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

There were eight wine jars neatly placed on the cart. The strong man leading the team kowtowed to the girl in front of him very attentively and said, "Greetings, Princess. I'm here on the orders of the young master to give you this year's gift." After that, he handed over the list with both hands. Lu Yun took it and saw the three words "wine". She couldn't help but smile and said, "Ada, thank your young master for me. It's cold and the road is difficult to walk. There is hot soup and hot rice prepared in the kitchen. You can eat and go back tomorrow." He asked Caihe to hand over the reward money.

That's eight jars of ten-jin (100 kg) wine! Calculating the time silently in my mind, I estimated that my mother would be back in Kyoto in three days. Then I'd take out a few jars of wine and send them over along with the other things. This would complete my mother's New Year gifts.

Cai He followed up from behind, smiling, and handed the letter in her hand to the young lady. "Master, there is a letter for you."

Lu Yun took the letter, feeling a little strange. The envelope was unsigned, with only a few words written on it. It felt light and airy in her hands. Of all the people she knew, only her mother and Roujia wrote to her. Her mother's letters were always a thick stack, while Roujia's letters smelled like roses.

Lu Yun felt a sense of unease for no apparent reason when she saw the letter in front of her. She opened the envelope with a black knife. On the smooth, white paper were only a few lines of beautiful handwriting:

"The wife of the Minister of Public Administration and her children were on their way back from visiting relatives when they were robbed by bandits and are now missing."

The color drained from Lu Yun's face. Suppressing the panic in her heart, she sat back in her room and read the letter over and over again, taking in everything from the texture of the paper, the handwriting, to the single-stroke drawing at the end.

Lu Yun had already guessed who sent the letter—her eldest cousin Lu Ling, now Concubine Li.

After years of cultivating in the mountains, he'd become unfamiliar with the people and affairs of the capital. Eight years ago, when his eldest cousin first married into the Third Prince's household, Roujia had said she was doing well. The last time he'd heard her name was three years ago, when Roujia told her the Third Prince had taken a new wife, and his eldest cousin's life was gradually failing.

If this was really the letter she had sent, Lu Yun could hear her heartbeat pounding. She bit her lower lip tightly, clenched her hands, her nails digging into her flesh. The pain in her palms gradually calmed her down. Taking a deep breath, Lu Yun began to mutter to herself, "Don't panic, don't panic, mother, good luck will come to you, don't panic—"

Lu Yun closed her eyes and tried to sort out the chaotic thoughts in her mind. After a moment, she opened her eyes and saw a clear mind. Cai He did not dare to breathe during the process. Only then did she carefully ask, "Master, what's wrong?"

Lu Yun's face was still pale. She suppressed the sourness in her throat and said, "Caihe, I need to go out for a while." Dashou noticed that something was wrong with his sister earlier than Nanny Guizhi. His eyes widened slightly and he said firmly, "Sister, I'll go with you."

Hearing her uneasiness, Lu Yun smiled and touched her cheek. "Be good, stay home and wait for your sister to come back."

After saying that, she put the letter in her arms, took Caihe with her, and got on the carriage to rush to the capital.

She wanted to ask Lu Lingcong why such a big thing happened but he didn't even say a word to her. A hint of anger flashed in Lu Yun's clear pupils.

Ada looked at the princess's departing back, nudged his companion with his arm, and gave him a look.

Arriving at the gate of the Marquis of Ping'an's mansion, Lu Yun didn't even get out of the carriage, but drove straight in. The timing was just right, just after the hour of Xu, which was the time when the officials of the Qin Dynasty were leaving their posts.

"Master, Princess Ning'an is here." Zhu Sheng hurriedly trotted into the front yard study. Lu Lingcong looked haggard, his face filled with sorrow. His wife and two adult children had been missing for days, with no trace left. How could he feel at ease?

With a deep sigh, he stood up and gathered his belongings. With a snap, the tightly closed partition was flung open. Princess Ning'an was already standing at the study door, glaring at him.

Lu Lingcong trembled and bowed slightly, "Your humble servant pays homage to Princess Ning'an." Lu Lingcong had complicated feelings about his little daughter.

Lu Yun sat down in the armchair and said coldly, "My mother and my brothers and sisters have been missing for many days. Why didn't my father tell me?"

Lu Lingcong looked up in shock, his face filled with disbelief. "My Lady, on the first day the news arrived, I sent my servants to report to the Hot Spring Villa. My Lady—how could this be?"

Lu Yun frowned. "But I don't know. When did father go there, and who did he send?"

The father and daughter looked at each other and realized that there was something wrong. They were about to ask in detail when they heard footsteps outside.

"The old lady is here." Zhu Sheng walked in, followed by an old woman with silver hair, wearing a silver mouse coat, and trembling in her steps. Standing beside her was the eldest wife, Qin, who was dressed as gorgeously as ever.

Lu Lingcong stepped forward and called out, "Mother," looking embarrassed.

Lu Yun sneered inwardly and sat still. After a moment of silence in the room, the old lady finally bowed and said, "Greetings, Princess." Qin followed behind and saluted.

Lu Yun forced a smile and took a few steps forward to help her up. "No need to be so polite, old lady. I came here just to ask father why no one in the mansion informed me of my mother's accident several days ago. What's even more strange is that father actually said he had sent someone to inform me a long time ago."

"Please forgive me, Princess. I ordered someone to intercept the letter that Ling Cong was sending to you." The old lady said expressionlessly, "It is because you are a member of the royal family, and we are the subjects. We dare not disturb your quiet meditation for family matters."

"Mother" Lu Lingcong couldn't believe his ears. He looked at his little daughter and wanted to apologize.

Lu Yun smiled and said, "Old Madam, you worry too much. You are worried about my mother's hard work. Your Majesty governs the country with filial piety. Although I am a princess, I have never forgotten the kindness of my family and my mother in raising me. Or is Old Madam acting this way to put me in a position of unfilial piety and injustice?"

Qin took over the conversation and smiled to smooth things over, "Princess, please don't be angry. It's really because the old lady is afraid that you will worry that she did this."

Lu Yun raised her eyes coldly and said, "I still have something to ask my father. If you have nothing else to do, please go back."

"You—" The old lady was furious, about to lecture her unfilial granddaughter. Qin dragged her out, half dragging her. She disapproved of the old lady's actions. What good would angering the princess do for their family? She was truly becoming more and more confused as she aged. After giving the maids a few words of advice, Qin patted her aching arm and turned back to the east wing.

Lu Yun got the information she wanted, turned her horse around and headed west. When she arrived at the gate of a courtyard, it was already dusk.

The yard in front of me is not big. There is a colorful couplet pasted on the black painted wooden gate. A few gray-brown branches extend from the gray wall that is more than one meter high, swaying gently in the cold wind.

This is the residence of the newly crowned third place scholar and the chief judge of the Dali Temple, Lord Zhao.