Chapter 708: Imperial Princess Cannon Fodder (2)
At the banquet, a dance had just finished.
A female official stepped forward to report to the Empress.
“Your Majesty, a few widowers from the Lu Family wish to see you.”
The Empress frowned slightly, “Today is my son’s birthday, what do they want coming here?”
“Not seen. A bunch of widowers should stay at ho properly, instead of wanting to wield swords and spears on the battlefield, what kind of decorum is that!”
Listening to the words of the Empress, Luo Ning still felt a bit unaccustod.
Widowers should be what she knew as widows,
She also found information about the Lu Family from her mories.
The ancestors of the Lu Family had followed the late Emperor in conquering the land and had established considerable military exploits, thus they were granted the title of National Guardian General.
Subsequently, generations of daughters from the Lu Family had gone to the battlefield to protect the country.
After all these years, all the won of the Lu Family had died in battle.
Now the Lu Family was governed by Old Dowager Lu. Old Dowager Lu’s wife and three daughters had all died, only leaving behind three widowers and a few children.
Apart from them, there was also the rarely seen youngest son, Lu Xun, of the Lu Family.
And Lu Xun was said to be extraordinarily handso and possessing an outstanding cold deanor and literary talent, thus he and Gong Ruogu were hailed as the twin marvels of the Imperial Capital.
The original host was fickle in love, but she had her own limits and absolutely did not touch what shouldn’t be touched, hence she did not harbor any thoughts about Lu Xun.
Especially after eting Gong Ruogu, her eyes and heart were filled only with him.
She didn’t know if it was fate or not, but in all these years the two had never t.
However, later on, the original host had hard the Lu Family because of Gong Ruogu, even causing the death of Lu Xun.
For so reason, Luo Ning always felt that this vaguely-rembered Lu Xun in the original host’s mory should be her own Old Lu.
So she looked up at the Empress and said, “Empress Mother, since Grand Dowager Lu has brought her family to congratulate on my birthday, it wouldn’t be nice to keep them waiting outside. Why not let them co in?”
The Empress had always been extrely indulgent and doting toward this daughter of hers, so naturally, she wouldn’t refuse such a small request.
The Empress instructed the female official, “Alright. Since my Fifth Princess wishes to see them, announce them to co in.”
“Yes!” The female official withdrew.
Everyone was accustod to such situations.
As long as it did not breach the bottom line involving court affairs, whatever the Fifth Princess proposed, the Empress would allow.
Luo Ning raised her glass towards the Empress and smiled, saying, “To Empress Mother!”
The Empress smiled and picked up her wine cup, nodding her head and took a sip.
Seeing this, the Imperial Princesses felt uneasy even though this had beco routine.
The Imperial Noble who sat next to the Empress held his wine cup tighter.
The Emperor’s favor for this daughter was simply too much.
Soon, several n dressed in armor walked in.
Their attire caused the people present to pause.
Luo Ning looked over and saw the man leading was about fifty years old, with handso features, and appeared to have a sturdier build than any man present.
By the aesthetic standards of the people here, this Grand Dowager Lu was the epito of a man with feminine beauty.
Behind him followed three n who were not feminine in appearance, but conveyed a combination of gentle beauty and ruggedness.
Luo Ning looked at the people from the Lu Family, feeling as if her eyes were being cleansed, at least according to her aesthetic standards.
She did not deny the aesthetic preferences of the won here; after all, this was a world where gender roles were reversed.
But she really couldn’t flow with the mainstream.
By Grand Dowager Lu’s side was a tall and straight young man with the air of a cedar tree, cold in deanor, and extraordinary in looks.
This was Lu Xun, the young master of the Lu Family.
Seeing this young master, Luo Ning imdiately felt relieved; sure enough, he was her own Old Lu.
And this was also her first ti encountering Old Lu right after transmigrating to a new Little World.
She couldn’t help feeling glad, fortunate that the original host was infertile.
Otherwise, if she were to be with Old Lu in the future and have him bear her children, she would find it unbearable to witness.
As they entered, they knelt down to pay their respects to the Empress.
The Empress, observing their attire, furrowed her brows again. “Old Dowager, the matter you petitioned for, I do not agree, and dressing like this changes nothing.”
Grand Dowager Lu remained kneeling, “Your Majesty, we simply wish to follow the army into battle, to avenge our lost husbands, daughters, mothers.”
“At the sa ti, to defend our Yan Country’s borders with all our might, we beg Your Majesty to grant our request!”
The others also said in unison, “We beg Your Majesty to grant our request!”
The Empress chuckled disdainfully, “Although Yan Country ranks only fourth in strength among the Five Countries, we have no need for you widows to defend the borders on the battlefield.”
“Today is the birth celebration of my Wu’er. If you are here to offer birthday congratulations, find the Lu Family’s seat and sit down.”
She snorted coldly, “If it’s to ask for a decree to dispatch troops, do not bring it up again.”
Grand Dowager Lu still wanted to speak but was subtly pulled by Lu Xun beside her, who also gave her a covert shake of his head.
With a heavy heart, he stood up, “As you command!”
They did not leave but took their seats as directed by the Female Official, in the position designated for their family.
A group of n dressed in armors sitting here seed quite out of place.
Yet the mbers of the Lu Family all held a calm deanor, not showing any signs of discomfort.
Several ministers could not hold back, voicing their displeasure in various ways towards the group.
The general sentint was that n were only fit to stay at ho for divination and teaching the children, rashly wanting to partake in won’s affairs, even desiring to enter the battlefield, which was simply irrational, disgraceful, and indecent.
Luo Ning scanned the room, morizing those who spoke against the Lu Family.
Then she lifted her eyes toward a handso, white-clad man sitting in the middle of the distant area.
This man was Gong Ruogu, the beloved of her previous incarnation.
Indeed, she saw him wearing a smirk of mockery and satisfaction.
Although Gong Ruogu was outwardly indifferent about being ranked alongside Lu Xun as the paramount young masters of the Imperial Capital, he bore a deep grudge against Lu Xun.
Because his beloved, the treacherous Third Imperial Princess, once wished to marry Lu Xun as the Imperial Princess Consort.
Who knew that the National Guardian General, Lu Xun’s mother, would die on the border, and he would have to observe the mourning period. The Lu Family turned down all his match-making offers as a result.
Later, as won from the Lu Family continued to die in battle, the Third Imperial Princess naturally abandoned the idea of marrying him.
After all, what she sought were the military powers of the Lu Family, which were no longer of value with the demise of its won.
And her own beloved, Gong Ruogu, did not have an impressive family background, thus she flaunted herself as bait to take advantage of the original Luo Ning.
So a year ago, she married the son of the Minister of War as her main husband.
After a while, the Empress looked at Luo Ning with eyes full of affection.
“Wu’er, today is your eighteenth birthday. What gift would you like? Your maternal family will satisfy any wish.”
The people present thought, “What kind of question is that?”
They really wanted to retort, if the Fifth Princess now asked for the throne, would the Emperor grant her that as well?
No wonder the Fifth Princess beca more and more arrogant and dictatorial — she was spoiled by the Empress herself.
Everyone turned their eyes to Luo Ning, wanting to know what she would ask for.
In fact, most of the people present could guess that the Fifth Princess would surely request to marry the young master of the Gong Family as the Imperial Princess Consort.
Seeing everyone’s stares, Luo Ning knew what they were thinking.
In her previous life, they had indeed guessed correctly.
The original Luo Ning had asked the Empress for her blessing in marriage, and the Empress granted the request.
The original Luo Ning had successfully married her beloved, yet, sadly for her, he remained cold and distant, showing a good face only when he needed to use her.
Catching a glimpse of Gong Ruogu, he indeed showed a touch of arrogance and subtle displeasure.
As if a princess courting him was not worthy of his status.
Luo Ning stood up and said to the Empress with a smile, “Empress Mother, I do not have any special wishes. Why not let my birthday gift be your agreent to Grand Dowager Lu’s request?”
Everyone present was stunned.
What is going on?
Had the Fifth Princess lost her mind, all of a sudden…
Reviews
All reviews (0)