Chapter 100

Chapter 100 – A Filial Granddaughter

Lu Lingzhi sat in the room for a while before he decided to take Lu Xiangzhi to the front yard. They felt out of place since they were surrounded by their family’s misses and the Chen Sisters.

The two decided to wait in the front yard until everyone gathered at night.

“… In the morning, we went out to hunt a few rabbits and pheasants! At night, Dai Mei and I soaked in the hot springs. Grandmother, you should really come with us the next time we visit Zhuangzi. The hot springs felt so comfortable and nurturing to my skin, you see, I am not as dark as before. When I returned to the capital, I finally realized that I am a girl. I used to think of myself as a boy.” Ye Zhen chattered with Old Madam Lu, retelling her experiences with sincerity.

Curiosity made Old Madam Lu reach out and touch Ye Zhen’s right cheek–it was like touching a piece of tender tofu.

Then, she turned to Lu Fang and said, “You should have gone to Zhuangzi with Yaoyao. I reckon, coming back more beautiful is much better than attending poetry meetings.”

“My aunt said that Zhuangzi is not far away so we can still go.” Chen Qiuping was envious in her heart. What she wanted most was to have a skin as white as jade.

Ye Zhen laughed and ceased speaking but snuggled comfortably around Old Madam Lu.

If Lu Jing did not like Ye Zhen before, now she felt even more disgusted just by looking at her.

It’s not like she had never been to hot springs before! If she drank the whole hot springs, she was certain that there would be no such effect as Lu Yaoyao’s.

She spat in her mind angrily, thinking that Ye Zhen was feeding Old Madam and the Chen Sisters with useless ideas.

“I won’t go. The mid-autumn festival is coming, and there are still lots of things to do in the academy. I can’t possibly leave the capital for some time.”

The academy was about to start classes. This year, Lu Jing was no longer regarded as a mere daughter of a merchant, but a noble miss. Those who looked down upon her before were now currying her favor. She was enjoying this kind of life and was looking forward to the day after tomorrow as there was the entrance exam to the School of Medicine.

As her sister, she had to watch Lu Yaoyao take the exam.

Chen Qiuping was a little disappointed. She regretted not following Ye Zhen and her family to Zhuangzi that day. If she had, she would have been the one who took care of Lu Lingzhi.

“Anyway, Zhuangzi will always be around. You can go whenever you want,” Old Madam Lu said with a smile. Turning to Ye Zhen once again, her eyes crinkled out of mirth.

“Yaoyao is going to take the exam, and we will all go and support her.”

Ye Zhen’s face turned red. “Grandmother, I’m afraid I’m going to humiliate our family.”

Right after she said those words, Lu Fang, the second miss of the family laughed. “Third Younger Sister’s appearance is the face of our Lu Family. If she goes out in public, how can we lose face?”

It sounded as if Ye Zhen only needed a beautiful face, but it was not the case.

But appearance was never the most important thing for the ladies of famous families. It was character.

Lu Yaoyao grew up in isolation in the border town. How could she pass the examination without talent, ethics, and beautiful appearance?

Old Madam Lu seemed to have heard no one else but Ye Zhen. She just laughed and said, “Our Yaoyao is so smart, I’m certain she would pass the academy examination.”

Chen Liping added. “Yes, Third Younger Sister will certainly be able to enter the academy. If they were in the early years of the academy, there would be no need for so many rules.”

Ye Zhen smiled faintly.

Yes, the academy today was completely different from when it was first founded. At that time, the Academy for Women had no identity restrictions. All women, including aristocrats and merchants, could study as long as they met the requirements.

Now…

Ye Zhen sneered, the academy accepted students depending on their status. Besides, ordinary people didn’t have the resources to study the Six Arts for the entrance exam. It was clear that the academy was not willing to admit commoners.

It was because of their identity as imperial merchants that the Lu Sisters were admitted to the school. But still, they were belittled when they first set foot inside the academy.

Ye Zhen didn’t like how the academy had changed, but she still had to pursue being a student. The School of Medicine was a part of the academy; entering it would be her only way inside the imperial palace.

“Whether I can get in or not, I will give my best.” Ye Zhen told Old Madam.

Old Madam Lu smiled and nodded. “That’s the reason I am confident in my third granddaughter. How many misses in the capital want to be Teacher Shan’s student? You are better than them.”

Ye Zhen nodded vigorously, “Grandmother is right.”

“Third Sister, what did you say about the cream?” Chen Liping was fascinated by the cream that Ye Zhen claimed to have whitening effects.

Other people also looked at Ye Zhen, interested in what she had to say.

Once again, Ye Zhen asked Dai Mei to bring the leftover creams she brought with her.

There were only four bottles in total. Ye Zhen had added only a few drops of lingquan to each one, but the effect was already excellent.

“I accidentally read an instruction on how to concoct this beauty cream. It was originally just a thing I did out of boredom, but I never thought it would have such an effect.” Ye Zhen explained.

“However, I dare not say that this is effective for everyone. Its effect might vary.”

Still, Chen Liping expressed her interest more, already setting her eyes on the cream.

“It looks effective on Third Sister, so it will certainly be of use to us.”

Ye Zhen gave her a kind look, but she didn’t say that she wanted to give one to her.

Old Madam Lu glanced at the girls and said with a smile, “You girls can have one bottle each. I am already an old woman. I am not suitable to use these things.”

“Thank you, Aunt!” Chen Liping thanked her with joy, and took a bottle at once.

Lu Fang and Lu Jing looked at each other and saw that the old madam did mean it. They just smiled and said thank you before taking a bottle for themselves.

Ye Zhen, the owner who concocted the cream, was completely forgotten.

Seeing that the girls were happy, Old Madam Lu stood up, ready to leave.

“Well, all of you shall go home and come back together tonight.”

“Grandmother, we will surely come back.” Lu Jing stood up and curtsied.

When they were all gone, Ye Zhen took out two small porcelain vases from her arms, one pure white and the other a pale blue.

She went up to Old Madam. “Grandmother, this white porcelain cream is applied to the face. This blue one is for your health, make sure to take it once a day. I secretly kept it for you. These are better than what my sisters have.”

Moved by her granddaughter’s affection, Old Madam hugged Ye Zhen and called her a little rascal.

Her granddaughter was filial and remembered her grandmother in her heart.

Ye Zhen smiled and bowed her head. She was indeed filial to Old Madam.

It was because first, she wanted to repay the Lu Family’s kindness to her sister. Second, she needed the old madam to be her prime supporter.