Her guards

Chapter 34 First Encounter with an Old Friend

Yang Luo entered the examination hall, where more than a dozen women were already present.

Those who came to participate in the selection were all around the same age as the princesses. At a glance, the teenage girls were like a hundred flowers blooming, a beautiful sight to behold.

However, she didn't recognize any of them.

Although she lived in the capital for five years in that life, she was confined to her home. Moreover, from the day she arrived, the Duke of Ding'an's mansion stopped hosting banquets.

At the time, I didn't think much of it, but later I realized that it was clearly to prevent people in the capital from seeing her.

Speaking of which, my uncle and aunt are really very tolerant.

Those five years were also the time when the children of the Ding'an Duke needed to hold banquets to meet and discuss marriages, but the Duke refused to open his mansion to anyone else.

If you don't host others, you should naturally reduce your attendance at other people's banquets.

Yang Hui was afraid to attend other people's banquets because she couldn't reciprocate their invitations, and she threw many tantrums.

It is said that until the day she died on her wedding day, none of Yang's brothers and sisters were married, and no suitable candidates had been chosen.

This has caused quite a delay.

Yang Luo couldn't help but smile.

"This young lady isn't nervous at all."

There was a sound coming from the side.

Yang Luo snapped out of his daze and saw a woman walking over at some point.

She was a girl with a round face and round eyes. When she saw Yang Luo looking at her, she reached out and rubbed her face.

"My face was frozen, and I couldn't smile at all."

Yang Luo said, "No, I was just too nervous and I was grinning like an idiot."

The round-faced girl chuckled, "You can still joke around, which shows you're really not nervous." She then curtsied, "My name is Qin Ying."

Since everyone is here to take the exam today, we will not mention our family background, so as not to be accused of bullying others or to avoid feeling intimidated.

Yang Luo quickly returned the greeting: "Liu Chan." Although she didn't mention her family background, she added, "I'm from Fuzhou."

Qin Ying was very surprised: "Miss Liu speaks Mandarin so well."

This is also a problem with impersonating someone else. Yang Luo can't speak Fuzhou dialect at all, but since it's a fake identity, she can make up many excuses. As long as she has the invitation, no one will question her.

“My family’s academy has students from the capital, and I studied with them,” she said with a smile.

Qin Ying had no suspicions and her round eyes lit up: "Your family runs an academy, so you must be very knowledgeable." She smiled as she spoke, "I just studied in the clan school."

Yang Luo thought to herself, she has no knowledge, she only has prophecy.

Knowing what will be tested in advance allows you to prepare accordingly.

"My family sent me here to broaden my horizons," she said, "so I'd know there are always people more capable than me, and mountains beyond mountains."

Qin Ying smiled, her round eyes crinkling into crescents: "Don't be modest. There aren't many people more knowledgeable than you. Most just know a few words and dare to pretend to be talented women..."

Before she could finish speaking, a cold snort came from behind her.

"Qin Ying, who are you talking about behind my back again?"

Qin Ying raised her nose and turned to look. Yang Luo also looked over and saw several more women walk in.

We actually met this time.

She was also the only one I knew in the capital.

Yang Luo's gaze fell directly on one of the girls.

Her cousin, Yang Hui. It was Yang Hui who was speaking.

"What are you doing here, someone who doesn't like reading?" Yang Hui, who was clearly familiar with Qin Ying, approached and continued, "Didn't you disdain being associated with us?"

Qin Ying pouted, not even looking at Yang Hui, her gaze falling on the girl behind Yang Hui. Her round eyes curved into crescents again as she took a step forward.

“Sister Jiang, I read the poem you wrote last time too,” she said. “It’s beautiful and clear, unlike some people who just pile up words and leave people confused.”

As he spoke, he couldn't help but snort at Yang Hui.

It's obvious that some people are referring to Yang Hui.

Yang Hui raised her eyebrows as if to say something, but someone spoke first.

"Miss Jiang, is General Liwei your father?"

Yang Hui's gaze fell on Qin Ying's side. In fact, she had seen her as soon as she came in, but after a quick glance, she found that the girl was plain-looking and had an unfamiliar face. She was not one of the most famous noble ladies in the capital that Yang Hui knew, so she didn't care about her.

"Sister Rui, everyone knows your reputation." She said with a smile, and also looked at the girl next to her.

The girl next to me was sixteen or seventeen years old, with delicate features. She wore plain clothes, no jewelry, and had a distant expression, looking somewhat cold.

"Yes, I'm Jiang Rui," she said, looking at the girl next to Qin Ying, noticing the girl's strange expression. "You know my father?"

Qin Ying seized the opportunity and said, "Sister Rui, although your father is no longer here, he is still very famous. Miss Liu is from Fuzhou. She doesn't know anyone else, but she knows your father."

A hint of surprise appeared in Jiang Rui's eyes, and her indifferent expression softened.

Actually, no… Yang Luo was a little embarrassed, but naturally he wouldn’t deny it at this moment.

“Yes, I have long admired General Liwei’s reputation. Meeting his daughter today, I can confirm that like father, like daughter,” she said.

Yang Hui scoffed from the side. "These country bumpkins, how can they praise someone like that? Jiang Rui isn't a boy. Besides, although General Liwei was a military general, his daughter didn't follow in his footsteps. Instead, she became a famous talented woman, and Jiang Rui has always been proud of her talent."

Jiang Rui was not displeased by the praise for her son; instead, her expression softened further: "Thank you for your praise. I only ask that I do not tarnish my father's reputation."

Yang Luo looked at her and suddenly asked, "You have a younger sister?"

It seems this girl from Fuzhou really knows their family. Jiang Rui nodded, and perhaps when she mentioned her younger sister, a smile appeared in her eyes: "Yes, her name is Jiang Meng, but she's still young and can't come this time."

Yang Luo uttered an "oh" as if talking to herself: "Yes, she was still young at that time."

Yang Hui was already impatient. She had no interest in wasting time chatting with the country folk, so she interrupted them: "Sister Jiang, Miss Shang and the others are over there. Let's go over and say hello."

As they were talking, the other people in the building looked over and waved to Jiang Rui and Yang Hui.

Jiang Rui didn't linger any longer. She nodded slightly to Yang Luo and walked away with Yang Hui.

Qin Ying whispered, "You're amazing. You made Jiang Bingshan smile the first time you spoke."

Yang Luo looked at her: "Jiang Bingshan?"

Qin Ying chuckled and gestured towards Jiang Rui's retreating figure, saying, "She's always cold and unsmiling, so everyone calls her Iceberg. But today, the iceberg melted really quickly. She usually only shows a smile in front of the Marquis of Yongwu."

He then made a winking gesture.

Do you know the heir of the Marquis of Yongwu?

Yang Luo looked at her and said, "I know, the heir of the Marquis of Yongwu is named Zhu Yunxiao."

Qin Ying's eyes widened: "Ha, you from Fuzhou really came prepared, you even know this."

Yang Luo smiled. Yes, she had indeed made thorough preparations.

She never expected that instead of meeting her husband Zhu Yunxiao, she would first meet his ex-wife, or more precisely, his deceased wife.

Moreover, she died because of her, Jiang Rui, the daughter of General Liwei.

(End of this chapter)