Chapter 40: Escape from Marriage White Moonlight 17 In-laws

"Sir? Why are you here?"

Lu Jingming raised his eyebrows: "Is it strange that I'm here?"

Ali avoided his gaze and said, "Aren't the results of the Spring Examination announced today? Why do you have time to come here?"

"You also know that the results will be announced today, so why didn't you say a word of congratulations when you saw me?" Lu Jingming leaned down and approached her.

Ah Li unconsciously tried to step back, but Lu Jingming's long arms grabbed him and held him in front of him. "If you can't give me a satisfactory answer, don't even think about running away."

Ali didn't know where to look, and stammered, "Congratulations, Ali congratulates the young master."

Lu Jingming raised his chin and said critically, "I can't hear a trace of sincerity."

The arm around his waist was still tightening, and Ali was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Why is he so difficult to please today?

Ali stared at the intricate embroidery on his chest, which was not common among the common people.

Suddenly, a thought struck her: "Young Master, you've won first place today. You're truly brilliant, talented, and outstanding. You're the best. Hmm... In short, with your talent, you're truly worthy of the title of top scholar."

After Ali finished mumbling, Lu Jingming praised him for the rare time: "It seems that you have taken my words to heart in the past few months. You really should study hard, but don't just learn a word and use it randomly. Also..."

Ah Li's heart began to lift again. Lu Jingming found her nervous expression particularly amusing: "I'm not the top scholar, just a small third place."

Ali's heart finally fell and shattered.

It's true, the flattery hits the horse's hoof.

"Tanhua, Tanhua is even better!" Ali started to talk nonsense. "The elders say that only handsome and talented people can be chosen by the emperor as Tanhua. Isn't this the young master?"

Lu Jingming's expression didn't change much, but he loosened his hand that was restraining her waist.

Ah Li's eyebrows lit up with joy, and he pressed on, "I heard that the capital has always had the custom of selecting a son-in-law through a list of candidates. The young master will surely be snatched up by those fathers-in-law. If we can really snatch him up as a son-in-law, it will be a great joy!"

Lu Jingming paused and asked unsatisfiedly, "How old are you, young lady? Why are you so concerned about my life?"

Ali choked.

Lu Jingming continued: "Don't always think about things you shouldn't think about, otherwise you will be the only one who suffers."

After saying that, he walked towards his own exclusive seat.

Ah Li was left feeling wronged. What else could she possibly be thinking? She was just blurting out her thoughts!

Lu Jingming did not stay here for too long. After a cup of tea, someone holding his black gauze double-winged hat appeared not far away, followed by a carriage.

Ali guessed that it was probably a servant of the Lu Mansion.

She watched Lu Jingming get into the carriage and leave. His crimson figure disappeared behind the carriage like an unpredictable gust of wind.

*

Since then, Lu Jingming would appear here from time to time, sometimes in the early morning, sometimes in the evening.

Sometimes Ali would wait by the field for a whole day but still not see him. Sometimes Ali was delayed by something, and when he went there again, he had already left in a hurry, leaving behind only a note with scribbled handwriting.

The vegetables planted by Ali gradually sprouted and grew freely in the warm spring breeze, but the fatigue in Lu Jingming's eyes became more and more obvious, and he spoke less and less. Most of the time, he just sat quietly by the side, looked at her for a while, and then left.

He later asked about "Pan Yunli" several more times. When he heard the name again, Ali felt as if he was in another world, so he made up a lie, saying that Miss Daojiu had left the Pan Mansion in the wedding procession, and that she was probably living an ordinary life somewhere in this world like him.

After hearing this, Lu Jingming did not ask any more questions, but became even more silent.

The spring rain continued to fall. The carriage reappeared in sight. Ali handed the umbrella in the bamboo basket to Lu Jingming. He took a look and said, "What about you?"

Ali looked at the foggy fields and said in a relaxed tone, "I'll go back after the rain stops. We can still enjoy the rain here now."

On the way back to Xingyang County, the attendant Ah Fu noticed that Lu Jingming looked tired and said, "Sir, please take a rest first. It will take most of the day to get back."

He was the personal attendant assigned by the master to the young master. Originally, there was a lot of discussion in the mansion about this sudden appearance of the master, and the sister beside the lady even came to reprimand him.

But after following the young master for the past few months, Ah Fu knew that he was not the kind of master with a weird temper who liked to make trouble for his servants, and he was also generous, so Ah Fu became completely devoted to him.

Not long after, the young man passed the imperial examination and became the third place in the imperial examination. This was a great event that brought honor to the family. The master often took the young man with him and taught him all kinds of matters. The servants all talked about it and thought that the master did this as if he was entrusting the family business to him.

But the ladies and several young masters in the mansion were not easy to deal with. They had created so many obstacles, both openly and covertly, that even a humble servant like him found it difficult to move forward.

However, the young master never complained. Ah Fu felt unfair for him and could only do the things he asked him to do more thoroughly to relieve his worries.

He remembered better than anyone else all the tasks assigned by the young master and all the words he said, and he tried his best to carry them out. However, the matter concerning Shangxi County was the only thing that Ah Fu was particularly puzzled about.

Shangxi County and Xingyang County are far apart, and it takes most of the day to walk there. There are no important people or things here. Why does the young master have to come here so often? It is obvious that the affairs of the court and the mansion have consumed all his attention.

The carriage moved forward with a rumble. Lu Jingming sat upright in the carriage, reading a memorial in his hand.

After a while, he pinched his furrowed brows and picked up the pen to finish writing the above content.

There are so many things going on right now, and I have to unravel them bit by bit and solve them one by one.

He was now like walking on a cliff. If he was not careful, he would fall to pieces.

There is no room for slackness on this road.

*

It was already midnight when the carriage stopped in front of Lu's mansion.

The candle in the car had been burning all the way. Lu Jingming blew it out and got out of the car.

The dozing doorman saw that it was his carriage and hurried to greet him without even bothering to put on his shoes. His respectful and fawning demeanor was completely different from the day he returned home.

Lu Jingming just glanced at it, his expression neither sad nor happy.

Ah Fu took the lantern from the doorman and led the way.

Lu Jingming's courtyard is on the east side of the Lu Mansion. It is the courtyard closest to Master Lu's study. Before returning to the mansion, Master Lu specially asked craftsmen to renovate it. It is very grand.

When Lu Jingming stepped into the courtyard, Xiaoshun was already waiting in the courtyard. He was also the attendant assigned to Lu Jingming by Master Lu, and was always responsible for the young master's affairs outside the mansion.

He saluted Lu Jingming, followed Lu Jingming half a step behind, and reported in a low voice what had happened today.

Lu Jingming listened attentively and gave instructions on what to do next.

Xiao Shun agreed and pushed open the study door. Inside, candles, lamps, writing brushes, and ink were all ready. He stood in front of the table and continued, "One last thing. The Pan family has accepted your invitation and invites you to a meeting tomorrow."

Lu Jingming closed the memorial in his hand and nodded: "Okay, come with me tomorrow."

"Yes, sir."

*

On the second day, Pan Yuan received Lu Jingming in the main hall of the mansion.

The news that the young master adopted by the Lu family had passed the imperial examination and had great talent for business had already spread throughout Xingyang County. Now that he was an official and was valued by Mr. Lu, although Pan Yuan didn't know what his purpose was in coming, he still made a gesture.

"My nephew is now a very famous person in Xingyang County. Ordinary people can't even see him. My servant reported that he had received a visiting card from my nephew. I couldn't believe it, but it turned out to be true."

Pan Yuan, with his usual wide smile, warmly invited Lu Jingming to sit down.

Lu Jingming smiled modestly, "My uncle has been in the business world for many years and has a keen eye. He and my father have been close friends for many years. As a junior, it is only natural for me to pay him a visit and seek his advice."

Pan Yuan was overjoyed by these words, and he patted his round belly, "Yes, yes, yes! That's right. Our two families are both wealthy families in Xingyang County. We should visit each other often and help each other!"

The two returned to their seats and exchanged some lukewarm greetings.

Seeing that Lu Jingming was reluctant to reveal his purpose and looked as calm as a rock, as if he had simply come to visit his "elder", Pan Yuan couldn't help but feel uneasy.

When the servant brought the third cup of tea, Lu Jingming finally got to the point: "I heard that your uncle was once married to the Liu family of Yongchuan County?"

Pan Yuan hadn't expected him to ask this. He did remember the Liu family in Yongchuan County, but the marriage wasn't a deep impression on him. He pondered for a moment, "It seems like that's the case. Why did my nephew suddenly bring this up?"

Lu Jingming took a sip of tea and said, "A few days ago, a few people borrowed money from my shop and refused to pay it back. The people in the shop arrested them and told them to send money back home. Then they claimed that they were relatives of my uncle's family and sent the people in the shop to my uncle's house to collect the debt."

Pan Yuan's face turned pale when he heard this. This damn Liu family was only slightly related to his family, but they were flaunting themselves in the name of the Pan Mansion. How shameless!

"Because it involves my uncle's house, I took the initiative to make this trip to explain to my uncle. If what those people said is true, I will release them immediately." Lu Jingming put down the teacup and looked at Pan Yuan with a smile.

Pan Yuan, however, looked embarrassed. He had many children, and he didn't bother to worry about which ones got married and who they married into, as long as it didn't interfere with the business of his family.

He wanted to insist that the Liu family was not a relative of the Pan family, but seeing Lu Jingming's businesslike manner, Pan Yuan had no choice but to call his wife Ni Jin and wink at her.

But Ni Jin didn't understand for a moment: "That's true, Master, you don't remember, it was you who pointed out that bitch Ninth Girl to marry him..."

Pan Yuan immediately gave her a sidelong look. Wouldn’t saying this confirm the marriage between the two families? What an ignorant woman!

Asking him to accept the Liu family as his relative is more painful than swallowing a fly alive!

Ni Jin finally realized what was happening and quickly changed her words: "However, the ninth girl was kidnapped by bandits on her way to get married, so the marriage never happened."

Pan Yuan nodded immediately and turned to Lu Jingming, only to see him looking pensive. "Bandit?"

"Yes, the steward and sedan bearers who went with them were no match for those vicious thieves. They could only watch the ninth girl being abducted. They were unlucky and unfortunate." Ni Jin sighed.

Lu Jingming frowned, as if he believed it: "So that's how it is."

Seeing this, Pan Yuan said, "Now that I've made it clear, those people in your shop have nothing to do with the Pan family. Thank you for taking the trouble to come here."

"Uncle, you are too polite. I am sorry for bothering you today. I will take my leave now."

Lu Jingming stood up. Pan Yuan was about to escort him out of the house when Lu Jingming suddenly stopped and said, "The imperial court recently issued an order ordering all counties to clear out the bandits in the mountains."

Pan Yuan was just beginning to wonder when Lu Jingming said, "Your young lady's fate is truly regrettable. Why not summon the steward and sedan bearers who escorted her to the wedding and inquire about the bandits' situation?"

"Then we will wipe out the bandits in one fell swoop and report this to Miss Nine's spirit in heaven."