Qin Yining was a little surprised. He didn't expect Lu Heng to remarry at this time.
However, it was only a matter of time before Lu Heng remarried. At his age, he lacked a matriarch who could manage the household and maintain relationships with the upper-class women. That position naturally couldn't remain empty.
It had to be said that Lu Heng was finally willing to give up his feelings for her and remarry. Qin Yining heaved a sigh of relief in his heart. She wasn't a blockhead. Lu Heng had been so direct when facing her later on. As a married woman, she sometimes felt awkward when she saw Lu Heng. Now, with Lu Heng's remarriage, the past would turn a page.
"So it's a joyous occasion for the estate." Qin Yining put down the wedding invitation and said with a smile, "Originally, Wang Ye and I should be present at Zhong Yibo's wedding. However, I'm sure you know about our family's situation. Now that Wang Ye is sick in bed and the two of us are in mourning, it's really inappropriate for us to attend the wedding on such a good day. Please explain to Zhong Yibo on our behalf and thank Uncle for his kindness on our behalf. Wang Ye and I will definitely meticulously prepare a generous gift to congratulate Uncle and his newly wedded wife for a hundred years of bliss."
When the steward heard this, he nodded understandingly and bowed. "Yes, this lowly one will definitely pass on your message."
Qin Yining rewarded the steward with a big red envelope and ordered someone to see the guests out.
After the steward left, Qin Yining returned to his room with the wedding invitation. He pulled up Pang Xiao, who was lying on the heated kang and reading a military book while eating melon seeds.
"What does Lu Heng want to do?" Pang Xiao tossed the book aside and pulled Qin Yining into his arms to sit down. His entire body was filled with hostility and vigilance. It was as if it was about to materialize.
Qin Yining found it funny and handed the wedding invitation to him. "Zhong Yibo is remarrying."
Pang Xiao was startled, and the corner of her mouth could not help but raise, "Is that so?"
He unfolded the wedding invitation and looked at it carefully. Finally, his fingertips landed on the two words "Bian" at the end.
Qin Yining leaned on Pang Xiao's shoulder and looked at the wedding invitation. He asked, "Do you know who this Bian is?"
Pang Xiao thought about it carefully. "There is no official in the imperial court who can talk about marriage with Zhong Yibo's Lu Family and who has this surname. However, as far as I know, Your Majesty has a concubine by his side. Her surname seems to be Bian. Her father used to be a county magistrate in the Northern Ji Dynasty. Now, he has retired. However, it is said that the Bian family's financial resources should not be underestimated. "
Qin Yining thought of Lu Heng and couldn't help but frown slightly. "So, this is 99% likely to be a marriage of interest."
Pang Xiao put down the wedding invitation and said, "How many people in the imperial court can be as lucky as me to marry the woman they love?"
This was the truth, but it was also a straightforward statement of love.
Qin Yining smiled and lightly punched Pang Xiao's shoulder. However, Pang Xiao pulled her white fingers close to his lips and kissed them. In the end, as if he was not satisfied, he gently bit her fingertips, causing a tingling sensation.
Qin Yining's cheeks flushed. "Stop fooling around."
"Okay, I won't fool around." He promised, but did not stop. "What did you say?"
Qin Yining struggled for a while before pulling his hand away. He rolled his eyes at Pang Xiao and said, "We are both in mourning. How can we attend the wedding banquet? I think Zhong Yibo sent the wedding invitation out of courtesy. I told the steward that we will send the wedding gifts later. We won't be going. "
"Okay." Pang Xiao leaned against the large pillow, one hand hugging Qin Yining and the other hand behind her head. He clicked his tongue and said, "He is finally willing to remarry. Not bad. "
He seemed to heave a huge sigh of relief.
Qin Yining naturally knew what he was thinking. He shook his head in amusement and did not say anything.
Pang Xiao said, "I will prepare the wedding gifts later. You don't have to interfere."
Knowing that he was still jealous, Qin Yining tactfully nodded and said, "It is good that you are willing to prepare the gifts. I will not interfere in the matters between you men. When the time comes, I will order someone to send it in your name. "
Pang Xiao felt very happy and planted a loud kiss on Qin Yining's forehead.
At Zhong Yibo's residence, Lu Heng received the wedding gifts from Prince Zhongshun's residence. He looked at the rich contents of the gift list and threw it to the steward without interest.
"Uncle, it seems that Prince Zhongshun is …" Before the steward could finish his flattering words, he saw Lu Heng's expressionless face. For a moment, all the words were stuck in his throat.
"You can leave."
"Yes!" The steward hurriedly retreated as though he had been pardoned.
Lu Heng stood in front of the window of the study with his hands behind his back. The warm light of the lanterns hanging high outside the window could be faintly seen through the closed window. His hands behind his back clenched and unclenched, then clenched again. In the end, he sighed helplessly.
There was no trace of her in the gift list.
He was about to get married, but Qin Yining did not express anything. She only used her status as the mistress of the wang fu to thank the servant he arranged to send the wedding invitation. The wedding gifts were also given to him, but he could not see any of her intentions.
In the past, when he did not remarry, there was still a glimmer of hope. Now that he was about to remarry, the hope was very slim.
Lu Heng's unwillingness and struggle could not be shown in front of anyone. He could only hide all his frustrations in his heart.
Bian shi was Concubine Zhuang's younger cousin. Her background was not very high. In the eyes of the Lu Family, she was not very noble. However, with the status of Concubine Zhuang, who was currently favored, if he married Bian shi, Bian and Your Majesty would become relatives.
He was the clan leader of the Lu Family. He no longer had the right to be willful. Other than thinking for himself, he also had to consider the situation of the family.
After his grandfather passed away, many things were out of his control. However, he also had more opportunities to show his strength. Right now, the Lu Family was developing according to his plan. Tying themselves to the Son of Heaven was the only choice.
He had already waited for Qin Yining for so long. He could not wait any longer.
As for remarrying, he was no longer against it.
However, ever since that glimpse in the restaurant that day, he had lost his soul. How could he find it again?
He was not willing to accept not being able to obtain Qin Yining.
Lu Heng was filled with sorrow. In front of others, he had to pretend to be happy. Every night, when it was quiet, only the cold lanterns would know of his unwillingness and resentment.
The preparations for the wedding proceeded in an orderly manner. The patriarch of the Lu Family was remarrying, Concubine Zhuang's cousin was getting married. No matter how one looked at it, this wedding could not be done half-heartedly.
In a few days, the topic of conversation for the people in Jing finally changed from the treated hero to Zhong Yibo who was about to get married.
After this period of time, Li Qitian's thoughts were changing. Chang Guogong and the imperial censors participating in the Pang Xiao had made him very happy. However, after thinking about it, he felt that this kind of participation was "adding insult to injury."
Originally, the people were saying that he, the emperor, was deliberately trying to murder a meritorious official. His hands and feet were tied because of this matter. Since he could not punish Pang Xiao at this time, it was better to completely let this matter go. It was better than him standing at the heart of the storm.
Now that there was Lu Heng's wedding, the people's attention was finally diverted. He did not have to worry about people saying that he was heartless and unjust behind his back.
However, the development of the matter did not go as Li Qitian had expected.
Chang Guogong actually took the lead in impeaching Pang Xiao a few days later. This time, his words were so fierce that it was as if Pang Xiao had dug up his family's ancestral grave.
The public opinion that had just been suppressed once again flourished.
Finally, Li Qitian could not help but pull a long face in the Imperial Court. It was not good for him to speak his mind, so he snorted at Duke Chang Guogong, then left the entire Imperial Court with a flick of his sleeves.
Your Majesty's actions caused many people to discuss. Some people analyzed that Your Majesty was angry because Chang Guogong had repeatedly wronged Prince Zhongshun.
However, the majority of people felt that Your Majesty was angry at Prince Zhongshun's "innumerable" evil deeds.
In the period from February to March, the people had been discussing Pang Xiao's impeachment and Zhong Yibo's remarriage.
On the sixth day of the third month, Qin Yining was leisurely doing needlework with Bing Tang and Ji Yun. The new second-rank servant girl, Ziyuan, quickly walked in. She respectfully bowed and said crisply, "Wang Fei, the Countess of Anping has sent an invitation."
Qin Yining smiled as she put down the embroidery, "Let me see."
Ziyuan presented the invitation with both hands.
On the invitation, the Countess of Anping asked if she was free this afternoon.
Qin Yining thought about it and told Ziyuan, "Tell the steward to reply that I am free this afternoon. If the Countess of Anping is willing to come, I will definitely welcome her."
Ziyuan was not literate, but her memory was very good. After hearing Qin Yining's words, she immediately remembered them. She bowed and quickly retreated.
Bing Tang smiled and said, "Among the new servant girls, Ziyuan is the smartest."
"I think Hanxiao is also good." Ji Yun smiled and said, "Wang Fei is also carefully cultivating the two of them."
"Yes." Qin Yining said, "Ziyuan is very smart. Hanxiao's personality is somewhat like Qiu Lu's. She is very steady."
Ji Yun and Bing Tang both smiled and continued to do needlework.
Ji Yun asked, "This is the first time the Countess of Anping has come to visit. I have never seen you meet her in private before."
Qin Yining said, "I have met the Countess of Anping a few times. When Wang Ye and I were not married, the Empress Dowager hosted a banquet in Ci 'an Palace to entertain the families of the nobles and officials. Wang Ye was so angry that he flipped the table. At that time, the Countess of Anping was present.
"It is said that the Countess of Anping is an old official of Beiji. Like the Duke of Chang Guo, she was left behind by Your Majesty to show her benevolence. Usually, she is far away from the center of power. She is just a noble in name and enjoys her old age."
Ji Yun nodded and said, "You should be mentally prepared for such a person to suddenly come to you."
Qin Yining nodded. "It's okay. Both of you will follow me in the afternoon.
”
Bing Tang and Ji Yun both smiled and agreed.
After lunch, the Countess of Anping came.
The Countess of Anping was about forty years old. She was tall and had a long face with wrinkles on it. Her glossy black hair was tied into a bun and held in place by three silver hairpins. She wore no other accessories or makeup. Seeing that she was wearing a sapphire blue narrow-sleeved robe and a dark blue long skirt, Qin Yining guessed that the Countess of Anping's family might have just had a funeral.
Qin Yining warmly welcomed her and invited her into the warm room to have tea.
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