Chapter 557

Chapter 557 – Something to Tell You

The Lu family’s family banquet had never been divided between men and women. Only when everyone in the family was present did they divide the family banquets into tables.  Like today, there was naturally a large table sitting them together, which was lively and warm.

However, not everyone felt warm.

Even so, this did not affect Old Madam Lu’s mood. The matter of the imperial decree had been temporarily put on the back burner, and now that her favorite grandchildren had come back, she was in a good mood. She drank two glasses of wine at will. If it weren’t for Lu Lingzhi who stopped her, she would have had another.

When the moon shone brightly, the family banquet finally came to an end. Ye Zhen and Pei Shi helped the matriarch to bed before leaving the upper hall.

Lu Shiming had been waiting for Pei Shi outside, and the husband and wife left together. As Ye Zhen watched their departing backs, she couldn’t help chuckling. She took Yu Ping and went back to her courtyard.

“Marquis?” As soon as she reached the courtyard gate, Yu Ping saw the figure standing under the big tree in surprise, then turned to look at Ye Zhen and said, “Your Highness, Marquis is here.”

Ye Zhen’s eyes sank slightly, why is Lu Lingzhi here?

Lu Lingzhi came out of the darkness and looked at her with a smile. “Yaoyao, Eldest Brother has something to tell you.”

“Eldest Brother, it’s getting late, let’s talk about it tomorrow,” Ye Zhen said lightly. She didn’t think she could have anything to say to Lu Lingzhi, and for some reason, she had been feeling that he seemed a bit different this time*.

[*Ever since she was back]

“Just a few words, Yu Ping will go back first,” Lu Lingzhi said, eyeing Yu Ping coldly.

Yu Ping didn’t budge but looked at her mistress.

“Eldest Brother, what do you want to say?” Ye Zhen didn’t let Yu Ping leave, she wore a faint smile on her lips.

Lu Lingzhi walked slowly to Ye Zhen’s side, dipped his head, and whispered in her ear, “For instance, your birth.”

Ye Zhen’s face changed, and she looked at him coldly.

“Let’s talk about it elsewhere.” Lu Lingzhi chuckled softly and suddenly stretched out his arms to wrap around Ye Zhen’s slender waist, carrying her and leaping up the eaves.

“Your Highness!” Yu Ping exclaimed, what does Marquis mean?

“Go back…” Ye Zhen only had time to toss those words to Yu Ping.

Yu Ping spun on her heels in a hurry, she was afraid that the marquis would hurt the princess, so she wanted to rush to tell Third Master. However, even before she took a few steps, a shadow stopped her.

“You didn’t hear what your princess said just now? Go back first, Marquis will not hurt her.”

Who is this person? Yu Ping was startled. She appeared so quietly, is she the Marquis of Anyang’s people?

“Miss Yu, please go back first. It’s best not to tell anyone about tonight’s matter,” Leng Mei stared at Yu Ping coldly as she spoke.

Yu Ping took a deep breath, lowered her head, and turned to leave. She knew she had no other choice but to go back to their courtyard and wait for the princess to return.

Seeing that she had returned alone, Aunt Rong asked after the princess.

“Her Highness is still in the upper hall, she asked this servant to come back first,” Yu Ping said. She did not dare to let anyone find out that Ye Zhen had been taken away by Lu Lingzhi for fear of sullying her mistress’ reputation.

Aunt Rong didn’t think much about it, simply nodded and walked into the room.

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Lu Lingzhi brought Ye Zhen to a small copse behind the Lu Mansion. This was originally a vacant land that was intended to be used for the construction of the Lu residence. It was deserted and dark all around but for the veil-like light from the moon.

Lu Lingzhi gently placed Ye Zhen on the ground, but his arms were still around her waist. He could smell her fragrance when he lowered his head, which was different from that of the other women. Her scent carried a fruity sweetness that relaxed and evoked a sense of elation in those around. His heart raced, refusing to settle for some time. He couldn’t help kissing her hair as he said in a mellow voice, “Yaoyao, I’ve been looking for you for a long time, and you’re finally back.”

“Lu Lingzhi, let go!” A disgusted Ye Zhen broke free from his embrace and eyed him coldly. “Whatever you want to say, say it now.”

“Yaoyao, you’re not Third Uncle’s biological daughter, right?” Lu Lingzhi softly chuckled as he dotingly looked at her little face oozing with annoyance. His heart fluttered and was actually happy at her angry pouting.

Ye Zhen sneered. “Who is spewing such nonsense? And you believe it?”

“I went to ask Third Uncle.” Lu Lingzhi took a step closer to the little girl. “Yaoyao, do you know your origins?”

Lu Shiming actually told Lu Lingzhi about Yaoyao’s* birth?

[*Please note that her twin was adopted, so she says Yaoyao and not I.]

Ye Zhen stared at the man in front of her coldly. He was the same man she had first met. He still had the same soft, honest smile that emanated a guiless warmth, enchanting one into laying one’s heart* bare before him. How many had fallen prey to this charming ruthlessness, she certainly had once… Perhaps, Lu Yaoyao would have too?

[*Spilling one’s secrets..]

But she was not Lu Yaoyao, she was Ye Zhen. She had long seen through his facade, there would certainly not be a second time.

“This has nothing to do with you. If you wanted to tell me just this, I’ve nothing to say to you. If you think you can threaten me with this, please feel free, you can talk to anyone you want,” she said coldly. Then, she raised her foot, about to leave.

Lu Lingzhi grabbed her arm and pulled her into his arms. “Yaoyao, you can’t marry the emperor.”

Ye Zhen felt as disgusted as swallowing hundreds of flies when he touched her, she shook off his hands with all her might. “What does it have to do with you who I marry, who are you to me?”

“Do you hate me so much?” Lu Lingzhi asked amusedly. “Yaoyao, I’m not trying to threaten you, I just want you to know that even if you’re not Third Uncle’s biological daughter, your status in the Lu family will still not change.”

Ah, I really cherish my position in the Lu family!* “Is that so? Thanks, I got it.”

[*She is being sarcastic here.]

“I mean it when I say you can’t marry the emperor, Yaoyao, I don’t want to see you… suffer in the palace.” Lu Lingzhi didn’t touch her again, he didn’t want to frighten her.

“You think I’ll be the same as Lu Wushuang?” Ye Zhen looked at him with a half-smile.

Lu Lingzhi shook his head and said, “Yaoyao, you and… Qin Wangfei look so much alike, the emperor will eventually discover the truth, it won’t bode you well.”

For some reason she found it ridiculous to hear such words coming from him. “Did you say Ye Zhen?”

“How do you know Ye Zhen?” Lu Lingzhi asked, astonished.

Ye Zhen chuckled. “Thank you for your concern.”

Lu Lingzhi sighed softly and said, “Yaoyao, don’t you believe what I said?”

“No, I believe it, but how do you know that the emperor doesn’t know that I look like Ye Zhen?” Ye Zhen asked with a half-smile.

Lu Lingzhi is actually using such an excuse to not let me enter the palace, is this for the sake of making room for his pawn Ye Yaoyao?

What a painstaking effort! In order for her* to become Mo Rongzhan’s favorite concubine, he can find just about any excuse.

[*Ye Yaoyao]

“How do you know Ye Zhen? Did Miss Shan mention it to you?” Lu Lingzhi asked with a frown.

“What on earth do you want to say?” Ye Zhen said impatiently. “The emperor is going to marry me? I am a princess, how can I enter the palace? From where did you hear that I am going to marry the emperor?”

No wonder the matriarch knows about this. It seems that she heard it from Lu Lingzhi, but how did Lu Lingzhi know?

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