Lu Ziyuan stared for a few seconds, suddenly reached out to take the cup of wine held by the woman, and drank it down.
The silent hall suddenly erupted in cheers.
Chen Wen’s eyes shone as he smiled at his daughter, saying, "Now that Mr. Lu has taken a liking to you, stay by his side and serve him well."
"Wait," Lu Ziyuan raised his hand, saying: "I have no intention to take a concubine."
When he said this, Chen Wen’s brows furrowed slightly, but he quickly smiled: "Mr. Lu has not yet taken a wife, indeed it’s not appropriate to take a concubine first. It would be a blessing for my daughter to serve you, even if as a slave or maid."
Even as an illegitimate daughter, she is still the illegitimate daughter of a third-rank official, presented as a concubine but not needed, directly as a slave or maid, lowering her status to such a degree, refusing would seem unreasonable.
Lu Ziyuan glanced again at the girl whose face had already turned pale, ignoring her.
In the latter half of the banquet, Chen Xixi sat beside him, and whenever she poured wine for him, she tried to lean against him several tis, but was repelled by his cold deanor.
Until the banquet ended, Lu Ziyuan didn’t give her another glance.
However, when leaving, he took her with him.
In the carriage.
Looking at the man with closed eyes leaning against the wall of the carriage, seemingly slightly drunk, Chen Xixi knelt down, lacking the seductive posture she showed at the banquet, and choked: "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for saving ."
Lu Ziyuan opened his eyes slowly, showing no interest in her story, not even asking where the ’saving’ part ca from, just frowned and said: "Shut up."
Chen Xixi trembled all over, dared not speak again, and without being called, could only maintain a stiff kneeling posture, kneeling there.
By the ti she got off the carriage, her knees were sore and weak, her walk unsteady, making onlookers think sothing indescribable had happened in the carriage.
Mingjian watched, also thinking the two had accomplished sothing, feeling sowhat secretly pleased.
He had long noticed his master’s obsession with Miss Xie, and now he was willing to direct his attention to another woman, even if as a substitute, it was good news.
Thus, when Lu Ziyuan ca out of the bath, what he saw was a woman in light gauze, partly revealing her chest, lying on his bed.
His steps halted, his gaze suddenly icy, as he abruptly grabbed a jade pot and smashed it toward the door.
"Get in here!"
The door was pushed open, Mingjian walked in, and upon seeing the woman half-exposed on the bed, quickly lowered his head, not daring to glance further.
Lu Ziyuan laughed in anger, "You arranged this?"
"...Yes." Mingjian finally realized his mistake, ashadly lowering his head, "I will go take my punishnt."
"Wait," Lu Ziyuan pointed to the bed, saying: "She’s yours."
"No!" The woman curled up on the bed hurriedly spoke out, "Xi’er is yours."
Lu Ziyuan didn’t even look at her, said to the stunned Mingjian: "Not for you to marry, just have her first, I still have use for her later."
Finished speaking, he stepped towards the door, behind him ca a dull sound, the sound of rolling off the bed with the quilt.
Chen Xixi cried: "I beg you, for the sake of my cousin, don’t humiliate like this."
Cousin...
Lu Ziyuan’s eyes turned cold, crouched slowly, lifted her chin with his fingers, looked down at her, and said: "Who told you that you look like her?"
"...It was Auntie." Chen Xixi’s eyes flickered: "When I was young in the Capital City, I t my cousin a few tis, please, for her sake..."
The sudden pain in her jaw made her unable to continue.
"Don’t ntion her again." Lu Ziyuan released her chin, stood up and said: "I’ll give you two choices, either go back where you ca from, or your life and death will be decided by ."
Chen Xixi said: "Xi’er is yours, my life and death should indeed be in your hands."
Lu Ziyuan sneered, turned to Mingjian: "Do you want her?"
Mingjian hurriedly shook his head.
What a joke, this woman looks like Miss Xie, he’d have to be mad to touch her.
"Fine," Lu Ziyuan looked down at the woman kneeling on the ground, said indifferently: "Rember, you will never be mine, if I hear this again, you won’t keep your life."
There was undisguised killing intent in his eyes, and Chen Xixi no longer harbored any hope, hastily bowed her head, "Yes, Xi’er understands."
Mingjian took her out.
But the scent of makeup on the woman lingered in the room, Lu Ziyuan glanced at the bed where she lay, turned and left.
Outside in the courtyard, the moon hung high in the sky, its cold light as always spreading over the world.
Another full moon night.
His steps, ant to head to the study, halted, Lu Ziyuan stood in the corridor, staring blankly at the moonlight.
Until footsteps sounded behind him, he slightly moved his neck, and said: "What do you think she’s doing now?"
"..." Mingjian paused for a mont, then said: "Probably sleeping."
No need to look at the ti, even if she wasn’t asleep, she would be preparing to sleep.
Saddened by his master’s unrequited longing, Mingjian comforted him: "Rest assured, Miss Xie has not shared a room with that person."
Rest assured...
Lu Ziyuan nearly laughed.
What can he rest assured about?
Every day he can’t see her, every night, he has never been at ease.
Worried that during these days she may have developed more feelings while with that sickly man.
Worried that she may have completely cast him aside.
Worried... whether she kept her promise not to let that sickly man get close...
Also worried about what to do if that sickly man’s health improved?
Fortunately, everything in Qingzhou City is settled, and tomorrow he can set off back to the Capital.
I wonder if in the three months he was away from the Capital, whether the heartless girl ever thought of him for even a mont.
"Will that Miss Chen return to the Capital with us?" Mingjian suddenly spoke up.
Lu Ziyuan responded softly, "If today’s event happens again, figure it out yourself."
"..." Mingjian hesitated.
He really wanted to remind him, last ti they brought back a girl, you even lost your fiancée.
This ti, since you’re not interested, what’s the point of bringing her back?
......
The missed Xie Wanqing wasn’t asleep at this mont.
She sat on the bed, holding a few sheets of letter paper, her gaze fell upon them, sotis widening her eyes in surprise, sotis furrowing her brow, absorbed in reading.
During the day when Pei Yuqing ntioned the Second Prince’s lack of virtue, she hadn’t taken it seriously.
Until she read this letter, she was shocked by what lack of virtue truly ant.
Being promiscuous, having many wives and concubines, could only be considered as being flirtatious.
As written in the letter, the Second Prince favored married won the most, followed by young maidens.
Most of these married won were from well-behaved civilian families fearing his power, a few were high-born won seduced by him, once out of hand, left anxious and could only comply.
And the young maidens were even more eye-catching.
Just the nas listed were several girls known to Xie Wanqing, and those she knew, without exception, were noblewon from the Capital.
Their statuses ant that even if they couldn’t beco the Prince’s main wife, they could at least hold a concubine position, but each Prince could only have two concubines...
That isn’t enough to go around.
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