ebookland Chapter 202 Lotus in the General's Mansion
Chapter 202 Lotus in the General's Mansion
The next morning, the sun was shining brightly. Before her coming-of-age ceremony began, Luo Lingyue earnestly told the two of them, "Be extra careful today! Sister Ping, you must follow Fourth Brother closely. Shang Zhi, you disguise yourself as Sister Ping and accompany my eldest sister-in-law, and act accordingly!"
After she finished her instructions, she turned around and asked Bai Zhi softly, "Has Sister Li Xuemei arrived?"
Bai Zhi smiled and replied, "They followed the Eighth Princess here early in the morning. But why did you tell the Eighth Princess about your plan? She is the Crown Prince's biological sister!"
Luo Lingyue raised the corner of her mouth slightly, revealing a sly smile: "Don't worry! If she has two more peerless beauties as sisters-in-law, I think she will definitely be very happy to cooperate with us! As long as Li Jingshu is unhappy, Chu Caiwei will be happy! And she took the trouble to train this pair of sisters, isn't it just to send them to the East Palace!"
Although there were not many people watching Luo Lingyue's coming-of-age ceremony, each of them played an important role. They came from various powerful families in the capital, some were important officials in the court, and some were tycoons in the business world. The arrival of each person added a solemnity and dignity to the coming-of-age ceremony.
On the high hall, Emperor Wen and the Empress sat upright, and next to them was the dignified and beautiful Concubine An. The three of them focused their eyes on Luo Lingyue below, their eyes full of expectations and blessings for her.
Next to Luo Lingyue was her mother An Qingyi. An Qingyi carefully combed Luo Lingyue's long hair and inserted an exquisite hairpin into her bun. This hairpin was carved from top-grade jade and inlaid with a lifelike albizzia flower. It was given by Xiao Jinghan.
At this moment, Xiao Jinghan stood in the crowd not far away, his eyes were gentle and doting, with a faint smile on his lips. He stared at Luo Lingyue quietly, watching her complete the ceremony of the coming-of-age ceremony step by step, his heart full of joy and relief.
The whole process of the coming-of-age ceremony was solemn and dignified, yet filled with a warm atmosphere. Everyone present was happy for Luo Lingyue and was full of expectations for her future life. For Luo Lingyue, this day was not only a testimony to her growth, but also the starting point of her new life.
After Luo Lingyue's coming-of-age ceremony, Luo Lingzhang smiled and said modestly, "Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend my sister's coming-of-age ceremony. The lotus flowers in the lake of the general's mansion are in full bloom today, and the pavilion has exquisite refreshments for you to take a break. When it's time for lunch, let's drink together and celebrate this moment together!"
Seeing that the Emperor, Empress, and Concubine An had no intention of leaving, the officials present moved to the lakeside to admire the beautiful scenery of the lotus flowers in full bloom. At this time, Li Mingfu secretly gave the Crown Prince a look, and the Crown Prince understood, and then whispered to Li Jingshu beside him: "Go and invite Chen Manping to the lakeside."
When Li Jingshu heard this, she felt annoyed and her chest ached. However, when she recalled what her father had said, the anger that was rising up was forcibly suppressed.
Emperor Wen walked slowly to the lakeside, admiring the lotus flowers in full bloom, and whispered to Concubine An beside him, "The Lotus Lake in the General's Mansion is such a wonderful place! Such a beautiful view is really perfect for watching a play!"
Concubine An smiled slightly, her beautiful face was like a blooming flower, delicate and tender: "I also hope that this play carefully constructed by Xiao Qi can be appreciated and loved by your majesty!"
The empress, who was not far away, was watching the intimacy between Emperor Wen and Concubine An with cold eyes, and she could not help but feel angry. She gritted her teeth and cursed secretly: "How dare this vixen flirt to flirt with me! What a shameless bitch!"
The queen's eyes were full of jealousy and anger, she clenched her fists, and seemed to want to rush forward to teach Concubine An a lesson. However, she knew she couldn't do this because it would cause dissatisfaction and disgust from Emperor Wen.
Therefore, the queen could only suppress her inner anger and continue to observe everything in front of her silently. She secretly made up her mind to find a way to make Concubine An fall out of favor and win back Emperor Wen's heart.
The prince and Li Mingfu stood in the crowd, watching Li Jingshu walk towards Chen Manping from afar. When Li Jingshu approached, the two smiled at each other, as if everything was self-evident.
At this moment, Chen Manping was chatting with her elder sister Chen Manting. When they saw Li Jingshu, they all stood up and saluted, and shouted in unison: "Crown Princess!"
Li Jingshu's beautiful face was filled with a faint smile. She said softly, "Madam Luo, I found that there are not only blooming lotus flowers in this lake, but also some mature lotus pods. The prince has a poor appetite recently, and I want to pick some lotus seeds and bring them back to make soup for him to increase his appetite. I wonder if Madam Luo can arrange someone to lead me to the center of the lake to pick lotus pods?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Manting immediately responded, "Your Highness is too polite! In that case, let my second sister Chen Manping take you there by boat. She is very familiar with this lake and will definitely be able to help you find the best lotus pods." After saying that, she turned to look at her sister beside her, her eyes full of trust and encouragement.
Chen Manping carefully helped Li Jingshu step onto a small boat, then gently paddled the boat and slowly sailed towards the center of the lake. As they got farther and farther away from the shore, they gradually disappeared in the dense lotus leaves, as if they had entered a world isolated from the world.
At this time, the lotus flowers on the lake are in full bloom, and the breeze brings bursts of fragrance. However, people on the shore cannot see the beautiful scenery and situation in the lake.
Chen Manping smiled and said to Li Jingshu, "Crown Princess, look at how well the lotus pods are growing here...ah!" Before she finished her words, a silver needle as thin as an ox hair suddenly shot out at her and pierced the back of her neck accurately. She didn't even have time to let out a cry of surprise before her body fell limply.
Li Jingshu's heart paused, but she reacted immediately, quickly picked up the oars and paddled hard, steering the boat to a secluded place in the lake. At this moment, several figures in black emerged from under the lotus leaves like ghosts. They moved swiftly and effortlessly lifted up the unconscious Chen Manping, then disappeared silently among the lotus leaves.
At this moment, Luo Lingyue was wearing a hazy and dreamy misty purple dress. Her figure was graceful, like a fairy descending to the earth, which was eye-catching; and her beautiful face was as fresh and refined as a lotus emerging from the water, so beautiful that it could overwhelm the whole country.
She was sitting in a pavilion by the lake with the young ladies from the aristocratic families, leisurely sipping the fragrant and delicious tea and savoring the exquisite and delicious snacks. They were laughing and talking happily, and the atmosphere was harmonious, as if time had stopped at this moment.
However, Luo Lingyue's gaze passed over the crowd and fell lightly on the Eighth Princess not far away. The corners of her mouth slightly raised, outlining a faint smile, which revealed an indescribable confidence and calmness.