That day, the area in front of the Prime Minister Lu manor was exceptionally bustling. As if they had coordinated it, the gift-bearing entourages from Xian Wang Manor and the Town-North Marquis Manor arrived one after the other.
"Ten thousand taels of gold, ten sets of pearl and jade headpieces, a hu of South Sea pearls, two pairs of white jade ruyi, and one chest each of rubies and sapphires—"
The man responsible for chanting the gift list from Xian Wang Manor was Eunuch Li, sent by the Empress Dowager. His voice was sharp and thin, drawing a crowd of neighbors who squeezed into the entryway to watch. The betrothal gifts from Xian Wang Manor came chest after chest, filled with silks, satins, gold, silver, jewelry, and rare antiques, dazzling the eye and filling the entire front courtyard of the Lu manor.
By comparison, the gifts from the Town-North Marquis Manor seemed rather lackluster.
The various branches of the Lu family had gathered in the courtyard. Lu Rongyue was beside herself with joy; in her previous life, she had been scolded by her own mother over these very gifts. She picked out a green jade hairpin from the treasures and gestured with it over Lu Qingyuan’s head. "Oh, my dear sister, it is such a pity that at our maternal grandfather’s home, you never got to wear anything decent. The Town-North Marquis Manor likely doesn’t have a hairpin with craftsmanship like this, either. I’ll give this one to you to complete the bond of sisterhood between us."
Lu Qingyuan found her ridiculous and, not wishing to haggle over it, reached out to take it—after all, a free gift is a free gift.
*Clatter.*
The moment Lu Rongyue handed it over, she let go. The hairpin hit the ground, and the green jade shattered.
"Oh my, it seems you aren't fated to enjoy such things, sister." Lu Rongyue turned her head, tilting it as she asked Eunuch Li, "If I accidentally dropped a hairpin, the Prince wouldn't blame me, would he?"
Eunuch Li flattered, "If His Highness knew the Princess enjoyed dropping hairpins, he would surely prepare a whole chest of them just for your amusement."
At that moment, Steward Qiu, who was delivering the gifts for the Town-North Marquis Manor, walked up to Lu Qingyuan carrying a cage. He spoke respectfully, "Eldest Miss Lu, although our Marquis Manor’s gifts are not as extravagant as Xian Wang Manor’s, this pair of wild geese was hunted by the Marquis himself. It shows his utmost sincerity."
Steward Qiu lifted the red cloth from the cage. The two geese were not only majestic in posture and vibrant in feather, but the male and female nestled close to each other, grooming one another with deep affection. Seeing them, Lu Qingyuan thought that Huo Yanxing’s archery skills were truly exquisite; she couldn't even spot where the wounds on the birds were.
Looking at them now, the betrothal geese sent by Xian Wang Manor looked like nothing more than birds coddled in the Shanglin Imperial Park—fat, but dim-witted.
"Humph, they are just two beasts. Is this worth boasting about?"
Hearing this from the side, Lu Rongyue felt annoyed. *Why didn't I receive geese personally hunted by Huo Yanxing in my past life?* Her eyes rolled, and a wicked idea took hold.
A moment later, someone exclaimed:
"Look, look! They’re flying away!"
The two geese from the Town-North Marquis Manor, the cage door having been opened at some unknown moment, flapped their wings and took to the sky. In the blink of an eye, they were gone without a trace.
Lu Rongyue clapped her hands, feigning concern. "Oh my, what should we do, sister? The Marquis's sincerity has flown away."
***
That night, Lu Qingyuan entered the study of her father, Lu Zhi.
On the sandalwood desk, agarwood smoke curled slowly as a famous calligraphy scroll lay unfurled—one of the gifts delivered by Xian Wang earlier that day. Lu Zhi, now over forty, remained well-maintained and still carried the air of the talented scholar he had been in his youth. Hearing his eldest daughter enter, he didn't even lift his head, continuing to trace the calligraphy.
Lu Qingyuan knelt on the blue brick floor with a thud. She pinched her thigh hard under her robes and covered her face to feign tears. "Father, I have been raised at my maternal grandfather’s home since I was a child. I cannot serve you like my younger sister, nor can I accompany Mother into the palace to please the Empress Dowager. But the Huo family is also a Marquis manor. For Sister Rong to release my betrothal geese like this—what will become of the Marquis Manor’s dignity?"
Lu Zhi stopped his brush. "I know you have suffered a grievance. How about I add three thousand taels to your dowry?"
"Does Father think I only want more dowry?" Lu Qingyuan looked up, tears hanging on her long lashes, ready to fall. "Xian Wang will eventually return to his fief. The only person to serve in court alongside you will be the Town-North Marquis, a close subject of the Emperor. The face the Lu family gives me is the face given to the Marquis Manor."
Only then did Lu Zhi stand to help his eldest daughter up.
An incense stick of time later, Lu Qingyuan walked out of the study. Her face was devoid of emotion, save for a trace of mockery. In her hand, she held an old dowry list—her mother’s original dowry. It included not just silver, but shops and estates. Her maternal grandfather had only had one daughter, and he had been very generous.
She understood perfectly well that she hadn't gained this by shedding a few tears. Lu Zhi was a wily old fox who had been steeped in politics for years; by marrying his eldest daughter to a powerful minister and his second daughter to a prince, he ensured he would land on his feet regardless of the future.
Lu Rongyue was close to Lu Zhi, but Lu Qingyuan was not. Where there was no love, she would have to use money to feign it.
Soon, the day of Lu Qingyuan’s wedding arrived.
The sound of drums and gongs from outside drifted into the inner chambers, startling a pair of white doves from under the eaves. Lu Qingyuan, sitting before her mirror, listened to the rhythmic thumping—*dong, dong, dong*—which made her heart race with unease.
She suddenly recalled the final dusk of her past life: the thunder of war drums, the setting sun like blood over the city walls, and the silver arrowheads of the Huo Family Army glinting coldly as they raised their bows. The moment the arrow pierced her chest, she had actually felt relieved.
At last, she would no longer be a statue of clay and wood in Xian Wang Manor. This life would not be smooth sailing, but she would fight with everything she had to live freely.
"Second Miss, you cannot come in! Second Miss, please..."
Songyan failed to stop her, and Lu Rongyue stormed into the room.
"It’s fine. You go to the front and see to things," Lu Qingyuan waved her away.
They were left alone. Since the marriage swap, Lu Rongyue hadn't been able to sleep for excitement. Today, the thought of Lu Qingyuan stepping into the "fire pit" of the Huo family made her heart surge.
"Sister, so what if you marry into the Marquis Manor? A prince is a prince, a marquis is a marquis. The prince is above, the marquis is below. In the end, you will never be as noble as I, the Princess Xian."
Seeing Lu Qingyuan’s expressionless face, she grew bolder. "If you want to blame someone, blame your mother for being nothing more than a daughter of a guard bureau. Low-born, crude, and vulgar—how was she ever worthy of Father? Fortunately, she knew her place and died early..."
*Smack.*
Lu Qingyuan stood up abruptly and delivered a resounding slap. The force was so great that Lu Rongyue fell to the floor, a clear handprint rising instantly on her face.
"Ah!" Lu Rongyue clutched her cheek, shocked and enraged. "You actually dare to hit me today!"
*Smack.*
Lu Qingyuan leaned down and delivered another slap, sneering, "I’ll hit you if I want to hit you. Do I need to pick a day for that?"
She had endured enough for a long time. She was not a person who accepted abuse; in her past life, she had still held expectations for this family and restrained herself for the sake of her father’s dignity, yielding to Lu Rongyue time and again. She realized now that it was entirely unnecessary. Furthermore, her mother was her bottom line.
"Miss, it is time to depart!"
Songyan soon came to call. Lu Qingyuan knew that no matter how arrogant Lu Rongyue was, she wouldn't dare act out today. After all, this was an imperial marriage decreed by the Empress Dowager; missing the auspicious hour would be a disgrace for everyone involved.
"Lu Qingyuan, you wait! You’ll be finished off by those little beasts in the Huo family sooner or later!"
"Very well, then I shall... wait."
Having said this, Lu Qingyuan picked up her round fan, blew the pollen from her fingernails, and stepped out on her own.
"You bitch! You bitch!" Lu Rongyue was trembling with rage. Suddenly, she felt a burning heat on her face, followed by an intense itch. She couldn't help but scratch. "Ah! It itches, it itches! I’m dying of the itch!"
Within moments, her face was covered in red hives.
Outside, the drums and gongs roared; inside, curses filled the air. No one noticed a ghostly figure flitting past the window lattice.