Young Lady Luo Yunwan counted her sister’s birthday on her fingers—in this world, only her little sister remained to remember Luo Lingyu’s birthday and want to celebrate it.

Luo Yunwan smilingly brought out the longevity noodles she had prepared early in the morning with her maid Lingxi. After her sister took a bite, she shyly produced a wrinkled embroidered pouch. Luo Lingyu blinked, and her little sister immediately blushed, extremely embarrassed as she said: “I tried very hard to embroider it! But you arranged so many lessons for me every day, that I barely had time to embroider the pouch. It doesn’t look good because the time was too rushed. Otherwise, I definitely could have made you a beautiful pouch.”

Luo Lingyu smiled—truthfully, Wan’er’s embroidery skills weren’t very good.

But Luo Lingyu still happily accepted the pouch, feigning surprise: “For me?”

Luo Yunwan sighed in relief, waving her hand like a little adult: “If you like it, then it’s yours!”

As the sisters exchanged gifts early in the morning, the maids were surprised to learn that today was Luo Lingyu’s birthday. As her maid, Lingyu felt especially guilty and ashamed. Lingyu said: “Why didn’t the young lady say earlier? Even though we’re staying at the Lu manor, important occasions like birthdays shouldn’t be neglected at all, especially a young lady’s fifteenth coming-of-age ceremony.”

At fifteen, a girl comes of age and may be married.

Usually, noble young ladies’ coming-of-age ceremonies couldn’t be neglected. Lingyu still remembered how grand the ceremony was when the Lu family’s eldest daughter Lu Qingyi came of age before her marriage. At that time, even the Emperor and Empress had sent coming-of-age gifts to the Lu family’s eldest daughter… How was it that when it came to the cousin young lady, the Lu family showed no reaction at all?

Luo Lingyu’s gaze darkened: Among the Lu family, her only relative, Aunt Lu Ying, probably knew her birthday. But her aunt’s attitude toward her had always been indifferent, likely not even remembering her birthday. If Lu Ying didn’t remember, how would other Lu family members remember which day was their cousin’s birthday?

After all, she was dependent on others, with no one to love her.

Though bitter in her heart, Luo Lingyu still made excuses for the Lu family on the surface: “It’s nothing, just a birthday. These past days with my second cousin missing, everyone’s busy, how could they be in the mood to remember me? How could I compare in importance to second cousin? I won’t cause trouble for everyone at this time.”

Lingyu thought about it and sighed. Indeed, even if she went to tell Old Lady Lu that today was the cousin’s birthday now, the old lady wouldn’t let them host a banquet to celebrate the cousin—when Lu Er-lang’s fate was still unknown, what was there to celebrate?

Luo Lingyu’s joyous occasion was merely an afterthought to the Lu family, not worth mentioning.

Luo Yunwan eagerly suggested: “We could close the courtyard gates and celebrate sister’s birthday ourselves…”

Luo Lingyu was reluctant. She wasn’t wealthy herself, her newly opened cosmetics shop hadn’t made money yet, and at this time spending money on herself putting on airs seemed meaningless. She waved her hand: “No need, no need. Today Prince Chen is hosting a banquet at Fangle Garden. He sent me an invitation too. I’ll just attend Prince Chen’s banquet, and consider it my birthday celebration.”

Originally she had wanted Lu Yun to convince Prince Chen to change the date, but then Fan Qingchen arrived, making her lose interest and forget about it. Then with Lu Er-lang’s disappearance, even if Prince Chen changed the banquet date, she couldn’t host one at the Lu manor… so Luo Lingyu simply kept quiet.

Though heartbroken for her sister inside, Luo Yunwan put on a happy face and came over to snuggle against her sister, hugging her shoulders. The young lady placed her hand on Luo Lingyu’s shoulder, solemnly declaring: “Sister, your wish will come true—to marry a suitable young lord.”

The maids in the room: “…”

Lingyu was amused by the precocious young lady, covering her mouth with a laugh, and to lighten the mood, she teased: “Of course. Our Third Young Master has both talent and looks, he must be a suitable match. Isn’t that right, young lady?”

Luo Lingyu blushed, saying awkwardly: “How would I know? What does it have to do with me, don’t talk nonsense!”

Even though the maids in the room all knew about her ambiguous relationship with Lu Sanlang, before anything was concluded, they couldn’t spread it around. If the Lu family elders heard about it, they would again call her “frivolous” and “improper.” But although she cautioned the maids not to gossip outside, Luo Lingyu felt some sweetness in her heart—

So everyone had noticed that Lu Xuehen treated her differently.

Did that mean it wasn’t just her imagination, that Lu Xuehen truly treated her differently from others?

Lu Yun never said anything to her, neither expressing affection nor showing his feelings, much less mentioning whether he would marry her… Even when she tested Lu Yun with Fan Qingchen’s marriage proposal, having Lu Yun pretend to propose to her, Lu Yun just casually agreed. She still couldn’t tell if he would marry her.

She feared he still didn’t like her in his heart, looked down on her, and just treated her as an interesting little toy to play with.

Luo Lingyu’s gaze dimmed, her anxieties unable to be shared with others. The maids all teased about her and Lu Yun, but she couldn’t discern Lu Yun’s heart. Romance binds one like a cocoon—no matter how confident a young lady usually was, before that certain person, she would always be uncertain, doubting, and hesitating. She barely dared to ask… Forcing herself to settle her emotions and push Lu Yun from her mind, Luo Lingyu finally arranged today’s matters naturally: “Didn’t Lingyu sprain your foot two days ago? You shouldn’t go out then, Lingxi will accompany me to Huale Garden for the banquet today. And Wan’er…”

Luo Yunwan quickly said: “Today is my sister’s birthday! Sister should give me a holiday, let me go play.”

Seeing her sister’s expectant gaze, Luo Lingyu pressed her lips into a smile, and in her good mood, agreed. She just instructed Luo Yunwan to play within the Lu family courtyard, not to go out. Lingyu and the other maids would watch the courtyard while taking good care of the little sister. After giving these instructions and changing into a newly tailored dress with an embroidered half-sleeved outer garment, Luo Lingyu gracefully led her maid Lingxi and others out of the courtyard, parting ways with her sister.

Arriving at Fangle Garden and getting off the carriage, there were already many men and women in the garden. Luo Lingyu looked around the garden but didn’t see Prince Chen, though she saw many familiar noble young lords and ladies. Just as she was about to go over and chat with everyone, she heard a call from behind: “Sister Luo is here too?”

Turning around, she saw Zhou Lang had just gotten off his carriage.

The young lord was slim, his robes flowing wide, but with a jade crown and broad sash, his features beautiful—as soon as he appeared, the young ladies who had been playing nearby turned their heads to look.

Luo Lingyu walked toward Zhou Yangling, greeting him: “That day at Zhou Lang’s manor, Prince Chen said he would invite Zhou Lang to attend the banquet today. I saw Prince Chen being so formal about it, I thought he would come with you. How is Zhou Lang alone? Prince Chen is truly not sincere enough.”

Zhou Yangling smiled helplessly: “It’s just young lords and ladies playing, nothing special. I didn’t want to come, but he insisted I should… hmm, I came, but where is Prince Chen?”

The two walked and talked, greeting others along the way. After making a round, the young lords and ladies had all gathered, but still no sign of Prince Chen. When asked, some young lord said “Isn’t Lu Er-lang missing? Prince Chen must be helping search for him.” Considering Prince Chen’s relationship with Lu Sanlang, this explanation seemed very plausible.

Seeing the host absent and knowing Zhou Lang was too weak to handle crowds, Luo Lingyu thought to take Zhou Yangling fishing. But the crowd of men and women surrounded them, exchanging glances, and after their expressions changed several times, they all raised their wine cups, smiling: “At today’s banquet, let’s first wish the birthday celebrant great joy!”

The crowd’s gazes were eager and kind as they looked over, the wine in their cups swaying clear.

Luo Lingyu was slightly startled, seeing them all looking over, thinking her birthday was known and they were all congratulating her. She was both surprised and delighted, joy immediately blooming on her face. Her heart pounding, face flushed, she spoke shyly and modestly: “How can you all be so polite…”

A young lord smiled: “Prince Chen specially arranged this grand banquet to celebrate the young lord’s birthday, we naturally give face.”

A young lady: “Prince Chen truly cares for the young lord, worthy of ‘Duke Zhou spitting out his food.’ To win over the young lord, he prepared this banquet for over a month and had us all keep it secret from you. Zhou Lang, we only found out two days ago, hurriedly prepared birthday gifts, not knowing if you’d like them… Though Prince Chen isn’t here, he gave you such a big surprise. I guess you must be very happy now?”

The crowd surrounded the slightly dazed Zhou Yangling, who only then remembered Prince Chen had once asked about their birthday. She hadn’t cared at the time, not knowing he would take it to heart.

As they gathered around, Luo Lingyu instinctively stepped back, her face pale.

She suddenly realized she had misunderstood, actually thinking this birthday celebration was for her… It was for Zhou Lang. So Zhou Lang shared her birthday. Prince Chen had kept it so well hidden, probably because the Lu family had so many matters these past days, Prince Chen hadn’t had anyone tell her that coming today was to celebrate Zhou Zibo’s birthday, and Prince Chen probably thought she wouldn’t come.

Prince Chen celebrating Zhou Lang’s birthday!

He invited all the young lords and ladies of Jianye, all the notable scholars were invited, and famous performers came from the entertainment houses. The sound of silk and bamboo instruments never ceased as everyone surrounded the surprised Zhou Yangling, offering congratulations. Zhou Yangling was briefly stunned, looking back to see Luo Lingyu pushed out of the crowd. Zhou Yangling wanted to walk over to her, but there were too many people. She said something, but across the crowd, Luo Lingyu couldn’t hear.

Luo Lingyu bit her lip, her face alternating between pale and flushed, feeling unprecedented embarrassment.

Zhou Lang was just from a humble family, unwilling to even clearly explain his background, never speaking of who his parents were. Zhou Lang was very mysterious, yet Prince Chen still specially hosted a banquet for his birthday. And herself? She was at least from a scholar’s family, and the Lu family’s cousin… yet not a single person remembered her birthday.

On her birthday, she watched everyone congratulate Zhou Lang.

The irony was that she was also one of those invited by Prince Chen who should be offering congratulations. Not only did she receive no gifts on her birthday, she had to prepare gifts for others!

Luo Lingyu’s expression was awful—even knowing Zhou Yangling was innocent, at this moment, she unconsciously envied Zhou Lang. They were both guests in Jianye, why was she so inferior? She was especially jealous! Jealous of his generous nature that everyone loved. Jealous that his birthday was the same as hers, yet people only knew of his and not hers. Jealous that he had Prince Chen giving him surprises while she crashed a banquet losing all face… She had always been petty and now was even more unable to control herself.

Luo Lingyu’s lips were bitten red, tears welling in her eyes. Fangle Garden was Zhou Lang’s stage today; every glance at Zhou Lang made her feel more of the gap between them. Luo Lingyu was utterly mortified, unwilling to stay here any longer. Her maid Lingxi watched her worriedly as Luo Lingyu turned and fled, running quickly out of Fangle Garden. Luo Lingyu made an excuse of feeling unwell, got into the carriage, and rushed back, unwilling to stay a moment longer in this place that made her uncomfortable.

Behind her, Zhou Yangling called: “Sister Luo, Sister Luo!”

Luo Lingyu bit her lip hard: she was inferior to him, and even on her birthday she was just a supporting role… She heard Zhou Lang’s calls, but sitting in the ox cart, her face covered in tears, choking with sobs, she was unwilling to keep up any pretense of dignity.

Prince Chen never appeared.

…

Earlier, Prince Liu Shu had finally managed to learn Zhou Yangling’s birthday. Though he admired Zhou Zibo, he feared the young lord would despise him, so he never dared to confess. Liu Shu had painstakingly arranged a grand banquet to please Zhou Zibo, but unfortunately, on Zhou Zibo’s birthday, the Lu family had an incident. To comfort Lu Sanlang Lu Yun, Liu Shu, after hesitation, gave up his chance to appear at Fangle Garden and develop feelings with Zhou Zi, going to find Lu Yun instead.

Lu Er-lang’s disappearance had made Lu Yun nearly violent.

Sitting in Liu Shu’s study, throwing down his wild cursive calligraphy, Lu Yun’s face was ice-cold. Liu Shu looked down at Lu Yun’s characters—Lu Yun’s usual writing was already wild cursive, with his eyes injured and unable to see the paper and brush, his writing was even more like dragons flying in the sky. At least Liu Shu looked for a long time and couldn’t make out what Lu Sanlang had written. Liu Shu humbly asked: “What does it mean?”

Lu Yun’s hand struck the table: “It must be the Prince of Hengyang!”

Liu Shu frowned: “He is a commandery prince, you, you can’t casually, wrongly accuse him. Do you have evidence?”

Lu Yun’s face was gloomy: “I’ve discovered that two days before my second brother’s incident, he had gone to the Prince of Hengyang’s manor and replaced the Taoist priests that the Prince of Hengyang was originally going to send to the palace. Now those priests have disappeared, and the Prince of Hengyang’s manor has changed its guards. This shows Liu Mu’s guilty conscience! My second brother must have offended him, discovered some secret of his, so he…”

Liu Shu still frowned.

Lu Yun stood up, pacing in the room, explaining his analysis. In Liu Shu’s study, Lu Yun suddenly bumped into a bookshelf, and Liu Shu hurriedly got up to support him. Lu Sanlang reached up to remove the gauze from his eyes, but was stopped by Liu Shu: “Don’t don’t don’t be hasty! Wait until your injury is healed to remove it! Dealing with the Prince of Hengyang, I’ll help you.”

Lu Yun laughed coldly: “I’ve already sent letters to other Lu family young lords. We can’t wait anymore. If someone harmed the second brother, after so long, the evidence has long been hidden. In my opinion, surround all the suspicious households, with Lu family troops, search them one by one, and interrogate them. First and foremost, the Prince of Hengyang’s manor.”

In this era, noble families all maintained troops. Liu Shu paused for a moment, his mind rapidly turning over ideas.

The Lu family confronting the Prince of Hengyang’s manor, broadly speaking, meant noble families confronting the royal family. But Liu Shu’s heart was slightly calm, thinking of his imperial father’s wariness of the Prince of Hengyang, feeling things wouldn’t reach that point. The Lu family couldn’t wait—one more day meant one more day of danger for Lu Er-lang.

Though Liu Shu was unwilling to be drawn into this matter, Lu Sanlang was searching for his brother— Liu Shu slowly said: “I’ll arrange it.”

Liu Shu gripped Lu Sanlang’s hand, he had many things to explain, but being poor with words he couldn’t express them, so he could only bend over the table again and write characters with water-dipped fingers, only realizing after writing that Lu Yun couldn’t see, so he had to stutter verbally—I’ll handle this matter, you don’t need to appear. If the Prince of Hengyang’s manor is hiding Lu Er-lang, I’ll tell you.

The young man’s grip brought firm strength, and Lu Yun’s expression softened somewhat.

Liu Shu looked at him again, organizing his words in his mind, saying: “You’ve already, stayed up two nights, go back and rest. I’ll go to the Prince of Hengyang’s manor for you, if there’s news, I’ll tell you.”

“Xuehen, trust me. I absolutely won’t fail you.”

Between the Prince of Hengyang and Lu Yun, he would stand on Lu Yun’s side. The Lu family didn’t need to surround the Prince of Hengyang’s manor with troops yet, he would mediate in between, and slowly resolve the conflict between the royal family and noble families later. He only hoped the Prince of Hengyang hadn’t done anything to Lu Er-lang, truly expanding the conflict between noble and royal families.

Lu Sanlang knew Liu Shu’s position in the middle wasn’t easy either, he rubbed his temples, nodding with an unhappy expression. As Liu Shu said, he was mentally exhausted now, and his eyes were impaired, going to confront the Prince of Hengyang wouldn’t end well. Liu Shu, as a prince, would first go to the Prince of Hengyang’s manor to investigate. With Lu family troops outside, if anything was amiss, they could surround the Prince of Hengyang’s manor.

Lu Sanlang was persuaded by Liu Shu to return home to rest, while Liu Shu himself drove to the Prince of Hengyang’s manor, giving himself a headache as he called for an advisor to help him talk with his temperamental royal uncle.

At the same time, Princess Ningping Liu Tang was still staying at her villa. While Liu Tang was planting flowers in the fields with her maids, she learned that the young lord they had rescued earlier had awakened. The maid said: “That young lord had a severe fever, panting even when walking, I told him to lie down but he refused. After learning where this is, he said he wanted to see the princess.”

Princess Ningping crouched in the field, looking up in surprise, her face like jade and snow: “See me? How does he know me?”

She had rescued an injured young lord at her villa, and that young lord wanted to see her… Could it be some young lord she knew?

Liu Tang was a princess without airs, when the person she rescued said he wanted to see her, she really stood up, handed the flowers to a nearby maid, lifted her skirts, and curiously followed the leading maid. Seeing the princess as approachable as ever, the maids around her pursed their lips and resignedly followed.

Opening the door, Liu Tang timidly and curiously widened her moist eyes, looking at the young lord struggling to sit up on the couch. The physician was patiently persuading the young lord to lie down, but the young lord insisted on getting up. His long hair was half loose, his features gentle, but his temperament stubborn… Liu Tang blurted out: “Lu Er-lang!”

Lu Er-lang Lu Xian suddenly raised his head, seeing Princess Ningping cautiously peering in from the doorway.

His heart rejoiced, coughing violently: “Your Highness! It is you, cough cough, here! I, I have matters to attend to, cough, can’t waste time here…”

The physician’s face was stern, saying unhappily: “With such severe injuries, you shouldn’t get up no matter how urgent the matter.”

How could Lu Xian listen?

He had been plagued by nightmares, finally breaking free to consciousness, asked the maids the time, and learned today was the nineteenth of the sixth month. Lu Xian was anxious, worried he would be too late, wanting to get up as soon as he opened his eyes, wanting to go to the Prince of Hengyang’s manor. His body was weak, he couldn’t drag his sick body to find cousin Luo. His only option now was to go to the Prince of Hengyang’s manor to wait.

At the same time, since the Prince of Hengyang had tried to kill him before, Lu Xian predicted that after the Lu family learned of his incident, the outside must be in chaos now.

Lu Xian was firm: “Even if I die, I must go out!”

The physician was exasperated: “You…”

Liu Tang spoke softly: “Where does Er-lang want to go? Why don’t I take Er-lang there? The physician can come with us in the carriage, taking care of Er-lang on the way. Would that work?”

Lu Xian looked at Liu Tang. Usually, this princess was particularly unremarkable among the fierce princesses and Jianye ladies. Because her temperament was too gentle, she could almost be called the easiest princess to bully. Liu Tang had never had much presence, this was the first time Lu Xian seriously looked at this princess. Liu Tang saw that sweating, pale-faced young lord look over, her face turned bright red, and she again hid behind the door. Compared to the ladies of Jianye, Liu Tang was a thoroughly shy princess.

Lu Xian smiled gratefully: “Thank you for your help, Your Highness!”

Liu Tang softly made an “mm” sound. Turning back to see her governess’s disapproving gaze, Liu Tang said quietly: “My brother is close with Lu Sanlang, when Lu Sanlang’s brother is in trouble, I must help.”

Though they were at Princess Ningping’s suburban villa at this time, they didn’t know that Jianye had gone mad searching for Lu Er-lang. Liu Tang ordered people to drive the carriage, supporting the weak-breathing Lu Er-lang into it, heading back to the city toward the Prince of Hengyang’s manor.

…

Lu Xian urged time in his heart.

Hurry, hurry!

Whether it was the conflict between the Lu family and the Prince of Hengyang, or cousin Luo’s troubles, everything had to be resolved at the Prince of Hengyang’s manor!

As long as today’s crisis was resolved, almost all of that bleak future from his dreams would become impossible.

…

Lu Sanlang was personally sent back to the Lu manor by Liu Shu, and only after Liu Shu watched him enter the Lu manor gates did Liu Shu’s carriage leave to go to the Prince of Hengyang’s manor. Lu Yun truly hadn’t slept for two days, since Liu Shu would act for him, he could only go home to sleep. At the same time, Lu Yun considered calling the physician to remove the gauze from his eyes—there should only be slight marks left, nothing serious. The gauze covering his eyes was now affecting his daily life.

Unexpectedly, as he was supported back to his courtyard by servants, he first smelled the choking scent of burning wormwood throughout the yard. The whole courtyard was filled with smoke and haze, and as soon as Lu Sanlang stepped in, he was choked out of the “Clear Courtyard.”

He coughed: “What are they doing in the courtyard?”

The servant Xiulin supporting him craned his neck to look into the courtyard, replying: “Sister Jinyue is leading the maids in cleaning the courtyard, pulling weeds, and planting flowers. They’re burning wormwood, probably to use the ashes as fertilizer for the flowers.”

Lu Yun was silent for a moment, clearly he had returned early without anyone in the courtyard knowing. The flourishing flowers and plants in the courtyard were all nourished this way… With such a smell in the courtyard, Lu Yun didn’t want to go back to sleep now. Thinking for a moment, he did think of a place to sleep. Together with the servant, they went to the large lake connecting the Lu manor to the Qinhuai River, the two of them feeling their way, pulling out a small boat from beneath the covered corridor among pine and cypress bushes.

Now in summer, the whole lake was filled with clear lotus flowers. Lu Sanlang planned to sleep on the boat, hiding for the afternoon.

With the young lord sleeping on the boat, it drifted with the water, floating along the shore deeper into the lotus flowers. In the dappled sunlight, servant Xiuzhu watched from shore for a long time, until the young lord’s figure was completely hidden by the boat’s cover. Having nothing to do waiting by the lake now, Xiulin thought for a moment, simply left to return to the “Clear Courtyard” to find Jinyue and tell her to quickly clean up the courtyard as the young lord had returned early.

Lu Yun slept among deep lotus leaves, the boat swaying, drifting without a trace. Through a layer of gauze, sunlight fell on his eyes sometimes bright sometimes dim, his hand pillowing the back of his head, in the boat’s rocking, smelling lotus and pine cypress fragrance, he drifted to sleep. Not knowing how long the boat had drifted, how long he had slept, in his dreams, Lu Yun intermittently heard a young lady’s crying.

That crying wouldn’t stop, seeming ready to cry all afternoon, crying until his heart was disturbed, crying until he woke from his hazy sleep. Even awake he didn’t know where the boat had drifted, but the young lady’s crying above his head was clearer now.

Luo Lingyu: “Wuu wuu wuu…”

On the wooden boat tangled in the reeds, the just-awakened Lu Yun: “…”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise, his lips curving slightly.

…

Sometimes fate becomes particularly interesting at turning points.

In Lu Er-lang’s dreams, Lu Yun always lacked the luck to encounter Luo Lingyu.

But in reality, after Lu Er-lang’s constant interference, Lu Yun could casually hear Luo Lingyu crying while taking an afternoon nap on a boat. He could easily encounter Luo Lingyu when she was feeling bitter, showing her temper, and exposing her true nature.

…

Lingxi consoled: “Young lady, don’t be sad. Prince Chen didn’t know about your birthday…”

Luo Lingyu covered her face, her heart unbearably sour: “Why is it that with the same birthday, even a man like him has people celebrate his birthday? While I, a woman, have no one to care. Why is he so much luckier than me, why does everyone love him… They only say nice things about me with their mouths, but on my birthday, not a single person knows… wuu wuu wuu…”