Chapter Three: Leaving the Marquis Residence

Chapter Three: Leaving the Marquis Residence

It was as if she was collecting the reward on behalf of the original owner for shamelessly pursuing and securing the marriage contract in her youth.

Lu Mingchao instantly steeled herself mentally.

She never made things difficult for herself and reflected on her actions, finding herself blameless.

She then packed some commonly used items and changed into a set of lightweight, soft, and comfortable clothes.

Flowing wide sleeves were more suited to a life of luxury.

Pale-faced and carrying a backpack, she opened the door.

Sigh…

The cold wind was biting.

It made Lu Mingchao shiver uncontrollably.

With a snap, Lu Mingchao closed the door and rummaged through her trunk to find a thick fur cloak, which she put on.

In this weather, traveling was a miserable task.

Standing under the eaves again, Wang Mama, a trusted servant of the Yongning Marquis Madam, arrived belatedly with one hundred taels.

"Miss Mingchao."

Wang Mama looked at Lu Mingchao with a sympathetic gaze and spoke kindly.

Her small face, long and thick lashes, and big, watery eyes.

At first glance, she looked like a fairy from a picture book.

It was well-known in the capital city that Lu Mingchao of the Yongning Marquis family was exceptionally beautiful.

With a good family background and an excellent marriage contract, she was destined for a life of bliss.

But now…

"I should have sent these to you earlier, but considering your destination, I took the liberty of exchanging part of it for some loose silver coins."

"You are innocent and inexperienced, but it's essential to have a guard against others."

"This silver will be your means of survival and must not be easily deceived away."

"The family is waiting outside the side gate. I’ve already vetted them for you, and they don't seem to be malicious people."

"This old servant wishes you peace every year and all your wishes come true."

Wang Mama, who had been with the Yongning Marquis family since before marriage, had watched the original owner grow up.

As the moment of departure approached, Wang Mama was filled with reluctance.

Lu Mingchao lowered her eyes; Wang Mama's kindness did not seem fake.

Moved by this, she took the pouch and placed it carefully into her backpack, which she secretly stored in the spatial storage.

"Miss, did you remember to bring the medicine powder with you?"

"The wound on your forehead must not be neglected; it's a serious matter for a young lady to have a scar."

Wang Mama continued to advise her incessantly.

As long as she kept talking, it felt like the young girl she had raised would remain the pampered miss of the Yongning Marquis family.

"Wang Mama, please take care of yourself too."

Lu Mingchao gave a small bow to Wang Mama, softly saying goodbye.

Wang Mama watched the slender figure disappear into the cold wind, her eyes welling with tears. She hurried after her, whispering softly, "Miss, if the countryside life becomes too hard to bear, come back."

"I’ll take care of you."

Lu Mingchao paused in her steps, and a wave of sorrow for the parting actually welled up in her heart, her eyes stinging with emotion.

"Wang Mama, I will take good care of myself."

With Wang Mama’s monthly pay and the occasional bonus, they could certainly afford to support one more person.

They might not live in luxury, but they could at least be free from worry.

But Wang Mama was ultimately dependent on the Madam of the Yongning Marquis family for her livelihood.

The Madam held her indenture papers, which were Wang Mama’s lifeline.

If word got back to the Madam, she’d surely face a harsh reprimand or worse.

If they really took Lu Mingchao in, Wang Mama would be in danger.

Servants of the Yongning Marquis family traditionally entered and exited through the side gate for purchases.

At this moment, two farmers stood outside the side gate.

Their cotton clothes were thin and old, and the cold wind howled as they shivered, occasionally glancing towards the gate.

"Father, are we not going to wait for anyone?"

The relatively young farmer, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, asked tremulously as the sky grew increasingly dark.

The older man, his back bent from years of hard work, had a face lined with the weariness of time and the struggles of life.

Absentmindedly stroking the thick calluses in his palm, he sighed deeply, the breath turning into wisps of white mist, as if filled with both regret and relief. "Son, the maid from the marquis family is dressed more finely than even the most proud scholar’s wife in our village. It's only natural that she wouldn’t want to leave."

"Father no longer hopes to take her away, only to hear that she is safe."

"I wonder if she has woken up."

"Lei, we'll leave as soon as we get any news."

"But we can’t just give up and throw ourselves against the wall." The young man named Lei stomped angrily.

Lu Mingchao, leaning against the wall just inside the side gate, heard their conversation clearly as it was carried to her by the wind.

After a moment of thought, she had a plan.

It seemed they were not difficult to deal with.

Slightly relieved, Lu Mingchao lifted her foot to cross the threshold.

The worried father and son froze in place, standing a few stone steps apart.

In an instant, the father and son recognized Lu Mingchao from her familiar face.

"Father, my sister looks so much like our mother," the son said.

Blood relations are truly amazing.

The middle-aged farmer, hunched over, nervously fiddled with the hem of his clothes. He licked his lips and tried several times to speak. But his voice was stuck, as if his throat was blocked by water-soaked cotton. He couldn't make a sound for a long time.

In the end, it was Lu Mingchao, unable to bear the cold any longer, who took the initiative to speak. "Father, elder brother, I will go back with you."

The middle-aged farmer's eyes instantly reddened, and he turned away to wipe them hastily with his sleeve.

"You, you've suffered," he said.

"This is your elder brother, his name is Lu Lei. The old scholar in the village gave him this name, meaning upright and honorable," he explained.

The father and son were both at a loss seeing the faint red stain seeping through the thin cloth wrapped around Lu Mingchao's forehead.

"It's cold. You have an injury on your forehead, there's no need to rush the journey."

"Let’s first find a doctor at a medical clinic, stay at an inn for a few nights, and then figure out a way home."

His voice was hesitant but sincere.

"Father, the injury on my forehead has already been treated. As long as I change the dressing on time, it will be fine. There's no need to spend that extra money," Lu Mingchao quickly explained.

If she saw a doctor, wouldn't it expose her secret?

Her forehead wasn’t injured at all; only a plum blossom mark remained.

"Are you sure you don't need to?" Lu's father asked, not at ease but not daring to make a firm decision either. He cautiously inquired again.

Lu Mingchao nodded. "I'm sure."

Lu Lei was more at ease than his reserved father. Seeing the face so similar to his own, he quickly became familiar after a brief moment of awkwardness.

"Chaochao, can I call you Chaochao?"

Lu Mingchao: ...

Did she even need to answer that?

Meeting Lu Lei’s bright, determined gaze, Lu Mingchao knew she had to respond.

"Elder brother can call me whatever he likes."

The sky darkened, the wind picked up, and the cold cut through even the thickest coat.

Lu Mingchao shivered involuntarily, pulling her coat tighter around her, and blinked her large eyes silently asking her newly-minted father and elder brother.

Is it really okay to chat out here in the cold?

Seeing Lu Mingchao’s pale face, her father felt a pang of concern. "We won’t travel today, and there’s no need to see a doctor."

"Let’s find an inn to stay for the night."

This time, no one asked Lu Mingchao what she thought.

At the inn, only Lu Mingchao was given a cozy room. Her father and Lu Lei wouldn’t budge—no way were they staying in a guest room. Instead, they negotiated with the innkeeper for a few coins to sleep in the outhouse for the night.

Lu Mingchao couldn’t do much about it; after all, it was a rural engagement, a traditional arrangement from the countryside.