Qing Yin and Qing Bao exchanged glances, seeing the smiles in each other's eyes.
From the experience of Prince Jin being called out of the palace that day, only to sit in the carriage for a while and then be pushed out, it seemed that if Miss spoke, Prince Jin might really come to help her collect the debt.
Seeing Lu Zhaoyun's incredulous and suppressed indignation, Lu Zhaoling leisurely added, "Or, I can also let Prince Jin mention it in front of the Emperor and the imperial officials that during the period of national mourning, Lord Lu might become famous due to some household trivial matters."
"You're trying to harm Father!"
At this time, no one dared to cause any trouble in front of the Emperor, let alone disturb the Retired Emperor's funeral!
But it was said that the Retired Emperor doted on Prince Jin like the apple of his eye, so Prince Jin might really dare to do it!
By then, Lu Ming would be the one losing face and being reprimanded.
"Just give her three hundred taels and it'll be fine," Lu Zhaoling raised an eyebrow at her. "Go quickly."
Lu Zhaoyun hadn't even had a chance to state her purpose, so she left Tingnuan Tower with a surge of anger.
Madam Lu nearly smashed another lidded teacup after hearing her words.
"Three hundred taels! How can she say that!"
Actually, in ten years, Lu Zhaoyun alone had definitely spent more than three hundred taels. But giving such a sum to Lu Zhaoling all at once, they felt as if a large piece of flesh was being carved out; how could they bear it!
Moreover, Lu Zhaoling also said that from now on, every month would be according to Lu Zhaoyun's standard, so wouldn't her two maids also need them to pay their monthly wages?
It was truly a huge loss!
"Mother, if we don't give her this money, will she really make a fuss?"
"Let her make a fuss! I don't believe that Prince Jin, such a high-ranking prince, would really help her claim these three hundred taels in front of the Emperor? Wouldn't Prince Jin feel humiliated!"
"Then she won't go to the Small Banquet?"
Madam Lu paused, "Why don't you humor her first? Say that I'll give her the money when she comes back."
"She definitely won't agree."
"Then don't go!" Madam Lu's face darkened, "I don't believe that at home we can't find an opportunity to make her take off her shoes and socks!"
"Mother," Lu Zhaoyun gently shook her arm, "I think it's better to let her go. Perhaps, Miss Shen can teach her how to survive in Jingcheng, which is better than us, her own family, not being able to be tough.
Second Sister has been in the countryside for so many years, if she's not properly educated, who knows how much trouble she'll cause in the future."
She pleaded with Madam Lu, who gritted her teeth, "How about I give her one hundred taels first, and she can get the rest when she returns."
Lu Zhaoyun took the one hundred taels to Tingnuan Tower.
"Qing Yin, put the money away." Lu Zhaoling took the money without a second thought.
Lu Zhaoyun breathed a sigh of relief and then mentioned that Princess Changning had sent an invitation.
"Second Sister has just returned to Jingcheng, and it's a good opportunity to meet more friends. That's why I pleaded with Princess Changning for a long time before she let me bring you along. Oh, do you know Princess Changning?"
Lu Zhaoling was originally uninterested in such matters.
But just as she was about to refuse, she paused, and a memory seemed to surface.
Princess Changning, she seemed to owe her something.
That thing had to be retrieved.
Lu Zhaoling was someone who believed in cause and effect.
And that was also something Lu Xiaokelian had kept in her heart, thinking that if she had the chance to return to Jingcheng, she must retrieve it from Princess Changning.
"When are we going?"
"The day after tomorrow morning. Princess Changning will also host a vegetarian banquet at noon, also to pray for the Retired Emperor."
What she didn't say was that the vegetarian banquet also had its specific rules.
Anyway, it would just let Lu Zhaoling make a fool of herself enough then.
"Alright, I'll go." Lu Zhaoling agreed.
"Really? That's great, then Second Sister can ride in my carriage together."
"However, I'll only go if you bring the remaining two hundred taels." Lu Zhaoling's tone shifted, turning back to the matter.
"..."
In the end, Madam Lu gritted her teeth, her heart bleeding, and sent another two hundred taels to Lu Zhaoling.
She was almost fuming to death.
When Lu Ming returned that evening, she immediately complained.
"That wretched girl is really short-sighted, she came back and couldn't wait to grab money, a pauper's look, a pauper's fate!"
Lu Ming had been scolded badly by Marquis Qingfu again today. Marquis Qingfu had also warned him that after the Retired Emperor's funeral was handled, he would definitely come to the Lu Family to seek justice.
He had already returned with a belly full of anger, and now hearing this, his face turned green with rage.
"Give it to her, then! If we give it to her now, she'll have to spit it all back later! With her personality, do you really think she wouldn't dare to let Prince Jin bring this matter up to the Emperor? You don't know this, but Prince Jin was sitting during the vigil!"
"What?" Madam Lu was stunned.
"Sitting! Even the Emperor and the Crown Prince and Imperial Princes were kneeling, but he, he just stretched out his legs and sat on a cushion, even leaning against a pillar behind him! It seems he's not someone who strictly adheres to rules."
"Prince Jin is really like that? And the Emperor doesn't say anything to him?" Madam Lu asked.
"The Emperor doesn't say anything."
Although the Emperor might be tolerating it, no matter the reason, Prince Jin seemed quite arrogant.
Therefore, if Lu Zhaoling asked him to blow up their family matter in front of the Emperor, Prince Jin might actually dare to do it.
But he dared not take that risk.
"It's infuriating, if she becomes Prince Jin's fiancée, and Prince Jin backs her up, what can we do?"
"Yun'er's engagement with the Second Prince must be announced quickly, settled, and preferably an Imperial marriage decree from the Emperor," Lu Ming said through gritted teeth.
"But the marriage certificate from back then is hidden, and although we're sure it's hidden in the manor, we haven't been able to find it all these years."
The Second Prince's side, perhaps also considering Lu Ming's low official rank, felt that Lu Zhaoyun was not worthy of being the Second Prince Consort.
Therefore, the Second Prince's birth mother had always used the engagement to make things difficult, saying that they needed to see the marriage certificate before they could make the engagement public.
They had been searching for many years, certain that the marriage certificate was in the house, but truly didn't know where it had been hidden back then, and couldn't find it at all!
That marriage certificate bore the private seal of the Second Prince's maternal grandfather, and a small mark drawn by his birth mother at the time. Now, they absolutely needed to see that paper, claiming that only by showing it to the Emperor would he acknowledge it.
Who could blame them when the Second Prince was young at the time of the engagement, and his birth mother was completely out of favor, almost being demoted to the cold palace?
That time was completely different from now, when she was in high favor.
Now, she didn't want to acknowledge this marriage.
But how could Lu Ming let her not acknowledge it?
The marriage certificate had to be found!
"This matter must be completed by Lu Zhaoling. That woman back then must have told her where the things were hidden," Lu Ming said.
So, for now, they still had to humor Lu Zhaoling.
"Yun'er is already seventeen, we can't wait any longer," Madam Lu also said, "If all else fails, then we'll beg Princess Changning for help."
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