Chapter 300 Lu Zhaoruo Remains Closed at Home
Three days later, winter had arrived in the capital, and the cold wind was howling.
Outside the Lu residence, the eunuch's shrill voice pierced the early morning: "His Majesty's decree bestows upon Lady Lu, a third-rank lady, two bottles of Purple Gold Blood-Activating Pills, ten bolts of Ice Silk and Snow Satin, and a Red Gold Filigree Phoenix Hairpin..."
The procession carrying the rewards filed in, and many whispering people had already gathered in the street corners and alleys.
Granny Wang bowed deeply in gratitude, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Back when she served in the palace, she was just an insignificant old servant. Not to mention such a favor, she rarely even received any recognition from her more respectable masters.
Now that she's with Lady Lu, all those arrogant old acquaintances from the palace are now incredibly polite to her.
This dignified appearance is all thanks to my wife.
This is the third consecutive day of imperial rewards.
Everyone in the capital knows that Lady Lu is now not only a third-rank lady bestowed by the emperor, but also enjoys the emperor's favor.
Those influential people who had once looked down on her now had mixed feelings; some were regretful, some were surprised and doubtful, and many more were secretly alarmed...
Inside the room, the charcoal brazier burned warmly, but it couldn't dispel the chill in the room.
"My lady, Lady An and Lady Fujun have arrived. Are you... still not going to see them?"
Dong Rou knocked softly on the door for the third time.
There was still no response from inside the room; only a thin shadow was cut off by the window frame and cast alone on the screen.
On the table, the congee and side dishes that were delivered in the morning had long since gone cold and remained untouched.
An Linglong stood quietly outside the door for a moment, then sighed softly, stuffed the newly brought calming incense into Dong Rou's hand, and quietly left.
She went to keep Ah Sha company for a while.
Every day, Ah Sha would come and crawl next to Ah Bao's little grave.
Without saying anything more, Zhanfu turned and went to the courtyard to look for Lu Bohong.
He stood alone under the withered trellis, his brows furrowed, staring blankly at Lu Zhaoruo's closed door, unaware that his fingertips were chilled by the cold air.
Zhanfujun quietly approached, and upon seeing his appearance, she understood.
She didn't say much, but quietly placed a hand warmer, still warm from her body, into his cold hands.
The warmth from his fingertips brought Lu Bohong back to his senses. He forced a smile, but couldn't hide the worry and exhaustion in his eyes: "Madam Fujun, you've come."
“Hmm,” she replied softly, standing beside him as they looked at the door. After a moment of silence, she changed the subject, her voice filled with joy: “I haven’t had a chance to congratulate you, Mr. Lu, on achieving the top score in the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Bohong looked down at the hand warmer in his hand, then looked at Zhanfujun again: "Fame and fortune are desirable, but right now... I only hope that my little sister can get through this ordeal."
Yes, it will.
"That's what you're saying," said Zhanfu.
The two said no more and simply stood quietly side by side in the desolate courtyard.
In the Xiao residence, in a quiet room, the air was filled with the aroma of medicine.
Gu Xian was wrapped in a heavy black fox fur cloak, but his figure still looked empty.
He leaned back in the chair by the couch, his face a bloodless, sallow yellow, with two sickly flushes on his cheeks.
He struggled to raise his hand and tightly covered his mouth with a snow-white handkerchief. His shoulders and back convulsed violently, emitting a series of dry, choking coughs, as if he were about to shatter and vomit out his internal organs.
After a long while, he caught his breath, and when he removed the handkerchief, several streaks of dark red blood were clearly visible on it...
He came every day, forcing himself to sit by the bedside for most of the day, until dusk turned the window paper a dim yellow, before Erzhong half-helped and half-carried him away.
At that moment, he looked out the window, his chapped lips moved a few times, and his voice was hoarse: "Yongfu... she hasn't come to Anzhai for a long time."
He forced a faint smile, the smile failing to reach his eyes, instead adding to the desolation: "So...so be it. With my life hanging by a thread, cough...why should I burden her any further?"
His gaze fell back on Xiao Yeming's face, carrying an almost desperate plea, his breath weak but his words clear: "But you... must wake up, Madam Lu... is still waiting for you, to welcome her into the family in style."
Xiao Yeming lay face down on the couch, his cheek turned to one side, his face as pale as paper.
His entire back, hips, and legs were covered with thick gauze. To avoid the injuries, soft pillows were placed under his legs, causing his knees to dangle slightly in the air, maintaining an extremely unnatural bent posture.
Apart from the faint, almost imperceptible rise and fall of his chest that proved he was still alive, he was like a jade sculpture that had lost its soul, unable to hear his dearest friend's heart-wrenching pleas, and unable to feel any of the noise and pain in this world.
Gu Xian gazed at his silent face, and the faint hope in her heart, like the flame of the oil lamp on the desk, flickered uncertainly in the cold wind blowing in through the window, threatening to go out.
He finally couldn't resist the metallic taste churning in his throat, and another heart-wrenching cough erupted. He hurriedly covered his mouth tightly with a handkerchief, his thin shoulders trembling violently.
When the coughing subsided, he looked at the newly stained dark red on the handkerchief, then at the lifeless Xiao Yeming on the bed. The last glimmer of light in his eyes dimmed, leaving only endless weariness and sorrow.
He gestured for Erzhong to help him up, and took one last deep look at the person on the bed, his voice as soft as a sigh: "Yeming, I will... come to see you again tomorrow."
After saying that, he was half-supported and half-carried by Erzhong, and he staggered out of the inner room.
Lady Di, the wife of the Duke of Di, also came to visit today.
Her full head of silver hair was neatly combed, her face was kind, and her eyes were gentle yet revealed a wisdom gained from experiencing the world.
Although there was a slight awkwardness between her and Madam Xiao because of her grandson Meng Xi's failed marriage proposal, the long-standing friendship between the two families remained strong.
Supported by Granny Xiang, Madam Di slowly walked to Madam Xiao and sighed softly before speaking.
She stretched out her wrinkled yet warm hand and tightly grasped Madam Xiao's hand, which was cold and trembling with worry: "With Ye Ming's strong and resilient nature, his fate will not end here. He will definitely... he will definitely overcome this calamity."
Madam Xiao wiped away her tears and laughed heartily: "That boy has always been tough as a kid! The King of Hell wants to take him? Not so easy!"
After that day, Meng Xi left the capital with Chang Hong and disappeared without a trace.
actually.
He went to Jizhou City.
Inside the flower hall of the Qi family mansion, the charcoal fire crackled and popped.
Wan Ning's mother twisted her handkerchief tightly as she paced back and forth in the hall, her other hand unconsciously protecting her still-unseen belly.
"No, I can't wait any longer!"
She stopped abruptly, looked at Madam Jiang, who was sitting in the main seat, slowly stirring the tea froth, and said urgently, "Isn't this the opportunity that Lady Nian'er risked her life for? I'll go and write a complaint right now, accusing Lu Zhaoruo of murder and forced confession! No matter how much the Emperor favors her, can he really disregard the law?"
"stop!"
Jiang's wrist sank, and the teacup slammed heavily on the table, making a jarring, crisp sound.
She raised her eyes, her gaze containing not only pressure but also a hint of pain and anger that had suddenly been stirred up by the mention of Li Nian'er.
"Listen to me carefully," she said in a low voice, but every word was chilling, "Nian'er is someone I raised with all my heart since she was a baby! She risked her life to ensure your future and the future of the child in your womb, not so that you could rush off to be buried with her!"
She suddenly stood up, approached Wan Ningniang, her fingertips almost poking the other's face: "Do you have a brain? His Majesty's behavior clearly shows that he wants to use Lu Zhaoruo as a knife to cut the flesh of the Grand Princess! Are you going to rush up now and accuse His Majesty of appointing the newly appointed Third-Rank Lady? Do you want to turn the path that Nian'er paved with her life into a dead end that sends my entire Qi family to the Yellow Springs?"
She took a deep breath, looking at Wan Ningniang's face, which turned deathly pale, her heart aching with contempt: "How... how could Nian'er have paid with her life for such a fool as you!"
Wan Ning's mother trembled violently as she was scolded, her hands protecting her lower abdomen shaking terribly.
Jiang stopped looking at her, slumped back into the main seat, and pressed her fingertips against her throbbing temples.
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