Wrath was quickly accumulating in Lu Ming's chest, threatening to explode.
Just what kind of wicked star had he brought back?!
How was he supposed to reason with her in this state? Reason my ass!
Lu Ming was hopping mad.
"I'm your father, you have to listen to me! No matter what, you can't marry the Prince Jin!"
He had been somewhat tempted before, but now he understood. He had to firmly stand on the Second Prince and Emperor's side. He couldn't side with the Prince Jin!
Moreover, Lu Zhaoling's behavior clearly showed that she was a troublemaker, hard to control. Even if she got any benefits, she definitely wouldn't think of the Lu family.
Most importantly, he couldn't let Lu Zhaoling climb such a big tree and completely escape his control.
"Lu Zhaoyun and the Second Prince have set a wedding date?" Lu Zhaoling suddenly asked.
Lu Ming subconsciously replied, "No....."
"Then you can consider calling off the engagement. Anyway, I've already received the imperial decree."
Lu Zhaoling said this and gestured to Qingyin and Qingbao to help her up.
She wanted to go back to sleep. She had a headache, felt dizzy, and was too tired today.
"If you dare to defy the decree yourselves, go tell the Emperor that you don't recognize this marriage arrangement, then I'll respect your courage. Go on, if you have the guts, go!"
She gave them a crooked smile. "Don't dare, right? No balls, right? You only dare to shout at me, like a nest of fleas, just looking at you hurts my eyes. Let's go."
The Lu family watched her walk away, their faces red with anger.
"Lu Zhaoling!"
Lu Ming's roar was left behind by Lu Zhaoling.
Qingyin and Qingbao helped her back to the Listening Warm Tower.
"Miss, this imperial decree should originally be placed in the Lu family's small ancestral hall for veneration....." Qingyin couldn't help but remind her, seeing that she had just taken the imperial decree back with her.
"The Lu family's ancestral hall is probably very dirty, no need. Just put it in a chest," Lu Zhaoling casually tossed the imperial decree to her.
Qingyin was startled and quickly caught it.
Could an imperial decree just be tossed over so casually? What if she hadn't caught it?
Also, what did Miss mean by saying that the Lu family's ancestral hall was very dirty?
Lu Zhaoling had already lain down on the bed.
"The news of the passing of the Supreme Emperor should be coming soon. How long do the princes have to observe mourning?" She thought of Lu Zhaoyun and the Second Prince's engagement.
Lu Zhaoyun publicly claimed to be seventeen, so she should be getting married soon, right?
Qingyin said, "In the Great Zhou Dynasty, princes only need to observe mourning for one year."
So it wasn't three years.
In that case, Lu Zhaoyun wouldn't be able to become the Second Prince Consort within a year. That was good.
Moreover, she and Prince Jin would have at least a year. After a year, her body and spirit should be recovered, and it would be the perfect time to break off the engagement.
Looking at it that way, Lu Zhaoling suddenly felt that the Supreme Emperor's passing had come at just the right time?
"Tomorrow, you two go back to the Prince Jin's Residence and ask the Prince Jin if he's temporarily lending you to me, or if he's gifting you to me. If it's the latter, bring back your contracts of indenture."
Lu Zhaoling said this and immediately fell asleep.
Qingyin and Qingbao exchanged a look.
They were both a little apprehensive.
Should they remain lent to Miss Lu, or would it be better to be gifted to her?
It was clear that Lu Zhaoling was unloved in the Lu Residence, having just returned from the countryside. She was likely penniless. Compared to the Prince Jin's Residence, a normal person would choose the Prince Jin's Residence.
But she had also been betrothed to Prince Jin. If she really became Prince Jin's consort in the future, then the two of them could still return to the residence with her.
Being the consort's left and right hand would be different from being ordinary maids.
Which choice would be better?
Seeing that Lu Zhaoling had already fallen asleep, the two maids tiptoed out and closed the door.
Farther away from the room, Qingling sighed, "Qingyin, Miss Lu doesn't even have a bundle of belongings. The outfit she changed into today was only sent over by someone because Imperial Physician Fu was there."
In other words, Lu Zhaoling was so poor that even rats wouldn't bother with her!
She had moved into the Listening Warm Tower, but luckily, all the daily necessities were already here.
"Yes, how could she not even bring a few sets of clothes to change into?" Qingyin was also speechless.
"What if the Wangye really gifts us to Miss Lu? What do we do?"
At this moment, Qingling was very anxious.
They had been in the Wangye's Residence for ten years and had long since considered it their home. There was a steward and Granny Qing in the Wangye's Residence. What did the Lu Residence have?
Here, they only had the feeling of being dependent on others.
Even Lu Zhaoling was ostracized, a lone tree unable to support itself. Let alone the two of them.
Qingyin, thinking about how Lu Zhaoling had seen through that she had killed someone today and pointed out that her hands were dirty, vaguely felt that Lu Zhaoling wouldn't remain miserable forever.
Miss Lu has some real abilities, right?
"Let's wait and see after we return to the Wangye's Residence tomorrow,"
And as soon as Lu Zhaoling returned to the Listening Warm Tower, the Lu family also learned about the news of the passing of the Supreme Emperor.
They were all stunned.
Lu Ming hurriedly ordered the servants to prepare white lanterns and for the various courtyards to change into plain clothing. For the time being, he could only put Lu Zhaoling's matter aside.
Lu Zhaoyun, however, was greatly impacted.
"Mother, with the imperial mourning, wouldn't my marriage to the Second Prince have to be postponed again?"
She had been looking forward to marrying the Second Prince soon!
Madam Lu's expression wasn't good either. "With the Supreme Emperor passing away, if the Second Prince wants to get married, he would have to rush it within a month during the mourning period, or it'll have to be a year later."
But they hadn't even set a wedding date yet. How could it be possible within a month?
The Emperor wouldn't agree either.
The Emperor wasn't very enthusiastic about this marriage to begin with, so he had been dragging his feet on choosing an auspicious day.
Lu Zhaoyun swayed.
"So I have to wait another year?"
She was afraid that there would be complications the longer she waited!
"What else can we do?" Madam Lu was also very helpless. "However, Lu Zhaoling can't marry into the Prince Jin's Residence within a year either! In that case, we have a whole year. We'll definitely be able to think of a way to break off her engagement!"
Perhaps, before a year was up, Lu Zhaoling wouldn't even be alive. Yet she still dared to dream of becoming Prince Jin's consort. How beautiful.
Madam Lu, having had tea splashed on her face by Lu Zhaoling in front of the entire family, had been feeling a chest pain for half the day.
The next morning, Qingyin returned to the Prince Jin's Residence.
As she wished, she met the Prince Jin.
Prince Jin was wearing a plain white brocade robe today.
Although it was plainly colored, wearing it made his features seem even more handsome, pure, and noble like the high moon.
Before Qingyin could speak, Prince Jin had Qingfeng hand over a bundle.
The bundle cloth looked washed and faded, stained with dust, and wrinkled.
"This is Lu Zhaoling's bundle. Take it back to her," Prince Jin said.
🚨 Note : Consider to Support this Story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access +300 advance Chapters & 2 Chapters Daily and To Support The Daily Update