Daily Life of the Main Lady

by Usui Takumii

not mine, asia novel dot net. Beware edited mtl. Also at ao3.

2. 21 to 40

Chapter 21: The Buffet Restaurant

Lu Lingyun finished dealing with Cui Da and looked at the others with both kindness and authority. "Everyone should take Cui Da as an example. However, rest assured that as long as you do your work clearly and honestly, I will not treat you unfairly!"

"Yes, Young Lady!"

The various managers and stewards responded.

Lu Lingyun sat back down, and only one ledger remained in front of her.

After flipping through a couple of pages, she frowned. This time, before she could ask, the steward responsible for this ledger stepped forward cautiously. "Young Lady, this is the revenue ledger for our restaurant on East Street."

"Why is there such a significant loss this month?"

"The Prince ordered us to renovate the restaurant," the steward said, observing Lu Lingyun's expression. "He wants to turn it into a buffet restaurant."

"A buffet restaurant?"

Aunt Qiu, who had been listening all along, spoke up. "Mistress, I know what it is!"

"On the day that little vixen entered the residence, she pestered the Prince to open a buffet restaurant, saying it would definitely make money! It was all her doing!"

"What is a buffet restaurant?"

"It basically means that all the food in the restaurant is free for consumption; you just pay an entrance fee. Meat and vegetables aren't separated," Qiu Ling said, pursing her lips. "I don't know what she's thinking. Without separating meat and vegetables, everyone will just eat meat, and we'll lose a fortune!"

Lu Lingyun raised an eyebrow after hearing this. She flipped back a few pages to review the previous revenues of the restaurant. This restaurant was still a profitable business for the Marquisate, bringing in five or six hundred taels of silver every month, with steady earnings.

It had not reopened since the renovation.

"Young Lady, the restaurant is ready to open," the steward asked in a low voice.

Given the current situation of the Marquisate, he wasn't sure whom to report to directly.

Although the Prince had directly instructed him to renovate it, it was still a business of the Marquisate, and the Mistress needed to be informed.

Otherwise, he would be the one to suffer.

Qiu Ling watched Lu Lingyun closely, hoping she would suppress the matter and then call Xing Dairong over to deal with her. Instead, she saw Lu Lingyun close the ledger.

"I understand."

She looked approvingly at the steward. "What is your name?"

"This servant is Kang Ping."

"Good, Kang Ping. From now on, bring the ledgers of this... buffet restaurant to me, but you should consult the Prince about its operations."

"Yes!"

After finishing the day's tasks, Lu Lingyun dismissed the stewards and maids. Now, she had time to listen to Aunt Qiu's grievances.

Being the head of the household, there were rarely any idle moments.

With the entire family's affairs inside and outside the house, everything needed Lu Lingyun's attention.

Fortunately, the household was small. If there were more relatives and social events, she would have even more to manage.

"I've heard your story. What do you want me to do?" Lu Lingyun asked Aunt Qiu.

Qiu Ling's eyes flickered. "Mistress, compared to your responsibilities, my issues are trivial. I won't trouble you further."

"You're quite understanding."

Qiu Ling looked at Lu Lingyun. "Mistress, you must be bored staying in the residence all day. How about we go see the buffet restaurant when it opens?"

Lu Lingyun tapped her head lightly. "You certainly have a lot of ideas."

"Mistress, I'm truly on your side. That little vixen will surely ruin our Marquisate. We must go and see it for ourselves!"

Lu Lingyun smiled faintly. "Alright, let's go when it opens."

"Great!"

Qiu Ling left Lu Lingyun's courtyard happily.

As she walked back to her Autumn Fragrance Courtyard, she ran into Xing Dairong, who was strolling with her maidservant.

Today, Xing Dairong was radiant and in high spirits. Not only had she reconciled with Cheng Yunshuo recently, but he also told her that the promised buffet restaurant could finally open.

Xing Dairong felt invigorated.

As a time traveler, gaining a passionate love affair was one thing, but using modern innovations to astonish the ancients was equally important!

She had long planned to open a buffet restaurant.

Once the restaurant opened, it would undoubtedly amaze the entire Imperial City. She could already imagine the restaurant bustling with customers, each amazed by the variety of dishes, and she would profit immensely.

With the opening date set, Xing Dairong felt refreshed. Seeing Qiu Ling approaching from afar, she deliberately blocked her path, strutting arrogantly.

Qiu Ling moved left, and Xing Dairong blocked her left. Qiu Ling moved right, and Xing Dairong blocked her right.

"What do you want?" Qiu Ling stopped.

"Aren't you quite skilled?" Xing Dairong sneered. "Why doesn't the Prince visit you anymore?"

"Who is more skilled than you? A vixen from a brothel!"

"Can't you insult me without mentioning the brothel?"

"Then what else, what else have you learned besides the skills from the brothel?"

Ah! This is just the point that Xing Dairong likes to show off!

Xing Dairong immediately donned a look of arrogant disdain as she looked at Qiu Ling, "Do you think I'm like you, someone who's only good at engaging in female competition and can't live without a man, a feudal woman! I have so many skills! I could scare you to death with just one!"

"What's the matter?" Qiu Ling raised her eyebrows.

Xing Dairong's gaze turned sharp at this moment, feigning profundity as he declared, "Clothing, food, shelter, and transportation—I am transforming the entire world in every aspect!"

"Hahaha, hahaha." Qiu Ling laughed uncontrollably.

"What's so funny?" Xing Dairong looked at her as if she were a monkey, "Just you wait and see! When I become renowned in the annals of history, and you're so far beneath me that you can't even touch the tips of my toes with your admiration, you'll realize just how ridiculous you're being right now!"

"Hahaha, hahaha!"

Qiu Ling was holding her stomach, laughing uncontrollably.

Xing Dairong glanced at her as if she were a monkey, and led the way forward, "Come, let's go check out my buffet restaurant!"

Outside the mansion, on Dongjie Street.

When Xing Dairong arrived at the Gather Good Fortune Building with her entourage, Kang Ping was already inside entertaining Cheng Yunshuo.

"Yunshuo!"

"Dairong, you're here," Cheng Yunshuo said with a smile upon seeing her, "Do you see if it's done according to your thoughts?"

Xing Dairong walked in cheerfully, and upon entering, she immediately saw the dessert area, which was set up with various fruits and snacks as she had requested.

"Why are there so few fruits?" Xing Dairong only saw some watermelons, peaches, pears, red dates, dried fruits, and some handmade pastries. "Are there no bananas, pineapples, or durians?"

"Hm?" Both Cheng Yunshuo and Kang Ping were puzzled.

Xing Dairong muttered to herself at this moment, "Right, this era doesn't have it yet, forget it, forget it, then just put more snacks! Fill this place with snacks, it won't look good if there's too little."

Kang Ping furrowed his brows upon hearing this.

Oh my great-aunt, does she have any idea how expensive the dim sum is?

Chapter 22 Cost Calculation

"What's with that look on your face?"

Xing Dairong was displeased when she saw him frowning.

"Miss, the cost of the pastries isn't low. The price of brown sugar is still rising, and the cost for one catty of pastries is over thirty copper coins," Kang Ping answered honestly.

In this era, pastries were rare treats. The brown sugar needed for them came from the south, and its price fluctuated greatly, ranging from ten to twenty copper coins per catty. In Imperial City, the wealthiest place in the country, ordinary waiters at restaurants earned only two to three taels of silver per month, which equates to two to three hundred copper coins. Not many people could afford pastries.

To be asked to fill the place with such expensive pastries upon entry would surely lead to massive losses!

"Do you know anything? Who eats just pastries at a buffet?" Xing Dairong frowned, looking as if she found him petty.

Beside her, Cheng Yunshuo smiled at her spirited appearance and indulgently said, "Let's listen to Dairong."

Kang Ping remained silent, nodding and noting down the instructions.

Meanwhile, Xing Dairong continued walking inside and soon reached the cold dish area she had requested.

There were twelve large porcelain basins prepared, each labeled with its name.

They included boiled fennel beans, boiled mung beans, boiled peanuts, boiled kidney beans, cold mixed eggplant, cold mixed bean sprouts, cold mixed tofu, boiled radish, cold mixed lettuce, cold mixed spinach, cold mixed cabbage, and cold mixed winter purslane.

Next to these were various staple foods: steamed sweet potatoes, steamed pumpkins, steamed buns, and steamed coarse rice.

Seeing so many cold dishes and staples, Xing Dairong nodded in satisfaction. "You said the pastries are expensive, but wouldn't the costs of these cold dishes balance it out? At a buffet, people eat a little bit of everything, not just the expensive items. Your perspective is too narrow."

Kang Ping: "..."

His perspective was narrow, but he didn't mention that the cost of these cold dishes wasn't low either. If people were allowed to eat without limit, they would naturally gravitate towards the more expensive options. Who would choose the cheaper ones?

How many people in this era could even afford to eat properly!

Soon, they arrived at the meat dish area. According to Xing Dairong's requirements, besides the usual braised pork belly, pig knuckles, stir-fried meat, roasted chicken, and roasted duck, there should also be a new addition: barbecue.

Skewers of marinated lamb and pork were grilled over an open flame until they sizzled with oil, then seasoned with chili sauce and the rare western spice, cumin, creating an irresistible aroma.

This barbecue indeed broadened Kang Ping's horizons. When he first heard about it, he thought their restaurant could introduce it as a signature dish, refining the taste and targeting high-end customers.

But who knew Xing Dairong wanted a complete overhaul, making barbecue a category, which doubled their costs.

Meat prices were already high, and their unlimited buffet style would surely lead to significant losses.

"You must ensure a steady supply of meat. If it runs low, replenish it immediately, especially the barbecue. It's a major draw."

Kang Ping looked at Cheng Yunshuo, who was focused on Xing Dairong, and replied, "Yes."

"By the way, what about drinks?"

"Miss Xing, drinks are too expensive. We plan to sell them separately at fifteen copper coins per cup."

"No! This is a buffet restaurant; drinks are included!"

"But the cost of drinks is really high. Without limits, our restaurant will be drained dry!"

"Yunshuo, look at this." Xing Dairong tugged at Cheng Yunshuo's sleeve, pouting.

"Alright, alright, let's do as Dairong says, Kang Ping. Include the drinks."

Hearing this, Xing Dairong immediately looked triumphant at Kang Ping. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes."

"Don't give me that long face. You short-sighted people only see small profits. Just wait and see how I'll take Imperial City by storm and make a fortune! And don't forget the watermelon juice and fruit drinks. Got it?"

"Yes." Kang Ping lowered his head, not daring to say more.

He watched Xing Dairong walk through the entire restaurant, satisfied with her rough, low-budget version of a buffet. After pointing out a few flaws, she finally finished.

Afterward, Kang Ping cautiously asked, "Prince, Miss Xing, what will be the price for this buffet?"

Price?

That stumped Xing Dairong. She turned to Kang Ping, asking, "What do you think the price should be?"

Kang Ping's expression grew serious. "It can't be less than one hundred copper coins per person."

The unlimited buffet she created was suitable only for the wealthy. Not only were the costs high, but the poor would consume more.

One hundred copper coins was a crucial threshold, ensuring that only those with some savings could enter. Even then, Kang Ping worried that after the novelty wore off, few wealthy patrons would be willing to pay.

Upon hearing this, Xing Dairong widened her eyes. "How can you be so greedy!"

She understood the value of money in this era. Back at the brothel, a pot of flower wine cost only one hundred copper coins. How could Kang Ping charge so much for the buffet?

Who could afford it?

"Miss Xing, this is already the lowest price. Do you know how much pork and mutton cost per catty, or how much chickens and ducks cost per bird..."

"Stop talking nonsense! My buffet should be affordable for everyone. How much do you earn as a servant like you?"

"Miss, I earn four taels per month, which is four hundred copper coins."

"Then set the price at forty copper coins! Half-price for children and the elderly! On opening day, everyone gets half-price!"

"Ah!"

Kang Ping drew in a sharp breath.

At this moment, even Cheng Yunshuo couldn't help but frown and look at Xing Dairong.

It wasn't that he had a concept of money, but he knew that forty coins were absolutely not enough to eat meat and drink wine in the Imperial City.

"Yunshuo! You have to understand that my model is about volume; the more people, the more profit. Besides, didn't you tell me that I'm in full charge of the buffet restaurant? I promise to build you a unique business empire!"

Kang Ping: "..."

Under her cajoling, Cheng Yunshuo said, "Alright, it's all up to you."

Kang Ping: "..."

Xing Dairong looked expectantly, "Then let's officially open tomorrow! I guarantee it will be an instant hit!"

Upon receiving the news that the buffet restaurant was opening tomorrow, Lu Lingyun gave a faint smile.

This buffet restaurant is indeed something new.

In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived.

On East Street, drums were beaten, gongs were struck, and firecrackers were set off.

After over a month of renovation, the Gather Good Fortune Building reopened, drawing a crowd to gather and watch.

After the noisy firecrackers finished, Kang Ping came out from the Gather Good Fortune Building, unveiling a brand new red sign, revealing several large characters before everyone.

Gather Good Fortune Buffet.

For a moment, the surrounding crowd buzzed with excitement.

"Gather Good Fortune Buffet?"

"What is a buffet?"

Chapter 23 Grand Opening

Amidst the excited chatter, Kang Ping bowed to everyone, "Thank you, esteemed guests. Our Gather Good Fortune Building has been renovated and is now a buffet restaurant. That means everything here is all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink!"

"Wow—"

The scene erupted like a boiling pot, everyone was buzzing with excitement.

"All-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink!"

"Is this for real?"

"What's included?"

"Absolutely true, we have fruits, pastries, various cold dishes, steamed foods, roasted chicken, roasted pork, barbecued duck, barbecued meat, even the drinks are free!"

Everyone around them became even more excited.

"There's roasted chicken and pork? Barbecued duck and meat? All meats unlimited?!"

"Mom, I can smell the meat—it's really fragrant!"

"Manager Kang! How much is it?!"

"Thanks to your support, our new establishment offers a special opening price. Originally forty cash per person, but now it's half off at twenty cash per person. For children under ten and seniors over fifty, it's another half off!"

Kang Ping's tongue started to tie up as he spoke.

My dear aunt and uncle! This isn't a restaurant; it's a charity hall!

Even a charity hall wouldn't do this!

"My goodness! Unlimited meat and so cheap!"

"Is this a scam?"

"Gather Good Fortune Building has been around for over a decade, it's a property of Ningyang Marquis's residence. Why would they scam you?"

"But this price feels too good to be true!"

"What are you waiting for? Hurry in and grab some!"

After Kang Ping announced the prices, most of the onlookers rushed inside.

The remaining half couldn't afford the twenty cash per person, as money was hard to come by these days. Even having a few dozen cash coins was enough for the family's food for several days, so they wouldn't dare spend it frivolously.

They could only continue watching as those with savings burst into the Gather Good Fortune Buffet, exclaiming in amazement.

"Oh my god! It's true!"

"So many pastries, eat quickly!"

"There's really meat! Grab it fast!"

"Ningyang Marquis's residence is doing charity!"

The poor outside could only envy those inside who seemed to have entered paradise. The aroma of roasted meat wafted out, making them drool with envy.

As a large crowd rushed into the buffet restaurant, a carriage arrived at the door.

A well-dressed young couple stepped out of the carriage.

The woman exclaimed excitedly, "Yunshuo, did you see that? I told you my buffet idea would make money! So many people, we're going to be famous!"

Cheng Yunshuo watched as the Gather Good Fortune Buffet filled up, his brows slightly furrowed before he indulgently said, "You really have it in you!"

"Well, of course. I have plenty of ideas. Just keep loving me and spoiling me. If you upset me, you'll lose a gold mountain!"

Cheng Yunshuo smiled, "Alright, alright, I won't let my gold mountain slip away."

"Hmph!" Xing Dairong huffed proudly.

At that moment, in a private room on the second floor of Gather Good Fortune Building.

The second floor of the buffet restaurant also had some private rooms. The best one was already occupied.

Qiu Ling looked out the window at the playful couple below and pouted sourly, "The Prince Consort must be bewitched. He's letting that vixen waste the family's money!"

Lu Lingyun glanced briefly at Cheng Yunshuo and then focused on the table full of dishes.

There were cold dishes, hot dishes, pastries, main courses, grilled skewers, and freshly squeezed watermelon juice.

"It's indeed quite novel."

Regardless of anything else, Xing Dairong's innovations truly impressed her.

Especially the charcoal-grilled skewers and the watermelon juice.

Apart from that, these two items were indeed very innovative.

The taste was also excellent.

In her previous life, perhaps Lu Hanyi was too preoccupied with competing against Xing Dairong and being controlled by Qin Shi, she never heard about Xing Dairong's buffet restaurant.

This time, she allowed the two of them to bring out their innovations. Regardless of the cost, it broadened her horizons.

Lu Lingyun was not one to overlook others' strengths. She recognized both flaws and merits in people.

If something was good, she was willing to learn from it.

Just like these two novel dishes she tried, she also learned a new counting method from Kang Ping's ledger.

"Missus, this is called 'one two three four five six seven eight nine ten.' Miss Xing said it's Arabic numerals, which make our bookkeeping easier."

Lu Lingyun took a sip of the sweet watermelon juice, while the shopkeeper Kang Ping presented her with the ledger to show the costs for the first day of business.

Lu Lingyun quickly understood the meaning of these numbers and nodded. "So you spent fifty taels of silver today?"

"Yes."

"At this rate, how many more people would it take to break even?"

"Missus, we can't break even!" Kang Ping looked at Lu Lingyun with a pained expression. "Suddenly over two hundred people came in, and all our ingredients were depleted! And today was half-price!"

Now downstairs, there was no longer any distinction between cheap and expensive; all the pastries, cold dishes, hot dishes, and roasted meats were snatched up.

Even the boiled foods were devoured down to the last bit.

Xing Dairong thought that one person could eat at most two or three catties of food, but in reality, few people in this era had ever eaten their fill. With her low prices, the customers were mostly common folk who stuffed themselves as much as they could, not caring about overeating.

Many ate seven or ten catties of food in one sitting.

Even worse, many of them had stomachs like cows, capable of regurgitation. When faced with a feast, they would stuff themselves to the brim, leaving digestion for later.

A group of women inside, eyes gleaming green, were stuffing themselves, planning to induce vomiting when they returned home to feed their children.

With such generous charity, how could they not gorge themselves?

"There are quite a few elderly and children inside. I roughly estimated that today's revenue will barely reach six or seven taels of silver, so we've lost ninety percent."

Lu Lingyun blinked and waved him over, whispering a mysterious instruction.

After receiving the order, Kang Ping replied, "Yes, Missus."

He went downstairs.

Facing the loss, Lu Lingyun remained in high spirits.

She thought that, first, it could be considered doing some good deeds, and second, it would help Cheng Yunshuo and Xing Dairong, those otherworldly beings, see reality sooner rather than later.

It was impossible to wake someone up who only saw passion and beauty; mediocrity and reality would kill them, revealing their true selves.

That true self she had prepared for them.

Kang Ping went downstairs and quickly posted a closing sign outside Gather Good Fortune Building.

Seeing him close so early, Xing Dairong hurriedly pulled Cheng Yunshuo over. "Why are you closing so early?"

"Miss, everything has been eaten. We have nothing left to serve."

Hearing this, Xing Dairong proudly raised her head. "I told you to prepare more! My business is so good, we don't have enough to sell!"

Chapter 24 Who Will Fill the Hole

"Miss, the cost of ingredients and alcohol is really high," Kang Ping said after some thought. "Your way of selling does attract people, but those who come don't bring in any profit. We could lose ninety percent today."

Xing Dairong was a college student before she crossed over.

In her time, it was the era of encouraging entrepreneurship. Shared bicycles, shared economy, ride-hailing platforms, and food delivery apps were all emerging one after another.

Big capital was pouring money recklessly, burning cash, and the entire society was thriving and prosperous.

Hearing about these losses, she only saw Kang Ping as short-sighted. "What do you know? This is called cultivating the market, creating momentum, and expanding our pie. Who doesn't burn money when they're first acquiring customers?"

Kang Ping didn't understand a single word Xing Dairong was saying.

Xing Dairong continued to cling to Cheng Yunshuo's arm. "Yunshuo, this is about capturing an untapped market. Initial losses are inevitable, but we need to see that the market is more important than anything. If we capture it first, others will have to pay a much higher cost to compete."

Kang Ping: "..."

Who would be foolish enough to spend so much money to compete for the poor market!

Seeing how happy Xing Dairong was, even though he didn't understand, Cheng Yunshuo still smiled along. "Yes, I'll follow your lead."

Half a month passed quickly.

Xing Dairong's buffet did indeed become increasingly popular.

It became so popular that no one in the Imperial City was unaware of it.

The new dining experience, abundant food, and cheap meal prices made Jufu Buffet packed every day.

By midday, they had to hang up a closed sign.

All the ingredients brought in daily were consumed completely.

Many people came with their children to queue for meals before dawn.

With this, Xing Dairong's name once again swept through the entire Imperial City.

Everyone knew that Jufu Buffet was opened by the Ningyang Marquis' son for Xing Dairong.

For a while, the title of a remarkable woman echoed throughout the streets.

Storytellers embellished the tale of Cheng Yunshuo and Xing Dairong, portraying them as a perfect match.

Even within noble circles, despite disapproving of Xing Dairong's background, they had to admit she had truly shone this time.

Some of Cheng Yunshuo's friends teased him, saying he had married a remarkable treasure.

During this period, Xing Dairong truly basked in glory. Even when Qiu Ling encountered her in the mansion, she had to step aside.

After reviewing the accounts in her courtyard, Lu Lingyun unexpectedly received a visiting card.

"Where is it from?"

"It's from General Wang's residence."

Qiluo?

Lu Lingyun immediately became delighted. "Quickly invite her in!"

"Yes!"

Ever since her marriage, she hadn't been in touch with Wang Qiluo. One reason was the busy management of the marquisate after marriage; the other was that she was now married while Wang Qiluo was not, making it inappropriate for her to visit as freely as before.

Upon hearing Wang Qiluo's visit, Lu Lingyun hurriedly instructed the servants to tidy up the courtyard and present the best snacks and drinks.

When Wang Qiluo, dressed in a light yellow gauze dress, entered the courtyard, Lu Lingyun eagerly greeted her.

"Qiluo!"

"Lingyun, how have you been?"

"Very well." Lu Lingyun led her to sit in the small garden. "How are you and Aunt doing?"

"My mother has been worried about you. She keeps telling me at home that the rules of the marquisate are strict, imagining your life here must be tough." Wang Qiluo looked serious. "You're quite stubborn, never telling us anything."

Lu Lingyun chuckled. "I haven't had any issues. The elders are kind, the servants are obedient, and managing the household is far more enjoyable than being at the Lu residence."

Wang Qiluo stared at her. "You're still hiding things from me. Now everyone in the streets is praising that Xing girl, calling her a perfect match with the Ningyang Marquis' son, leaving you, the legitimate wife, in the shadows!"

"What does it matter?" Lu Lingyun smiled faintly, handing Wang Qiluo a glass of red watermelon juice. "Have some drink."

"Oh! Isn't this that watermelon juice!" Wang Qiluo recognized it.

After all, Xing Dairong's buffet was known to almost everyone, and her new items had sparked new trends.

"The taste is quite nice, more interesting than eating watermelon directly," Lu Lingyun said.

"You're really carefree. That woman is riding on your head, and you're drinking something she invented."

"How are people talking about her?" Lu Lingyun asked with a smile.

"They praise her as a fairy from heaven, a kind-hearted heroine, a shining example of benevolence, a living bodhisattva saving the world. They praise her as if she's the only one in the world!" Wang Qiluo rolled her eyes.

Lu Lingyun sipped the sweet watermelon juice. "It's quite fitting."

"Are you really that naive? That woman is using your family's money to build her reputation, and you can tolerate it!"

"Who said it's the marquisate's money?" Lu Lingyun released the cup, her eyes filled with cunning.

Wang Qiluo was surprised at this moment, "If it's not the money from the Marquis's residence, who else could fill such a big hole?"

"The name that's being spread outside is the one who filled it." Lu Lingyun approached Wang Qiluo and whispered in her ear, "All the material costs were deferred."

Wang Qiluo's eyes gradually widened. After a moment of shock, she suddenly understood, "You're brilliant!"

Losing forty to fifty taels a day amounts to over a thousand taels in twenty days. Which family could afford to defer so much money to Xing Dairong?

If the Marquis's residence doesn't step in, these people will surely sue!

When the time comes, whoever's name is shouted the loudest will have to pay up!

Wang Qiluo was completely reassured about Lu Lingyun. She spent the entire afternoon drinking tea with her in her courtyard, chatting about various trivial matters, and even mentioned quite a bit about Lu Hanyi.

She heard that Lu Hanyi had not been getting along well with her sister-in-law at the Li family recently. Her sister-in-law managed the household and had been withholding resources from Li Er's courtyard. Lu Hanyi had suffered several silent losses, and when she complained to her mother-in-law, the latter was even less supportive than Qin Shi, who at least sided with her and was generous.

Her mother-in-law was a crafty person, always deflecting her complaints with smooth talk, leaving Lu Hanyi frustrated and unable to vent her anger.

"However, Lu Hanyi doesn't dare to find fault with her husband. It's strange; how come someone like Lu Hanyi, who usually bullies those close to her, doesn't pressure her husband to argue on her behalf? Instead, she speaks to him softly and serves him well," Wang Qiluo gossiped.

Lu Lingyun smiled lightly, realizing that her sister still had her sights set on the top scholar next year.

The two continued their private conversation until dusk began to fall. As an unmarried woman, Wang Qiluo couldn't stay too late at the Marquis's residence, so after her nanny reminded her for the third time, they stopped talking.

Lu Lingyun made plans with her to go shopping on the street three days later and then escorted her out of the residence.

As they passed through the garden of the Marquis's residence, they encountered Cheng Yunshuo and Xing Dairong, both looking cheerful, along with a few of Cheng Yunshuo's friends.

"Prince."

Lu Lingyun stopped to bow.

Wang Qiluo, wearing a hat, followed behind and bowed to greet them.

Chapter 25: The Buffet Fiasco

Cheng Yunshuo and Lu Lingyun had always treated each other with mutual respect, maintaining a clear boundary between them.

He nodded at her, his gaze falling on the woman behind her wearing a bamboo hat.

Without waiting for a question, Lu Lingyun said, "She is my close friend, here to visit me."

With several men still around Cheng Yunshuo, Lu Lingyun did not even mention Wang Qiluo's name.

Cheng Yunshuo nodded and led Xing Dairong, who was engaged in lively conversation with others, toward the banquet hall.

One of the two men behind him spoke up, "This young lady looks like General Wang's daughter."

Lu Lingyun frowned slightly as he mentioned her name. At this moment, Cheng Yunshuo introduced them, "These two are my friends. This one is Luo Heng, son of the new Chief Judge of the Supreme Court."

Upon hearing that he was the son of the Chief Judge of the Supreme Court, Lu Lingyun's palms tightened.

On the other side, Luo Heng spoke in a familiar tone, "Are you Miss Wang? I am Luo Heng. Three months ago, I met you and General Wang with my father in the outskirts."

Luo Heng was gentle and polite, making people feel good just by talking to him.

Lu Lingyun felt a surge of tension. It must be him, it has to be him.

In her previous life, he married Wang Qiluo but abused her to death.

"Since we've met, why don't we have dinner together here with Yunshuo?" he continued.

At this point, Cheng Yunshuo added, "Do you all know each other? Since you do, let's eat together."

Wang Qiluo, standing behind Lu Lingyun, did not rush to speak. Lu Lingyun quickly declined, "No, it's getting late. My aunt instructed me to send my sister back early. She is not yet married, so it's not appropriate for her to dine here."

Lu Lingyun refused politely, gesturing for Wang Qiluo to remain silent.

Xing Dairong scoffed, "You old-fashioned people, always fussing over rules. What's so inconvenient about having a meal together? Don't you find it tiresome?"

If it were any other day, Lu Lingyun would have let it go, but today it was for Wang Qiluo, so she retorted, "Miss Xing, unmarried women should avoid meeting strangers. You may not care about such things, but you can't expect others to be the same."

Her words implied that if Xing Dairong wanted to be shameless, she could do so herself, but not drag others down with her.

"What do you mean?!"

"Alright," Cheng Yunshuo quickly intervened, "It's indeed inconvenient. Let's go have our meal."

For Lu Lingyun, he naturally showed respect.

After all, people were truly different.

Their initial status determined their weight.

Lu Lingyun was his nominal wife, and a formal wife deserved respect.

He led Xing Dairong and his two friends toward the banquet hall. As they passed by, Luo Heng smiled faintly at Wang Qiluo, but Lu Lingyun casually blocked his view.

After they left, Xing Dairong remained indignant.

"Wasn't what I said true? Life is about freedom; why bother with so many rules! Look at me, I never feel uncomfortable dining with you all. We're all friends."

"I agree with Miss Xing," Luo Heng echoed.

"Some people are just stubborn and old-fashioned!"

As they walked away, Wang Qiluo frowned and held Lu Lingyun's hand, "Lingyun, is that the remarkable woman?"

"Yes."

Wang Qiluo whispered in her ear, "I think she's really annoying."

Lu Lingyun chuckled, tightening her grip on Wang Qiluo's hand, thinking about Luo Heng's interest in Wang Qiluo, "Do you really know that Luo Heng?"

"We only met once; it doesn't count as knowing him." Wang Qiluo shook her head, which was why she had remained silent earlier.

Hearing this, Lu Lingyun said, "Stay away from him and don't pay him any attention."

"Why?"

Lu Lingyun thought for a moment, "Just look at how he responded to Xing Dairong. Is he really a good person?"

Wang Qiluo nodded seriously, "You're right."

Seeing her reaction, Lu Lingyun felt relieved. It seemed she had nipped this budding issue in the bud, but she couldn't let her guard down. She needed to keep an eye on things in the future.

They chatted and laughed as Lu Lingyun personally saw Wang Qiluo off, arranging for two servants from the marquisate to accompany the Wang family carriage back home.

Once the news of Wang Qiluo's safe arrival reached them, the meal in the banquet hall was almost finished.

The servants reported that Cheng Yunshuo's two friends were chatting happily with Xing Dairong, leaving Cheng Yunshuo barely able to join in.

The two friends praised Xing Dairong's buffet idea highly, and she proposed several new projects.

She talked about opening a milk tea shop and an underwear store in front of them.

While a beverage shop was acceptable, her description of the underwear store changed Cheng Yunshuo's expression.

Finally, Cheng Yunshuo declared Xing Dairong drunk and forcibly took her away, ending the banquet.

His two friends laughed heartily, praising Xing Dairong as a remarkable woman.

Lu Lingyun called for all the servants who had heard and ordered them to keep their mouths shut.

But unexpectedly, Xing Dairong's desire to open an underwear shop was genuine.

She thought that ancient women did not have undergarments, so her modern underwear would be revolutionary and highly attractive to women of this era.

She envisioned that once her shop opened, money would surely pour in!

Modern underwear shops were also highly profitable!

This industry had low entry barriers, was easy to operate, and would definitely be a hit!

For several days, she pestered Cheng Yunshuo, earnestly explaining her plan. Just as she was about to convince him, the Jufu Buffet she had set up was shut down by the authorities.

Kang Ping rushed over to find Cheng Yunshuo, "Prince, something terrible has happened! Our buffet restaurant has been closed down!"

Upon hearing this, both Cheng Yunshuo and Xing Dairong turned around, "What happened?"

Kang Ping looked troubled, "It's those suppliers of ours. They've reported our buffet to the authorities."

"Why would they report us?"

"Because we can't pay them," Kang Ping handed over a thick ledger, "Since opening, the buffet has been losing money every day. We've been delaying payment for supplies, and now we owe them 1,150 taels."

Xing Dairong snatched the ledger. The numbers were the Arabic numerals she had taught, but she still couldn't make sense of the accounts.

Cheng Yunshuo took the ledger and glanced at the figures. Page after page, he saw a shocking number jump out at him.

"One thousand one hundred and fifty taels?!"

"Yes," Kang Ping nodded, "Our daily cost for supplies is around forty to fifty taels, but the highest daily profit we've made is only ten taels, and the lowest is just five. Every day we lose more than eighty percent. Now we owe the suppliers 1,150 taels."

"How could we owe so much!" Xing Dairong frowned, "How did you manage it!"

"Miss Xing, we followed your instructions exactly. Even at the original price of forty wen per person, we still lost money! You don't know how much these people can eat. Some customers come in and eat enough for their entire family! We often see people eating dozens of pounds of food, then go home and induce vomiting to feed their whole family."

"How is this possible!"

Chapter 26: Confronting Xing Dairong and Cheng Yunshuo

Xing Dairong wore an expression of disbelief.

How could anyone eat like this?

So disgusting.

"Of course it's possible. This pricing attracts the poor. Nowadays, meat costs thirty to forty copper coins per pound, and they can barely afford it once a year. They fight over scraps and lick the plates; each person consumes at least seven or eight pounds of meat."

She might not know that even in her era, ordinary people had only recently escaped widespread hunger.

People who have been hungry for long would eat anything, let alone food dug out from their stomachs.

The stunning buffet she experienced was not only due to significant advancements in productivity but also because of the international context of joining the World Trade Organization.

After 2001, when the country joined the WTO, a large amount of cheap frozen meat, zombie meat, and bone fragments flooded the market, bringing down the prices of buffets and pushing them to new heights of splendor.

None of these facts were known to Xing Dairong.

She only saw the most beautiful side of the splendid era she lived in.

She never imagined that such splendid fireworks required substantial backing to sustain.

Her buffet restaurant lost money every day, with no hope of ever breaking even.

"Enough!"

Cheng Yunshuo, seeing the real numbers, frowned tightly. "Where are those people now?"

"They are at the government office."

"Hurry and get money from the household treasury to send them away," Cheng Yunshuo said.

Kang Ping stood there, even more troubled. "Young Master, the household keys are with Young Lady. Without her instructions, we cannot withdraw money from the treasury."

Cheng Yunshuo clenched the ledger and frowned, then after a moment, said, "Bring Young Lady here."

"Yes."

This was Lu Lingyun's first visit to Cheng Yunshuo's Yaoguang Pavilion.

When she entered, Cheng Yunshuo and Xing Dairong sat on opposite sides. The usually confident and self-assured Xing Dairong now looked like a defeated rooster, sitting dejectedly with a gloomy face, unable to regain her usual pride.

Lu Lingyun observed this scene and smiled faintly.

"Young Master, you called for me?"

She asked, looking at Cheng Yunshuo.

"Yes, Lu... Lingyun." Cheng Yunshuo found it difficult to speak directly, feeling embarrassed.

He and his beloved had squandered so much money outside, and now he had to ask his wife for money. It was humiliating.

If Cheng Yunshuo had any private funds left, he wouldn't have called Lu Lingyun.

But he had spent all his savings to redeem Xing Dairong, and still owed friends money.

Moreover, because of Xing Dairong, he had offended the Qin family and lost any chance of financial support, leaving him unable to ask his mother for money.

With this urgent need for funds, he had no choice but to call Lu Lingyun and ask her for help.

It was truly embarrassing!

Seeing Cheng Yunshuo's repeated difficulty in speaking, Lu Lingyun felt like laughing. Seeing that he was struggling enough, she sat beside him and offered a way out. "Young Master, we are family. What is there to be embarrassed about?"

Relieved, Cheng Yunshuo took a deep breath and handed the ledger to Lu Lingyun.

"Take a look."

Lu Lingyun accepted it calmly.

"What do these numbers mean?" Lu Lingyun knew the meaning of Arabic numerals, but she wanted Cheng Yunshuo to explain.

Now that Cheng Yunshuo had given her the ledger, he had already put aside his pride and could no longer maintain his composure. He explained each number to her, "This is one, two, three, four..."

After he finished explaining, Lu Lingyun looked at the final tally and sighed deeply. "Oh, so it's a loss of one thousand one hundred and thirty taels. How could there be such a huge loss!"

These words were like another stab to Cheng Yunshuo and Xing Dairong.

Xing Dairong, sitting on the other side, lifted her head briefly before lowering it again, her face now tinged with shame and anger.

She hadn't expected such a huge loss!

"It was... our mismanagement."

Cheng Yunshuo glanced at Xing Dairong and took full responsibility.

"Is it the buffet restaurant on East Street that everyone in the Imperial City has been talking about?" Lu Lingyun asked again.

"Yes."

"I remember everyone saying it was Miss Xing who opened it, so I didn't even bother checking the accounts." Cheng Yunshuo wanted to protect Xing Dairong, but Lu Lingyun insisted on exposing her.

"At first, I was thinking of making money!" Xing Dairong exploded like a pufferfish.

"Oh? Miss Xing has the skills to run a business?" Lu Lingyun looked at her coolly, ready to confront her.

"I, I have many ideas to make money!"

"Enough!" Cheng Yunshuo coldly interrupted Xing Dairong.

Xing Dairong felt rebuffed, but she knew this was her doing, so she couldn't muster the courage to argue with Cheng Yunshuo. She closed her mouth sullenly, her face even more sullen.

Lu Lingyun took in her expression and turned to look at Cheng Yunshuo, saying appropriately, "What does the Prince plan to do?"

"Take money from the account first and send them away."

Lu Lingyun tapped her fingertips on the table. "Paying them isn't a problem, but where will we get the funds? All expenses in the household have been accounted for, and over a thousand taels of silver must be reported to Mother."

Cheng Yunshuo responded, "Don't report it to Mother. Deduct it from my monthly allowance."

Hearing this, Lu Lingyun's eyes showed satisfaction.

Cheng Yunshuo's monthly allowance was one hundred taels; a shortfall of over a thousand taels would cover his entire year's allowance.

Without any additional support from the Qin family, how would he survive this year?

Money is truly essential for living.

Without money, there can be no romance or luxury. Without money, one lacks the confidence to speak up. Without money, poverty brings endless sorrow to a couple.

"Since the Prince has spoken, let it be done this way." Lu Lingyun looked at Nanny An. "Accompany Manager Kang to the accounting office and settle the payment quickly to resolve the matter."

"Yes, Young Lady!"

"Yes, Young Lady."

The two left together, and Lu Lingyun also rose. "I guess there's nothing else for me here, so I'll take my leave."

Cheng Yunshuo watched as Lu Lingyun left, opening his mouth, "Lingyun, thank you for your trouble."

After all, she had helped him resolve today's issue and kept it from the Qin family.

Lu Lingyun had been so considerate, and Cheng Yunshuo felt grateful to her.

"You and I are one, why mention any trouble?" Lu Lingyun smiled faintly.

With that, she left with her entourage.

Once she had left, Xing Dairong snorted in discontent, "What 'you and I are one'? Who is one with her!"

Cheng Yunshuo didn't want to talk to her or pay her any attention at this moment.

Comparing people really showed the difference. Lu Lingyun was gentle and gracious, helping him solve problems, while Xing Dairong, who caused the trouble, was still being petty and jealous.

But strangely, although Cheng Yunshuo used to think Xing Dairong was unique whenever compared to others, he now found her less remarkable and increasingly mundane.

"Cheng Yunshuo!" Xing Dairong pouted and looked at him.

Chapter 27 No New Clothes

Kang Ping took the money from the marquisate's account and went to the government office to settle the matter.

Although the issue was resolved, today's closure of Jufu Buffet had already become common knowledge, with a group of peddlers and suppliers suing Jufu Buffet in court.

This was all because Xing Dairong, who was once praised throughout the streets, was now accused of owing money, and this news spread just as quickly.

Within a day, Xing Dairong's reputation plummeted.

From being known as a kind-hearted and generous woman, she became labeled as someone who owed innocent peddlers their dues, used others' goods to build her own reputation, and ultimately forced the marquisate to pay off her debts.

Meanwhile, rumors began circulating that Xing Dairong planned to open an underwear shop, which was considered scandalous.

Given her past in a brothel, people added more fuel to the fire, spreading malicious gossip.

They said she came from a brothel, bullied innocent peddlers, used others' flowers to make herself look good, borrowed others' money to boost her own reputation, and was full of dirty ideas, only knowing how to seduce men and deceive the marquisate's heir.

All her previous praise vanished.

Those who had previously spoken highly of Cheng Yunshuo marrying such a wonderful woman now turned their tone, ridiculing him.

As a result, Cheng Yunshuo did not dare to go out for some time and stayed in his Yaoguang Pavilion.

Although his monthly allowance was cut off, his meals were still provided.

However, he could no longer add extra dishes to his meals as before, as those were now discontinued with the cessation of his monthly stipend.

Anything beyond the standard required payment.

Soon, Mid-Autumn Festival approached.

Qiu Ling received a new set of clothes.

The marquisate was large, and ordinary maids and servants received two sets of new clothes each year, while concubines and mistresses had new clothes allocated for each season. Concubines received one set per quarter, and during festivals, they would receive an additional set.

Qiu Ling happily wandered around the courtyard in her new embroidered autumn jacket, which had just been delivered from the storeroom.

From a distance, she saw Xing Dairong still wearing her summer clothes.

"Oh, Sister, you're still wearing summer clothes? Aren't you cold?"

Qiu Ling waved her fan as she approached.

The tables had turned; when she was in power, Qiu Ling had avoided her. Now that Xing Dairong had fallen from grace, she couldn't help but step on her.

Xing Dairong glanced at Qiu Ling in her new clothes and snorted, walking away.

"What's the rush? Can't we chat for a bit?"

"What do I have to talk about with you?"

Qiu Ling directly flaunted her new clothes. "Look at my new outfit. Isn't it nice? Where are your new clothes? Everyone has been given clothes for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Oh, sorry, I forgot! You're not a concubine yet, so you don't get any."

Xing Dairong: "..."

She gritted her teeth, looking at the smug Qiu Ling. Damn it, this wench always knows how to rub salt in the wound!

Ever since Cheng Yunshuo's allowance was cut off, she had no money either.

She had no official status in the marquisate and thus no monthly allowance or stipend.

Her food and clothing all depended on Cheng Yunshuo's money. She came from a brothel and brought no autumn clothes with her. Now that Cheng Yunshuo had no money, she couldn't afford new clothes.

By mid-August, she was still wearing her summer clothes.

Not a single piece of autumn clothing.

"What do you have to show off? It's just a set of old clothes!"

"Old clothes... Do you even have any?" Qiu Ling paused, fanning herself and blinking at her.

"Loofah, let's go back!"

Xing Dairong didn't want to argue anymore. She was in a low position and didn't want to fight with her.

"Sister, don't be in such a hurry to leave. If you really don't have any autumn clothes, tell me. I have a couple of old ones you can wear." Qiu Ling smiled.

"If that doesn't work, offer a cup of tea to the young mistress. She's kind and will definitely give you new clothes!"

Xing Dairong stormed off faster, enraged.

Back at Yaoguang Pavilion, Cheng Yunshuo was reading in the study.

Since the buffet incident was settled, they had been in a silent feud for several days, neither speaking to the other.

Xing Dairong was angry that Cheng Yunshuo didn't stand by her side, didn't support her, and didn't understand her. Her business failure was already painful enough, and she didn't do it on purpose. Why did everyone blame her?

Cheng Yunshuo thought Xing Dairong was becoming increasingly unreasonable. Even though she made mistakes, he tried his best to help her, but she still acted high and mighty, expecting others to placate her.

After all, they were just ordinary people.

Ordinary people with average abilities and plenty of flaws.

They continued their silent feud, neither acknowledging the other.

Xing Dairong, having just endured Qiu Ling's taunts, kicked open Cheng Yunshuo's door in frustration.

"What are you doing?" Cheng Yunshuo looked at her unhappily.

Xing Dairong put her hands on her hips, biting her lower lip as she glared at him, "This is how you treat your wife!"

Cheng Yunshuo turned his head away, too lazy to bother with her, and continued reading.

"Cheng Yunshuo!"

Seeing that he was ignoring her, Xing Dairong rushed forward to snatch his book.

"Xing Dairong, what's wrong with you now!"

"You say I'm crazy?" At this, Xing Dairong's eyes welled up with tears, feeling both angry and wronged. She had come to this world alone.

At the height of her love, she had entrusted everything to this one man, and now he called her crazy.

"You're a liar! You said you would be good to me for life, and look how long it took for you to call me crazy! You liar, liar, liar!"

Xing Dairong tore Cheng Yunshuo's book in a frenzy.

Seeing his book being torn, Cheng Yunshuo became annoyed. He grabbed her hand, "Where have I ever lied to you! Where have I not been good to you!"

"Then where are my new clothes! It's already autumn, and I'm still wearing summer clothes. Do you know how that wench Qiu Ling mocked me just now! When a woman marries, she should have food and clothing, but you don't even give me new clothes. Is this how you treat me?!"

Xing Dairong felt wronged, and so did Cheng Yunshuo!

Hearing her complaints, Cheng Yunshuo bluntly replied, "I've been filling your holes! I've spent all my monthly allowance on you! Where do I have money to buy you new clothes!"

"Hmph! So it's all my fault then!"

"Isn't it because you insist on doing things your way without any business sense!"

"Cheng Yunshuo, you have no heart!"

Xing Dairong cried out in frustration.

Just then, Qingfeng came to report.

"Prince, Madam requests your presence."

Hearing this, Cheng Yunshuo let go of Xing Dairong. Seeing he was about to leave, Xing Dairong clung to him like an octopus, "I won't let you go! Where are you going! You can't go anywhere!"

Once or twice was fine, but the third time was too much.

Cheng Yunshuo pushed Xing Dairong away, "Qiu Kui, lock her in the room!"

"Cheng Yunshuo!"

Xing Dairong, held back by someone, screamed hysterically and threw things inside the room.

In Lu Lingyun's courtyard.

Cheng Yunshuo arrived with an unhappy face.

Chapter 28: Need Money

Lu Lingyun could tell from his expression that he had been arguing again.

Indeed, love is one thing, but life is another.

Love alone cannot shield one from the trivialities of daily life; arguments still happen.

"Prince," Lu Lingyun pretended not to notice and looked at Cheng Yunshuo with a cheerful smile.

"What is it?"

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and I've prepared a gift list based on our usual exchanges. Is there anything you want to add?"

Cheng Yunshuo glanced at it casually, "These should be enough."

"Alright." Lu Lingyun put the list away. Besides the relatives and friends the Marquisate usually exchanged gifts with, this year she added the Lu family and the Wang family. Among noble families, even if they didn't visit each other during festivals, they still exchanged gifts.

"Also, Father's health isn't great, so it's inconvenient for him to travel. I was thinking we could go to the secondary residence to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with our parents. What do you think?"

Cheng Yunshuo had no objections, "You can arrange it."

"I'll make the arrangements then." Lu Lingyun said no more and instructed someone to take care of it.

After finishing her work, she noticed Cheng Yunshuo still sitting there, sipping tea, unlike before when he would leave immediately after talking.

"Is there something else, Prince?" Lu Lingyun asked.

Cheng Yunshuo had nothing else.

He simply did not want to go back.

Having just argued with Xing Dairong, he felt reluctant to return to Yaoguang Pavilion. Sitting here with Lu Lingyun, who always remained calm and never argued with him, brought him a sense of peace as he drank his tea.

"There's nothing much," Cheng Yunshuo looked at Lu Lingyun, trying to make small talk, "I see you're quite busy managing the household."

Lu Lingyun could see through his intentions but chose not to point it out. She sat beside him, sipping tea, "It's fine. There aren't many worries in the household. My parents have gone to the secondary residence for recuperation, and with fewer people around, there's less to worry about."

"Do you have many relatives?" Cheng Yunshuo found an opening to continue the conversation.

"Yes," Lu Lingyun nodded, "I have three brothers and six sisters, and there are also many uncles and aunts. During festivals, the house is always bustling with activity."

"Are they the ones you saw last time?"

"Yes."

"There are quite a few." Cheng Yunshuo hadn't paid much attention to who was there, only remembering the crowded room full of women, "Don't you find them annoying?"

Lu Lingyun held up her teacup and gave him a rare smile, "Prince, do you want the truth or a lie?"

Cheng Yunshuo was taken aback by her smile and laughed along.

He chatted with Lu Lingyun, feeling lighter after their conversation. Talking with her was different from talking with Qiu Ling or Xing Dairong.

Talking with Qiu Ling, she always tried to please him, saying exactly what he wanted to hear.

Xing Dairong, on the other hand, was sweet sometimes but bitter most of the time, often requiring him to accommodate her.

With Lu Lingyun, there was no need to force accommodation, nor did she flatter him. Her calm demeanor made him feel like old friends, bringing him a rare comfort.

He stayed until dinner time approached, when Chunhe came in to remind him, "Prince, will you be having dinner here tonight?"

Cheng Yunshuo lifted his teacup, "No, thank you."

He still needed to go back.

At this moment, he looked at Lu Lingyun and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Xiao Jun, could you lend me some money? Consider it an advance."

He was still thinking about Xing Dairong needing new clothes.

He needed to find some money to buy clothes for Xing Dairong.

Lu Lingyun looked at him, guessing his intention, "How much do you need?"

"Ten taels should be enough."

Lu Lingyun did not ask why he needed the money, only giving Shuang Hong a nod. Shuang Hong immediately handed over a purse containing ten taels of silver.

"If it's not enough, let me know."

Lu Lingyun handed the money to Cheng Yunshuo.

The feeling of giving and receiving money was entirely different.

It was different from the usual financial support from Qin Shi.

Cheng Yunshuo looked at Lu Lingyun with a newfound appreciation. She had given him both dignity and face without asking questions.

"I'll be going now."

He said to her.

"Mm."

After Cheng Yunshuo left, Chunhe couldn't help but say, "Young Lady, the Prince probably wants the money for that vixen."

"No problem."

After all, it's the marquisate's money, and it's still within his allowance. Lu Lingyun hasn't lost anything.

"Madam, this time you could have taken advantage of the situation and made that vixen an attendant," Chunxing said, her eyes darting around. "Yaoguang Pavilion doesn't provide for her, and the crown prince has no money to support her. This would have been a good opportunity to control her."

"It's too early."

Lingyun smiled.

Even if Xing Dairong becomes an attendant and she offers her tea as a junior consort, they need to bring it up first.

Why should she be in a hurry?

She looked at Chunxing. "Go back to Aunt Qiu. Tonight, she'll have another chance."

Cheng Yunshuo returned to Yaoguang Pavilion with satisfaction after getting the money.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he asked, "Where is Dairong?"

"Miss Xing is in the room."

"Crying?"

"She's not crying anymore." Qiuhua looked at her own crown prince; she actually wanted to say that not crying now was scarier than crying.

She didn't know what Dairong was doing, but she trembled whenever she approached her room.

"Go get the seamstress and let Dairong choose her own fabric for clothes." He tossed the bag of silver to Qiuhua.

"Yes."

Cheng Yunshuo was in a good mood. Having money made a difference. He went to knock on Xing Dairong's door and gently coaxed, "Dairong, open the door. I was wrong this afternoon; I came to apologize."

The room was silent.

Cheng Yunshuo continued knocking. "Let's talk things out calmly."

The room remained silent.

Cheng Yunshuo lost patience and, imitating Xing Dairong from earlier, kicked the door open. As soon as it opened, a basin of cold water was thrown over him.

Xing Dairong, with disheveled hair and red eyes, held the basin and glared at him angrily.

She had been locked in the room all afternoon, crying and raging until only a deep hatred remained in her heart.

She felt wronged and hated. Cheng Yunshuo was all she had in this world, yet he locked her up and went to see another woman by himself for the whole afternoon. He was a scumbag; all his promises to her were lies, all deceit.

He was a complete liar and scumbag!

She must take revenge, she must!

This wasn't just water; it was all the tears she had shed!

The icy water dripped down Cheng Yunshuo's head, and in that moment, Xing Dairong felt an unprecedented sense of relief and satisfaction.

She laughed aloud.

And Cheng Yunshuo, standing opposite her, turned cold after a few breaths and said, "You've really gone mad."

Chapter 29: On Duty

Cheng Yunshuo finished speaking and turned to leave.

He did not look back as he departed from Yaoguang Pavilion.

Qingfeng and everyone in Yaoguang Pavilion were shocked, staring wide-eyed at Xing Dairong, who had caused this scene.

"Miss Xing, have you gone mad?" Qingfeng could not help but say.

Xing Dairong glared at him fiercely. "I'm just returning the hurt he inflicted on me! He started it by bullying me! He deserves this!"

No one in the courtyard dared to speak until Aunt Qiu returned with the seamstress, bringing an eerie silence.

"What's going on here?"

The little maid in the courtyard quickly explained what happened after she left to fetch the seamstress. Aunt Qiu exclaimed, "Miss Xing, you've made a grave mistake!"

"Shut up too! It was Cheng Yunshuo who betrayed me first. He promised me that he would dote on me for life, but in the end, he gave me nothing! Not even a single autumn robe!"

Aunt Qiu was so angry she didn't know what to say, gasping for breath as she pointed at Xing Dairong. After a while, she said, "As soon as the Prince came back, he gave me money to hire a seamstress to make new clothes for you!"

Xing Dairong, who thought she had won, suddenly froze upon hearing this.

Aunt Qiu shook her head repeatedly, unable to find words to describe Xing Dairong. "It's over, Miss Xing, it's truly over."

That night, Cheng Yunshuo stayed at Aunt Qiu's place.

The next morning, when Xing Dairong planned to visit him at Autumn Fragrance Courtyard, she heard from the servants that Cheng Yunshuo had already left early with Lu Lingyun to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival at another residence.

He had gone out.

Days passed, and the entire Mid-Autumn Festival went by.

Lu Lingyun and Cheng Yunshuo stayed at the other residence for several days.

This time, it wasn't her initiative; it was Cheng Yunshuo who wanted to stay longer.

Lady Qin was very pleased with these subtle changes in her son.

Ever since he met Xing Dairong, he had become distant from his parents, no longer close to them.

During this Mid-Autumn Festival, he not only joined them for the reunion but also spent several quiet days with them at the other residence, talking about matters during the day and playing chess. The old Lord Marquis arranged a position for Cheng Yunshuo in the Imperial Guards, which he accepted without any objections, just like the harmonious family they once were.

This made Lady Qin even more satisfied with Lu Lingyun.

All thanks to having a good daughter-in-law!

Since Lu Lingyun entered their home, the once chaotic Ningyang Marquisate had gradually settled down, undoubtedly due to her efforts.

Lady Qin and the old Lord Marquis saw all of this and grew increasingly fond of Lu Lingyun.

They also learned about how she handled the wall repairs and the Gather Good Fortune Building issue, further admiring her abilities.

The family happily celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival at the other residence, and Lu Lingyun received many gifts from the elderly couple before returning home with Cheng Yunshuo.

Upon returning, Cheng Yunshuo immediately reported to the position arranged by the old Lord Marquis.

The Imperial Guards were the Prefectural Commandant of the Imperial City, responsible for guarding both the Imperial City and the Imperial Palace. As the son of a noble family, Cheng Yunshuo started as a Prefectural Commandant, tasked with patrolling the Imperial City, eventually being promoted to serve as a personal guard to the Emperor.

This position was a leisurely job reserved for noble sons, often just a nominal title without actual duties.

Of course, those who took their duties seriously would be gradually promoted.

Cheng Yunshuo used to refuse even the nominal title, but now he had no complaints and went to work every day.

During the day, he had his job, and at night, he rested at Autumn Fragrance Courtyard, never stepping foot into Yaoguang Pavilion again.

After not seeing Cheng Yunshuo for nearly two weeks, Xing Dairong truly panicked.

She tried to repeat her previous tactics and went to Autumn Fragrance Courtyard to bring him back, but this time, she couldn't even enter the courtyard.

Cheng Yunshuo genuinely did not want to see her.

Several days of failure left her extremely anxious. The next day, Xing Dairong found Cheng Yunshuo at his workplace.

Cheng Yunshuo was on duty at the Prefectural Commandant Manor in the Imperial City, where he had reconnected with many friends after taking up his new job.

His old drinking buddies and playmates had faded away.

After all, the Imperial Guards, despite being a leisurely job, attracted serious young nobles with ambitions.

Those who only cared about pleasure would never take up such a position.

After making many new friends, he felt his social circle had improved significantly.

Today, after finishing a patrol, someone came to inform him outside the Prefectural Commandant Manor.

"Commandant Cheng, your family member is waiting in the front yard."

When these words fell, Cheng Yunshuo immediately thought of Lu Lingyun, wondering if she needed something.

He promptly replied, "I'll go right away."

His companions asked, "Is your wife here?"

"Let's go see her together."

Cheng Yunshuo did not refuse, and they all went to the front yard, where they saw Xing Dairong, dressed in a light pink autumn robe and styled in a maiden's hairdo, sitting with Aunt Qiu in the corridor.

The moment he saw her, Cheng Yunshuo immediately stopped in his tracks.

At that moment, Xing Dairong also spotted Cheng Yunshuo, and she excitedly rushed towards him, "Cheng Yunshuo!"

Her enthusiasm made Cheng Yunshuo extremely uncomfortable now.

In the past, no matter how intimate they were in public, he didn't mind it, and he even felt proud in front of their friends at the time.

But now, in front of his new colleagues, Xing Dairong still acted this way, openly hugging him, making him feel it was frivolous and unbecoming, embarrassing him in front of his colleagues.

He immediately grabbed Xing Dairong and hurriedly led her into an empty room nearby.

After closing the door, he said unhappily, "Why are you here?"

"I came to see you." Xing Dairong met his gaze, softening her stance, "Look, do you like my new dress?"

"Hmph!"

Cheng Yunshuo let out a cold snort.

"Are you still angry with me?" Seeing his expression and tone, Xing Dairong grabbed his arm and gently pouted.

Cheng Yunshuo shook off her hand and said coldly, "Do you know what kind of place this is? Why are you here?"

"It's because you wouldn't see me." Xing Dairong frowned, feeling wronged.

During this period, to please and win back Cheng Yunshuo, she had been ridiculed by Qiu Ling for a long time.

The people in Yaoguang Pavilion had also gradually become colder towards her, giving her many disapproving looks behind her back.

Most importantly, she genuinely missed Cheng Yunshuo.

"Go back first."

Cheng Yunshuo's tone remained indifferent.

Xing Dairong pouted, wanting to kiss him, but Cheng Yunshuo pushed her away.

Xing Dairong felt even more wronged, "Will you come back tonight?"

"Go back first!"

Cheng Yunshuo's tone became even colder and firmer.

Not giving her any room for negotiation, Xing Dairong looked at him for a long moment before sighing, "Alright, I'll wait for you at home."

She opened the door and left with Qiu Ling, who had been guarding outside.

As they went out, Cheng Yunshuo's colleagues were still standing in the corridor, looking at her curiously.

Once Cheng Yunshuo came out, everyone asked, "Yunshuo, was that your wife?"

Chapter 30 Xiangji Temple

Where was Lu Lingyun.

But Xing Dairong's background made it difficult for Cheng Yunshuo to speak.

For the first time, he felt that Xing Dairong's origins were indeed shameful, making it hard for him to mention her to others.

Before he could speak, a colleague slapped his forehead and said, "I remember now! I've seen that girl before; she's the one who was sued over a buffet recently!"

"Wasn't her name something like Xing... Dairong?"

"Yes, yes, that's right."

"I've heard of her too; she's the Xing Dairong everyone talks about in the streets!"

"Isn't she the same woman Brother Yunshuo spent ten thousand taels on, the one everyone knows about!"

The colleagues around him chimed in, but at this moment, Cheng Yunshuo felt incredibly embarrassed.

In the past, he had spent lavishly to redeem Xing Dairong from servitude, defied his parents to bring her into the mansion, and done many earth-shattering things for her. Now, all those actions only brought a sense of shame.

His youthful impulsiveness had faded, and the once passionate love affair now seemed like a mess. For the first time, Cheng Yunshuo felt that what he had done back then was quite foolish.

He didn't know how he got through the rest of the day at the Imperial City Garrison. He didn't speak to anyone else and, when it was time to leave, ignored their invitations to drink together, heading straight back to the Marquis Mansion.

Xing Dairong waited in Yaoguang Pavilion all afternoon. When she heard that Cheng Yunshuo had returned and gone to Autumn Fragrance Courtyard, she sat there in a daze.

After Qiu Ling called out to her several times, she snapped back to reality and stormed out of Yaoguang Pavilion, heading straight for Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

"Get out of my way!" Xing Dairong shouted at the door.

Qingfeng, along with two servants, guarded the entrance. "Miss, please don't make things difficult for us. The Prince really doesn't want to see you."

"Move aside, move aside!" Xing Dairong lashed out at Qingfeng with punches and kicks.

A cold voice sounded above Xing Dairong, "Have you had enough of your tantrum!"

Xing Dairong paused in her attack on Qingfeng and looked up to see Cheng Yunshuo coming out.

"Yunshuo!"

As soon as she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.

She was truly hurt, not just acting.

But Cheng Yunshuo, who used to comfort her immediately when she showed her hurt, now had an icy expression. He frowned, "What do you want now!"

"I just miss you! Do you know how I've been living? I've been alone in Yaoguang Pavilion, with no one to talk to. I've been waiting for you every day and night, but even when you return, you won't see me. What more do you want from me!"

Xing Dairong cried as she spoke.

In the end, she was just a young girl who, because of her transmigration, had a bit more pride than ordinary people. But now, realizing that transmigration didn't revolve entirely around her, she began to let go of that pride.

When she let go of her pride, the hurt was even greater.

Her humble plea softened Cheng Yunshuo's expression slightly, but not much. He looked at her, "Go back first."

"Will you come with me?"

"I'm staying here with Qiu Ling tonight."

"Cheng Yunshuo!" Xing Dairong burst into tears.

She covered her face and ran away, completely broken.

In the past, whenever she argued with Cheng Yunshuo and ran off in anger, it was just because she was upset. But today, at this moment, she was truly heartbroken.

She had tried to be nice and had come to reconcile with Cheng Yunshuo multiple times, doing everything she could.

But he wouldn't even give her a chance.

She had poured a basin of water on Cheng Yunshuo, hurting his feelings, but his repeated coldness wasn't piercing her heart with ice shards?

They had promised to be good to each other forever, but how long had it been!

Xing Dairong's heart felt like it was being wrung dry as she ran back, sobbing.

Seeing her distraught and crying run made Cheng Yunshuo feel terrible too.

Looking at her like that, his heart ached as if it were being squeezed.

But in the end, he did not chase after her, turning around with a grim face and returning to Qiu Ling's room.

He didn't know what to do or how to handle it, but he knew he couldn't go back to giving in every time Xing Dairong cried and threw a tantrum.

All of their emotional turmoil reached Lu Lingyun's ears.

After finishing dinner, she listened to Chunxing recount the events animatedly. After hearing it all, Lu Lingyun lazily got up.

"Madam, don't you feel relieved? Seeing them like this, that vixen must have lost favor."

Lu Lingyun shook her head, not wanting to comment on their affairs, "Have you arranged with Qiluo? We're going to Xiangji Temple tomorrow to offer incense."

"Madam, it's already arranged," Shuang Hong replied.

"Then get some rest early."

Lu Lingyun, who had been dealing with the affairs of the Marquis Mansion daily, found it somewhat boring. She had arranged to meet Wang Qiluo tomorrow to offer incense and enjoy the autumn scenery.

Now that the maple leaves are at their reddest, taking a stroll in autumn is truly a leisurely pleasure.

The next morning.

Lu Lingyun left the manor by carriage.

She was accompanied by Shuang Hong, Chunhe, and two male servants from the household.

The carriage swayed gently as it arrived at Xiangji Temple, just as the sun was at its peak. As soon as she stopped, a young girl dressed in pale yellow and wearing a hat ran towards her.

"Lingyun!"

"Qiluo."

Lu Lingyun, being a married woman, did not need to wear a veil when going out. Wang Qiluo, on the other hand, was unmarried and thus less inclined to show herself in public.

The two met at the foot of the mountain and Wang Qiluo happily linked arms with Lu Lingyun, leading her up the hill.

The entire mountain was ablaze with red, and the autumn wind rustled through the maple leaves, creating a breathtaking scene.

Many devout men and women were climbing the steps up and down the mountain.

"How have you been?" Wang Qiluo asked.

"Very well."

"I heard that your prince recently reported to the Prefectural Commandant Manor. My father said he's changed his ways and now looks up to him. My mother says it's all thanks to you, Lingyun; whoever marries you will have a prosperous household."

Lu Lingyun smiled, "How is Aunt General?"

"They're all doing well, but my mother has been quite annoying these days."

"How so?"

Wang Qiluo leaned close to Lu Lingyun's ear and whispered, "She's trying to arrange a marriage for me."

Hearing this, Lu Lingyun became interested, "Do you have any prospects yet?"

"Don't mention it." Wang Qiluo quickly shook her head.

"Tell me, I can help you evaluate them."

"They're all my father's disciples," Wang Qiluo said with dissatisfaction, "big and rough, and just looking at them is annoying."

"So, what kind do you like?" Lu Lingyun teased her with a mischievous smile.

Wang Qiluo turned her head, "I like someone scholarly."

Just then, they reached the top of Xiangji Temple, and a group of men dressed as scholars walked out of the temple.

The sunlight fell perfectly on the red leaves before the temple hall, making them glow like fire, enhancing the youthful vigor of the young men.

Lu Lingyun immediately noticed the man in white robes walking at the center of the group. He had a face like jade, exuding warmth and humility, with a gentle smile that made one feel at ease.

When he saw her, he was slightly taken aback but quickly regained his composure.

He paused before Lu Lingyun and bowed respectfully, "It's Sister-in-law, may you be well."

The one speaking was Lu Lingyun's former husband from her previous life, Li Wenxun.

Chapter 31 Lu Hanyi's Pregnancy

Lu Lingyun hadn't expected to run into Li Wenxun at Xiangji Temple.

She politely took a half-step back and returned the bow, "Brother-in-law, there's no need for such formality."

"Did Sister come here to pray today?"

"Yes, isn't Hanyi with you?" Lu Lingyun maintained a polite and distant smile.

When Li Wenxun heard Lu Hanyi's name, a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes, "Hanyi is pregnant."

"Oh?"

Lu Lingyun really didn't know that Lu Hanyi was pregnant.

"Sister, please don't be upset. Hanyi just found out about the pregnancy and hasn't even told her parents yet," Li Wenxun said considerately. "We were thinking of waiting a bit longer before telling the family."

Lu Lingyun responded, "Congratulations, congratulations."

"Thank you, thank you," Li Wenxun looked at Lu Lingyun, hesitated for a moment, and continued, "If Sister has time, perhaps you could invite Hanyi out more often. I see her alone at home all the time, and it must be quite boring for her."

Lu Lingyun nodded, "Alright."

"In that case, we won't disturb Sister. Enjoy your visit."

After a few simple pleasantries, Li Wenxun tactfully stepped aside.

Lu Lingyun nodded slightly, "I wish Brother-in-law success in the exams next year."

After saying this, she led Wang Qiluo away.

She had been married to Li Wenxun for a lifetime, but their relationship wasn't particularly deep.

Li Wenxun was gentle and modest, but he was actually a cold and unfeeling person. He grew up in the shadow of his elder brother, Li Wenze, and most of the family resources were poured into his brother. His presence in the family was minimal, and he received very little support.

This made him extremely eager to stand out.

However, his abilities were not particularly outstanding.

In her previous life, it was Lu Lingyun who supported him and helped him reach the highest position step by step.

From a certain perspective, they were good partners; they never quarreled and treated each other with respect. But Lu Lingyun knew one thing well.

If she became useless, Li Wenxun would kick her aside without hesitation.

She had damaged her health giving birth to his child, and Li Wenxun's attitude towards her turned cold. If not for her exceptional abilities and her ability to maintain her position as the main wife, Li Wenxun would have divorced her.

In their lifetime together, Lu Lingyun understood him well. Li Wenxun was someone who valued benefits above all else and was extremely cold-blooded.

In this regard, he was completely different from Cheng Yunshuo.

Cheng Yunshuo might appear rebellious and irresponsible, but deep down, he was very emotional.

Lu Lingyun walked deeper into Xiangji Temple with her thoughts, when Wang Qiluo's voice reached her ears, "I still think your good marriage was taken by your sister. That Mr. Li Er is like jade, and he would be a perfect match for you."

As soon as she finished speaking, the hood of her hat was poked.

"Ouch, what was that for?"

"Cheng Yunshuo is much better than him," Lu Lingyun chided.

Wang Qiluo: "..."

"But didn't you see how Mr. Li Er was concerned about his pregnant wife and asked you to keep Hanyi company? Isn't that good?"

"Ha," Lu Lingyun gave a fake laugh, "The righteous often come from the lowliest, while the heartless are often scholars."

Could Li Wenxun really be thinking only of Lu Hanyi?

He was clearly thinking of Ningyang Marquis Manor.

By having Lu Hanyi visit more often, he hoped to build a closer relationship as in-laws, which would bring him some benefits and resources. Li Wenxun was very shrewd.

He knew that reaching the highest position didn't rely on true talent but on the power behind him.

Who stood behind him, whose representative he was, and whose interests he aligned with determined how far he could go.

He was just the second son of the Li family, married to the daughter of a fifth-rank scholar. With such weak family support, who could he rely on!

In her previous life, she had truly exhausted herself trying to help Li Wenxun rise to prominence.

Fortunately, in this life, she didn't have to suffer through that again.

Her dear sister had worked hard to snatch her marriage, so let her enjoy that blessing.

Thinking about it, Lu Lingyun felt a sense of relief and comfort.

Rebirth made life so much easier.

She pulled Wang Qiluo along and sincerely offered incense to the Buddha, donated some money, and had a vegetarian lunch at Xiangji Temple before returning leisurely.

Upon returning to the marquis manor, she received news from the Li family.

"Madam, the Li family has invited you to visit if you have time recently. The second miss just found out she's pregnant and wants to chat with you," Nurse An said.

Lu Lingyun smiled, Li Wenxun was indeed quick.

"Alright, I'll go tomorrow."

How could Lu Lingyun refuse when they had come to her door?

After all, she was her nominal younger sister by blood.

The next day, she had someone prepare gifts and went to the Li residence in a carriage to take a look.

Li Residence.

The Li family's scale was similar to the Lu family's, but since Master Li was a legitimate Sixth Rank Censor of the Ministry of Rites with real power and prospects for promotion, while the Lu family's Fifth Rank Hanlin Academy Compiler held no actual authority as a civil servant, the two families were not comparable.

Moreover, the eldest son of the Li family had married Wei Huifeng, the only daughter of a Fourth Rank official in the capital, which gave the Li family considerable status in Imperial City.

Many believed that the Li family would rise in the future, and Li Wenze had a promising career ahead.

Seeing the familiar gate, Lu Lingyun got off the carriage, and two gatekeepers approached, "Who are you? What do you want?"

This was improper etiquette.

When inviting someone over, one would inform the guards in advance to be courteous and not offend the guests.

However, since Lu Lingyun, the Consort of the Ningyang Marquis, was questioned, it could only mean one thing:

Li Er and Lu Hanyi had invited her without informing the higher-ups in the Li family.

This was undoubtedly their cunning plan, hoping to use Lu Lingyun's status to pressure the current head of the household, Lady Wei Huifeng.

To make her take the blame and admit fault.

Lu Lingyun saw through their schemes at once, but having suffered at the hands of Wei Huifeng in her previous life, she decided to play along.

She gave a nod to Nurse Wan who accompanied her.

Nurse Wan immediately shouted, "Blinded by your dog eyes! You don't recognize the Second Lady's elder sister, the Consort of the Ningyang Marquis!"

The Second Lady's elder sister was not important; the key was the Consort of the Ningyang Marquis.

A genuine noble lady from an aristocratic family, even if the Li family was on the rise, they could not afford to slight her.

"My eyes are poor, please, quickly go and invite the First Lady out!"

The gatekeepers immediately bowed and scurried away.

Soon, a young lady in her early twenties wearing a dark blue gown hurried out.

Upon seeing Lu Lingyun, dressed in a dark gold robe embroidered with auspicious clouds and a simple yet truly valuable jade hairpin, she immediately put on a warm and apologetic smile, "It is the Consort of the Ningyang Marquis visiting. Please forgive me, I was truly busy today!"

Wei Huifeng smiled.

She accepted the slight, knowing that even if she told Lu Lingyun she was unaware beforehand, Lu Lingyun would never believe her and would accuse the Li family of being disrespectful.

If Lu Lingyun formed this impression, then when Lu Hanyi came to complain later, there would be no way to explain it.

Chapter 32: Sister-in-Law Wei

"Was it because you were too busy, or do you simply not take our Ningyang Marquis Manor seriously?"

Grandma Wan snorted, taking advantage of the situation.

Wei Huifeng gave her own maid a look, and the maid immediately greeted them with a smile, "How could that be? Our mistress was truly busy today. It's an honor to have such esteemed guests. Please come in!"

Wei Huifeng also warmly approached Lu Lingyun. "I apologize for my abruptness today. I'm sure Second Sister has been waiting anxiously in the manor. Since I am older than your sister-in-law, I'll shamelessly call myself your sister-in-law. I will apologize to both of you later."

Wei Huifeng's words were quite eloquent. She first mentioned Lu Hanyi, saying she was waiting inside, quickly shifting attention.

In just a few sentences, she established a connection, calling herself a sister-in-law, making it seem like they were family. If family members still insisted on such matters, it would make Lu Lingyun appear overly aggressive.

With this smooth talk, the issue was resolved without any visible conflict.

However, Lu Lingyun had brought Grandma Wan along.

This cunning old servant immediately picked up on the flaw in her words and responded, "If this is how you treat us, who knows how you might treat our Second Miss."

Sure enough, Wei Huifeng's smile faltered. Her eyes flickered as she immediately linked arms with Lu Lingyun. "How could that be? Second Sister is pregnant now, and we all treat her like a precious gem. If anything were to make her uncomfortable, I would be the first to blame. Dear sister, you are also a head of household. Any mistake in the manor would reflect poorly on us both. We are in a difficult position."

Wei Huifeng smoothly avoided the accusation and drew closer to Lu Lingyun.

First, she mentioned Lu Hanyi's pregnancy, implying that Lu Lingyun should stop arguing and go see her.

Then, she emphasized their shared role as heads of households, seeking empathy from Lu Lingyun. By finding common ground, she hoped to gain understanding and set the stage for Lu Hanyi to complain about her treatment if needed.

Finding common ground helps mutual understanding. As Lu Lingyun was also a head of household, she knew she couldn't please everyone.

Grandma Wan, hearing this, snorted again, ready to retort, "Our Second Miss..."

Lu Lingyun interrupted her, gently patting Wei Huifeng's hand. "Sister-in-law is right. Let's not stand at the door. We should go see my sister."

Lu Lingyun gave Wei Huifeng a way out.

Putting the matter aside, she didn't really care much about Lu Hanyi.

If Lu Hanyi were her biological sister, she would have sought justice and harshly dealt with Wei Huifeng.

But Lu Hanyi... was just that.

She only wanted to assert her authority and teach Wei Huifeng a lesson. There was no core conflict of interest between them, so Lu Lingyun didn't bother standing up for Lu Hanyi.

Seeing Lu Lingyun's understanding, Wei Huifeng smiled broadly and led her into the Li Manor.

Seeing the familiar residence, Lu Lingyun felt a sense of change.

Especially when Wei Huifeng, who used to torment her, now enthusiastically introduced everything, it was an indescribable feeling.

In her past life, even after earning a high rank, Wei Huifeng still maintained her sister-in-law's demeanor.

But in this life, she put away all pretenses and even tried to please her.

The eternal truth is that conflicts of interest define relationships. There are no permanent friends, only permanent interests.

They arrived at the courtyard where Lu Hanyi lived.

It was the same room as before, but the decorations and furnishings were all according to Lu Hanyi's standards, clearly better than before.

The curtains were made of moonlight silk.

Clearly, the Lu family valued their daughter more than before. In her past life, she never had such fine silk.

Of course, in this life, marrying into the marquis manor meant a higher standard of living than Lu Hanyi could ever achieve.

Before entering the room, Wei Huifeng called out, "Second Sister, look who's here!"

The door was already open.

Wei Huifeng's maid lifted the curtain, and Lu Lingyun stepped inside, seeing Lu Hanyi lazily seated in a chair, wearing an orange autumn robe and a woman's hairstyle.

Her pregnancy was still early, but she was already caressing her belly, showing some signs of pregnancy.

Upon seeing Lu Lingyun, Lu Hanyi merely raised an eyelid. "You're here."

For a sister to visit her pregnant sibling, this attitude was rather dismissive.

Especially since Lu Lingyun had married into a much higher status, coming here was a significant gesture.

Lu Hanyi's lack of respect was evident.

Wei Huifeng, seeing Lu Hanyi's attitude, laughed awkwardly to smooth things over. "Second Sister must be tired from the pregnancy. I remember being even lazier during my pregnancy with Ming'er. I had no energy for anyone."

Wei Huifeng gave Lu Hanyi plenty of face.

Lu Hanyi glanced at her and scoffed, "Hmph, Sister-in-law is too modest. With your energy, you could carry ten pregnancies and still have eyes as bright as a cow's."

Wei Huifeng: "..."

Lu Lingyun genuinely thought her sister was hopeless.

Why hadn't she improved at all after reincarnation?

Wei Huifeng blushed, "Second Sister..."

"Alright, Sister-in-law, let me speak with my sister alone," Lu Lingyun said, gently patting her hand.

Mrs. Wei immediately smiled and glanced at her. "Alright, we'll leave first. You two sisters can have a good reunion."

Mrs. Wei left Lu Hanyi's room with her people.

Lu Hanyi didn't move an inch until she was gone.

After Mrs. Wei left, Mama Wan approached with great concern. "Second Miss, have you been wronged here?"

"Do you even need to ask if you already know?"

"Mama Wan could tell that Mrs. Wei wasn't someone easy to deal with. You grew up pampered in Madam's courtyard; how could you be a match for her! You must have suffered a lot!" Mama Wan looked heartbroken.

After all, she had been one of Madam Liu's trusted servants and had watched Lu Hanyi grow up, truly caring for her.

Seeing her like this, Lu Hanyi felt her anger rise. "Then why were you smiling and chatting with her just now? You're supposed to be my family, yet you don't stand up for me."

"Rest assured, Second Miss, we will definitely stand up for you this time! Right, Young Lady?" Mama Wan turned her head and said.

She saw Lu Lingyun sitting on a stool, calmly drinking tea and looking at them.

"Mama Wan is indeed devoted to your cause, always ready to protect her mistress."

Mama Wan felt guilty, knowing she was still under Lu Lingyun's authority. "Young Lady, Second Miss is your own sister. I thought you would definitely stand up for her, so I spoke on your behalf."

Lu Lingyun smiled faintly. "I didn't realize that a nanny could now make decisions for the mistress."

Chapter 33: A Reminder of Pregnancy

"Enough," Lu Hanyi sneered. "You just don't want to help, do you? No one was counting on you in the first place!"

"Second Miss, please don't be angry. Young Lady came here specifically to see you," Mama Wan coaxed gently. "If you're upset, she definitely won't ignore it."

"Forget it! She should take care of her own affairs first!" Lu Hanyi mocked, looking at Lu Lingyun. "You must have suffered a lot in the Marquis Manor, right? That surnamed Xing wench must have driven you crazy, right? I heard you even raised a concubine. Lu Lingyun, you're such a pushover!"

Lu Lingyun: "..."

Mama Wan continued, "Second Miss, we came here to see how you are doing. You are now pregnant, so you mustn't lack anything or suffer any harm. Don't worry about other things."

"My affairs are none of your business!" Lu Hanyi sneered.

She hadn't expected anything from Lu Lingyun anyway.

What she counted on was Li Wenxun!

Seeing her arrogant and determined look, Lu Lingyun knew what she was thinking. She sipped her tea, "Judging by your appearance, you seem to be doing well."

"Of course, I'm not like you." Lu Hanyi couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, gently touching her belly.

In her previous life, she had no children.

In this life, with her excellent husband and perfect life, she would also have her own offspring. The thought made her content.

As for Lu Lingyun, who had taken her place, the idea that she would never win Cheng Yunshuo's heart, be oppressed by that hateful concubine, and never have her own child, truly delighted Lu Hanyi.

Don't blame her; Lu Lingyun never deserved these things!

All the best things should belong to her, Lu Hanyi!

Looking at Lu Hanyi's smug expression, Lu Lingyun said, "Since you're fine, I'll leave."

"Go ahead, go." Lu Hanyi waved her hand, dismissing her. As Lu Lingyun was about to leave, she suddenly called out, "By the way, be careful recently."

"Be careful about what?"

"Be careful that the surnamed Xing wench might get pregnant!" Lu Hanyi looked at her with an air of foreknowledge, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. "That wench is likely to get pregnant around this time!"

In her previous life, Lu Hanyi and Xing Dairong fought fiercely.

Several times, due to her antics, the Qin family intervened to discipline Xing Dairong.

Once, when the fight was particularly intense, she forced Xing Dairong to kneel in the snow, causing her to bleed. It was only later discovered that Xing Dairong was pregnant.

That incident threw the entire Marquis Manor into chaos. Cheng Yunshuo almost killed her, and the Qin family only saved her life, asking her to hide to avoid trouble.

After that, her status in the Marquis Manor plummeted. When Xing Dairong recovered the following year, Cheng Yunshuo eloped with her.

Calculating the dates, Xing Dairong should be pregnant around this time.

Lu Hanyi felt compelled to give Lu Lingyun a heads-up.

Firstly, because she had stolen her perfect life, she felt a twinge of guilt and wanted to repay her with this warning.

Secondly, she had ulterior motives, wanting to see how Lu Lingyun would react upon learning of Xing Dairong's pregnancy. If she got furious, it would be even better.

Lu Lingyun was surprised by Lu Hanyi's reminder. She stood by the door, looking at the proud and arrogant Lu Hanyi, "Winter is coming. Since you are pregnant, prepare some extra charcoal early this year to stay warm."

She understood the intention behind Lu Hanyi's warning but appreciated the important information.

Lu Lingyun always repaid both debts and kindness. Since Lu Hanyi had warned her, she would remind her to prepare extra charcoal.

In her previous life, she fell ill during this winter while pregnant, making it difficult for her to carry the child to term.

Truly, Lu Lingyun was cold-hearted but genuinely loved children.

If Lu Hanyi could give birth smoothly, it would be a good thing.

She returned the favor with an important reminder.

"Tch!" Lu Hanyi sneered dismissively, completely uncaring.

Lu Lingyun then remembered that Lu Hanyi was also reborn and had experienced the harsh winter. However, living in the Marquis Manor, she never lacked charcoal and thus didn't understand the significance of the reminder.

So...

"Let's go."

Lu Lingyun said no more.

Back at the Marquis Manor, Lu Lingyun immediately asked about Xing Dairong and Cheng Yunshuo.

"How is Miss Xing doing?"

"She stayed in Yaoguang Pavilion all day."

"And the Prince?"

"He went to Prefectural Commandant Manor early in the morning for his duties."

"Haven't they reconciled yet?"

"No."

Hearing this, Lu Lingyun frowned slightly.

Not yet reconciled.

It makes sense; this time they had a major falling out.

Usually, with some minor squabbles, a bit of cajoling from Xing Dairong would smooth things over.

This time, it truly hurt Cheng Yunshuo's heart.

Cheng Yunshuo doesn't want to placate her as he used to; they're bound to be in a cold war for a while.

But...

What about the child?

The marquisate has few heirs, and Lu Lingyun has studied this issue for a long time. She can confirm that it's difficult for the old marquis' lineage to produce offspring, which is why none of his many concubines have given birth.

Having been reborn, she believes in fate now. If fate dictates that a child should come during this period, there's a high chance it will happen.

For example, Lu Hanyi was also conceived around this time in her previous life.

If Cheng Yunshuo continues to cold-war with Xing Dairong, what will happen to the child?

The marquisate must have an heir, regardless of who bears it.

After all, they would still be her children.

Lu Lingyun thought for a long time before saying, "Call Aunt Qiu over."

Soon, Aunt Qiu walked over with grace and poise.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lu Lingyun asked, "How have you been feeling lately?"

"Very well," Aunt Qiu said with a radiant smile. Ever since Xing Dairong faced setbacks, she has been happier each day.

"The other day, I went to Xiangji Temple and drew a fortune-telling stick. It said that our household will soon welcome a fortunate son," Lu Lingyun said, gently hinting at her.

"Really?" Aunt Qiu's eyes lit up.

"You need to act quickly," Lu Lingyun said meaningfully.

Aunt Qiu looked delighted. "I understand!"

Before leaving, Lu Lingyun gave Aunt Qiu all the fertility aids that Lady Qin had given her.

That night, Cheng Yunshuo returned to Aunt Qiu's Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

Aunt Qiu changed into her former maid's attire, and every gesture reminded Cheng Yunshuo of the past, evoking even more nostalgia. Just as Aunt Qiu was about to take advantage of the situation to keep Cheng Yunshuo, a loud knocking came from outside the courtyard.

"Prince! Prince! Something terrible has happened!"

Qiu Ling heard Qiu Ku's voice and felt her teeth grind in frustration. For the first time, she regretted choosing a courtyard next to Yaoguang Pavilion.

"What's going on?"

"Miss Xing has fallen ill!"

Chapter 34: Being a Concubine Isn't So Bad After All

Xing Dairong fell ill, and the two, who had been in a cold war, immediately reconciled.

Cheng Yunshuo took care of her tirelessly throughout the night and even took leave from his duties with the Imperial Guards the next day to attend to her wholeheartedly at home.

After the previous outburst, Xing Dairong's personality had changed significantly.

She no longer acted as arrogantly or recklessly, refraining from throwing tantrums at him and becoming much gentler toward Cheng Yunshuo.

This made Cheng Yunshuo feel heartbroken. He felt guilty for his past coldness towards her and treated her even more tenderly.

However, there was still something unspoken between them. They chose not to address it directly, pretending it was all behind them. This reconciliation brought their relationship to an unprecedented level of closeness. People from Yaoguang Pavilion said that Cheng Yunshuo now cherished Xing Dairong like a precious gem.

No one was allowed to mistreat her.

Lu Lingyun, however, was indifferent to this.

It didn't matter to her who bore the child; after all, the child would be recorded under her name and raised by her.

Xing Dairong was different from other women, but she lived in the same era as everyone else, unable to change the grand scheme of things.

Lu Lingyun believed that if Xing Dairong could find her place, she wouldn't mind having a cup of tea with her as a concubine and giving her a dignified treatment as a concubine.

After all, what she and Xing Dairong were fighting for was different. She wanted control over the entire marquisate household, while they were competing for the man.

Whether it was Xing Dairong or Aunt Qiu, they were all the same in her eyes. They were never her enemies, merely pawns.

Hearing that Xing Dairong was ill, she sent a doctor and medicine to her.

She wasn't in a hurry, but Aunt Qiu was desperate.

The mistress said that a fortunate child would soon be born. It mattered greatly whether the child came from her womb or Xing Dairong's.

She was just a concubine without the master's favor, and without a child, she couldn't establish herself in the marquisate for long.

Every day, she watched the activities at Yaoguang Pavilion, wishing she could snatch the man away directly, but she knew it was futile.

She wasn't Xing Dairong, able to lure a man with just a glance.

Three days passed, and Yaoguang Pavilion was as sweet as honey, while Aunt Qiu was burning with anxiety.

Today, she finally found Cheng Yunshuo taking a stroll with Xing Dairong in the courtyard and hurriedly approached them.

"Your Highness."

"Sister Qiu Ling," Cheng Yunshuo acknowledged her with a nod.

Qiu Ling had been by his side recently, and their relationship had grown closer. Even though Cheng Yunshuo hadn't shared a bed with her, he no longer deliberately distanced himself from her as before.

After all, she had once served him intimately, and living together harmoniously was the best outcome for him.

Cheng Yunshuo's attitude toward her brightened Qiu Ling's spirits. What surprised her even more was Xing Dairong's reaction to Cheng Yunshuo's behavior, which didn't flare up as it used to.

Xing Dairong only frowned slightly, not engaging in any jealousy with Qiu Ling.

Seeing this, Qiu Ling boldly approached her, "Sister Xing, how is your health?"

"Who's your sister?" Xing Dairong glanced at her irritably.

Though she wasn't causing trouble, she certainly wasn't going to give Qiu Ling a pleasant face.

Qiu Ling realized that Xing Dairong was still jealous deep down, despite her changed demeanor. She had an idea and continued to provoke her, "We both serve His Highness in the marquisate. Even if you don't have a formal status here, we are still sisters."

Sure enough, Xing Dairong felt as if she had swallowed a fly upon hearing this.

"Will you stop it!" Xing Dairong suppressed her anger.

Qiu Ling's eyes filled with grievance, "Your Highness, I didn't mean it that way. I meant that Sister Xing should have a formal status in the marquisate so that we can take care of each other."

A formal status?!

Wasn't this putting Xing Dairong in her place?

Again and again, and now this! Enough was enough!

"I've discovered you're nothing but a green tea bitch. You come looking for trouble when others are minding their own business. I'm not even bothering with you, yet you still act so low! Do you enjoy being despised?!"

Xing Dairong unleashed a torrent of angry words, but then she heard Cheng Yunshuo gently call her name, "Dairong."

Xing Dairong felt wronged and was about to cry. Afraid that Cheng Yunshuo might not understand Qiu Ling's insinuations, she grabbed his hand and stomped her foot anxiously, "Yunshuo, did you hear what she said? She wants me to be a concubine like her! She's such a green tea slut, how can she be so despicable, tormenting me every day!"

But Cheng Yunshuo understood.

And he thought about it seriously.

"Dairong, you cannot remain without a formal status in the marquisate."

Xing Dairong stopped her tirade in disbelief, staring at Cheng Yunshuo in shock.

What did Cheng Yunshuo mean...

Did he also want her to become a concubine?

Yes.

That was exactly what Cheng Yunshuo thought.

He was no longer the impulsive young man who believed that love alone could surpass everything in the world.

The repeated arguments had gradually dulled the passion, and now that he had official duties, Cheng Yunshuo, who was increasingly entering the secular world, realized that Xing Dairong's current position by his side was no longer appropriate.

Xing Dairong could not remain with him without a proper title for her entire life.

He needed to give Xing Dairong a legitimate status; this was not only for his own peace of mind but also for hers.

Of course, Xing Dairong could only become a concubine.

For he already had a nominal wife.

Xing Dairong could only be a concubine.

"Are you asking me to be your concubine...?!"

Xing Dairong looked at him with shock and anger.

Cheng Yunshuo stared at her seriously and said, "Dairong, being a concubine isn't bad. In the future, you can move around openly in the Marquisate, and everything in the Marquisate will have a share for you. You won't be upset because Qiu Ling gets new clothes while you don't. Lingyun is kind and benevolent; she will treat you well."

"Cheng Yunshuo! You beast!"

Xing Dairong pushed Cheng Yunshuo away and ran off in anger.

Seeing Xing Dairong storm off again, the instigator Qiu Ling quickly added, "Your Highness, Miss Xing's temper..."

Before she could finish her provocative words, Cheng Yunshuo immediately chased after her.

"Dairong!"

"Dairong!"

Seeing Cheng Yunshuo's devoted behavior, Qiu Ling stomped her feet in frustration.

Why does he still need to placate her!

Someone who doesn't understand their place should be left alone for a while!

How could Cheng Yunshuo bear to leave Xing Dairong?

He still cared deeply for her. He knew that Xing Dairong would not accept this directly today, so he needed to comfort her properly.

"Dairong, listen to me carefully."

"I won't listen! Go away, go away! Go to the Autumn Fragrance Courtyard, go to Lu Lingyun, go wherever you want! It's all lies, everything you said is a lie!"

The two started arguing again, separated by the door of the room, and everyone else in Yaoguang Pavilion rushed out.

Qingfeng asked the accompanying Qiu Kui, "What happened again?"

"Sigh, don't ask." Qiu Kui looked exasperated.

"Just now, I met Sister Qiu Ling in the courtyard. She suggested that Miss Xing become a concubine..."

Qiu Kui recounted what had happened in the courtyard to the others.

Chapter 35 Living Without a Man Is Impossible

Qingfeng frowned after hearing this, "Sister Qiu Ling and the Prince were not wrong in what they said."

"Yes, being a concubine is better than how Miss Xing is now."

"What does she think every day? Does she really think she can be the main wife?"

A first-class servant boy said, and everyone looked at him.

But everyone felt he was right.

Does Xing Dairong, if not becoming a concubine, really think she can become the main wife?

Does she deserve it?

"Sigh!" Qiu Kuai sighed wearily, how could something so obvious to everyone be incomprehensible to Xing Dairong?

Daydreaming about love all day long—can love feed her?

Cheng Yunshuo coaxed for a long time at the door. When he heard no more sounds inside, he prepared himself to be splashed with water and kicked the door open.

As soon as he entered, he saw Xing Dairong crying under the covers.

Unlike before when she would scream and fight.

Seeing this, his heart softened.

Cheng Yunshuo walked to the window and spoke gently, "Dairong."

"Get out!"

"Let me explain properly." Cheng Yunshuo forcibly pulled back the covers, holding her tightly despite her kicking and punching, "I have thought this through. Your current status in the mansion really isn't good."

"Do you look down on me too?!"

"I don't look down on you. Don't you want to walk out with me openly and hear others introduce you seriously?"

"So you want me to be your concubine!" Xing Dairong glared at him with red eyes, "Cheng Yunshuo, are you a bastard or not?!"

"Dairong," Cheng Yunshuo sighed deeply, "I still promise you that I will only love you in this life."

"Haha, hahaha!" Xing Dairong laughed coldly at his promise, "Then divorce Lu Lingyun and marry me officially!"

Her words made Cheng Yunshuo's face turn dark.

Divorcing Lu Lingyun is absolutely impossible.

Not to mention that Lu Lingyun has not committed any of the seven grounds for divorce, making it impossible for him to divorce her.

Even if he divorced Lu Lingyun, Xing Dairong's status would never allow her to become the Princess Consort of the Marquisate.

Moreover, Cheng Yunshuo genuinely respected Lu Lingyun.

Everything Lu Lingyun did, he believed in.

If there was a main wife position, it could only be her.

"Why aren't you speaking! Why aren't you saying anything! Divorce her and marry me, then everything would be proper! Go and divorce Lu Lingyun right now!"

Cheng Yunshuo's face turned cold, and he frowned, "Dairong, didn't you tell me that you don't care about titles when you're with me?"

"So you want me to be a concubine!" Xing Dairong laughed in anger, "And you say you're not a liar!"

"Dairong, why do you insist on this?" Cheng Yunshuo continued to coax her patiently.

"Unless you divorce her now, I won't listen to anything else!" Xing Dairong covered her ears, pulled the covers over herself, and hid back in bed.

Seeing her stubbornness, Cheng Yunshuo sighed deeply and left the room.

That night, he did not go to the Autumn Fragrance Courtyard but slept in the study of Yaoguang Pavilion.

The next day, he went to see Xing Dairong again, but received the same response. After some thought, he left for his duties.

After he left the Marquisate, Xing Dairong came out of her room.

"Miss Xing, you're up?" Qiu Kuai breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her.

Just as she was about to ask how she was doing, she saw Xing Dairong stride out.

"Miss Xing, where are you going!"

"To Lu Lingyun's place!"

Xing Dairong stormed off to Lu Lingyun's courtyard.

Hearing this, Qiu Kuai broke out in a cold sweat. My dear, what is she doing at the main wife's courtyard!

Lu Lingyun was watering flowers in the courtyard.

She had recently cultivated a large pot of various types of flowers, each with its own beauty.

Just as she was watering the newly found night-blooming flower, Xing Dairong barged in.

"Miss Xing, what are you doing!"

"We haven't announced our arrival yet!"

Little Wei and the others followed Xing Dairong in. Seeing her, Lu Lingyun put down the watering can, "Miss Xing is here."

"Stop pretending!" Xing Dairong glared at Lu Lingyun with fury. "You are the most despicable person in this entire mansion!"

"How have I offended you?" Lu Lingyun looked at her calmly, a faint smile on her face.

"Why did you have to marry into this family?"

Lu Lingyun looked at her with amusement. "Miss Xing, you've asked me this question several times already. Let me answer it again: It was my parents' wish and the matchmaker's word. I entered the marquisate through proper channels, with a grand procession of red wedding decorations."

"You don't even love Cheng Yunshuo. Why do you insist on doing this?"

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Are you saying you can't live without a man?" Xing Dairong screamed hysterically.

After a night of contemplation, she realized that her true enemy wasn't Qiu Ling but Lu Lingyun!

If not for her occupying the position of the main wife, how could Cheng Yunshuo have made her his concubine?

Since Cheng Yunshuo refused to divorce his wife, she would come here and make her leave!

"You are truly outrageous! Someone, take her away!" Shuang Hong, having gained some experience, called for people to apprehend Xing Dairong. At this point, there was no need to indulge her any further!

At this moment, Lu Lingyun gently waved her hand, dismissing everyone else. She looked at the furious Xing Dairong and continued to smile calmly. "Miss Xing, you said I can't live without a man?"

"Isn't that the truth? Since you don't love Cheng Yunshuo, why do you insist on keeping this position? Can't women of your era have some dignity?"

Lu Lingyun continued to smile at her. "From the tone of your words, it seems like you are not from our time."

"I'm not!" Xing Dairong blurted out, unconcerned at this point. "Let me tell you, I come from a world of freedom and equality, where everyone can pursue true love without being controlled by anyone! Have some dignity and stop clinging to Cheng Yunshuo, occupying the position that should be mine!"

After hearing her words, Lu Lingyun's eyes sparkled, and she nodded. "The world you describe sounds truly beautiful."

"Then why won't you step aside!" A fleeting look of satisfaction crossed Xing Dairong's eyes, but in the next second, she heard Lu Lingyun say,

"However, I am certain that in any world, only those with power can talk about dignity, freedom, and love."

Xing Dairong was stunned.

"My father is a fifth-rank scholar-official, and many of my clan members hold official positions. When I married into this family, I brought a dowry of 140 sedan chairs, containing everything from food and clothing to a coffin, covering all my needs from birth to death. Even the water I drink in the marquisate comes from a well that my father had dug for me, ensuring that I can live well without relying on a single thread or drop of water from the marquisate."

Lu Lingyun smiled as she looked at Xing Dairong. "But Miss Xing, what do you have?"

"Do you have money, power, or influence? Everything you eat, drink, and wear depends on the crown prince. Even the clothes you wear were bought with money he took from me to buy them for you. You say I can't live without a man, but I think it's you who can't live without one."

"You have nothing. What right do you have to ask me to fulfill your dreams of freedom, love, and dignity? Do you think just because you believe this world should be like your old one, it will be so?"

Chapter 36 Let's Run Away Together

Lu Lingyun spoke word by word, unhurriedly, yet her words cut straight to the heart like knives.

Leaving Xing Dairong speechless.

She felt that all her pride as a time-traveler was utterly worthless in front of Lu Lingyun.

With a grim face, she left without uttering a word.

Upon returning, she locked herself in Yaoguang Pavilion. When Cheng Yunshuo came back from his duties, he immediately asked Qiu Ling about Xing Dairong.

Qiu Ling told him that Xing Dairong had confronted Lu Lingyun today and then locked herself in her room upon returning. Hearing this, Cheng Yunshuo frowned deeply.

He was unhappy.

Very unhappy.

He had offered to make her a concubine, yet she dared to go to Lu Lingyun and demand her position.

This was sheer nonsense!

Why did she go to Lu Lingyun? When had Lu Lingyun ever provoked her? How could she be so unaware of her own status?

Seeing her lock herself in her room, looking ready to throw another tantrum, Cheng Yunshuo felt both anger and frustration.

He truly had married a handful!

Just as he was unsure whether to placate or scold Xing Dairong, she opened her door from inside.

Xing Dairong stood calmly at the doorway, greeting him warmly, "Yunshuo, you're back."

She showed no signs of temper, leaving Cheng Yunshuo momentarily bewildered.

"Did you go to see Lu Lingyun today?" Cheng Yunshuo asked directly.

"Yes," Xing Dairong replied, still standing at the doorway. "I want to have a serious talk with you."

Her calm demeanor was unusual, even hinting at a rare vulnerability.

Like a young bird drenched by a storm, she lacked her usual chatter and vitality. Cheng Yunshuo's heart softened.

After all, it was he who first made her unhappy.

It was he who first suggested making her a concubine.

Given how indulgent he had been with Xing Dairong, her anger was understandable.

Cheng Yunshuo decided to have a proper conversation with her and clear the air.

He walked into the room and said, "Dairong, being a concubine is not the same as being an ordinary mistress. I will discuss with Lingyun to elevate you to a noble concubine."

In this era, there is only one main wife. Below her, there are three levels of concubines: noble concubine, virtuous concubine, and lowly concubine.

Qiu Ling is currently a virtuous concubine.

Generally, a concubine's status reflects her background. A noble concubine comes from a family with some social standing, often a secondary daughter from a minor official's household or a daughter from a wealthy merchant's family.

A virtuous concubine is typically a chaste daughter from a decent family or a trusted servant with a background, such as Qiu Ling.

A lowly concubine is the lowest rank, usually a courtesan, a woman from a brothel, or an orphan with no support, who can only become a lowly concubine.

Given Xing Dairong's status, she would not easily be admitted as a lowly concubine. However, Cheng Yunshuo adored her and was willing to fight for her, ensuring she would be elevated to a noble concubine.

"A noble concubine?" Xing Dairong repeated, her tone tinged with mockery.

Cheng Yunshuo held her hand and continued, "Dairong, titles don't matter. With me, no one in this house will dare to mistreat you. I will provide you with the best food and clothing."

"As good as Lu Lingyun?" Xing Dairong countered.

Cheng Yunshuo was taken aback and frowned, "Why do you need to compare yourself to Lingyun?"

Ultimately, Cheng Yunshuo knew his limits. He could give Xing Dairong the best within his means, but never surpass Lu Lingyun.

Lu Lingyun is the main wife; she cannot be treated like a concubine.

"Ha." Xing Dairong laughed coldly.

Cheng Yunshuo tightened his grip on her hand, coaxing, "Dairong, a noble concubine is second only to the main wife. In the marquisate, you will be the highest-ranking among others. I promise you, I will have only you for the rest of my life. Believe me, okay?"

As long as she doesn't compare herself to Lu Lingyun, she will undoubtedly be the happiest woman in the marquisate.

And she will have his lifelong affection.

This is something countless people would envy.

After saying this, Xing Dairong suddenly looked up at him, her gaze intense, "Cheng Yunshuo, let's run away together!"

"What?!"

"Run away! Let's escape from the marquisate!" Xing Dairong's eyes sparkled as she stared intently at Cheng Yunshuo. "If you love me, come away with me. I don't want to stay here anymore."

The blow she received from Lu Lingyun today was too great.

Lu Lingyun's words had awakened her. She now realized that as long as she remained in the marquisate, she could never surpass Lu Lingyun.

Lu Lingyun, on that day, she would be the legitimate and rightful mistress here, and she could only seek survival under her control.

She couldn't accept it.

She wanted to escape.

Cheng Yunshuo would take money, take her, and they would go outside together, find a good place to buy a house and land to live freely, and wouldn't she then be Cheng Yunshuo's legitimate wife?

Was it worth being suppressed by Lu Lingyun here?

Her words made Cheng Yunshuo frown deeply.

Times were different now.

This was not the past life.

In the past life, Lu Hanyi foolishly treated Xing Dairong as her enemy, constantly pressuring and targeting her, tightening their relationship even more, and because of the crucial trigger of making Xing Dairong lose her child, Cheng Yunshuo decided to abandon everything and elope with Xing Dairong.

But in this life, why should Cheng Yunshuo elope with Xing Dairong?

Wasn't he living well as the young lord of the marquisate in the Imperial City? Wasn't serving in the Imperial Guards good enough? He had taken Xing Dairong into his household, pampering her, and no one in the entire household criticized him. Even Lady Qin, under Lu Lingyun's mediation, now left him free to do as he pleased.

Everyone gave him enough freedom and space; why should he leave the marquisate and elope with Xing Dairong?

Once they eloped, they would bear the stigma of disloyalty, dishonor, and disrespect.

In the past life, loving Xing Dairong intensely was one thing, but in this life, their relationship was not strong enough for him to choose such an extreme way.

Cheng Yunshuo frowned deeply.

"Yunshuo!" Xing Dairong hugged him tightly. "I really don't want to live in the marquisate anymore."

"We'll take the money, leave the Imperial City, and buy a house and shops wherever we go. Then we can open a shop, do business, collect rents, and I'll be your legitimate wife. We'll be happy for the rest of our lives, with no one bullying us."

Xing Dairong's vision made Cheng Yunshuo frown even more. Putting aside the fact that everything would be his effort while Xing Dairong only contributed herself, just one point: "How can you do business!"

Xing Dairong's last attempt at opening a buffet restaurant made him realize one thing: Xing Dairong was only suited for romance and leisure; she was not practical.

"Yunshuo!" Xing Dairong looked up. "Apart from the buffet, I have many other ideas. One failure doesn't mean all failures. Trust me, I will make you famous outside!"

Xing Dairong still had a secret weapon.

Chapter 37 Xing Dairong Escapes

"Enough." Cheng Yunshuo directly refused Xing Dairong.

"Cheng Yunshuo, this is what you call loving me!" Xing Dairong's face changed. "You promised me a lifetime together, but in the end, you want me to be your concubine. I asked you to run away with me and be my husband, but you said no. In the end, you were just deceiving me."

"Can you stop being unreasonable!"

"Cheng Yunshuo, I'll ask you one last time: will you run away with me?"

"Xing Dairong, can't you be more sensible? If we run away, how will we survive? The money we carry will eventually run out. What will we rely on then? Your business ideas? Without the marquisate, who will clean up after you?"

Xing Dairong stood up, clenching her fists, feeling extremely determined. "I told you, I have a secret recipe that will make you famous and powerful!"

"Show me your secret recipe now!"

"If you run away with me, I'll tell you! It will definitely make you famous."

"Haha, if you have such a recipe, why do you need to run away with me to tell me?"

"Cheng Yunshuo, in the end, you just don't believe me!"

"Xing Dairong, what makes you worthy of my trust?"

The two argued until their faces turned red, and Xing Dairong looked at the man in front of her with heaving chest.

After calming down for a moment, her eyes filled with tears and hatred, she gritted her teeth and said, "Just tell me, will you run away with me or not?"

"No!"

Cheng Yunshuo firmly rejected her.

"Fine, don't regret it!"

Xing Dairong pushed Cheng Yunshuo away.

In anger, Cheng Yunshuo did not want to stay there any longer.

With a flick of his sleeve, he went straight to the neighboring Autumn Fragrance Courtyard.

Seeing him disbelieve her so completely, Xing Dairong was filled with rage.

"I will make you regret this! I will!"

In terms of making money through business, she had indeed come to realize the reality. Modern business practices were simply not applicable in ancient times due to the lack of productivity.

Moreover, she truly lacked the skills to conduct business. Even if some ideas might work in ancient times, she could not think of them or control them.

But while she was not good at business, she still possessed modern knowledge!

After being humiliated by Lu Lingyun, she spent an entire day thinking about what else she could offer that would astonish everyone.

She, a proud time-traveler, could not be defeated by the natives of this era!

After going through all the knowledge she remembered from elementary school to high school, she came up with a few completely feasible ideas.

One was the saponification reaction for making soap, and another was the formula for gunpowder.

Sulfur, potassium nitrate, and charcoal—this was a formula memorized by anyone who took junior high chemistry.

She had the formula for gunpowder, which was something that could shake the entire ancient dynasty!

If Cheng Yunshuo ran away with her, she would tell him the gunpowder formula!

Then, he would definitely become famous and powerful.

But now... Ha! This scumbag!

She would make him regret it!

Make him regret everything!

Xing Dairong locked the door and packed all her belongings.

She was going to escape the marquisate!

Lu Lingyun knew that Cheng Yunshuo had argued with Xing Dairong again.

After hearing the content of their argument, she shook her head.

"Tell Aunt Qiu to hurry up," she said to Chunxing.

"Yes, Young Lady."

That Xing Dairong was ultimately hopeless; it was time to find someone else.

The next day.

Cheng Yunshuo went to work early as usual. Before leaving, he instructed the servants at Yaoguang Pavilion to keep an eye on Xing Dairong, worried that she might take drastic actions after their argument.

The servants agreed promptly.

Not long after he left, Luo Heng came to the marquisate looking for Cheng Yunshuo.

As soon as Lu Lingyun heard that Luo Heng had arrived, her brows furrowed deeply.

Luo Heng was the son of the Supreme Court's Lesser Minister, the same man Wang Qiluo had married in her previous life, a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Without even showing her face, she instructed the steward to inform Luo Heng that Cheng Yunshuo had gone to serve at the Prefectural Commandant Manor and no one was home.

Despite hearing this from the servant, Luo Heng still stayed to have a cup of tea at the marquisate before leisurely leaving.

Lu Lingyun truly had no good impression of Luo Heng.

After this incident, her impression of him worsened significantly.

In the afternoon, Lu Lingyun received an invitation from Lady Jiang of General Wang's residence.

"Three days from now, I would like to invite you for a small gathering at our residence. —Wang Jiang."

Lady Jiang was Wang Qiluo's mother.

Upon seeing this invitation, Lu Lingyun's mood improved considerably. She immediately sent a reply, confirming her attendance at the small gathering three days later.

Leisurely passing the afternoon.

Lu Lingyun found these few days surprisingly free of worries. She was comfortably enjoying the flowers in the courtyard, contemplating the upcoming winter preparations, when someone from Yaoguang Pavilion rushed over with urgent news.

"Second Madam! Something terrible has happened!"

"What is it? Why are you so flustered?" Shuang Hong, already bearing the demeanor of a senior maid, scolded the young servant who had run over from Yaoguang Pavilion.

"It's really serious!" the servant panted.

"What happened?" Lu Lingyun turned to look at him.

"Xing Dairong, she... she's gone!"

Everyone in the Ningyang Marquisate waited for Cheng Yunshuo to return, searching for Xing Dairong.

Qiukua cried as she recounted that Xing Dairong's door had been closed all day, but it had opened briefly in the morning when food was delivered.

She didn't eat lunch, and the room was quiet. Qiukua remembered that she had a habit of sleeping during the day, so she didn't push too hard, as it had been like this recently.

By the afternoon, Qiukua felt something was wrong after repeatedly urging her to eat. When they finally broke down the door, Xing Dairong was nowhere to be found.

She had run away.

Strangely, no one saw her leave through either the front or back gates.

Upon learning that she had escaped, Cheng Yunshuo immediately contacted the Imperial Guards to search the entire city.

Lu Lingyun, after repeatedly questioning the servants and confirming that no one had seen Xing Dairong leave through the gates, and considering that the walls of the marquisate had been reinforced, realized she couldn't have climbed out alone.

Suddenly, Lu Lingyun thought of someone.

Luo Heng.

Today, Luo Heng, an outsider, had visited the marquisate.

"Don't make a fuss. Send someone to find Zhiran and ask her to send trustworthy people to inquire around the residence of the Supreme Court's Lesser Minister, focusing on Luo Heng," Lu Lingyun instructed Shuang Hong.

If Xing Dairong had indeed left with Luo Heng, it wouldn't be convenient for the Ningyang Marquisate to directly investigate. Lu Lingyun thought of Zhiran, who managed her shops outside, and asked her to send some trustworthy people to inquire about Luo Heng.

Sure enough, early the next morning,

Zhiran sent word.

Her people had discovered traces of Xing Dairong at one of Luo Heng's private residences. Yesterday, he brought a young woman there.

Upon hearing this news, Lu Lingyun furrowed her brow deeply.

Chapter 38: Be the Main Wife or Nothing

Cheng Yunshuo had been searching for Xing Dairong for a day and a night.

With no news, he was pacing anxiously.

At this moment, Lu Lingyun found him.

"Prince, on the day Miss Xing disappeared, Master Luo from the Supreme Court came to the residence looking for you. Perhaps you should ask him if he saw Miss Xing."

Lu Lingyun did not directly say that she had already investigated where Xing Dairong was.

She only gave Cheng Yunshuo a direction, leaving it to him to find the person himself.

After all, Xing Dairong was not someone important in the household, so there was no need for her to personally intervene.

She told Cheng Yunshuo roughly where Xing Dairong could be found and left it to him to handle the situation.

Of course, she genuinely couldn't understand why Xing Dairong would run away with Luo Heng, nor why Luo Heng would take her in.

By telling Cheng Yunshuo, she also wanted to know what Xing Dairong was up to.

Cheng Yunshuo, upon being reminded by Lu Lingyun, immediately realized something and rushed out to find Luo Heng.

Lu Lingyun gave a meaningful glance to Qingfeng, who was with Cheng Yunshuo, and Qingfeng promptly followed his master closely.

Luo Heng was a new friend Cheng Yunshuo had made this year, the one who first introduced him to the extraordinary woman at the Fragrant Pavilion—Xing Dairong.

They fell deeply in love at first sight.

Later, when redeeming Xing Dairong, Luo Heng assured him that he would not interfere and even lent him a considerable sum of money to help him win her over with a grand gesture.

Cheng Yunshuo always considered Luo Heng a good friend, and they often traveled together.

Thinking about it, it was quite possible that Xing Dairong had run away with Luo Heng, as they had known each other for a long time.

With this thought, Cheng Yunshuo hurriedly went to find Luo Heng.

Qingfeng followed Cheng Yunshuo to several of Luo Heng's residences and finally found him at one of his private homes.

Not only did they find Luo Heng, but they also saw the escaped Xing Dairong.

"Dairong!"

Cheng Yunshuo immediately spotted Xing Dairong, dressed differently, sitting in the courtyard cracking pine nuts.

Seeing Cheng Yunshuo, Xing Dairong showed no surprise; she merely snorted and turned her head away, pretending not to recognize him.

"Have you had enough of your tantrum!"

Cheng Yunshuo rushed to her, but before he could touch Xing Dairong, an elderly maid intervened.

"Young Master, please show some respect; this is our lady."

"Lady?" Cheng Yunshuo looked at Xing Dairong in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Luo Heng emerged from the house.

"Brother Yunshuo, you came quickly," Luo Heng said with a smile.

"What is going on here!"

Cheng Yunshuo glared angrily at both of them.

Xing Dairong slowly rose from her rattan chair, giving Cheng Yunshuo a disdainful look. "If you won't marry me, there are plenty of others who will! I will never be a concubine; I'll only be a main wife!"

"Xing Dairong!" Cheng Yunshuo was furious, "Do you know what you're saying?"

"Hmph!" Xing Dairong sneered, "Cheng Yunshuo, you can have your main wife and concubines, but I won't be anyone's concubine. If I'm going to marry, it will be as a main wife!"

Cheng Yunshuo couldn't believe it; he turned to Luo Heng, "Are you going to marry Xing Dairong?"

Luo Heng smiled charmingly and put his arm around Xing Dairong's waist. "Dairong is an extraordinary woman; I've long admired her. If she hadn't been interested in you, I wouldn't have given her up. Now that you don't cherish her, I am willing to marry her as my main wife and never regret it."

Cheng Yunshuo was beside himself with rage.

How could this be happening!

"Xing Dairong, I'll give you one last chance. Come back, and we'll pretend nothing happened."

Xing Dairong couldn't help but sneer, "What are you thinking? Go back with you? Do you really think I can't live without you? Let me tell you, if you don't value me, there are plenty who do!"

"When I asked you to marry me, you said it couldn't be done. When I asked you to divorce your wife, you refused. When I suggested we elope, you didn't agree. In the end, you never took me seriously. Since you were unkind, don't blame me for being unrighteous! I'm marrying Luo Heng, and you can regret it all you want!"

The more Xing Dairong spoke, the more relieved she felt, especially seeing Cheng Yunshuo's shocked expression, which brought her immense satisfaction.

Finally, she had vented her anger!

Cheng Yunshuo, red-eyed and seething, stared at Xing Dairong for a long time. "Do you really think he'll marry you as his main wife? Use your brain!"

"Of course!" Xing Dairong replied firmly, her face full of confidence and pride. "Cheng Yunshuo, I've told you before, I have secrets that can bring fame and fortune. You didn't recognize their worth, but there are others who do!"

"Shh!" At this moment, Luo Heng gently shushed her, his tone filled with affection.

Seeing their interaction, Cheng Yunshuo could no longer contain his fury. "Xing Dairong, don't regret this!"

"You're the one who will regret it!"

Xing Dairong saw Cheng Yunshuo leave in a fit of anger, feeling immensely satisfied. She turned to Luo Heng beside her and asked, "Luo Heng, you will really marry me, won't you?"

"Of course, as long as you successfully create the gunpowder formula, I will marry you as my official wife with a grand ceremony." Luo Heng lifted her chin, speaking tenderly.

His eyes were filled with a calculating gleam.

Hearing this, Xing Dairong's eyes sparkled with satisfaction and intense anticipation.

Cheng Yunshuo had repeatedly said he couldn't marry her as his official wife, and she was determined to prove him wrong.

She would make him regret it!

She would make Cheng Yunshuo regret it so deeply that he would be green with envy.

Cheng Yunshuo returned to the marquisate with a face full of resentment.

Lu Lingyun learned from Qingfeng about their encounter today.

The more she heard, the more furrowed her brows became.

"Does Xing Dairong have a secret method to bring fame and fortune?"

"That's what I heard, but I don't know exactly what it is," Qingfeng replied truthfully.

Lu Lingyun furrowed her brows in deep thought.

Xing Dairong's behavior was erratic, but she did have a head full of novel ideas and had created many things that caught people's attention, such as Arabic numerals, watermelon juice, and barbecues... She had once blurted out that she came from another world.

As someone who had been reborn, Lu Lingyun believed anything was possible. Perhaps Xing Dairong really did come from a more extraordinary world.

However...

In her previous life, Lu Lingyun lived for over a decade and received an imperial title without ever hearing about Xing Dairong or Cheng Yunshuo achieving fame and fortune. They bickered and quarreled in Jiangnan for years, and eventually, they both grew tired of each other and never returned to the marquisate, indicating they had no backing or face to return.

If she truly had a trump card, why would her later life be so impoverished and miserable?

Thinking about it, Lu Lingyun concluded that it was likely just a big hype with nothing substantial behind it. Xing Dairong probably tricked Cheng Yunshuo, only to end up with nothing.

Like the buffet she had introduced.

Chapter 39: Wang Qiluo Discusses Marriage

After figuring it out, Lu Lingyun no longer dwelled on these matters.

Moreover, even if Xing Dairong did manage to stir up something, there was no way she could allow her to marry into the Cheng family as the main wife and make Cheng Yunshuo regret it for life.

Because the person she had chosen was Luo Heng.

Luo Heng's father was a Deputy Minister of the Supreme Court, a high-ranking official in the current dynasty. How could the Luo family possibly marry a woman from a brothel as their main wife?

Furthermore, Xing Dairong had been with Cheng Yunshuo.

It was clear that Luo Heng was deceiving her, luring her with the promise of becoming the main wife to obtain her secret methods.

She really believed him.

Even if she managed to somehow shake the Luo family and successfully marry in, Luo Heng's nature was cruel and cunning...

At this moment, Lu Lingyun felt that Xing Dairong had truly ruined a good hand, unable to see her own identity or understand anyone around her.

Originally, with Cheng Yunshuo's exclusive affection, if she had just a bit more insight, she would have thrived in the Marquis's residence. But today's actions had left her with no way out.

"Have Aunt Qiu comfort the Prince these past few days."

Lu Lingyun said after taking a sip of tea.

"Yes."

After his great anger, Cheng Yunshuo fell into a deep depression and became seriously ill that night. During this time, Aunt Qiu took care of him tirelessly.

The next day, Lu Lingyun went to visit Cheng Yunshuo. His face was full of despair, and he asked her not to tell Lady Qin and the Old Marquis about these matters.

Lu Lingyun sympathetically agreed.

She instructed everyone in the household not to discuss the matter and to take good care of Cheng Yunshuo, keeping news of Xing Dairong's escape under wraps.

The following day was the agreed-upon meeting with the General Wang's residence.

Despite her busy schedule, Lu Lingyun set aside her affairs, prepared gifts, and went to Wang Qiluo's home.

As soon as her carriage arrived at the General Wang's residence, the front gate opened wide, and Lady Jiang, accompanied by Wang Qiluo and several other ladies, greeted her warmly at the entrance.

"Yunyun!" Lady Jiang saw Lu Lingyun get out of the carriage and excitedly approached, holding her hands tightly.

"Auntie," Lu Lingyun smiled sweetly, her expression genuinely warm.

Lady Jiang bore a striking resemblance to Wang Qiluo, but appeared even more elegant and gentle. She held Lu Lingyun and scrutinized her, "I think you've lost weight!"

"Not at all; I feel like I've gained weight recently."

Since marrying into the Marquis's residence, she had enjoyed good food and care. The issue with Xing Dairong was merely a source of amusement for Lu Lingyun. With such a comfortable life, how could she not gain weight?

"Don't deceive me. You must tell your Auntie how things are going. This was your mother's last wish before she passed away; don't let her scold me from beyond the grave."

"Mother, let's go inside. If you keep talking here, my aunt will come looking for you," Wang Qiluo teased.

"You silly girl, saying such nonsense." Lady Jiang glanced at her, realizing they were still at the door, and then warmly led Lu Lingyun inside.

Along the way, they exchanged pleasantries. After several assurances from Lu Lingyun, Lady Jiang finally believed that she was indeed doing well.

Once inside, Lady Jiang looked at Wang Qiluo, who was chattering away with Lu Lingyun, "Didn't you learn how to make some new pastries to serve Yunyun?"

"Yes, my dough should be ready now. Lingyun, wait a moment; I'll go make them for you."

Lu Lingyun glanced at Lady Jiang and nodded at Wang Qiluo, "Take your time, no rush."

"Okay."

After Wang Qiluo left the room, Lu Lingyun looked at Lady Jiang, who was smiling, and directly asked, "Auntie, did you call me here to discuss Qiluo's marriage?"

Seeing Lu Lingyun guess correctly, Lady Jiang laughed, "You've always been too clever since childhood."

Lu Lingyun had guessed it long ago. When she and Wang Qiluo visited Xiangji Temple during autumn, Wang Qiluo mentioned that her mother was looking for a suitable match for her.

The invitation a few days ago was also from Lady Jiang, so it was likely about discussing this matter.

Sending Wang Qiluo away probably meant Lady Jiang had someone in mind and wanted to discuss it without her.

"Auntie, which young master do you favor?" Lu Lingyun asked with a smile.

"Why do you think I favor him?"

"If you didn't favor him, why would you set a time to meet? Hasn't someone already come to discuss the marriage?" Lu Lingyun smiled.

"You can't be fooled, can you!" Lady Jiang sighed, "If your sister had half your wit, I'd be at ease no matter whom she married."

"Qiluo is fine; she's definitely blessed." Lu Lingyun looked at the name inquiry card presented to her, curious, "Who is it?"

Lady Jiang's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she slowly said, "The son of the Deputy Minister of the Supreme Court, Luo Tai—Luo Heng."

The name inquiry card unfolded, revealing the name Luo Heng.

Lu Lingyun's eyebrows twitched instantly.

So, Wang Qiluo's marriage was being discussed at this very moment.

In her previous life, she was pregnant and busy with Li Wenxun, leaving no time to connect with the Wang family. They probably didn't want to disturb her when they saw she was pregnant.

Thus, she never noticed.

"This Supreme Court Under-Prefect Luo Tai was transferred to the capital just this year. When they arrived, their carriage broke down, and they happened to meet Sheng'an, who gave them a ride. Later on, I encountered his wife, Lady Yang, several times while shopping. It's quite a coincidence that we share many similar interests."

"The other day, Lady Yang told me that her son, Luo Heng, has had his eye on Qiluo for a long time, and she herself has been fond of Qiluo for quite some time."

"Fake!" Lu Lingyun's voice suddenly rose.

Jiang, who was in high spirits, paused and looked at the agitated Lu Lingyun in surprise.

Lu Lingyun stared at Jiang, her eyes flickering, and said directly, "Auntie, I can't hide our family's shame any longer. Do you know about my Prince's beloved concubine, a courtesan?"

"I do," Jiang nodded.

Lu Lingyun leaned close to her ear and whispered about Xing Dairong running away with Luo Heng.

Jiang's face turned pale, "What?! That vixen has seduced Luo Heng again? I must tell Lady Yang about this! She surely doesn't know!"

Lu Lingyun wasn't trying to inform her about Luo Heng and Xing Dairong being together.

She wanted to convey that Luo Heng wasn't a good person either!

"Auntie, don't rush. It takes two to tango. At least Xing Dairong and my Prince redeemed her from the brothel. But for him to take her away like that, what kind of character does that show?"

"Putting aside whether Luo Heng was bewitched or not, just by what he said to my husband that day, he has already taken another man's wife, which is unjust. To keep it hidden from his parents is unfilial. Moreover, he boasted about marrying Xing Dairong as his main wife, which is unwise. How can one entrust themselves to such an unrighteous, unfilial, and unwise person?"

The more Jiang listened, the calmer she became, but her face grew increasingly worried. "Lady Yang and I are good friends. How could her son be like this too?"

Lu Lingyun thought for a moment, "Auntie, you should talk to her, but don't make it too public. After all, it also involves our marquisate's disgrace."

Jiang nodded understandingly, "I understand."

Chapter 40: Meeting Lady Yang

Lu Lingyun and Lady Jiang conversed for quite some time, completely dispelling her idea of marrying Wang Qiluo to Luo Heng.

To be fair, the Wang family had always wanted to marry Wang Qiluo to one of their military disciples, but Wang Qiluo had no interest in those rough men. Lady Jiang had recently become close friends with Lady Yang, and General Wang's interactions with the Luo family had increased. After much deliberation, she thought the Luo family would be a suitable match, so she entertained the idea.

Now that Lu Lingyun had revealed Luo Heng's true nature to her, she immediately removed him from the list of potential grooms.

She had only this one daughter, and choosing a son-in-law required careful consideration.

Even after Lu Lingyun shared those secrets with her, she hesitated about whether to tell Lady Yang about her son keeping someone in his private residence.

After all, it involved the Ningyang Marquis's Mansion, and if it became public, it wouldn't look good. Moreover, telling Lady Yang might create more friction and even tarnish her own daughter's reputation.

The best course of action was to keep quiet and simply say it wasn't appropriate.

"Lingyun, you're a person with good judgment. How about this: tomorrow, when I go to see Lady Yang, you come with me?" Lady Jiang said after pondering for a while.

"Sure." Lu Lingyun readily agreed.

At this moment, Wang Qiluo entered with honey-flavored layered pastries.

Lu Lingyun and Lady Jiang stopped talking, and Lady Jiang discreetly had her trusted maidservant withdraw the name card. The two smiled warmly at Wang Qiluo.

"Are the pastries ready?"

"They smell delicious; they must taste great."

"You're praising me before even tasting them!" Wang Qiluo raised her eyebrows, looking at them suspiciously. "Did you two talk behind my back?"

"Nonsense!"

Lu Lingyun smiled and pulled Wang Qiluo to sit down. They chatted and laughed together, savoring the honey-flavored layered pastries made by Wang Qiluo.

Wang Qiluo felt as though they were hiding something from her. "Why do I feel like you two are more like mother and daughter?"

"I've always treated Auntie as my godmother."

"Yes, Lingyun has always been like my daughter."

The two exchanged a smile, saying nothing else.

The next day.

Lu Lingyun first visited Cheng Yunshuo early in the morning.

Under Qiu Ling's care, Cheng Yunshuo had improved significantly. No one in the mansion mentioned Xing Dairong anymore, as if she never existed.

As she left Yaoguang Pavilion, Aunt Qiu excitedly whispered to Lu Lingyun, "Mistress, His Highness accepted me last night."

Xing Dairong had dealt a severe blow to Cheng Yunshuo.

Her occasional tantrums were fine, but she had never crossed his core boundaries.

Now that she had run away with someone else, Cheng Yunshuo's heart turned cold.

Last night, Aunt Qiu filled the void in his heart during his most vulnerable moment. The past affection and deep feelings returned instantly.

Cheng Yunshuo abandoned the line he had held for Xing Dairong.

Since she didn't want him, there was no need for him to keep his promise.

Even if Xing Dairong was acting, it was unforgivable.

Some things, even if meant as jokes, were not funny once done, leaving no room for redemption.

Hearing this, Lu Lingyun smiled at Aunt Qiu. "Congratulations, Aunt Qiu. You should seize the opportunity and bear an heir for the household soon."

"It's all thanks to your blessings, Mistress. I will cherish this chance."

Lu Lingyun instructed Old Lady An to give Aunt Qiu some gifts, asked the doctor to prescribe medicine for Cheng Yunshuo, and sent a message to the Prefectural Commandant Manor requesting a few more days off for him. She then arranged for the carriage to leave the mansion.

Today, Lady Jiang had arranged for her to meet Lady Yang, Luo Heng's mother.

Wangjiang Tower.

A famous restaurant in the Imperial City.

When Lu Lingyun arrived, Lady Jiang and Lady Yang were already there.

Following the servant's guidance, she went up to the private room on the second floor, where Lady Yang and Lady Jiang were chatting animatedly.

"Winter is approaching. Hasn't your household started preparing winter clothes yet?"

"We have started, but this year, the silk from Jiangnan is incredibly expensive. My husband told me not to be extravagant and just buy some cloth for making clothes," Lady Jiang said. "Qiluo also said she has plenty of clothes and doesn't need silk ones."

"That won't do. Your Qiluo is a precious daughter. I'll send over some fine silk for her winter clothes. We can't let her suffer, especially since she's our future daughter-in-law."

As Lady Yang spoke, Lady Jiang's smile froze, and at that moment, Lu Lingyun walked in.

"There's no need to trouble Lady Luo. Just the other day, I found some suitable silk for Qiluo and planned to surprise her with new winter clothes. You two started discussing it before I could mention it."

Lu Lingyun entered gracefully, her tone measured and poised.

Lady Yang's eyes brightened upon seeing Lu Lingyun, who wore simple yet elegant attire. Lu Lingyun's appearance was dignified and refined, her features well-proportioned. She wore a light blue autumn dress, a fringed jacket, and jade hairpins and bracelets, exuding an indescribable aura of nobility.

Even among official families, there was a clear distinction. Noble-born ladies from prestigious families carried a distinct air of elegance, such as Lu Lingyun's mother-in-law, Lady Qin, who was a marquise's wife with an imperial title.

Of course, Lu Lingyun doesn't have it now, but if there's a flower appreciation event or a banquet in the palace, Lady Qin can take her along.

Once Cheng Yunshuo inherits his title in the future, as the head of the household, Lu Lingyun will naturally become a Lady of the Imperial Order.

Unlike the wives of typical civil officials, who must achieve a certain rank or make significant contributions to be granted the title of Lady of the Imperial Order.

This barrier clearly distinguishes the aristocracy from the civil officials.

The Yang family, with only a fourth-rank position as a Deputy Judge in the Supreme Court, holds a respectable rank, but it cannot compare to the aristocratic families.

"Oh, and this is..."

"This is Lu, the Consort of the Ningyang Marquis' heir, whom I told you about. She is also my goddaughter, and Qiluo's god-sister, Lingyun."

"No wonder she is the Consort of the Marquis' heir; she stands out from the rest!" Lady Yang praised Lu Lingyun effusively, her words as sweet as honey.

"Lady Luo, you are the one with exceptional grace. I often hear my godmother speak of you and have long wished to visit. Now that I see you, you are indeed as remarkable as I've heard—warm and straightforward. The Luo family is fortunate to have you."

"You really do have a way with words."

"I speak the truth; no need for flattery."

Lady Yang laughed heartily, her eyes fixed on Lu Lingyun. "No wonder they say the ladies of the Imperial City are all exceptionally talented. We truly came too late and missed out on a fine lady like Lingyun!"

"Indeed," said Lady Jiang. "If I had a son, or if my younger sons were older, I would have been the first to snatch her up!"

"At least I was lucky enough to secure the daughter of General Wang, even though I missed out on the Ningyang Marquis' heir's consort."