With that shout, the Lu family’s housekeeper and guards saw Xuan Tianming and Feng Yuheng who returned by horse, and also caused the gate of the Yu Palace which was half-closed to open again. Jian Er saw hope and shouted loudly: “Princess, please help! This Servant is the personal maid of Lu family’s Eldest Miss Lu Ping, I wish to request an audience with Princess!”
Feng Yuheng and Xuan Tianming were on the same horse. They also led another horse with them, and various wild game which they hunted were hanging off it. People came out from Yu Palace to take those wild game off the horse. The door guard who spoke to Jian Er earlier also ran forward and summarised what happened earlier.
Feng Yuheng looked at Jian Er who was still lifted in the air, then looked towards that housekeeper from the Lu family, asking: “What, did you not hear what This Princess said just now?”
That housekeeper jolted and said in reflex: “How it is possible for Princess to arrange to meet this girl? When did this happen?”
“Hm?” The one who expressed their doubt was Xuan Tianming, “What? Who This Prince’s Princess wants to meet, she still needs to report to a servant like you? Isn’t your Left Prime Minister manor being too audacious?”
Once Xuan Tianming spoke, the people of Lu Manor was so afraid that they knelt down on the ground one by one with a plunk, throwing down Jian Er at the same time. This fall was not light, and Jian Er gritted her teeth in pain, but the good thing was at it did not stop her from walking. She quickly stood up and ran in front of Feng Yuheng’s horse, kneeling as well, but did not speak. Since Feng Yuheng already said that she had an appointment, it was not good for her to say anything else. Saying more would just spoil things.
And at this moment, these people from Lu Manor did not dare to mention anything about capturing people, only staring at Xuan Tianming carrying Feng Yuheng off the horse, then with the pair walking in front and Jian Er walking behind, plus the group of servants from Yu Palace, they entered the palace busily. Then the palace gate closed with a “clang”, leaving two guards standing outside, no longer caring about these people.
The guards from Lu Manor felt a little frustrated, asking the housekeeper: “What do we do? Should we knock and ask for the person?”
That housekeeper stomped his foot in anger, saying loudly: “Are you stupid? How much courage do you have to want to ask for a person from Yu Palace? Even if they cut off our heads, our Master will not protest, understand?” After saying that, he added on: “And even if he did protest, that would be useless, in this world, no one is able to reason with Yu Palace!” He looked at the closed palace gate in annoyance, also feeling frustrated. He really did not know where the girl got her luck, actually able to make Princess Yu take action to save her, and they had a coincidental sense of timing. When they were going to carry her back, these two returned home. For this endeavour, they really started on the wrong foot!
Feeling troubled, the people of Lu family returned to the manor to report, and Jian Er followed Feng Yuheng to the main hall. Xuan Tianming did not have the heart to participate in these small things involving maids and young misses, so he went to the study. And Feng Yuheng asked directly: “So, you escaped from the Lu family?”
Jian Er knelt directly in front of Feng Yuheng, saying with a pleading expression: “Princess is correct, This Servant did run out, my Young Miss escaped as well. It’s just that Young Miss ran even further and has already left the city. Before she left, she gave directions to This Servant, saying that if there is really no place to go, then seek help from Princess Yu. Princess Yu, please be kind and help This Servant’s lowly life.
“Oh?” Feng Yuheng was a little surprised hearing this, “You said Lu Ping ran as well?” Why is that?”
Jian Er did not hide it, speaking honestly: “Because my Master wants to send Eldest Miss to the His Highness the Sixth Prince as a concubine. Eldest Miss did not agree, so she ran away from home. This Servant rushed and sent Young Miss off before the city gates closed and watched the horse carriage head west, but Young Miss stubbornly did not bring This Servant along. Princess, please pass judgement, my Young Miss does not think the same as Lu Manor’s Master and Madam, they are focused on currying favour with the higher-ups, wanting Young Miss to climb up and get married to His Highness the Sixth Prince. They think that it is very possible for His Highness the Sixth Prince to sit on the throne in the future, so they wish to make use of Young Miss’ beautiful appearance to became the relatives of the imperial family. Master said, as long as Young Miss agrees and cooperates, he will work together with the court ministers to encourage His Highness the Sixth Prince to take in a concubine.”
In one go, Jian Er revealed the plans of the Lu family, but Feng Yuheng suddenly laughed after hearing this. After laughing for a while with Kekeke, her expression darkened quickly, only saying: “As expected! Those that become Left Prime Minister all have discontented hearts, Feng Jinyuan was like this in the past, the current Lu Song is the same. And earlier I had thought this person was already walking on the right path, now I understand, for people, watching them from three years old to old age, some of their personalities cannot be changed at all.” Actually, she wanted to say “a dog could not change its behaviour of eating shit”, but thinking about it again, this sentence did sound a little unpleasant, but she was thinking this. “It’s just that Lu Song is targeting the wrong person, is the Sixth Prince a person who can be manipulated by him?” Saying this, she looked at Jian Er again, saying: “It’s a pity for your Young Miss Lu Ping, she is a rather good woman, being born in the Left Prime Minister’s manor, she should be living a plentiful life, yet she had to be stuck with this kind of birth father and first mother, her fate is quite similar to This Princess’ in the past!”
Jian Er begged Feng Yuheng while crying: “Princess, please save my Young Miss! I am begging Princess, only you can save my Young Miss!”
“How can I save her?” Feng Yuheng shook her head and said: “She is not like you, begging in front of my palace gates such that I can easily scoop you into my palace to take refuge. Your Young Miss ran away, do you know where she ran to?”
Jian Er jolted, shaking her head on reflex: “This Servant does not know. This Servant only knows that the horse carriage headed west but does not know where Young Miss is going.”
“And that’s it.” Feng Yuheng told her, “Putting aside that she had already gone far away, even if she did plead in front of the gates of Princess Yu today, it is difficult for me to interfere in this. After all, marriage places emphasis on the decision of the parents and the matchmaker. I do have some relationship with your Young Miss, but it is not so deep that I can meddle and interfere with the private matters of the Left Prime Minister’s manor. I have never heard of any outsider obstructing someone from marrying their daughter, this does not sound reasonable at all.”
Jian Er did not think to this level, but after hearing Feng Yuheng’s analysis, she also felt her request to excessive. It was just that she was really worried about Lu Ping’s safety and thought that it was good if Feng Yuheng could sent people to the west and catch up, providing protection in the shadows. But Feng Yuheng also said, their relationship was not so good to be able to do that much, so her words were stuck in her throat and she could not speak.
Feng Yuheng could see what she was thinking, but warned her again: “Between Lu Ping and me, she had helped me, and I have helped her, we do not owe each other anything. But since you begged in front of my palace gates, I can help her by helping you settle down. As for Lu Ping, she has her own destiny, whether this destiny is good or bad is her fate, other people cannot change it.” After saying this, Feng Yuheng stood up and said to Wang Chuan who was already standing next to her in service: “Send her over to the county manor as a helper!” Then she told Jian Er again: “Do not worry, the people of Lu family are not that brave to cause trouble at my county manor. You can stay there without worry, if your Young Miss returns one day, you can still follow her.”
When Jian Er heard this, she kowtowed and expressed her thanks, then after thinking, took out the contract from inside the front of her clothes and held it out: “Princess, this is This Servant’s contract, Young Miss gave it to This Servant before leaving, but just now, the people from the Lu family said that the authorities have not removed the records, This Servant is still considered as belonging to the Lu family.”
Wang Chuan quickly continued the topic, telling her: “Do you worry, for the authorities, someone will help you settle this matter. Since you have entered the county manor, you will no longer be related to the Lu family in the future. For this contract, keep it. Princess has said, when the day comes, your Young Miss will still return, then you can continue to follow her.” After saying this, she pulled Jian Er outside.
Feng Yuheng gave Wang Chuan a look. Wang Chuan understood, Jian Er was someone who came out from Lu Manor, and they did not keep her contract, so even if Jian Er was sent to the county manor, she could not be given important tasks and would likely be given odd jobs at the outer courtyard.
Taking Jian Er along, she left quickly. As for Feng Yuheng, with a cold expression on her face, she brought Huang Quan with her and walked towards the courtyard where Xuan Tianming’s study was. When she arrived, Bai Ze was standing guard outside, Huang Quan knew how to behave, standing next to Bai Ze and stopped following. Feng Yuheng pushed the door open and entered alone, and without reporting, she opened her mouth once she entered and said: “There are too many people living in a fantasy. Xuan Tianming, do you think that everyone who is an important official, once their family has a beautiful daughter, they will only think of sending her into the palace?”
Xuan Tianming was currently reading. Seeing that she had come, he quickly pulled his attention away from the book, and towards Feng Yuheng’s words, he pondered for a while and understood the implications, so he smiled: “So? The Lu family wants to send their daughter to Sixth Brother’s side?”
She nodded, half slumping on Xuan Tianming’s desk, her small head leaned forward and she spoke with an irritated expression: “Lu Ping is beautiful, even more beautiful than Feng Chenyu in the past. In fact, she is a rather good person, and is not like Feng Chenyu in the past. But to match with Sixth Brother, I feel that there is something missing. And for this matter, if the two parties were willing, it is still rather good, but for the Lu family to calculate like this, it becomes filthy.”
Xuan Tianming reached out and pinched her face, telling her: “Actually you are over complicating the problem, thinking about this matter more simply, this is normal. Think about it, for each concubine and noble lady in the imperial palace, which of their birth families does not have a certain level of power? For someone who can sit on the Empress’ seat, the power of their birth family plays a decisive role. Of course, other than the current Empress. But thinking back a few generations, isn’t it all like this? The daughter of the Prime Minister becoming an imperial concubine or even an Empress, this sounds natural.”
Feng Yuheng was a little stunned, she did not have such profound knowledge to think about the past few generations. After all, she did not understand the past few generations at all. She only thought about the era she was familiar with, thinking about the historical background which existed in her timeline and even thinking about many historical dramas…… thinking like this, she did feel that Xuan Tianming was being reasonable.
It was true! When any Emperor holds a selection, don’t they choose from the family of officials, she had never heard of anyone going to the streets to pull the daughters from commoner families into the palace. She wrinkled her nose: “So, saying it like that, Lu Song is not in the wrong?”
“No.” Xuan Tianming shook his head, “He is wrong. He is wrong is trying to manipulate the court, wrong in trying to change the political situation, and has made a bigger mistake by having a bad character. For a person like him, he cannot be allowed to become a senior official. That girl from the Lu family who came to report should be rewarded.”
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