"The Peng family was implicated because of the Xu family's affair. At that time, my mother was just pregnant with me. Later, my mother was always in low spirits, while the Prince of Liang never paid attention to her. After several disputes with my mother, he simply never set foot in her chamber again and turned to Concubine Shu instead. My mother always had too many worries..."
Gu Liyue said in a low voice, "It's all in the past."
Lu Jinchen gave a bitter smile. "Yes, it's all in the past. I hated his indifference, and I hated even more that he handed me over to that woman. For a long time, I thought that he and Concubine Shu had conspired to kill my mother. But after all my investigations, all I found out was this... It was actually my mother who was depressed. After Lu Jinxuan was born, she was terminally ill, and the Prince of Liang... The Prince of Liang only cared about the turmoil in the court and never cared about her at all. He even sent me, a young child, to be raised by Concubine Shu. I almost died at Concubine Shu's hands countless times. Thanks to my mother's attendant, I managed to grow up safely."
Seeing that Lu Jinchen was willing to open his heart and tell her so much, Gu Liyue just listened quietly.
Lu Jinchen continued, "Before they got married, both my godfather and the Prince of Liang were in love with my mother. But my godfather knew my mother's feelings for the Prince of Liang, and in order to fulfill his friend, he chose to withdraw. It was not until my mother passed away that my godfather was greatly disappointed in the Prince of Liang and cut off all ties with him. As for me..."
"I was framed by Concubine Shu at that time and fled the prince's mansion. I've been living with my godfather ever since. My godfather taught me knowledge and martial arts, how to interact with others, and even how to get close to the emperor so that the emperor would protect me."
Gu Liyue said in a low voice, "He is more like a father."
Lu Jinchen nodded. "Yes, he is more like my father."
When he stopped talking, she just accompanied him quietly. Time would pass, and all these pains and joys would eventually fade away.
When they reached the outskirts, Lu Jinchen led Gu Liyue out of the carriage and transferred to a ox - cart. After about an hour of bumpy ride, they finally stopped at a remote village.
Lu Jinchen supported Gu Liyue. "Was it too tiring?"
Gu Liyue looked up at him. Seeing his pale face, she shook her head and asked, "What important thing made you ignore your own health and come all the way here?"
Lu Jinchen raised his hand and pointed into the distance.
Gu Liyue looked back and saw a peasant girl walking over with a basket on her arm. As she got closer, Gu Liyue realized that it was Lu Jinxuan.
Lu Jinxuan walked over, nodded at Lu Jinchen, and then gave Gu Liyue a sweet smile. "Big brother, sister - in - law."
Gu Liyue blushed slightly. They weren't married yet. But why was Lu Jinxuan here?
Lu Jinchen asked, "How is your mother?"
Lu Jinxuan said, "After second brother died, she went crazy. Thank you, big brother, for sending her out."
Lu Jinchen sighed softly. "I misunderstood her a lot in the past. But Jinxuan, I can arrange for someone to send her somewhere else so that she can live a peaceful life. You are a princess and a member of the Lu family. You should return to the capital."
Lu Jinxuan shook her head. "I've thought it over, big brother. The life in the inner courtyard of the capital is really not suitable for me. I've long wanted to leave the capital and travel around. I can go wherever I want, across the country."
Lu Jinchen turned around and gave a signal. Two secret guards came over. He then took the pre - prepared packages from the ox - cart and handed them to Lu Jinxuan. "I don't know when we'll see each other again. You and your mother are two women traveling outside. You must pay attention to your safety. These two secret guards were left by father. They will protect you. And these are some travel expenses."
Lu Jinxuan happily took the packages and nodded. "Thank you, big brother. Don't worry, I know everything."
Lu Jinchen hesitated for a moment, but finally just said, "Take care."
Lu Jinxuan said goodbye to them. "Big brother and sister - in - law, get married soon. I wish you a long and happy marriage."
On the way back, it was still a bumpy ride in the ox - cart.
Lu Jinchen was jolted all over the place. As soon as the ox - cart stopped, he vomited. After being helped into the carriage, he regained his senses and looked at Gu Liyue. "Aren't you dizzy?"
Gu Liyue shook her head. "I feel a bit uncomfortable, but I'm not dizzy. You've just recovered from a serious illness and your body is weak, so you're dizzy like this."
She took out a cup, poured some water, and gave it to Lu Jinchen to rinse his mouth. "Do you feel better?"
Lu Jinchen nodded and leaned against the carriage wall. Thinking that he must smell bad after vomiting, he didn't dare to get close to Gu Liyue and just asked her to sit near the carriage door.
Gu Liyue asked, "Your sister... Is she really going to leave?"
Lu Jinchen said, "When I was a child, Concubine Shu framed me and I was punished by the Prince of Liang to kneel in the ancestral hall. She secretly went to give me food. Later, she pleaded for me in front of the Prince of Liang. But I always thought that she was just putting on a show in front of the Prince of Liang, just like her mother. After I moved out of the prince's mansion, we had fewer interactions."
He paused for a moment. "Last year, in order to find out the truth about my mother's death, I returned to the mansion to live. Only she was extremely happy and gave me a lot of small trinkets. It's a pity that I still thought she had other motives, especially at that time when she had a good relationship with Shu Mingzhu."
Gu Liyue smiled. "Actually, she is a rare open - minded person."
Lu Jinchen smiled. "Let's not talk about her. Liyue, when do you plan to marry me?"
Gu Liyue was stunned for a moment. Blushing, she averted her eyes and said, "What are you talking about?"
Lu Jinchen's eyes were full of smiles. "Do you remember that last year I told you that after my matters were resolved, I would come to discuss the marriage? Originally, I planned to ask the Prince of Liang to arrange the marriage for me. But now that the Prince of Liang is gone, I've entrusted this matter to the queen."
Gu Liyue was shocked. "You... Let the queen choose the date?"
Lu Jinchen said, "If we let them choose the date, we don't know when it will be. Just matching the horoscopes and calculating the auspicious date will take a long time. I asked my godfather to choose two suitable auspicious days for me, one in August and the other in October. We can just choose from these two dates."
It was already May.
"Isn't it too hasty?"
Lu Jinchen wanted to reach out and hold her hand, but finally gave up. "Hasty? I can't wait to marry you today."
Actually, according to the customs of the Great Zhou Dynasty, one should observe mourning for at least a year. But Lu Jinchen refused to admit that the Prince of Liang was dead and insisted on waiting for two years. So, it wasn't the mourning period now.
Lu Jinchen had also discussed this matter with the emperor. The emperor was extremely sad because of his younger brother's disappearance, but he also felt sorry for Lu Jinchen's loss of his father. He thought that if Gu Liyue could marry Lu Jinchen earlier, maybe she could comfort Lu Jinchen more, which would be a good thing.
So, in matters regarding the marriage, they all followed Lu Jinchen's wishes.
Gu Liyue hesitated for a moment and didn't ask Lu Jinchen why he didn't let Xu Nian come to discuss the marriage. Although the Xu family had been rehabilitated, Xu Nian had no nostalgia for the capital. He had only been lying low before to clear his family's name. Now that the matter was settled, after he recovered from his injury, he refused the official position offered by the emperor and returned to his hometown.