"Yes."
Liu'er gave a soft response but followed up immediately with another question. "Nanny, I heard that Qingyin and Qingling were originally servants from the Prince's personal quarters before he assigned them to Second Young Miss Lu. Do you know when they will return to the mansion? Or will they only come back once Second Young Miss Lu marries into the family?"
Nanny Qing frowned and shot a glance at Liu'er.
Liu'er hadn't been in the Prince's Mansion for long only about a year or so. At that time, an official had committed a crime and his entire family was sent into exile, resulting in the household servants being sold off.
Nanny Qing had been thinking that since the Prince was soon to return to the capital, he would surely have to consider the great matter of marriage. She didn't want the mansion to remain so cold and deserted, so she had gone out to purchase a few more people.
Liu'er had been bought during that time.
Over the past year, the girl had been quick and efficient in her work without making any mistakes.
Was she acting out of excessive curiosity toward Second Young Miss Lu now? Or was she trying to plan for her own future?
If she was trying to secure a chance to serve by the side of the future Princess Consort, it was understandable.
"Qingling has been renamed Qingbao now. Do not call her by the wrong name in the future," Nanny Qing corrected her. She then added strictly, "Furthermore, who told you they were servants from the Prince's personal quarters? Do not let such talk spread again."
Although she had indeed trained Qingyin and Qingbao with that intention in the past, they were now following Second Young Miss Lu. Their future positions would be for Second Young Miss Lu to decide.
As for when they would return, that was not something for Liu'er to worry about.
Nanny Qing looked at Liu'er and gave a patient piece of advice. "Focus on your work and do not be so heavy with curiosity."
Those who worked in the Prince's Mansion needed to be clever—doing more and asking less.
Liu'er nodded obediently. "Yes, Liu'er understands."
"Mm. Go on then."
Liu'er withdrew, and Nanny Qing shook her head. Liu'er was only fifteen, still a child; she just needed proper guidance.
Nanny Qing went to fetch three thousand taels of silver and had it delivered to Lu Zhaoling.
Liu'er also brought warm water for Lu Zhaoling to wash her face and hands, looking quite nimble and alert as she worked.
"I'll be heading back now."
Lu Zhaoling had Qingyin take the silver and then stood up.
Fu Cheng stood up as well, looking a bit reluctant to see her go. He hadn't even had the chance to say more than a few words to her. Since this was the Prince Jin's Mansion, he felt an inexplicable sense of guilt and didn't dare to speak up too much.
"Aren't you going to wait for my grandfather to come out?" he asked.
Even if he was afraid to speak with her, he still wanted her to stay a while longer.
Lu Zhaoling asked with some confusion, "Why would I wait for him to come out? Old Fu isn't sick."
She had already resolved any issues he had earlier.
Fu Cheng choked. That wasn't what he meant.
Lu Zhaoling left regardless, leaving Nanny Qing feeling somewhat melancholic.
How could Second Young Miss Lu not even wait for the Prince to finish his medicinal bath? It seemed she didn't even want to stay to ensure he was truly alright. It appeared their feelings for each other were not that deep yet.
After a great deal of fuss, Prince Jin finally finished changing into a fresh set of clothes. He even had Qingfeng help comb his hair and secure it with a hair crown. Looking at his reflection in a deep purple brocade robe, he flicked a tiny crease from his sleeve and said to Qinglin, "Let Lu Zhaoling in."
Earlier, when his hidden ailment flared up, his face had been grey, his lips pale, and he had been dressed in mere sleeping robes. His image had been truly lacking.
Now that he had tidied himself up, he wanted her to see him. He had to use this image to wash away the memory of that ghostly state from before, lest she think of him at night and decide he wasn't handsome.
Doctor Fu squinted at him, his beard trembling slightly.
Was there any need for this? The man was still sick, yet he insisted on changing into a purple robe woven with intricate patterns, cinched with a red gold waist belt, and topped with a purple gold hair crown. He looked as grand as if he were about to enter the Imperial Palace.
Seeing Prince Jin sitting there with perfect composure, his eyes fixed intensely on the door, Doctor Fu suppressed a twitch of his lips and couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, do you have more matters to discuss with the Second Young Miss?"
Prince Jin's gaze swept over. "Old Fu, you worked hard today. Go back and get some proper rest."
"This old man should leave now?"
"Does Old Fu intend to stay for dinner?"
"Ahem, my thanks to the Prince..."
"I am in no mood to host guests today. Perhaps another day," Prince Jin interrupted him coldly.
The corner of Doctor Fu's mouth twitched. "Am I considered a guest? In the past, Your Highness would frequently dismiss me with nothing more than two side dishes." Today, he was suddenly acting so polite.
Prince Jin essentially chased him out.
When Old Fu emerged, he was nearly muttering curses under his breath. He flicked his sleeves and called out to Fu Cheng, "Let's go, let's go home."
"Old Fu, please don't hold it against our Prince. The medical fee has been prepared..." Uncle Yun personally presented a gift box.
Prince Jin was never stingy toward Old Fu.
Doctor Fu didn't truly take offense, of course; that brat's personality had always been quite unlikable. However, this was the first time he had seen Prince Jin put so much importance on his appearance.
"Where is Second Young Miss Lu?" He didn't see her anywhere.
"The Second Young Miss has already returned," Fu Cheng said.
"She left?" Doctor Fu was stunned for a moment, then he stroked his beard and let out a loud laugh, looking quite amused by the Prince's misfortune. "Good, she left well."
Prince Jin actually thought Lu Zhaoling would wait for him to finish his medicinal bath?
Hahaha! It turned out that in Second Young Miss Lu's heart, Prince Jin wasn't that important at all.
"She left? She's been gone for a while?"
Prince Jin had already heard the report from Qinglin, and his face darkened instantly.
"Yes."
"Heh." Prince Jin was so angry he laughed.
This betrothal relationship didn't seem stable at all.
Couldn't she at least show a bit of concern or nervousness for him? She didn't even wait for him to come out to confirm his condition; she just took the money and ran?
He then thought back to what Lu Zhaoling had said earlier someone had triggered the Talisman inside his body...
"Send someone to see what my Second Senior Uncle has been doing these past few days. Be careful, do not let him discover you," he ordered.
Qingfeng was somewhat surprised.
The Prince had always trusted his Second Senior Uncle implicitly. This time, when the man had brought his disciples into the capital saying they had business to attend to, the Prince had only said to come to the mansion if they needed anything. He hadn't pried into their affairs at all. Why was he suddenly ordering someone to keep watch on him?
Lu Zhaoling returned to the Lu family estate.
As soon as she entered Tingnuan Pavilion, she paused.
"Ah, oh no. We left in such a hurry earlier that I forgot to lock the door," Qingbao remembered.
Normally, in one's own home, leaving for a short while wouldn't require locking the doors, as long as the chests and cabinets inside were locked.
But the Lu family was a special case.
Qingbao still wasn't completely used to it and had forgotten in her haste.
"It seems they found an opportunity." Lu Zhaoling sensed a strange aura in the room and gave a mocking smile.
She stepped into the room and swept her gaze around.
The room wasn't actually messy; at first glance, it looked no different than when they had left.
But Qingyin could tell.
"Miss, someone has rummaged through the room."
She saw that the neatly folded quilt on the bed now had a few wrinkles. A chest by the cabinet had been slightly displaced. Even the first drawer of the vanity on the table wasn't closed tight, leaving a small crack.
"Did a thief get in?" Qingbao's expression changed.
Originally, Lu Zhaoling had nothing worth stealing, but things were different now. Several families had sent generous gifts.
Lu Zhaoling sat down on the soft couch and said without the slightest hesitation, "Go. Invite Lord Lu over. Tell him a sum of silver has gone missing from my room."
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