After receiving the message from Empress Lu, Lu Zhinian played with the jade buttons on his sleeves and looked at the spring banquet invitation sent by Prince Cheng's Mansion, with a hint of anticipated smile in his eyes.
He knew Song Tangning too well. She had been following him since she was a child, and she had long been accustomed to relying on him, and she was accustomed to seeing what he wanted for her.
She could stay up all night copying books just because he liked him. She gave up her favorite sweet cake because he didn't like sweets. She searched all the masters for a good piano as a gift for his birthday and practiced it until her fingertips bled. She wished she could stay by his side every day. Marry into the Lu family as soon as possible.
After driving Song Mo out, being able to stay with him for half a month was the ultimate achievement. How could the little girl endure not seeing him?
Xie Yinlai was in Lu Zhinian's room, drinking tea and saying disdainfully: "You didn't see how hard-spoken she was earlier. I thought she could really let you go. But as soon as my father said that the Queen and Mrs. Lu were dissatisfied with her, she He immediately changed his tune."
What you said about not marrying into the Lu family is a lie.
Lu Zhinian's eyes smiled lightly: "Tang Ning is childish."
"She is so childish. You don't know how miserable Mrs. Song was after she returned that day. I heard that she has not recovered from her illness. She is so skinny that she almost didn't go directly. That is her grandmother, I have never seen her. She is so cruel."
Xie Yin was full of resentment towards Song Tangning.
The Qian family was embarrassed that time, but later he took the initiative to admit that Song Tangning was wrong but was still aggressive. Even when he tried to fix it several times, he couldn't even get through the gate of Jiuyun Lane.
Song Tangning did not want to see him, and his mother and concubine seemed to have lost their minds and did not help him at all.
It was obvious that she was only slightly injured and nothing happened to her, but they all apologized and she still had to make a fuss in the city.
Although Xie Yin's reputation was not as ruined as Song Jinxiu's, he was not much better during this period. He was disgusted just by mentioning Song Tangning.
"I went to the Song family yesterday. Brother Jinxiu was extremely depressed. He was ridiculed by the people in Hanlin. Shulan was even more miserable. In order to calm down Song Tangning, she secretly left the city alone and knelt and kowtowed to the soul. Yun Si, ended up fainting outside the city. If someone from Yongshun's Mansion hadn't happened to pass by and bring him back, we don't know what would have happened."
When he left, Song Shulan was pale and sick, her forehead was bruised from kowtow, her knees and soles were worn to a pulp, and blood oozed from her skirts and knees after being helped for a few steps.
Lu Zhinian frowned: "How could she be like this?"
"It's not because of Song Tangning." Xie Yin's face was full of coldness, "The Song family is in a bad situation, and Song Tangning is clinging to Lan'er's background. The Song family is turned upside down by her, and Xiao Yan can do nothing to protect her. She, Mrs. Song, and others are full of anger, so naturally they can only vent their anger on Lan'er."
"When I went there yesterday, she was punished by the eldest lady. She dragged her injured leg and knelt in the ancestral hall to reflect on herself. She didn't even dare to cry loudly. But it was obviously Song Tangning who was at fault. Why should Lan'er reflect on herself?"
Lu Zhinian was sitting on the edge of the low couch. Hearing this, he remembered the pitiful appearance of that woman when he first saw her.
At that time, Song Tangning pulled the corner of his sleeve to show off her two newly acquired hairpins, and asked him playfully which one was more suitable for the gorgeous riding outfit she wore that day in Qiu Sui, the girl with a delicate face in a plain skirt. Just standing in the corner from a distance, looking over here, with admiration in his eyes but not the slightest bit of jealousy.
Later he found out that she was the concubine who had just been found by the Song family. Due to some reasons, she had been raised outside since she was a child. She only had a widowed mother by her side and lived in poverty.
Song Tangning could have enough money for half a year with just a hairpin, but she never complained or was dissatisfied. Instead, she was full of longing and gratitude for life, and she was filled with joy at the slightest kindness shown.
Compared to Song Tangning, who had been pampered and raised as a child, that girl was neither greedy nor contented. Even if she later found out that her mother was just an extramarital affair, Lu Zhinian would hardly have a bad feeling towards her. On the contrary, he felt more and more sorry for her difficult situation.
Lu Zhinian's eyebrows were filled with pity: "Is she okay?"
"It's okay, I was almost tortured to death."
Xie Yin was particularly distressed when he spoke: "I heard that the Song family planned to send Lan'er out of the capital in order to please Tang Ning. She is a weak woman who has lost her parents. If she leaves the family's protection, how will she live in the future? ?”
Lu Zhinian was cold-eyed when he heard this. The Song family actually wanted to send him away.
Was it Tang Ning's request?
How could she be so willful and ignorant? What good would it do to send people away to her?
Xie Yin felt distressed when he thought of Song Shulan's appearance of not even daring to cry: "Shao Zheng, Tang Ning listens to you the most. Please advise her. Lan'er won't fight with her for anything. Ask her to be tolerant and give Lan'er A way to survive.”
Lu Zhinian frowned: "I will find a chance to talk to her."
Xie Yin came to deliver a post to the Lu family. He complained to Lu Zhinian for a few words and then left for the next house. Lu Zhinian frowned slightly after they left.
"Mr. Lang, you won't really listen to Prince Xie and stand up for Mrs. Song, will you?"
Song Mo was a little worried: "What Mrs. Song is most concerned about is that you are getting close to the girl next to you. There have been a lot of troubles because of Mrs. Song before, but now she is finally willing to lower her head and make amends with the Song family. If you mention it to her at this time, I’m afraid Mrs. Song’s matter will offend her.”
"If not, please coax the young lady first and wait until she returns to the Song family before mentioning anything else."
Seeing Lu Zhinian frowning, Song Mo whispered:
"The Queen no longer likes the commotion these days, and the Master is also being forced to make concessions by Governor Xiao. The Fourth Highness is very dissatisfied with the Lu family. If Miss Song cannot be coaxed to change her mind, then Governor Xiao That end..."
Lu Zhinian's face became gloomy when he thought of the message brought by the Queen's entrustment.
The most important thing right now is the eunuch Xiao Yan.
Tang Ning is easy to coax. As long as she returns to the Song family, she can slowly persuade her about Song Shulan's matter.
Lu Zhinian thought about the last time Song Tangning threw out the things he gave casually, thinking that she just disliked him for being careless. Now that she was willing to give in, he would give her some steps.
He asked Song Mo to prepare paper and pen, and after grinding the ink, he drew a small portrait of the little girl in his memory.
"Send this to Cumulus Lane."
Song Mo suddenly laughed: "Mr. Lang's painting is so good, Miss Song will definitely be happy to see it."
The people of the Lu family entered the gate of Jiuyun Lane. Although they did not see Song Tangning, the portrait was sent in. The servants of the Lu family returned home happily, but they did not see Song Tangning inside. He did not even look at the painting, so he just let it go. Hua Wu found a place and put it away at will.
Hua Wu held the painting and whispered: "Girl, don't you take a look?"
"What's there to see? It's just a trick to coax me."
Lu Zhinian was always arrogant, so arrogant that she felt that if he just put some thought into it, she would be like a sweet spring, and her heart would be filled with joy.
He was probably still proud of her, but she couldn't bear it in just a few days. She bowed her head and tried her best to please him like before, so she casually gave away a self-righteous "reward", but he never thought that as his fiancé, she would be injured for half a month. It's unreasonable to never show up.
The sunlight from outside shone in, leaving a few long shadows on the wall.
Tang Ning looked at her hand that had been cut off and covered with scars. The broken nails had not yet grown back, and the soft pink flesh on the fingertips was ugly for no reason.
Her long hair was tied up in a loose bun, and the ends of her hair hung down around her waist. The dim light and shadow made it difficult to see the expression in her eyes.
Tang Ning just glanced at the scroll lying in the corner, her voice soft but extremely cold.
"He and I will only be strangers from now on. It doesn't matter whether you look at these things or not. You find a place to store them. After the spring banquet, get back the Song family's things and pack up the things he sent in the past. Send it back."
She didn't like Lu Zhinian anymore, so naturally she wouldn't worry about him anymore.
There was no disturbance in her heart, and she didn't care at all what Lu Zhinian sent her. She was only vaguely looking forward to the spring banquet in a few days. By that day, she would be able to get rid of the Song family completely and no longer have to have anything to do with them.
…
