After being reborn, the empress only wanted to seduce the emperor and seize the empress's posit

Chapter 31 Your humble servant pays respects to Consort Lu

Seeing that it was getting late and fearing danger, Zhou Shuo had no choice but to dissuade him again, saying, "Young Master, it's getting late. When shall we return to the palace?"

"No rush," Xiao Jingheng said, seeing Lu Jingning's happy expression, determined to keep her happy to the end. He whispered, "Prepare to go to the Lu residence."

"Yes, young master, I will arrange it immediately," Zhou Shuo replied immediately, as going to the Lu residence was safer than staying outside.

After saying that, he immediately found his confidant Ding Tong and asked him to go to the Lu residence to tell Lord Lu.

"Yes! I'll go right away."

After saying this, Ding Tong, holding the token, spurred his horse and rushed to the gate of the Lu residence.

Upon seeing this, the servant immediately stepped forward and asked, "Who are you?"

Ding Tong held up the token: "His Majesty is about to arrive at the Lu residence. Quickly order Lord Lu to come out and prepare to receive him!"

Under the moonlight, the token gleamed brightly, and the servant looked astonished: "I'll go and fetch the master right away!"

Upon hearing this, Lord Lu quickly straightened his clothes and immediately went to the gate of the mansion.

Ding Tong raised the token again, his face serious, and said to Lord Lu, "Minister, the Emperor will soon be visiting your residence with Consort Lu. You'd better hurry up and make preparations."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will immediately order preparations."

After he finished speaking, he ordered his servants to light lanterns to illuminate the mansion, and then hurriedly ordered people to prepare pastries and fruits, making sure everything was perfect.

Lord Lu never expected that Lu Jingning would be so favored; it was truly beyond his imagination.

He summoned a servant and whispered in his ear, "Go and have Aunt Zhou tidy things up."

"Yes, sir"

Soon, the mansion was brightly lit, and Lord Lu stood anxiously at the gate, looking around with trepidation: "I wonder when the Emperor will arrive?"

Ding Tong carefully put away the token, held his sword, and said expressionlessly, "My lord, please don't be anxious. The Emperor's whereabouts are not something you or I can decide."

Yes, yes, yes.

As Lu Jingning and Xiao Jingheng strolled to the end of the street, strings of bright red candied hawthorns looked especially tempting in the night.

Her gaze was unconsciously drawn to it, and a childlike longing appeared on her lips.

Xiao Jingheng noticed and asked gently, "Jingning, would you like some candied hawthorn?"

She nodded slightly, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Seeing this, Zhou Shuo was about to speak up and remind him, "Young master, this might not be clean, it's better not to..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Jingheng stepped forward, bought the largest candied hawthorn skewer from the vendor, gently handed it to Lu Jingning, and said with a smile, "Try it and see if it's good."

Lu Jingning took it, and the sweet aroma of the candied hawthorn instantly filled her nose. She took a small bite and said, "Delicious, sweet and sour."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingheng grasped the hand holding the candied hawthorn and ate one himself: "It's really good."

"Young Master, are we going back now?" Lu Jingning asked while eating the candied hawthorn in his hand.

Xiao Jingheng chuckled softly, "Yes, it's getting late, we should head back."

Seeing Lu Jingning's somewhat forlorn face, he gently took her hand and led her into the carriage that had been prepared.

The carriage started moving slowly. Lu Jingning nestled beside Xiao Jingheng, still tightly clutching the unfinished candied hawthorn in her hand.

As the carriage moved forward, she realized that this did not seem to be the way back to the palace.

She gently lifted the curtain of the carriage, and the scene before her eyes made her eyes light up—it was the street leading to the Lu residence.

Lu Jingning couldn't help but exclaim, her eyes sparkling with surprise.
Xiao Jingheng gently told her, "It's a good opportunity to introduce you to my family." Lu Jingning nodded happily, her joy almost overflowing.

The carriage stopped in front of the Lu residence. The lanterns of the Lu residence swayed gracefully in the night, illuminating a warm and inviting scene.

Lu Jingning slowly stepped off the carriage with Xiao Jingheng.

Upon discovering that her father was waiting outside the mansion, she immediately knelt down and bowed to him.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor! May Consort Lu be blessed with good fortune!"

Xiao Jingheng smiled and raised his hand, his voice gentle yet firm: "Minister Lu, there's no need for such formalities, please rise."

Just then, Madam Lu came out. Her gaze inadvertently swept over Xiao Jingheng's side, and she suddenly stopped, her face instantly filled with resentment.

Lu Jingning was looking at her with a smile, but her eyes flashed with disdain. She parted her lips slightly and said, "Madam, it's been a long time."

Seeing her standing there in a daze, Lord Lu nudged her arm: "Hurry up and bow."

Upon hearing this, Madam Lu snapped out of her daze and immediately knelt down: "This humble woman greets Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

Seeing that Madam Lu had not greeted Lu Jingning, Zhou Shuo reminded her, "Madam Lu, according to custom, you should also greet Consort Lu."

Lu Jingning gently tugged at Xiao Jingheng's sleeve, a hint of timidity in his eyes. When he looked at Madam Lu, a half-smile played on his lips as he softly said, "Your Majesty, Madam is an elder. How could Jingning dare accept such a grand gesture from her? Wouldn't that be too much for me?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingheng frowned slightly, his gaze shifting between Lu Jingning and Madam Lu, a hint of doubt rising in his heart.

He suddenly realized that Consort Lu was the eldest daughter of the legitimate wife and must have caused Zhao Zhao a lot of suffering in the past. This Madam Lu was probably also a vicious woman.

Xiao Jingheng remained outwardly calm and solemnly told her, "Why not? You are my person, naturally you are of incomparably noble."

Upon hearing this, Madam Lu's face appeared particularly complex under the lantern light.

She had no choice but to swallow her anger and kneel down, saying, "This humble woman greets Consort Lu; may Consort Lu enjoy boundless blessings."

Madam Lu's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Lu Jingning gently raised his hand and said softly, "Madam, please get up, the ground is cold."

Madam Lu stood up and looked at Lu Jingning with a complicated expression, seemingly unwilling yet forced to endure.

At that moment, Lord Lu stepped forward and said to Xiao Jingheng with a beaming smile, "Your Majesty, please come into the mansion. Tea and refreshments have been prepared inside."

Xiao Jingheng nodded slightly, looking tenderly at Lu Jingning, and gently took her hand, which was warm and soft.

Upon entering the mansion, Lord Lu led Xiao Jingheng and Lu Jingning into the hall, where hot tea and exquisite snacks had already been prepared.

Lord Lu smiled broadly, but could not hide a hint of nervousness. He asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, why are you leaving the palace today?"

Xiao Jingheng took a sip of tea, a hint of amusement in his eyes, and looked at Lord Lu: "Oh? Minister Lu doesn't even know what day it is today?"

Lord Lu's expression changed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He stammered, "Your Majesty, I truly do not know. Please enlighten me."

As he spoke, his hands unconsciously tightened around the hem of his clothes.

Xiao Jingheng was somewhat shocked that a father could not even remember his own daughter's birthday.

"My dear minister, you're really getting senile; you haven't even remembered Zhaozhao's birthday."

Xiao Jingheng recalled the days when he was not valued by his father, and his tone was tinged with anger.

Lord Lu was already drenched in sweat. He stammered, "Your Majesty, I've been so busy lately that I've lost my composure. Please forgive me."

(End of this chapter)