The Concubine's Daughter Travels Through Time and Space and Takes the Road of Confrontation

The mountain road is particularly rugged at night, and the cold air is brewing morning mist.

A dim lantern moved slowly along the dark path.

The corners of Zhao Qingyu's mouth curled up slightly, his chest was still hot, the gloom of the day had long since disappeared, leaving endless joy.

The tea stall at the foot of the mountain had not yet closed, and candlelight shone through the gaps in the door curtains.

Zhao Qingyu paused outside and motioned for Wenzhu to go and pay the fee for looking after the carriage. The city gates were closed, so tonight they could only spend the night in the small mountain courtyard they had bought a few months ago.

After waiting for a while, Wenzhu still didn't emerge. Zhao Qingyu restrained his expression and looked warily at the slightly swaying door curtain. Footsteps were heard, and the curtain was lifted, revealing a scarred man.

The man bowed and saluted him, "Mr. Zhao San, my master invites you."

"Mr. Zhao San, I have a business of moderate size and would like to invite you to join me." The young man sitting behind the table had a gentle smile on his face and looked very polite.

Ma, the second wife of the Dingyuan Marquis’s Mansion, sent someone to the front yard.

"Madam, the gatekeeper said that the young master has not come back yet." Yinping replied carefully.

Ma paused, and with a light "click", she placed the nanmu Buddhist beads bracelet in her hand on the small kang table.

Yin Ping waited for a long time with her head down, and then she heard the wife say, "Okay, I understand. You can go down now."

Yin Ping stepped out of the door and closed it gently. Through the crack in the slowly closing door, she saw Nanny Song's back.

"Did I make a mistake back then?" Ma looked toward the west mountain. "I know Brother Yu's temper better than anyone. Once he's set his mind to something, even ten oxen can't change it." Ma closed her eyes in pain. "Mammy, I often hate myself for raising him too well. A family like ours, having a few playboys is nothing."

Her son plunged into the quagmire step by step without any hesitation.

"Mammy, what can I do to keep him?"

With tears glistening in Nanny Song's eyes, she said in a deep voice, "Madam, do you want to—" She raised her hand and gestured.

Ma shook her head wearily. "Brother Yu left me for seven or eight years because of that incident. After what happened in Luzhou, he only came back to the mansion every now and then, and I could only talk to him a few times. I was so scared."

"What do you mean, Madam?" Nanny Song knelt on the ground in fear. "Please think twice, Madam. If you are found out, you will be guilty of a capital crime."

Ma took the Buddhist beads from the table and slipped them on her wrist. "I, Ma Chengqiu, have been busy for decades, raising children and managing the household for the Zhao family. In the end, my son suffered a disaster and was almost abandoned. Even my own daughter chose the family foundation over personal glory."

Nanny Song said with a sad expression, "Madam, I know you are suffering, but this is absolutely unacceptable."

Madam Ma helped her up and said calmly, "Madam, you underestimate men's desire for power. A strong supporter and a dispensable woman, which one do you think is better?"

For a little risk, they can abandon their own nephew. The royal family will only be more ruthless.

Fortunately, there was nothing to worry about recently, so Master Lu and his family were not in a hurry to return home and stayed at the nearby Hot Spring Villa. The Fifth Prince was also traveling with them, and the manor still called him Master Tan.

Before going to bed, Zhang asked about the serious matter, "Is there anything suitable today?"

Apart from the minor incident of the Lu family's son, the day was quite enjoyable. Therefore, Master Lu had long forgotten his wife's instructions. Only now did he think carefully about it, "Editor Qian is too old-fashioned. Lord Zhao was born in the Dingyuan Earl's Mansion and sat on the position of Temple Secretary at a young age. I'm afraid that we can't reach the level of our current situation."

"Master Zhao, are you talking about the third son of the second wife of the Marquis of Dingyuan?" Seeing her husband nod, Zhang immediately refused, "No, Madam Ma is very powerful. Our sister Rong will probably be suppressed if she marries him." Besides, it was heard that this young Master Zhao had a concubine named Liu Sanniang. Otherwise, he would never have been unmarried in his twenties.

"Then there is no more. The spring examination is coming soon. Let's catch one after the imperial edict comes out." Master Lu joked seriously.

Zhang rolled her eyes at him unhappily, and suddenly thought of someone, "How about the young man who came with you tonight?" Although this Mr. Tan was a little fat, he had regular features. Even though he didn't have any ornaments hanging on his body, she could tell at a glance that his clothes were made of high-quality brocade.

"He can't do it." Master Lu Er refused without thinking.

"Why not?" Zhang looked at her husband suspiciously. "Is it because of my poor family background or my poor character?"

Master Lu held his breath for a long time before finally saying, "He comes from a merchant family. Although he has some talent, it's not enough to pass the imperial examination." His lies became smoother and smoother, and finally he pretended to be angry and said, "My family is a marquisate, and I am an official. How can I marry my own daughter to a merchant?"

Even after the family was divided, the family still belonged to the Marquisate. Zhang retorted angrily, "Sister Qin from the first wife's family is a legitimate daughter of a Marquisate, but she still married her cousin who was a Juren. How can you know if it won't work if you don't try it yourself?"

Without waiting for any rebuttal, he said directly, "I will arrange a banquet tomorrow and invite Mr. Tan to dinner."

The merchant's background is indeed a bit low, but if he can pass the imperial examination and have money on his side, he will be much better than the little money man introduced by Mrs. Si.

Master Lu Er agreed, but what he was thinking in his heart was how could the Fifth Prince possibly take the imperial examination? His wife's plan was doomed to fail.

It was already late at night, and the chirping of unknown insects filled the air. Lu Yun, lying in bed, suddenly opened her eyes, put on her clothes, and walked out into the courtyard.

Huihui, who was usually alert, was sleeping soundly with his legs spread out, and there were suspicious food residues on the dog's mouth. The noise near the wall disappeared in an instant, replaced by two gentle knocks on the door.

Lu Yun squatted down and poked the guard dog that was sleeping like a dead pig with her hand. She was so angry that she thought all she did was eat all day. She was really afraid that someone would steal your medicine and kill you one day.

Standing up and opening the door, Lu Yun crossed her arms and looked at someone, "Mr. Zhou, how are you?"

Liuzi hid the oil paper bag in his hand behind his back, and the air was filled with the aroma of braised chicken.

Lu Yun found herself hungry. In order to prevent her stomach from acting like an empty city, she concentrated her energy and tried to confuse her stomach with the smell of roast chicken.

"Hello, Princess. I haven't seen you for two months. The wall here is more than a foot high." Zhou Boli didn't feel ashamed at all for not being able to climb over the wall but being caught instead.

Lu Yun smiled. "I bought too many bricks and stones for the doghouse, so I had the rest piled on top of the wall. There are other women in the courtyard, so I won't invite you in for tea. Please don't be offended, Master Zhou."

Liuzi dug his ten toes into the ground. His master had tried to climb over the wall in the middle of the night but failed and was then chased down. A normal person would have gotten angry and taken his anger out on others. Liuzi felt a dull pain in his butt.

"I'm sorry for being so presumptuous." After handing the things he brought to the princess, Zhou Boli turned and walked down the mountain. The moonlight stretched his shadow very long.

Lu Yun suppressed the guilt in her heart, turned around and closed the gate without saying a word.

Standing beside the doghouse, Lu Yun opened the wooden box in the moonlight, and a transparent and flawless jade auspicious cloud hairpin lay quietly in the box.