Chapter 279 – Preparation, An Audience With Wei Luowen
“Concubine, what is it?” Wei Yuejiao widened her eyes and asked in confusion.
“You don’t need to know too much. You just need to know that this thing is very important to me!” Concubine Dong smiled, but there was a hint of coldness in her eyes.
So what if that wretched girl Wei Yuewu had the upper hand? She had made preparations long before.
In the Tranquility Courtyard, the Madam Dowager said, “The two of you will be entering the palace soon and accompany the Third Princess to pray. The Third Princess is going to choose a husband. Neither of you is allowed to get involved!” The Madam Dowager sat on the high seat and looked at Wei Qiufu and Wei Yuewu as she warned them.
“Yes, grandmother!” Wei Qiufu and Wei Yuewu certainly understood the meaning of the words of the Madam Dowager. Those heirs-apparent had been in the capital for a long time.
“Grandmother, I won’t run to trouble, but Sixth Younger Sister…” Wei Qiufu’s face was full of concern as if she was really worried about Wei Yuewu. Although the Crown Prince did not make his final decision clear, he had at least kept her token, which meant that she was selected by the Crown Prince. Therefore, the Third Princess could not have any thought about her.
Nevertheless, Wei Yuewu was not engaged!
Wei Qiufu’s words reminded the Madam Dowager. She looked at Wei Yuewu and her eyes flashed. After a while, she slowly said, “Yuewu, you and Marquis Jing Yuan have broken off your marriage engagement. Now you really don’t have an engagement. If the Third Princess really asks you to…”
Her gaze fell on Wei Yuewu. It was so sharp that it almost pierced through Wei Yuewu. Wei Yuewu raised her head and looked at the Madam Dowager in a frank and forthright manner.
“Actually, it’s not a big deal. You just need to be careful. You are the daughter of Marquis Hua Yang, and your status is very noble. Just don’t do anything that will damage the reputation of the mansion!” The Madam Dowager suddenly changed the topic.
However, these words were extremely unpleasant to hear. They should not be said to a young lady like Wei Yuewu who had not yet married. Wei Yuewu’s face turned cold. The Madam Dowager was warning her!
“Madam Dowager, our Sixth Young Lady is the most dignified. Nothing will happen to her. Madam Dowager, you really care about the Sixth Young Lady!” Nanny Hong joked with a smile on the side, trying to make the atmosphere less serious.
“Yes, grandmother!” Wei Yuewu lowered her head and answered, flickering her long eyelashes to hide the coldness in her watery eyes.
“Yuewu, don’t blame me for being so worried about you. Qiufu is set to enter the Crown Prince Mansion, but your identity is currently unknown. Even though your status is noble, the imperial palace is not a place that our mansion can compare with. Remember, don’t trouble the Empress unless necessary.”
Seeing that Wei Yuewu was obedient, the Madam Dowager’s expression became gentle. After thinking for a while, she uttered those words as a reminder to Wei Yuewu.
“The Empress?” Wei Yuewu looked quite surprised. “When I am with the Third Princess in the palace, will I meet the Empress?”
“Sixth Young Lady, the Madam Dowager just said those words as a reminder. The Empress is in charge of the harem. She doesn’t have so much time to care about the young ladies. If you encounter any trouble, just bear with it. After a few days, you will return to the mansion!” Nanny Hong explained for the Madam Dowager with a smile.
“Yes, grandmother, I understand!” Wei Yuewu said softly.
The Madam Dowager was very satisfied with her attitude. She said to Nanny Hong, “Go and bring the clothes I prepared for the two of them.”
“Yes, Madam Dowager!” Nanny Hong answered with a smile and entered the inner room. A while later, she came out holding a large tray, on which there were two sets of clothes.
“Fourth Young Lady, Sixth Young Lady, the Madam Dowager has already decided to let the two of you enter the palace to accompany the Third Princess. These clothes have already been prepared for you two. You will be wearing them on the last day when you accompany the Third Princess to pray.”
The two sets of clothes were placed in front of the two of them. They were indeed incomparably beautiful. The surfaces of the clothes were decorated with many gold threads that shone brightly with dazzling light. At the sight of them, people would feel that these clothes were incomparably gorgeous and were worthy of wearing on a grand occasion such as accompanying the princess to pray.
Of course, these clothes were not made of ordinary brocade.
Apparently, the Madam Dowager had indeed been making preparations for a period of time.
“Thank you, grandmother!” The two of them bowed together.
“No need. No matter what, you two are legitimate daughters of the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. You have higher statuses than others and must learn to care about each other as sisters do!” The Madam Dowager smiled kindly. At this time, it seemed that she was really just a loving grandmother.
“I’m tired too. You two can go back now!” The Madam Dowager waved her hand, and Wei Qiufu and Wei Yuewu left together. Both of them had doubts in their hearts, so they did not have the mood to say anything to each other. They separated at the gate of Tranquility Courtyard and went to their respective courtyard.
Wei Yuewu had only taken a few steps when she saw an old maidservant hurriedly walking over. She was delighted when she saw Wei Yuewu and hurriedly bowed. “Sixth Young Lady, Lord Marquis invites you to his study!”
“Father?” Wei Yuewu was stunned.
“Yes, Sixth Young Lady, hurry over. Lord Marquis has been waiting for you for a while!” The Old maidservant said with a smile.
“Alright, let’s go!” Wei Yuewu was a little surprised to learn that her father had actually been waiting for her for a while. Her eyes flashed, but she did not show anything on her face. She turned and walked towards the flower gate. Wei Luowen’s study was also close to the flower gate, but it was in the opposite direction to Wei Luowu’s study.
“Greetings, Sixth Young Lady.” Wei Yuewu did not expect to see Concubine Dong at the entrance of Wei Luowu’s courtyard, who greeted her with a happy look on her face.
“Concubine, you are here to…” Wei Yuewu’s eyes fell on the food basket that the maid behind Concubine Dong was carrying.
“I made some sweet soup for Lord Marquis. When we were at the border, Lord Marquis always had sweet soup at this time!” Concubine Dong said with a smile on her face.
“Has my father had the soup?” Wei Yuewu asked softly.
“Not yet. He asked me to put it down and said he would have it later!” Concubine Dong’s looked not bad, and she appeared gentle and amiable, as if she was not affected at all after being punished with protracted kneeling by the Madam Dowager.
“Then why didn’t you wait for father to finish the soup before leaving?” Wei Yuewu’s eyes flashed.
“Lord Marquis said that Sixth Young Lady was coming soon. He was afraid that my presence would make it inconvenient for you to speak, so he asked me to go back first!” Concubine Dong didn’t look the slightest bit annoyed at being driven away. She spoke more and more gently, but she had no intention of making way for Wei Yuewu.
“Sixth Young Lady, for so many years, Lord Marquis has been missing you. Originally, Lord Marquis wanted to bring you with him, but he was afraid that your health conditions were poor and you could not adapt to the life at the border. That was why he sent you to your maternal grandparents’ home. Sixth Young Lady, please show understanding for what Lord Marquis has done for you!”
Concubine Dong sounded more and more sincere. However, she was hinting that Wei Yuewu definitely hated Wei Luowen because of what he had done to her. And now, they happened to be standing and speaking at the entrance of the courtyard where Wei Luowen’s study was located. Apparently, she intended to let Wei Luowen know Wei Yuewu’s resentment. What a truly vicious woman she was!
Staring at the sincere expression on Concubine Dong’s face, Wei Yuewu smiled and suppressed the trace of impatience in her heart. “Concubine Dong, you must be joking. Father is my flesh and blood, so how could I hate him? Moreover, I was still young at that time. Father had sent me to my maternal grandparents’ home for my own good. Why did you say those words?”
When she spoke, she appeared both natural and graceful, and her expression was calm and composed. There wasn’t the slightest trace of fluctuation in her expression, as if she really could sense Wei Luowen’s feelings for her.
Concubine Dong was stunned. Although she knew Wei Yuewu was clever, she did not expect her to be so calm and composed. She had been abandoned by her father for so many years and her father didn’t show any trace of care for her in those years. However, as a girl who was only thirteen years old, she was actually unperturbed by the unfair treatment she had received. This really wasn’t what a thirteen-year-old girl could do.
“It’s best if Sixth Young Lady thinks this way. Lord Marquis is your father. If you have any thought, you can also tell Lord Marquis. Don’t feel estranged with him!” Concubine Dong said as she stepped to the side to make way.
This Concubine Dong was really tricky. Her words were full of traps, and she was determined to make people believe she harboured resentment against her father over the unfair treatment she had received over the years.
“How can there be estrangement between a father and his daughter? They are a family and have the same blood running on them. How can they become estranged because of time? In the past, when I was at my maternal grandparents’ home, my grandmother often talked about my father. She said that my father was a hero and my mother had a worthy marriage!” Wei Yuewu’s face was filled with sorrow as she lowered her head and said indifferently.
Since Concubine Dong stopped her from going to the study, she wasn’t going to let her leave at this time. Concubine Dong wanted to talk about some past events, right? She wanted her father to think that she was unfilial. That was fine. She would like to deal with Concubine Dong as she dealt with her.
“Concubine Dong, do you still remember my mother?” Wei Yuewu tilted her foot and coincidentally blocked Concubine Dong’s path. At this moment, there was no way for Concubine Dong to leave.
Qin Xinrui was the eternal pain in Wei Luowen’s heart. Concubine Dong had served Wei Luowen for so many years, how could she not know this? So she tried her best not to mention her, as if this person had never existed.
After hearing Wei Yuewu mention the name, her heart skipped a beat. She knew Lord Marquis was in the yard. He must have heard what she said with this bitch. Qin Xinrui was the last person she wanted Lord Marquis to think about.
“Sixth Young Lady, let bygones be bygones. Now you have to care more about Lord Marquis. Lord Marquis’ health is not good, you need to be considerate of him.”
Concubine Dong avoided Wei Yuewu’s topic and seemed to be reminding Wei Yuewu.
“Concubine Dong, do you still remember my mother? Did my mother treat my father well at that time?” However, Wei Yuewu did not intend to let her go. She continued to ask softly, “My mother passed away early, leaving me and father behind. However, I was too young at that time and could not live with my father and be filial to him. I felt deeply guilty.”
These words sounded extremely sorrowful, and there was a faint trace of a sad smile on her pale face, which made people involuntarily feel pity for her.
She had lost her birth mother and was sent away at a young age. Such a life was indeed miserable!
Wei Luowen, who was standing in the courtyard, could no longer bear it. He strode over and waved at Concubine Dong. Then, he softly said to Wei Yuewu, “Your mother treated me very well. Your mother is the best woman in the world. Father has let your mother down!”
“Father, why… why are you here?” Wei Yuewu seemed to have just realized that Wei Luowu was not far away, and her face was full of surprise.
“Come in first. I have something to tell you!” Wei Luowen’s expression became gentler, and the deep scar on his face seemed to have faded a lot.
“Yes, father!” Wei Yuewu nodded and stepped aside to make way for Concubine Dong. She saw a trace of hatred in Concubine Dong’s eyes. Her long eyelashes flashed to hide the coldness in her eyes. Then, she turned around and followed Wei Luowen to the study.
However, she couldn’t help but wonder why her father had specially asked her to come over at this time. Was it because she was about to enter the imperial palace? What exactly happened in the imperial palace when she was a little girl?
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