Chapter 84: The Younger Brother from the Secondary Line

Chapter 84: The Younger Brother from the Secondary Line

Lu Kuan is Lu Lingyun’s younger half-brother.

He was also the one who carried her out on her wedding day.

The Lu family has three sons; two of them are legitimate sons born to Lady Liu, and Lu Kuan is the only one from the secondary line.

The status of children from the secondary line has never been high since ancient times.

It is often said that a mother gains status through her child, but equally, a child gains status through their mother.

In wealthy households, the lives of children from the secondary line would be much better, but most of them are like little transparent figures in the family, hardly noticed. In poorer families, their status is even lower.

For example, in the manors of local gentry or wealthy landowners, children from the secondary line mostly serve as stewards or overseers for the legitimate sons. If they separate from the main family, they leave with nothing.

Ultimately, it boils down to limited resources, which means there is very little left for the children from the secondary line.

Of course, there are exceptions. If the concubines are extremely favored, their children might gain the patriarch's favor and receive many privileges.

However, these cases are rare. Lu Kuan is one of the majority, a son from the secondary line whom Lady Liu barely acknowledged, and his father did not pay much attention to him either. Even though he was male, he was still invisible within the family.

Yet, Lu Lingyun remembers that in her previous life, he was the most promising among the three brothers in the Lu family, becoming a scholar. However, due to the lack of resources, he failed the provincial exams and stopped pursuing further academic achievements. He then found the lowest-ranking position as a clerk outside the family, eventually reaching the rank of a seventh-class official.

The other two brothers in the Lu family did not achieve any academic titles either. Despite having all the family's resources, one reached the sixth rank and the other the seventh, both holding positions without real power.

If the Lu family had invested in Lu Kuan, even if he could not elevate the family, he could have at least maintained their current status.

What Lu Lingyun remembers most about her younger half-brother is not his low profile and ambition, but in her previous life, after she returned to the Imperial City in glory, everyone in the Lu family fawned over her except Lu Kuan. When she faced a crisis during a natural disaster in Jiangnan, no one from the Lu family asked about her, except for him, who sent her a letter asking if she needed help.

After Lu Hanyi caused a scene earlier, Lu Lingyun felt it necessary to support a member of her maternal family. This life is different from her previous one. Back then, she and Li Wenxun fought alone, starting from scratch. Now, married in the Imperial City, she would likely never leave here, so interactions with her maternal family were inevitable.

The strength of her maternal family would also be her strength. Having someone from her maternal family would give her confidence.

She planned to cultivate Lu Kuan as her maternal family support.

A short while later, a young man around fourteen years old followed Shuang Hong into the room.

"Older sister? You called for me?"

Seeing Lu Lingyun looking for him, Lu Kuan was pleasantly surprised.

Lu Kuan and Lu Lingyun were merely acquaintances, but he liked her because she was the only legitimate child in the family who did not discriminate against him. She even gave him food and pocket money in the past.

Of course, Lu Lingyun probably did not remember this, as she treated everyone the same.

"Are you preparing for the county exams this year?" Lu Lingyun smiled at him.

Lu Kuan nodded vigorously.

"How are your studies going?" Lu Lingyun continued.

"I hope I can pass and become a scholar."

Lu Lingyun smiled at him. "I just received a batch of books that will help you with the county exams. Feel free to come to the duke's mansion whenever you need them."

Lu Kuan was instantly delighted. "Really?"

"Of course." Lu Lingyun reached out and gently removed a stray hair from his collar. "Study hard. Older sister believes in you."

After hearing this, Lu Kuan's face lit up with joy, and he clenched his fists. "Yes, I won't disappoint you, older sister!"

After encouraging Lu Kuan, Lu Lingyun left the Lu Mansion.

The next day, Lu Kuan really came to the duke's mansion.

He stood hesitantly at the gate, but the guards recognized him, as Lu Lingyun had informed them beforehand.

When Lu Kuan arrived at Lu Lingyun's courtyard, she provided him with several books and snacks. Lu Kuan's eyes sparkled with gratitude.

After he left, Lu Lingyun was reviewing the accounts when a servant came to inform her.

"Madam, the matron from Duke Xu's Mansion wishes to invite you for tea."

Li Niyue is coming to see her?

"Sure."

Lu Lingyun had no pressing matters, so she went to Duke Xu's Mansion.

Upon arrival, the head maid from Li Niyue's entourage greeted her.

"The consort has arrived," said Aunt Wang with a smile.

"How has Sister Li been recently?"

"Very well!" Aunt Wang's eyes twinkled with joy. "The charcoal you sent last time helped our matron greatly. She has been eager to invite you for tea to express her gratitude, but it took until after the New Year to find the time."

"It seems Sister Li had a busy New Year," Lu Lingyun noted, picking up on the underlying message.

If Li Niyue was busy, it meant she had gained more control over household affairs.

"Yes, our matron is now highly regarded by the matriarch," Aunt Wang said proudly.

At that moment, a group of young women dressed in fine clothing approached, exuding an air of nobility.

The leading woman was fifteen or sixteen years old, with a face like peach blossoms. She bore a resemblance to Li Niyue's mother-in-law, Lady Cui, with a sharpness in her eyebrows and an unmistakable aura of arrogance and nobility.

At first glance, she seemed like a young Lady Cui.

"Second Lady." Mama Wang bowed respectfully upon seeing the newcomer.

At this title, Lu Lingyun knew that this was Xiao Cui, Li Niyue's sister-in-law, the niece of Lady Cui, married to Lady Cui's youngest son, and both she and her husband were favorites of Lady Cui.

"Second Lady," Lu Lingyun greeted her with a smile.

Xiao Cui glanced at Lu Lingyun with a sidelong look, her arrogance evident, "Who are you?"

"Second Lady, this is our Lady's good friend, the Consort of Ningyang Marquis, Lady Lu."

"Oh!" Xiao Cui showed a knowing expression, her tone dripping with disdain, "So you're that poor, nouveau riche girl who managed to marry into nobility."

Lu Lingyun: "......"

"Second Lady, Lady Cheng is our Lady's esteemed guest," Mama Wang said with a frown.

"Indeed, birds of a feather flock together. Your Lady must enjoy associating with such nouveau riche climbers, disgracing our Duke's household," Xiao Cui sneered.

She couldn't be bothered to look at Lu Lingyun again, lifting her haughty head and leading her maidservants past Lu Lingyun and Mama Wang in a grand procession.

As they passed by, she kept her eyes straight ahead, slightly furrowing her noble brows, and waved dismissively, "What riffraff."

Lu Lingyun: "......"

"Consort, please don't be upset. That's our household's Second Lady, the niece of our Lady. They come from the prestigious Qinghe Cui clan and are the most pampered youngest daughter of their family. She's always been this arrogant," Mama Wang hurriedly explained to Lu Lingyun, "She also caused quite a stir when she first entered our household."