After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 181 Brother
Five days later, when Xiang Ning woke up, she looked at the somewhat unfamiliar canopy above her head and hadn't quite come to her senses.

She remembered that after leaving the Pei residence, she thought about selling her jewelry to get some money to help her leave the capital.

To prevent Pei Yanzhi from finding her, Madam Pei abandoned her in a faraway place.

Exhausted, she felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and fainted. But the person who flashed through her vision was someone she recognized—Tang Yanjun.

"The young lady is awake?"

A clear, crisp sound rang out. Xiang Ning propped herself up and sat up, only to see a young maidservant carrying water walking quickly towards her.

"Please have some water, young lady. I'll go and invite the master and young master over right away."

Her eyes were full of joy. After seeing Xiang Ning take the water, she quickly turned around and walked outside.

Xiang Ning didn't even have a chance to ask her a question before she disappeared.

She sat on the bed, holding a teacup in her hand, her face blank.

Before long, Lu Weimin and Lu Jiang rushed over.

"Little sister, is there anything else that's bothering you?"

Lu Jiang's voice came in before he even entered.

Upon hearing this, Xiang Ning looked up. She had met Lu Jiang before, but this was the first time she had met Lu Weimin.

"It's good that you're back. Our family is reunited now."

Lu Weimin stood sideways, not wanting Xiang Ning to see his reddened eyes. He raised his hand to wipe away the tears that had involuntarily streamed down his face, and slowly uttered these words.

Lu Jiang smiled and said, "Dad, your little sister is back. You should be happy."

Hearing Lu Jiang's words, Lu Weimin nodded hurriedly: "Yes, Dad must be happy."

After the father and son finished speaking, Lu Jiang looked at Xiang Ning and said, "You..."

"Young Master Lu, what are you talking about? I don't quite understand."

Xiang Ning's bewilderment seemed genuine, and Lu Jiang felt a pang of heartache, but he also knew it was the effect of the Forget-Me-Not herb.

So he repeated to Xiang Ning what he had said before at the suburban mansion.

“All the clues I’ve found point to you, so there’s absolutely no mistake. You should have the evidence your mother left you.”

After Lu Jiang finished speaking, he took out the sachet he always carried and showed it to Xiang Ning.

The familiar embroidery pattern came into view, and Xiang Ning frowned, suddenly feeling a headache.

Seeing this, Lu Jiang quickly put it away and said, "It's okay, it's alright if you don't remember."

"Go quickly and fetch a doctor."

Lu Weimin, who was standing to the side, raised his hand to signal the maid to hurry up and fetch a doctor. Xiang Ning lowered her head and said, "I remember this sachet."

It was taken away by Pei Yanzhi when it was in the Pei residence, and he still hasn't gotten it back.

Upon hearing this, Lu Jiang turned to look at Lu Weimin and choked out, "My little sister has suffered so much."

"No one will bully you anymore."

Lu Jiang reached out and patted Xiang Ning's head; he wouldn't let anyone bully her.

After saying that, Xiang Ning looked up at them, feeling a surge of affection in her heart.

Blood ties have always been unreasonable.

Even though she had never met them, Xiang Ning would not doubt the meaning behind their words.

Before long, the doctor came and examined Xiang Ning. He said that she was fine, but since she had been taking the Forget-Me-Not herb for so long, it would inevitably affect her memory to some extent.

"It's ok."

Lu Weimin breathed a sigh of relief. He could look for his memory again if he lost it, as long as he was physically alright.

And so, Xiang Ning settled down at the Lu residence and was given a new name.

His formal name is Lu Chaoguang, and his nickname is Ning.

Lu Jiang then called her A Ning, and they became closer.

Lu Weimin and Lu Jiang provided Xiang Ning with a lot of things, and in addition, they converted the entire backyard into her residence.

She ordered all servants in the manor that anyone who disrespected the Second Miss should be thrown out of the manor.

Chunxi, the maidservant who served Xiangning, was a servant born into the household and was very lively and adorable. Xiangning also liked her and learned a lot about the Lu family from her.

"The young master treats the young lady very well. All the things in this room are things that the young master brought back from his travels all over the years."

"Young master said that if the young lady gets bored, she can go out for a walk."

Chunxi helped Xiangning take a walk in the courtyard. The weather in Ling'an was warmer than in the capital.

There wasn't much snow, and you could even see plum blossoms of various colors braving the cold and snow in the garden.

"Ah Ning, why are you dressed so lightly?"

Lu Jiang returned from outside, saw Xiang Ning, and walked over with a smile.

"I'm not cold."

Xiang Ning shook her head, but Lu Jiang insisted on taking off his cloak and putting it on Xiang Ning.

"If you're bored staying at home, I'll take you out for a stroll tomorrow?"

Lu Jiang walked beside Xiang Ning and asked, "Can I go out?" Upon hearing this, Xiang Ning stopped and turned to look at him: "Can I go out?"

"Why not? You can go out and talk to Chunxi if you want."

Hearing Xiang Ning's question, Lu Jiang couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

Pei Yanzhi was afraid that she would see him, so he kept A Ning restrained.

Thinking of this, news of going to the capital surfaced in Lu Jiang's mind again. He gave a cold smile and said nothing more.

Madam Pei kicked Xiang Ning out, claiming that Xiang Ning had asked to leave the mansion herself.

Pei Yanzhi was furious, but he didn't know where Xiang Ning was.

Lu Weimin originally wanted to put Xiang Ning in the family genealogy, but Lu Jiang thought that she was still not well and was also afraid that Pei Yanzhi would cause trouble, so he decided to wait.

However, Xiang Ning's identity plaque had already been sent to the Lu family ancestral hall.

"Back then, you were thinking of opening an embroidery shop in the capital. I happen to have a shop under my management. If you'd like, how about I entrust it to you to manage?"

As the two were talking, they walked to a pavilion. Lu Jiang remembered what Xiang Ning had wanted to do before and made a suggestion.

This way, she can pass the time and not be bored all day.

"Thank you, Brother Lu..."

Xiang Ning looked up at Lu Jiang, a hint of gratitude flashing in her eyes.

Having lived in the Lu family mansion for so long, Xiang Ning still couldn't bring herself to call her uncle and elder brother.

But Lu Weimin and Lu Jiang never pressured Xiang Ning; they let her do as she pleased.

This was the first time Lu Jiang had ever heard Xiang Ning call him "Big Brother".

His eyes widened slightly, filled with surprise: "You, you just called me big brother..."

"There are some things I can't remember, and it seems I'm gradually forgetting them, but I know who is good to me."

“My uncle and elder brother are my family. I can feel your kindness to me. If I still don’t appreciate it, wouldn’t I be hurting my uncle and elder brother’s feelings?”

That was a feeling Xiang Ning had never experienced since losing her parents.

"Don't say that. If we had found you sooner, you wouldn't have suffered so much."

Lu Jiang felt dissatisfied whenever he thought of Pei Yanzhi's attitude.

But now that they are reunited as a family, they won't talk about the past.

He will make up for everything Xiang Ning lost.

From now on, she will never let anyone bully her again.

"Can I go and take a look at that shop tomorrow?"

Xiang Ning smiled and looked at Lu Jiang, asking this question to steer the conversation away from the somewhat heavy topic.

Lu Jiang nodded: "You can go whenever you want. I'll go with you tomorrow."

To prevent those old foxes from bullying her.

Xiang Ning understood what Lu Jiang meant. This was the first time she had experienced the feeling of being protected by her brother.

(End of this chapter)