Chapter 272 – Marry Yaoyao Away (2)
“Third Brother, if Wang Fei thinks that we should settle down Yaoyao’s marriage as early as possible, then we should not hesitate. Mother is chastised every time she visits the palace.” Lu Shixun had come directly to Lu Shiming after he’d left the main hall.
Lu Shiming was palpably gloomy at the moment. “Then who do you think we should marry Yaoyao to?”
“I have an old friend in Jinkou City whose family is quite decent and wealthy~” Lu Shixun lowered his voice but was interrupted before he finished.
“You want to marry my daughter to a merchant in Jinkou City? Second Brother, such an honor for my daughter!” Lu Shiming almost choked with rage. He didn’t ask for an incredible marriage for his dear daughter, but at least he would never agree to marry her to a merchant that far away.
Lu Shixun took a deep breath, trying to rein in his temper. “What is wrong with a merchant family? Didn’t we, the Lu Family, once start as merchants as well? If Wang Fei doesn’t like Yaoyao, then we will send her away from the capital, nobody can harm her in Jinkou City with me being by her side.”
“Nobody wants to hurt her, it has always been her own family that wants to hurt her!” Lu Shiming was so angry both hands were shaking. “Second Brother, I am telling you, unless I’m dead I will not let anyone stick as much as a finger in my daughter’s marriage. Wang Fei treats my daughter like this simply because she doesn’t like her. If she wishes, does my daughter have to die in front of her?”
He had sacrificed his career once for the sake of this very family. He had never held a grudge against his brother, neither did his wife. They had tacitly retreated, nursed their wounded hearts. Now, history was barging in again in the form of his beloved daughter? How could he tolerate this? Rather why should he? The girl in the palace, with all her whims and fancies, what right did she have to dictate the life of his daughter?
“Third Brother, now that is too much!” Lu Shixun roared in fury, hurt by those words too. He actually quite liked Yaoyao, but since Wang Fei disliked her so much, for the sake of the well-being of the whole Lu Family, he had to sacrifice one of them … to avoid becoming enemies in the future. And since he couldn’t haggle with the already unreasonable girl, he had chosen the safer route- his brother. As much as it pained him to propose the idea, he too was duty-bound as the man helming the family. Right now, all he wanted to do was settle this matter as amicably as possible and at the soonest.
“Second Brother, I don’t care what you think, I already said what I had to- Yaoyao didn’t do anything wrong. You can’t sacrifice her only because of her excellence and beauty. If the Lu Family can’t bear with her, then I’ll take her away, and leave you for whatever you want. But, nobody can force my daughter to do things she doesn’t want.”
“Living in the border town for so many years, have you become so selfish that you disregard the overall situation?” Lu Shixun scolded.
Lu Shiming sneered. “Situation? Whose situation should I care about to sacrifice my daughter? No situation is more important than her.”
His daughter was being turned into a sacrificial lamb at the behest of a tyrannical wang fei, how could he as a father tolerate it? If he wouldn’t shield her, who would? He cared about no riches or fame, all that mattered to him was his daughter’s happiness. If he had to fight his own family for it, he wouldn’t bat an eye.
“Are you going to make Mother feel awful between her two granddaughters?” Lu Shixun asked angrily.
“Second Brother, what exactly did Yaoyao do? She didn’t do anything, just because she has the empress dowager’s affection, and was summoned a few times, she has to pay with her entire life?” Lu Shiming asked him back. He felt miserable for his daughter to suffer such tragedy for no good reason.
Lu Shixun looked at him silently. He knew well there was no point in arguing with his bull-headed brother. In the end, he chose to end the matter but not without a word of caution. “Third Brother, I hope you won’t regret in the future.”
Somehow, he had a deep foreboding that Yaoyao would bring catastrophe upon the Lu Family.
♚
The uncanny thing about unrest is that it lacks no companions. Sooner, than later, it always finds kindred spirits. On one hand, it had thrown the Lu Mansion in turmoil, laying everyone- young and old, on a bed of pins and needles; on the other, it showered the imperial palace with a night rife in anguish sparing neither the lady nor monarch. And right now it was at its best.
Tonight the Palace of Earthly Tranquility seemed exceptionally quiet. However, there were turbulent currents coursing beneath the tranquility.
Staring at the mirror before her, Lu Wushuang was lost in thought. The delicate makeup on the white and ruddy complexion, the lake blue dress with silver beads adorning her waist, accentuating her curves … She looked bright and charming as usual, the recent confinement had cast not a shadow on her beauty. Despite all the distress, she oozed confidence and vanity.
This past couple of months in confinement, she had indeed introspected and reflected on her actions and behavior. She had learnt her share of lessons and realized her wrongs. She had spent time analyzing things, coming to the conclusion that her rampant deeds would do the most harm to herself.
As such, she wanted to right her wrongs, placate the master on the palace, and reclaim her former place in his heart. She was more determined now than before for Mo Rongzhan was still giving her the cold shoulder. Despite releasing her, he had kept her waiting for days at length without the slightest inclination to see her.
Word of his visit to Xu Huiru’s palace had flown to her at the soonest. She even knew the two Jieyu had served him. Did he like the new and hate the old, forget about his Wang Fei who had gone through thus far with him?