On the way back, the old nanny kept murmuring in Lu Jinxin’s ear, “Miss, don’t cry. What’s the point of taking those peasants’ words to heart?”
Lu Jinxin pressed her lips tightly and said nothing.
Big tears hung on her long eyelashes, on the verge of falling.
Her straight bangs covered her forehead, and her round face made her look even more childish and pitiful.
As they turned the corner of the corridor, a well-dressed lady sitting on a wooden bench, admiring the lotus flowers, turned her head at the sound.
Seeing Lu Jinxin, she frowned slightly and asked, “Jinxin? Who made you cry again?”
The old nanny looked warily at Lu Jinyan, “Miss Jinyan, it’s just a small matter...”
This lady was the legitimate daughter of the Lu family in the capital.
Empress Chu was her aunt, and she had been groomed as the perfect candidate for the crown prince’s consort since childhood.
However, the crown prince later took a liking to a girl from the Qin family and married her instead, preventing the Lu family from producing both an empress and a crown princess.
After the death of Lu Taishi, the entire Lu family in the capital was exiled.
The crown prince had them rescued and settled in this villa.
The Lu family in Yingzhou was afraid that all their efforts would benefit the Lu family in the capital.
Since Lu Jinyan was the best candidate for a marriage alliance, they sent Lu Jinxin to Qingzhou.
Leaning on the wooden railing with a fan embroidered with flowers and birds in her hand, Lu Jinyan looked like a painting, with her delicate shawl fluttering in the wind.
Compared to Lu Jinxin, Lu Jinyan had a dignified and bright appearance.
The “Two Beauties of Bianjing” referred to her and Qin Zheng.
Qin Zheng was known as “the most beautiful woman in Chu,” while Lu Jinyan was praised as the “most talented woman.”
Hearing the nanny’s words, Lu Jinyan glanced at her lightly.
Having been groomed as the crown prince’s consort and raised in the affluent Bianjing, her gaze was full of pressure. “When did it become a servant’s place to interrupt when I’m talking to my sister?”
The nanny, who had served Lu Jinxin for many years, had never been treated like this before and looked visibly upset. “Miss Jinyan, what do you mean...”
Lu Jinyan responded lightly, “A servant should know their place. My aunt passed away early, and we rarely interacted with Yingzhou. I don’t know how you served Jinxin before, but now, under my watch, any more transgressions, and I won’t hesitate to discipline the servants myself.”
These sharp words left the nanny’s face alternating between red and pale.
Though filled with resentment, she dared not say another word.
Lu Jinyan stood up and took Lu Jinxin’s hand, saying disdainfully, “You look like a crying cat. Come to my room and wash your face.”
The nanny wanted to follow, but a single look from Lu Jinyan froze her in place.
Lu Jinyan said, “You all stay here. Do you think I would eat her or something?”
Nanny’s face twisted in disdain.
She waited until Lu Jinyin led Lu Jinxin away, holding hands, before spitting on the ground. “I knew long ago that those folks from the capital’s Lu family weren’t up to any good!
Back when Master Lu was still around, they were arrogant enough, but now, relying on us from Yizhou, what’s with the attitude?
Only our young miss is naive enough to be tricked by them.
Who knows what kind of ridicule she’ll face behind her back!”
If the Lu family in the past was like a big tree, then the Lu family in the capital could be said to be almost the entire tree, with the branch in Yizhou being just a twig.
It was precisely because of this that the Lu family in Yizhou had always felt inferior to the Lu family in the capital.
Now that the Lu family in the capital had fallen, they wanted to hold their heads high and assert themselves.
Nanny had always put on airs, not wanting others to look down on the Lu family in Yizhou.
Lu Jinyin led Lu Jinxin back to their room.
After instructing the maidservant to fetch water for her to wash her face, she pointed to a stool for her to sit. “Speak up, why are you crying?”
Lu Jinxin was only fourteen years old.
When Bianjing hadn’t changed hands, no one knew that the Lu family in the capital would face the disaster of extermination.
No one knew what she should learn or what family responsibilities she should shoulder.
She had been pampered in Yizhou and had never suffered any grievances.
As soon as she heard Lu Jinyin’s question, her eyes reddened uncontrollably. “I want to go home...”
Lu Jinyin sighed. “You came here, you should know that you can’t go back.”
Tears streamed down Lu Jinxin’s face, her shoulders shaking as she cried silently.
Every letter she sent back received no reply.
Lu Jinxin knew very well what her father’s attitude was.
After her mother’s death, her father had always been very fond of her, but now he no longer wanted her.
The second cousin from the main branch of the family had married the Prince of Huaiyang, giving the second branch more influence in the Lu family.
Now that the crown prince’s momentum was growing, her father had sent her to Qingzhou.
She bit her lip. “I haven’t been wronged by anyone. I just... I just feel embarrassed and very sad.”
Embarrassed by her own situation, and saddened by the fact that it was her father who loved her who had put her in this situation.
Lu Jinyin saw a hint of complexity in Lu Jinxin’s eyes and touched her head. “What’s the matter? Don’t cry over everything that happens from now on.”
Lu Jinxin wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “I just don’t understand. I raised a Persian cat once. When the magistrate’s daughter came to play at our house that year and took a liking to my cat, I’d rather offend her than send the cat away. Why can’t my father have the heart to keep me? just like I keep my cat?”
Tears welled up in her eyes again. “Nanny said I’m a daughter of the Lu family and should come to Qingzhou for the sake of the Lu family.
Jinrong also said that since the Lu family raised me, I should do these things for the sake of the family.
Sister Yan, since the day I was born into the Lu family, and received the upbringing of the Lu family, do I owe the Lu family?”
Jinrong is the younger brother born to a stepmother.
Her tone was devoid of any resentment, and her tear-filled eyes were clear and pure, as if she just wanted a definite answer from Lu Jinyin: “I raised the cat because I liked it, not because I wanted to exchange it for anything.
I always thought that my father loved me genuinely, but now I realize that I might have been wrong before.
The way the Lu family raised me is different from how I raised the cat.”
Lu Jinyin had always thought this distant cousin was a bit simple-minded.
After hearing her words, she was at a loss for words for a long time, her smile carrying a hint of self-deprecation:
“Yes, the title of a noble daughter sounds glamorous, but it’s not as good as raising cats and dogs.
Giving away cats and dogs as gifts, if they get closer to their new owners, no one will say that the cats and dogs are heartless.
Only the daughter of the family calculates meticulously, planning the value of everything.”
She continued with a more sarcastic smile at the end, “Don’t be sad. If you’re sad here, who will know?”
Perhaps those words touched a corner of Lu Jinyin’s heart.
She gave Lu Jinxin some advice, “Since it’s come to this, don’t expect Yizhou to care about you anymore.
This is Qingzhou, not Yizhou.
Get rid of that nanny as soon as possible. She’s always flaunting her connections and giving you a bad name.”
Lu Jinxin hung her head and said nothing.
She knew the nanny was often too outspoken, but after her mother died and her father remarried, her father, who had always cared for her, was the only one left.
The nanny often acted high and mighty and used Qiao as a threat, fearing that Lu Jinxin would be taken advantage of because of her soft nature.
Her thoughts were all written on her face.
Lu Jinyin could easily see through her and sighed, “The more you indulge her, the less she respects the boundaries of master and servant.
She will meddle in everything and will eventually harm you.
If you can’t bring yourself to dismiss her after so many years of friendship, then you need to assert your authority.
If that doesn’t work, in the future, let her only take care of the household affairs and promote a few capable maidservants by your side.”
Lu Jinxin nodded quietly, then hesitantly twisted her handkerchief. “Sister Yan, I feel ashamed to stay in Qingzhou.”
General Lin’s words, although harsh, were not entirely wrong.
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They only let her come from Yizhou, knowing full well that the army lacked military funds but pretended not to notice, fearing to take too big a gamble on the crown prince and losing to the court army.
Lu Jinyin tapped her forehead. “We’re about to go to war. Where else can you go? Yizhou sent you here for a marriage alliance, but if you don’t have that intention, let the crown princess know as soon as possible. The crown princess won’t make things difficult for you.”
Lu Jinxin, looking aggrieved, pointed to her finger. “I’m afraid to meet the crown prince.”
It’s said that the crown princess caught the crown prince’s eye when she went to the temple to pray.
When she heard that the crown prince had rushed back from Xuzhou, the nanny asked her to go see the crown prince with the people from the Lu family in the capital.
She secretly covered her face with a few pimples.
A hint of mockery flashed in Lu Jinyin’s eyes.
She said meaningfully, “Do you really think that when the crown prince married the crown princess back then, it was because of the crown princess’s beauty?”
Lu Jinxin looked shocked, but Lu Jinyin realized she had spoken out of turn and quickly changed her tone, “You’re just a silly girl. Who would notice you?”
Lu Jinxin’s mouth drooped. “I’m just chubby.”
Although there was indeed a bit of flesh.
Lu Jinyin said, “Alright, you go back today. I’ll accompany you to see the crown princess tomorrow.”
Having someone accompany her gave Lu Jinxin a natural sense of relief.
However, Lu Jinyin was the former designated candidate for the crown princess, so she knew, “Will the crown princess be unhappy?”
Lu Jinyin could tell what this little fool was worried about with just one glance.
She said, “You were sent here by the Lu family for a marriage alliance. I was almost chosen for the Eastern Palace before...
You and I both have no intentions towards His Highness the crown prince.
No matter what our family says, we just need to show our attitude to the crown princess.”
Lu Jinxin felt relieved.
Since she had just cried, she would definitely be seen when she went back like this.
She said, “I need to wash my face.”
Lu Jinyin was somewhat helpless with this little fool and said, “Go ahead, there’s a clean cloth by my embroidery frame.”
As Lu Jinxin washed her face and went to get the cloth, she happened to see a piece of embroidery covered halfway by silk, with a satin surface in azure blue, and the green bamboo embroidered on it was particularly elegant.
“Sister Yan, the bamboo you embroidered is so beautiful,” she said as she was about to pick up the embroidery frame to look.
Lu Jinyin’s eyes changed, and she shouted, “Don’t move!”
But it was too late.
The pattern on the embroidery was fully revealed in Lu Jinxin’s eyes.
The embroidery on both sides was symmetrical, looking like it was for making a purse.
In the lower corner, there was an unfinished character “Yan,” looking like half of the character, just wider.
Lu Jinxin didn’t see anything wrong with it.
But before she could react, Lu Jinyin had already taken the embroidery away.
The needle on top pricked deeply into her palm, oozing out beads of crimson blood.
She seemed to not feel the pain at all and said coldly, “I don’t like it when people touch my things.”
“I’m sorry.” Lu Jinxin didn’t expect her reaction to be so strong and felt a bit at a loss.
Lu Jinyin seemed to realize that she had overreacted.
Her face softened a bit. “It’s nothing. You can go back now.”
Lu Jinxin left Lu Jinyin’s room dejectedly, feeling completely stupid.
No wonder even Sister Yan was annoyed with her.
Inside the room, Lu Jinyin listened to Lu Jinxin’s footsteps receding before taking out the hidden embroidery.
The blood from the needle prick had just stained the character “Yan,” and she rubbed it with her fingers, closing her eyes.
The corners of her mouth were filled with bitterness.
Lu Jinxin and Lu Jinyan’s invitation cards were delivered to Qin Zheng’s place that evening.
Since the city’s defenses were being inspected and completed, she wasn’t that busy.
It wouldn’t hurt to meet these two legitimate daughters of the Lu family.
However, when Song Heqing found out, he had some things to say to her.
Qin Zheng then learned that Lu Jinyan, the legitimate daughter of the Lu family from the capital, was originally designated as the crown prince’s consort.
When Chu Chengji returned in the evening, Qin Zheng calmly placed the invitation card in the most conspicuous place on the low table.
Chu Chengji casually picked it up and looked at it. “If you don’t want to see them, just let the people below say you’re busy. That would send them away.”
Qin Zheng said, “I was indeed busy some time ago, and I’ve kept them waiting for a long time. Sooner or later, I’ll have to meet them.”
As she spoke, her eyes always seemed to glance at Chu Chengji.
Chu Chengji chuckled. “I’ve never seen the daughter of the Lu family from Yuezhou.”
Qin Zheng leisurely flipped through the books in her hand. “I heard that His Highness and the cousin from the Lu family in the capital get along well.”
She knew he wasn’t the original crown prince, but she didn’t know when he had come over.
Originally, she wanted to maintain the tacit understanding and wait for him to reveal it himself, but she couldn’t help but want to ask indirectly.