Chapter 8 Beauty Perhaps, looking at such a beauty, Lu Bingzhi would also...

When Cui Lingyan, Nanny Sun and others entered the house, they were greeted by a strong smell of medicine mixed with the scent of sedative incense.

Cui Linghui sat on a soft couch, wearing a pink and white dress embroidered with orchids. Her black hair was tied up in a simple bun and pinned with a white jade tassel hairpin. Because she was not wearing any makeup, her complexion looked a little unwell, as if she had just recovered from a serious illness.

"Big sister is fine." Cui Lingyan bowed to Cui Linghui and explained, "The old lady of the Duke of Weiguo knew that big sister was ill, so she sent her personal maid Sun Ma and the imperial physician to take big sister's pulse. I happened to be in grandma's room, so she told me to bring Ma Ma with me."

Cui Linghui smiled and said to Cui Lingyan, "Thank you for your help, sister."

As she spoke, she asked Cui Lingyan and Nanny Sun to sit down, and ordered her personal maid Yulan to serve tea and snacks.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Cui Linghui was surprised at Cui Lingyan's calmness. It was obvious that this stepsister had not been liked by the Qi family since she was a child. She had been sent to live in the Qi family for so many years and had just returned home. She should have been restrained and cautious, but Cui Lingyan was calm and composed. Even when talking to Nanny Sun, she did not seem nervous at all and did not show the petty-mindedness as expected.

I don’t know if this girl is too simple-minded and only thinks of Nanny Sun as a servant of the Duke of Weiguo’s Mansion, so she is so calm.

Cui Linghui suppressed these thoughts and said to Nanny Sun with a hint of apology, "I'm sorry that my illness has caused the old lady in the mansion to worry, and it's tiring for Nanny Sun to come here in person."

Nanny Sun smiled and shook her head: "Young lady, that's not true. Young lady and our prince are engaged, and you will be the old lady's granddaughter-in-law in the future. It's normal for the old lady to care about her future granddaughter-in-law. Young lady, it's really unconventional to say that."

Nanny Sun said this, motioning to the imperial physician standing nearby. She then turned to Cui Linghui and said, "The old lady is concerned about the young lady, so she specially asked the imperial physician to take her pulse so that he can prescribe some warming medicine for her to recuperate."

"There are also some nourishing foods that girls usually eat. I have asked my servant to pick out the best ones and give them to the girls."

Cui Linghui felt unhappy when she heard what Nanny Sun said, but she had to thank her and let the imperial physician take her pulse.

After taking Cui Linghui's pulse, the imperial physician said that he had caught a cold and was a little weak. He would be completely recovered after a few days of rest.

After hearing this, Nanny Sun smiled a little more and chatted with Cui Linghui for a while before getting up to say goodbye.

Cui Linghui was about to stand up to see him off when Nanny Sun stopped her: "How can I do this? If the old lady knew, she would definitely punish me."

When Cui Linghui heard her say this, she ordered Aunt Xie, who had watched her grow up since she was a child, to send the person away.

Apart from the maid, only the sisters Cui Linghui and Cui Lingyan were left in the room.

Cui Lingyan smiled at Cui Linghui and said, "I came here today to express my gratitude to you. You took the trouble to help me arrange the furnishings in the house even though you were ill. I feel a little uneasy."

Cui Linghui listened to Cui Lingyan's words and saw Cui Lingyan sipping tea after thanking her. He found that the dust and fatigue from yesterday's journey had faded away. His stepsister was truly a beauty like jade, with the gentleness and softness that only women from the south of the Yangtze River could have. Her long eyelashes were like small fans, and were particularly clear as she blinked.

Just sitting there makes people feel unable to take their eyes off it.

Cui Lingyan was completely different from what she had imagined. She didn't look like the spoiled daughter of a wealthy family in Beijing. She was even better than the girls raised in the aristocratic families of the capital. She had been raised in Jiangnan, where the soil and water were so nourishing, and her stepsister's skin was so delicate and fair that it looked as if you could squeeze out water.

Any man would like such a beauty, right?

Perhaps, Lu Bingzhi would also be moved by such a beauty.

Although she had been planning to take advantage of her stepsister Cui Lingyan because she didn't want to marry Lu Bingzhi after her rebirth, she felt a little uncomfortable when she saw how beautiful her stepsister was and thought that Lu Bingzhi might be attracted to a beauty like Cui Lingyan.

With this in mind, when her eyes moved to the Canaan Incense Eighteen-Bead Bracelet on Cui Lingyan's wrist, she felt that even the bracelet itself was a bit dazzling.

It was obvious that when she saw her grandmother give this bracelet to Cui Lingyan yesterday, she was just a little surprised and didn't think anything of it. She just thought that her grandmother wanted to compensate her granddaughter. She even felt that a bracelet with eighteen Canaan incense seeds could offset the grievances Cui Lingyan had suffered since she was raised outside. Cui Lingyan was really unlucky and pitiful.

But at this moment, she felt that if Cui Lingyan had not been born so well, her grandmother might not have given her such a valuable gift.

"Why are you looking at me like that, big sister? Is there something dirty on my face?" Cui Lingyan raised her head and asked with some confusion.

Cui Linghui shook his head gently, suppressing all the thoughts in his mind. Lu Bingzhi was such a heartless man, and now he was poisoned. His body was already useless. Even the most beautiful woman in front of him would only make him angry, and he would take his anger out on the beautiful woman.

If Cui Lingyan became the wife of the Crown Prince of Weiguo, her situation might be even more difficult than hers.

After all, she still had the support of her maternal family, the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion. Cui Lingyan, on the other hand, was disliked by the Qi family in her own family, and lacked a capable maternal family. If she were to go to a place as cruel as the Duke of Weiguo Mansion, she would likely die of depression within six months or a year.

By then, Lu Bingzhi would be branded as a wife-killer, and who knows how many rumors there would be in the capital.

Thinking of this, Cui Linghui felt relieved. She smiled and said, "How could that be? I was stunned by how beautiful my younger sister is. I don't know who will benefit from my younger sister's beauty in the future."

Cui Lingyan's face showed a hint of shyness, and she said, "Sister, please don't make fun of me. How can I compare to you? You are dignified and generous. In the future, you will be the wife of the prince of Weiguo. And Old Madam Dou values ​​you so much that she sent an imperial physician to check your pulse. This is something that others can't even ask for."

Cui Lingyan seemed to be flattering casually, but her eyes were on Cui Linghui.

Seeing the gloom in Cui Linghui's eyes, her heart sank.

With just one glance, she knew that her stepsister Cui Linghui was not satisfied with this marriage.

But in that dream, although Cui Linghui was worried about Lu Bing's poisoning, he never showed this expression in front of others.

She couldn't hide her resistance and coldness even if she tried hard.

Cui Lingyan has been a meticulous person since she was a child. After having that dream, it was as if she had experienced a lifetime in that dream, and she became more cautious.

She felt that something was not right with Cui Linghui, as if the Duke of Weiguo's Mansion was a hell of a place.

Coupled with the incident of Cui Linghui falling into the water, Cui Lingyan's mind quickly grasped something, and the hand holding the teacup couldn't help but tighten a little.

Did Cui Linghui know that if she married into the Weiguo Mansion, Lu Bingzhi would not like her and would end up in a bad situation? Otherwise, why would she resist so much?

It is said that scholars should not talk about strange and supernatural things, but as for the dream, Cui Lingyan couldn't help but think more about it.

Cui Lingyan was startled for a moment, then pondered for a moment before subtly asking with a hint of confusion, "Yesterday, Nanny Jiang, who was beside Mother, told me about Master Lu being poisoned. I'm sure you're very worried. So, why didn't you ask Nanny Sun about Master Lu's condition? Knowing more would have put your mind at ease."

Listening to Cui Lingyan's words, Cui Linghui felt really unhappy. She felt that she had overestimated her stepsister before. She was so clueless and didn't know what to ask and what not to ask. She didn't have the rules and manners that a legitimate daughter of a marquis's mansion should have.

Cui Linghui suppressed her anger and said shyly, "Sister, you're joking. Although the prince and I are engaged, I haven't married yet. How can I show my concern directly? I don't want to make people think I'm ignorant of etiquette and look down on me. Girls like us should be more reserved and self-respecting to gain respect, otherwise it will be disrespectful."

Cui Lingyan noticed that Cui Linghui was suppressing her emotions, and she understood a little. She was certain that even if her stepsister didn't know as much as she had guessed, she was still opposed to marrying Lu Bingzhi.

She secretly wrote this down, reminding herself to be more careful and not let Cui Linghui scheme against her. After all, in that dream, it was Cui Linghui's scheme that ruined her reputation and led to such a fate.

If Cui Linghui could plot against her and Qi Shaozhang, he might be able to plot against other people.

Cui Lingyan sat for a while before saying goodbye and leaving.

Bi Hen followed behind Cui Lingyan, seeming to be hesitant to speak.

She was surprised that the Third Young Lady was so measured in her words and actions when she was talking to Nanny Sun, but she lost her composure and said such things when she was in front of the Eldest Young Lady.

Could it be that he felt that he and the eldest daughter were both legitimate daughters of the Marquis's Mansion and were sisters, so he had fewer concerns?

Cui Lingyan understood Bihen's thoughts, and she also knew that what she said was a little inappropriate, but in order to test Cui Linghui, she had to say it.

I pretended to be confused and said, "What's wrong? Bihen, you were sent by my grandmother to serve me. I just returned home and don't understand many things. If there is anything inappropriate, just tell me directly. There is no need to hide it, so as not to offend others in the future."

Hearing Cui Lingyan's words, Bi Hen felt less hesitant and gently reminded her, "Young lady, you are worried about Master Lu being poisoned. You should avoid mentioning Master Lu in front of her, so as not to cause her to feel depressed and hurt herself."

Cui Lingyan was stunned for a moment, as if she had figured something out belatedly. Her expression changed slightly, and she said with some regret, "It was I, the younger sister, who made the mistake."

After saying this, she added with some hesitation, "But, Madam Dou sent the imperial physician to check Big Sister's pulse. I think she was concerned about Big Sister, the future granddaughter-in-law, but Big Sister didn't even ask about the Crown Prince. Isn't this a little inappropriate?"

"If Madam Sun is suspicious and exaggerates the situation here when she returns to report it to Old Madam Dou, wouldn't that cause Old Madam to misunderstand?"

Bi Hen's heart sank as she heard this. The eldest daughter had always acted cautiously. Even if her modesty prevented her from asking more questions today, she should at least ask if Master Lu was alright. If Old Madam Dou misunderstood, it would be bad for their mansion.

In the house

Madam Xie also said to Cui Linghui, "Young lady, your behavior today was really inappropriate. You must not let them misunderstand you."

Seeing Cui Linghui remained silent for a long time, Nanny Xie's face changed. She waved her hand and told all the maids and servants in the room to retreat. With a trembling voice, she asked, "Young lady, tell me the truth. Do you have other thoughts and want to deliberately cause misunderstandings and dislike over there?"