Chapter 29 – Imperial Concubine Lu (1)
Lu Wushuang was dressed in purple cotton, satin, and a flesh-coloured flying butterfly brocade. She wore a small hairpin with a golden penchant and a large peony* flower pinned near her sideburns, which made her appear beautiful and graceful.
*T/N : Peonies – Ancient China’s national flower
Ye Zhen had never seen Lu Wushuang until she was reborn. Back then Ye Zhen was the first and most important maiden in the capital and Lu Wushuang was a nobody. During that time, she never paid attention to Lu Wushuang, the latter had not caught her interest.
After all, Lu Wushuang was only a daughter of a merchant, therefore she never step foot inside the Ye mansion nor Ye Zhen’s abode.
How could such a girl compare with the eldest daughter of a famous family like the Ye?
But a mere merchant’s daughter had indeed defeated Ye Zhen.
“Grandmother, please get up. Today, the palace is excited to see and bask in the glory of the flowers. Everyone should behave as usual. Please, do not bow before me.” Lu Wushuang personally lifted Madam Lu up her feet without batting an eye to Ye Zhen as she did so.
Old Madam Lu’s face was about bloom with laughter at this remark, she then replied, “The Wang Fei has a high status. How can an elderly woman such as myself not know of propriety?”
“Grandma, please don’t speak of it.” Lu Wushuang chuckled and gestured to the imperial secretary behind her.
“Please give my grandma a seat, and everyone as well, do sit down. I heard the excitement here from a distance, I wonder what it is all about?”
Hearing this, Ye Zhen looked at Mister Shan, who was standing behind the crowd, and suddenly saw in Mister Shan’s eyes a hint of hatred.
She was stunned by this for a moment. When she glanced back at him to see his expression more clearly, he was already sporting a look of calmness.
Was she wrong? Why did Mister Shan give such a look towards Lu Wushuang?
“Your imperial Highness, just now, Princess Liu Hua was betting with Mister Shan that his new student, our third sister will never be admitted to the Women’s College because she is one of us, just from a merchant’s family. Mister Shan said that even if third sister only learned thousands of characters classic, she could still be admitted to the college nonetheless.”
Fourth Miss Lu gestured anxiously in front of Lu Wushuang, she immediately stood up for she had wanted to take the opportunity to step on the foot on the princess as she spoke.
When Lu Wushuang heard of Fourth Miss Lu’s words, her eyes flashed with a ray of disgust. She looked faintly at Princess Liu Hua and then at the accusing Fourth Miss Lu.
“Now who still dares to say that the Lu family are just mere merchants? The emperor has sealed grandfather as the marquis of Anyang. Have you forgotten all about it?”
Fourth Miss Lu did not please but angered Lu Wushuang, the former’s face changed slightly and she cast her head to look at the ground.
Ye Zhen looked at Lu Wushuang and sneered at her in her heart. No one knew just how much Lu Wushuang disliked being known as a daughter of a merchant more than anything else.
Back when her soul was still roaming in the palace, she witnessed Lu Wushuang executing her maid-in-waiting all because she accidentally uttered the word “merchant” once.
Princess Liu Hua looked pale.
She was jealous that Lu Wushuang managed to gain the sole favor of the emperor. But now even her mother has lost the trust of the emperor which her mother had held before.
She now, does not dare to be in such a situation with Lu Wushuang. For Lu Wushuang could crush her with only the tips of her fingers.
Lu Wushuang looked scornfully at the Princess Liu Hua, and then turned her eyes back towards them, “Grandma, is this my third sister?”
