Chapter 377: Receiving the Decree

Chapter 377 Receiving the Imperial Decree

On the 26th of November, the weather was clear, and the warm afternoon sun felt like spring.

Outside the city of He'an, Lu He and Lu Mingke led a group out of He'an to welcome Yu Zheng.

As the procession approached, the carriage halted. Lu He and Lu Mingke stepped forward and greeted respectfully.

"Your humble servants, Lu He and Lu Mingke, greet Prince Jing."

Lu He, nearly fifty, wore official robes and had a dignified, scholarly air of a refined civil official.

The carriage door opened, and Yu Zheng sat upright, scrutinized Lu He, then said, "Prefect Lu, please lead the way."

"Yes," Lu He responded respectfully and walked to the carriage.

As Lu Mingke turned and looked up, he glanced inside the carriage, surprised to see Jiang Shu, and then slightly smiled.

Scouts only reported Prince Jing's arrival, not his companions.

Last year, learning Jiang Shu was betrothed to Prince Jing and married into royalty, Lu Mingke was shocked.

Shen Qingrong was even more shocked.

What would Shen Qingrong's reaction be to Yu Zheng and Jiang Shu coming to He'an together?

The carriages of Lu He and Lu Mingke led the procession into the city to the Prefect's residence.

At the Prefect's residence, Yu Zheng and Jiang Shu alighted, and the Lu father and son welcomed them in.

Entering the main hall, Yu Zheng took his seat at the head and said, "I bear His Majesty's decree. Prefect Lu, prepare to receive it."

Lu He, surprised, quickly ordered an incense table set up and summoned the family.

Lu Mingke, after his shock, worried Shen Qingrong might lose her composure.

For receiving the imperial decree, all family must attend. As the Lu family wife, Shen Qingrong had to come.

Servants hurried to relay the message to all courtyards.

Under house arrest, Shen Qingrong found the servant's report hard to believe.

"What?" Shen Qingrong stood up, shocked.

The servant repeated, "Prince Jing and his wife have arrived with His Majesty's decree. The master invites the young mistress to the front hall to receive it."

"Prince Jing is here? How?" Shen Qingrong muttered, stunned.

And his wife... Shen Qingrong gritted her teeth, filled with resentment.

Since returning to Pingyang from Shang Jing, Lu Mingke despised her.

Learning of her actions in Shang Jing, Lu He and his wife were disappointed and agreed to Lu Mingke marrying Su Rou as a second wife.

Unwilling, she defied her in-laws, caused a scene, was scolded by Madam Lu, made to kneel in the ancestral hall overnight, and punished by copying 'Admonitions for Women.'

Last April, Su Rou married into the Lu family, and the city congratulated, ignoring her feelings.

When Su Rou offered tea, Shen Qingrong refused, angering Lu Mingke and drawing reprimands from Madam Lu.

Later, only the laughter of the new wife was heard, while the tears of the old one were ignored. Lu Mingke spent every night in Su Rou's room, never stepping into Shen Qingrong's courtyard again.

Shen Qingrong, unwilling to accept this, used Lu Xingyuan to trick and pressure Lu Mingke into visiting her courtyard. Lu Mingke did come, but each time he wore a cold expression, his gaze growing more disdainful, and he never stayed overnight.

Lu He and his wife no longer defended her, instead scolding her to be understanding and avoid jealousy, urging her to focus on raising Lu Xingyuan properly.

A few months later, Su Rou became pregnant.

Shen Qingrong watched as Lu Mingke doted on Su Rou and heard Lu He and his wife shower Su Rou with attention, seemingly forgetting her existence entirely, only showing some affection for Lu Xingyuan.

Seeing Su Rou's belly grow day by day, Shen Qingrong sensed a crisis. Given the Lu family's attitude, if Su Rou gave birth to a son, Lu Xingyuan's position would be at risk.

Taking advantage of the Lu family's lingering affection for Lu Xingyuan, Shen Qingrong took action against Su Rou.

Su Rou nearly miscarried and had to stay in bed for three months to save the baby.

When Lu Mingke discovered it was Shen Qingrong's doing, he slapped her in anger and wanted to divorce her.

To avoid public scandal, Lu He and his wife, concerned about their reputation, eventually persuaded Lu Mingke to change the divorce to house arrest, and Lu Xingyuan was taken from her.

Shen Qingrong was utterly despondent, growing increasingly listless, believing that Lu Mingke would never step into her courtyard again.

But a month later, Lu Mingke suddenly came to see her.

That day, Lu Mingke was in a good mood, smiling and speaking to her calmly.

However, his words drove Shen Qingrong into a frenzy of anger.

Lu Mingke told her that Jiang Shu had been betrothed to Prince Jing by imperial edict and would soon marry into the prince's household.

Shen Qingrong felt a ringing in her ears, the hidden thread in her mind snapping suddenly. Overwhelmed by rage, she lost all reason and was determined to return to Shang Jing.

She wanted to confront Jiang Shu face-to-face.

But how could the Lu family let her go back?

Not only did they prevent her from returning, but even the letters she wrote were intercepted and never delivered.

Shen Qingrong couldn't believe that Yu Zheng would marry Jiang Shu, yet she had no way to verify it. Tormented by resentment and hatred, she nearly went insane.

She hated Su Rou, but she hated Jiang Shu even more, yet she could do nothing.

The only thing that kept her going was seeing Lu Xingyuan every few days.

Days passed in unbearable pain until Su Rou gave birth to a sickly daughter, which made Shen Qingrong happy again, and her mood greatly improved.

But confined to this small courtyard, unable to go out or even send or receive letters, it felt as if she had been cut off from the world.

Over time, Shen Qingrong couldn't bear it anymore, often muttering to herself, suddenly lashing out and smashing things, drowning her sorrows in wine.

On her birthday, no one celebrated with her, so she toasted herself. When Lu Xingyuan came to see her, she was slightly tipsy.

Shen Qingrong cursed the Lu family in front of Lu Xingyuan, her crazed appearance scaring him. Lu Xingyuan wanted to leave, but Shen Qingrong wouldn't let him. In the struggle, they knocked over an incense burner, and the hot burner struck Lu Xingyuan's forehead, burning a finger-sized mark.

From then on, Lu's wife no longer allowed Shen Qingrong to see Lu Xingyuan.

Cut off from her family, despised by her husband's family, and separated from her son, the servants in the household now recognized Su Rou as the young mistress. Shen Qingrong was completely broken, living each day like a walking corpse.

"Young mistress, hurry up, Prince Jing and Prince Jing's wife are waiting," the servant urged anxiously, seeing Shen Qingrong standing still for so long.

Shen Qingrong suddenly came to her senses, her eyes cold as she glared at the servant and said, "Receiving an imperial edict must be done with dignity."

After speaking, Shen Qingrong turned and entered the inner room, personally fetching her favorite dress from the wardrobe and changing into it. She then sat at the dressing table and had the servant do her makeup.

Although the servant worked swiftly, it still took half an hour to finish.

Having been confined for over a year, stepping out of the courtyard for the first time, Shen Qingrong felt the outside air was sweet, and the scenery everywhere was stunning and captivating.

But before she could finish her thoughts, two sturdy women grabbed Shen Qingrong's arms on either side, dragging her towards the front hall: "Hurry, Lady, it’s not appropriate to keep Prince Jing and Princess Jing waiting."

"Let go of me, I can walk by myself," Shen Qingrong struggled fiercely.

The two women remained unmoved, only releasing her when they neared the front hall, whispering a warning: "Madam said, please behave yourself, Lady, otherwise the Lu family rules are not just for show."

She was a woman of the Lu family, and the Jing'an Marquis Residence was thousands of miles away. Whether she lived or died was entirely up to the Lu family.

The lessons of the past two years had made Shen Qingrong understand this truth all too well.