I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

Lu Mingyang rubbed his sister's face and comforted himself: "It's okay, the lady also has a salary to receive. Although it's a little, she won't starve to death."

Yang Nian'er said anxiously, "I'm afraid you'll be bullied by Qin Miao. Look how proud she is today."

How could life be easy under the control of a "rival in love"? Especially since she almost became a princess. Lu Mingyang was also afraid, but lost opportunities were like quicksand; how could she hold on to them again?

"Nian'er?" Lu Mingyang's eyes suddenly widened. "Prince Ningyuan told me today that being too clever can backfire. Could he be thinking that I've been bribed by Concubine Song and am deliberately harming him?"

Then it’s not a question of whether life is easy or not, but whether you can survive.

"Ah?" Yang Nian'er was also scared.

Two days later, Lu Mingqin, who had been taken away from the imperial prison, returned. Upon hearing the news, Yang Nian'er stormed into Qinfang Pavilion and slapped Lu Mingqin in the face.

Lu Mingqin fell to the ground, and Lu Mingyang saw a frighteningly pale face, even her lips were purple. This fear was certainly not caused by Nian'er's beating, but there were no injuries on her body.

"Your Majesty has not punished you?"

Lu Mingyang asked this question just to judge the development of the situation, but to Lu Mingqin, it sounded like he was hoping she would die.

Lu Mingqin forced herself to stand up on her weak legs, brushed her temples, and raised her head proudly: "You're not dead, why should I die?"

"Really you?"

Lu Mingyang had originally thought the Song family was threatening her and wanted her to be a scapegoat. Now, seeing her reaction, he asked in disbelief, "What good will it do you to spread rumors about me?"

"You owe me this. Seeing you sad makes me happy." Lu Mingqin raised her face proudly and spat, "You want to be a princess? You don't deserve it!"

A gust of wind flashed by, and a slap struck Lu Mingqin's face with a deafening sound. Everyone looked over and saw a woman standing in front of Lu Mingqin, her brows full of anger.

Aunt Liu protected her daughter and pointed at the woman who hit her. Her voice trembled as she said, "How dare you, a servant girl, hit your master?"

The person who came was Lu Mingyuan's personal maid, Qin Xin.

"Do you know that because of the rumors you spread, the eldest daughter is going to be divorced by her brother-in-law." Qin Xin squatted on the ground and sobbed, completely losing the momentum she had just to hit someone.

"How could this happen?" The first to panic was Concubine Liu. The eldest daughter was her last hope. If the eldest daughter was divorced, who else could she ask to find a good marriage for her daughter?

"After the Marquis passed away, the son-in-law became increasingly cold towards the young lady. When rumors spread about the fourth young lady, the son-in-law considered divorcing her. Later, when the fourth young lady moved into the palace, he heard that the Queen Mother intended to arrange a marriage, so he put the matter on hold. But now...

Qin Xin choked up and said, "When I came out, my uncle was talking about this again."

Lu Mingyang felt distressed when he thought of his eldest sister, who had rushed to save him while pregnant. "She has no parents or brothers left. According to the laws of Dasheng, I cannot divorce her. What's more, my eldest sister is pregnant!"

Qin Xin raised her head with tears in her eyes, "It's not a divorce, it's a demotion to a concubine. Woo woo..."

The little maidservant who came with Qin Xin patted her shoulder gently, "Sister Qin Xin, don't cry. Madam is still waiting for the two girls."

"What?" Lu Mingqin was paralyzed with fear.

……

Most of the noble mansions in the capital were located in the South and West City, but the Duke Zhongxin's residence was located in a narrow alley behind a busy city. The two-horse carriage from the Marquis of Chengyang's residence was a bit difficult to move.

One in front and one behind, walking slowly.

Qin Xin was worried that Lu Mingqin would sneak back, so she sat in the front carriage with her and kept a close eye on her. Uncle Zhong was worried about the eldest girl, so he personally drove the carriage behind, with Lu Mingyang sitting inside.

After all, it was a family affair of the Chengyang Marquis Mansion, so she didn't let Nian'er follow.

From a distance, one could see the not-so-impressive eaves of the Marquis Zhongxin's Mansion, which was far inferior to the Marquis Chengyang's Mansion.

Back then, the Chengyang Marquis's Mansion was prosperous and powerful. The eldest sister grew up in the love and care of everyone and was highly praised by the nobles in the capital. She was worthy of being a princess, but she married the Earl of Zhongxin instead.

Who would have thought that Marquis Zhongxin did not know how to cherish her? As soon as the Chengyang Marquis's Mansion fell into decline, he thought of demoting his wife to a concubine.

Lu Mingyang asked, "Uncle Zhong, why did my eldest sister marry Uncle Zhongxin?"

Uncle Zhong said, "Uncle Zhongxin served as an official under the Marquis. The Marquis saw in him a hard-working and ambitious young man of rare talent. The old lady felt that Uncle Zhongxin's parents had died early, and if the eldest daughter married into the Duke's mansion, she would become the mistress of the household and avoid being tormented by her mother-in-law for decades. When she saw Duke Zhongxin come to propose marriage, she agreed. But now it seems..."

Uncle Zhong sighed, "The last time I saw Zhu Xin, I learned that the eldest daughter didn't come on the day of the Marquis's funeral. She had a miscarriage and nearly had one."

Thinking of Lord Zhongxin, Lu Mingyang felt uncomfortable: "Lord Zhongxin didn't come himself, but he stopped my elder sister from coming. That's too much."

Uncle Zhong looked around the alley and lowered his voice, saying, "The eldest girl was drugged and nearly had a miscarriage. It's a pity that the old lady didn't even get the peace and security she wanted in the harem. And the eldest girl had to endure the rumors to save face for her husband's family, saying it was she who prevented Uncle Zhongxin from attending the Marquis's funeral."

Lu Mingyang was a little surprised. She had thought such a beautiful woman would have a smooth and happy life. But she didn't expect that her life in the harem would not be easy either.

They arrived at the residence of Marquis Zhongxin and Lu Mingyang got off the carriage. It was inconvenient for Marquis Zhongxin to go to the rear house, so he stayed outside the door.

The exterior of the Zhongxin Marquis' Mansion is somewhat old and low, but the interior is decorated in a very lavish style, full of the smell of money and the mess, with no aesthetic appeal at all.

Is this the aesthetic of the Earl's Mansion?

Lu Mingyang looked at Qin Xin, who was leading the way. Her dress was simple and beautiful, and her steps were graceful. She looked completely out of place in the Marquis Zhongxin's residence. If you didn't know better, you would think you had entered the wrong residence.

We walked to a courtyard and saw a plaque with the words "Chu Ge".

Stepping into Yanchu Pavilion, one feels like a completely different world from the outside. While not particularly ornate, it is refreshingly elegant, with even the withered branches and fallen plum blossoms possessing a unique charm, making one feel as if they were in a paradise.

Lu Mingyuan was not in the room.

Qin Xin asked the little girl in the courtyard, "Where is the Madam?"

"Madam was called by the old lady to follow the rules."

"The girl is about to give birth!" Qin Xin suppressed her anger, waved her hand to let her go, and turned around to serve tea to the two girls.

Lu Mingyang was puzzled: "Aren't both my brother-in-law's parents deceased?"

Qin Xin suppressed her disgust and said, "My uncle's biological mother, Aunt Zheng, relied on the fact that she gave birth to my uncle to have everyone in the mansion call her Old Madam. My uncle also indulged her. She is so shameless."

It turned out to be the case.

Seeing Qin Xin's worried and angry expression, Lu Mingyang didn't ask any more questions and waited silently. But the wait was too long.

It's almost dark.

"Is it because of me that the old lady is dissatisfied with my elder sister?" Lu Mingyang was flustered. Compared with Lu Mingqin, she was also not open-minded.

"Fourth Miss, please don't overthink it. She has no such insight. She is just deliberately trying to harass you and get money. She used to do it secretly, but after the Marquis passed away, she finally dared to do it openly."

Qin Xin has a cheerful personality, and her emotions are clearly expressed on her face. As she spoke, she looked at Lu Mingqin and snorted coldly, "If I'm wrong, it's not your fault."

Lu Mingqin clenched his hands silently.