Chapter 45 I'll Take You Back to Prime Minister Lu's Mansion
Jiang Xue dismissed Jiang Qibin and looked up to ask Fu Dong, "Is Miss Cousin settled?"
Fu Dong said, "I just came in and saw Xianglu leading Miss cousin to the side room."
"Let Xianglu and Xiangyun serve her for the next two days. Don't disturb her tomorrow. This girl likes to sleep in. Let her sleep."
After Jiang Xue finished giving the instructions, a tired look appeared on her face.
"I have just had someone boil some hot water. Your Highness, please wait a moment. Xiaochun and I will prepare a bath for you."
Jiang Xue nodded and said, "Brother He brought the medicine, please go get it for me to take."
Jiang Xue took the pill and sat in the bathtub, feeling tired all over.
The medicine He Zhilin gave seemed to be very effective in helping with sleeping.
Jiang Xue bathed for a while and then felt sleepy.
Xiaochun and Fudong washed and dried her, then helped her to go to bed.
Before going to bed, Jiang Xue said, "Ruan Yisui may come back tomorrow. If you see him, find a place that's not too conspicuous for him to rest for a while, and then call me over."
The two of them said yes, Xiaochun blew out the candle, and left the house with Fudong.
The next morning.
As soon as Jiang Xuefu opened his eyes, he saw Lu Qiongshuang's big eyes blinking.
Jiang Xue frowned and asked lazily, "What are you doing here so early in the morning?"
Lu Qiongshuang had no clean clothes, so she could only change into Jiang Xue's dress, a wide-sleeved, sky-blue silk dress that reached her chest, which made her look very awkward.
"Cousin," she pulled at her cumbersome sleeves and reached out to help Jiang Xue stand up, "Take me out of the house to buy some clothes today. Your dress is too long. It's awkward for me to wear it. I'm afraid I'll trip when I run."
"Didn't you usually not get up until noon?" Jiang Xue half leaned against the bed. "Why did you get up so early today? Is the bed in the Gu Mansion uncomfortable?"
"No," Lu Qiongshuang said dejectedly, "When I was in the East China Sea, my master would catch me before dawn to practice martial arts. I have long lost the habit of sleeping in."
She pointed outside the courtyard and said, "I've been practicing outside for quite a while. I only dared to come in when it was getting light."
"It seems that your master has corrected many of your bad habits." Jiang Xue said with a smile.
She slept very well these past few nights. It seemed that He Zhilin's medicine still had a calming and sleep-inducing effect.
Xiaochun and Fudong pushed the door open and entered the room, saying, "Your Highness, do you want to sleep a little longer?"
Jiang Xue shook her head and said, "Help me wash up."
Soon, Fudong brought hot water into the room. Jiang Xue got out of bed, washed her face, and let Xiaochun help her put on makeup.
Lu Qiongshuang was bored and asked, "What does my cousin usually do in the Gu Mansion?"
Jiang Xue smiled and said, "What can I do? I've only been here for a few days, and I've only been eating and sleeping."
Lu Qiongshuang said, "Wouldn't that be too boring? Why don't we go out for a walk today?"
Jiang Xue glanced at her and said lazily, "You'd better stay here and don't get into trouble. If your aunt comes and takes you back, I won't be able to help you."
Lu Qiongshuang shouted, "It's not like I get into trouble every day!"
Her face wrinkled into a ball, and she walked to Jiang Xue and said pitifully, "Cousin, I really need some decent clothes."
"You think my clothes are not presentable?"
"That's not the case. It's just that this dress is too gorgeous and complicated. This kind of gorgeous dress would make my cousin look like a graceful lady, but it would look weird on me."
She pointed to her simple high ponytail and said, "Look, does this match?"
Fudong and Xiaochun looked at each other and chuckled.
Jiang Xue couldn't resist and said, "Then I'll take you out - but no matter what I arrange for you later, you must obey me, otherwise you can stay in the house and embroider."
Lu Qiongshuang nodded obediently.
Fu Dong on the side also looked at Jiang Xue anxiously.
Jiang Xue said: "I know what you are thinking. You can go out with us today."
Fudong immediately smiled and thanked him repeatedly.
She turned around and told Xiaochun: "You stay in the mansion and take care of the things in the backyard. If Ruan Yisui comes early, ask him to write down what he wants to report and give it to me when I come back later."
Xiaochun agreed.
Xiaochun was about to put Jiang Xue's hair into a bun, but Jiang Xue said, "Just a simple hairstyle."
Soon, Xiaochun combed Jiang Xue's hair into a single bun and asked, "Your Highness, would you like to wear flowers in your hair or some pearls and jade jewelry?"
Jiang Xue reached out and picked up a gold hairpin with auspicious clouds inlaid with red agate and turquoise and handed it to Xiaochun.
Xiaochun put on her hairpin and took out a turmeric-colored plain gauze skirt for Jiang Xue to change into.
Jiang Xue turned her head and saw Lu Qiongshuang sitting at the table with his hands on his chin, staring at her with his eyes wide open.
"Cousin, you are so beautiful."
Jiang Xue ignored her and said to Fu Dong, "Go and ask the doorman to get the carriage and tell him that my cousin and I are going to Prime Minister Lu's residence. Go find three long veiled hats and put them on the carriage."
Lu Qiongshuang exclaimed: "What? Where to?!"
Jiang Xue smiled and said to her: "If you want to go out for a walk and don't have to go back to the Xiangfu to embroider in a short time, you can..."
"Just do as I say..." Lu Qiongshuang muttered.
Jiang Xue nodded with satisfaction, and then said to Xiaochun, "Go find some suitable gifts from my trousseau and send them to the car."
Xiaochun nodded and went out to do it immediately.
Jiang Xue said to Lu Qiongshuang, "I will take you back to the Prime Minister's residence in a while. You should keep quiet. I will ask my aunt to let you stay as a guest in Gu's residence."
Lu Qiongshuang nodded.
When the two sisters went out, Jiang Xue also brought Xu Chong, Gan Ning, and several guards and servants.
When the carriage arrived outside the gate of Prime Minister Lu's residence, Jiang Xue asked Xu Chong to knock on the door. Soon, a group of people came out, and the woman in the lead hurriedly trotted to the front of the carriage.
"Xu greets His Highness. Your Highness has come to visit us. I am sorry for not coming to greet you. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."
Fu Dong pushed open the car door, and Jiang Xue looked out to see the woman kneeling on the ground. She said, "Madam Xu, please get up. It was my sudden decision. What crime have you committed?"
Lu Qiongshuang got out of the car reluctantly and reached out to help Jiang Xue get out.
"Madam Xu, where is my mother?" Lu Qiongshuang asked cautiously.
Madam Xu got up from the ground, bent her waist and smiled at Jiang Xue, "My wife is in the inner hall preparing, waiting for Your Highness."
Jiang Xue smiled and said, "Then please lead me in. It would be a pity to keep my aunt waiting for a long time."
Lu Qiongshuang followed closely behind Jiang Xue and whispered, "Cousin, you have to speak up for me later. My mother is scary now."
Jiang Xue said calmly: "If you talk less, you will be scolded less."
Soon, they arrived at the inner hall.
There were several rows of servants standing outside the hall, and the leader was a plump and beautiful woman, wearing a purple and gold embroidered peony satin jacket, who looked to be in her forties. Except for her thick waist, her face was well-maintained. It was Shen, the daughter-in-law of Prime Minister Lu.
"Mother..." Lu Qiongshuang called out in a low voice.
"How's my aunt?" Jiang Xue approached and greeted her with a smile.
The woman who was originally glaring at Lu Qiongshuang hiding behind Jiang Xue immediately put on a smile, bowed slightly to Jiang Xue, and said, "Your Highness, thank you for your concern. I am doing fine."
Jiang Xue found Shen's expression changing so quickly that it was a bit funny. She then looked at Lu Qiongshuang and her, one who looked like a mouse and the other who looked like a cat, and she couldn't help laughing.
She covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "The Prime Minister's Mansion sent many valuable gifts during the wedding, and I have been thinking about coming to thank my uncle and aunt. I happened to see Qiong Shuang yesterday, so I came here with her today."
Shen smiled and said, "Your Highness is too kind. Please come in quickly. I have someone prepare some tea for you."
Jiang Xue smiled and nodded, then stepped into the inner hall, but was grabbed by Lu Qiongshuang's sleeve.
"Cousin, you still need to sit down..."
Shen turned around and pulled Lu Qiongshuang's hand down with a cold face, saying: "You have no manners at all. How can you pull and tug in front of His Highness!"
Lu Qiongshuang looked like she wanted to cry but had no tears, which made Jiang Xue want to laugh.
The three of them sat down in the hall. Jiang Xue and Shen chatted about family matters for a while, while Lu Qiongshuang remained sullen and did not dare to speak.
Jiang Xue saw that the sun was already high and was about to say goodbye.
At that moment, Shen said, "Your Highness, lunch has been prepared. You can stay and have it before leaving. The eunuch and the official will be back before lunch, and Shuang'er will be here too, so it will be a great time."
"Aunt, Xue'er won't stay any longer. There are still some things to do at the Gu Mansion." Jiang Xue declined politely.
Shen showed regret on her face and said to Lu Qiongshuang, "Shuang'er, escort His Highness out properly."
Lu Qiongshuang was about to say something when Jiang Xue smiled and said, "I forgot about this matter. Aunt, Xue'er has an unreasonable request, I hope you can agree."
Shen said, "Your Highness, please feel free to speak."
"I stay in the Gu Mansion all day, and apart from taking care of the affairs in the backyard, it's boring." Jiang Xue took Lu Qiongshuang's hand and said, "Can Qiongshuang come to the Gu Mansion to accompany me for a few days? She has traveled a lot in the past few years, and there are many interesting things she hasn't told me yet."
Lu Qiongshuang smiled foolishly and nodded repeatedly.
Shen said: "She went to bother His Highness and the Prince Consort last night, how could she..."
"Aunt..." Jiang Xue softened her voice and said in a coquettish tone, "How can it be a bother? Xue'er really wants Qiong Shuang to accompany me for a few days."
Shen gritted her teeth and glanced at her useless daughter. Seeing that she was laughing so hard that her white teeth couldn't be closed, she yelled at her angrily, "Is it you who doesn't want to stay at home and learn the rules, so you go to bother the prince to beg for you?"
Lu Qiongshuang shook his head, remembering Jiang Xue's words, and didn't dare to refute a single word.
Jiang Xue stood up and held Shen's shoulders, saying softly, "Aunt, you can learn etiquette anywhere. Why don't I teach her? This way, I will have my cousin to keep me company, and she will have someone to watch over her. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"
Shen had no choice but to stand up and hold Jiang Xue's hand, saying, "Okay, okay, I'll have to bother Your Highness. If she does anything stupid, Your Highness can just have someone throw her back."
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Lu Qiongshuang took Jiang Xue's hand and was about to leave.
Jiang Xue said goodbye to Shen, who accompanied her to the gate of the mansion. When Jiang Xue was getting into the car, she turned around and saw Shen whispering something to Lu Qiong with an angry look on her face.
Lu Qiongshuang nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice, and when she saw Jiang Xue getting in the car, she hurriedly said, "Mother, we'll leave first--"
Then he quickly jumped into the car.
Jiang Xue shook her head helplessly.
The two of them sat in the car, and Lu Qiongshuang rubbed his forehead and said, "I haven't seen you for two years. My mother's ability to nag is getting more and more scary."
Jiang Xue asked Fu Dong to take out the prepared veil hat and motioned for the two of them to put it on.
Lu Qiongshuang asked curiously, "What are you wearing this for?"
"I'm afraid you'll get even darker, so I'm covering it up for you."
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