Chapter 159
In the flower hall in the front yard, when everyone saw Lu Jiaxue coming, they all stood up and bowed to greet him.
Lu Jiaxue walked in, waved for everyone to sit down, and glanced at Luo Shenyuan.
Military intelligence was paramount, so Lu Jiaxue ignored his third brother, Luo Shenyuan. He sat down, pondered for a moment, and then said to Wei Ling, "I've received confidential information about the Datong matter. The two departments have always been at odds, so this collaboration is bound to be complex. As the general of Xuanfu, you should contribute to guarding the border. It would be best if you request permission before returning to Xuanfu."
"Shen Yuan and I are going to the palace to meet the emperor this afternoon." Wei Ling said.
Wei Ling still hadn't figured out what had happened during Lu Jiaxue and Luo Shenyuan's last conflict. Luo Shenyuan wouldn't explain it to him, and he couldn't possibly ask Lu Jiaxue. Both of them were sharp, except for the girl, who was a bit clueless, but he hadn't gotten the chance to ask her yet. Why had Lu Jiaxue kidnapped her? Did she offend him? That didn't make sense. Was it Lu Jiaxue trying to subdue Luo Shenyuan? That was more likely, but he didn't know why.
Lu Jiaxue narrowed his eyes upon hearing this, leaning back in his chair and saying, "I just sent Zeng Yingkun to the Ministry of Justice. I heard that Lord Luo has been frequently accused of treason by the censors recently."
Luo Shenyuan smiled faintly: "This is all thanks to the Governor's outstanding ability. Luo naturally admires him."
"Admiration is fine." Lu Jiaxue held the bracelet in his other hand, still stroking it, and said slowly, "Lord Luo, please think carefully when you return. Otherwise, if Zeng Yingkun reveals any evidence, it will be very disadvantageous to Lord Luo."
When these two people started talking, others naturally didn't dare to interrupt.
Wei Ling rubbed his chin, thinking. His son-in-law, the Minister of the Imperial Court, stood tall and proud, while Lu Jiaxue, leaning back in his chair, possessed the aura of a dragon and a tiger. Their auras were quite rivals. If Luo Shenyuan were given another ten years, his power would surpass Lu Jiaxue's, and it was unclear who would hold the balance.
He called in the servants and ordered the meal to be served. After a moment's thought, he said to Lu Jiaxue, "I heard... you and my daughter had a little conflict. If she has offended you in any way, please don't bother with her for the sake of her being your adopted daughter. I'll have her come in later and bring you a glass of wine as an apology."
Lu Jiaxue also smiled: "She is so young, if she bumps into me, I will just think she is childish, so I won't bother with her."
Luo Shenyuan took a sip of wine. The intimacy in Lu Jiaxue's words...really not towards his adopted daughter, but rather the kind of indulgence he showed towards his own young wife.
Luo Shenyuan didn't want to embarrass Yi Ning, who had just escaped, and didn't ask her what had happened between her and Lu Jiaxue. The fact that she was still a virgin only served to lessen his venomous jealousy. He acted nonchalant, as if nothing mattered, and remained silent. However, only he himself understood the depth of his possessiveness over Luo Yining.
When he was young, he had a hand disease, and the Luo family ignored him, treating him as if he didn't exist. The lonely teenager's heart was filled with despair and indifference, his emotions bordering on the darkest of darkness. This child, who had first held his right hand, expressed her dependence on him. Perhaps the child didn't know it, but he relied on her dependence because it made him feel truly present, much more than she relied on herself.
Perhaps when the child lets go and no longer depends on him, he will grab her hand tightly, tear off all the disguises of indifference, and then control her by his side.
The emotions he concealed didn't erupt, but instead grew stronger. Lu Jiaxue was in his prime, powerful, and the number of women who wanted to be his second wife was overwhelming. Yi Ning... could she really not be tempted by such a person?
Luo Shenyuan put down the wine glass, and all the sweet, bitter and spicy flavors of the wine were in it.
After Old Lady Wei took a nap, Yining helped her pick the cores of ginkgo nuts. When ginkgo nuts ripen, the center core is poisonous and must be removed before consumption. The imperial physician had instructed that ginkgo nuts be used in medicinal diets, so the maids and servants brought in ginkgo nuts from the mansion, which were fortunately ripe. With nothing else to do, they took their time picking.
The clear, jade-like ginkgo nuts were placed in a small jar. Yi Ning was a little surprised: "--You want to enter the palace?"
Zhao Mingzhu nodded nonchalantly and scraped her nails with a knife: "I entered the palace at the age of 30. My grandmother thought it was a good day for marriage. Who would have thought it would be so smooth? Uncle Wei Ling submitted my name. There were many daughters of noble families and important officials who went to the selection. The emperor only heard that I was the cousin of the Duke of Yingguo, so he immediately circled me and gave me the title of selected concubine. I still have the imperial edict, do you want to see it?" Then he asked the maid to get it.
Yi Ning could still vividly remember the incident at the palace banquet.
It was very clear what Zhao Mingzhu meant by this.
Luo Yining had long worried that her face would bring her trouble. Her beauty in her previous life had been merely average, but in this life, it held a certain allure. Later, it proved to be a constant source of trouble. If the Emperor hadn't been so intent, she wouldn't have rashly married, causing all the trouble she's now faced.
But with so many beauties in the palace, the emperor would soon forget her. After all, beauty was not as important as the throne. She felt relieved thinking this way. And now, from what Zhao Mingzhu had said...it seemed the emperor still remembered her.
"Entering the palace with me are the second legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, and a beautiful distant niece chosen by the Empress." Zhao Mingzhu continued, "By the way, I heard that the Empress's niece, Xie Yun, is getting married, and is she marrying Cheng Lang?"
Zhao Mingzhu had now thrown herself into her new career with full enthusiasm. For her, serving one man alongside so many other women wasn't a tragedy; rather, she was quite happy. After all, she didn't love the emperor; she had entered the palace for status. The palace was full of challenges, and perhaps one day she could become an empress. Then, she would naturally repay those who had done her a favor, and she wouldn't be polite to those who had treated her poorly.
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