Chapter 11: The Idea
Lu Jin didn’t leave the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence until evening.
She had dinner with the Madam of Dongyang, played cards with her, and finished drawing flower patterns in front of her. During this time, no one mentioned the new Young Madam, and the Madam of Dongyang didn’t ask her to stay any longer, as if this person didn’t exist in the household.
But, this person did exist, it wasn’t fake.
Lu Jin sighed lightly.
“What’s wrong? Is that person’s background truly extraordinary?”
An inquiring voice sounded from inside the room.
Lu Jin came back to her senses and looked at the Duke of Ding’an and his wife sitting above.
Duke Ding’an was nearly fifty years old, broad and stout. Unlike the Marquis of Dongyang, who rose from commoner status by supporting the current emperor’s rise to power, Duke Ding’an was from a prestigious aristocratic family, with generations of ancestors holding high official positions and enjoying great wealth.
The gemstones adorning the sash of Duke Ding’an’s embroidered robe were likely passed down from his ancestors.
“Uncle, it takes a day to travel between Lingquan Temple and the capital.” Lu Jin didn’t answer, but first spoke softly, “It’s best if you take a carriage tomorrow and travel around both inside and outside the city.”
Otherwise, the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence would know they were lying and hadn’t gone to Lingquan Temple at all.
Duke Ding’an snorted: “I want them to know I’m lying.”
The similarly round-faced and plump Madam of Ding’an interrupted them, urging Lu Jin: “Quickly tell us, what’s this person like? Is she really just a cover-up?”
Lu Jin hadn’t lied to the Madam of Dongyang. In fact, it wasn’t just the Third Madam who speculated; almost everyone in the family suspected the same. Zhou Jingyun hadn’t married for so many years, even looking down on the Duke of Ding’an’s daughter. Who was he waiting for? A princess?
Now that he had suddenly married, and it wasn’t to a well-known prestigious family, everyone naturally suspected it was fake.
Lu Jin said: “This Miss Zhuang is very ordinary.”
She recalled the Zhuang Li she had met. Her appearance wasn’t bad, but she was definitely not stunningly beautiful. Her demeanor was quiet and gentle, her attire simple and plain. Although the fabric was good, it was obviously made by the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence, carrying a sense of unfamiliarity and ill-fitting.
“The Madam of Dongyang’s reaction showed extreme displeasure, so…” Lu Jin sighed again, “This marriage is real.”
If it were fake, a pretense, it would be more appropriate for the Madam of Dongyang to be affectionate towards her new daughter-in-law. But now, she truly seemed to dislike her so much that she didn’t want to look at her.
Madam of Ding’an raised her sleeve and turned her head to sob: “My poor daughter.”
Although she knew Zhou Jingyun would eventually remarry, it was still heartbreaking to hear it confirmed. From now on, no one would remember her daughter.
Duke Ding’an slammed the table with a furious expression: “That Zhou Jingyun, he’s truly ungrateful! If it weren’t for me requesting the marriage from the previous emperor, he would have been forced to marry by that Demon Empress. If that had happened, his Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence wouldn’t even exist today!”
He became even angrier as he spoke, getting up and pacing.
“He married my daughter, avoiding the entanglement with the Demon Empress. Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, he’s returned successful and is rising step by step. He wants to cut ties with the Duke of Ding’an’s Residence.”
“Without me back then, there wouldn’t be him today. Does he think that without the previous emperor, our Duke of Ding’an’s Residence is nothing?”
“I’ll go and cry before the emperor, see what kind of future Zhou Jingyun can have!”
Lu Jin quickly stood up: “Uncle, don’t be hasty. Actually, Zhou Jingyun’s marriage is not necessarily a bad thing for us.”
Madam of Ding’an turned her head: “This is not a bad thing?” The hatred in her eyes was hard to conceal. “He said he would keep his promise to my daughter, earning a reputation for deep affection. Yet, he secretly found someone else. What, should I congratulate him?”
Lu Jin took a step forward and said softly: “Aunt, I can understand why Marquis Zhou’s Heir refused to remarry within the family for so long. He didn’t want any other daughter from the Duke of Ding’an’s Residence to take Third Sister’s place.”
Madam of Ding’an was slightly stunned. Was that so? To be honest, she wouldn’t want that either…
“Don’t say such things.” Duke Ding’an said angrily, “He just doesn’t want to be related to our family.”
Lu Jin said: “Uncle, he doesn’t want our family to provide a wife, and we can’t force him. But forming a connection isn’t difficult.”
Duke Ding’an frowned at her. He looked down on this younger daughter from his second brother’s family. His second brother, aside from asking the family for money, had no achievements. He even sent his daughter back for them to raise, and this younger daughter, after living in their house for just a year, had instigated the Old Madam to publicly force Zhou Jingyun to marry her…
He had originally chosen his own daughter. Several of his younger daughters were still unmarried.
The situation back then had been so embarrassing. Thankfully, she was quick-witted and recognized the Madam of Dongyang as her godmother, resolving the issue.
In these past few years, she had frequently visited the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence under the name of goddaughter, coaxing the Madam of Dongyang into happiness.
But she shouldn’t forget who her real family was. Speaking solely for the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence, saying that Zhou Jingyun was reluctant to give Third Sister’s place to other daughters of the family, saying that forming a connection wasn’t difficult…
“It’s indeed not difficult for you, the goddaughter, to become related.” Duke Ding’an said sarcastically, “Just kneel down and call her ‘Godmother’.”
Lu Jin said: “Uncle, Aunt, let me marry Zhou Jingyun as a concubine.”
Duke Ding’an was startled, and Madam of Ding’an stopped sobbing.
“What nonsense are you talking about!” she scolded, “How can a daughter of our family be someone’s concubine?”
✿✿✿
Duke Ding’an also glared at her: “Is this what your parents taught you outside?”
“Uncle, my parents taught me at home to dedicate myself to the Duke of Ding’an’s Residence. We are one family, sharing glory and bearing hardship together.” Lu Jin said, “As Aunt said, a daughter of our family can’t be someone’s concubine. Even if she is, it’ll be different.”
Duke Ding’an frowned: “What’s different about being a concubine?”
Lu Jin took a step forward and looked at Duke Ding’an: “Uncle, please request the emperor to bestow me upon Zhou Jingyun as a concubine. With the emperor’s golden decree, it will naturally be different.”
✿✿✿
✿✿✿
The lamps were lit in the room, and the night deepened. Madam of Ding’an sat in front of her dressing table, but she had no intention of removing her hairpins and jewelry. She thought about what Lu Jin had said, and the more she thought about it, the more troubled she became.
“My Lord, are you really convinced by her?” she turned and asked.
Duke Ding’an was still lost in thought, sitting in his chair. His face was unpredictable under the lamplight: “What she said makes sense.”
Lu Jin had said that previously, it was the previous emperor who acted as matchmaker. Now, if they requested the new emperor to do the same, it would be a father and son continuing the tradition, highlighting the emperor’s filial piety towards his father.
After all, the emperor had forced his way onto the throne and now wanted to erase this stain.
Their Duke of Ding’an’s Residence could please the emperor by doing this.
And the Duke of Ding’an’s Residence was doing this for the sake of the Third Miss, who had passed away at a young age.
“In the future, when I bear children, they will be under Third Sister’s name, providing her with descendants to continue her lineage. I’m her younger sister, it’s better than the offspring of others.”
Truly, a touching sentiment of familial love.
As for Zhou Jingyun, he had already married the woman he wanted and was now rejecting the Duke of Ding’an’s Residence. They might as well become enemies instead of relatives.
“Going to the emperor to talk about this seems like our family is desperately clinging to their Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence.” Madam of Ding’an said, “It makes us appear inferior to them.”
If they didn’t seize the opportunity with the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence now, they would become even more inferior in the future. Duke Ding’an sighed inwardly. The people in his family were muddleheaded and still thought the Duke’s residence was powerful and wealthy. He, the head of the family, was very clear that by this generation, the Duke’s residence was only impressive in appearance, not in reality.
Soon, even the appearance wouldn’t be impressive.
These families who had earned merit were first suppressed during the previous emperor’s reign, then encountered the Demon Empress’s misrule. Now, they were scattered and struggling to survive. Only the Marquis of Dongyang’s Residence had produced a Zhou Jingyun with a promising future.
For the sake of his children and grandchildren, he would swallow his pride for now.
“I’ll go to Lingquan Temple for a few days tomorrow.” He said to Madam of Ding’an, “Then you send an invitation to the Madam of Dongyang to come for a visit. It’ll save face.”
✿✿✿
✿✿✿
The young maid Cuier walked on the gravel path, carrying a lantern. The night wind swayed the lantern’s flame, casting a flickering light.
The maid Yaoqin supported Lu Jin, cautioning her to be careful and scolding Cuier: “Why are you the only one carrying the lantern?”
Cuier explained softly: “The Old Madam is taking a bath, and the elder sisters are all attending to her.”
After all, they had already separated families. Lu Jin had only brought one maid with her to the Duke’s residence and was living with the Old Madam. Her food, clothing, and expenses were all provided by the Old Madam, and she couldn’t casually order the Old Madam’s maids around.
“It’s fine, I’m young, I can see the road clearly.” Lu Jin said. One lantern, several maids serving… these things didn’t matter to her.
“Lower your body, shine the light on the ground.” Yaoqin scolded Cuier.
Cuier hurriedly obeyed, bending over and carefully illuminating the path for Lu Jin.
“Miss, are you really going to be a concubine?” Yaoqin asked in a low voice, her expression uneasy. “It’s too much of a grievance.”
Lu Jin smiled: “What grievance?”
She glanced at the young maid sticking her bottom out to light the way. The lantern was a very ordinary one, not comparable to the glass lanterns used by the Madam, the Old Madam, and the others. The light was dim and unclear.
Was living this kind of life not a grievance?
