After getting the ginseng, Jiang Fuyue rushed to the Hall of Spring and Benevolence in a hurry.
Seeing her arrival, Nanny Liu, who served the Lady of Pingning Marquis closely, was a bit surprised.
Normally, if the lady didn't send someone to invite her, how could this Marquess's Heir's Wife come to the Hall of Spring and Benevolence on her own initiative?
It was really rare today!
"Fuyue has come to pay respects to mother," Jiang Fuyue said in a gentle voice with an extremely good attitude, and then explained her purpose.
Nanny Liu was stunned for a moment but still led the way for her.
As soon as she saw the Lady of Pingning Marquis, Jiang Fuyue was extremely obedient. She curtsied and said, "Fuyue pays respects to mother. I hope mother is in good health."
"Hmm," the Lady of Pingning Marquis idly played with the teacup and didn't even spare her a glance.
Jiang Fuyue maintained the curtsying posture for quite a while but never heard the words to excuse her.
She immediately understood that the Lady of Pingning Marquis was going to torment her again!
On other days, she would surely swallow her anger and obediently pay respects.
But today was different!
She had specially brought a precious century - old ginseng!
She didn't believe that the Lady of Pingning Marquis wouldn't like this ginseng!
So she didn't hesitate any longer and immediately straightened up.
"Mother, I..."
As soon as she opened her mouth, the Lady of Pingning Marquis threw the teacup.
"Bang!"
Nanny Liu loudly scolded, "How dare you! The lady hasn't spoken yet. How could the Marquess's Heir's Wife act without permission? Does the Marquess's Heir's Wife want to be unfilial and disobedient?"
The charge of "unfilial" was imposed again, but Jiang Fuyue was confident.
She had plenty of confidence!
"Mother, I've specially brought you a precious gift today."
The Lady of Pingning Marquis's expression softened a bit.
Jiang Fuyue was quite proud. She clapped her hands and said, "Chunhua, Qiuyue, hurry up and present the gift."
Two maidservants carried a small mahogany box together and carefully walked up to the Lady of Pingning Marquis.
Jiang Fuyue stepped forward and opened the box herself. "Mother, this is a century - old ginseng I carefully selected from my dowry."
The Lady of Pingning Marquis coldly glanced at her and said, "Humph! Are you afraid that outsiders won't gossip about me, a mother - in - law, coveting your dowry?"
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
Jiang Fuyue's smile froze on her lips. Her hands were hovering over the box, and her lips opened and closed but no sound came out.
This was not what she had expected!
She had kindly used the ginseng from her dowry to honor the Lady of Pingning Marquis. How could it be her fault?
When she met the Lady of Pingning Marquis's cold gaze again, her heart sank suddenly.
She had spared no expense today just to curry favor with the Lady of Pingning Marquis. She mustn't let all her efforts go to waste!
"Mother, you've misunderstood. Fuyue has absolutely no such intention."
Jiang Fuyue gritted her teeth, steeled her heart, knelt down, and flattered against her will, "Fuyue only wishes mother a long and healthy life."
It would have been better if she hadn't said anything. This remark completely stepped on the Lady of Pingning Marquis's red line.
"Jiang! Do you know your crime?"
Jiang Fuyue looked extremely confused.
She had kindly given a gift but was now guilty?
"Mother, what crime does Fuyue need to know?" she asked subconsciously.
The Lady of Pingning Marquis was extremely angry but still maintained the dignity of a marquis's wife. "Nanny Liu, tell her."
"Marquess's Heir's Wife, you've spoken rudely and harbored malicious intentions," Nanny Liu said with a straight face, enumerating her crimes word by word. "The lady is in good health, but you specifically gave ginseng which is only used for prolonging life. Isn't that cursing the lady to die early?"
Jiang Fuyue felt a blackout in front of her eyes and her heart was as dead as ashes.
She never expected that giving a precious and hard - to - find century - old ginseng would result in the charge of "speaking rudely and cursing one's elder".
She couldn't defend herself. "Mother, please listen to my explanation. I was sincere..."
"Enough! Stop arguing," the Lady of Pingning Marquis interrupted her without any explanation. "Jiang has been unfilial and disobedient and cursed her elder. Considering this is your first offense, you'll be punished to kneel outside the Hall of Spring and Benevolence for an hour! If there's a next time, I won't show any mercy!"
Jiang Fuyue opened her mouth to argue something else, but Nanny Liu stuffed a handkerchief into her mouth and dragged her out.
Seeing this, Chunhua and Qiuyue had no choice but to follow.
The Hall of Spring and Benevolence was located in the center of the Pingning Marquis's Mansion. There were many servants coming and going. The Lady of Pingning Marquis made Jiang Fuyue kneel here on purpose to torment her.
Sure enough, after Jiang Fuyue had only knelt for half a quarter of an hour, her body began to sway unsteadily.
Her father and mother had doted on her since childhood. When had her delicate body ever suffered such torture?
If it was just physical torture, it would be okay, but the mental torture was even more painful.
Every servant who passed by would thoughtlessly look at her.
Even with her back to those lowly servants, Jiang Fuyue could still feel their burning gazes.
At that moment, she felt as if there were thorns on her back and felt extremely uncomfortable.
After all, she was the legitimate wife of Qing'an and the Marquess's Heir's Wife of the Pingning Marquis's Mansion. How could they... insult her like this!
But no matter how much resentment she had in her heart, she had nowhere to vent it.
After all, it was the punishment ordered by the Lady of Pingning Marquis. If she escaped today, she didn't know what was waiting for her tomorrow. Qing'an definitely wouldn't give her a good look either. She...
The once - proud Jiang Fuying finally lowered her head, tightly wrung her handkerchief, and knelt there resignedly.
On the other hand, the Zhennan Duke's Mansion presented a completely different scene.
Lu Huaizhou returned to the mansion early. He was about to rush back to the Green Wave Courtyard to share the results of the improved glass mirror with Jiang Fuying, but Nanny Hu stopped him on the way.
"Your Highness, the lady has invited you to talk."
Mother wanted to talk to him?
Lu Huaizhou raised his eyebrows in surprise. In his memory, his mother rarely invited him to talk.
"Has something happened in the mansion?"
Nanny Hu shook her head and smiled mysteriously. "Your Highness, you'll know when you go."
On the way to the main hall, Lu Huaizhou went through all the major events that had happened in the mansion recently.
It was rare that their branch of the family had been living a peaceful life. There couldn't be any accidents, could there?
Thinking of this, his heart skipped a beat and he quickened his pace.
When he reached the main hall, he slowed down and walked nervously to the door.
Nanny Hu opened the door of the main hall for him. "Your Highness, please go in. This old servant will wait outside."
The door opened, and he could clearly see the figures in the room at a glance.
It was only his mother and Lu Qingyu. She wasn't there.
His uneasiness deepened. He was about to ask when Lu Qingyu winked at him mysteriously.
"Brother, mother and I are preparing a surprise."
Surprise?
The uneasiness faded away, and Lu Huaizhou was only stunned. "What surprise? Is there any happy event going to happen in the mansion?"
Seeing his dazed expression, Lady Lu pouted. "You're Fuying's husband, but you don't even remember her birthday."
A look of embarrassment and annoyance flashed across Lu Huaizhou's face.
It was his first time getting married and being her husband. He really had forgotten to ask when her birthday was.
He quickly asked, "Mother, do you know when Fuying's birthday is?"
"Of course I do," Lady Lu said with a bit of a brisk smile when she heard his question. "I carefully checked when the betrothal papers were exchanged. Fuying's birthday is in half a month."
"I've called you here today to discuss with you what kind of surprise we should prepare for Fuying."
Lady Lu had said so much, but Lu Huaizhou only heard ten words.
"Fuying's birthday is in half a month."