Chapter 34: Revealing Scars
Chapter 34
Everyone couldn't help but look at her.
"May I ask, Your Majesty the Queen, are you going to marry Zhao Yutan to Xie Zhan and me to Qin Sheng?"
Everyone gasped when they heard this. This woman was so bold!
"So what if it is, so what if it isn't?" The Empress Dowager asked her unexpectedly.
"Your Majesty, I am aware that Xie Zhan and I are engaged."
Lu Songli's words did not give the empress dowager any face at all.
"How dare you!" Bang! The Queen Mother threw the cup in her hand and looked at His Highness Lu Songli with a bad look.
In the entire Changle Palace Hall, no one dared to breathe.
Zhao Yutan lowered her head slightly, not wanting anyone to see the expression on her face.
Xie Zhan shook his head, feeling helpless towards Lu Songli. It had come to this point, so why bother struggling? It would only arouse the Queen Mother's dislike, and it wouldn't be good for the Lu family either.
Qin Sheng glanced at Xie Zhan and Zhao Yutan unhappily, then pursed his lips.
Several of the princesses thought Lu Songli was quite courageous. This didn't match the rumors. Wasn't she always quiet and timid, following Zhao Yutan's lead? This didn't seem like it at all. But when she thought about the current situation, it made sense. She was really desperate for her fiancé.
Not only did a few of the princesses think Lu Songli wasn't timid at all; everyone else felt the same way, especially those close to the empress dowager. They had originally summoned the four women individually to the palace, hoping to simply grant them marriages without much resistance. After all, Jiang was known for her unruly and aggressive nature, and if she caused a scene in Changle Palace, it would be disastrous. Now it seemed like a miscalculation.
Only Xie Zhan and Zhao Yutan, who had two contacts with Lu Songli after she fell into the water, felt that she had changed too much.
Qin Sheng didn't have the same complex thoughts as them. He'd only met Lu Songli after she'd fallen into the water. She'd been quite courageous and assertive on those occasions. Before that, he'd paid no attention to her. He'd even rarely paid any attention to his fiancée.
Lü Songli was oblivious to the swirling thoughts in everyone's minds. She knelt there, unrepentant of her directness. As the saying goes, "If you come with bad intentions, good intentions will not come." The Queen Mother clearly had a prejudice against her, and her deference wouldn't change her opinion. Of course, if she didn't follow her wishes, her impression would definitely be even worse. But too many lice don't itch.
But Lu Songli had always believed that sometimes, the initiative had to be in her own hands. Knowing that the Queen Mother intended to support Zhao Yutan, how could she possibly let her make the decision? Wouldn't that mean she was at the mercy of others? Besides, the Queen Mother's words, while not as decisive as the Emperor's, were still incredibly important. How could she dare let her speak frankly?
Nanny Rong Qiu was the maid that came with the Empress Dowager as a dowry, and she was very respected in front of the Empress Dowager.
At this time, Nanny Rong Qiu stepped forward and gently stroked the Queen Mother's chest. Then, she spoke to the kneeling Lu Songli in a slow and earnest voice, "Why are you so stubborn, child? The Queen Mother has good intentions and wants to help you resolve the messy marriage problem between you. If no one intervenes and lets things continue to develop, do you think you will end up in a good situation? Child, you can't be so ungrateful."
Lu Songli lowered her eyes slightly. One played the good guy and the other played the bad guy. They worked together very well.
Everyone was looking at her. She couldn't be tough any longer, or the talks would fall apart. So she softened her stance, "Empress Dowager, do you know the reason for this marriage between me and Xie Zhan?"
The Empress Dowager remained silent, and it was Nanny Rong Qiu beside her who spoke up, "I heard that you saved his life back then, and then Xie Huaili arranged your engagement."
Lu Songli nodded. "It was the dead of winter when I rescued him. After rescuing him, I soaked in ice water for over an hour, leaving an indelible pain in my body."
"We've all heard about this, but isn't your heart disease okay?"
Lu Songli looked at the person above him and smiled bitterly, "Empress Dowager, please call a royal physician to take a look at me and I'll know."
Hearing this, Zhao Yutan couldn't help but tighten the handkerchief in his hand.
Xie Zhan also pursed his lips.
Qin Sheng frowned. What were these people talking about?
Although she didn't know what she was talking about, Old Madam Rong Qiu, after questioning the Empress Dowager with her eyes, still asked the palace maid to call a royal physician. During this time, Old Madam Rong Qiu asked her to get up.
The imperial physician arrived very quickly and was an expert in gynecology.
The imperial physician took her pulse for a long time. Although no one could see anything from the imperial physician's face, everyone knew that Lu Songli must have serious health problems.
"Doctor Chen, how is Lu Songli's heart disease? Is it all right?"
"Miss Lu's heart disease should improve if she takes medicine on time. But..." Doctor Chen glanced around, his face full of embarrassment.
"Doctor Chen, just tell me the results of your pulse diagnosis," Lu Songli said calmly. Fortunately, she had been careful not to prescribe medicine immediately to treat her. She had originally intended to use this as leverage to negotiate with the Xie family. But now, using it here, it was a perfect opportunity.
Hearing this, Zhao Yutan was incredulous. Did Lv Songli even know what she was talking about? With her physical condition, if this were exposed, wouldn't she be afraid of being scorned by the world? If this secret were exposed, wouldn't any of the kind families in Chang'an she could possibly reach would shun her? Thinking of this, her heart tightened again. Was Lv Songli truly determined to rely on the Xie family? Was that why she was so disregarded?
Xie Zhan was also surprised. He carefully observed Lu Songli's expression, and a certain suspicion formed in his mind. Did she know? But when they first married, the two families had agreed that her true physical condition would be kept secret from everyone except her parents, his grandfather, and him. Not even she herself knew, and Lu Desheng and his wife wouldn't tell her. So how did she know the truth about her physical condition?
Lu Songli noticed the expressions of both of them. She raised her eyebrows. She had known the fundamental problem of her body for a long time. Why did everyone think that she would swallow this loss in silence?
The Empress Dowager and others also realized at this time that there might be something wrong with her body.
"Miss Lu Er has a cold constitution. She must have spent time in an extremely cold place as a child, which damaged her foundation. She is usually afraid of cold and prefers warmth. Her menstruation is irregular, and she suffers unbearable pain during periods. Even if she gets married in the future, she will have difficulty having children."
Boom! Everyone looked at Lu Songli in disbelief.
Qin Sheng looked up and glanced at Lu Songli in surprise. Is it so miserable? Then he pursed his lips.
Several princesses exchanged glances frantically.
Is this true?
How could the diagnosis made by the imperial physician be false?
This is too miserable.
Some people are afraid that they won’t be able to get what they want.
Nanny Rong Qiu glanced at her mistress and confirmed with Lu Songli, "So, after you saved Xie Zhan, not only did you develop a heart disease, but you also suffered from a cold that entered your body, damaging your very foundation and making you unable to have children?"
Lu Songli nodded, "Yes."
This was the more secret reason for the marriage between the Xie and Lu families. After saving someone, Lu Songli spent too long in icy water, chilling her body to such a degree that it could have harmed her offspring. This was the ultimate reason for the Xie and Lu families' engagement. It was all because of the life-saving grace, a lifesaver she could never repay. This reason, however, was unknown to fewer than five people, not even the original owner herself. She had only deduced it after she arrived and noticed something was wrong with her body.
So, Your Majesty the Queen Mother, how could you bear to take away the marriage she exchanged her life for?
As she nodded, the people present couldn't help but sigh that she had really given the Empress Dowager a difficult problem.
The Empress Dowager fiercely squeezed the Buddhist beads in her hand! Her face was also very bad. How could the Xie family boy not inform her of such a big thing? Isn't this just embarrassing for her?
The Queen Mother cast a gloomy look at Lu Songli. She had originally intended to gather everyone tonight and issue an imperial decree to marry Xie Zhan and Zhao Yutan. Now, after learning of this hidden secret, if she granted the marriage to the two again, she would surely be scolded.
Matron Rong Qiu glanced at her mistress and sighed. Miss Lu wasn't a threat, but her father, Lu Desheng, was no pushover. They couldn't let anyone use this as an excuse to criticize the Empress Dowager. It wasn't worth it to knock over a jade vase while trying to catch a mouse. Even the harem knew of Lu Desheng's prowess. If the Empress Dowager were to be impeached for this, it would be a complete loss of face. Even if Lu Desheng cared about the Empress Dowager, what about the Cheng'en family?
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