Let her steal if she wants. Because soon, she’ll know. Li Wenxun’s rise to power, his wife’s诰命 (a formal decree conferring a title of nobility upon a woman) – none of that was due to Li Wenxun himself. It was all thanks to her, Lu Lingyun. She was the one who propped him up, paving the way for his rise, and it was her who reaped all the glory. Does that good-for-nothing sister think that stealing a man means stealing a life? If she wants to steal, let her steal. Let’s see what happens when Lu Hanying realizes things are completely different from her previous life. The kind Li family alone would be enough to disillusion her. And Ningyang Houfu (the Ningyang Marquis’ Residence)? I’d say it’s a hundred times better than the Li family. Her in-laws are kind, the family is glorious – it’s all that many people crave in a lifetime. Her husband having a concubine? Isn’t that even more convenient? All Lu Lingyun wants in life is to be the mistress of the house, the most glorious and prestigious one.
“Alright, go back and check the accounts.” Lu Lingyun said, then took Zhibian back to her room.
Days passed by in a blink of an eye. Lu Lingyun acted as if she knew nothing of the matter, settling into the inner courtyard, reviewing accounts and tending to flowers. She had no idea how Lu Hanying had persuaded her mother, or how the two families had come to an agreement. But the marriage proposals had been swapped, that much was certain. When the notice finally reached her, the eight characters (the characters representing the year, month, day, and hour of birth) had already been matched, and all the readings were extremely auspicious. All three families were overjoyed and began preparing for the wedding.
“Lingyun, Pingniang has treated you like her own daughter since you were young, always putting you first. Your mother has found you a wonderful match – the Ningyang Houfu, a family overflowing with glory. Their only son, the young master, wants to take you as his wife. You would be the young mistress of the Ningyang Houfu. What do you think?” Lu Lingyun’s father, seated high up, spoke.
Her stepmother, Lady Liu, sat beside him, wiping away tears, her face full of relief. “It’s a small matter for me to suffer a bit. It wouldn’t be worth it unless I fulfilled my sister’s wishes and found Lingyun a good match. The Ningyang Houfu, with such a great family history, wanting to marry into our family… that’s truly a great blessing.”
Listening to her father and stepmother, Lu Lingyun couldn’t help but chuckle inside. In her previous life, they hadn’t spoken like this when they tried to marry her off to the Li family. They had constantly belittled the Ningyang Houfu, claiming they were worthless, while elevating the Li family, praising their character. They acted as if they were worried she was about to be thrown into a pit of fire.
Lu Lingyun’s expression remained calm, as she answered softly, “I’ll do whatever my parents decide.”
Seeing her like this, Lu Lingyun’s father and Lady Liu nodded repeatedly. They exchanged a glance, both feeling satisfied. Lu Lingyun had always been a well-behaved and sensible girl, never competing or demanding. Where she married was no concern to them. Of course, this was only possible because their precious daughter, Lu Hanying, had vehemently rejected the match.
Lady Liu stood up and took Lu Lingyun’s hand. “Lingyun, although your elder sister wasn’t by your side when you were young, you must always remember, the Lu family will always be your family. After you marry, you must look after your sisters and support the family. We must always stick together, our fortunes intertwined.”
“Yes.” Lu Lingyun remained obedient.
Her compliant nature filled her father and Lady Liu with joy. Lady Liu immediately presented Lu Lingyun with several precious pieces of jewelry as gifts for her wedding trousseau. Lu Lingyun’s father even declared he would give her the most lavish dowry, ensuring a grand wedding.
A slight smile curved Lu Lingyun’s lips as she gazed at the jade green bracelet on her wrist, her eyes finally reflecting genuine happiness. All of this was superficial. Real wealth, real money, that was what mattered. A little cunning, a little manipulation, and she could secure some real benefits for herself. In her previous life, her dowry had been far inferior to Lu Hanying’s. With her current obedience, she would be assured of a dowry far surpassing her previous one.
She lowered her gaze, a smile playing on her lips, when a certain gaze landed on her. She looked up and met Lu Hanying’s eyes.
Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter