Lu Qin pouted and said coquettishly, "I just recovered from a serious illness, so I made a mistake."
Wei Jiaoniang pushed Lu Qin's right wrist towards Gu Yanfei and said, "Yanfei, check her condition."
Lu Qin stuck out her tongue and was about to beg for mercy, but her wrist had already been held down by Gu Yanfei.
Gu Yanfei felt Lu Qin's pulse, and soon relaxed, smiling slightly, and said, "The doctor's medicine can be stopped."
"Really?!" Lu Qin's eyes lit up, and she seemed to have taken some magic medicine, and she suddenly became energetic. "I told my mother many times that I was fine, but she didn't believe me and insisted that I drink bitter medicine three times a day."
"Hehe, Yan Fei, if you say I'm fine, my mother will definitely believe it!"
Lu Qin smiled from ear to ear as if she had received an imperial sword.
Hearing Lu Qin say that she took medicine every day, Wei Jiaoniang showed a sympathetic expression, "Poor Ah Qin."
"I'm fine now," Lu Qin touched her nose shyly, lowered her voice a bit, and grasped Gu Yanfei's sleeve with one hand, "Before, those two days when I fainted were really..."
She bit her lower lip, still feeling frightened, and her pupils shrank slightly. "That feeling was too horrible, like... like being buried alive, unable to breathe, and it seemed like my soul had been pulled out."
"At that time, I thought I was really going to die..."
Recalling the feeling at that time, Lu Qin patted her chest, still feeling scared. The feeling of having her soul pulled out was too terrifying, too lonely, and too desperate. It seemed that she was the only one left in the world, as if her soul was imprisoned by chains.
Lu Qin's body trembled violently.
Wei Jiaoniang put her arm around Lu Qin's shoulders and sat down on a bench by the lake. She said to him with a distressed look on her face: "Ah Qin, you have survived a great disaster and will surely have good fortune in the future."
However, Lu Qin was not comforted at all, and said with a bitter face: "I don't know if there will be any good fortune in the future, I have been so miserable these past few days."
"I finally woke up, but my mom and dad kept me under control. Not only did they force me to drink medicine every day, they also forced me to lie on the bed all day and forbade me to go out. If it wasn't for National Day, I would have gone out today."
During this period, Lu Qin felt like she was in prison. She couldn't go anywhere and there were people watching her wherever she went.
What was even more frightening was that her mother seemed like a completely different person. She was very cautious in everything she said and did to her. Her attitude of "holding her in her hands for fear of dropping her, and holding her in her mouth for fear of her melting her" made Lu Qin feel like every day was a year.
Gu Yanfei's eyes flickered between Lu Qin's brows, and he took out a red brocade bag from his sleeve and handed it to her, "This is a calming talisman, keep it."
"When I get back, I'll send some calming incense to your house. You can light it every night before going to bed."
Lu Qin's health is no longer serious, but her soul has left her body for a while, so it is still a little unstable. She should be fine after using calming incense for a few days.
"Yanfei, you are so nice!" Lu Qin held the brocade bag as if she had found a treasure. She tilted her little face and leaned against Gu Yanfei's shoulder, smiling brightly, like a kitten rubbing against its owner.
Staring at Lu Qin's thin face, Wei Jiaoniang felt distressed and gritted her teeth and said, "The Hua family is so hateful! Do you know what happened to the Hua family later?"
Gu Yanfei shook her head, and after that she never paid any attention to the Hua family again.
Of course Lu Qin knew about it. She stroked the brocade bag with one hand and pouted her lips, saying, "Both brothers Hua Xi and Hua Zhao are dead. The Hua couple were sent to the Jingzhao prison. I heard that Madam Hua became crazy because of the death of her two sons. She kept muttering that this was retribution."
"After the Hua family's case became known, several families filed a complaint with the Jingzhao Prefecture. These families were all families who had been in ghost marriages with the Hua family in recent decades. They said that since Old Master Hua was dead, Old Master Hua's son could also pay for his father's debt, life for life."
"My father said that this case is difficult to judge. The case involved more than ten years ago, or even more than forty years ago. It has been a long time, and the people involved are all dead. There is no evidence, no witnesses, and no precedents to follow. Those victims are pitiful, but it is not appropriate if the sins of their ancestors have to be borne by their descendants. I guess there will be a lot of arguments in Jingzhao Prefecture and Dali Temple..."
They were just talking together in a whisper when a sweet voice came from the front right: "Sister Zeng, the butterfly is about to fly away!"
"I'll do it, I'll do it." Miss Zeng, wearing a bright red gown, trotted over with a swaying step, and fanned the colorful butterflies flying in the air with a round fan in her hand, with a graceful figure.
"Ms. Zeng, be careful not to bump into people." Another girl in a pink gown who was chasing after them reminded them.
Miss Zeng then looked at Gu Yanfei, Wei Jiaoniang and the others, covered her lips with her hand and smiled politely.
"Eh? Isn't this Miss Gu Er? I haven't seen her for a while."
Miss Zeng squeezed the butterfly-embroidered round fan in her hand. The spotted Xiangfei bamboo handle made her fingers look white and slender.
She was smiling, but there was no smile in her dark brown eyes, there was even hostility.
Although they had met twice before, at the hunting ground and at a love feast, both times they parted on bad terms and they did not have much of a relationship.
Miss Tang, who was wearing a blue skirt beside her, said, "Miss Gu Er, Miss Wei Jiu, Miss Lu San, why are you here? Why don't you go over and play with everyone else?"
Wei Jiaoniang raised her eyelids and rolled her eyes in annoyance.
They were talking here peacefully, but were interrupted for no apparent reason. These girls from aristocratic families really don't know how to read people's expressions.
"It's none of your business!" When Wei Jiaoniang is unhappy, she will not give others a good look. She will just turn her face away and use extremely rude words.
"Wei Jiaoniang!" Miss Zeng said angrily.
The noble families have always been particular about etiquette, manners and behavior. They have never heard such vulgar words before. They were speechless for a moment, and the three well-made-up faces turned red in an instant, with shame, embarrassment and anger.
Seeing this, Wei Jiaoniang felt happy, and the corners of her lips curved up happily, "Just go where you need to go, why bother with other people's business?"
"If you have time to point fingers at others, you might as well worry more about your own business!"
"..." Miss Zeng gripped the handle of the Xiangfei bamboo fan even tighter, her eyes uncertain.
After a moment, her eyes slowly shifted from Wei Jiaoniang to Lu Qin. She smiled softly and asked considerately, "Miss Lu San, I heard that you were ill a while ago. Are you feeling better now?"
As the saying goes, one should not hit a smiling person, Lu Qin replied politely: "Thank you for your concern, I'm fine."
Miss Zeng pursed her lips and smiled, then said, "Miss Lu San, you have just recovered from your illness, so you should rest more and don't get too tired."
"I'll pay attention..." Lu Qin said dryly. Her arms hidden in her sleeves were covered with goose bumps, and she always felt that something was wrong.
At this time, Fan Mushuang, who had just finished playing a round of wooden shooting, came back and happened to hear this conversation. He exchanged a surprised look with Wei Jiaoniang.
These girls from aristocratic families usually speak in a sarcastic and cunning way. Why did Zeng Ya change her temper today and speak like a normal person? ! Zeng Ya kept smiling as she looked Lu Qin up and down, praising her: "Your dress is made by the Jin's embroidery workshop. The peony embroidery they do is really unique, but this dress..."
She paused, as if she was a little hesitant, but finally persuaded gently: "Miss Lu San, I heard that you are engaged to the young master of the Hua family, so you are half a member of the Hua family. Now that the young master of the Hua family has passed away, why are you still wearing red and green?"
"Could it be... Hey, women should still be chaste and faithful to their husbands."
Zeng Ya shook her head slightly, her face full of disapproval.
Although she didn't say it directly, her meaning was very clear. Since Lu Qin was engaged to the young master of the Hua family, even if her fiancé died, she should remain a widow for him.
As expected, a dog will never change its nature! Fan Mu sneered at the corners of his lips and was about to speak, but Lu Qin quickly grabbed his wrist.
Lu Qin raised her small chin slightly and said with a smile: "Zeng Ya, do you think this marriage is good?"
Zeng Ya couldn't help but frown, "When did I say..."
Lu Qin interrupted her directly: "Then you get married."
“Lu Qin, what nonsense are you talking about?!” Zeng Ya’s face turned red again, and she said angrily, “It’s you who is engaged to the Hua family, not…” me!
Zeng Ya couldn't even utter the last word, feeling that once she said it, she would no longer be innocent.
Tang Jinyun couldn't help but interrupt, "Miss Lu San, Sister Zeng is also giving advice with good intentions, how can you..."
"Oh, you two care so much about the Hua family!" Lu Qin raised her voice to drown out the other party's voice, deliberately looked back and forth between Zeng Ya and Tang Jinyun, and clapped her hands heavily, "I see, I think you two have longed for the Hua family's son. That's perfect, the Hua family has lost two sons, and they need someone to marry them. I can help you two to make a match, and I don't charge you any matchmaker fees."
"You two are so compatible, it's just right for you to be sisters-in-law!"
Lu Qin spoke a lot, and every word was heartbreaking.
Everyone can talk to themselves, isn't it just a matter of who has the loudest voice? If they have the guts, they can learn to curse like street women, because these girls from noble families love their reputation the most!
Vulgar, these noble ladies are really vulgar! Zeng Ya and Tang Jinyun's faces turned from red to blue, and then from blue to white. They simply couldn't refute it. They were taught to be quiet and elegant since they were young.
If you want to curse someone, you have to do it in a roundabout way, without using any dirty words, so as to make the other person so angry that he or she bleeds internally.
How could there be someone like Lu Qin! ! Their chests rose and fell, and after a long while they managed to squeeze out a dry sentence: "You... are simply making trouble!"
Wei Jiaoniang and Fan Mushuang exchanged glances again, their eyes exceptionally bright.
Ah Qin's mouth is really amazing! Wei Jiaoniang smiled and supported Lu Qin: "Miss Tang, Miss Zeng, don't worry, our Ah Qin has always been straightforward, she says whatever she thinks, she is not the kind of person who beats around the bush, you don't have to be polite to her, if you want to marry the young master of the Hua family, just marry him!"
Since Lu Qin is a straightforward person, it is obvious that the people who are beating around the bush are of course Zeng Ya and Tang Jinyun.
The girls were competing with each other, and the noise they made attracted the attention of many people by the lake, with eyes looking over here from all directions.
Zeng Ya clenched her teeth so tightly that her teeth were almost broken, but she did not move away. She couldn't help but glance in Gu Yanfei's direction.
Lu Qin, Wei Jiaoniang...Gu Yanfei and others are all birds of a feather. They are all ignorant and have no sense of propriety, righteousness, and shame! Zeng Ya almost broke the handle of her round fan. She held her breath and said in a gentle and decent voice, "In a few days, I will go back to Xuzhou Huaibei. Maybe I won't have the chance to see Miss Lu San, Miss Wei Jiu, and Miss Gu Er again."
"After all, we know each other, and we just want to show our concern for Miss Lu San."
She turned her head slightly and glanced at the other side of the lake. Because the distance was still far, she could only vaguely see seven or eight young men walking onto the wooden bridge over the lake.
Wei Jiaoniang would never believe Zeng Ya's lies and said rudely, "Who asked you to care?"
Compared with the domineering Wei Jiaoniang, Zeng Ya seems a little delicate.
She bit her lower lip slightly, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and said seriously: "I spoke out of turn today. There is a saying that goes, sit quietly and reflect on your own mistakes, and don't talk about other people's faults when chatting. Miss Lu San, I really shouldn't discuss your private affairs."
"Miss Lu San, you won't bother with me, right?"
As she spoke, she knelt down and bowed in a dignified manner. She was graceful and generous, her tone was always gentle, and her every move showed the demeanor of a lady from an aristocratic family, making it impossible to find fault with her.
Wei Jiaoniang spoke before Lu Qin could say, "What if we have to argue with you?!"
"..." Zeng Ya's eyes darkened and her expression became gloomy and unclear.
“Pah.”
A longan-sized aromatherapy ball fell from her sleeve to the ground. Tang Jinyun, who was standing next to her, accidentally stepped on the aromatherapy ball. She sighed and said apologetically, "Sister Zeng, I was so careless."
"No problem." Zeng Ya said calmly, and told the maid, "Just go get another one."
After a while, a young woman in blue with a bun came over with her head lowered and her hands respectfully presented a brand new aromatherapy ball to Zeng Ya.
"Girl." The young woman's voice was filled with flattery and flattery.
Zeng Ya raised her hand and took the brand new hollow incense ball with curling grass pattern. She casually pulled it out between her fingers, and wisps of elegant fragrance wafted out of the incense ball.
The young woman bowed and was about to leave, her eyes swept lightly over the three girls on the bench in front of her and fell on the face of Gu Yanfei, who was sitting on the far right.
The young woman's eyes widened in shock, her pupils contracted, and her gaze fixed on Gu Yanfei's face.
"Arya!" the young woman blurted out in surprise.
"Huh?" Zeng Ya next to her raised her eyebrows slightly.
Gu Yanfei looked straight at the pretty young woman in front of him. Because of her call, memories came flooding back like a tide, and his eyes were deep.
It turned out to be her, Li Zhaodi.
Li Zhaodi stared at Gu Yanfei closely, her eyes filled with crazy jealousy.
The Erya in my memory had dark and rough skin, a thin body, and was timid, dull and weak.
There is a huge difference between her and the girl in front of him with fair skin and pretty face.
Li Zhaodi could only confirm from the other person's familiar eyes and outline that this was indeed the Li Erya whom she had watched grow up since she was a child.
Li Erya has no name. Her father has called her a money-losing girl and a dead girl since she was a child. Outsiders all call her Li Erya. As time goes by, Li Erya seems to have become her name.
Zeng Ya played with the aromatherapy ball in her hand again, smiled faintly, and looked at Gu Yanfei, "Second Miss Gu, do you know each other?"
As she spoke, Zeng Ya's knowing gaze returned to Li Zhaodi's face, and she clearly saw the jealousy in the other's eyes that was so strong that it was about to overflow.
Zeng Ya was smiling, but there was no smile in her eyes.
She is a girl from aristocratic family.
Their Zeng family is a big family in Xuzhou.
This time, she put in a lot of effort and defeated several sisters and cousins in the family before she got the opportunity to come to the capital with her father and brother. Her purpose was to become the eldest prince's consort and to rise to the empress in the future, thus rising above everyone else.
Who would have thought that this shameless wild girl from the countryside would get the upper hand! "I...I..." Li Zhaodi's eyes were bloodshot, and she was almost going crazy with jealousy.
First it was Gu Yunmeng, then Li Erya.
These two people are obviously her sisters, but they live completely different lives from her. They live in heaven, while only she is sinking in the quagmire.
Emotions of jealousy, resentment, unwillingness, etc. were like a dragnet that entangled her tightly.
Why wasn't she the one who was replaced back then? ! Why could a timid, weak and incompetent little girl become so rich! Wealth nourishes people. Li Zhaodi finally understood the meaning of these four words, and her mouth was full of bitterness.
In a trance, she heard Zeng Ya's gentle voice, which seemed close yet far away: "Zhao Di, do you know Miss Gu Er?"
"The second Miss Gu is the second young lady of the Gu family... just now the Emperor and the Grand Princess Fengyang personally presided over her coming-of-age ceremony."
Every word and sentence was like a poisonous sting that pierced her heart, and her eyes became even redder.
Jealousy almost overwhelmed her. Li Zhaodi said without thinking, "This is my sister."
She stared at Gu Yanfei intently, her burning gaze wishing it could burn two holes in her face. She couldn't help but take a step closer to her and called out, "Erya!"
(End of this chapter)
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