"It's fine, quite comfortable. Would Prince Jin really dare send someone to smear poison on me directly? Father, you're just a coward."
Zhu Minghao tugged at his clothes, a bit annoyed. "The mansion's guards are just uncouth; they even tore my clothes."
He hurried back to his room to change, thinking that since Prince Jin was such a wimp, he had nothing to fear. He should start thinking of ways to get his hands on Lu Zhaoling. That beautiful face and that spicy personality just thinking about her made his heart itch.
Uncle Yun returned to the mansion and presented the empty medicine bottle to Prince Jin.
"Your Highness, the entire bottle of medicine has been used."
"Good." Prince Jin glanced at it, then shifted his gaze back to the scripture on the table—the copy written by Lu Zhaoling.
Uncle Yun couldn't see the hidden symbols on it. Even Prince Jin didn't quite understand why he was the only one who could see them. However, he noticed that while looking at the scripture, his mind felt exceptionally clear. He had even recalled some childhood events, memories that had long been forgotten.
"However, after Heir Apparent Zhu used the medicine, he said the wound felt cool and comfortable. Your Highness, could that truly be a divine healing medicine?"
Prince Jin asked coolly, "When have you ever seen me be so kind and charitable?"
Would he give Zhu Minghao a divine healing medicine? Uncle Yun understood immediately; there must be a hidden twist to that medicine. He didn't press further, knowing he would likely find out what the medicine really was soon enough.
"Have this scripture framed and hung in my study," Prince Jin ordered.
"Yes."
Lu Zhaoling's return gift had also been delivered to Madam He. Madam He frowned as she looked at the round fan before her.
"What exactly did the Master send to that little wench? Was it something substantial? Otherwise, why would she send a return gift?"
Their apology to Lu Zhaoling had only been because the Emperor's will could not be defied; it wasn't sincere. Lu Zhaoling shouldn't have sent a gift back. Now that she had, could it be that the Master had sent something very valuable?
"Madam, the Master only sent a pair of green jade bracelets. They were picked out from the western corner of the warehouse," a servant replied.
The western corner of the He family's warehouse was where they piled things that were unpresentable, of unknown origin, or items they kept for special occasions. Simply put, they were all junk.
Hearing it was from that pile, Madam He was relieved.
"Then that wench from the Lu family is just shallow. Any random thing could impress her, and she even eagerly sent a return gift. How laughable."
Madam He picked up the round fan, intending to throw it away, but her movements stopped when she saw the painting on it.
"Huh? Why does this look so much like Lianxin?"
Her maid leaned in. "It really is the young lady, isn't it?"
Madam He looked at it for a long while. She felt that throwing away a fan with her daughter's likeness on it wasn't right, and destroying it seemed like bad luck. After a moment's hesitation, she handed the fan to the maid.
"Take this to the young lady. Tell her it was eagerly sent by that wench Lu Zhaoling. Perhaps her mind has finally cleared, and she wants to get on Lianxin's good side."
"Yes."
Madam He had held the fan for a while and even tried fanning herself with it, finding it quite comfortable to hold. She had even stroked the figure painted on it. After handing the fan to the maid, she felt a slight itch on her face and rubbed it gently.
She didn't notice the faint strands of black Qi staining her hands. As she rubbed her face, that black Qi transferred to her skin, and some was even inhaled through her nose.
He Lianxin was also shocked by the likeness when she received the fan. "I didn't expect her to have such skill."
"Miss, perhaps it wasn't painted by the Second Miss Lu," the maid suggested.
He Lianxin nodded. "You're right. It probably wasn't her. It was likely one of those two maids by her side."
She had heard those maids were given to Lu Zhaoling by Prince Jin. It wasn't surprising that someone from Prince Jin's mansion would know how to paint.
"But does Lu Zhaoling think I'll forgive her just for this? Does she think a broken fan can make up for a pair of jade bracelets?"
The thought of Lu Zhaoling still filled her with loathing. No matter what Zhaoling did, she would never forgive her. However, He Lianxin truly couldn't bring herself to destroy a fan that looked just like her.
She tossed the fan onto the soft couch. "Forget it. I'll keep this fan. When I get the chance, I'll use it to slap Lu Zhaoling's face!"
The fan lay there quietly.
After receiving the news, the Fu family delivered three lanterns into Lu Zhaoling's hands. However, the three lanterns intended for the Lu family were not sent to Tingnuan Tower. Qingyin went to investigate and returned with an odd expression.
"Miss, Lord Lu said those three lanterns are to be hung near the main entrance of the front courtyard. He wants the gate open every day so people passing by can see them."
Qingbao was stunned. "No way. Does Lord Lu really think a few white lanterns are something to show off?"
Hanging them in a place where they'd be seen as soon as the door opened!
When the Grand Emperor passed away, it was necessary for Prince Jin to hang white lanterns as his son, but why was it necessary for the Lu family? It was not as if someone in their own family had died. Showing off white lanterns like they were treasures... she was truly speechless.
Lu Zhaoling could understand it somewhat. "It's probably because they were a gift from Marquis Qingfu. Besides, those are the Thousand-work Lanterns from the Liu family. Aren't they supposed to be very hard to buy?"
Lu Ming's status wasn't high enough; receiving a gift from Marquis Qingfu was an honor he felt he had to enshrine.
"But shouldn't Lord Lu know that Heir Apparent Zhu injured you that day? As a father, it's bad enough that he didn't show any outrage or seek justice for you, but to actually accept gifts from Marquis Qingfu and even show them off..."
Qingbao felt the injustice on Zhaoling's behalf. With a father like that, her lady was truly pitiful.
"I have no such expectations of him," Zhaoling said nonchalantly.
She was here to heal herself, integrate her soul, and then reclaim what belonged to Lu Xiaokelian. Reaping affection from Lu Ming? She had never even considered it.
But Qingyin and Qingbao didn't know that. They only felt that their lady must have suffered too much heartbreak and disappointment, which was why she no longer had any expectations.
"Lu Zhaoling!"
The courtyard door was kicked open with a loud bang. A furious scream drifted in from outside.
It was almost dark; who was coming to cause a scene now?
"It sounds like the Third Miss," Qingyin noted.
"Lu Zhaoling, open the door!"
What kind of behavior was it to keep the courtyard door locked all the time? This Tingnuan Tower used to be a place where they often sat and looked at flowers, but now it had become Lu Zhaoling's private domain.
The more Lu Zhaoyue thought about it, the angrier she got. Tomorrow, she would have someone tear this courtyard gate down!
As soon as Qingbao opened the door, she was shoved aside by Zhaoyue. Zhaoyue charged inside like a whirlwind and swept up to Zhaoling.
"You debt-collecting ghost! Ever since you came back, this house hasn't known a moment of peace! Now you even dare to step on Big Sister's face and accept gifts from the He family? Hand them over! What right do you have to keep them?"
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