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

After Hua Cheng finished his greetings, he walked to the table and sat down. He picked up the teacup and took a sip. He said in a gentle voice, "Mother, will I see the younger sister of the Cen family when I go to the palace today?"

Mrs. Tong said unhappily, "I've seen it. One after another, they all treat the Cen family like bodhisattvas." Thinking of what she had seen at Xiuzhu Pavilion today, Mrs. Tong felt a little uncomfortable. "Miaoxin is now amazing. Whether it's food, drink, or daily necessities, it's more than a hundred or eighty times better than before. There are four or five maids, big and small, surrounding her in the room. The princess is kind and not harsh. She sends her tray after tray of silver, and even lets her practice with the finest fine cotton cloth. Amitabha, what a pity."

Seeing her son was silent, Mrs. Tong said something ambiguous, "If only General Cen were still here."

Hua Cheng turned around, a glimmer in his eyes. "Mother, I heard that Sister Cen is pregnant?"

Mrs. Tong smiled. "Of course she's pregnant. Otherwise, why would the palace treat her so well? Thanks to General Cen and Lady Qiong, Miaoxin has this good fortune today. Oh, no, why are you asking that?"

Hua Cheng stood up and said, "Mother, I remembered something I need to discuss with Father, so I'll go over first."

There was a dim light in the study. A middle-aged man with a beard and wearing armor was looking down at the defense map on the table. When he heard the movement at the door, General Hua raised his head and looked at the closed door behind his son.

He frowned and asked, "What's the matter?"

Hua Cheng stepped forward, his expression nervous and his voice dry, "Father, I suspect that the child in Miaoxin's belly is mine." He uttered the last word with difficulty.

General Hua's face changed drastically. "That's nonsense!"

The Hua family's wedding date is getting closer, and Aunt Cen from Xiuzhu Pavilion has finally recovered after being ill for two days.

Lu Yun held a small box beside her. Aunt Cen sat to one side. "I have a humble request. I'd like to ask the Princess to bring a gift to the Hua family on my behalf."

Lu Yun discreetly observed Cen Miaoxin's tone and demeanor as she spoke, and smiled faintly. "Auntie Cen, would you mind if I opened it and took a look?"

Cen Miaoxin seemed to have not expected Lu Yun to make such a request in front of her. She was stunned for a moment before nodding, "Of course, Princess, please take a look."

The box opened, revealing a pair of Pisces jade pendants. The jade was lustrous, icy, and beautifully carved. Considering Cen Miaoxin's wealth and Mrs. Tong's behavior, it seemed a shame to give Hua Cheng such fine jade pendants as a wedding gift.

"Very good." Lu Yun praised, and asked someone to close the box again. She said politely, "There are only a few such good things in my yard."

Cen Miaoxin forced a smile. "I haven't seen anything nice before. I just picked one out of the gifts the Empress gave me. Since my mother passed away, Aunt Hua and my brother have always taken good care of me. At first, I was worried that the gift was too simple, but I'm relieved to hear you say that."

The handkerchief was already crumpled in his palm.

Lu Yun stopped when she saw that things were going well and began to reassure her, "Don't worry, I will definitely help you get it."

Cen Miaoxin was obviously relieved, and walked away carefully holding the maid's hand.

Cai He saw how hard she worked, and thinking of Mrs. Tong's character, she sighed, "Mrs. Cen has only been gone for a few days, and she's already come such a long way to see her master."

Lu Yun opened the small box again and carefully examined the contents. "That's right. It takes an incense stick of time to walk from Anlan Courtyard to Xiuzhu Pavilion. It's obvious that Aunt Cen has a lot of affection for the Hua family."

Giving pairs of Pisces jade pendants to newlyweds to wish them a sweet and long-lasting love is a sign of the gift-giver’s thoughtfulness.

But Ada still couldn't find out anything, it was really weird.

Just when Lu Yun was secretly considering whether to go down and inquire on the wedding day, she did not expect that Mrs. Tong would step onto the threshold of the Nanyue Palace again.

Compared to last time, this time she brought a smaller cart of gifts for Cen Miaoxin. At noon, Lu Yun, on behalf of Princess Gao, accompanied Madam Tong for lunch at Xiuzhu Pavilion.

Mrs. Tong sat down and held Cen Miaoxin's hand tightly, her attitude was very friendly. "Miaoxin, I couldn't let you go after I went back last time. I took the opportunity to come to see you again when I went to the city."

"Look how much thinner you've become. This time I came to ask for a prescription for you. It's said to be the most effective treatment for morning sickness."

While talking nonstop, he personally served the food to Cen Miaoxin.

Cen Miaoxin ate while agreeing with her aunt.

Lu Yun watched from the side and agreed from time to time. Seeing that the two had almost finished eating, she put down her chopsticks and invited them into the inner room to talk.

Mrs. Tong helped Cen Miaoxin lie down on the low couch, her eyes burning. "Miaoxin, how long have you been pregnant?"

Cen Miaoxin paused and subconsciously turned her gaze to the princess.

Lu Yun covered her face and drank tea from the cup, looking as if she saw nothing.

Cen Miaoxin felt her scalp tingle under her aunt's gaze, and as agreed, she answered, "Almost four months."

Mrs. Tong's smile widened as she noted the time. She chatted a few more words before getting up to leave. Before leaving, Cen Miaoxin had someone deliver the gift she had prepared.

Mrs. Tong declined it once, then took it and got into the carriage happily.

Back at Anlan Courtyard, Lu Yun ordered Caihe to close the gate. "Did you find out what Concubine Cen replied to Madam Tong?"

Thinking of the news she had inquired about, Cai He was confused. "In addition to snacks, silk and other things, Aunt Cen also put fifty taels of silver in it."

Could it be that the Hua family was so poor that they had to rely on an orphan girl to secretly supplement their income? Fifty taels of silver might not even be enough to buy the red gold and cloud-patterned hairpin inlaid with gems that Mrs. Tong wore.

"Silver?" Lu Yun was surprised. "Did he leave any note or message about the whereabouts of the silver?"

Cai He shook her head. "The maid said that Madam Cen doesn't know many words."

Lu Yun fell into deep thought. Fifty taels of silver was not a lot, but not a little either. It was enough to buy more than ten acres of high-quality paddy fields in Nanyue.

"Zhou Boli, has Cen Miaoxin been secretly supporting others over the years, such as the disabled soldiers in General Cen's former army?"

Lu Yun lay in bed. She thought about it for an entire afternoon and only came up with this relatively reasonable explanation.

Zhou Boli turned half his face away when he heard this and said in a calm voice, "In the three years after Madam Qiong passed away, Cen Miaoxin did this for her mother a few times. Later, after she became close to the Hua family, she stopped doing these things."

In the darkness, Lu Yun's brows were furrowed so tightly that they could almost kill a mosquito. "What about the Hua family? When did the Hua family start helping injured soldiers?"

Zhou Boli raised his hand and gently placed it between his wife's eyebrows. "Ayun, don't worry about outsiders."

"The Hua family started contributing money and effort to support the disabled soldiers four years ago, and everything was handled personally by Hua Cheng. Speaking of the timing—" Zhou Boli's tone turned cold, "it was four years after Madam Qiong's death."

"That is to say, as soon as Cen Miaoxin stopped, Hua Cheng took over the matter." Lu Yun murmured to himself, "The Hua family didn't do it earlier or later, but chose to start at this time. Four years have passed, and the Hua family's reputation in the army has become increasingly better."

Lu Yun felt a chill on her back. She suddenly threw herself into Zhou Boli's arms and held the man's arm tightly. "Zhou Boli, you are a good person."

Zhou Boli accurately found the young lady's face, pinched the soft flesh on her cheek, and sighed, "Madam, you actually compared me to such a person. I am very sad."

Then, turn on the lights!