The abstinent and powerful minister is cold and aloof during the day, but he adores her in his dream

Chapter 90 Lu Zhan Makes an Excuse for Her
Upon hearing this, Zhiwan clutched her handkerchief tightly.

Madam Lu's meaning was very clear: if Ouyang Zhenzhu, an outsider, could travel with her cousin, there was no reason why Lu Jinglan, a family member, couldn't. Moreover, not giving Madam Lu face would be unfilial.

Zhiwan never expected that Old Madam Lu would make things difficult for her eldest grandson, whom she had always valued, just for the sake of Lu Jinglan.

It seems that Lu Jinglan holds a place in Old Madam Lu's heart no less than Lu Zhan.

What should my cousin do?
Could it be that, in order to avoid giving others cause for gossip, they won't let Pearl accompany them?
Or, out of respect for Old Madam Lu, agree to let Lu Jinglan accompany them?

Thinking of this, Zhiwan couldn't help but look at her cousin.

But her cousin's expression remained calm, though his tone was much colder than before. "Grandmother, you may not know this, but I am not the only one who has been ordered to go to Jiangnan on this mission. Ouyang Zhenzhu is Ouyang Lei's sister. Whether Ouyang Zhenzhu wants to come or not is none of my business, and I have no reason not to let Ouyang Zhenzhu come."

Zhi Wan blinked. Did her cousin mean that Ouyang Shaoqing would also be going to Jiangnan?

Although he didn't say it explicitly, that's the gist of it.

But that doesn't make sense. If Ouyang Shaoqing was going too, Ouyang Zhenzhu couldn't possibly not know. The fact that Zhenzhu didn't mention it at all means that her cousin's trip to Jiangnan on business didn't require Ouyang Shaoqing to go with him.

My cousin said that to shut up Old Madam Lu.

Sure enough, upon hearing that Ouyang Lei would also be going, Old Madam Lu's expression became somewhat uneasy. "So Ouyang Lei is going too." Her tone softened a bit.

Lu Jinglan, who had been silent until now, looked at Zhiwan with surprise, "So Ouyang Shaoqing will be going too? Then why did Ouyang Zhenzhu go to such lengths to go to the trouble of finding someone nearby? You even went to ask Jinzhi to let her come along?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhan glanced at Zhi Wan with his dark eyes, a hint of surprise in his expression.

Zhiwan's heart sank. Her cousin didn't know that when the two were talking outside Qingyun Residence that afternoon, Lu Jinglan had been hiding nearby and overheard their conversation. Now that Lu Jinglan had said that, would her cousin think that it was because she had spread the word that Lu Jinglan knew about it?

Thinking of this, she deliberately hesitated and said, "Aunt Jinglan, you must have misheard. Although you and Lu Lan were hiding behind the flowering trees, you may not have heard clearly what I said to my cousin."

Lu Jinglan's expression froze.

As expected, Madam Wei, Lu Zhan, and even Old Madam Lu all looked at her in surprise.

"You were actually eavesdropping on their conversation?" Madam Wei exclaimed incredulously. "What kind of upbringing is this?"

Madam Lu's face darkened, and she said to Lu Jinglan, "What exactly happened? Why were you hiding behind the flowering tree eavesdropping?"

Lu Jinglan panicked and quickly explained, "That's not how it is, Wan'er misunderstood. Lu Lan and I didn't intentionally hide there to eavesdrop. We just happened to be passing by and heard it."

"Did you just happen to be passing by? But my cousin's yard is quite a distance from the garden. How could you just happen to be passing by my cousin's yard?" Zhiwan asked, puzzled.

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinglan nearly tore her palms apart.

She never expected that Zhiwan, who usually seemed quiet, would speak so sharply.

She wasn't really just passing by; she and Lu Lan saw Zhiwan and deliberately followed her.

And secretly, she hoped to bump into him by chance...

She glanced quickly at Lu Zhan, then forced herself to remain calm and said, "Lu Lan lost her hairpin, and I went with her to look for it. It was just a coincidence that I saw you and Jinzhi talking, so I didn't go up to disturb you. I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation." "I see, Aunt Jinglan, you are so considerate," Zhiwan said with a smile.

Seeing the bright smile on her face, Lu Jinglan's gaze turned cold.

Zhiwan put away her smile and said seriously, "But you did misunderstand at the time, after all, there was some distance between us. My cousin was going on an official business this time, and there weren't many women on the road. Since Ouyang Shaoqing is a man, there were many things that Pearl couldn't easily tell her brother, so she came to me and wanted to set off with me tomorrow morning. So naturally, I had to ask my cousin's opinion first. If Aunt has any doubts, she can ask Ouyang Shaoqing herself."

Lu Jinglan didn't believe a word she said, but she couldn't argue with her now, otherwise it would bring up the matter of her eavesdropping and make everyone doubt her character.

Madam Lu softened her tone and said, "Although it's an official business, bringing an extra family member isn't a big deal. Jinzhi, you can have your aunt come along..."

“Grandmother, if my cousin hadn’t wanted to go back to Yangzhou to sweep the tombs, I wouldn’t have let her come along. I am carrying out an imperial order this time, and it cannot be taken lightly. If anything goes wrong, our Lu family cannot bear the consequences.” Lu Zhan’s tone became slightly more serious.

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Lu was completely speechless.

After all, the grandson was there on official business, not for sightseeing.

“I’m leaving early tomorrow morning. If Grandmother has nothing else to say, I’ll go back and rest first,” Lu Zhan said, getting up.

"Go ahead." Old Madam Lu nodded, then added, "Be careful while you're out and about."

"Yes." Lu Zhan replied, turning his head to look at Zhi Wan, and said in a serious tone, "Aren't you going back to rest? If you can't get up tomorrow morning, I won't wait for you."

Zhiwan was taken aback. Was her cousin making an excuse for her to go back because he was afraid the old lady would make things difficult for her again?
Understanding her cousin's intention, she quickly stood up and said, "I'll go back now."

Lu Zhan didn't say anything more and walked outside.

Zhiwan looked at Wei Shi.

Madam Wei patted her hand, "Listen to your cousin, go back and rest early. I have some things to discuss with the old lady."

Zhiwan nodded obediently, bowed to Old Madam Lu, and then left.

Watching the two walk away one after the other, Lu Jinglan lowered her eyes to look at the tips of her shoes.

Jinzhi was willing to let Zhiwan accompany him, so why wouldn't he take her with him?
Zhiwan was his cousin, and she was also his honorary aunt.

Lu Jinglan felt bitter and resentful.

Madam Lu was also a little upset. She looked at Madam Wei and said, "You've been too lenient with that girl, Zhiwan. Although she's lived in the Duke's mansion for five years, has she started to think of herself as the master of the house? She even dared to let a guest stay overnight without permission."

Upon hearing this, Madam Wei was displeased and said indifferently, "How can you say that, Mother? Although the Duke and I have not formally adopted Wan'er, we have long regarded her as our own daughter. Moreover, Wan'er has always been very polite. Every time Ouyang Zhenzhu comes to stay at the mansion, she asks me first, and I agree to it."

"Mother is being unreasonable. It's so inappropriate to speak to a child like that. Wan'er has always respected you. Thank goodness she went home first and didn't hear what you said, otherwise she would have been so heartbroken."

Madam Lu frowned and said unhappily, "I was just saying it casually, why are you taking it so seriously?"

"Is it okay to say such things so casually?" Madam Wei suppressed her anger and asked coldly.

(End of this chapter)