the ambitious Tuo Ba Rou and let her go ahead, knowing it wouldn’t affect him. Compared to this, he was more curious about what made the woman Yan Yuanhua liked so different.