Inside the palace gates, just outside the Grand Marshal’s office were the government residences where court officials conducted their daily business. There was occasional fighting at the border between the Southern and Northern countries, and recently the Southern country’s military situation hadn’t been good, suffering multiple defeats. The court was thus much busier, with various departments all discussing military matters, no longer as leisurely as usual.
In a library chamber, Lu Yun was bent over his desk examining newly arrived documents. As Third Young Master Lu held the position of Attendant Censor, responsible for monitoring officials and investigating illegalities. With the continuous defeats at the border and the turnover of generals and governors in the city being reported to the court, the duties of Lu Yun’s department had also become busy. Just as Lu Yun was reading by lamplight, the library door was pushed open from outside, and Prince Chen Liu Chu’s voice was somewhat tense: “Third Brother! Xuezhen!”
Lu Xuezhen raised his face from behind the waist-high book catalog, his features clear and gentle, looking toward the entering young lord.
Liu Chu’s face was bright red as he closed the door and entered. He glanced at Lu Yun’s busy work, trying to keep his serious tone as calm as possible: “Have you… recently… seen your… cousin?”
After a subtle change in expression, Lu Yun kept him at arm’s length: “No. I’ve been completely busy lately, why?”
Liu Chu saw the dark circles under the young lord’s clear eyes, his heart jolting heavily, knowing Lu Yun wasn’t lying. The border war between South and North had bound them all within it, leaving them overwhelmed. Yet the noble young men of Jianye in the South still indulged in wine and song, living in peace and prosperity – these noble sons raised in wealth had no clear understanding of the war. Few people like Lu Yun who cared about these matters had been staying up late for quite some time.
Liu Chu said: “You’re extremely tired, you should rest.”
Lu Yun gave an extremely casual “mm” in response, but his attitude was very perfunctory. He didn’t want free time – once idle, he would have to worry about Luo Lingyu. He was angry and embarrassed; Luo Lingyu’s long period of ignoring him had left him suspended in mid-air, unable to go up or down. If he had free time, he would have to fret about this matter. Thinking this way, when Liu Chu mentioned “cousin” earlier, Lu Yun sensitively asked: “What has my cousin done now?”
Liu Chu: “…She and Young Master Zhou are going to open a shop together to do business!”
Lu Yun’s eyes narrowed.
Zhou Yangling wanting to open a shop in Jianye to make money was still likely paving the way for her father and his people. For outstanding commoners like Zhou Tan who didn’t worry about food and clothing and had surplus wealth, what they wanted most was to marry into noble families to change their common status. Zhou Tan specifically sent his daughter to socialize in Jianye, attempting to arrange a marriage with Prince Chen, with the goal that even if their commoner sons couldn’t realize their dream of becoming court officials, his daughter’s marriage could help improve their status. Unfortunately, Zhou Yangling’s thoughts differed from her father’s – she was also willing to socialize in Jianye, but her chosen methods were different from what her father hoped for.
Socializing in Jianye required spending large amounts of money. Even if Zhou Yangling had plenty of money, she couldn’t just keep spending wastefully. Her wanting to open a shop to keep money flowing was completely understandable.
But Luo Lingyu joining in…
Lu Yun’s eyes darkened slightly: she and Zhou Yangling seemed to have grown too close. He knew Zhou Yangling was a woman, but Luo Lingyu didn’t know. Given Luo Lingyu’s usual character…
Lu Yun felt somewhat irritated, tossing aside the book in front of him and picking up a new one.
Liu Chu: “Control, control your cousin! She, she clings to Young Master Zhou all day!”
Lu Yun gave a perfunctory smile, lowering his eyes: “This is her own business, she’s not my direct cousin. How could I control her?”
Although he answered Liu Chu this way, Lu Yun seemed to have found an excuse, as if he now had a reason to ask what Luo Lingyu had been doing lately. That evening, he unusually didn’t stay late at the office, returning early to the Lu residence. After dinner, while Lu Yun was playing chess alone to pass the time, he casually asked the maid Jin Yue what the young lady had been busy with lately.
Jin Yue naturally answered truthfully.
Luo Lingyu had been moved by Zhou Yangling’s suggestion; Zhou Yangling was willing to provide money and people, but knowing her weak health, she was unwilling to spend too much energy on trivial matters. However, though Luo Lingyu appeared delicate and thin, she was full of energy, and when she saw potential benefits, she tackled things with full motivation. Zhou Yangling had merely given a suggestion, but after Luo Lingyu pondered it herself, she was willing to contribute her decade-plus of beauty experience to open a cosmetics shop.
Noble families had always been self-sufficient, rarely using common shops for food, clothing, and daily necessities. Luo Lingyu thus positioned her cosmetics shop to target commoners, specifically the wealthy merchants among them. Like Luo Lingyu who treasured beauty, the makeup powders, rouge, facial decorations, and lip colors she usually used were all her concoctions, applying medical principles and years of experimentation to create her formulas. To perfect these formulas, Luo Lingyu had made thick records of comparisons. After all, these were noble family traditions that commoners had no chance to experience. If she were to sell these, even in small quantities, eager wealthy merchants would treat them as treasures.
Having set this direction, Luo Lingyu studied daily how to open this shop, how to gain profits most quickly, and how to spread its reputation among merchant customers… anyway, Zhou Yangling wasn’t managing these things, so Luo Lingyu devoted herself entirely to studying them.
She felt that the sixty-forty split with Young Master Zhou wasn’t taking much advantage, and wasn’t shortchanging Zhou Yangling. She was putting in such great effort, and spending so much thought – she just wasn’t providing the initial capital. Young Master Zhou’s suggested fifty-fifty split wouldn’t have been bad, but now taking forty percent, Luo Lingyu felt she was doing it only because Young Master Zhou was handsome.
However, Luo Lingyu had lost her family at age ten, and even before her family’s downfall, she had never seen how others did business or how shops made money. As she explored on her own, she inevitably fell into some misconceptions, thinking confusedly. But she didn’t get discouraged – the less she understood, the more determined she was to figure it out.
While Lu Yun stayed up late nightly for government affairs, Luo Lingyu also stayed up late busy with how to make money.
Just as dawn was breaking, Luo Lingyu put away the ledger she’d been writing all night and hurriedly left with her maids. Before the sky was fully bright, she encountered Lu Yun, who was heading to court, in the courtyard. Lu Yun had been standing with Second Young Master Lu and other young lords, and after Second Young Master Lu said a few words, Third Young Master Lu stood indifferently in place waiting. Second Young Master Lu gave Luo Lingyu a knowing look before leading the large group of Lu family young men out to board carriages for court.
The black-robed young men filed out in succession, quite an impressive sight.
But Luo Lingyu only saw one person among the masses in black robes – the young lord’s figure like a pine or cypress, standing extraordinarily tall in the wind. The young lord’s eyebrows were like ink strokes, his nose like a suspended gallbladder, his lips like cinnabar, extraordinarily and uniquely refined. In the gentle breeze, he stood by the pavilion columns in front of the hall, gazing over deeply, his eyes flickering like Starfire, standing still without moving forward, clearly waiting for her.
Luo Lingyu was dazed for a moment before walking over. However, her expression was normal, and not planning to speak with him, she was about to brush past him.
Lu Yun reached out to stop her.
Luo Lingyu raised her eyes.
Seeing this, the maids immediately lowered their heads, silently retreating to become invisible so as not to disturb the young lord and lady’s business. Luo Lingyu saw the undisguised weariness in Lu Yun’s eyes, and just as her heart wavered, she saw Lu Yun frowning as if very hesitant. After hesitating for a long while, he handed her a fragrance pouch. Luo Lingyu took it curiously – it was heavy. When she opened it to look, it was full of bright silver taels.
Lu Yun coughed slightly, his face faintly red. For someone like him, a high-ranking nobleman who was used to others currying his favor and never having to curry favor with others, doing this was probably a first. His voice was somewhat stiff: “Didn’t you say you had no money? Take it…”
Luo Lingyu snorted, throwing the money pouch back at him while simultaneously shaking off his sleeve that was entangled with hers. Luo Lingyu moved at least three steps away, and seeing Lu Yun’s face turn ashen, she felt indescribably delighted. The lady spoke proudly and with dignified spirit: “Third Young Master Lu, don’t try to humiliate me with gold and silver! I am still a noble lady after all, am I lacking money?”
Lu Yun: “…”
Aren’t you lacking money?
Luo Lingyu: “Who wants your things? Who knows when you might decide to inspect me again? If I took your money, I’d have to set up a Buddhist shrine to worship it daily…”
Lu Yun looked at her quietly, his face expressionless: “Luo Lingyu, don’t push your luck.”
That he could do this was already lowering his pride to try to reconcile with her. He had given her such a face, given her a way down, yet she completely ignored it. Given a way down, she still wouldn’t take it… after being at odds for so long, did she plan to keep ignoring him forever?
A mocking smile curved Luo Lingyu’s lips as she unhurriedly brushed off her sleeve. Today she was no longer the person who needed to please Lu Yun. She had Young Master Zhou’s support behind her, and Young Master Zhou was so good to her, why should she suffer Lu Yun’s anger? She would soon have money, and would soon marry Young Master Zhou. With her beauty, and being virtuous and dignified, able to help Young Master Zhou manage internal affairs and finances, Young Master Zhou would surely love her, respect her, and be willing to marry her…
Lu Yun said sarcastically: “Do you still remember your dodder flower dream?”
Luo Lingyu froze. She had been this year’s Flower Goddess and had opened up social circles among Jianye’s nobility, she had been floating on air, how proud and pleased with herself. Yet though the young lords loved her beauty and talent, when it came to marriage, they would all hesitate. And that dodder flower dream of hers… she had no chance of realizing it… couldn’t even marry Young Master Zhou… Hearing this, Luo Lingyu became furious, angry that he was poking at her wound again.
Luo Lingyu: “What does it have to do with you?!”
Lu Yun walked closer to her, with an ambiguous smile: “So… you’re going out to seduce… young lords again?”
Luo Lingyu: “…”
She felt in her heart that Lu Yun looked down on her behavior, and the smile on his lips seemed extremely sarcastic to her. He looked down at her, bending slightly wanting to talk to her, but Luo Lingyu stepped back again, angrily pushing Lu Yun away forcefully. Luo Lingyu glanced at him: “So what? I’m not stopping you, if you’re not satisfied, you can go seduce ladies too. After all, Third Young Master Lu is so handsome, just standing casually anywhere, Miss Chen, Miss Wang, any miss at all, they’ll all swarm over.”
Lu Yun raised an eyebrow, just about to teasingly ask if she was “jealous,” when Luo Lingyu tilted her head to look him over, giving a cold laugh: “That is if you even had the time.”
Lu Yun: “…”
She had seen his dark circles and the weariness in his eyes, immediately hitting his sore spot, making his face stiffen. His desire to give Luo Lingyu a way down faded away, anger and resentment suddenly rising in his heart, thinking he had never seen such a sharp-tongued young woman. Luo Lingyu was self-satisfied, and under her maids’ constant glancing back with urging looks, she snorted, like a beautiful peacock, walking past Third Young Master Lu with her head held high.
Even after getting into the carriage, Luo Lingyu held her wrist, feeling it tingle with excitement and satisfaction – she had made Lu Yun lose face!
She had made that man unable to save face in front of her!
Lu Yun’s unhappiness made Luo Lingyu feel delighted, firmly believing she was on exactly the right path. She would deliberately be friendly with Young Master Zhou, and would rather curry favor with other young lords than give Third Young Master Lu a face.
Lu Yun wanted to give her a way down… Luo Lingyu closed her eyes, thinking this wasn’t enough. It was easy when scolding her, wanting to reconcile whenever he wished – Lu Xuezhen, how could things in the world be so easy?
Both Third Young Master Lu and Luo Lingyu were holding grudges, their anger undiminished, their conflict unresolved, their occasional daily conversations all tinged with sourness, full of pointed meanings. The servants and maids on both sides had noticed, thinking that these two had reached such a state, their anger seeming like flirtation, leaving people not knowing how to advise them. Not knowing how to advise, they simply didn’t, waiting for the two to come to their senses.
Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu’s intense grudge left Second Young Master Lu caught in the middle, at a loss for what to do with the two of them. Seeing her son constantly seeking to talk heart-to-heart with Luo Lingyu, Madam Lu was also very troubled, not knowing what charm the young lady possessed that made Second Young Master Lu not even look at the ladies Madam Lu had selected, only focusing single-mindedly on his cousin. Just as Madam Lu was getting so anxious she developed mouth sores, the servants who had gone to Nanyang finally returned.
Due to not being accustomed to the local conditions, the servants had been sick for a month, unable to proceed. After recovering, going to Nanyang to gather information, find people, and visit the Nanyang Luo family, coming and going, it was already the end of May. When the servants returned to Jianye they reported to Madam Lu, and when she inquired, she learned they had brought back a woman. This woman was young lady Luo’s wet nurse, and when the Lu family went to the Nanyang Luo family to inquire about the young lady’s character, this wet nurse intercepted them halfway, insisting on coming to Jianye to see Luo Lingyu.
Madam Lu had people bring her in, and the wet nurse commonly called “Madam Qin” was nervously led into the ancient and dignified main hall.
The servant was still speaking to Madam Lu: “…The young lady was quite well-liked by her sisters and brothers in Nanyang. She was clever and sensible, and the Nanyang Luo family’s matriarch liked how she cared for her younger brothers and sisters. When this servant met people, Madam Luo praised the young lady endlessly, and when asking about how the lady was doing in Jianye, was extremely concerned. Madam Luo even broke into tears when speaking emotionally, saying the young lady had a hard fate. From what this servant observed, these feelings were genuine.”
Madam Lu nodded.
In the months since Luo Lingyu had come to the Lu family, Madam Lu had already seen that though this lady liked to play somewhat, this exactly matched the Lu family’s hope for her to represent them in ladies’ social circles. Luo Lingyu carried herself gracefully, neither servile nor arrogant, and though she had some small schemes… overall it was harmless. As long as she didn’t cause trouble for the Lu family, even if Madam Lu’s personality didn’t match Luo Lingyu’s, she wouldn’t actively say anything.
The report from the servants from Nanyang only served to put Madam Lu more at ease.
The servant hesitated before continuing: “Also, the young lady is beautiful and talented, and it’s said that young lords wanting to marry her in Nanyang were countless. Nanyang’s most famous Fan family, it’s said that the family’s young lord was attracted to the young lady as soon as she arrived in Nanyang. That young lord was handsome and talented, and though several of the Luo family ladies also liked him very much, he only had eyes for the young lady. This caused several conflicts between the Luo sisters and the young lady… up until the young lady came to Jianye, Young Master Fan was still expressing his love for her.”
Madam Lu’s eyes flickered, and after a moment’s distraction, she said: “Mm… this is normal. With her appearance, it would be strange if she didn’t have admirers.”
Having admirers proved Luo Lingyu was a normal beautiful lady. If no young lords in Nanyang had been attracted to Luo Lingyu, Madam Lu would have had to wonder if there was something wrong with her character.
Madam Lu asked worriedly: “Did the young lady and that Young Master Fan…”
The servant answered: “This servant secretly asked several Luo family ladies, they said Young Master Fan was always trying to please the young lady, but the young lady seemed to never respond.”
After questioning the servant, she then questioned the timid and fearful Madam Qin. This wet nurse of Luo Lingyu spoke tremblingly and vaguely, and as soon as Madam Lu asked, she began wiping tears and recalling hardships, making Madam Lu impatient. Madam Qin repeated one sentence over and over: “…This old servant missed the young lady, that’s why I wanted to come to see her. Our lady has suffered since childhood, when this old servant doesn’t see her for a day, I worry…”
“Alright, alright,” Madam Lu had many trivial matters and had no patience to hear these things, “Take Madam Qin down to rest, find a time to call the young lady over to meet with Madam Qin.”
Madam Qin hurriedly thanked her, endlessly grateful to Madam Lu.
As both sides were exchanging courtesies, the maid Lvyao entered: “Madam, Lingxi has come to collect this month’s allowance for ‘Snow Tracing Courtyard’.”
Madam Lu immediately had people give the money, remembering that Lingxi was the maid Luo Lingyu had brought from Nanyang. Now that Luo Lingyu’s wet nurse had arrived, Lingxi should know her and they could meet first. But Madam Qin had already been led away, and when Lingxi entered, separated by the screen, she only barely caught a glimpse of a departing figure. Seeing there was no opportunity, Madam Lu didn’t mention it.
Because Lingyu had been taken out by Luo Lingyu, only Lingxi remained in the courtyard. Even though she was afraid of Madam Lu, Lingxi had to steel herself to collect the monthly allowance. She kept her head down not daring to look at Madam Lu in her high position, vaguely nodding as she heard Madam Lu’s casual words of encouragement. However, Lingxi suddenly heard the sound of wood scraping against stone tiles, and she turned her face to see a figure leaving behind the screen.
Lingxi: “…!”
She stared wide-eyed, in a daze, seeming to have seen Madam Qin!
Lingxi’s face immediately changed drastically: Madam Qin… how had she come to Jianye? Why had she come to Jianye? Could it be that the matters in Nanyang… had Madam Lu already learned of them?!