Chapter 151: Lu Kuan Visits Again

Chapter 151: Lu Kuan Visits Again

"Both Qingping and Qingshuang are blessed," Lu Lingyun said with a smile.

"It's not just about being blessed! On the day of the Hairpin Banquet, I saw it clearly. Your two younger sisters are each more knowledgeable and gentle than the last. If I were to choose a daughter-in-law, I'd pick them!"

Lady Wang had three sons, but they were all very young, with the oldest being only eight.

For now, she could only watch from the sidelines.

"I'd say your younger sister will marry even better than her older sister next year! They are young ladies from a scholarly family, and all the older sisters have married well. In the future, all the promising young men and capable youths in the Imperial City will be lining up at your doorstep to propose!"

Lady Wang went on excitedly, but A'Ruo's face darkened.

What about me?

When it came to Liu Qingping and Liu Qingshuang, it was all about the promising young men and capable youths in the Imperial City.

But when it came to her, it was either someone old, a cripple, or a widower with children!

Why was she stuck with such matches?

The more A'Ruo listened, the angrier she became. Unable to hold back her anger any longer, she stood up abruptly. "Have you all said enough!"

The shout startled Lady Wang, who had been enthusiastically chatting away. Both she and Lu Lingyun turned to look at A'Ruo sitting beside them.

"A'Ruo, what's wrong with you?" Lady Wang didn't react immediately. "Look, now that Liu Qingping is getting married, you should also hurry up and settle down!"

Lady Wang hadn't thought much of it.

She even considered A'Ruo and Liu Qingping to be close confidantes, so since Liu Qingping was getting married, A'Ruo should also hurry up.

After Lady Wang's words, A'Ruo let out a cold laugh, "I don't need you to find someone for me! You're all hypocrites!"

With that, A'Ruo ran out of the reception hall.

Lu Lingyun watched A'Ruo storm off but didn't call for punishment. Lady Wang, on the other hand, felt quite frustrated, "This brat is really hopeless. We're doing this for her own good! And she acts so unruly, as if we have nothing better to do than meddle in her affairs!"

Lu Lingyun listened to Lady Wang and gently tugged at her sleeve, "Sister Wang, A'Ruo might be upset about the three matches you proposed."

Her delicate fingers tapped on the three name cards Lady Wang had brought.

An older man, a cripple, and a widower with two children.

Lady Wang, who had been angry, froze upon hearing this and immediately understood why A'Ruo was upset.

She was upset because Liu Qingping had such a good match, while she was being offered these types of men.

Thinking of this, Lady Wang sneered, "Hmph! She really thinks she's some prized young lady!"

It wasn't that Lady Wang was heartless.

It was just that she never really considered A'Ruo to be a genuinely sought-after young lady of an official family.

In the eyes of everyone, including Lady Wang, A'Ruo was lucky to get married, let alone have the luxury to be picky!

These three families were the result of A'Ruo’s aunt and her own matchmaking efforts.

Many of the surrounding households, upon hearing that it was Du Ruo looking for a match, flatly refused.

At the previous Hairpin Banquet, the ladies present were unaware of Du Ruo’s background, and even then, they were uninterested, making her look foolish. Which of these families would want Du Ruo?

She had exerted herself, only to end up unappreciated!

Du Ruo found this situation unacceptable!

"Maybe Sister Wang should return first, and we can revisit this when A’Ruo has cooled off," said Lu Lingyun.

Lady Wang stood up, "Hmph! I can't be bothered with her nonsense!"

Lady Wang stormed out of the Marquis’s Mansion.

Lu Lingyun sent Xiaoqin to check on Du Ruo, and Xiaoqin returned saying that Du Ruo had locked herself in her room, pouting.

Lu Lingyun instructed Xiaoqin to keep an eye on her and report if she left.

Unexpectedly, Du Ruo didn’t run out of the mansion that day.

In the evening, Cheng Yunshuo returned.

Lu Lingyun proactively brought up how Lady Wang had arranged three matchmaking prospects for Du Ruo, all of which had left her dissatisfied and pouting in her room.

After some thought, Cheng Yunshuo said, "I'll go talk to her later."

"Yes."

This mess with Du Ruo was something both he and Lu Lingyun had taken on together. Cheng Yunshuo had to take responsibility too.

It couldn’t always be left to her alone.

By the time they finished dinner, Du Ruo still hadn’t appeared, so after dinner, Cheng Yunshuo asked the kitchen to prepare another meal for Xiaohe Courtyard. He would go personally to have a talk with Du Ruo.

While Lu Lingyun was in her room embroidering tiger-head shoes for the children and spending time with them, a servant reported.

"Young Mistress, the Crown Prince and Miss A’Ruo are arguing."

Lu Lingyun: "..."

"Miss A’Ruo is crying very loudly in the room. The Crown Prince eventually stopped losing his temper with her and switched to persuading her gently. It took some time, but he eventually calmed her down."

Lu Lingyun: "..."

Some things were clear without needing to hear the details.

Late at night, Cheng Yunshuo returned, looking exhausted. "Tomorrow, I’ll introduce a few people to A’Ruo."

Lu Lingyun: "..."

The next day, Cheng Yunshuo had the day off.

Following his reprimand the previous night, Du Ruo returned to Lu Lingyun’s courtyard early in the morning, behaving obediently.

As promised, Cheng Yunshuo started thinking early in the morning about whom he could introduce to Du Ruo.

He thought of a few suitable candidates, but she rejected them as soon as he mentioned them.

Just then, someone else knocked.

"Madam, your younger brother, Young Master Lu, has arrived."

Lu Lingyun, who had been sitting nearby, perked up at the mention of Lu Kuan's arrival.

"Is Ah Kuan here?"

"Yes."

"Please bring him in."

After a short while, Lu Kuan was led in by the servants.

Having not seen Lu Kuan for a long time, he had changed significantly. Dressed in a white scholar’s robe, he had grown taller and more refined after studying at Tianfu Academy for several months, and his demeanor had become more modest.

"Ah Kuan!"

"Elder Sister." Lu Kuan first saw Lu Lingyun and then noticed Cheng Yunshuo sitting beside her. "Brother-in-law."

Cheng Yunshuo didn't have much of an impression of Lu Lingyun's younger brother, but his first impression of him this time was quite favorable. "No need for formalities. So you are Lu Kuan?"

"Yes, Brother-in-law."

Lu Kuan was courteous, and every gesture he made exuded a strong scholarly air.

"Your family is renowned for academic excellence. What exams are you preparing for now?"

"I was actually planning to share some good news with Elder Sister and Brother-in-law. I passed the prefectural examination and became a xiucai scholar."

The prefectural examination is held annually, and after studying at Tianfu Academy for a few months, Lu Kuan passed the exam this year.

Upon hearing that Lu Kuan had passed the xiucai exam, Lu Lingyun was slightly surprised. In her memory, Lu Kuan was not expected to pass until next year.

"That's very impressive." She couldn't help but praise him.

Upon receiving Lu Lingyun's compliment, Lu Kuan's face showed a mix of joy and embarrassment. "It's all thanks to Elder Sister. Without your recommendation, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to study at such a prestigious academy."

Lu Kuan was excelling at Tianfu Academy, earning the favor of several senior scholars and befriending many young masters from prominent families.

His future is boundless.

Hearing that Lu Kuan had become a xiucai at such a young age, Cheng Yunshuo's eyes lit up. "Ah Kuan, how old are you?"