Chapter 47 Ghostly Appearance "Madam Lu, it's been a long time."
As the cherries ripened and the banana leaves turned green, early summer arrived the following year. At dawn, Lu Wenjin bathed, changed, and left Ruixue Pavilion.
Counting the days, she and Lu Wenjin had been engaged for half a year. Their days were peaceful and happy, and the two were living a blissful life.
As the morning mist hung in the air, Ruan Yang awoke from her sleep. She pressed her slightly aching abdomen, put on her clothes, and got out of bed. Under the meticulous care of the doctors and maids, her memory slowly returned to normal, and her body was also restored with a pile of precious tonics.
She sat in front of the bronze mirror, doing her hair.
The girl's face is now full and round, and her complexion is excellent. Unlike when she was with Ning Xian, her eyes were dark and gray, and she looked thin and fragile.
No wonder, Ruan Yang had no worries about food and clothing in the Lu family. She had a loving husband and mother-in-law, and a lively and lovely sister-in-law who would come to the courtyard to play with her every day. Naturally, she lived a very leisurely life.
While having someone comb her hair, Ruan Yang carefully folded Lu Wenjin's outer robe, which he had casually placed on the back of the chair the night before. Seeing that the hem of the robe was torn, she threaded a needle and began to sew it up.
Slowly, her thoughts drifted away, and she gradually became lost in thought.
At the beginning of this year, Ning Xian launched a palace coup, ascended the throne, forced the late emperor to abdicate, and bestowed upon him the title of Retired Emperor, granting him residence in Qingyang Palace.
Qingyang Palace was unbearably cold in winter and scorching hot in summer, with mosquitoes, rats and ants scurrying about. In addition, its location was remote, and if one wanted to get daily necessities, one had to walk around for an hour. Ning Xian did not keep anyone in Qingyang Palace to serve him, so the retired emperor could only eat steamed buns and pickled vegetables brought in through the dog hole for his three meals a day.
The retired emperor, who was used to living a life of being respected by everyone, was suddenly humiliated and crushed by his own flesh and blood. This was a hundred times more painful than death for him.
During those months, many civil and military officials who were trusted by the retired emperor were either exiled or executed. Fortunately, the Lu family held some military power and controlled the strategically important and easily defensible land of Sichuan and Chongqing, which prevented them from being easily controlled by others.
Ning Xian has risen to become emperor, and Ruan Yang knows without a doubt that he now has a harem full of beauties, indulging in nightly revelry with women on both sides.
But this is good too, it allows me to completely forget myself.
She also heard that Lady Jinlian, Ning Xian's most beloved concubine, was about to give birth. Ning Xian, a first-time father, was inevitably nervous and had been by her side day and night recently.
After his eldest son was born, all the princes and ministers would send congratulatory gifts. As Lu Wenjin's lawfully wedded wife, Ruan Yang was naturally not exempt. After much thought, she decided to make a pair of tiger-head shoes for Ning Xian's child.
In short, as long as Ning Xian doesn't come looking for her, no matter how many children he has with the woman he loves, she will still give him her heartfelt blessings.
"Madam, the master has only been gone for less than an hour, why are you already missing him?" the maid Yun Jin said with a smile.
Ruan Yang snapped out of her reverie, gave Yun Jin a quick, playful glare, and said with a coquettish laugh, "I wasn't thinking about him at all. Why did he have to leave his clothes lying around like that? He's acting like a child."
The maids in the mansion all knew that Lu Wenjin was never a forgetful person. He always dressed himself neatly and tidy. Yun Jin smiled and said, "Not at all. In fact, it is only in front of Madam that the master is so relaxed and at ease."
Ruan Yang always felt a pang of sadness when she thought of Lu Wenjin's voice and appearance. Before every intimate encounter, Lu Wenjin would take a contraceptive pill to prevent her from suffering the pain of childbirth in the future.
Although this rare contraceptive pill was harmless to women, it was still medicine, and taking too much of it was not good. Later, Ruan Yang stopped letting Lu Wenjin take it.
Let everything take its natural course.
She was Lu Wenjin's lawfully wedded wife, so it would be perfectly normal for her to have a child if she were to give birth, which would also make up for the years she had wronged Lu Wenjin.
She couldn't help but hug Lu Wenjin's robe tightly, pressing her cheek against the now-warm fabric. She really didn't want to be separated from Lu Wenjin for even a moment longer.
Yun Jin was drawing her eyebrows when a servant suddenly came in carrying an envelope. She pouted and said, "Is it another letter from the master saying that he is busy with official business today and will not be coming back for dinner?"
The servant shook his head and said, "Madam, Miss Yunjin, this is an invitation sent from the palace. Eunuch Liang said it is His Majesty's own handwriting and he insists that I deliver it to you."
Ruan Yang's hand holding the hairpin froze instantly, and her heart sank with the servant's voice.
Ning Xian... handwritten...
For three whole years, she had not had any contact with Ning Xian. She thought she had been reborn, but now it seems that he still came looking for her.
Ruan Yang felt dizzy, as if a heavy cloud was hanging over her head. The cool breeze that was supposed to relieve the heat now felt chilling to the bone.
She looked up at herself in the mirror.
Her originally doe-like almond eyes have become narrow phoenix eyes, and her lips have also been given some unique features of the Jing family under Mr. Wu's touch. This time it was not a disguise, but a "bold and drastic" complete change of face.
She is no longer the second daughter of the Ruan family, but the youngest daughter of the Jing family.
Ruan Yang looks almost exactly the same as before. Will Ning Xian really recognize her?
She swallowed hard, and with trembling hands, opened the envelope.
The calligraphy was beautiful and vigorous; every character was indeed written by Ning Xian herself. Gradually, these square characters turned into black threads tangled into hemp balls in Ruan Yang's eyes.
She had no interest in reading the polite small talk that followed; her eyes were glued to the last sentence.
"My birthday is in seven days. Envoys from various foreign tribes and nations have come to congratulate me. Lady Lu, please bring your husband to accompany me. I've also specially organized a martial arts competition for General Lu. ^_^"
Various foreign lands and ethnic groups...
Ruan Yang broke out in a cold sweat. She remembered Helian Jia telling her in the northern frontier that Ning Xian had been humiliated when she was a hostage.
Ning Xian was beautiful, with skin even fairer than the women of the Northern Frontier. The humiliation Helian Jia spoke of was probably...
Ruan Yang dared not think any further. He was now above ten thousand men; did he intend to make Lu Wenjin taste the suffering he had endured? What martial arts tournament? It was clearly a pretext to beat her husband to death!
Ruan Yang's fingernails dug into her palm, and her smile was stiff: "I understand, you can go now."
"yes."
After the servants left, Yun Jin knelt down and grasped Ruan Yang's cold hand, sighing, "Madam, this matter is of utmost importance. Let's wait for the master to return so we can discuss it together..."
Ruan Yang shifted her body, watching her reflection in the mirror gradually transform into Ning Xian's face. She hurriedly lowered her head and closed her eyes, her fingers involuntarily digging into her hair.
If they don't go, they'll be disobeying an imperial order; if they go, they don't know what kind of trap Ning Xian has set for them.
She shook her head and said, "No, don't tell Wenjin about this for now. I will go to the banquet alone in seven days, and I will handle things on my own."
Given the current situation in the court, no matter what is said, Lu Wenjin cannot leave Shu, since Ningxian's troops are stationed in the other prefectures and counties.
Regardless of whether he will rebel in the future, if Lu Wenjin stays in Bashu, he can at least save his life.
Ning Xian wanted to get revenge on her.
Ruan Yang helplessly hugged Yun Jin and said, as if reciting her last words: "Yun Jin, you stay here in Ruixue Pavilion. If I don't come back this time, you must tell Wen Jin to live well and not to seek revenge for me. Otherwise, my spirit in heaven will not forgive him."
...
The journey from Beijing to Sichuan was long, and to keep the appointment on time, one needed to set off several days in advance. Ruan Yang got up very early the next day and personally saw Lu Wenjin off.
Seeing Lu Wenjin leave, Ruan Yang couldn't help but take small steps to follow him, calling out, "Wenjin..."
Lu Wenjin stopped, turned around, and patted the girl's head with a smile, asking, "What's wrong?"
Looking at his smiling face, Ruan Yang pouted in grievance. After this parting, they might be separated forever.
"I....."
Ruan Yang felt a lump in her throat and rushed over to hug him tightly: "I'm going on a long trip with Yan'er this time. Promise me that even if you don't see me when you come back, don't worry."
Lu Wenjin was used to Ruan Yang following Lu Yan around, so he didn't think much of it. He pinched Ruan Yang's cheek and said with a smile, "You've sneaked out so many times without telling me. Why are you being so good this time?"
"Also, you tossed and turned beside me last night, and woke up before dawn this morning, and even came to see me off, which is unusual for you. Tell me honestly, is something on your mind?"
After hearing this, Ruan Yang muttered, "It's not unprecedented. I've always cared about you. I just like to stay in bed and can't get up. I'm telling you this now because I'll be away for a long time, and I'm afraid I'll miss you too much, and I'm also afraid you'll worry about me..."
Lu Wenjin smiled but remained silent for a while before saying, "I am happy to know that Madam cares about me and misses me, but the world is not peaceful these days. You should just wander around within the territory of Shu and not go too far."
"Yes, I know." Ruan Yang nodded with tears in her eyes.
......
After returning to his room and having breakfast, Ruan Yang set off. The carriage traveled for several days with frequent stops and starts, finally arriving safely in the capital the day before Ning Xian's birthday.
Having not set foot in this magnificent palace for many years, Ruan Yang dismounted from her carriage and stood in front of the palace gate for a long time. She never thought she would return again.
At this moment, the dawn broke through the clouds, and it was just getting light. Upon hearing that Madam Lu was arriving today, the palace staff had a group of maids and eunuchs waiting at the palace gate.
"His Majesty said that General Lu has fought for the country for many years and is a meritorious official of Daye. His wife is naturally an honored guest, so he asked us to take you to Xuanzheng Hall to rest first."
Ruan Yang frowned slightly; Ning Xian was determined to be alone with her.
She said, "I hope you will convey my gratitude to His Majesty for my kindness, but I just discussed with Lady Wang that I would go to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager as soon as I enter the palace. I reckon she already knows that I am going to the Funing Palace. If I break my promise, it would be my fault..."
"Here's what I'll do: please tell His Majesty that I'll stay at Funing Palace for a short while and then head straight to Xuanzheng Palace."
Eunuch Liang nodded and smiled, "Madam is here as a guest, there is no need to be so reserved. His Majesty is always magnanimous and will certainly not blame you."
"Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Liang." Ruan Yang nodded politely.
She used the Empress Dowager's name to temporarily hide from Ning Xian today. If she could get through today, she would feel much more at ease. Tomorrow's banquet would be crowded and noisy. As long as she didn't end up alone, Ning Xian wouldn't be able to act recklessly in front of everyone, such as doing something to humiliate a courtier's wife.
Funing Hall.
Ruan Yang brought congratulatory gifts and accompanied Lady Wang to the warm pavilion to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager.
Behind the screen, the woman lying on the jade mat had a peaceful expression. A maid kneeling beside her was trimming her nails. Although the woman was well-maintained, she was old after all, and a few strands of silver could be vaguely seen at her temples.
Ruan Yang recalled that this Empress Dowager came from a distinguished family. Her maternal family were founding heroes, and for generations they had been honest and approachable officials. Therefore, her maternal family was highly respected by the people. Although her maternal family members had retired from the court, their status remained unshakable.
Although the Empress Dowager was Ning Xian's biological grandmother, she did not love this grandson.
"Tsk..."
The person on the couch had a furrowed brow, as if the maid combing their hair had pulled on their scalp.
"This servant didn't mean it, Empress Dowager, please spare my life..."
An older nanny knelt down and said, "Li Sishi has caught a cold these past few days, which is why she didn't come to work today. This girl is Li Sishi's little apprentice, and she hasn't graduated yet, which is why she clumsily hurt you."
"Go down. You don't need to come and serve me anymore."
"Yes, thank you for your magnanimity, Empress Dowager..."
Ruan Yang could also tell that the girl's massage technique was not quite right, but the Empress Dowager tolerated it because of her youth. Who knew that the girl would be so shameless as to pull the old lady's hair.
Seeing that the Empress Dowager did not intend to keep the guests, Ruan Yang boldly stepped forward and said, "This humble woman has learned makeup and hairstyling. Your Majesty, may I try?"
The old man lazily opened his eyes and nodded when he saw that the girl who was speaking had a cute and pleasing face.
Ruan Yang stepped forward, took the ivory comb, and dipped it into the water that had been used to soak the medicinal herbs in the purple-gold basin.
After a while, the Empress Dowager opened her eyes and asked, "The craftsmanship is quite good. I think it's even better than Li Si's. By the way, which family are you from? I've never seen you before."
Ruan Yang put down the comb and smiled, saying, "My surname is Jing, and my family used to run a small business. It was an honor to meet General Lu..."
"Oh, so you are Lu Wenjin's wife." The Empress Dowager remembered something and smiled, "I met him once before. He was just a little boy then, and he was quite stubborn."
During the conversation, a maid came to report: "Empress Dowager, Lady Jinlian requests an audience."
The Empress Dowager frowned upon hearing this: "I told her I wouldn't see her, why did she come? Tell her to go back and take good care of her pregnancy. If anything happens to the imperial fetus, she can't afford to pay for it with several lives."
After a moment of silence, Madam Wang said, "Madam Jinlian is truly filial. She is about to give birth, yet she still traveled all this way to pay her respects to you."
The Empress Dowager chuckled: "Her filial piety? She's just trying to curry favor with me because His Majesty hasn't given her a title."
Ruan Yang and Madam Wang exchanged a glance and then fell silent.
Jinlian was pregnant with the eldest prince. Logically speaking, she should at least be given the title of the lowest-ranking talented woman. However, Ning Xian doted on her but did not give her a title.
The Empress Dowager said, "Let's not talk about her anymore. You may stay for dinner tonight and have some conversation with me."
"yes."
........
After having lunch with the Empress Dowager, Ruan Yang and Lady Wang strolled around the back garden, chatting and laughing for almost half an hour. Just moments before, the sun had been shining brightly, but now it had suddenly darkened and a wind had picked up.
Lady Wang said in surprise, "I really didn't expect that Lady Jinlian is the only one in the harem who hasn't been officially named? Judging from this, even if she gives birth to a little prince, she will definitely have to be given away to someone else to raise in the future, suffering the pain of separation from her own flesh and blood. How pitiful."
"By the way, I remember that when His Majesty was still the Crown Prince, he had a wife, but I don't know what happened, that Crown Princess disappeared as if she had vanished into thin air. Do you think His Majesty is waiting for her because he hasn't established an Empress yet?"
From the moment it got dark, Ruan Yang felt extremely uneasy. She always felt that there was a pair of cold and sinister eyes watching her every move from the corner.
She took a deep breath, reassuring herself that this was the Funing Palace, and it was impossible for unauthorized personnel to enter quietly.
Ruan Yang interrupted the previous topic: "Alright, let's not talk about it anymore. His Majesty's thoughts are not for us to guess."
Madam Wang sighed, "Oh, alright, I suddenly remembered that I left my handkerchief in the pavilion just now. Xiao Cui went back to get her clothes and I haven't seen her for a while. I'll go back and get it myself now. You wait for me here, I'll be right back."
Ruan Yang was stunned. By the time she came to her senses, Madam Wang had already left.
She turned and looked around. The wind was blowing, and the clumps of flowers and grass in front of her trembled slightly. She stared intently at the jagged rocks beside her. For a moment, these rocks seemed to transform into ghosts, baring their fangs and claws, ready to swallow her whole.
Ruan Yang leaned against the stone wall, panting, when a strange feeling of nausea began to rise in her stomach.
"Why are you crying? Are you not doing well without me?"
The sudden sound startled Ruan Yang, who jumped up and turned around abruptly to see a face she hadn't seen for years.
-----------------------
Author's note: We'll meet in the next chapter. Will the male lead go crazy?
However, the reason why the female lead suddenly felt nauseous was about to drive the male lead to jealousy.
Also, there will be a twist regarding Jinlian later on.
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