Chapter 169 – A Dangerous Existence (2)
Ye Zhen sat opposite Lu Lingzhi, cocked her head, and looked at him doubtfully. “Eldest brother, I can go to college myself. Your injury is still not healed, so you shouldn’t have bothered to send me off yourself.”
Lu Lingzhi looked at his cousin, who had significantly changed in a short period. Today, she wore a green brocade dress made tight with a girdle. Her skin was as white as porcelain, her bright eyes sparkling like the stars of midnight. A shallow smile was plastered on her face but still, she looked beautiful like spring.
It is no wonder that such a young girl made Lu Wushuang feel threatened.
“Eldest brother is going to Xishan camp and will just drop you off.” Lu Lingzhi informed her, He then averted his gaze away from her and talked in a grave tone, “Yao Yao, did something bad happen to you in the palace yesterday?”
Indeed as expected, he started to ask about yesterday’s events! Ye Zhen looked at him in surprise. “Why is the eldest brother asking this? Nothing unfortunate happen yesterday.”
Lu Lingzhi did not miss the surprise and panic on her face. He then assumed that she must be worried that the Wang fei in the palace still misunderstands her.
“I know everything.” Lu Lingzhi said.
Of course, you do. Ye Zhen smirked internally. When Lu Lingzhi was not looking at her, she assumed a calm exterior. Anyway, she had nothing to hide now.
“Yao Yao, can you tell me what happened?” Lu Lingzhi asked in a concerned voice.
“Didn’t Eldest brother just say that he knows everything? Why should I relay the occurrences of my visit to the palace?” Ye Zhen said nonchalantly.
She wanted Lu Lingzhi’s help, but she couldn’t just change her previous rejection of him that fast, otherwise, it would make him think that she was seeking something from him.
Lu Lingzhi smiled faintly, “Grandma told me something, but I still feel curious. How did you meet the Emperor? What happened between you and the Chief Princess?”
Ye Zhen pursed her lips and was somewhat displeased. Lu Lingzhi suspected that she deliberately approached the Emperor. She said coldly, “When I came out from the little prince’s palace and met the Chief princess and her daughter on the road, Liu Hua accused me of pushing her to the ground even if she fell on her own intentionally. In retribution, one of the Chief princess’ maid shoved me to the lotus pond nearby us. The Emperor happened to see this just in time and saved me from this ultimate embarrassment. If eldest brother suspects that I met the Emperor intentionally, then he is wrong.”
Lu Lingzhi looked at her angry face and couldn’t help but laugh, “Eldest brother doesn’t doubt you, don’t overthink.”
“No doubt?” Ye Zhen looked at him mockingly, “Am I only overthinking? Eldest brother, are you only worried that I will make the Wang fei unhappy?”
“Yaoyao, the Wang fei is a sister to you. Yesterday was just a misunderstanding. If it weren’t for Chief princess stirring up discord, she definitely wouldn’t… misunderstand you.” Lu Lingzhi spoke for Lu Wushuang.
There was no doubt that he was a good brother who takes good care of his sister. No wonder he betrayed Ye Zhen and poisoned her for Lu Wushuang’s benefit. “Do you mean to say that I deserve the Wang fei’s slap?”
The apathy in Ye Zhe’s tone made Lu Lingzhi felt an indescribable heartache. “Eldest brother doesn’t mean that.”
“Eldest brother, I know what you mean. I shouldn’t have entered the palace yesterday. If I hadn’t entered the palace, there would be no such misunderstanding, I wouldn’t be hurt, and most of all, I wouldn’t have angered the Wang fei. It was all my fault.” Ye Zhen’s eyes were slightly red, and her tone a little angrier.
The conversation took a direction that Lu Lingzhi didn’t expect. At this moment, he felt a surging worry. He had a hard time getting Lu Yaoyao to be cordial to him. He didn’t want to make her hate him because of this.
“This matter has nothing to do with you. Today I will go to the palace to explain your side to the Wang fei.”
What is there to explain? Ye Zhen floated as a ghost in the palace for two years. She was too familiar with Lu Wushuang’s temperament. Lu Lingzhi will not get good results if he speaks for her in front of his sister. It will only make Lu Wushuang hate her more.
However, this didn’t bother Ye Zhen. She wanted Lu Wushuang to resent her while she appears defenseless. People are very strange and like to sympathize with the weak. In everyone’s eyes, between her and Lu Wushuang, she is the weak one.
She wanted Old Madam Lu and the Lu family to stand by her side, and Lu Lingzhi to stop doing everything for Lu Wushuang. Although this was a difficult thing to do, her determination says otherwise.
“Will the Wang fei believe you?” Ye Zhen bit her lip and acted as if she could not hide her grievance. “I explained it yesterday, but she didn’t believe what I said.”
Lu Lingzhi smiled and said, “The Wang fei doesn’t know you, so she misunderstood you.”
“The Wang fei doesn’t know me. Does the eldest brother doesn’t know me well too?” Ye Zhen asked lightly, “Do you think I met the emperor on purpose?”
“No, no. Eldest brother said the wrong thing.” Lu Lingzhi said helplessly.
Ye Zhen glanced at him. “You are right to think so. The Emperor is young and handsome, and is the most superior. Who doesn’t like him?”
Lu Lingzhi’s face changed slightly. “Yao Yao?”
The corner of Ye Zhen’s soft mouth lifted and her eyes gleamed with cunningness. “I understand why eldest brother think that I like the Emperor. But, I have lived a carefree life in the Border town since I was a child. I have long been accustomed to that unconstrained life. If I am allowed to live in the palace, I would rather go back to the Border town.”
This was her sincere words. After three years of living in her lonesome palace as the Wang fei and two years of being trapped in its walls watching the concubines fight each other, is it worth it to get the attention of Mo Rongzhan?
Mo Rongzhan was a cold-hearted person who never pays much attention to any woman. To fall in love with such a man was foolishness. Besides, he is still the Emperor, his sole wife was the country.
With this said, how could Ye Zhen repeat the same mistake and like Mo Rongzhan again?
“You don’t have to go back to the border town to be free.”
Ye Zhen lifted her chin as she said, “of course, I will be a woman doctor in the future.”
“Why do you want to be a female medical officer? Many women will stay at home after they married and have children. “Lu Lingzhi had raised eyebrows and asked, this was the first time he had ever heard of this reasoning.
“Why do women have to stay at home with their husbands and children. Don’t they have dreams? Well, I do, and it is to become a female medical doctor.”
“Didn’t you say you don’t want to enter the palace? But to be a female medical officer, you have to go to the palace frequently.”
Ye Zhen glared at him. “How is that the same? I will go to the palace only to serve.”
Lu Lingzhi was amused by her and just shook his head. “If someone bullies you in the college, please tell your eldest brother.”
“What’s the use of telling you? Can you beat them for me?”
“Why, with that tone, I would think that you want to beat people yourself.” Lu Lingzhi’s handsome face showed a warm smile.
Ye Zhen looked at his familiar smile and felt disgusted—it was the same smile he used to give her when she was still the naive Wang fei Ye.
Nevertheless, she smiled back, “Yes, I will do that.”