bestfiction Chapter 029 Nighttime Arrival at Fragrance
Chapter 029 Nighttime Arrival at Fragrance
"Does Your Excellency know what you're saying?" Xie Chaoyun frowned slightly, staring intently at him. "What reason would I have to tamper with the water bowl?"
“Of course it is…” Lu Huai was stunned, and his hand loosened slightly.
"To prove that Lu Jinyao is not the Marquis's child?" Xie Chaoyun said coldly, "What meaning would such proof have for me?"
Lu Huai choked, staring blankly at her.
Xie Chaoyun pushed him away and rubbed her neck: "If Lu Jinyao is the daughter of the Marquis and Ji Wanwan, then what Old Madam Zhu said is true. I am the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion, the younger sister of the Vice Minister of Revenue, a true noble lady of the capital. What is Ji Wanwan? She is of humble origin, had an affair without a matchmaker, and is suspected of murdering her husband. Even without the Marquis's original vow, I can still go to the palace to file a complaint against her for such humiliation.
Lu Huai panicked and was at a loss for what to do.
Xie Chaoyun looked at him coldly: "What reason do I have to lie? What reason do I have to make Lu Jinyao not the Marquis's child? She wasn't born to me, so I have no need to lie about her background."
Lu Huai knew that Xie Chaoyun had no reason to do that. He had been momentarily confused, believing his mother and Jin Yao's assumptions. If Jin Yao was his child, Xie Chaoyun, given her temperament, would certainly not have tolerated it. If Jin Yao wasn't his child, she hadn't suffered any loss.
There was a reason to deceive him; it was Ji Wanwan who was deceiving him.
"I spoke without thinking, Yunniang, please don't take it to heart." Lu Huai stepped forward and examined her neck: "Yunniang knows that I am ambitious. Leaving Yunniang and Yuan'er was also so that one day I could obtain a powerful position in the court, and let those who look down on the Pingnan Marquis's mansion know that Yunniang did not marry the wrong person. All my hard work over the years has been in vain. I am heartbroken, but I hope Yunniang can understand."
"I understand that Your Excellency is anxious." Xie Chaoyun composed herself. "I just can't understand why Your Excellency keeps trying to replace Yuan'er with Lu Jinyao when Yuan'er is clearly your biological daughter."
Lu Huai's expression turned anxious. "I know Yuan'er is my biological daughter, but Yuan'er was born with a disability and is different from normal children. Besides, the Empress is hosting a banquet, and all the attendees are noble ladies from various families. There will definitely be a talent competition, and I'm afraid Yuan'er won't be able to participate."
Xie Chaoyun sneered and shook his head: "Does the Marquis understand Yuan'er? How does the Marquis know that Yuan'er is not up to the task? Has the Marquis forgotten about the family banquet? If Yuan'er is not up to the task, then how can Lu Jinyao, who was defeated by Yuan'er, be up to the task?"
Lu Huai said, "This couplet is different from the others! Jin Yao just can't match Yuan'er's couplet, but she is good at music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Yun Niang, this palace banquet is important to my future, so please let Yuan'er suffer a little for my sake and for the sake of our Pingnan Marquis's mansion."
Xie Chaoyun shook his head, finding it laughable: "My Yuan'er has already suffered enough! Lord Marquis, please return; there's no need to mention this matter again."
Lu Huai turned and left.
Qingzhi had long since stopped listening and said angrily as she looked at Lu Huai's back, "It's clear that Miss is the Marquis's biological daughter, so why does the Marquis always favor that Lu Jinyao?"
"Let him be biased, I will take good care of my daughter."
Xie Chaoyun was fully aware of the relationship between Lu Huai and Ji Wanwan. Regardless of whether Lu Jinyao was Lu Huai's biological daughter, their ten years of close companionship were undeniable. Compared to blood ties, the daily companionship was harder to sever. Even though they were not blood relatives, even though he knew Lu Jinyao was not his daughter, he would still subconsciously favor her.
With the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet approaching, she didn't want to waste her time on them.
This is Yuan'er's first public appearance, and she hopes she is happy.
In Fulin Courtyard, Lu Jinyao twisted her clothes, not understanding how things had turned out this way. Before returning to the capital, her mother had told her that she would gain the old lady's approval, shine brightly at the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet hosted by the Empress, win the Empress's favor, be betrothed to a prince of similar age, and live the life of a noble lady that everyone envied.
After returning to Beijing, he first lost to Lu Zhiyuan, that sickly girl, at a family banquet, and then his mother was arrested when he went to the Zhu family's house. He was not even qualified to attend this chrysanthemum appreciation banquet.
What went wrong? Did her mother lie to her, or did they do something wrong?
No, it's not a problem between her and her mother, it's Lu Zhiyuan!
In her mother's dream, Lu Zhiyuan had become an idiot, and she had become Xie Chaoyun's daughter, taking Lu Zhiyuan's place at the palace banquet. If only Lu Zhiyuan were dead, everything could return to normal.
But how could she kill Lu Zhiyuan?
Outside the window, two maids were chattering. They were talking about the palace banquet, saying that Xie Chaoyun had spent a lot of money to have a set of clothes custom-made at Jinxiu Pavilion, and that the clothes were so beautiful that if someone wore them, they would definitely amaze the entire capital.
She knew about Jinxiu Pavilion; it was the flagship store of Jinxiu Fang in the capital. Her mother's only two nice outfits were ordered from Jinxiu Fang, costing a hundred taels of silver each. If they were from Jinxiu Pavilion, they would be even more expensive.
Looking at what she was wearing, she felt even more resentful—that custom-made outfit should have been hers.
Composing herself, she pretended to be innocent and went out of the house.
"Sisters, are you talking about the clothes that Yuan'er wore when she went to the palace?" Seeing that the maid ignored her, she cursed inwardly, but still smiled and said, "I wonder what the palace is like. Is it as magnificent as described in the stories? And how are the clothes worn in the palace different from what we usually wear? Jin Yao comes from a small place. Sisters, please tell me about it."
Upon hearing the words "small place," the two maids felt a strange sense of superiority. Hearing Lu Jinyao mention she had some snacks in her room, they exchanged a glance and followed her inside. A few "sisters," a plate of pastries, and a pair of not-so-good-quality bracelets—and the two maids told her everything they knew.
After nightfall, Lu Jinyao secretly went to Fangfei Courtyard.
According to the two maids, Lu Zhiyuan's clothes were not in her bedroom, but in the guest room next door. They were custom-made, made of very expensive fabric, and not suitable for folding, so they were hung on a screen on a wooden frame. Along with the clothes were a set of accessories, all laid out on the bed in the guest room.
The door wasn't locked, but secured with a brass padlock. Pushing it open, moonlight shone on the garment. It shimmered and shimmered, like a celestial robe; one had to hold their breath to approach it.
Lu Jinyao looked at it for a while, but in the end, she couldn't bear to destroy it.
She walked to the bedside, opened the box, and found jewelry of all kinds of materials. Lu Jinyao's eyes reddened; she wished she could take it all with her. A noise came from outside, and in a panic, Lu Jinyao grabbed the jade box closest to her and hid it in the cabinet.
"Sister Qingzhi, I already said there was no one in the house. Perhaps we forgot to lock it when we left."
"That's true. This room contains all the things that Miss will need when she goes to the palace. Who would dare to come here if they didn't know better?"
Qingzhi gestured for Liuying to look at the footprints on the ground. Liuying nodded and pointed to the wardrobe.
The wardrobe was tightly closed, with only a small crack left.
Lu Jinyao had no idea what was happening outside; she only knew that footsteps stopped in front of the wardrobe, and instinctively clutched the jade box in her arms. The candlelight flickered, and shadows fell through the gaps, making Lu Jinyao's heart pound with anxiety. She widened her eyes and covered her mouth.