Meanwhile, Feng Ruilan finished tending to her injuries, but Lu Jingyan still hadn't appeared. When she went out to ask, she learned that he had left not long ago, and even the servants didn't know where he had gone.
She leaned against the door frame, looking at the gray sky and the snow falling all around her. Her eyes darted around, and then she had an idea.
"Cui'er, the snow outside is too heavy. I just twisted my ankle and can't walk properly. Go tell Qingying to ask the abbot to arrange a room for me that is closer to here."
The maid named Cui'er was only twelve years old. She was young and soft-hearted, and she would immediately carry out any order given to her.
Feng Ruilan smiled at the servant and said, "Young man, as you can see, I'm not feeling well right now. I hope your young master won't mind if I stay here a little longer."
The number of rooms in the temple is limited, so it's not easy to make temporary arrangements. Besides, it's not feasible to let people stay in cold rooms on a snowy day. The abbot makes the arrangements, and the monks put charcoal braziers in the rooms to warm them up before people can move in.
When Qingying arrived, she gave a lot of incense money and was familiar with the abbot, so it wouldn't be difficult for her to ask to change to a different room.
Lu Jingyan's servants, of course, dared not say anything bad, since it was their young master who had carried the person back. They could only greet her with smiles and say, "Miss, please rest. It's not too late to make arrangements when our young master returns."
Feng Ruilan then closed the door, turned around, and limped back into the house.
The rooms in the temple were simply furnished. Inside, besides a wooden bed, there were only two wooden chairs, a table, and a half-person-high wooden cabinet. In addition to these pieces of furniture, there was also a decorative painting and an incense burner.
She sat in the chair, clutching a package in her hand, lost in thought.
This was given to her by Liu Qingying. At the time, she said she got it from a courtesan in the music hall, without specifying what it was, but she could guess.
Those who frequented music halls were mostly high-ranking officials and nobles. The courtesans in these halls sold their art, not their bodies, but they were generally of lowly birth or descendants of disgraced officials. Their best way to climb the social ladder was to become concubines of these powerful figures. However, achieving this was usually not easy, so they would resort to drastic measures…
"I'm just giving you more options; whether you use them or not is entirely up to you." These were Liu Qingying's exact words.
But she and Lu Jingyan had only just met today, so wouldn't using this seem a bit too hasty?
Just as she was hesitating, she suddenly heard the door open, which startled her so much that she quickly hid the package in her sleeve.
Never mind, let's talk about it next time...
Lu Jingyan walked in, carrying a food box. "The snow outside is falling heavier and heavier. I was afraid you would go hungry, so I asked the monks at the temple for some food."
"You're so kind, young master." She was delighted, thinking that this man was considerate, and her satisfaction with him increased even more.
Lu Jingyan placed the food box on the table, opened it, and took out several small dishes, a plate of white steamed buns, and two bowls of congee.
"The food at the temple is bland; I wonder if the young lady can get used to it."
“Young master is joking. I came to Chongfu Temple to offer incense, not to enjoy myself.”
"I'm glad you don't mind, young lady."
Lu Jingyan also sat down and handed her a pair of chopsticks.
Feng Ruilan took it, thanked her, and then ate it with a reserved air, which seemed somewhat deliberate.
Lu Jingyan, on the other hand, ate slowly and gracefully, making almost no noise.
Although the Duke of Lu's mansion is not as powerful as it used to be, his inherent nobility was cultivated from childhood, and that cannot be denied.
Feng Ruilan was unaware of the inside story, but looking at him only made her more and more satisfied. She had heard that the Duke of Lu only had one legitimate son, Lu Jingyan, and the rest of his illegitimate sons and daughters were no threat at all. If Lu Jingyan inherited the title in the future, wouldn't she become the Duchess?
The more she thought about it, the happier she became, and she almost burst out laughing.
"What's wrong, young lady?" Lu Jingyan asked, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
Before Feng Ruilan could even stop laughing, she simply went along with it, saying, "I was just thinking about some happy things."
"What makes you smile even when you're eating? Why don't you share it with me?"
"It's nothing really, it's just that my niece is about to become the Crown Prince's wife, and I'm happy for her."
Lu Jingyan's face stiffened.
Feng Ruilan, however, did not notice his unusual behavior and continued, "I suppose you don't know, but my sister-in-law is the eldest daughter of the Pan family in the capital. Her elder sister is the wife of that famous general. Now she has also established a connection with the Prince Yu's mansion. Our entire Feng family is benefiting from this."
She said all this just to raise her own status. If we only talk about the Feng family, Lu Jingyan probably wouldn't even be able to think of such a small and insignificant family. But it's different when it comes to the Liu family. With Liu Yu's current position in the court, the number of people who want to get in touch with their family could probably stretch from the gate of the mansion to the city gate.
However, the Liu family had few descendants. The previous generations were basically single-lineage with no collateral branches. It wasn't until Liu Yu's generation that a second branch was established, and the family didn't separate. Therefore, many people would try to establish some connection with the Liu family, even if it meant going to great lengths. Otherwise, the older brother wouldn't have used the whole family's resources to marry Pan Hongyu.
To raise money for the betrothal gifts for the Pan family, their family is still struggling to pay off debts. Their parents feel guilty towards Pan Hongyu, which is why they keep indulging her.
Thinking about all this, she couldn't help but feel some resentment.
She'll make sure Pan Hongyu comes begging to her from now on!
But she didn't notice Lu Jingyan's increasingly strange expression as she said these words.
He was getting angry just thinking about Wei Dongchen, but he was helpless and could only rage in frustration.
But Feng Ruilan continued, "After they get married, I'll be practically a relative of the Prince Yu's family. The young master will have to call me 'aunt.' So, by that logic, I'll be considered a member of the royal family."
Lu Jingyan sneered inwardly. Royal relatives? How dare a distant relative say such things? They really don't know their place!
However, his expression gradually softened, and he smiled gently, saying, "In that case, I, Lu, will have to rely on Miss Feng in the future."
"I don't deserve it, I didn't mean it. I was just joking around, please don't take it seriously, Young Master Lu."
She realized something was wrong after she finished speaking, but seeing that Lu Jingyan's expression was normal, she felt relieved.
After lunch, a young novice monk came over to tell her that her room had been arranged, and it was right next door.
Feng Ruilan was somewhat surprised. She said she wanted it to be closer, but she hadn't expected it to be this close.
Temples usually arrange separate rooms for men and women, as they need to consider their reputation.
Lu Jingyan explained first: "It should be that the side rooms in the temple have been arranged almost completely, and the nearby rooms are full, with only the next room still empty."
"Huh? But we didn't see anyone when we came here?"
"Many people arrived yesterday or earlier. The snow fell on the mountain earlier, so many people who couldn't get down the mountain stayed here temporarily."
Lu Jingyan arrived a day earlier than them, so he knew more about her and she had no doubts.
Anyway, living next door would be more convenient for her, so she didn't say anything more.
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