If I were born again, I would marry a strong but short-lived husband.

The next day, Lu Yuan got up early in the morning to attend court.

Met Duke Lu at Chuihua Gate.

"In two days we will be worshipping our great-grandfather at the ancestral temple. Lu Heng is not in the capital, so you will be the one to burn incense this year," said Duke Lu.

Lu Yuan frowned, "The envoys from the Southern Dynasty will arrive in Beijing soon, I may not be able to spare the time."

"You have to make time for ancestor worship even if you don't have time. The emperor can't blame you." Duke Lu couldn't help but refuse.

“……” Lu Yuan pursed his lips and said nothing.

He watched Duke Lu get on the carriage and walk towards his horse.

"Lu Yuan." Ruan Xinglin came from behind and looked at his nephew with a smile.

After being in Shangjing City for several days, he had a deeper understanding of Lu Yuan.

He really is like his sister, smart, calm, indomitable, and always able to find his own way out in desperate situations.

"It's so difficult to say a few words to you. I can always say a few words to you while you have some free time along the way." Ruan Xinglin said.

"I have said everything that needs to be said." Lu Yuan said.

Ruan Xinglin glanced at him and said, "I want to tell you about the current situation in the Southern Dynasty."

Seeing Lu Yuan's indifferent expression, Ruan Xinglin sighed, "I know you have never thought about returning to the Southern Dynasty. I won't force you, but your mother and brother are the only people connected to you by blood in this world. Don't you want to know their current situation?"

Lu Yuan remained unmoved.

Ruan Xinglin whispered, "Lu Yuan, your brother has been poisoned. He is getting weaker day by day. If he...your mother will not be able to hold on."

"They never forgot about you and have been looking for you all these years."

Lu Yuan paused, "He is the crown prince, with the Ruan family and the queen behind him, and yet he was poisoned?"

Ruan Xinglin smiled bitterly, "Young men always admire their fathers, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is no exception."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan's eyes turned cold.

"Do you want me to go back and kill the Southern Dynasty emperor for you?" Lu Yuan asked.

"..." No matter how much Ruan Xinglin hated the emperor, he didn't dare to have such thoughts about Lu Yuan.

Letting Lu Yuan kill him would be patricide, which would be intolerable in the world.

"The imperial palace is in front." Lu Yuan said.

Ruan Xinglin had no choice but to stop and watch his eldest nephew walk into the palace gate silently.

Alas, his personality is exactly the same as Ruan Danyang.

It's so hard.

He turned around slowly and began to think about how to fool He Jingyao who was about to arrive.

He Zhiyuan is a little fox raised by an old fox, so we really have to be on guard against him.

……

……

Since the ancestral temple needs to be worshipped, Mrs. Ruan, the third wife of the housekeeper, naturally has to get busy.

But she was unable to do it at the moment, so she asked Shen Sui'an to help with the sacrifice.

Shen Sui'an naturally would not refuse and took over and started to make arrangements.

Originally, the servants in the family thought that the eldest young lady would be in a mess as it was her first time to handle this matter, and would probably cause a lot of jokes. After all, she had never managed the household after she came into the family, let alone organize such a large sacrifice.

Little did he know that these things were things that Shen Sui'an had done countless times in his previous life.

She knew who would be responsible for purchasing, what kind of offerings to prepare, how to clean before the sacrifice, and how to prepare and display the sacrificial utensils, all of which were not left out at all.

Impressive.

Even Madam Lu, who wanted to find fault with her, couldn't find fault with her.

When the news reached the family temple, Mrs. Lu's already bad mood became even gloomier.

Mo Ju, who had been serving her, was horrified to discover something.

In the past, my wife looked dignified and noble, with gentle features. But since when, her features became increasingly sharp, and her facial features revealed a ferocious and harsh look.

Even the people around her are becoming more and more afraid of her.

"Why is there still no news about Heng'er?" Mrs. Lu frowned.

She had a bad dream yesterday, which made her feel irritable today.

"I'll send someone to the Bai family shop to inquire more." Mo Ju said hurriedly.

Mrs. Lu closed her eyes and said, "During the sacrifice, Lu Yuan and Shen Sui'an will also come to the family temple."

"Let them have no way back."

Mo Ju's heart trembled, and he looked at Mrs. Lu anxiously, "Madam, do you mean... to poison them?"

"That's right, it's extremely poisonous. They will die instantly!" Mrs. Lu said coldly.

"Madam, all the clan members are coming for the sacrifice. If we are not careful..." Mo Ju wanted to persuade Madam Lu to give up this idea.

Mrs. Lu said coldly, "Then all of you go die."

"Shen Sui'an was in charge of the sacrifice, but it resulted in the poisoning and death of the people in the tribe. Even if she didn't die, she couldn't survive."

Mo Ju's face turned pale, "Yes, ma'am."

Two days passed quickly.

Everyone in the Lu family came to the ancestral temple.

Mrs. Lu was dressed in plain clothes and brought her servants to the hall to welcome Duke Lu and the old lady.

In less than two months, Mrs. Lu seemed to have become a different person, and Shen Sui'an almost didn't recognize her.

The lady, who had been dignified and elegant all her life, now looked so haggard that even thick powder could not hide her haggardness. The dark circles and bags under her eyes were frighteningly obvious.

People are as calm as chrysanthemums. Once they lose their calmness, they become just a withered and withered chrysanthemum.

Mrs. Lu deliberately raised her chin, appearing as dignified and elegant as ever. After paying her respects to the Duke and the old lady, she turned her gaze to Mr. Lu.

Uncle Lu just glanced at her, no longer showing the deep affection he had before.

After all, he lost his official position and has been keeping a beautiful mistress outside for the past two months. How could he see Mrs. Lu anymore?

No one paid any attention to Mrs. Lu, and she could hardly maintain her dignity.

Duke Lu looked at the sacrificial ceremony, which was well prepared, even better than in previous years, and praised Shen Suian highly.

"Lu Yuan, you come and burn incense." Duke Lu ordered.

"No!" Madam Lu's face changed. "He is just a bastard whose birth mother is unknown. How can he be qualified to worship you?"

"If I say he can, then he is qualified!" Duke Lu said in a deep voice.

Ruan also had a bad look on her face. How could the Lu family be worthy of Lu Yuan to flatter them? Could they afford it?

"Even if Heng'er is not in the capital, there is still Lu Wei from the second house. He is still alive! If a legitimate son is not given honor, how can a bastard's son have his turn?" Mrs. Lu shouted.

She wouldn't allow Lu Yuan to step on Lu Heng's head.

Lu Yan walked to Mrs. Lu's side and gently pulled her sleeve, "Mother, please stop making trouble."

Today is a rare opportunity. Maybe I can get my grandfather to agree to let my mother return to the Duke's Mansion. If she continues to make trouble, I'm afraid she won't be able to go back.

"If I say no, then it's no." Mrs. Lu shook off Lu Yan's hand.

During the stalemate, someone exclaimed, "Look, the water is leaking!"

Behind the ancestral temple, a thick black smoke rose up.

Mrs. Lu's face changed drastically.

"Go put out the fire."

Now no one cared about the sacrifice, and everyone rushed to the back to fetch water to put out the fire.

"Help... help..."

As the fire died down, a faint voice was heard from the cellar.

Mr. Lu kicked open the door of the cellar and saw a woman with a bulging belly walking out tremblingly.

The hem of his dress was stained with blood.

"Save, save my child..."