Chapter 26 A Close Call: He still didn't believe she could hide forever. ...
There is ample time?
Meng Yanqing felt something was off about what he said.
But when asked what was strange about it, he couldn't really put his finger on it.
Upon hearing that Meng Yu hadn't come, Lu Xiuyi outwardly smiled nonchalantly, but his hands, clasped behind his back, were tightly gripped, the veins bulging prominently in the sunlight.
She must have heard his name and was deliberately avoiding him.
He refused to believe that she could hide forever.
***
Lu Xiuyi was exchanging pleasantries with the Vice Minister of Revenue and others when Chu Ze suddenly rushed over and whispered, "Young Master, the Marquis has arrived with Lu Jiayan."
Lu Xiuyi frowned: "When did I invite him? Get him out of here."
His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone present to hear.
Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged shocked glances, yet remained silent, knowing full well what was going on. Although they knew the Lu family father and son were at odds, no one expected the young marquis to be so ruthless, ordering his father to be driven out of the mansion in front of everyone.
Upon receiving the order, Chu Ze was about to rush to the front of the mansion when a deep, stern shout rang out in his direction: "A guest is a guest, and I am your father. Our dynasty values governing the country with filial piety and righteousness. General Huaihua's actions may invite criticism."
Several soldiers, seemingly unable to stop Lu Huaiyuan, hurriedly chased after him from behind. Upon seeing Lu Xiuyi, they immediately knelt down: "Reporting to the general, we... we couldn't stop the Marquis."
Lu Xiuyi frowned and waved his hand, and several soldiers hurriedly withdrew.
“Others are naturally guests, but those who trespass on someone else’s property… are dogs.” Lu Xiuyi took two steps forward and slightly raised his hand.
"you……"
"Bang!"
Two voices rang out at the same time, and the sharp sword at Chuze's waist was suddenly drawn, causing everyone to gasp in shock.
This was because the man wielding the sword was pointing it directly at Lord Lu, who was standing opposite him.
Lu Huaiyuan showed no fear, his gaze fixed on Lu Xiu as if it were piercingly cold: "Under the watchful eyes of everyone, you dare to commit patricide?"
As if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, Lu Xiuyi chuckled: "Father, you flatter me. How could I dare? Today is the day I move into my new home. As the eldest brother, Lu Jiayan has inherited Father's true teachings. It is only right that he should present a good gift!"
He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Lu Huaiyuan's back.
The newcomer wore a dark brocade robe with a deep green jade pendant depicting a landscape hanging at his waist. Despite Lu Xiuyi's provocation, his gentle face still held a faint smile, showing no sign of composure.
Chuze brought a sword from elsewhere and presented it to him.
Only then did everyone understand what Lu Xiuyi meant, and they quickly echoed, "Of course, of course. Lord Marquis, don't you agree?"
Lu Xiuyi's sword tilted slightly, pointing directly at Lu Jiayan: "Let's have a contest! My good brother."
A mimosa tree grows in the courtyard, and a gentle breeze causes its leaves to rustle down.
After a long standoff, Lu Jiayan lowered his head, and when he looked up again, he smiled first: "It's really unfortunate, I injured my hand a couple of days ago and can't hold a sword. I'm afraid I'll spoil your enjoyment, little brother."
Lu Xiuyi sheathed his sword and pursed his lips: "What a coincidence. Madam Zhuang is unwell, so I specially invited the imperial physician for her. The imperial physician is still in the manor. Someone, invite the imperial physician over to examine the young master's hand to see how badly it is injured."
Upon receiving the order, Chu Ze was about to go and invite him when Lu Jiayan said, "No need. Since Second Brother is so interested, Elder Brother may give it a try."
As they were talking, Lu Jiayan walked over and snatched the sword from Chu Ze's hand.
Seeing this, Lu Huaiyuan was about to say something, but Lu Jiayan gently shook his head and gave him a reassuring smile.
Just as he was distracted, a sharp sword aura suddenly swept towards him. Lu Huaiyuan subconsciously dodged to the side, and Lu Jiayan reflexively raised his sword to block. However, the huge force forced him to retreat repeatedly, until he was pressed against the steps in front of the courtyard. He gritted his teeth and struggled forward, throwing out a backhand strike.
Lu Xiuyi did not back down at all, flipping in mid-air to block back, each move fierce and deadly.
The leaves of the mimosa tree fell to the ground, and everyone held their breath, staring intently at the two of them, not daring to blink, for fear of missing the most exciting part of the show.
prick!
Lu Jiayan's arm was instantly slashed with a deep bloody gash, the blood staining his clothes red in an instant.
"stop!"
Lu Huaiyuan hurriedly stepped forward, examined Lu Jiayan's injuries, and then said sternly to Lu Xiuyi with a grim face, "It's just a competition, why be so vicious in every move?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiuyi sneered, "I'm ruthless in every move? Lu Huaiyuan, open your dog eyes and see, isn't he ruthless in every move he makes towards me?"
"Now it's you who hurt him."
"That's because he's not as skilled as others."
"you……"
Lu Huaiyuan was so angry that his lips trembled uncontrollably, and all the words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat, unable to make a sound. His brows and eyes were full of scheming and his anger was intense.
Lu Jiayan clutched his injured arm, his face pale, but his expression remained as understanding as ever: "Father, don't be angry. Second brother is right. It was just that my skills were inferior to his."
Lu Xiuyi was used to his hypocritical and two-faced behavior, and simply sneered: "The gifts have been presented. Do you two still wish to stay?"
“Ayi, going too far in doing things is not a good thing. Even if you kneel down and beg me in the future, I may not come.” Lu Huaiyuan spat at him, then had someone help Lu Jiayan turn around and leave without looking back.
Lu Xiuyi watched coldly and raised his voice, "I, Lu Xiuyi, may kneel to heaven, to earth, and to officials, but I will never kneel to those heartless, ungrateful, and hypocritical people."
As the words reached the ears of the departing person, Lu Huaiyuan's eyes dimmed almost imperceptibly for a moment, but he quickly regained his normal expression.
When the exciting scene of the brothers' battle fell into the eyes of the person in the corner under the eaves, she felt more and more that Lu Xiuyi was not as arrogant and extravagant as others said, and she became more and more determined to marry him.
The maid, Zhixia, looked around in a high-pitched voice, occasionally tugging at Meng Yin's sleeve and whispering, "Miss, just take a look and then go back quickly! If Madam finds out anything, she'll skin me alive."
Women and young ladies from the inner quarters shouldn't be in the front hall, and Zhixia had already urged them two or three times. After reading it, Mengyin walked back with a hint of impatience: "What are you worried about? If Mother punishes you, I'll protect you."
Zhixia followed behind, clicking her tongue but not daring to say anything.
Whenever Madam Yuan punishes someone, if Meng Yin gets involved, she gets punished along with her; there's no time to spare for her. Two months ago, Meng Yin sneaked out, and Madam Yuan couldn't stop her. When she came back, she was punished by Madam Yuan, and her thigh still aches slightly.
***
Two days after Lu Xiuyi hosted a banquet for Meng Yanqing and others, Meng Yu's face had fully recovered. Aunt Chen, Zhi Mian, and Yan'er made a swing in the courtyard. Because of what happened with Lu Xiuyi, even though Meng Yu was itching to go out, she dared not sneak out. So she often swung on the swing in the courtyard with Huaiyin to pass the time.
That day, a maid suddenly came to Qingli Courtyard from the front yard. Without saying a word, she handed over a note, saying only, "This is from Second Miss Ning to Third Miss."
After saying that, without waiting for Meng Yu to speak, she hurriedly left as if afraid of being discovered.
Aunt Shen was taking a nap in her room, while Zhi Mian and Yan'er were busy in the small kitchen, so neither of them saw her.
Recalling Ning Sui's dashing demeanor, Huai Yin asked with slight surprise, "How did she manage to bribe the maids in our household?"
Meng Yu had already finished reading the note and smiled as she raised her hand: "Money makes the world go round. She's really too generous. Those maids only get three hundred coins a month, but she spends two taels of silver in one go. Besides, it's just delivering a message, not doing anything shameful. Even if she gets caught, she'll just be taken to Madam Yuan and get a beating."
Huaiyin's eyes widened in surprise: "She only gave me two taels of silver for running an errand?"
As a second-class maid, she only earned eight hundred coins a month. She made a single errand, and it was worth more than two months' salary for her.
"Envious?"
Huaiyin stubbornly refused to admit it, shaking her head and saying, "No."
Meng Yu smiled and pulled her to sit down beside him: "I know you're saving up your dowry. I've already talked to my aunt about it. When I get married, I'll ask my father to take you with me. Once we get your indenture back from the Yuan family, we'll return it to you. From now on, you'll be free to marry as you please."
As Meng Yu's sign language reached this point, Huai Yin's eyes were already brimming with tears.
Meng Yu wiped her tears and said, "Good girl, don't cry. I have good news for you. Your aunt has prepared a dowry for you. Even if you get married and leave us, as long as you have money, you won't have a hard life."
Huaiyin was flattered and hurriedly said, "Auntie only has ten taels of silver a month. She has to save up for the young lady's dowry and give me a share as well. How can this be?"
"How could it not be?" Aunt Shen, who had been standing behind them for an unknown amount of time, suddenly spoke up when she heard Huaiyin say this. She walked around to the two of them and smiled slightly. "Huaiyin, do you remember what Yu'er said when we were at the inn in Ningfen County?"
Before Huaiyin could speak, she repeated, "She said she treats you like her own sister, and I also consider you my daughter from the bottom of my heart. Since you're my daughter, how can I not? Besides, in the manor, daily food, cosmetics, clothes, and charcoal are all paid for by the public accounts, so I don't need much money. Moreover, Yu'er has never been extravagant, and she will marry a poor man in the future. Over the years, the dowry I've saved up is enough for her expenses, so you don't need to worry about it. It's only right that I prepare a dowry for you."
Huaiyin choked back tears and lowered her head, her throat feeling as if it were blocked by a flood of tears, a mixture of heartache and joy.
She had been living on the streets since she was old enough to understand things. She didn't know her parents' names or where her relatives were. All she knew was the daily hunger and cold, the struggle for food with vicious dogs and water with wolf cubs, the weakness in her legs and the darkness in her eyes from hunger, and the overwhelming fear when she was on the verge of death.
Meng Yu passed by, knelt in the torrential rain, and begged Yuan Shi to save her.
She will remember this kindness and gratitude for the rest of her life.
***
Ning Sui arranged to meet Meng Yu at Xiazhen Pavilion the next day. After breakfast, Meng Yu asked Yuan for permission to leave, using the excuse that she wanted to pick out two pieces of jewelry.
Madam Yuan looked her up and down and couldn't help but laugh, "When I sent clothes over the other day, I also sent some jewelry. Why haven't I seen the Third Miss wearing it?"
Meng Yu had anticipated that she would say this, and had prepared her answer in advance: "The jewelry that my mother gave me is too precious. I'm afraid it will be damaged if I wear it on a regular day. It's best to wear it only on holidays. Today, I went to Xiazhen Pavilion to pick out two ordinary pieces of jewelry."
Huaiyin translated the original words.
Meng Yin had seen the jewelry that Madam Yuan had given to Meng Yu, but it was not as good as the hairpin that Meng Yu usually wore. Hearing this, she scoffed and glanced at her: "Look at you, so stingy. You should really go to Xiazhen Pavilion and pick out a couple of pieces of jewelry to broaden your horizons."
"Yin'er, what nonsense are you talking about?" Madam Yuan pretended to be annoyed and scolded her, but there was no anger in her voice. After speaking, she turned to Meng Yu and smiled, "Third Miss, don't mind her. You know, Yin'er has been like this since she was a child."
Meng Yu smiled, Meng Yin's words actually helped her: "Fourth sister is straightforward, she is right, I really should go to Xiazhen Pavilion to broaden my horizons."
Having said all that, Madam Yuan naturally had no reason to object and considered having a carriage prepared to take her there. However, Xiazhen Pavilion wasn't far from the mansion, so Meng Yu thought about it and declined.
Having been back at the manor for so long, apart from that one time when she sneaked out to see Jiang Xuanli, this was the first time Meng Yu had openly gone out.
Aunt Shen was a little worried and checked her veil repeatedly. Only after she could not see her face from a distance did she allow her to go out.
Meng Yu had Huai Yin inquire several times, and after hearing that Lu Xiuyi showed no particular expression upon learning that she hadn't attended the banquet, she felt somewhat reassured. In the following days, he didn't do anything strange to Meng Yanqing either, which made her even more at ease.
Looking back, perhaps she overestimated her position in Lu Xiuyi's heart. After all, they had traveled for more than half a month after leaving Yinjiang, and had not heard any news of Lu Xiuyi chasing after them.
Now that he has become a powerful and influential minister in the court, how could he still remember that clueless country girl from back then?
Seeing Aunt Shen being so cautious, Meng Yu laughed at her for being paranoid.
As a result, she was completely proven wrong in less than half an hour after saying that.
When Lu Xiuyi went up to the second floor of Xiazhen Pavilion, Meng Yu and Ning Sui were chatting happily. Suddenly, she glanced up and inadvertently caught a glimpse of a figure that was all too familiar through the crack in the door.
Meng Yu froze on the spot as if petrified, her head buzzing, her eyes fixed on Lu Xiuyi's figure turning and walking towards her.
Thump! Thump! The sound of his footsteps on the wooden floor came from afar. Almost the instant he pushed open the door, Meng Yu suddenly reacted, grabbed the veiled hat placed next to the table with one hand, and pulled Huai Yin, who was stunned behind him, with the other, and quickly hid behind the screen.
The change came so suddenly that Ning Sui was stunned for a moment. Before she could even ask a question, the sound of the door opening behind her and Meng Yu hiding behind the screen rang out almost simultaneously.
Realizing that Meng Yu might be hiding from the newcomers, Ning Sui turned around and saw that the newcomers were Lu Xiuyi and Qin Musui.
Author's Note: Thank you to all the readers who have supported me. Update time will resume to 8:27 PM. I will let you know if I need to take a break. Comments are now enabled. Anti-theft measures are 70% active for 72 hours.
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