Cui Hualuan truly did not like Ye Jingchuan. He had seen her at her most wretched, and he knew she had once been deeply devoted to her cousin the Grand Prince. How could such a person be a good match? How could Grandmother and Mother have even thought of it?

She had not grown up by Princess Duanhui’s side since childhood, and for the first few years there had always been a faint barrier between her and the Princess. However, after spending these past few years together, blood ultimately proved thicker than water, and with their constant companionship, that slight barrier quickly disappeared. Therefore, she complained affectionately yet with some embarrassment: “Second Young Master Ye and I are clearly people with nothing in common, you…”

Princess Duanhui understood her daughter’s innermost thoughts. She patiently pulled her into her embrace and nodded gently, voicing all of Cui Hualuan’s concerns before looking at her meaningfully: “Mother understands all these reasons, but your grandmother naturally feels that being well-matched in social status is important, and Second Young Master Ye is an excellent person. However, I never intended to settle the matter without asking your opinion.”

Only then did Cui Hualuan feel much more at ease, nestling in her mother’s embrace like a small cat: “Second Young Master Ye is indeed a good person, but he really isn’t suitable for me.” After saying this, she raised her head with bright, shining eyes: “Besides, I heard from Huaying that Chonghua told her she gets along very well with Second Young Master Ye.”

The topics girls discussed among themselves were only these matters, and since they were cousins, they were even less reserved. Cui Huaying herself no longer thought of marrying, but she knew that Lu Chonghua now could not be as willful as she was. Therefore, she worried greatly for Lu Chonghua and naturally said more about it, which caught Cui Hualuan’s attention.

Princess Duanhui couldn’t help but laugh: “Really? If that’s the case, then it’s a good thing.”

Even Lu Yunji couldn’t help but be stunned by Ye Jingkuan’s words. After a long moment, he finally reacted and looked at Ye Jingkuan suspiciously, doubting whether he had misheard.

The Lu family now still had their reputation on the surface, naturally, and they still had their dignity, but inside he knew they had already been detested to the extreme by Emperor Jianzhang. Even Empress Lu and Crown Princess Consort Lu, considering Emperor Jianzhang and the transgressions the Lu family had committed, could not be too close or indulgent with them. How could the Ye family suddenly be proposing marriage now?

And the proposal concerned none other than Second Young Master Ye, whom the entire family treasured like the apple of their eye?

He was utterly bewildered and couldn’t help but overthink things. Only after Princess Rongcheng also spoke up did he hesitate: “Aunt…” Princess Rongcheng could see at a glance that he was going to overthink it, so she explained the entire cause and effect to him clearly: “Don’t worry, there’s no other meaning. This matter still depends on Chonghua’s own wishes. However, if Chonghua agrees, you as her elder brother must now learn to grow up.”

Lu Chonghua had never expected that when Song Chuyi spoke to her, it would be about such a matter. When she realized what was being said, her face flushed so red it seemed blood would drip from it. However, once this wave of shyness passed, she gave a self-deprecating laugh and lowered her head: “But given the Lu family’s current situation…”

This way of speaking actually meant she was agreeable. Song Chuyi’s eyes curved with her smile as she held Lu Chonghua’s hand and said to her: “Since Mother asked me to come ask you, naturally it was the Ye family who took the initiative to speak up. As long as you truly like Second Young Master Ye, you need not have any other concerns. The Prince of Zhennan, the Princess Consort, and the Prince Consort are none of them calculating people, you can be at ease.”

Crown Princess Consort Lu also persuaded her thus. Seeing her lowering her head and twisting the hem of her clothes with a worried appearance, her heart ached. She could well understand Lu Chonghua’s current concerns—when she herself had just been designated as Crown Princess Consort, she had also been anxious and fearful. Her gaze darkened as she beckoned her to come to her side and spoke to her heart-to-heart: “Aunt will speak frankly with you—the Lu family has indeed suffered an irreversible decline. This is actually a good thing.” She vaguely hinted at something before glossing over it without mentioning more: “But you shouldn’t feel that you’re inferior to others. On the surface, you are still the eldest legitimate granddaughter of the Duke of Chengen. What is there to feel inferior about? Those matters are known only to heaven, earth, you, and me. As long as we don’t mention them, no one will bring them up. They are all sins committed by your father. Don’t you go drilling into this dead end. At worst, you have your elder brother above you, and you still have Her Majesty the Empress and me. Don’t worry about anything.”

Lu Chonghua gripped Song Chuyi’s hand tightly. After thinking it over carefully, she bit her lip and raised her head to look at Crown Princess Consort Lu: “Aunt, I would like to meet Second Young Master Ye before giving you my answer.”

How could arranging a meeting be difficult? Crown Princess Consort Lu breathed a sigh of relief and told Princess Rongcheng about it. Princess Rongcheng then spoke with the Prince Consort and Ye Jingchuan, and a date was set for a tea gathering.

The Princess Consort of Zhennan, upon receiving the news, was the most surprised of all. However, she had always listened to her husband and son. Since her eldest son felt the Lu family young lady was good, she herself naturally had no objections. Of course, she had also been very satisfied with the Cui family young lady.

Since she was going to inquire, Lu Chonghua naturally would not be coy. She had never been a coy person. Seeing Ye Jingchuan sitting there somewhat restlessly, his head constantly lowered and not daring to raise it, she couldn’t help but smile slightly and asked him: “Is this your own intention, or my aunt’s intention?”

In the end, she was still afraid it was Crown Princess Consort Lu and Song Chuyi playing the sentiment card and having Princess Rongcheng arrange this match.

Ye Jingchuan urgently shook his head. At this juncture, it was no longer the time to be nervous. He earnestly explained his feelings very clearly, and by the end, he had calmed down. Standing in the octagonal pavilion and looking out at the pond covered entirely with duckweed, he said softly: “Mother and Elder Brother want me to marry. I thought it over and only wish to spend my life with you.”

Previously, she had always felt that Ye Jingchuan did not know how to speak, but looking now, where was he someone who couldn’t speak? Lu Chonghua hurriedly turned to look at the scenery of the pond below as well and remained silent for a long time.

She envied Madam Qin, but she ultimately was not Madam Qin. She did not have the courage to remain self-combed for a lifetime. Moreover, she was far from reaching Madam Qin’s state of a heart as still as water. In less than half a day, she had already determined her own feelings.

Ye Jingchuan was an excellent person. Others felt he was wooden, but she felt he was steady and reliable. The events in Huizhou had left too deep an impression on her, and along the way, Ye Jingchuan’s care had been very thorough and meticulous. She thought that spending a lifetime with such a person was not such a frightening thing—certainly not more frightening than a lifetime of solitude.

Moreover, Ye Jingchuan had also said that in the future he would take her to Fujian and still let her do the things she had wanted to do before—run her school for girls. This temptation for her was simply too great.

Upon receiving the news, Princess Rongcheng breathed a sigh of relief. The first thing she did was to report to the Princess Consort of Zhennan, then she entered the palace to tell Crown Princess Consort Lu that Lu Chonghua had agreed, pulling her along to tell Empress Lu this happy news.

Empress Lu would not and could not save the Lu family, but she bore no ill will toward this grand-niece. Moreover, she was one of only two remaining natal family members, so naturally she was pleased to see her do well.