Meeting

I glanced at the letter skeptically. A few days ago, I had received a letter from the Ling Clan. They were persuading me to use my position to introduce Ling Wan to Lu Qing Yu, as she wanted to "get to know him better". It had even been delivered by a family servant on "urgent business".

If I remembered correctly, Ling Wan had attended a palace banquet for the first time when the He came. She must have caught a glimpse of Lu Qing Yu and had funny ideas. Though, wasn't she engaged to Shi Yu?

She had lorded over the previous Ling Yue from the time the engagement to Lu Qing Yu was confirmed up until she went into the palace. In her opinion, Ling Yue was doomed to a loveless marriage and would end up an old hag in the palace. The Ling Clan usually didn't send urgent letters, so Ling Wan must have thrown a fit.

The family servant had even pleaded with me. "Noble Concubine, please give your reply quickly. The home is in chaos." he said. I had taken the opportunity to extract more information out of him. Turned out, Ling Wan had told our parents to annul the marriage and that she wanted to marry into the palace instead.

The wedding was just 1 month away, and the Ling Clan and the Shi Clan had been friends for a decade. The invitations were already sent out and the arrangements made.

I couldn't imagine them entertaining her request. As memory serves, Ling Wan could be quite unreasonable at times. It was the morning after Ling Wan announced her "decision", and after sleeping on it that they had decided to write to me.

"What did Ling Wan say?" I asked. "Huh?" the servant was startled. "What did she threaten them with?" I asked. "Um... I'm not supposed to say it..." he said hesitantly. "I'm family. And if I don't know the full story with all the details, I won't help. You don't need to tell them you told me." I said.

I then placed a gold coin into his palm and grinned mischievously.

"She... she said she would commit suicide, and she acquired a jug of poisonous wine and tried to drink it..." he said. A show, probably. Ling Wan valued her life and knew they would give in to her. Ling Wan was the darling of her mother's eyes. She wouldn't let anything happen to her. "Wait here while I write a reply." I said. I turned and entered my room.

Taking out a brush and paper, I wrote frankly. I said I didn't have any standing with Lu Qing Yu, at most I gained a bit of recognition as an official, but he didn't love me and wouldn't listen to me.

Also, since they had managed to marry me in, they should pull the same connections and do the same for Ling Wan too. I also asked what happened to her engagement. I handed the letter to the family servant.

It took 5 hours for him to return, looking more tired and worn than before. The letter this time was even more anxious and said that they would arrange a meeting and asked if I would facilitate it so that Ling Wan wouldn't be anxious. I agreed, doubtful that Lu Qing Yu would agree.

As predicted, the next day, Lu Qing Yu came to visit me at my office. "Your sister wanted to meet me and I agreed." he said. "You agreed?" I asked. "Isn't she your sister?" he asked, surprised. "I wanted to help you out." he continued. I dug deep into the previous Ling Yue's memories.

"Ling Wan has been nasty to me since we were kids. She acts delicate and soft when outside, but she's plotted against me and made my life miserable. I once woke up to find cockroaches crawling all over me. Also, when I was engaged to be married to you, she cursed me to die an unloved old hag in the palace, all the way until I actually married." I said.

"What?" he asked, infuriated. I nodded. "I'll cancel it then." he said. "Your Highness." Eunuch Song Chu called.

"Ling Clan's Third Young Miss has arrived."

"I won't see her." Lu Qing Yu said stubbornly. "You might as well since she's come all this way. Ling Clan has been writing me very anxious and urgent letters for days to get a meeting." I said. "Fine." he sulked and we followed Song Chu to the Peach Pavilion.

Ling Wan was already sitting there, dressed in a baby pink gown, rose quartz dripping from her ears and hair. She had clearly put a lot of effort into this meeting. She looked pleased when she saw Lu Qing Yu, then glared at me, shooting daggers with her eyes.

Hey! I was only here so people wouldn't gossip about you two meeting together. It's not like I want to be here either. Ling Wan gave a sneer at my plain outfit. Since I was just working today, I didn't see the point in dressing up. I was in a pastel teal ensemble with only a single jade hairpin in my hair.

"Your Highness!" Ling Wan cooed. Lu Qing Yu gave her a disinterested nod and sat down. "Ling Yue, come sit next to me." he said. I sat down next to him, instead of in the middle like I expected. Now it seemed like we were a proper couple meeting a third wheel.

Ling Wan started babbling about how she found him handsome and chivalrous, while pretending to be delicate and virtuous. Fortunately, due to my earlier "briefing", Lu Qing Yu didn't care for it. He just gave occasional nods.

"I hear you're engaged." he said. Slap one.

"Err... yes, but it's a predetermined engagement..." she said, trying to salvage the situation. "We heard it was out of love. You two are a very good match." he said. "You're wrong, Your Highness, Ling Wan only has feelings for you." he said. "We are wrong? And you have feelings for zhen?" he asked, disgusted at her bluntness. This was the first time they met, and he didn't even know who she was. He was only humouring her for Ling Yue.

"Zhen is married to your sister." he said, refilling my teacup. Ling Wan's eyes burned into me as I thanked him quietly and drank my tea. "Sisters can be married to the same man, especially one so important." she said. "Zhen is not interested in you or in marrying any other concubines. Zhen is happy with our current marriages. If you have nothing else to say, let's go. We're busy people."

Without waiting for her to reply, Lu Qing Yu promptly stood up, grabbed my hand, then pulled me out of the pavilion. I put down my teacup hastily to follow him. This was the first time he held my hand.

Ling Wan chased after us. "Wait, Your Highness! What do you think about Ling Wan?" with a burst of unfound energy, she sprinted and got between us, then pushed me away.

I stumbled, and while attempting to right myself stepped on the inside of my skirt. I found myself crashing to the ground painfully. As I hit the ground, a sharp pain coursed through my ankle, and I landed on my side. Grass rubbed into my abrasions as I tried to move my leg. I knew I had landed awkwardly. My ankle felt wobbly and I was unable to move or turn it. This probably wasn't a good sign.

Ling Wan hugged Lu Qing Yu, and looked at him with watery eyes. To Ling Wan, she might not have another chance to see him again. She had gotten this meeting after much crying and threatening. If he did not like her, he certainly wouldn't agree to a second meeting. In that case, her ruined engagement would be for nothing. She had to get a conclusion today!

"Get off me!" Lu Qing Yu finally lost his patience.

In the first place, he didn't particularly care about women, let alone a daughter of a concubine or a bully. He shoved her to the side, not caring about decorum any longer. She dramatically fell to the ground, shocked. Unfortunately, the pavilion was built atop a steep slope, and we happened to be on the incline. Unable to steady herself again after her exaggerated act, she screamed as she rolled down the small slope, then started to cry piteously.

"Are you alright, Ling Yue?" he crouched down to look at me.

I just had a small twisted ankle, which was hurting a bit, but other than that, I was fine. Meanwhile, Ling Wan had quite a nasty fall. Her beautiful pink gown was covered in grass and dirt, and her elaborate hairdo was messy.

"I'm fine, just my foot..." I awkwardly limped to the side. As he couldn't lift my gown to check in public, he just lifted me up in a princess carry. "Go home, and don't come here again. You're so obnoxious, even to your elder sister. I wouldn't ever want to marry someone like you." was all he said to her, before turning around.

"Ling Clan's third young miss, let me get you a change of clothes." Eunuch Song Chu stepped in to help, when Lu Qing Yu interrupted him again. "Let her go home like that. Give her no help." he said, before walking off. Eunuch Song Chu awkwardly abandoned her to trail after us.

I was examined by a imperial physician, with Lu Qing Yu staring intently at him throughout. "It's a twisted ankle. After putting some ice on it and taking this medicine, and resting for 3 weeks, Noble Concubine Ling will be fine. Fortunately, she is very healthy. She will make a full recovery." he said. After handing the medicine and care instructions to Qiu Ci and Qiu Le, he left.

We were left alone in the room.

"It's my fault for agreeing to meet her." he said repentantly. "Don't be like that. I agreed to it." I said. Suddenly, he scoffed. "I can't believe a girl who gets into street fights and stabs eyeballs would get a twisted ankle." he said.

"Hey! It was unexpected, and I was at an awkward angle. At least I didn't roll down the slope" "You're off work for 1 month." "But the doctor said I would be fine after 3 weeks." I protested. "You don't want a vacation?"

"I do, I do!" I said. "Alright then. Be a good girl. Stay put, and don't walk too much. I don't want to find you in the city at night again." he said. I rolled my eyes. "I can't sneak out of the palace on a twisted ankle, don't worry." I said.