When Lu Yunxi reached the private room, she grumbled discontentedly, "Why did you apologize to her? Humph, I just can't stand her high - and - mighty attitude. She's just a duchess's daughter. Who is she showing off her superiority to every day?"
Gu Liyue said helplessly, "Your Highness, how she is is her business. You didn't dislike her this much before, did you?"
Lu Yunxi paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "It seems so. I didn't dislike her this much before. Maybe it's because she's been entering the palace quite often recently. I always see her wandering around in the palace. A betrothed young lady should stay at home properly. What's the proper look of always running out?"
Gu Liyue patted her hand and said, "If you put it like this, I'm also betrothed. Shouldn't I come out with you?"
Lu Yunxi widened her eyes. "You're different. She..."
Gu Liyue looked at her. "What about her?"
Lu Yunxi flung Gu Liyue's hand away unhappily. "Fine, I'm just angry. The emperor has praised her several times after the palace banquet. I'm not happy."
Gu Liyue paused for a moment and then burst into laughter. Probably only someone with Lu Yunxi's personality would be so straightforward to speak out her innermost thoughts, and naturally no one would mind.
Qi Manyan watched Lu Yunxi and Gu Liyue enter the private room. Then she slowly climbed up to the third floor. Looking at Lu Jinxuan inside, a trace of disgust welled up in her heart.
Lu Jinxuan had slender eyebrows and eyes, but his chin was very similar to Lu Jinchen's. He also had extremely good looks. He was standing by the window looking down. When he turned around and saw Qi Manyan, he idly rubbed his fingers.
This kind of gesture made Qi Manyan a bit dazed. It seemed as if she saw Lu Jinchen right in front of her.
Lu Jinxuan noticed the expression in Qi Manyan's eyes and just sneered. "What? You're already my woman, but you still can't forget about him?"
Qi Manyan didn't say a word. She walked to the table to make tea.
Lu Jinxuan walked over and sat down beside her. Then his hand slipped into her clothes.
Qi Manyan frowned and pressed his hand. "Don't be so presumptuous. We... haven't gotten married yet."
"Last time when you were enjoying yourself under me, you weren't like this. Why are you pretending to be so pure now?"
"Lu Jinxuan!"
Lu Jinxuan curled his lips and sneered. "What? Are you reluctant?"
Qi Manyan took a deep breath and flung his hand away. "I just saw Gu Liyue."
Lu Jinxuan stopped his actions and took the tea she offered. "Her lover is gone. The Gu family will find a good husband for her. Or do you have any objections?"
Qi Manyan asked, "Is this plan... foolproof?"
Lu Jinxuan narrowed his eyes and looked at her coldly, not missing any expression on her face. "Naturally. The spy my mother placed beside him has been there for many years. Originally, it was just to monitor him, but now it can finally be put to good use. He's going to the northwest. There are many displaced people after the disaster, so there are also many bandits. If he dies there, no one will know."
A hint of venom flashed in Qi Manyan's eyes. "I... still think it's not enough!"
Seeing that she showed no sign of reluctance, Lu Jinxuan's uneasiness dissipated a bit. "Me too. My father is partial. Even if he dies, my father will still remember him in his heart. And the emperor. The emperor loves him the most. Clearly, I'm also the emperor's nephew, but the emperor has always ignored me! If only... he wasn't my father's son."
Qi Manyan thought for a while and said, "Can't we think of a way? Anyway, he won't be able to prove his innocence."
Lu Jinxuan looked at her and burst out laughing. "Qi Manyan, I really didn't misjudge you. You're much more vicious than I thought!"
Qi Manyan lowered her eyes and ignored him. She seriously thought for a while and said, "Find a way to spread the news that he's not the Prince of Liang's biological son."
"How is that possible? He is my father's son. When his mother gave birth to him, the imperial doctors from the palace were all guarding in the prince's mansion. How could he not be my father's son? Unless..."
Lu Jinxuan widened his eyes and looked at Qi Manyan. Seeing Qi Manyan's firm gaze, he slowly said, "Unless... his mother was unchaste!"
But both of them fell silent. The former princess had been dead for almost twenty years. How could they manipulate such an old - fashioned matter?
Lu Jinxuan thought for a while and said, "I've heard people say that his mother was extremely beautiful, the most beautiful woman in the capital. It was just that face that bewitched my father. Otherwise, her family was implicated by friends and was demoted one after another. How could she still marry into the prince's mansion safely?"
Qi Manyan frowned. "What do you mean? Just because someone is good - looking, they will do unchaste things?"
"You're also the most beautiful woman." Lu Jinxuan squinted at her, walked over and hugged her, and then his lips came closer.
Qi Manyan pushed him hard. "You... we're talking about serious business!"
Lu Jinxuan didn't care at all. He waved his hand and knocked all the tea cups on the table to the ground. Then he picked up Qi Manyan and pressed her on the table. He reached out his hand and untied her clothes.
After a passionate encounter.
Lu Jinxuan turned around and put on his clothes. He said coldly, "Since she was the most beautiful woman in the capital, I'm sure there were many suitors. I'll go back and ask my mother to find a suitable person and pin this matter on her. After Lu Jinchen dies, if it's spread that he's not a biological son, haha, it would be best if the emperor could even strike his name off!"
Qi Manyan was lying on the table with her eyes wide open, staring straight at the ceiling beam. Tears rolled down from her eyes. She was clearly a noble lady from a prominent family, but she was like a prostitute, having sex with a man in such a place...
Lu Jinxuan turned around and saw that she still didn't move. He frowned and said, "What are you doing? What, weren't you satisfied just now? Do you want me to serve you again?"
Qi Manyan slowly got up and tried to put on her clothes.
Lu Jinxuan reached out his hand, tore off her bellyband and put it into his bosom. There was a lecherous smile on his face. "I'll keep this. On the nights when you're not around, I can hug this..."
Qi Manyan lowered her eyes, not letting the disgust in her eyes show. She bit her lower lip tightly. All of this was thanks to Lu Jinchen. If it weren't for Lu Jinchen, how could she have ended up in such a situation?
When she looked up again, her tone was even colder. "There was a person..."
Lu Jinxuan was stunned. "What?"
Qi Manyan slowly said, "I was about six or seven years old. Once I met an injured Lu Jinchen in the forest behind the manor. I bandaged his wound, but he was unconscious. I couldn't save him. I was about to go and find someone to help when I saw a man take us away."
Lu Jinxuan sensed something unusual and hurriedly asked, "What happened next?"
Qi Manyan squinted her eyes and thought for a while. "The man was lame in one leg. He carried Lu Jinchen to a thatched cottage. It should be the man's dwelling... Later... later I helped him boil the medicine. I asked him who he was, and he said he was Lu Jinchen's adoptive father."
Lu Jinxuan suddenly stood up. "Adoptive father?"
Qi Manyan nodded. "But later I was too sleepy and fell asleep on the ground. When I woke up, I was already back in the manor. I never told anyone about this. Sometimes, I even feel like it was just a dream."