Chapter 113
Ningyuan Marquis Mansion is next to the alley where Shuntian Prefecture is located. Officials and runners from Shuntian Prefecture often come and go here, and ordinary people dare not set foot here easily.
Moreover, after Lu Jiaxue took over the Marquisate, the Jining Marquis who lived in the same alley was stripped of his title, and the Song family moved out of the alley. The entire alley was now under the control of the Ningyuan Marquisate, and it seemed even more deserted.
Yet, these scenes were incredibly familiar to her. A crooked willow tree at the entrance of the alley, stone lions at the gate of the Ningyuan Marquis's residence. Tall, black-lacquered paulownia wood doors, gilded copper buckles adorned with unicorns. Guards lined the entrance. Compared to the grandeur of the Duke of Ying's residence, the current Ningyuan Marquis's residence felt even more forbidding and meticulous.
The accompanying steward handed over the visiting card. The steward of Ningyuan Marquis's Mansion opened it and read it. The seemingly thin steward frowned slightly.
Anyone who can serve as the face of Ningyuan Marquis Mansion must be a person who is well versed in human nature.
The Duke of Ying's Mansion and the Marquis of Ningyuan's Mansion have frequent interactions, but now everyone knows that Wei Ling is in trouble. The governor has not said anything, and no one knows what he is thinking.
What if he gets upset if he rashly lets someone from the Duke of England in? If someone from the Duke of England comes here to cause trouble, then he's probably causing trouble for the governor.
The thin steward bowed and smiled, "Our Marquis went to the Ministry of War yesterday and we don't know when he will return. I'm afraid this master will have to wait."
The Duke of England's steward frowned upon hearing this, turned back and whispered to the people in the carriage. After a moment, he came back and said, "...Our young lady has something important to tell the governor. I hope you can let the carriage in first. It's getting late, and there are many mosquitoes outside on summer nights."
The thin steward hesitated for a moment after hearing this before letting the guard open the door.
As the night deepened, guards escorted Lu Jiaxue's carriage into the Ningyuan Marquis's residence. He alighted from the carriage, his tall figure, draped in a cloak, looking even taller in the light of the lanterns on the eaves.
Lu Jiaxue walked towards the study, and the steward immediately came to meet him and whispered, "My Lord, the Duke of Ying's daughter... is waiting for you in the front hall."
Lu Jiaxue paused. He was discussing the re-deployment of troops in Xuanfu with Wang Yuan, the Minister of War, and others when his eunuchs came to inform him that the Emperor was furious with Wei Ling because of Marquis Zhongqin's advice. He had been swarming with requests for an audience, but he ignored them for now. The more pressing matter was the border. Furthermore, he was genuinely displeased with Wei Ling's recklessness.
Others only dared to pass on the message and wait for him to announce the meeting.
Wei Ling's daughter was quite courageous and actually came to the door herself.
Lu Jiaxue turned around and asked, "You just let her in like that?"
The thin steward said hurriedly, "You have adopted the daughter of the Duke of Ying as your adopted daughter, and she said she has something important to tell you. Besides, it's her who is here, and I wouldn't dare let anyone else in."
What could a girl who hadn't even reached the age of marriage do? He even felt a little sympathy for her when he thought of the steward lifting the curtain of the carriage, revealing a thin figure.
No matter how noble one's status and position were, it could be gone in an instant. If the Duke of Ying still had some way, they would not have allowed a young lady who had not yet reached the age of marriage to come out and ask Lu Jiaxue for help.
After hearing this, Lu Jiaxue's lips twitched slightly. Without saying anything, he strode towards the front hall.
Now that she is here, I have to listen to what she has to say.
The maid in the front hall served Yining tea, and she noticed it was still Lu Jiaxue's favorite, Junshan Yinzhen. She didn't know why he loved this tea so much. The leaves, a withered green at first, floated to the surface when the boiling water was poured over them, then slowly sank to the bottom of the cup, each a stroke of the highest quality. The tea took on a pale yellow hue, and the fragrance was fragrant.
Lu Jiaxue walked to the front hall and, through the latticed window, saw her wearing a white jacket with cherry blossoms scattered across it. Her twelve-panel skirt fell to her feet, her waist held only by a thin belt, and her jade beaded skirt also hung down. Her bulging chest made her waist seem even more slender. She held a teacup and examined the tea leaves. A mist rose, shrouding her face in it, hazy and clear.
Hearing Lu Jiaxue's voice, Yining raised her head.
His guards were still standing outside the door. Lu Jiaxue said nothing when he walked in and sat down. He didn't pay much attention to his sitting posture, but there was a sense of calm and oppression.
A steward came in and handed him the letter, then stood aside with his hands hanging, waiting for him to read it.
Lu Jiaxue looked up while reading the letter and said, "What's the matter? Didn't you come to my house to see me? What do you want to say?"
His question was not too polite, and even felt threatening, and the atmosphere was a little tense.
Yi Ning had long anticipated that Lu Jiaxue wouldn't be kind to her at this point, so it was a surprise that he actually met her. In fact, if Lu Jiaxue refused to see her, she had ways to force him. She knew many of Lu Jiaxue's secrets, including his ruthless usurpation of power and his brutal murder of his brother. To protect the Duke of Ying's mansion, Luo Yining didn't mind using these tactics to sway Lu Jiaxue.
She bowed to Lu Jiaxue and said, "My adoptive father is busy with court affairs, and I shouldn't have bothered you. But my father is in critical condition, and now... I'm really desperate." She held out her wrist, which was covered with a string of dark beads. The beads were a bit large, and her wrist was too thin, so they didn't fit her well. She pulled the beads off and said, "When I accepted you as my adoptive father, you said you would protect me in the future... My father said you often wore these beads to protect yourself on the battlefield. Now I only ask that you, considering our past friendship, save him."
Lu Jiaxue smiled and asked slowly, "Why do you think that just because you, an adopted daughter, ask me to do something, I'll agree to it?"
"If your father hadn't failed to report the military situation and recklessly sent troops, Pingyuan Fort would still be safe, and the people at the border wouldn't have to worry about where to flee tomorrow." He put the letter down and continued, "Do you know how long the border war will last because of your father, and how much financial and human resources have been consumed? Do you know that because of your father, the emperor has even questioned me?"
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