The apricot blossoms were nearly spent, scattered by the wind everywhere outside. The distant buzz of voices made Yining feel somewhat dazed.
Zhao Mingzhu was asked to leave the warm room. Lu Jiaxue gestured for Yining to sit across from him and asked, “Do you know of the Ning Yuan Marquis’s household?”
From his tone, it seemed he truly intended to adopt her. Yining softly replied, “…Yes, I do.”
The Ning Yuan Marquis’s estate – she knew every blade of grass and every tree there.
“The Ning Yuan Marquis title was bestowed by the Founding Emperor,” Lu Jiaxue leaned back in his chair. His handsome features had a chiseled depth, and as a military man, he was tall and robust. Even when trying to soften his demeanor, he could only manage about 30% gentleness. If he didn’t restrain himself at all, his presence would be truly imposing, as it was now. He continued, “I’m the seventh generation to hold the title. I have no children of my own and wish to adopt you as my daughter. Are you willing?”
Though she was prepared, hearing it still felt absurd. She suddenly asked, “Isn’t Sister Mingzhu your adopted daughter?”
Lu Jiaxue smiled at this, his smile reminiscent of his younger days, his eyes seemingly holding an alluring hook. “It was your father who hoped I would adopt you.” He paused. “Though Mingzhu served tea, she wasn’t entered in the family records, so it doesn’t count. Adopting you would be sincere and genuine, with your name added to the family records. Moreover, Mingzhu can’t call me adoptive father in public, but you would be different.”
What merit did she have to earn his favor? Was it simply because she was Wei Ling’s biological daughter?
He had killed her in her previous life.
Once this thought arose, Luo Yining felt an icy chill coursing through her veins, along with a vague sense of pain.
At first, she hadn’t believed it either, but she had no choice but to accept it. Xie Min had been falsely accused, and he had been the biggest beneficiary. No one in the Ning Yuan Marquis’s household dared mention her again, not even Lu Jiaxue himself. No matter how unbelievable, she had to believe it.
Yining remained silent. Wei Ling came over, patted her head, and said softly, “Meimei, when Mingzhu was adopted, she wasn’t entered in the family records. From now on, the Commander will be your adoptive father, alright? When you marry someday, he’ll also give you a generous gift.”
Seeing her silence, Lu Jiaxue smiled and asked, “What’s wrong, are you unwilling?” He hadn’t expected this little girl would be reluctant.
Now that he had asked directly, refusing would be a slight to his face.
Was Lu Jiaxue’s face so easily slighted? If she truly angered him, even Wei Ling might not be able to protect her.
She looked up to see Wei Ling watching her, his eyes urging her to agree. But her lips felt glued shut, unable to speak. Once entered into the family records, she would have to call him adoptive father, and their relationship would be much closer, inevitably leading to more interactions in the future.
Seeing her prolonged silence, Lu Jiaxue’s smile gradually faded.
Wei Ling whispered in Yining’s ear, “Meimei, what’s wrong? Quickly agree.”
Yining secretly gritted her teeth, suddenly feeling that it didn’t matter. It was just adopting a father, after all. What could he do to her? For Lu Jiaxue, what difference did it make whether he adopted a daughter or not? Surely he wouldn’t kill her again in this life!
So she steadied herself, took a cup of tea from the maid’s lacquered tray, and knelt to offer it to Lu Jiaxue.
Lu Jiaxue’s expression softened slightly as he reached out to accept the tea she offered.
He had proposed the adoption, and if Yining refused, he would naturally be angry. As someone who had been in a position of power for many years, if he hadn’t thought she resembled that person, he wouldn’t have casually bestowed this favor.
As Luo Yining watched him raise his hand, she noticed a string of beads on his wrist – dark, well-worn wood with a warm luster from years of handling.
After drinking the tea, he removed the beads from his wrist and gave them to her: “This is a token. If you ever face difficulties in the future, I naturally won’t ignore them.”
Wei Ling looked somewhat surprised seeing those beads but quickly composed himself without comment.
Luo Yining then steadily called Lu Jiaxue “Adoptive Father,” and Lu Jiaxue nodded in acknowledgment.
He had other matters to attend to and couldn’t stay long, so he left shortly after finishing his tea.
After he left, Wei Ling told Yining: “Lu Jiaxue always wears those beads into battle. They’re said to have been blessed by a high monk. Yet he gave them to you.”
Yining held the beads, playing with them for a moment. Just thinking that they had been worn against Lu Jiaxue’s skin made her feel as if she could still sense his body heat. They only had a faint sandalwood scent, nothing special. She put the beads in her jewelry box and never took them out again.
A few days later, Lu Jiaxue sent over a pipa as a gift.
This pipa was also locked away in storage.
When Zhao Mingzhu heard about this, she was upset and lay face-down on the arhat bed without speaking. When a young maid accidentally broke a cup, she immediately sat up. Just then, another maid rushed in to tell her: “Miss Mingzhu, your aunt… she’s here again!”
Zhao Mingzhu’s expression immediately became strange.
At the manor, her mother rarely visited. She didn’t like her coming, finding her mother’s eager smile and awkward demeanor uncomfortable. It always reminded her of the humble place she came from, filling her with disgust.
She put on her shoes and got out of bed, asking with pursed lips, “Where is she?”
The little maid quickly replied, “Waiting for you at the back door!”
Zhao Mingzhu hurried over without bringing any maids.
Sure enough, Zheng Shi was waiting at the back door, holding a package. Seeing Mingzhu approach, she smiled eagerly and offered the package: “I made some needlework for you.” Noticing Mingzhu’s furrowed brow and impatient look, she hastily added, “These are undergarments, made with good fabric…”
Seeing but not accepting it, Mingzhu knew her mother’s idea of “good fabric” was merely silk, which was considered a low-grade material in the Wei household.
“If you came just for this, I’ll be going back now…”
Hearing this, Zheng Shi hurriedly grabbed her: “Mingzhu, your father gambled away all our money… I, I don’t feel right asking the Old Madam again. She already gave us 5000 taels at the beginning of the year. Mingzhu! I wouldn’t come to you if we weren’t desperate. Your aunts used to lend us money, but now they refuse… Your grandmother’s illness still lingers!”
Mingzhu laughed coldly: “Desperate? Why don’t you just take a knife to that gambling addict father of mine? Do you think I have much money here in the Wei household?” She stepped closer to Zheng Shi. “If you had given me a better birth, like that Xie family’s second daughter, I’d be admired and respected wherever I went. I’d have plenty of money to give you…”
She recalled being rejected for marriage by Cheng Lang, and Xie Yun’s disdain towards her, feeling a surge of frustration.
Zheng Shi looked bewildered and embarrassed. Seeing Mingzhu’s reddened eyes, she mumbled, “Mingzhu, if… if you’re not happy here. I could tell the Old Madam and bring you home for a few days.” When Mingzhu had first been taken from home, she had cried and fussed to return. Later, she grew increasingly distant from her family, becoming close only to the Wei Old Madam.
Hearing this, Mingzhu couldn’t hold back anymore and shouted, “I don’t want to go back!”
She had no desire to return to that dilapidated home in Tongzhou, sharing a courtyard with her half-sisters, where getting a new outfit meant waiting for a festival. The sight of her three good-for-nothing brothers annoyed and disgusted her, especially when compared to outstanding men like Cheng Lang and Luo Shenyuan. Call her vain if they liked, she’d own up to it, but she refused to let herself be ruined in such a place!
Didn’t her mother understand? She didn’t want to go back precisely because she didn’t want to see that family of useless people. Her mother was useless too – if she hadn’t been so weak-willed, how could her father dare to take their money for gambling? The family still kept four concubines, and none of her three brothers amounted to anything! They were simply eating away their resources.
She immediately took off the jade bracelet from her wrist, along with the gold hairpin and earrings, and handed them all to Zheng Shi. “Take these and go. Don’t let Grandmother see you!”
Zheng Shi held these items, her lips trembling as she said, “Mingzhu, I’ve failed you…”
Mingzhu hated her meek demeanor most of all. She said, “If you truly feel you’ve wronged me, then don’t come looking for me again in the future!”
Zheng Shi stared at her daughter in shock, suddenly feeling as if this child before her was a stranger, someone else’s child. As if she had remembered wrong.
Zhao Mingzhu turned and left.
Not far away, Madam Song was helping Old Madam Wei take a walk on the veranda, and they had witnessed everything.
Madam Song drew in a sharp breath and said, “You’ve always feared Miss Mingzhu growing distant from her family, always telling her to treat them well. Even sending gifts during festivals. But her family is truly muddleheaded… And Miss Mingzhu’s attitude…”
Old Madam Wei watched Zheng Shi for a long time. Zheng Shi gazed after her daughter long after she had disappeared, finally turning away reluctantly. Her figure was thin and frail. She had worn her newest and best clothes, the sleeves still showing fresh creases. She clutched the package to her chest as she stumbled away.
Old Madam Wei seemed to feel she had misjudged as well, never having seen Mingzhu so fierce before. She had always thought of her as just a pampered flower raised by her side.
After a long while, she said, “Her family situation isn’t good, and I’ve spoiled her since she was little. Normally, she doesn’t want to go back…”
Madam Song added, “That may be true, but to be so unkind to her birth mother…” It truly wasn’t the behavior of a gentle nature.
Old Madam Wei fell silent for a moment, then said, “Pack another 3000 taels of silver and give it to Zheng Shi. Say it’s from Mingzhu.”
Madam Song curtseyed in acknowledgment and went to have a maid prepare the silver for Zheng Shi.
It was now early April when the world’s beauty was fading.
The Wei manor was an old residence, its courtyards full of greenery. Yining was playing with a crested parrot Wei Ling had given her. The bird was quite stupid, unable to speak despite much teaching. It would only cock its head or raise its crest. After several days of fruitless attempts to teach it words, Yining put some bird food in a small porcelain dish. A maid informed her that her fourth aunt had come to visit.
She brushed the crumbs from her hands and asked, “Didn’t she stay for lunch before leaving?”
The maid shook her head: “I came to inform you, but she left shortly after…”
Since she hadn’t stayed, there was no need to entertain her. Yining didn’t inquire further. Seeing Ting’er returning from afar, she called him into the room.
Who knew what he had been playing with outside – his hands were covered in mud? Ting’er was reluctant, but Yining held him down and washed his hands. Seeing his nails had grown long, she wanted to trim them. But he made a face and ran out in a flash. Yining called after him angrily: “Ting’er, come back and trim your nails before you go!”
The child was indeed mischievous. With Wei Ling often busy training troops at the garrison lately, no one was disciplining him. He was becoming increasingly naughty. Yining’s punishments didn’t hurt, so he wasn’t afraid. Despite his young age, he was already quite strong, and no one in the household dared provoke him. He was like a little tyrant.
Yining found it rather headache-inducing. Little Cheng Lang had been much more well-behaved at his age! Children truly were spoiled by such behavior.
She couldn’t count on Old Madam Wei either, who was always good-natured, especially towards her grandchildren. She would only dote on Ting’er when she saw him.
Songzhi asked softly, “Miss, shall we send someone to find the young master…?”
But Yining said, “Leave him be. When he comes back, no one is to pay him any attention.”
She took out a book to practice calligraphy. By dusk, when the sun was setting, Ting’er finally returned. He found that his sister was ignoring him, focused on her writing no matter what he said. Ting’er circled her arhat bed twice, then ran out and came back with a few apricots, placing them on her table.
Yining remained coldly indifferent. Ting’er went out again, this time returning with a few dates which he also put on her table.
Seeing she still paid him no mind, Ting’er, like an ant moving things bit by bit, added sugar cubes, pastries, and sesame cakes to her table. Finally, he grew anxious and said, “Please don’t be angry anymore!”
Yining raised an eyebrow and said, “Give me your hand.” Ting’er pursed his lips and extended his hand pitifully. Yining took scissors and began trimming his nails. He leaned against his sister, finding her soft and fragrant, and grew drowsy as she trimmed. By the time Yining finished, she found the child had fallen asleep against her. He was most obedient when asleep.
She sighed and had Madam Tong carry him away to bed.
Cheng Lang no longer tutored him, as it wasn’t appropriate given his position as a department director in the Ministry of Personnel. Wei Ling had hired a new teacher for Ting’er, who now had to rise early for lessons every day.
However, tomorrow was the teacher’s day off, so he didn’t need to get up early. Ting’er slept until late morning. Remembering he had angered her the night before, he wanted to play chess with her to make amends.
Cheng Lang had taught him chess. Ting’er had taken to it quickly and become quite fascinated. The siblings set up a chessboard in the side room.
Ting’er was no match for Yining, of course. After a few moves, he was thoroughly defeated. He hugged the chess container, frowning as he tried to figure out how to keep his pieces alive. As Yining watched Ting’er’s consternation, she suddenly heard a voice behind her: “Sister Yining, are you bullying a child?”
Yining turned to see Cheng Lang standing behind her. It had been a long time since she’d last seen him. Today he wore the official robes of a fifth-rank official – a white silk sash and dark red robes. She had never seen him dressed so formally before, and it made him appear even more elegant. There was a hint of fatigue between his brows; he seemed to have just returned from the Six Ministries.
Ting’er immediately ran over and tugged his arm: “Sister ate all my chess pieces!”
Cheng Lang had only intended to stop by briefly, but he walked over and glanced at the board, immediately gauging Yining’s skill. He smiled and said, “It’s hardly fair for Sister Yining to play against Ting’er. Why don’t you play against me?”
He had already taken a pure white piece from the container.
Yining was certainly confident in her chess skills. She smiled and gestured, “Please sit, Cousin.”
Ting’er’s position had been hopeless; Yining could have won in three moves. But after Cheng Lang sat down and placed just a few pieces, Yining’s expression grew serious. This man was a master.
Then she heard Cheng Lang ask, “I heard that Uncle acknowledged you as his adopted daughter?”
Yi Ning’s hand paused slightly as she placed her piece. She looked up to see Cheng Lang’s expressionless face. She replied calmly, “Yes, he did. Why do you ask?”
“Do you know why he acknowledged you as his adopted daughter?” Cheng Lang asked again.