Chapter 109: The Arrival of Friends

  Lu Yun looked at his sister's beautiful face and elegant figure under the moonlight, thinking that she would have to spend her life alone like this, and he felt increasingly sad.

  He lowered his head and buried it between his knees.

  Although Lu Xuan didn't think there was anything wrong with not getting married, seeing Lu Yun so sad now, she couldn't help but comfort her: "Ayun, don't think too much, even if I don't get married, I won't be lonely. Don't you and your children still have me?"

  Lu Yun's head was buried between his knees, nodding randomly.

  Lu Xuan also knew that Lu Yun was actually scared by the fact that he had been taken away by others. At this time, she randomly comforted him for a sentence before the siblings went to sleep.

  The next day, after seeing off Lu Yun, Lu Xuan put on her brother's old robe and left the mansion.

  In Lu Yun's opinion, wearing men's clothing may not necessarily be clean, but in her situation where she has no one to rely on and only has a weak younger brother, it is too easy to get into trouble. After thinking about it, she decided that from now on, unless necessary, she would wear men's clothes, trying to make people around her think of herself and Lu Yun as two brothers, which would be more appropriate.

  Chengdu is very big, with shops standing in great numbers and prosperity unmatched. Lu Yun took the brocade sent by Zhang Fu to a clothing store, where she bought two sets of clothes for herself and Lu Yun for each of the three seasons, then exchanged some of the jewelry sent by Zhang Fu for iron coins.

  With money in his sleeve pocket, he felt much more confident. Lu Xuan thought to himself as he walked: In the future, if I find a way to make a fortune, I must buy two servants.

  As she turned around, Lu Xuan came to a special street. On this street, most of the houses were built in the shape of pavilions, and many were painted red or pink.

  It seems this is one of the famous flower streets.

  Lu Xuan looked on curiously and saw that the streets were crowded with people, so she blended in as well.

  Occasional music drifted from the pavilions. This music, full of leisure and elegance, filled the spring breeze. In contrast to the common people who struggled to make ends meet, it gave off a sense of luxury.

  As they walked, from time to time, they could see young men dressed up neatly coming out of the buildings. Like now, those walking in front of Lu Xue were just the ones who came out of the red building earlier.

  "I heard that the person who wrote and sang 'Zhuo Wenjun' has appeared."

  The speaker was a young man with a fair and transparent complexion. The young man's voice was pleasant to listen to, but his gestures and movements revealed a kind of femininity.

  Another young man with a hint of darkness replied, "As soon as 'Zhuo Wenjun' was released, all the major music halls in Chengdu changed their tune. I heard someone is offering a high price to find the composer. If he really shows his face, he will definitely be treated as an honored guest by all the major schools."

  "Guest of honor? Those young masters, who cares about being the guest of honor in this humble school?"

  "This remark is quite off the mark. The one who made this comment is just an ordinary person. After His Majesty ascended to the throne, it has been a common practice for officials' sons to engage in commerce and make money in a legitimate manner. What's so extraordinary about that man making money through this means?"

  Listening to the discussions of several people, Lu Xuan lowered his head.

  Since yesterday at Zhang's residence, she knew that she had caused a new trend in Chengdu, but she never thought that she had unknowingly gained a certain status in this city of flowers and willows.

  What a pity that she is not a man. If she were, she could make a fortune with this alone and gain numerous romantic reputations.

  What a pity.

  At this moment, Lu Xuan also walked tiredly. She turned around and headed back in the direction of her home.

  Arrived at the city center, bought some small things needed at home and tonight's dishes. Lu Xuan continued to walk back.

  Just as I arrived at the alley in front of my own courtyard, suddenly. A surprised cry came, "A Xuan! Is that you?"

  Lu Xuan turned back.

  She looked up at Xiao Yan and Shang Ti who were sitting in a horse carriage, waving their hands at her.

  Shang Ti saw that it was indeed Lu Xuan, and she was so delighted that she kept waving her hand and exclaimed: "Ah Xuan, you've made us search for you!"

  I didn't expect that I had just revealed my whereabouts yesterday, and they came looking for me today.

  Lu Xing was moved in her heart, she took a step forward and walked closer to them, facing the two women with shining eyes, Lu Xing smiled and said: "After buying this house at that time, I sent a letter to your mansion."

  As soon as the words fell, Xiao Yan complained: "It must be those petty people who are making a fuss." Her eyes looking at Lu Yue were more intimate than before. With a curved smile, she looked at Lu Yue and asked: "Ah Yue, hehe, yesterday you said your surname was Xiao at Zhang's house."

  She hadn't finished speaking, when Shang Ti on one side called out unhappily: "Yes yes, Ah Yue, you're also too boring. Why didn't you just say your surname is Shang?"

  In Bi Gong's view, this kind of misuse of surname is extremely disrespectful behavior. However, the two women were overjoyed, and Xiao Yan's expression was even more triumphant.

  There is a smile in Lu's eyes, and her heart feels warm.

  No wonder the book always says that adversity makes for good friends, she never fawned on these ladies, and even when interacting with them, couldn't manage to be smooth and courteous. But now she has made friends with them using her slightly aloof true nature.

  She smiled and replied, "Isn't this just a slip of the tongue?" The reason she impersonated the Xiao family was that if it weren't for her fiery temper that night, not only would Xiao Yan's life have been in danger, but also the servants from the Xiao household would have harmed these young masters. As the saying goes, there are no walls in this world that don't leak wind; in a certain sense, she had saved the Xiao family. So, Lu Yue knew that by using the Xiao surname, she was spreading the greatest rumor, and the Xiao family wouldn't blame her for it.

  Shang Ti said unhappily: "The surname Shang is also easy to pronounce."

  As she spoke, she stretched out her hand to pull Luoyue into the carriage. After pulling her in, Xiao Yan curiously picked up the basket from Luoyue's hands and looked at it briefly before complaining: "It's so dirty, Ah Yue, shall I send a maid over for you? That way someone can do these household chores for you." As she complained, she casually placed the muddy bamboo basket in the clean corner of her carriage, not caring that it would get her beautiful carriage dirty.

  Lu Xuan smiled and said: "No, I want to earn it myself."

  "It's really boring."

  "You're clearly a spinster, why bother thinking about making money?"

  The two women spoke out simultaneously and accused each other.

  Lu Xuan didn't respond, she sat down on one side and pointed to the left, "Go that way, my home is inside."

  Xiao Yan hastily stretched out her head and gave a whispered order to Yu Fu.

  The horse carriage moved at a moderate pace, and Ati called out from the side: "Ayue, we've been thinking about you lately." She said with a big smile: "After that incident on the road, we went back and found Xiang's stepmother. Ayue, you must not have seen that woman before, she spoke without leaving out any details, and all the reasons she gave were reasonable, but in the end, it was all Ah Yan and her brother's fault. It's really ridiculous, is Ah Yan going to send someone to kill herself?"

  Lu Xuan became interested and asked: "What happened next? Did they just let that woman go like that?"

  Shang Ti said with a straight face, "Well, it's all messed up now. Some people actually believe that Ah Yan did that thing. Let's not mention those fools, as long as I and Wen Qing are convinced that Ah Yan is innocent, her stepmother can't harm her siblings. However, Ah Yan's father has suffered somewhat and is idle at home now. The business of this house has also been suspended for a while."

  Lu Xuan turned his head to look at Xiao Yan. At this close distance, she looked even more haggard. It seemed that this storm had a great impact on her.

  Lu Xuan looked at himself, Xiao Yan pursed his lips and smiled: "Yes, at that time, I and A Ti always mentioned you. Thinking that if you were also there, it might be possible to distinguish between black and white."

  It seems that Lu Ying has unknowingly established her prestige in front of them.

  Lu Xuan smiled slightly, thinking to herself: The people of the various major families all live in a world of intrigue and deception, where there are countless capable individuals, many of whom are stronger than me. These two women have elevated themselves.

  As they spoke, they had already arrived at their destination. Lu Xuan jumped down from the carriage and opened the door while welcoming the two women inside.

  Ati rushed in and exclaimed: "A Xuan, this is too small and shabby! It's far worse than your house in Hanyang."

  Lu Xuan strolled over and replied, "Wait until we have more money later, then we can buy an even better one."

  Xiao Yan said on one side: "Ah Yueh mentioned that she has a lifesaving grace for us. Otherwise, you and Ah Ti can give her a courtyard as a gift?"

  Lu Yun hooked her lips and smiled: "I can earn it."

  The two women had expected her to say so and were slightly disheartened.

  Lu Xuan saw their disappointed look, but she smiled to herself: It's said that human feelings are the hardest to repay, and I don't want you to settle with me for just two coins. She knew that in the hearts of the two women, even if they gave her the courtyard, they would not think that they owed Lu Xuan nothing. But it was hard to convince the adults behind them otherwise.

  The three women chatted and laughed as Lu Yuan had already boiled the water. She placed the old low table in the courtyard, facing the spring sun's rays, blowing in the spring breeze, and started chatting idly.

  As they were talking, Xiao Yan suddenly said: "It's really funny. After what happened at the Zhang residence last night was passed on to our residence, my stepmother actually said that this Lu girl is not only clever but also saved me, and she said her surname is Xiao, so it's fate! Why don't I just adopt her as a sworn daughter?"

  Xiao Yan's words had barely fallen when Lu Yue raised her head and asked: "How did your family respond?"

  Xiao Yan said: "My grandmother loves me, she has heard me mention you before and was pleased at the time. However, my aunts are not willing." She didn't say that one of her aunts directly said that Miss Lu is already 15 or 16 years old and still doesn't have a marriage arrangement, and on this trip, she's still disguised as a man, clearly being willful and reckless. This kind of person cannot enter the Xiao household.

  Xiao Yan hurriedly comforted Lu Yue: "Ah Yue, don't mind them, they don't know how good you are."

  Lu Xuan shook her head, "I wouldn't mind anyway." It seemed that Xiao Yan and the others had not told their elders at home about her interactions with that noble. Otherwise, with their keen senses, they would have gladly taken her in as a foster daughter.

  Just then, Shang Ti exclaimed: "I've got it! Ah Yue, this place is so boring. Why don't you come to my house and play? My mother will like you when she hears about you."

  Lu Xuan hadn't replied yet when a knock at the door was heard from outside.

  Lu Yu furrowed her brow and walked a few steps forward, asking: "Who is it?"

  Before long, a young man's deep voice came from outside the door, "Lu Yue, Master wants to see you."