The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 1105: Chapter 1079: Honor Amidst Chaos 147

”Shan’er...”

Mrs. Lu called out and rushed over to pull Lin Lianshuang.

Lin Lianshuang pulled Lu Shan aside and harshly reprimanded, ”Miss Lu, are you muddled with phlegm? How can you speak such nonsense?”

Lu Zhen quickly added, ”My elder sister hasn’t been feeling well since the day before, often speaking nonsense. It’s possible she’s possessed by something unclean, or as Minister Lin suggested, muddled with phlegm. Please ask Minister Lin to help find a good doctor.”

Mrs. Liu glared at Lu Zhen, ”What nonsense are you talking about? How can you speak about your elder sister this way?”

Lu Zhen sighed inwardly but put on a worried expression, ”There is truly something wrong with elder sister. How could I not speak up? Mother, you shouldn’t avoid seeking treatment. I know you care for elder sister, but if you truly care, you should find a good doctor for her or invite a master from Xiangguo Temple to have a look.”

Lin Lianshuang admired Lu Zhen’s wisdom and said, ”I’ll report back to the palace later and ask the Empress to send an Imperial Physician to see Miss Lu.”

Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Liu glared at Lin Lianshuang and Lu Zhen, as if Lu Zhen had harmed Lu Shan.

Lin Lianshuang had figured out what was going on, so she smiled, ”Later, please come to the palace with me, Second Miss. When I came, the Empress personally summoned me, saying she liked Second Miss very much and wanted me to bring you to the palace for a visit. The Empress has some words to instruct you.”

”I accept the order.”

Lu Zhen curtsied.

Over there, Lu Shan wanted to shout again, but she was too scared of Lin Lianshuang, and with the officials of the Ministry of Rites watching her, she couldn’t say anything.

Yet she still glared viciously at Lu Zhen, as if she wanted to eat her.

Seeing this, Lin Lianshuang didn’t linger and said directly, ”Now that the decree has been announced, let’s all return to the palace to report.”

Thus, Lu Zhen accompanied Lin Lianshuang to the palace.

On the way to the palace, Lin Lianshuang softly said to Lu Zhen, ”I see Miss Lu’s condition is very dangerous, and I’m afraid if Second Miss stays at home, you might be implicated. So, I took the liberty of inviting you to the palace with me. I hope Second Miss won’t mind.”

Lu Zhen smiled, ”How could I not appreciate the kindness of you, my lord?”

With that, the two talked all the way until they entered the palace.

Lin Lianshuang personally accompanied Lu Zhen into Fengqi Palace.

When they entered the room, Lu Zhen saw, besides the Empress and several palace maids and nannies, an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy dressed in a moon-white robe embroidered with a four-clawed golden dragon sitting beside the Empress.

The boy’s eyebrows and eyes resembled the Empress, and he was very handsome, exuding a lively spirit. He had a pair of phoenix eyes like the Empress. When he spoke, his eyes twinkled, smiling with charm, which was very eye-catching.

Lu Zhen glanced at the boy and quickly lowered her head.

At this moment, her heart was beating rapidly, and she felt her cheeks burning hot.

Lu Zhen guessed that the boy must be the Crown Prince.

Indeed, Lin Lianshuang went over and paid her respects, ”Your servant greets the Empress and the Crown Prince.”

Lu Zhen also followed Lin Lianshuang and greeted them.

Anning laughed, ”Why did you both come to the palace together?”

Xiao Ying stood up and looked at Lu Zhen, ”I have placed some orchid varieties in the garden, and they are blooming now. I would like to invite Miss Lu to observe them with me. May I?”

Anning smiled at Lu Zhen and said, ”Since the Crown Prince has invited you to admire flowers, you should go.”

Lu Zhen paid her respects and left Fengqi Palace with Xiao Ying.

Coming out of Fengqi Palace, Lu Zhen felt very uncomfortable, as if she couldn’t walk properly. Walking beside Xiao Ying, she didn’t know which foot to step forward with.

Noticing her nervousness, Xiao Ying smiled and asked, ”I heard that Miss Lu lived by the Yellow River with Mr. Lu and helped in water management. Have you seen anything interesting there?”

When talking about other things, Lu Zhen might get nervous and not know what to say.

But when it came to matters related to the Yellow River and water management, she relaxed completely.

Lu Zhen began to talk about incidents during water management and the living conditions of the people by the Yellow River, smiling as she spoke.

Unknowingly, they arrived at the imperial garden.

By now, Lu Zhen was completely relaxed, and she felt much calmer than when she had just left Fengqi Palace, where her heart had been racing and her hands and feet had been clumsy.

Xiao Ying led Lu Zhen to the orchid garden and pointed to several orchids, ”These are wild orchids I found while hunting on the mountain last year. It took a lot of effort to transplant them, and after more than a year of care, they’ve finally bloomed.”

Lu Zhen crouched down to closely examine the flowers. Although she didn’t usually grow flowers and didn’t have much fondness for famous flowers, because these flowers were cultivated by Xiao Ying, she found them beautiful and more likable the more she looked at them.

”I don’t really know how to grow flowers, but I think the Crown Prince’s flowers look beautiful, different from normal flowers, and they seem full of vitality.”

Xiao Ying crouched down beside Lu Zhen.

Lu Zhen caught a faint scent, one she couldn’t describe but found pleasant.

Being so close, the more Lu Zhen looked at Xiao Ying, the more she found him strikingly handsome. His skin was white as jade, and his facial features were not as gentle as the Empress’s but rather masculine. Yet, his eyes were so expressive that they made him appear more cultured.

Xiao Ying reached out to touch the orchids. His hands were also very attractive, with long, slender fingers and well-defined knuckles, which were pleasing to the eye.

Lu Zhen felt a little self-conscious at this point.

She thought she wasn’t worthy of the Crown Prince and couldn’t understand why the Empress had chosen her.

She was worried, afraid the Crown Prince might dislike her because she felt plain.

”Your Highness,”

Lu Zhen called out softly, ”I... am truly plain. If Your Highness doesn’t like...”

Before Lu Zhen could finish, Xiao Ying laughed, ”Who said you’re plain?”

Eh?

Lu Zhen didn’t know what to say.

Xiao Ying found her silly look quite cute, ”I think you’re very pretty. I never liked the delicate noble ladies of the Capital who seem to take a breath every three steps. I admire strong and vibrant women like you, who speak loudly and laugh freely, living life boldly and confidently.”

Lu Zhen found herself smiling without realizing it.

She finally felt at ease.

In Fengqi Palace

Lin Lianshuang spoke to Anning about the situation of the Lu family, ”I was worried seeing Miss Lu’s condition. Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Liu were partial to her. I was afraid after I left, they might make things difficult for Second Miss. So I brought her here. Maybe after a few hours, when Miss Lu calms down and Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Liu think it over, Second Miss can go back safely.”

Anning sneered, ”A whole family that can’t see clearly. I don’t understand how someone like Lu Wang has such a mother and married someone like Mrs. Liu. It’s a pity for Lu Wang and Second Miss.”

Anning tapped the table with his right hand, ”I heard Mrs. Liu has a brother, and her brother seems to be someone of significance.”

Lin Lianshuang smiled, ”Indeed, Mrs. Liu’s brother is named Liu Cai, a famous businessman in Jizhou. The Liu family is quite wealthy. However, during the Da Qi Dynasty, merchants had a low status, which is why Mrs. Liu felt her background wasn’t good enough for Lu Wang. After marrying into the Lu family, she would do anything to please Miss Lu.”

Anning said, ”Here’s what we’ll do. You take Second Miss to stay at your place for a couple of days. Meanwhile, I’ll have someone call Liu Cai over to persuade Mrs. Liu. If he can, that’s great. If not, have Second Miss stay at the Liu family for a while and return to the Lu family closer to her wedding.”