After leaving the Plum Garden, Qin Wan still harbored many questions. As noon approached, Lu Youxin sent Matron Huang to invite Qin Wan, saying that Lu Jingxiu and Lu Jingyun had returned.
At Wutong Court, before Lu Jingxiu and his companion arrived, Lu Youxin invited Qin Wan into her private chamber. Upon entering, Qin Wan immediately recounted her encounter with Lu Suiyong in the Plum Garden. After hearing this, Lu Youxin’s expression turned cold. “That Fifth Lu is a house-born servant of the Lu family. Years ago, he was sent to watch over the garden and has some standing in Bailuzhou. I never expected such words from his mouth. Wan’er, don’t believe such talk. In a garden, this old, deaths are common occurrences. I’ve never believed in fox spirits and evil entities. If ghosts and spirits truly existed, why would there still be so many evil-doers in this world?”
Qin Wan smiled, “Aunt, you don’t believe in spirits?”
Lu Youxin lifted her chin slightly. “I make annual visits to Tiandeng Temple in Lanzhou for blessings, but it’s merely a formality. The Lu family’s glory and prosperity aren’t determined by burning a few sticks of incense. As for Jingcheng’s death, I’d rather believe he froze to death because the servants didn’t properly maintain the ground heating than attribute it to supernatural causes.”
Qin Wan felt increased respect for Lu Youxin’s pragmatism. “I also don’t believe in evil spirits. However, Fourth Young Master’s nighttime visits to the Plum Garden are strange, especially with his constant smile. The old servant, being male, described Fourth Young Master as appearing like someone in love. This seems truthful, but since there are no other women in the garden, if it were a female servant, he wouldn’t need to be so secretive.”
Lu Youxin frowned, unable to make sense of it. “That’s true…”
Qin Wan pondered before asking, “Who were the previous people who died in the garden?”
Lu Youxin sighed at this question. “It was someone from a Lu family branch, actually a generation senior to me – I should have called her Cousin Aunt. This happened over twenty years ago before your mother was married. My Cousin’s Aunt had a childhood sweetheart, and both families had verbally agreed to their marriage. She always loved him, and by age twelve or thirteen, such early arrangements would typically proceed to a formal engagement, but his family remained silent.”
Sighing again, Lu Youxin continued, “His family was also among Lanzhou’s noble families, with members serving as officials in the capital. Though they couldn’t compare to the Lu family, in today’s world, families with court officials are considered superior. Who cares about family status and traditions? Those bourgeois hardly notice. My Cousin’s Aunt waited at home for him to formally propose marriage. By age fourteen, she couldn’t wait any longer and sent someone to inquire. Only then did she learn that because his family members had become officials in the capital, they had engaged him to someone else. Not only did they hide this from Cousin Aunt, but they even suggested she could become a concubine. How could that be acceptable?”
“Naturally, Cousin Aunt refused, and the Lu family wasn’t to be trifled with. They immediately went to confront them, but this only served to vent Cousin Aunt’s anger. Marriage is about joining two families – under such circumstances, they couldn’t force him to marry Cousin’s Aunt. Later, that family moved away from Lanzhou, leaving Cousin Aunt heartbroken but helpless. When the family later arranged matches for her, they were still somewhat indulgent and wanted to choose someone she liked. But Cousin Aunt never found anyone suitable, and this dragged on for three years.”
As Lu Youxin spoke, her expression turned sorrowful. “Cousin Aunt was approaching eighteen but still unmarried. The family elders’ affection turned to disgust. Having an unmarried daughter was considered shameful. That year, her parents arranged many matches for her and finally settled on a wealthy gentleman from Jianzhou. This family had some business dealings with the Lu family and could not help them, so they arranged the marriage without consulting Cousin’s Aunt. Only after the engagement did Cousin Aunt discover that the young master had already taken concubines, including his cousin as a favored concubine, and even had children. Her parents knew this but still arranged the marriage for business interests!”
“My Cousin Aunt was talented and virtuous from a young age, and particularly beautiful. First hurt by her previous love, then maintaining high standards, combined with her parents hastily arranging matches with unsuitable men – this caused the delay. But she never imagined her parents would marry her into such a family. Being proud-spirited, she immediately wanted to go to Jianzhou to break off the engagement, but she couldn’t overcome her parents. As soon as she arrived in Jianzhou, her parents and brothers followed, confined her in Bailuzhou, and moved up the wedding date, planning to marry her off right there in Jianzhou. On the night before the wedding, Cousin Aunt hanged herself in the Plum Garden.”
Lu Youxin sighed, “My Cousin Aunt had the character ‘Mei’ (plum) in her name.”
Qin Wan frowned deeply, “How could parents bear to force their child like that?”
Lu Youxin smiled bitterly, “Parents… most people in this world become parents, but few truly deserve the title. At first, they genuinely doted on her, but over time, their daughter’s happiness became less important than what others might say. They placed too much weight on others’ opinions, to the point of showing no mercy to their daughter.”
She continued resignedly, “After the incident, Cousin Aunt didn’t even receive a proper funeral. The entire clan called her unfilial and rebellious. Coincidentally, a batch of plum trees in the garden died afterward, leading to rumors that Cousin Aunt’s vengeful spirit was causing trouble. In reality, it was just the gardeners’ poor skills during those years.”
Qin Wan sighed, “To be driven to suicide, she must have truly had no other choice.”
Hearing the sympathy in her voice, Lu Youxin felt comforted and said, “Yes, people are different from one another.” After a brief pause, she suddenly asked, “What would you do in her situation?”
Qin Wan looked at Lu Youxin and tilted her head, asking, “If she hadn’t married then, would the family have suffered serious consequences or been in turmoil because of her?”
Lu Youxin shook her head, “No, it was just business. They would have lost some profit from their Jianzhou ventures, but the other party wouldn’t dare truly harm the Lu family.”
Qin Wan smiled, “In that case, I would simply leave home secretly. Without the Lu name, couldn’t I still survive? That would be better than marrying into such a family and ruining half my life.”
Lu Youxin’s eyes brightened, “You wouldn’t choose death?”
Qin Wan smiled, “Absolutely not. Miss Lu might have felt she had no choice, but I would have options. If I died like that, it would show weakness and incompetence. Even as a wandering spirit, I would regret such cowardice.”
Lu Youxin’s smile grew more appreciative, then asked, “You asked me first before answering, but what if your departure would cause family chaos and ruin?”
Qin Wan sighed, feigning distress, “Then I suppose I would have to marry.”
Lu Youxin raised an eyebrow, seeming unsatisfied. Qin Wan continued, “One must live one’s own life. Even in the most difficult circumstances, there are always ways to cope – it depends on whether you want to find them and if you have the means. In today’s world, escaping after marriage is extremely difficult, but finding ways to live one’s own life is still possible.”
Lu Youxin, watching Qin Wan’s composed manner, felt somewhat dazed before saying, “You’re so young, yet your thinking is so clear – as if you’ve experienced many storms in life.”
Qin Wan became slightly embarrassed, “I wouldn’t dare speak presumptively before you, Aunt. It’s just that life inherently has countless difficulties. Once you understand this, you stop feeling like you’re the most miserable and desperate person when facing hardships. Everyone has their struggles – how do others survive? If others can live, so can I. If blessed with wealth and status, naturally one lives freely. But even with just a bamboo staff and straw sandals, can’t one still live life to the fullest?”
Lu Youxin clapped and laughed heartily, “Excellent! Well said about living life to the fullest! Child, your words truly resonate with me. At your age, to have such wisdom – Chi’er is truly fortunate to have you as his wife! I was quite concerned before, but now I’m completely reassured!”
Lu Youxin’s eyes sparkled as she spoke from her heart. Upon learning of Qin Wan’s identity and that it was an Imperial Dowager-arranged marriage, she had worried that Qin Wan might be either too delicate as a noble lady or involved in some power scheme. But upon meeting her, she was first moved by her grace and bearing, then impressed by her composure and wisdom during the night’s corpse examination. Now, hearing her speak thus, Lu Youxin realized Qin Wan possessed a broad mind, optimism, and resilience. Though she appeared gentle and refined on the outside, Lu Youxin now believed nothing in the world could defeat Qin Wan!
This was incredibly rare and precious!
Qin Wan blushed at these words, “I’m still young, these are just my humble opinions. It’s you, Aunt, who truly impresses me.”
Lu Youxin understood Qin Wan’s meaning and spoke with a gradual smile, “Ah, me? In others’ eyes, I’m probably considered an extraordinary woman. You should know that to be an extraordinary woman in this world while appearing capable on the surface, one endures countless hardships in private. But I’m proud and stubborn by nature, and I dislike being forced by others. I’m not someone who swore never to marry, but when I reached marriageable age, truly, not a single man I met was worthy of me!”
Lu Youxin’s smile broadened as she straightened her chest, “Since I felt they weren’t worthy, how could I lower myself and submit? How could I humble myself to serve in-laws who wouldn’t cherish me and deal with sharp-tongued sisters-in-law? I couldn’t understand why marriage was the only path for women in this world. Seeing what happened to Cousin’s Aunt made me feel even more sorrowful. Fortunately, your maternal grandparents weren’t rigid people. Apart from worrying about my lonely old age, they only wanted me to live happily. This half of my life has indeed been laborious, and I occasionally feel lonely, but most of the time I’ve been content and happy – that’s enough!”
Qin Wan quickly replied, “Aunt, you’ll never have a lonely old age. If His Highness and I are blessed with children, you’ll surely enjoy playing with your grandnieces and grandnephews.”
Lu Youxin felt warmth in her heart, her eyes moistening slightly. She quickly blinked and looked outside to compose herself. After a moment, she said, “Now I understand why Chi’er is fond of you, and I’m at ease. You two will surely be blessed with many children and much fortune.”