Chapter 6, Pingfu

It has gotten dark outside, let's go by the fire to read a book

Faced with the woman's sharp and mocking expression, Lu Ying tugged at the corner of her lips as if to smile, then lowered her head and walked straight past her into the courtyard

Have you heard? The nieces of the Yang family have all dressed up to meet that noble person. Our family's third, fifth, and sixth nieces have also gone. "The fifth niece went too?" "Of course, she dressed up beautifully. According to A Luo, that noble person is a prince with a fief, and he might be the new King of Shu. Moreover, he hasn't made a marriage contract yet. If any of us nieces catches his eye, even if we become his personal maid, we could elevate our family to great heights.

After a while, Lu Ying finally heard her brother let out a soft grunt, indicating that he was aware.

Lu Ying knew that he was worried about her, and with a smile, she gently said, "I just went to the Xuan Yuan Temple, so I'm late." As she walked towards the room, she added, "You must be hungry; there is bone soup to drink tonight."

At this moment, Lu Ying lowered her voice and, while rekindling the fire in the clay stove, said: "A Yun, after this injury, I seem to have understood many things"

Over the years, Ping Yi's treatment of her husband's family has been evident to all. At this moment, that Wu Lang was scolded to the point where he did not dare to step outside. Despite this, he was still confronted and beaten up by several of Ping Yi's brothers. The Ping family even sent people to thoroughly inventory the assets of the Wu family, which were then all transferred to Ping Yi's name under the authority of the Wu clan's elder. At this point, if Ping Yi were to divorce, the Wu family would become worthless.

Lu Ying looked around the place where she had fallen, but after not drawing any conclusions, she turned and walked back home. However, by this time, the sky had already darkened

Understood

Unconsciously, she quickened her pace upon seeing her brother approaching. At that moment, his face turned pale, and he coldly said, "Why are you back so late?"

Yes

At the side door, the woman guarding the entrance saw Lu Ying approaching and exclaimed, "Oh! The young lady has arrived quite early." She clicked her tongue a few times and added, "If you were to arrive a moment later, the sun would have already passed noon."

On the evening of the third day, when the news of A Jiao's suicide reached Lu Ying's ears, she found that she merely paused for a moment before returning to her usual self

These are her cousins, living under the protection of their parents. They enjoy a life of privilege, being reserved yet proud. Their hands have never been as rough as her own

I personally ended a life, no, it was two lives, including the child in A Jiao's womb. How could she not feel uneasy, not panic? When did her heart become so cold?

Yes

Lu Ying felt a warmth in her heart and a pang of bitterness in her eyes

Lu Yun originally wanted to sulk for a while, but upon hearing the words "bone soup," his stomach unexpectedly began to rumble. However, he did not respond to Lu Ying; instead, he turned away, snorted heavily through his nose, and coldly said: "I am not hungry"

As I approached the Pingjia Courtyard, a burst of youthful laughter floated out from behind the walls. Looking up, I happened to see a swing soaring high, and alongside it, a corner of a pink figure was also lifted into the air.

Lu Ying startled herself; although she had always known that she was indifferent, wary and dismissive of many people and matters, and even had a somewhat sinister nature deep down, she truly did not expect that after merely falling ill, she would no longer regard human life with any importance

My heart has hardened a lot

... ...

The corners of her mouth twitched, and Lu Ying pondered: However, they have never experienced the kind of joy and ease that my brother and I are enjoying now

Hearing her younger brother's insincere response, Lu Ying merely smiled as she busied herself and said, "Today I was fortunate to encounter a benefactor who asked for directions and rewarded me with some money. A Yun, tomorrow we can pay your tuition for this year."

The next day was another splendid sunny day. In this vibrant springtime, the bright and radiant sunlight always brings a kind of bright melancholy to the young men and women. Lu Ying got up early; she glanced at the nearby pink and red flowers, and after a moment of distraction, she turned around and walked towards the direction of the Ping family courtyard.

As soon as her younger brother leaned closer, Lu Ying shifted back slightly, tilting her head to gently rest it against her brother's back. Feeling the warmth behind her, Lu Yun first stiffened, then quietly leaned in a little closer to her.

He is waiting to return home

This woman is named Sister He, a domestic servant in the Ping residence. Having served as a slave for three generations, her family has some influence. Sister He has never had any conflict with Lu Ying; her dislike for Lu Ying stems merely from her disdain for Lu Ying's perpetually indifferent and calm expression, as well as her inability to learn the art of flattery. Hmph, what is she pretending to be noble for? She is just a fallen aristocrat. Does she really think she can compare herself to the scions of noble families?

Lu Ying walked past a corridor and arrived outside a small garden. Inside the garden, maidservants were coming and going, and the laughter of young girls could be heard from time to time. From a distance, as she approached, a modestly dressed young woman smiled gently and said, "Ah Ying, have you come to pay your respects? I heard that you were seriously injured last time. Oh dear, how can you be so careless?"

... ...

The next day, the entire Hanyang Town was abuzz with discussions about A Jiao. In this neither large nor small town, such occurrences of someone making a vow and immediately receiving retribution in this world are quite rare

The family of these three aunts holds considerable power and enjoys a prominent status in Pingfu, and the residents of Chenglu often regard her with a degree of apprehension.

While Lu Ying was deep in thought, a few chirpy laughs came from not far away. "I have never seen such a handsome and noble young man in my life." "He even smiled at me; ah, when he smiled, my heart almost leaped out of my throat."

Sister Qing responded softly, "You have recovered from your injuries, why did you delay coming to inquire about my well-being until today? Your third aunt mentioned you just yesterday."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ying was slightly taken aback: Did Ain also go? Is that so-called nobleman truly so admirable that she feels honored to be a concubine or a servant? Suddenly, Lu Ying realized that her cousin, whom she regarded as a close friend, seemed to have a perspective that was quite different from her own

Before reaching the doorstep, Lu Ying saw her younger brother standing in the yard, holding a book and reading it with a nodding and shaking head. After reading a few sentences, he would glance at the road, read a few more sentences, and then look up again.

Rumors in the world have always become more and more absurd as they spread. In just two days, the character A Jiao in the story has transformed into an extremely venomous woman, with various unrelated matters being dragged into her narrative. Even her second cousin's husband has become a foolish man deceived by this malicious woman, with some rumors suggesting that he had long colluded with her, merely waiting for the right moment to divorce his legitimate wife. Others claim that this pair of adulterers originally planned to poison Ping Yi.

However, in this world, one only fears what one desires. The Ping family provides very little for their own siblings, yet they can manipulate their marriages. She herself has successfully resolved her engagement with Zeng Lang, but it is likely that any future marriage will also be decided by the Ping family. Among the members of the Ping family, the one most likely to interfere in her and her brother's marriage matters is this third aunt. No, she must find a way to escape from this situation.

She is surprisingly completely at ease

That night, after a deep reflection for a quarter of an hour, Lu Ying picked up the book "The Doctrine of the Mean" and began to read it earnestly. It must be said that this path of the sage can truly calm one's mind; in less than half an hour, Lu Ying had completely set aside the matter of A Jiao.

Facing the young woman, Lu Ying's eyes flashed with a hint of a smile as she gently called out, "Hello, Sister Qing"

While speaking, he glared at her with a pair of bright, watery eyes that were strikingly similar to Lu Ying's. His fair, delicate, and handsome face also bore an expression of anger