Full House Spring

Chapter 71 Shocking Secret
Qiancao heard what the second wife and her son were saying outside. She squeezed next to Xia Li and asked in shock, "What's going on? Who did the prince sleep with?"

Xia Li's mouth didn't even curl up, and he said indifferently: "Who knows? I didn't see it."

The courtyard was quiet in the early morning, and everyone knew about the commotion. Qiancao took Xiali's arm and whispered, "Let's go out and see which girl is so bold."

Xia Li calmly pulled his arm out and said in a slightly cold voice, "You go ahead. When the old lady wakes up, someone needs to take care of her. Come back and tell me when you've seen her."

Qiancao thought this made sense, and said briskly, "Then I'll go quickly and be back soon."

Although Qiancao was gentle and sensible, she also had a lively and lovely side. When she got closer to the crowd and looked inside, the prince was already dressed neatly. Qiancao was seen kneeling on the bed with a worried look on her face, tears streaming down her cheeks.

When Lu Lingchuan regained consciousness and saw Xiangru's face, he knew he had been tricked. He quickly put on his clothes, looked at Lu Lingyan with cold eyes, and said clearly:

"Don't slander me here. I was drugged last night, which is why I am in such a mess. No one usually lives in the west wing. How did you find this place?"

Lu Lingyan smiled and said, "You didn't mention your own mistakes, but you find fault with others first. I heard from the servants that they heard noises in this room at night, and they came to check if there were any bad guys hiding there. How could they know that it was you who was making trouble in there?"

Luo Shi was watching the fun and said, "My Lord, you said someone was plotting against you. Do you have any evidence? If this gets out, it will have a negative impact on your reputation."

Lu Lingchuan subconsciously wanted to look for the note, but he stopped as soon as he turned around. He was afraid of involving Xia Li, as she definitely didn't want to be implicated in these scandals.

He pursed his lips tightly, thought for a moment and then said, "Can you ask Doctor Zhong to come and check? There should be some residual drugs in this room..."

Xiangru destroyed the note last night. When she heard that he was going to find a doctor to test the medicine, she hurriedly said, "My Lord, this was not done by me. I was knocked unconscious while walking on the road last night, and I became like this when I woke up. I am innocent..."

Before she finished her words, she heard the eldest wife's voice coming from outside.

"What are you all doing here? You unruly people, don't think that no one will restrain you just because the old lady is sick."

The servants of Le Shou Tang immediately scattered like birds and beasts. Lu Qinghe had never thought that his brother would be schemed against like this. Seeing Song's shocked expression, Luo felt a little gloating in her heart. She pretended to be sad and said:

"Sister-in-law, you came at the right time. What do you think we should do about this? If the news gets to the Gao family, I'm afraid the marriage..."

Song looked at her angrily and said mercilessly, "She is just a slave who seduced her master in an attempt to get promoted. If she slept with you, then she slept with you. If she was beaten with fifty sticks and dragged out to be sold, then it would be over. How could Miss Gao mind? You are worrying too much."

After hearing these words, Xiangru was so frightened that her face turned pale. She knelt on the ground in her middle clothes, kowtowed and begged:

"Madam, please calm down. I am innocent. Someone deliberately framed me. I am also a victim. Please understand me."

Song had lost her compassionate heart. She said angrily, "Will anyone believe you if you say this? There are dozens of people in Leshou Hall, why did you choose to be the one? I think you won't cry until you see the coffin."

After that, she did not even ask for Lu Lingchuan's opinion and said to Nanny Gui:
"Send a few servants to drag her to the front yard, beat her with a stick and sell her directly, then notify her family."

Nanny Gui bowed and agreed. Xiangru's face lost all color. She knelt down in front of the prince, grabbed his clothes and begged, "Master, please save me. I am really wronged..."

Lu Lingchuan was silent, his expression a little vague, as if he was absent-minded. Nanny Gui waved her hand to signal the servant to catch Xiangru. Xiangru was so scared that she grabbed the corner of Lu Lingchuan's clothes and refused to let go.

Lu Lingyan watched this farce leisurely, wanting to see how the prince would deal with it. Lu Lingchuan's body was shaken by the pulling, and he looked at Xiangru with pain in his eyes and said:

"Alright, stop making a fuss. No matter what the truth is, it has already happened. Don't sell this girl. It will just make me have another concubine in my backyard. It won't have any impact. Just... keep her."

Song seemed to have heard a huge joke and said in extreme disappointment:

"Do you know what you are talking about? You are raising a concubine before your wife even gets married. Is this something that people can do according to the rules? Where do you put Miss Gao?"

Pain and sorrow surged in Lu Lingchuan's eyes. He said indifferently:

"Didn't you also say that she is tolerant? As long as she doesn't give birth to a bastard son, it will be fine. She should know that I can't be the only one in my life."

Song Shi didn't seem to recognize her own son. Lu Qinghe couldn't hide her disappointment. She walked up to Xiangru angrily, slapped her hard, and said sternly, "What kind of drug did you give your brother? Who told you to do this?"

Xiangru stumbled and fell to the ground, her mouth bleeding, and she cried, "Miss, I really didn't do anything tricky. I was framed."

Lu Qinghe hated this kind of coquettish behavior. The more she watched, the angrier she became and she wanted to beat her up. However, Lu Lingchuan stopped her. He said in a deep voice, "Don't make a fuss. This matter is a foregone conclusion. Making a fuss will not help."

How could Song let Xiangru off easily? She said coldly, "If you want to keep her, I won't stop you, but she can only be a maid in this life, and never think of becoming a concubine."

Lu Lingchuan didn't even bother to look at Xiangru's expression, and said in a low voice:
"I will follow your mother's arrangements. I have no objection. I still have official business to attend to, so I have to leave first. Please apologize to my grandmother for me."

After that, Lu Lingchuan left without looking back. Seeing that there was nothing to watch, Lu Lingyan shrugged in boredom. Without the protection of the prince, Xiangru shrank back and dared not speak. Song said with disgust:

"Go to Linfeng Residence by yourself. If you dare to step out of the yard and cause trouble, I will drag you out and beat you to death. No one will be able to save you then."

Xiangru had no doubt about the truthfulness of the eldest lady's words. She kowtowed tremblingly to express her gratitude, not even bothering to take a change of clothes, and walked towards Linfengju without any dignity.

After she left, Lu Qinghe complained, "Brother, have you been possessed by a ghost? He wants something like this, it's really outrageous!"

Song said sarcastically, "Men are just like cats that steal fish. Once they get a taste of fish, they will never let go. To them, women are just tools to warm the bed and give birth to children. As long as they are useful, it doesn't matter how they came."

Lu Qinghe always felt that her mother's words were meaningful. She wanted to ask something else, but Song said with a stern face, "Don't waste time here. Go in and see your grandmother."

Although there was a lot of commotion outside, the old lady inside was being well taken care of. When they entered the house, Aunt Xie was feeding the old lady breakfast. Doctor Zhong's medical skills were indeed superb. The old lady's symptoms of crooked mouth and squinting eyes were significantly alleviated. The old lady said in a hoarse voice: "Lingchuan... How do we deal with Elsholtzia ciliata?"

Before Song could reply, Luo spoke first, "Mother, you don't know that our prince is kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see that girl suffer, so he wanted to make her his concubine. My sister-in-law thought it was against the rules, so she made her a maidservant. In my opinion, she was a maidservant by your side, so she could be a concubine. Why be so harsh?"

The old lady ignored Luo and looked at Song and said, "Lingchuan's biggest shortcoming is that he is too indecisive. Without thunderous means, how can he suppress those monsters and demons..."

Song smiled bitterly and said helplessly: "Mother sees it clearly, but the situation is difficult now. Whether it can be done... is unknown. Let's consider other things after everything is settled."

The old lady also sighed, and it was obvious that she was worried as well. Luo didn't understand what the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were talking about. She resented the old lady for hiding everything from the second wife and never considering their thoughts.

Lu Qinghe didn't listen to her mother's words. Her attention was all on Xia Li. Seeing that she was still gentle and amiable, without any sign of grievance or unhappiness, she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

Originally, she wanted to talk to Xia Li and seek redress for her brother, but now it seemed that there was no possibility for the two of them to be together, so she simply gave up the idea.

Was Xia Li really not touched at all? Not necessarily. What she was worried about was that the Third Master Yan dared to plot against the Prince. If he had evil thoughts towards her one day, wouldn't it be easy for him to deal with her? Xia Li had only cared about herself from the beginning to the end.

While the masters were talking in the house, Xia Li carried the empty teacups to the tea room. As soon as she put the tea tray on the table, she heard Lu Lingyan's hoarse voice behind her: "Lu Lingchuan couldn't resist the temptation, just like most ordinary people. Are you disappointed?"

Xia Li turned around and curled his lips lightly, "What does he have to do with me? Why should I be disappointed? Master Yan San sent Xiangru to the prince's bed, and he had great intentions."

Lu Lingyan's eye wrinkles appeared from laughing, and he said happily:

"I knew you could guess that the people in this mansion praise Lu Lingchuan to the sky, and everything belongs to him. If I mix up the bloodline and let him raise my son in the future, how fun would that be?"

Xia Li looked at him as if he was crazy. "If Third Master can't stand the Crown Prince, you can compete with him openly. Even if Xiangrui's son is yours, it may not be of any use. The court is not peaceful right now. It's unknown whether the Duke's Mansion can keep its title. Your plan is not smart at all."

Lu Lingyan's face darkened. No wonder Lu Jianfeng had been so quiet in recent days. He stayed in the mansion all day and was unaware of what was happening in the court.

Lu Lingyan said with a distorted expression: "It would be better if the Duke's Mansion collapsed. Lu Jianxing can ask his brothers to raise his son for him, so why can't I? It's a pity that the plan died just at the beginning. It's really unlucky..."

He seemed very annoyed, and regardless of how shocked Xia Li was, he continued, "I have something else to do, so I won't talk to you in detail today. I'll come to see you another day."

He left after saying this, leaving Xia Li alone to digest this shocking secret...

While the old lady was recuperating, there was not much turmoil in the court. Hearing that the emperor was able to handle state affairs again, the situation maintained a strange balance.

Xia Li still lived a peaceful life, but secretly prayed that someone who could help her escape from slavery would appear soon.

She always felt that the current calm was brewing a bigger storm, and this feeling of uneasiness was very strong.

Now that the weather is pleasant, she sits under the eaves doing needlework. No matter what happens tomorrow, the most important thing is to do what she should do now.

Familiar footsteps were heard outside the courtyard. Xia Li's hands kept moving. She raised her eyes and smiled, "Grandma, are you willing to come back and rest?"

Aunt Xie looked at her and did not respond to her words. She just said with mixed feelings: "Xia Li, I asked someone to inquire about your relatives and there is some information. They are here to find you."

Xia Li's hand trembled and the embroidery needle pierced her fingertips. A drop of blood fell on the embroidery frame. She trembled and asked, "Grandma, which family is this? Are they also in Kyoto?"

Aunt Xie understood her feelings very well and comforted her softly:
"Don't worry, the person coming is the second master of the Fang family in Laizhou. He was the runner-up in the imperial examination the year before last and is now working in the Hanlin Academy. The Fang family in Laizhou is a family of scholars and the family is prosperous and has been rich for several generations!"

The last few words that Aunt Xie said were meaningful. Xia Li knew what she was hinting at. If she was a girl from the Fang family in Laizhou, she would be a real lady from a noble family, and her life would take a completely different path from then on.

Xia Li wanted to get rid of her maid status so much that she was undoubtedly excited, but she was also sober and rational. After she let out a breath, she said calmly, "I'm sorry to have made grandma worry about me. The Fang family can find me, but it doesn't mean that I am their daughter. Let's not think too much about it. Let's meet them first."

Aunt Xie was very pleased. She took the embroidery frame from her hand and said in a low voice:

"Master Fang did not alert anyone in the mansion. He gave me the news privately. He is waiting at the house in the back alley right now, inviting me to take you to recognize him in private."

Xia Li subconsciously thought of the man he met on the mountain. He thought that this Lord Fang was just like him, a rare talent, so he considered everything so carefully. Xia Li said calmly:
"Then let's go straight over there and don't keep them waiting. If it's yes then it's yes. If it's not, forget it. We'll avoid being disappointed."

Madam Xie's eyes softened as she said, "You have to change your clothes. If they are really your relatives, you have to let them know that even if you are reduced to being a maid, you can still live a decent life."

Aunt Xie was paving the way for her to return home and recognize her relatives. Even though she had a bad life experience, she still had the bearing and composure of a lady from a noble family, so that she would not be looked down upon. Xia Li's eyes felt a little sore, and she was speechless for a moment.

Nanny Xie took her back to the room and found a white silk blouse with gold print, a hibiscus and plum blossom pattern gauze half-sleeve and a waist-length pleated skirt with floral pattern for her to wear. She also found a goose yellow ribbon to tie it around her neck, and then combed her hair into a small bun and put on a velvet flower headdress. She looked dignified and lively, more elegant and dignified than the girls in the mansion.

Aunt Xie looked very satisfied and said with emotion:

"Your inherent nobility cannot be concealed no matter where you are. I guarantee that the Fang family will love you when they see you."

Xia Li raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and said calmly: "It doesn't matter whether they like it or not. Anyway, I have grandma's wholehearted love, which is enough. As long as they can help me escape from slavery, nothing else matters."

Nanny Xie felt very distressed when she heard this. This girl, who should have been raised in luxury, had suffered for so many years. Fortunately, Xia Li had a strong character, otherwise she would have fallen into disgrace long ago.

After the grandparents and grandchildren were dressed up, they went to the back alley, attracting a lot of attention along the way. It was common knowledge that Xia Li was outstanding, but she had always been low-key and never overdressed herself. Only when she dressed up occasionally could people take their eyes off her.

However, the most excited person at this moment was Fang Jingzhi. His palms were sweating as he stood in front of the courtyard gate.

After receiving the news from Kuang Chengrui, he immediately started to investigate and did not come to recognize his relatives until he was sure that it was correct.

He had no other extravagant hopes. As long as his younger sister was safe and sound and standing in front of him, that would be enough for him in this life!

　The answers will be solved one by one, don't worry, my dears~

　　
　
(End of this chapter)