Chapter 283: Super Promotion

Chapter 283: An Extraordinary Rise in Status

Yongming Grand Princess's gaze grew solemn. "Both punishment and reward come from the emperor—never to be taken lightly."

"To provoke His Majesty's anger over this would be foolish."

Lu Mingchao understood that Yongming Grand Princess was not reprimanding her but offering her a chance to reconsider and withdraw.

"We should attempt it."

"What if there is neither punishment nor reward?"

Yongming Grand Princess: "What impudence!"

"Your Highness, clouds sometimes block the sun," Lu Mingchao said with a smile.

"Even if they cannot blind the eyes, they can at least block their sight."

Yongming Grand Princess pondered for a moment. "You speak wisely."

"This princess has ties to Empress Dowager Xie. As her descendant, if he remains outside the palace, it is only right—both publicly and privately—for me to offer my protection."

"How kind of you."

With the serious matters concluded, the flower hall came alive with chatter once again.

Lu Mingchao finally saw the notorious dissolute noble of the capital, Zhong Yujin.

Yes, a true ne'er-do-well.

But only a ne'er-do-well.

Yongming Grand Princess's consort came from the Yingchuan Zhong clan.

In the previous dynasty, they boasted three generations of high ministers.

After the founding of Daqian, they stepped back from politics.

When Emperor Wencheng was still crown prince, he personally arranged the marriage between Yongming Grand Princess and Zhong Sanlang, the heir of the Yingchuan Zhong clan.

Zhong Sanlang married the princess, and the Yingchuan Zhong clan regained prominence.

Yet the clan remained exceedingly low-key, with few descendants entering court.

All knew of the Yingchuan Zhong, but none could fathom their full power.

Zhong Sanlang had long since passed away, and his son and daughter-in-law died in battle a decade ago, leaving Zhong Yujin as the only heir.

With Yongming Grand Princess, the Yingchuan Zhong clan, and his forebears' glory, Zhong Yujin could indeed swagger through the capital unchallenged.

"Grandmother, rein in Le Rong, will you?"

"She's whipping me again with that soft whip you had made for her!"

Zhong Yujin rubbed his arm, wincing as he danced around in pain.

Grumbling and cursing, he dashed headlong into the flower hall.

"Marquis." Lu Mingchao rose and curtsied to Zhong Yujin.

Zhong Yujin abruptly halted in his tracks, turning toward the voice with a startled cry, "Lu Mingchao?"

"How did you end up at the Grand Princess's estate?"

"Grandmother, kick her out!"

"I don't ever want to see Lu Mingchao again!"

Before Yongming Grand Princess could speak, the sharp crack of Princess Lerong County's whip sliced through the air, right on cue.

"Zhong Yujin, who exactly are you trying to drive out?"

Zhong Yujin jumped a mile high.

Upon landing, he dropped into a sliding kneel before Yongming Grand Princess, clutching at her legs. "Grandmother, protect me!"

Princess Lerong County snorted coldly, coiling her whip around her waist. "Zhong Yujin, bullying a pregnant woman—have you no shame calling yourself a playboy?"

"Didn’t you say that even as a playboy, you’d be a principled one?"

Zhong Yujin looked suspicious, extending a trembling finger toward Lu Mingchao. "Are you really pregnant?"

*Tsked*, he added, "You have put on some weight."

Lu Mingchao: ???

"Even if she’s pregnant, she’s no weak woman."

"She helped Gu Huai win the jade pendant my father left me on the Spring and Autumn Terrace!"

Zhong Yujin fumed, his teeth grinding audibly.

"Just... nicely show her out!"

"Get her out of here!"

Zhong Yujin was pale-skinned, though he'd come of age, his face still bore obvious baby fat, his eyes wide and round as grapes.

Shining bright and dewy.

A long-tasseled jade pendant dangled at his waist, tinkling with his every move.

He exuded the carefree innocence of a spoiled young lord.

The kind that even bandits would exclaim was a once-in-a-lifetime mark.

Now, he pointed angrily at Lu Mingchao,

his eyes even bigger and brighter, his cheeks puffed out.

Every inch of him radiated an untainted naivety.

Lu Mingchao rifled through the original's memories—there was indeed a hazy memory of such an incident.

But the details had long faded.

The longer she lingered in this book’s world, the fainter the remnants of the original's memories became, as if buried under time's dust or hidden beneath layers of yellowed pages.

It was both a memorial for the original host who had died by ramming her head into a wall and a way to fully become Lu Mingchao.

"The Young Marquis, this ignorant girl was too thick in her youth to know any better."

Seeing this, Zhong Yujin got the creeps, breaking out in goosebumps. "Lu Mingchao, cut it out—I’m scared."

Ahem. Yongming Grand Princess cleared her throat lightly. "Yujin, watch your mouth."

"Mr. Lu is my esteemed guest."

Zhong Yujin was stunned. "Mr. Lu?"

"You went into business?"

Lu Mingchao nodded. "After leaving the marquis’s household, I had to make a living, so I went into business for myself."

Suddenly, Zhong Yujin’s expression contorted in discomfort.

"Since you're so pitiful, I won't hold it against you this time for winning my jade pendant."

This time, it was Yongming Grand Princess's turn to be stunned.

"Silly child, if you knew just how huge and fast-growing Mr. Lu’s business is, you'd eat those words."

"Mr. Lu, have a seat."

"Don't mind this kid."

Did she just call me a child?

Even someone as thick as he was could sense something amiss.

"Grandmother, your grandson and Lu Mingchao are of the same generation!"

"Moreover, I’m older than Lu Mingchao."

Yongming Grand Princess patted Zhong Yujin’s head like a little kid's. "Growing up isn’t necessarily tied to age."

"Perhaps one day, you really will have to call her Aunt."

Lu Mingchao just smiled, saying nothing.

Empress Dowager Xie addressed Yongming Grand Princess as elder sister—of the same generation.

A Yan was Empress Dowager Xie’s nephew.

Zhong Yujin was Yongming Grand Princess’s grandson.

The family tree just got more complicated.

Zhong Yujin’s eyes widened. He turned his head unexpectedly toward County Princess Le Rong. "Le Rong, you okay with this?"

"If I have to call her Aunt, you think you're getting out of it?"

County Princess Le Rong was slow to react, her face going through changes. Stomping her foot and whining cutely, she stepped forward and hugged Yongming Grand Princess’s free leg. "Grandmother!"

Yongming Grand Princess could only facepalm in exasperation.

This is utterly humiliating for her.

No, before her final days come, she must properly arrange the lives of these two naive youngsters.

"Get up!"

"What an embarrassment!"

Yongming Grand Princess showed no favoritism, kicking each one.

Princess Lerong County and Zhong Yujin got up cheerfully.

One on the left, one on the right, they took their places beside the Grand Princess.

Lu Mingchao felt warmth in her heart—this was nothing less than a filial performance.

"Wait!" Princess Lerong County seemed to catch on.

"You lost the jade pendant Uncle left you at the Spring-Autumn Terrace?"

"The Spring-Autumn Terrace!"

"Grandmother, Zhong Yujin went to the Spring-Autumn Terrace behind your back."

The Spring-Autumn Terrace had two pavilions.

The Spring Pavilion was the foremost brothel in the capital.

The Autumn Pavilion was the top gambling house in Daqian.

A hundred taels of gold or a thousand taels of silver wouldn't even get you in the door.

Many wealthy gamblers lost everything overnight.

And many spoiled noble sons squandered fortunes for a beauty's smile.

But most of all, there were those who jumped from the top floor of the Spring-Autumn Pavilion in despair.

Spring and Autumn—a dream of Spring and Autumn, a beautiful dream of Spring and Autumn.

"A toad? A golden toad!"