Chapter 23

Chapter 23 – Flower Appreciation Meet (1)

Ye Zhen finally looked intently at Lu Jing who evinced nothing but distaste towards her ever since the day they first met. She had grown up in the capital and looked down on Lu Yaoyao just because she had led a carefree life back in the border town.

Was Lu Jing jealous of her?

“Fourth Sister, what do you mean by that?” Ye Zhen said and looked at her with a face full of confusion and ignorance though, she was without anger.

In the bottom of her heart, Lu Jing despised Ye Zhen. When she learned that Teacher Shan was willing to teach her, she had almost smashed the vase in her room!

She had gone to Teacher Shan personally before and had asked her to become her teacher. But then, she had rejected her saying she was not at all qualified to be her student!

Did that mean Lu Yaoyao’s qualifications were far better than hers?

Uncontrolled jealousy and unwillingness to accept such a fact had filled her heart. She already envied Lu Wushuang who was the most popular girl in the Lu Family and the current Wang Fei of the Qin dynasty.

Now, here came another girl named Lu Yaoyao who had easily snatched away Old Madam Lu’s care for her.

“Everyone in the capital knows that Teacher Shan’s students are all exceptional. If others were to know that you are her student when you attend the Meet…” Lu Jing covered her mouth as if she had thought of something funny, before speaking, “… It is important that you ought not to have stage fright!”

It didn’t take Ye Zhen long to know that her fourth sister was mocking her. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together and looked at her without wearing her usual smile. Lu Jing must know better than to make fun of her.

“Thank you, Fourth Sister, for reminding me that Teacher Shan will be there to protect me from having stage fright.”

Lu Jing’s face turned blue with anger, she gave Ye Zhen a hard look, then turning away refused to talk to her again.

“Third Younger Sister, you may not have heard of Teacher Shan’s reputation in the border town, but Teacher Shan is a famous and talented woman. Over the years, only two have been admitted as her students. One is the former Wang Fei of the Qin Dynasty, and the other is Zhao Yang of the Zhu region. Unfortunately, Wang Fei’s life was so short and Zhao Yang became a widow…”

This was equivalent to saying that Teacher Shan’s students were not blessed. Ye Zhen smiled at the thought of Princess Zhao Yang but said nothing.

Her relationship with Zhao Yang was not very good. Still, there was a mutual feeling between them, since they were both well-cultivated and bright, that they would not do anything to hurt each other.

If one of them provoked and angered the other, they would maintain their ground and never allow that anger control them.

Both of them looked down upon such behaviour. Of the people she knew, Zhao Yang was among the few who didn’t feel the need to please people. She also held quite reasonable views in life, always choosing harsh truth over kind falsity.

“Second Sister, are you then afraid that I too will become a widow?” Ye Zhen asked Lu Fang with mirth in her eyes.

Lu Fang laughed in return, her eyes wrinkling at the corners, before replying. “Third Sister, don’t be offended if I speak so casually.”

Ye Zhen smiled and shook her head. “I know Second Sister cares for me. How can I be offended by that?”

She was uncertain if she would be able to meet Zhao Yang at this Flower Appreciation Meet, but the chance was not slim. She thought things over and realized – she had no one to ask for help nor could she herself help. Although she was reborn, she could not do anything, she was powerless.

Who knew that she was Ye Zhen and would help her at her call? No one!

But, what if she could still help her old friend in the person of Lu Yaoyao, the person she was reborn as?

Lu Fang gave a faltering laugh and suddenly, the carriage settled down at a new road.