Not Your Typical Villianess

Zhu Fengyin and Lu Yingjie had lunch with her family before returning to the Duke's mansion. The Lunch unlike the previous dinner was more mellow, onlookers would mistake it for minister Zhu and his wife being sad to see their children leave but not Su Liya. 

She knew that there was no love lost between the members of the Zhu family. They only cared about themselves, there was no unity in this doghouse. Even though they were all in good behaviour, Su Liya still felt a heavy cloud of anger from Madam Zhu and Zhu Feifei.

However, strangely their anger wasn't directed at Zhu Fengyin but Su Liya. She had pretty much avoided both mother and daughter so she didn't understand their strange behaviour. Her instinct screamed for her to find out what made them this annoyed but since she would be leaving soon, She decided to ignore her instincts.

After Lunch Su Liya joined Zhu Fengyin and Lu Yingjie and returned to the Duke's mansion. Lu Yingjie rode his horseback while Su Liya and Zhu Fengyin took the carriage. The steward Uncle Lu received them at the gate, he took by the gate and welcomed them.

They were not the only ones coming back from a trip, Lu Yaozhu was also present with his servant Yu Tao. When the carriage stopped at the gate, Su Liya helped Zhu Fengyin down from the carriage. Lu Yingjie and Lu Yaozhu stood by the entrance discussing, Zhu Fengyin and Su Liya greeted the general briefly before heading to the main Courtyard.

It had been two weeks since Su Liya last saw Lu Yaozhu, after the warning from his angry sister. She avoided him like the plague, Madam Lu was a very scary woman to annoy and there were two things that Madam Lu cared about, the Lu family's reputation and her children. 

This time was no different, Su Liya made sure to avoid running into Lu Yaozhu.

******

Two days later, at the imperial palace 

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Zhu Feifei and Zhongshan Cheng entered the palace to pay respects to the imperial consort. Zhongshan Cheng was still suspended from taking part in court sessions but still had to visit the palace weekly to pay his respects to the Emperor and Empress.

While Zhongshan Cheng went out to pay respects to the Emperor, Zhu Feifei visited the imperial Consort. Ever since the daughters day, Zhongshan Cheng and Zhu Feifei had been in a state of relative peace. Speaking with her mother about her concerns had helped her immensely. 

Her mother had given her some insights on how to handle Zhongshan Cheng's concubines and ever since she followed her direction Zhu Feifei hasn't clashed with the Sixth Prince. Usually, visits to the imperial palace left her on edge but not this time.

This time she was a little impatient to talk with imperial consort Shi, she was following her mother's instructions. After She saluted imperial consort, Shi, Zhu Feifei was instructed to seat. During this visit, as usual, the imperial consort's daughter the fourth Princess, Zhongshan Cuifen was present.

The fourth Princess, Zhongshan Cuifen was eight years older than the sixth prince and was married to a second-generation county prince. The fourth Princess like her mother and brother was arrogant, she was one of the most favoured Imperial daughters and used her power to suppress the weak.

Mother and daughter both responded to Zhu Feifei's greeting half-heartedly, they completely ignored her after that and continued with their previous discussion. Usually, that would've made Zhu Feifei embarrassed but this time it didn't. 

Zhu Feifei didn't take their attitude to heart since she had better plans for them. For the plan, her mother had come up with to work, she needed their help. She would tolerate their ride attitude until she archived her goal.

Zhu Feifei waited silently until their conversation moved in the direction of the Empress and the profectory princess Xia Ying. It was Imperial consort Shi that started that conversation

"that princess staying with the Empress has me worried Xiao-Fen, Xiao Cheng is still under suspension and the Emperor is still mad about that mess with the fourth branch of our Shi family. I fear that Empress Lu will make her moves very soon, I don't feel at ease leaving such a powerful weapon in the Empress or worse the Lu family's hands".

The fourth Princess unlike her mother attended all the social gatherings and heard a few of the gossips going around. She cleared her throat and replied, "we have to do something about that mother, there are rumours that mother Empress is trying to arrange a union between Lu Yaozhu and the Princess".

"We can't let that happen, that can be disastrous for you brother. If the Lu family and Princess Ni'an's family join hands, the Emperor would lose whatever leverage he has against the Lu family" Imperial consort Shi said bitterly.

"What do you suggest we do mother, the Emperor is still a little suspicious of the Shi family. We can't make any risky moves" Zhongshan Cuifen replied. 

Zhu Feifei seeing a good opening jumped in for the kill by saying "mother If I may, I might have a solution to this problem".

Zhongshan Cuifen and Imperial consort Shi both turned to her eyebrows raised "you do?" The asked feeling skeptical about listening to Zhu Feifei's ideas.

"Yes mother I do," she said slowly.

Imperial Consort Shi was at her wit's end already, she decided to humour her for a minute. While she didn't like this daughter-in-law of hers, she never dismissed that Zhu Feifei could be of use to her one day. The fact that she could marry into the royal family, even if it was by employing a dirty trick was a sign that she knew how to get around some things 

"Alright, let us hear it" imperial consort Shi replied seating back on her seat, her eyes shut.

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"Yes Mother, I won't waste any more of your time and jump right on it. The Shi family may not be able to get involved with is but that doesn't mean that we still can't do anything. The Empress might be aiming to arrange a marriage between the Lu family and the Xia family but nothing is set in stone until the wedding is held. Why don't we change the groom"