Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – The Spirit In Her Palm (2)

Ye Zhen smiled in return and asked Dai Mei to help her change her clothes. Now that she was in good shape, she could no longer pull off her pretense and stay holed up in her chambers. Her deep hatred couldn’t be quenched by staying idle.

Thus, after breakfast, Ye Zhen and her maid came to the hall to greet Old Madam Lu.

Just as she got out of her small courtyard, Ye Zhen saw Lu Jing coming gracefully from the other side. From the last time she saw her, Lu Jing’s temperament wasn’t any brighter.

She must be given credit for this, Ye Zhen thought amusingly, for her lofty and aloof aura made her look like a lady of high standing rather than just a daughter of a merchant.

“Fourth Sister.”

Ye Zhen took the initiative to approach her and acknowledge her presence. If she wanted to gain the trust of the family, she must start off first by being cordial to everyone, including Lu Jing no matter how she behaved like a little hellion from the seven hells!

“Are you going to greet Grandmother too? Perfect because I was about to -“

Lu Jing looked at Ye Zhen coldly and proudly said, “What time is it now that Third Sister decided to pay her respect? If you want to pretend to be filial, you can at least show some sincerity.”

Ye Zhen stupefied for a moment at how mean and direct Lu Jing was. She woke up late because of nightmares and was thus late in paying filial piety. Still, this didn’t bother her at the least, it was all just an act after all.

“I’ll bear that in mind, Fourth Sister.” Ye Zhen smiled sweetly, concealing the sarcasm in her eyes.

Lu Jing gave Ye Zhen a contemptuous look and proudly left with her chin up. Her heart was really proud. She didn’t even bother to hide her disgust towards Ye Zhen whom she deemed as some pathetic rat from the border town- the wild girl who was not worthy of being called her cousin.

“Third Miss, please do not take offense at Fourth Miss’ words. She is like that because she is attending the Academy for Women where she has gained the praise of a certain professor. The Lu Family is quite popular in the capital and Miss Lu bears the pressure of having the surname.” Dai Mei comforted her in a low voice, worried that Ye Zhen might take it to heart.

Lu Jing’s temperament was proof that her popularity had gotten to her head.

Ye Zhen smiled faintly. “I have just arrived here at the capital and I do not know a lot about them, so I need you to tell me everything about my family.”

Dai Mei hurriedly refused but still told Ye Zhen all about the temperament of the misses in the house.

Old Madam Lu held the ladies of the Lu Family in great importance. Lu Jing and Lu Fang were no exception despite being daughters of concubines. She had Lu Lingzhi send them to the Academy for Women to study. Lu Fang, who entered the academy earlier, didn’t graduate until she reached the age of sixteen. It took her longer than anyone else in her batch to graduate. As a result, she didn’t get any marriage prospects even after she earned the degree because of her mediocre performance back at the academy. So, she stayed home, unwed.

After the new emperor ascended the throne, the Lu Family rose on the ladder of status. Lu Jing’s reputation in the academy became more and more prominent. Therefore, she regarded herself more as a lady of a respectable family, fed by her popularity. Even Lu Fang was disdainful of what her sister had become.

A woman of noble status, Ye Zhen also had her fair share in the hardship the academy offered. Nonetheless, she was an exquisite student. She was talented and did an excellent job in her studies. Unfortunately, she had to stop attending the academy when she married Mo Rongzhan at the ripe age of thirteen.

She and Mo Rongzhan didn’t consummate their wedding. Some said that he deemed her as a child, but others who fostered envy of her said that Mo Rongzhan didn’t find her interesting at all.

With the absence of Mo Rongzhan, Ye Zhen then returned to the academy and it only took her a year to finish her studies!

The wang fei of Jin Country used to be a legend in the Academy for Women, but no matter how hard she tried, she was just an insignificant person to Mo Rongzhan. Not a letter of felicitation was sent by the emperor regarding her success.

“The capital’s most renowned place of knowledge was not an official school but an academy for women. It is said that it was founded by Empress Duanhui of the former dynasty 100 years ago.”

Dai Mei thought that Ye Zhen did not know the origin of the academy so she explained it to her patiently.

How could Ye Zhen not know how the Academy for Women came into being? It was Empress Duanhui of the previous dynasty who had personally opened the academy. She was the true legend who not only won the exclusive favor of Emperor Rui Wu but also changed the status of women all over the continent!

Whenever Ye Zhen was bored, she liked reading biographies best, and Empress Duanhui, Qi Yanling, a powerful figure in the previous dynasty who broke all the bounds of gender, was the woman she yearned to follow.