mtl008 Chapter 284 What happened?
Chapter 284 What happened?
Chapter 284, What happened?
After Cui'er returned, she went to Lu Tao's courtyard to report back.
"You haven't eaten?"
"When I left... the Duke hadn't eaten yet," Cui'er explained.
Lu Tao asked anxiously, "What did he say?"
"The Duke asked if Madam's illness was serious and wanted to come see her, but I told him she was fine and just needed some rest..." Cui'er replied.
Lu Tao nodded slightly. "Understood."
*
From then on, although Lu Tao made breakfast every day, she always had Cui'er deliver it.
Every time Cui'er came back, she would say that the Duke hadn't eaten.
This feeling... made Lu Tao absent-minded every day, and she often made mistakes when doing things.
Today, while cooking, I accidentally cut my finger.
"How could you be so careless?" Liu San Niang quickly grabbed her hand and started to stop the bleeding.
Fortunately, Tian Tian had kept emergency treatment medicine in the kitchen, and Liu San Niang skillfully applied iodine and bandages.
"Sister Lu, what's been going on with you these past few days?" Liu San Niang was truly anxious.
Lu Tao awkwardly withdrew her hand, "It's okay, it's okay."
Liu San Niang saw all this and finally decided to tell Tian Xiang about it.
But when she found Tian Xiang, she discovered...
Tian Xiang wasn't much better than Lu Tao.
Ever since Qin Qingyun moved into the Princess's residence, he would wait outside the backyard every day.
But Tian Xiang knew this, so she deliberately refused to go out.
The two of them just...
Besides Tian Xiang, her own daughter Qin Youyou was also constantly distracted.
After careful consideration, Liu San Niang decided to find the most reliable person in her family... Tian Tian.
She kept it a secret... but actually, she didn't need to, because no one else in the family cared about her right now.
Liu San Niang arrived at the palace gate, holding her title plaque as a Lady of Imperial Decree, and requested to see Princess Fufeng.
The young eunuch at the palace gate told her to wait.
At this time, Oden's rice had all tillered and reached the jointing stage.
Besides rice, there are also sweet potatoes, corn, and other crops, all of which are growing very well.
In just a few days, we will begin to dry the rice paddies and apply fertilizer.
Before this, Tian Tian had a relatively leisurely life.
After that, Tian Tian had even more free time.
Because the officials had to set off for various places when the rice was heading, and start breeding in those places before the rice was harvested.
Then, they immediately began transplanting rice seedlings after the rice harvest, racing against time.
The officials of the Ministry of Revenue who initially had no hope for Tian Tian have now completely changed their opinion of her.
And they are very confident about the planting in the second half of the year.
"Princess, are we leaving the capital in about half a month?"
Tian Tian nodded, "That's right, but these two weeks are very important."
"Princess, rest assured, we will definitely do our best."
Everyone was chatting and laughing.
Just then, a young eunuch came running from afar.
"Princess..."
Tian Tian looked over...
"Princess, Lady Liu is at the palace gate and wants to see you." The eunuch was panting heavily.
It took him almost half an hour to jog from the palace gate to the imperial palace.
"This servant has asked the lady to wait in the shade."
"Judging from the way Madam looks, she seems quite anxious."
Tian Tian thought about how Qin Youyou and Tian Xiang were both worried about their love lives at home, and Liu San Niang was so anxious, so she subconsciously felt that something had happened at home.
"I'll go take a look." She couldn't stay a moment longer. "You...you should go back too."
There shouldn't be anything happening for the next few days. "Come back in three days."
After giving her instructions, Tian Tian went out with her father-in-law.
However, she didn't need to walk; Ling Yao had specifically instructed someone to place a carriage at the door.
The young eunuch rode his horse directly to the palace gate.
"Aunt Liu?" Tian Tian saw Liu San Niang squatting in the shade as soon as she came out.
Fortunately, she wasn't wearing her court dress as a titled lady today.
"Aunt Liu." Liu San Niang almost fell when she stood up, but luckily Tian Tian caught her in time.
"My legs are numb from squatting," Liu San Niang said awkwardly, rubbing her legs.
"Sweetie, are you alright after coming out?"
Tian Tian helped her up, saying, "It's alright, I've been quite free lately."
"Aunt Liu, has something happened at home?"
Liu San Niang stammered, "This matter..."
She took Tian Tian's hand, looking troubled. "Tian Tian, I'm telling you this because I'm afraid your mother will worry that I'll interfere."
Tian Tian understood that this matter was related to Lu Tao.
"What happened to my mother?"
Liu San Niang pulled Tian Tian aside and whispered to her about Lu Tao's recent changes.
"I can understand being absent-minded normally, but today it was really excessive. I cut my hand while chopping vegetables."
"Luckily, I had the things you left in the kitchen, so I took care of them for her."
"But this can't go on."
Tian Tian never expected things to turn out this way until Liu San Niang told her.
Lu Tao actually...
But upon closer reflection, it's quite normal.
Throughout history, it has always been the case that beautiful women love heroes.
"Then... what does the Duke mean?" Tian Tian asked.
Liu San Niang had no idea. "I don't know," she replied.
"However, I asked Cui'er, who delivers breakfast, and she said that ever since your mother stopped personally delivering breakfast to the Duke, the Duke has not eaten breakfast in front of her, and he doesn't seem very happy either."
"I suspect that the Duke may also have feelings for Sister Lu."
Tian Tian remained silent...
"But then I thought, if that's really the case, then I should tell you, Sweetie."
"Let your mother do as she pleases... I'm afraid she just can't understand it."
"Besides, the other two at home are like that too..."
"Aunt Liu, don't worry." Tian Tian gently patted Liu San Niang's hand. "Relationships aren't a big deal."
Liu San Niang nodded, "Mm."
*
Lu Tao felt flustered when she heard that Tian Tian had returned.
She tried to hide her injured finger, but... she couldn't find a way, so in the end she had no choice but to... nervously go to the front yard.
"Sweetie, what brings you back today?"
Tian Tian pretended not to know about her situation, saying, "I've been quite free lately, so I came back to stay for a few days."
Lu Tao pretended to pull her clothes closer, taking the opportunity to cover her fingers, "Oh, is that so? What would you like to eat? Mother will make it for you."
After thinking for a moment, Tian Tian said, "Now that you mention it, I really do want to eat the chive pancakes you make, Mom."
Lu Tao was taken aback. Chive pancakes...
That means it's time to knead the dough.
How could she possibly knead dough with her hands right now?
She looked to Liu San Niang for help, "San Niang, let's go."
Liu San Niang pretended not to know, "Where to?"
"Go make chive pancakes for Tian Tian," Lu Tao winked at Liu San Niang.
Liu San Niang refused Lu Tao for the first time, saying, "I'm not going. I'm going to see Youyou instead."
After saying that, she ran away.
Lu Tao awkwardly pulled her clothes closer...
"Mother, you've been keeping your clothes close to your chest even in the mansion. What's wrong? Are you afraid someone will steal them?" Tian Tian looked at her hands.
Lu Tao released her grip and hid her hand behind her back. "Heh, heh, no..."
Tian Tian stopped laughing with her, walked straight up to her, and took her hand.
I thought that cutting my hand meant I had made a cut.
Unexpectedly, the cut was two or three centimeters long, slicing off a thin piece of flesh from the outside of her left middle finger.
Liu San Niang used the largest size band-aid to put it on her.
"What happened?" Tian Tian's eyelids twitched as she looked at the scene; she felt terrible.
Lu Tao tried to pull her hand away, but Tian Tian held it tightly.
"What happened?" Tian Tian raised her voice.
Lu Tao muttered, "Did Third Aunt tell you?"
Tian Tian let go of her hand. "I want to hear what happened, Mother."
Lu Tao was extremely embarrassed, "Sweetie...I'm your mother..."
You are a daughter...
It's embarrassing to question her like that.
Tian Tian repeated, "Then... please tell your daughter what happened."
Lu Tao then... spoke.
"I was cooking and I got distracted, and I accidentally cut my finger."
She held out her hand; the bleeding had stopped, but the wound still looked frightening. "Look, the bleeding has stopped; it's alright now."
Tian Tian slowly walked back to the chair she had just been sitting in and sat down. "Mother!"
She looked up helplessly, "Aunt Liu told me that your absent-mindedness is all because of the Duke."
"No," Lu Tao immediately thought of refuting.
She simply couldn't bring herself to admit such a thing in front of her daughter.
"what is that?"
Lu Tao stammered, "It has nothing to do with the Duke, it's me..."
She sat down awkwardly, head bowed, "It was Mother... who had delusional thoughts."
"What delusions?" Tian Tian frowned.
Lu Tao poked and prodded with her finger, "It's just..."
"that is..."
Tian Tian could roughly guess what she wanted to say, "Does Mother mean that your desire for the Duke is wishful thinking?"
Lu Tao waved her hands nervously, "Sweetie! Mother didn't..."
Tian Tian sighed helplessly, "Mother, what are you thinking?"
Lu Tao murmured, "It's just... Mother... just thinks he's a hero..."
"Seeing him suffering so much from illness, I couldn't bear it..."
"And when he said that no one had ever taken care of him like this before, then..."
"Then Mother felt pity?" Tian Tian concluded.
Lu Tao nodded, which was taken as agreement.
How can we not feel some pity for such a hero?
Hey...
Seeing her like this, Tian Tian could only sigh and say it was all over.
The prerequisite for developing feelings for someone is...heartache and pity.
Wasn't she the same way towards Ling Yao?
Just because she knew his identity, a prince traveled all the way to Baishi County to pester her to learn how to grow rice...
Then I went to Shazhoufu to plant sweet potatoes...
"Mother, think about it again. What are your true feelings for the Duke?"
“If it’s just out of pity, then it’s not true affection.”
Lu Tao responded weakly...
"Besides, the Emperor is already preparing to bestow a marriage upon the Duke," Tian Tian said casually.
She didn't conspire with Liu San Niang to deceive Lu Tao; it's true.
It was Ling Yao who suggested it to the Emperor.
It was on that day, after Ling Yao and she escorted the Duke back to his residence, that Ling Yao saw that the Duke was the only master in the Duke's mansion, which was really deserted, that Ling Yao had this idea.
At the time, Ling Yao only said that he wanted to find a woman who would care for Gu Yu.
Even if she has been married and had children, it doesn't matter, as long as the Duke is willing.
I just don't know what happened afterward, and Tian Tian didn't ask.
"Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived."
Just then, Ling Yao arrived.
In front of Lu Tao, Tian Tian asked directly, "Your Highness, how are the arrangements for bestowing a marriage upon the Duke going?"
Ling Yao knew nothing.
He had heard that Tian Tian had left the palace in a hurry and was worried that something might have happened at the princess's residence, so he came to check on her.
“My father has already prepared some portraits, and we are just waiting for the Duke to choose one.”
Upon hearing this, Tian Tian hurriedly asked, "Did the Duke agree?"
Lu Tao also looked surprised, and she wanted to ask the same question as Tian Tian.
He... agreed?
Has he agreed to marry me?
“I agree.” Ling Yao nodded.
He and his father went to great lengths to persuade the Duke to agree.
Tian Tian frowned. "He... he didn't hesitate at all?"
"I hesitated at first, but then I agreed," Ling Yao said.
"My father and I are really worried about him. Now he's all alone in the Duke's mansion. It's always worrying if he doesn't have anyone to take care of him."
Tian Tian knew that the Emperor valued Gu Yu very much.
After learning that she had installed an air conditioner for Gu Yu, he even called her over to express his gratitude.
"What kind of wife did the Emperor choose for him?" Tian Tian asked, glancing at Lu Tao to observe her reaction.
Lu Tao stared at Ling Yao, waiting for his answer.
Ling Yao slightly raised his head, recalling...
"My father was very saddened by this matter and specifically asked many adults with daughters in his family about it."
"Although it is unlikely that the Duke himself will be able to go to the battlefield again and will not be able to make any more contributions, the title of Duke Zhongguo can still be inherited for three generations."
"As long as she gives birth to a son for the Duke, she will definitely be the future Duke Zhongguo."
"So the ministers are still willing."
“Besides these unmarried women, Father Emperor was worried that the Duke would not agree, so he also found some women who had been married but divorced or who had lost their husbands.”
"These women may be a bit older and may not be able to bear children for the Duke, but they all have children with them."
"As long as they are registered under the name of Duke Zhongguo, they are considered his children..."
After hearing all this, Lu Tao frowned. "Then aren't all these women here for the title of Duke Zhongguo?"
Ling Yao glanced at Tian Tian sheepishly, "Many family marriages in the capital are mostly for these reasons..."
His marriage was the same.
Although he and Tian Tian were already engaged and were about to get married.
However, many ministers still advised the emperor to let their daughters enter the Eastern Palace, even if it meant becoming concubines.
Do all these daughters love him?
Of course not, they were all just trying to get into the Eastern Palace.
Fortunately, he had Tian Tian.
Ling Yao looked at Tian Tian with doting eyes. If Lu Tao hadn't been there, he would have hugged her right now.
Lu Tao bit her lip. "I came here for the title, how could I possibly take good care of the Duke..."
Ling Yao sighed, "But the Duke doesn't have a woman he likes..."
"Those women who once had feelings for the Duke have all married and had children..."
He asked Tian Tian, "Tian Tian, is everything alright at home?"
Tian Tian shook her head, "It's nothing."
Ling Yao looked at the neighbor next door, "Then why don't you come with me to the Duke's mansion and ask the Duke... how his selection is going?"
Tian Tian secretly glanced at Lu Tao and saw that she was slightly lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking.
"mother!"
"mother?"
"Mother!" Tian Tian emphasized.
"Huh?!" Lu Tao came to her senses.
"We're going to the Duke's mansion, are you coming?"