Lanting - Kapitel 112
Kiyomi Tsuki hurriedly said, "I didn't dare close my eyes. Even when I sleep, I dream that I'm staring with my eyes wide open."
"Pah!" Lu Qingcheng said.
Kiyoshi stuck out his tongue, and his heart, which had been hanging in the highest heavens, suddenly settled. He quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, a torrent of worries surging through his mind. He knew very well that Lu Qingcheng didn't believe him. In fact, even he himself had begun to have doubts.
Why have I never heard of an underground silver vault? What's going on? I need to contact them immediately and find out what happened. This is terrifying! I really hope this mission is completed quickly, otherwise I'll die young from all the fright.
Peony Garden.
Qingfeng suddenly ordered, "Lü Ying, have someone prepare horses."
Lu Yingqi asked, "Is Young Master going on a long trip? Where are you going? How many people are you taking with you?"
"Jingyue Nunnery," Qingfeng instructed, "You only need to accompany us. We'll set off tonight, and the fewer people who know about this, the better."
He Yunya asked sadly, "You don't believe me?"
"I don't trust anyone," Qingfeng said coldly. "Therefore, I must investigate this myself."
He Yunya smiled sadly, like a lily in a secluded valley, "Yes, there is really no reason for you to believe me."
Lü Ying couldn't help but sigh, then hurriedly covered her mouth.
In the painted hall of Yixin Garden, Madam Lu and Xu Yun sat side by side, embraced by quilts. Between them was a small lacquered table with a chessboard on it, its black and white pieces crisscrossing. Madam Lu placed a piece, and it was Xu Yun's turn. However, Xu Yun stared blankly at the chessboard, showing no intention of making a move for a long time.
Madam Lu toyed with the black pieces in her palm and said calmly, "If you don't concentrate when playing chess, you can only lose, not win."
Xu Yun said softly, "Madam?"
Madam Lu placed the chess pieces into the wicker chess basket. "You've seemed preoccupied ever since you returned from the Cai residence. What's wrong? Is it because of what Madam Cai said?"
"The Lord of the Fortress only has Qingjian Yue in his heart." A tear slid down Xu Yun's peach-blossom-like face.
"What did I tell you?" Madam Lu said sarcastically, "Putting on an air of arrogance, as if he wasn't interested in Qingcheng at all. When he saw that Qingcheng was unmoved, and this tactic didn't work, he got anxious, didn't he?"
Xu Yun said sadly, "Madam, please tell me, what should I do? How can I get the Lord of the Fortress to notice me?"
Madam Lu fiddled with the chess pieces on the chessboard and sneered, "According to reports, Prefect Hong of Fengcheng intends to form a marriage alliance with our fortress. His arrogant daughter, Hong Qiaoying, has taken a fancy to my son, Qingcheng."
Xu Yun said anxiously, "Madam, what should we do?"
“Silly girl, why are you in such a hurry? This is extremely advantageous to you.” Madam Lu smiled smugly. “Hong Wantong, the prefect of Fengcheng, is an extremely greedy scoundrel. If we can form a marriage alliance with our city, it will be like swallowing a big piece of fat meat for him.”
Xu Yun immediately said, "The Lord of the Fortress will definitely not agree to this marriage."
Madam Lu smiled and said, "Qingcheng will agree."
"Why?" Xu Yun asked.
"The common people don't fight against officials; that's an age-old rule. Besides, even if Qingcheng doesn't want this marriage, he'll find another way to refuse, rather than openly confronting Hong Wantong." Madam Lu smiled slyly, "You should understand what I mean, right?"
Xu Yun suddenly realized and said, "I understand now. With Qing Jianyue's pride and his strong possessiveness, he would never tolerate the lord of the fortress marrying Hong Qiaoying."
Madam Lu said, "Use Hong Qiaoying to force Qing Jianyue away and get rid of our thorn in the side. As for Hong Qiaoying, Qingcheng will definitely not forgive her. Even if she marries her, she will treat her the same way she treated Liu Mei. You can take advantage of the situation and comfort Qingcheng's wounded heart."
Xu Yun hesitated and said, "But Madam, isn't doing this...isn't this..."
"Are you trying to say that it's too despicable?" Madam Lu sneered. "Love is like a battlefield. If you want to get the person you like, you can only use any means necessary to defeat your rival."
Xu Yun lowered her head and remained silent.
Madam Lu's phoenix eyes were icy, a cold and hateful smile appearing on her face. She thought to herself: Lu Ji, I know what you're trying to do, but I won't let you succeed. Dead. Hmph, you may have fooled Qing Jianyue, but you can't fool me.
A maidservant entered and reported, "Madam, Zhou Lan requests an audience."
Madam Lu frowned slightly. "Let him in." Then, she pointed to the gauze curtain. The maid lowered the curtain and then withdrew. Not long after, Zhou Lan entered timidly, bowing respectfully through the gauze curtain.
"What's up?"
Hearing Madam Lu's icy voice, Zhou Lan's face twitched with fear, and she stammered, "Madam, there's something I don't know whether I should report it or not?"
“I’ve said it before, you must report to me no matter how big or small the matter is. If you’ve concealed anything from me, you should know what I will do to you.”
"Yes, I understand. The night before last, Liu Mei came to the Peony Pavilion. Although she was pestering the young master in an attempt to win him back, there were some things she said that caught my attention."
What did she say?
"She told the young master that Madam Yan was not his biological mother."
Madam Lu looked as if she had encountered a ghost—no, even more terrifying than that. Her face was paler than snowflakes, and her voice was as sharp and piercing as a spear.
What else did she say?
Zhou Lan said cautiously, "When she said those things, the young master didn't believe her. He ordered us to kick her out. Before she left, she said that she had enough evidence to prove that Madam Yan was not the young master's biological mother. She also warned the young master to be careful of you, Madam."
"You slut, you slut, you slut!" Madam Lu trembled with rage, unleashing a string of curses.
Xu Yun comforted her, "Madam, please calm down. You'd better ask if Young Master Qingfeng went to see Liu Mei again afterward."
Madam Lu suppressed her anger and asked sternly, "Did Qingfeng go to see that bitch again afterward?"
“This evening, the young master went to the plum garden,” Zhou Lan answered truthfully.
Madam Lu trembled, forcing her eyes shut to suppress the fear deep within her. Xu Yun watched her with concern, and when she opened her eyes again, they were filled with sorrow, as dark and desperate as heavy, dark clouds.
“There’s one more thing,” Zhou Lan added. “The night before last, not long after Liu Mei left, the young master suddenly helped He Yunya downstairs.”
Not only was Madam Lu stunned, but Xu Yun was also very surprised.