Di Daughter's Strategy - Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Regardless of others’ attitudes, in Prince Wen’s mansion, Fang Jinyu stood in his study, listening to An Chong report on the recent rumors circulating outside.

A faint smile touched his lips: “I never expected that the previously unheard-of Fourth Miss of the Marquis’s mansion would harbor such grand ambitions.”

His rear courtyard did indeed need a mistress, but he didn’t need a pawn who thought herself clever.

Luo Yu could be considered somewhat intelligent. However, these schemes, in the eyes of Fang Jinyu and others, were merely petty tricks.

After all, Luo Yu was still a young girl. No matter how much she observed within the Marquis’s mansion, her youth limited her perspective and experience.

An Chong lowered his head expressionlessly. Hearing this, his expression didn’t change in the slightest.

No matter who this person was, since it wasn’t that one, Your Highness would naturally be dissatisfied.

Fang Jinyu’s slender fingers tapped on the desk, a gentle smile on his face: “We cannot disregard the Marquis’s mansion’s reputation. Naturally, I must petition His Majesty to issue an edict and give this Fourth Miss an explanation.”

Though he said this, the smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes. Even if he had intended to scheme, he disliked being pushed forward by others.

After a pause, he suddenly remembered the note imitating his handwriting from before. He looked up at An Chong, his expression gentle and calm: “A pawn that has lost its usefulness is no longer worth keeping.”

An Chong had always followed him and naturally understood whom he was referring to.

The Eldest Miss of the Marquis’s mansion indeed seemed somewhat suspicious. However, His Highness had no intention of investigating further. Since she was suspicious, it was enough to eliminate her.

After acknowledging the order, Fang Jinyu waved him away.

Back at the Marquis’s mansion, after putting Luo Qian’s marriage on the agenda, many families came to propose.

Even though she was a concubine-born daughter, the name “Marquis of Qi’s Mansion” behind her was enough to attract many suitors.

After careful selection and discussions with the old madam, Madam Chu finally settled on the second legitimate son of a fifth-rank vice minister’s family.

This man had placed among the top three scholars in this year’s imperial examinations.

Although marrying into his family wouldn’t bring the opulence of the Marquis’s mansion, it offered respectability and refinement.

Although Madam Chu didn’t particularly like these concubine-born daughters, she wouldn’t carelessly handle their marriages.

This person was someone she had carefully chosen. She also discussed it with Luo Yu’an.

Later, during the morning greetings, she kept Luo Qian behind and informed her of the matter.

Luo Qian’s face paled slightly. Clenching her palms tightly, she said in a low voice, “Why has Mother suddenly thought of this matter?”

Madam Chu glanced at her in surprise: “You’re not young anymore. It’s long been time to discuss marriage. It’s not sudden at all.”

Luo Qian forced a slight tug at the corner of her mouth. She wanted to refuse but had no grounds.

Since ancient times, children’s marriages were determined by parental orders and matchmakers’ words.
She couldn’t find a reason to object.

Madam Chu was merely informing her. After finishing, she dismissed her.

Luo Yi’er sat nearby, covering her mouth with a light laugh: “It seems Eldest Sister isn’t very satisfied with this match.”

A cold sneer touched Madam Chu’s brows and eyes: “She has no choice in the matter.”

Thus, the matter was settled. She arranged with the Song family for a time to check their eight characters.

After a flurry of activity, Luo Qian became an engaged woman.

At the same time, the Marquis’s mansion received an imperial edict betrothing Prince Wen and Luo Yu.

Unlike Luo Yi’er, Luo Yu was not made Prince Wen’s principal consort but a side consort.

In truth, this status was already quite high. Luo Yi’er had simply mistaken it based on Luo Qian’s situation in her previous life.

On the day the edict came down, Luo Yu couldn’t conceal the joy in her eyes. As for Luo Qian, she remained quietly in Luoyun Pavilion for an entire afternoon.

The ceremonies for a side consort were also quite elaborate, set for the tenth day of the third month next year.

However, with less than three months to prepare and the New Year’s banquet and other events in between, it was considered somewhat rushed.

By the time of the grand ceremony, Luo Yu would not yet have reached her coming-of-age, but since she herself did not mind, why should others?

In Luoyun Pavilion, Biyu was also dismissed. Only Luo Qian remained in the room. Her marriage had already been settled.

Since her rebirth, she had never considered the matter of marriage.
Moreover…

No lamps were lit inside the room. In the dimly lit space, Luo Qian’s expression shifted between shadow and darkness, making it hard to discern her emotions.

One hand tightly gripped the corner of the desk, her mind filled entirely with the imperial edict the palace servant had proclaimed at the Marquis’s mansion today.

The tenth day of the third month…

In her previous life, she had married Prince Wen at exactly this time.

She didn’t know how long she remained silent before finally letting out a derisive laugh.

She slumped into the chair, suddenly hugging herself as she laughed silently, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

She couldn’t stop thinking of the joy she had felt before her wedding then, nor could she forget the icy floors of the cold palace and the perpetually cold meals.

Biyu stood outside the door, hearing the faint sounds from within, a flicker of light passing through her eyes.

For some reason, ever since hearing the edict, the young lady’s mood had been off. After returning, she had dismissed her and stayed alone in the room for so long.

She waited a long time before finally hearing a slightly hoarse voice from inside, “Come in…”

It sounded as if she hadn’t spoken in a while. Biyu pursed her lips tightly, pushed the door open, and entered.

She saw her sitting there expressionlessly. The atmosphere in the room was oppressive and uncomfortable.

She said nothing, silently fetching water for her to wash, then serving tea before quietly standing behind her.

…

In contrast to Luo Qian’s reaction, after receiving the edict, Luo Yu returned to Yueling Residence. Even her personal maid, Qiao’er, could tell she was in a good mood.

The next day, she went to visit Concubine Lu, her birth mother. Unlike others, her birth mother was also a legitimate daughter, but from a merchant family, even less esteemed than a minor official’s concubine-born daughter.

She had entered the Marquis’s mansion only by chance. Perhaps because of her background, once in the estate, Lu Shi had been extremely well-behaved and law-abiding, leading to Luo Yu’s similarly low profile within the estate.

After returning from visiting Lu Shi, she sat quietly in the courtyard doing needlework.

Qiao’er approached to serve her tea, but she suddenly stopped, as if thinking of something, and abruptly set down what she was holding.

Qiao’er was startled: “Miss, what’s wrong?”

Luo Yu paid her no mind, lost in her own thoughts. She remembered that little maid by the lake that day.
Who was she?

She carefully recalled the scene. Was that little maid Prince Wen’s person?
She wasn’t sure. However, she knew one thing: that maid’s original target had been Luo Qian, not her.

Luo Yu lowered her head, the look in her eyes growing colder.

After that, whenever Luo Yi’er saw Luo Qian again, she inexplicably felt that Luo Qian seemed colder than before.

If previously she could be described as aloof, now she carried a hint of gloomy chill that made people uncomfortable, wanting only to stay away from her.

Luo Qian’s marriage had also been settled. Due to the matter with Luo Yu, it could only be postponed, set for the fifth month of the following year.

It was after this day that Luo Yi’er left the estate several times for engagements and also encountered Prince Jing.

Luo Yi’er was somewhat puzzled: with the New Year approaching, a busy time, how did Prince Jing have so much leisure?

Naturally, she wouldn’t ask him. And from that day onward, Yunxia Courtyard often received items from Prince Jing’s mansion, sometimes hairpins, sometimes even a few packets of tea leaves, and even, at times, just a letter.

As time passed, even the people in the Marquis’s estate grew accustomed to it. Luo Yi’er simply instructed Pansi and the others to store these items properly.

Occasionally, when she styled her hair, Pansi would use the hairpins sent from Prince Jing’s mansion, inadvertently reminding Luo Yi’er of that person.

On the thirtieth day of the year, nothing differed from previous years, except that this year’s New Year’s banquet included Prince Jing.

At the palace gates, when she encountered the man dressed in black with gold trim, only a slight ripple stirred in Luo Yi’er’s heart.

Madam Chu went ahead to the palace hall, while she and the man slowly made their way toward the rear palace.

She had entered this palace countless times, yet never before had she felt it so strangely unfamiliar, inexplicably making her somewhat nervous.