Chapter 109: The Arrival of Friends

Lu Yun looked at his sister, whose face was delicate and whose posture was graceful under the moonlight. As he thought about her having to spend her whole life in such loneliness, he felt increasingly sorrowful. He lowered his head, burying his face between his knees.

Although Lu Ying did not think there was anything wrong with remaining unmarried, seeing Lu Yun so heartbroken, she could not help but comfort him. "A-Yun, don't overthink it. Even if I don't marry, I won't be lonely. Don't I still have you and your children?"

Lu Yun, with his head buried between his knees, nodded absentmindedly. Lu Ying knew that, in truth, Lu Yun was primarily shaken by the incident where she had been abducted. After offering a few more casual words of comfort, the siblings went to bed.

The next day, after seeing Lu Yun off, Lu Ying put on her brother's old robes and stepped out of the house. To her mind, while wearing men’s clothing did not guarantee peace, being as helpless and reliant on a frail younger brother as she was made her too vulnerable to trouble. After much deliberation, she decided that whenever it was not strictly necessary to do otherwise, she would dress as a man, as it was safer for the neighbors to view her and Lu Yun as two brothers.

Chengdu was vast, filled with shops, and immensely prosperous. Lu Ying delivered the brocade sent by the Zhang residence to a tailor shop. After ordering two sets of robes for herself and Lu Yun for each of the summer, autumn, and winter seasons, she exchanged a portion of the jewelry the Zhang residence had gifted her for iron currency. With money in her sleeves, her confidence grew. As she walked, she pondered that once she found a way to make a living, she would need to hire two servants.

As she wandered, Lu Ying arrived at a unique street. Most of the buildings here were shaped like pavilions, many painted in shades of red and pink. It seemed this was one of the famous flower districts. Curious, Lu Ying watched as the street bustled with people, and she merged into the crowd.

From the pavilions came the sound of music. This music, filled with leisure and elegance, permeated the spring breeze. Compared to the commoners who struggled for their daily meals, it gave off an air of peculiar luxury. As she walked, she occasionally saw exquisitely dressed young men emerging from the pavilions. Just then, a few who passed in front of her had just stepped out from a red building.

"I heard the person who composed and sang 'Zhuo Wenjun' has appeared." The speaker was a youth with fair, clear features. His voice was pleasant, though his every gesture carried a hint of effeminacy.

Another youth, slightly darker in complexion, replied, "Once 'Zhuo Wenjun' was released, every music house in Chengdu changed its style. I hear someone is offering a high price to find the composer. If that person truly shows their face, they will certainly be treated as an honored guest by every major music academy."

"An honored guest? Among those young masters and nobles, who would care about being an honored guest at a music academy?"

"That is where you are wrong. I hear the composer is just an ordinary person. Since the Emperor ascended the throne, it has been perfectly proper for the sons of officials to engage in trade and make money. What is so remarkable about that person using this path to make a living?"

Listening to their discussion, Lu Ying lowered her head. Ever since she was at the Zhang residence yesterday, she had known that she had sparked a new trend in Chengdu, but she never imagined that, unnoticed, she had achieved a certain status in these red-light districts! It was a pity—a pity she was not a man. If she were a man, she could have capitalized on this to make a fortune; the worst that would happen was gaining a reputation as a romantic. It was truly a shame.

At this moment, Lu Ying felt tired. She turned and headed back toward home.

Upon reaching the market, she picked up some small household necessities and ingredients for dinner, then continued on her way. Just as she arrived in the alleyway before her own courtyard, a voice of surprised delight rang out: "A-Ying! Is that A-Ying?"

Lu Ying turned around. She met the eyes of Xiao Yan and Shang Ti, who were sitting in a carriage and waving at her. Seeing that it was indeed Lu Ying, Shang Ti waved her hands incessantly, calling out with joy, "A-Ying, you were so hard to find!"

She had not expected that only a day after revealing her whereabouts, they would already have tracked her down. Lu Ying felt moved. She walked toward them, and meeting the two girls' sparkling eyes, she smiled. "After I bought this house, I sent a calling card to your residence."

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Yan complained, "It must have been those villains who interfered." Her gaze toward Lu Ying was even more intimate than it had been on the road. With a happy, crinkling smile, Xiao Yan asked, "A-Ying, hee hee, you said your surname was Xiao at the Zhang residence yesterday."

Before she could finish, Shang Ti chimed in from the side, unhappy: "That's right, A-Ying, you’re too mean. Why didn't you say your surname was Shang?"

In other households, such unauthorized use of a surname would be considered a grave act of disrespect. Yet these two girls were delighted; Xiao Yan’s expression even held a hint of pride.

A smile rippled through Lu Ying’s eyes, and her heart felt warm. It was no wonder books always spoke of the value of friendships forged in adversity; she had never flattered or fawned over these noble young ladies, and when she was with them, she couldn't even manage to be smooth or tactful. Yet, she had befriended them with her own slightly cold, true nature.

Curving her lips into a smile, Lu Ying replied, "It just slipped out." The reason she had used the surname Xiao was, naturally, because if it hadn't been for the fire she set that night, not only would Xiao Yan’s life have been lost, but the servants from the Xiao residence would have harmed these young noblewomen. There is no such thing as an airtight secret; in a sense, she had saved the entire Xiao clan. Therefore, Lu Ying knew that even if her use of the name spread far and wide, the Xiao clan would not blame her.

Shang Ti said unhappily, "The surname Shang slips out quite easily, too." As she spoke, she reached out to pull Lu Ying toward the carriage. After getting her inside, Xiao Yan curiously picked up the basket in Lu Ying’s hand. After peering into it, she complained, "It's so dirty. A-Ying, let me send a maid to you, shall I? Then someone can do these chores for you." Despite her complaints, she generously placed the mud-stained bamboo basket into a corner of her pristine carriage, completely unconcerned about dirtying her beautiful vehicle.

Lu Ying laughed, "No, I want to earn it myself."

"You're no fun."

"You are a young lady, why are you always thinking about making money?"

The two girls chided her simultaneously. Lu Ying ignored them, sitting to one side and pointing to the left. "Go that way, my home is in there."

Xiao Yan quickly leaned out and gave instructions to the driver. As the carriage moved along at a steady pace, A-Ti lamented from the side, "A-Ying, we have missed you so much lately." She said bluntly, "After the incident on the road, as soon as we returned, we confronted the Xiao family's stepmother. A-Ying, you must have never met that woman; her words were seamless, her excuses were perfectly logical, and in the end, it was all blamed on A-Yan and her brother. It’s ridiculous—did A-Yan send someone to kill herself?"

Lu Ying felt intrigued and asked, "What happened after? Did you just let her go?"

Shang Ti pouted and said, "Well, it’s impossible to sort out now. Some families actually believed it was A-Yan’s doing. Never mind those fools; as long as Wenqing and I are convinced of A-Yan’s innocence, her stepmother cannot harm her or her brother. But A-Yan’s father has suffered for it; he’s been forced into leisure at home, and the businesses of A-Yan’s branch have been largely suspended."

Lu Ying turned to look at Xiao Yan. Seen this close, she looked much more haggard. It seemed this turmoil had been a great shock to her. Seeing Lu Ying looking at her, Xiao Yan pursed her lips and smiled. "Yes, back then, A-Ti and I mentioned you constantly. We thought, if you were here, perhaps you could have told right from wrong."

It seemed that, without realizing it, Lu Ying had established a sense of prestige in their eyes. Lu Ying smiled faintly, thinking to herself: People in these great families live amidst constant schemes, and there are countless capable people far better than me. These two girls are just elevating me.

As they spoke, they arrived at their destination. Lu Ying jumped off the carriage and, while unlocking the door, ushered the two girls inside. A-Ti ran in and immediately cried, "A-Ying, this is too small and run-down! It’s far worse than your house in Hanyang."

Lu Ying walked in leisurely and replied, "When I have more money later, I’ll buy a better one."

Xiao Yan said from the side, "A-Ying, you saved our lives, after all. How about A-Ti and I gift you a courtyard?"

Lu Ying curled her lips and smiled, "I can earn it myself."

The two girls, having expected her to say this, felt a bit discouraged. Seeing their disappointment, Lu Ying smiled to herself, thinking: They say debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay; I won't let you dismiss me with a mere courtyard. She knew that in the hearts of these two, even if they gave her a mansion, they wouldn't feel they were "even" with her. But the adults behind them would certainly think differently.

As the three chatted and laughed, Lu Ying prepared tea. She set a low table in the courtyard, and under the spring sun and in the spring breeze, they shared idle gossip. As they talked, Xiao Yan suddenly said, "It’s so funny. After news of A-Ying’s performance at the Zhang residence reached our house last night, my stepmother actually said that since Lady Lu is intelligent and saved A-Yan, and since she claimed the surname Xiao, it must be fate. She suggested: 'Why don't I adopt her as my foster daughter?'"

As soon as Xiao Yan finished, Lu Ying looked up and asked, "How did your family respond?"

Xiao Yan said, "My grandmother loves me dearly, and after hearing your story, she was interested. But my aunts didn't want it." She didn't mention that one aunt had bluntly stated that Lady Lu was already fifteen or sixteen, had no marriage contract, and had even traveled disguised as a man, which was clearly willful and reckless behavior—such a person could not enter the Xiao household.

At this point, Xiao Yan quickly comforted Lu Ying, "A-Ying, don't mind them; they just don't know how wonderful you are."

Lu Ying shook her head. "I certainly won't mind." It seemed that Xiao Yan and the others had not told their elders about her dealings with that noble figure. Otherwise, with their sharp instincts, they would have happily accepted her as a foster daughter.

As she was pondering this, Shang Ti called out, "By the way, A-Ying, it’s so boring here. Why don’t you come visit my home? My mother heard what I said about you and likes you very much."

Before Lu Ying could answer, a knock sounded at the main gate. Lu Ying frowned. She walked a few steps toward the door and asked, "Who is it?"

A moment later, a young man’s deep, resonant voice came from outside the door: "Lu Ying, my lord wishes to see you."