Chapter 278: I Am Not a Rake

Chapter 278: This County Princess Is No Rake

"Go on, tell me?" Lu Mingchao blinked her eyes.

Princess Lerong County pursed her lips. "Let’s talk on the way."

"Mind if I ride with you this time?"

"Surely Yongning Marquis wouldn’t begrudge you a carriage?"

Lu Mingchao smiled. "Qing Tang left at dawn to secure a carriage."

"What about the coachman?" Princess Lerong County pressed.

Lu Mingchao replied, "Liu Yue handles everything."

"Let’s go."

Princess Lerong County extended her finger, their fingers brushing. "Might Amber attend you today?"

"Don’t worry, I won’t force anything, nor expect the moon to chase after me. I just want my grandmother and mother to know my preferences."

"I know forced fruit may lack sweetness."

Lu Mingchao silently added in her heart:

Forced fruit may lack sweetness, but it slakes thirst.

Once plucked and consumed, can the melon still be reattached to its broken stem?

"Alright."

"Give me a moment to have Liu Yue ready the carriage and some gifts."

"One never calls empty-handed."

Princess Lerong County waved her hand. "Make haste."

"The thought alone suffices," fretted Princess Lerong County.

Lu Mingchao nodded with a smile and agreed.

She took out two sets of crystal-clear glassware from her dimensional store and carefully placed them in the prepared brocade boxes.

In Daqian [a fictional dynasty], glass did not exist. Only colored glaze came close. Glazeware proved costly yet inferior—lacking the clarity, uniformity, and flawless purity of glass.

These two sets of cups might have been commonplace in future eras, but in Daqian, they were priceless novelties. Paired with the elegant brocade boxes, they made fitting gifts for a first visit—neither gauche nor improper.

Amber held the brocade box with both hands, shadowing her steps behind Lu Mingchao.

"And none for me?" Princess Lerong County widened her eyes, wearing a wounded fawn’s look.

Lu Mingchao thought that at this moment, Princess Lerong County’s eyes resembled those of a fawn—dewy and luminous.

[Note: The saying “A forced melon isn’t sweet” is akin to the English proverb “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.”]

Compared to her usual bold and overbearing demeanor, there was now a touch of softness.

To be fair, Princess Lerong County was a rare beauty, truly one of a kind.

Yet her intensity was too much, and few could face her beauty calmly.

Thus, in the capital, Princess Lerong County was known for being spoiled, headstrong, and unpredictable.

Her personality, too much for ordinary people, effortlessly overshadowed all her virtues.

She was honest and unwavering.

Confident, but not conceited.

A one-of-a-kind woman.

If ordinary people couldn’t accept her, the reclusive masters surely would.

Great Scholar Yan Ji was such a master, teaching by example. His disciples might just break free from the oppressive prejudices that loomed over this era.

He admired women like her.

With that thought, her pep talk might actually come to fruition.

Noticing Lu Mingchao’s prolonged silence, Princess Lerong County’s head drooped like a storm-beaten flower.

"Actually, I didn’t want it that much," the princess grumbled quietly.

Lu Mingchao chuckled, resisting the urge to ruffle the princess’s head, manners aside.

"Princess, there are so many gifts I wish to give you."

"So, once the Treasure Pavilion opens in the capital, pick whatever you want."

"Anything you want, it’s yours."

Princess Lerong County abruptly lifted her head, scoffing. "You’re the one pushing gifts on me!"

Lu Mingchao beamed. "Yes, yes, of course."

The princess was stunned, murmuring after a long pause, "I suddenly realize your looks are just my type as well."

"Stunning and one-of-a-kind!"

"Do you have any siblings who..."

Lu Mingchao sighed helplessly. "I have elder brothers, but they look nothing like me."

"I take after my mother."

"My eldest brother, Lu Lei, shut himself off emotionally and left for distant lands."

"My second brother, Lu Yao, has no interest in love, just books."

It would take Lu Lei at least a year to get over Cheng Zhi.

As for Lu Yao...

To borrow a phrase familiar to later generations: women would just get in Lu Yao’s way.

A mind free of women makes the sword divine.

Princess Lerong sighed wistfully, "Some are born into wealth and glory, yet their love lives are a mess."

"So dramatic," Lu Mingchao scoffed teasingly.

The princess spotted Amber standing obediently behind Lu Mingchao with lowered eyes and panicked. She hastily explained, "Amber, I’m still totally into your twin brother!"

"Just a random question... forget I said it."

"I’m not some flaky player."

"Generally, I’m loyal."

Well, as long as her twin brother’s easy on the eyes.

"You’re joking," Amber replied gently.

"Oh? Playing favorites?" Lu Mingchao faked outrage.

Princess Lerong: !!!

She smacked her forehead, then clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Amber, you see?"

"My brain isn’t capable of two-timing."

"Mingchao, you see too."

"This isn’t about playing favorites—it’s first in line."

Lu Mingchao: Now she’s backpedaling.

Though the backpedaling feels uneven.

Princess Lerong grabbed Lu Mingchao’s wrist and led her onto the carriage.

After a quick glance around, she frowned. "Tomorrow, I’ll gift you a carriage—spacious and magnificent."

"This one looks cheap. On the streets, people will disrespect you. At the emperor’s feet, judging others by their status is common."

"Don’t doubt it."

"The whip I carry has whipped every rich brat in the capital!"

"No take-backs."

"Last year, I also gifted one to Mingzhou. The carriage is stamped with the crests of Yongming Grand Princess’s estate and Princess Pingning’s estate."

"Within and beyond the capital, no one dares stop it."

The more Lu Mingchao looked at Princess Lerong, the more she liked her.

"Aren’t you afraid I’ll throw my weight around?"

Princess Lerong blinked in confusion. "Why not use what you’ve got? Wouldn’t it be a waste otherwise?"

"As for picking on decent people—you’re not Lu Minghui. You wouldn’t do that."

"Grandmother said she's more than happy to back me up."

"Even on my coming-of-age day, she told me that before she dies, she’d go all out to get me a princess title."

As she spoke, Princess Lerong County patted her chest. "When that happens, you can take advantage of my status."

"Ah, wielding influence isn’t the worry—it’s when your influence isn't strong enough that’s the problem."

"No, no. I must urge my father to work harder every day."

"Being content with just a third-rank official position is simply not ambitious enough."

Lu Mingchao blinked, lips parting, momentarily at a loss for words.

Before, she only knew of rich landlords' dumb sons. She thought. Today, she finally witnessed a rich landlord's dumb daughter.

"Having you is truly a blessing for Yongming Grand Princess and your esteemed father."

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Amber lowering her head just slightly.

Amber’s shoulders trembled faintly.

Lu Mingchao knew—Amber was stifling laughter.

Princess Lerong County was truly an unbelievably entertaining person.

If someone as cold as mountain snow like Lu Yao were to meet Princess Lerong County...

It would be like lightning meeting wildfire—completely unstoppable.

I wonder, would the fire melt the snow, or would the snow extinguish the fire?

Who knows? Who knows?

But the sight would surely be something worth seeing.

Riding a horse by the leaning bridge,

Red sleeves waving from every balcony.