Volume 1 Chapter 62 Analysis of Hanyang

  Lu Xuan hailed a donkey cart and had himself taken home.

  As soon as she entered the alley, she let out a soft sigh.

  Ping's family, Ping's family... She just wanted to live a peaceful life, she just wanted to take care of her brother and spend some carefree days, but they wouldn't let her be!

  From a distance, I saw Lu Xuan walking towards me with a cold face, and Yin Cheng called out: "A Xuan?"

  Lu Xuan's footsteps paused, and she turned her head around.

  When she saw him, her expression was still dazed, and she asked anxiously: "What's wrong with you?" After a pause, he asked softly: "Didn't you go to your maternal grandparents' home? What happened?"

  His voice was very gentle and soft, and when he heard it in his ears, for some reason, Lu Xuan's eyes were slightly red.

  Just as she was about to speak, looking behind Yin Chen, those two maids who were hastily walking towards him, and when one of the maids glanced at her with a vigilant and defensive gaze, Lu Yue suddenly came to her senses.

  She bowed slightly and said faintly: "Don't worry, sir, I'm fine." After that, she quickly turned around and arrived at her own door.

  After entering the house, Lu Xuan had been wandering around in the courtyard.

  She didn't know how long she had been asleep when she heard her brother's voice calling out, "Sister, I'm back!"

  "Ah Yun is back?" As soon as Lu Yun's voice was heard, Lu Yue felt a warmth in her heart and hastily opened the courtyard door to welcome her brother in.

  The sister and brother returned to their room, Lu Xuan lit a fire and boiled water while smiling and asking: "How was Ah Yun today?"

  "It's all right." Lu Yun said, and suddenly exclaimed: "Sister, just now when school was over, my second uncle even sent someone to give me some iron coins. He also said that you knew about it, and told me to take them without hesitation."

  Lu Xuan raised her head.

  She looked at Lu Yun's handsome and serious face, thought for a moment, and then slowly said: "I went to my maternal grandmother's house during the day, where something happened."

  Something happened? Lu Yun's heart tightened and he quickly raised his head to stare at Lu Yue.

  Lu Xuan was busy while starting from yesterday, talking about the attitude of the people in Pingfu towards her. After saying that Hua's sister-in-law bought clothes for her, and then said: "That servant girl named A Tao jumped out and said I stole the engagement jade pendant of my fourth sister, so they all shouted to send me to the government."

  Although Lu Yun's expression was calm when he spoke, Lu Yun still listened with a start. He angrily shouted: "How could my sister do such a thing? It's clearly their frame-up!" His teeth gritted and his hand stretched out to grab a purse, intending to throw away the five-copper coins he had just received.

  "Stop." Lu Xuan stretched out his hand to stop his younger brother. "It's not worth it, no need to quarrel with Qian over this!"

  Lu Yun sulkily put away the money bag and suddenly complained in a low, muffled voice: "Sister, didn't we agree to never have anything to do with that family again? Why did you go?"

  Lu Xuan shook her head. "You listen to me finish, later the grandmother came out and directly refuted that maid, saying she believed me."

  Lu Yun let out a sigh of relief and then asked again: "Sister, you're not very happy?"

  Lu Xuan coldly smiled and said, "Of course I'm not happy. They framed me, plotted against me, so why would I be happy?" She walked into the house, busying herself with cooking rice and boiling water as she spoke: "And I've already figured it out, Ah Yun - those four thugs who beat you up last time were sent by the Ping family."

  "What? Why are they doing this?" Lu Yun had never doubted his sister's judgment before, and he scowled with a face full of anger.

  "Because they want to control me, use me to get close to that noble person, and then gain honor through me. In this process, you are redundant. Without you, I am easier to control, without you as a support, I have no choice but to rely on them."

  At this point, Lu Xuan looked up at her brother and said seriously: "A Yun, why do you think Ping Shi wants to frame me for theft, and why does Old Lady Ping want to come out and clear my name?"

  Facing her contemplative brother, Lu Xue explained seriously: "In Chapter 36 of Lao Tzu's 'Tao Te Ching', it says: 'What you want to get rid of, must be firmly held; what you want to take away, must be firmly given. What you want to destroy, must first be learned.' In other words, if you want to take something away, you must temporarily give it. Ah Yun, yesterday Ping Shi bought me clothes, and today she's being so enthusiastic towards me, that's exactly 'must firmly give'. They gave me trust, respect, love, and intimacy, and then suddenly took it away, which would make me feel extremely flustered and uneasy. Then, when they're nice to me again, I'll be grateful and at least my thoughts and actions will be more respectful."

  Lü Yuè has always hoped that her younger brother could go further and do better, so she would spare no effort to teach him the knowledge she learned from books.

  Only when your younger brother becomes powerful will you live a better life.

  This is a society that values reading classics, and the sound of students reciting books can be heard everywhere. However, in general schools, teachers only ask students to recite classic texts repeatedly until they memorize them, and rarely do people carefully analyze the meaning behind these classics. Lu Yun never thought that the seemingly simple "Tao Te Ching" could be interpreted in such a way, and he couldn't help but bow his head in contemplation.

  After a moment of contemplation, Lu Yun looked up at her sister, "Sister, the Ping family won't let go, will they? They'll use all sorts of tactics until you completely obey them and become that noble's concubine, right?"

  Lu Xuan nodded and replied succinctly: "Yes."

  Luyu thought for a moment and then looked up and asked: "Sister, how should we respond?"

  Luo Ying slowly said: "So far, there are three ways to deal with it."

  "In the midst of Lu Yun's attentive listening, Lu Xuan said: 'The first option is to leave Hanyang. However, without anyone recommending or guaranteeing for us in a strange place where we would have to start anew, your studies, Ah Yun, will be disrupted and you may never have another opportunity to advance. Therefore, we cannot leave.'"

  "The second way, I'll go find that nobleman and ask him to give up on me. Or, I'll find someone else and get engaged right away." Lu Yue licked her lips and continued: "Getting engaged right away isn't feasible, and persuading that nobleman won't be easy either. His interest in me might just be a temporary impulse. If I really go persuade him, it's possible he's already forgotten about me, and instead becomes interested again." Although she said this, Lu Yue herself didn't quite believe it, but Lu Yun nodded repeatedly.

  "As for the third method, it's to make Ping Shi give up this idea. However, this is not easy either. Ping Shi has been operating in Hanyang for many years and has long wanted to jump out of Hanyang and go to Chengdu to become a king or overlord. But Ping Shi's children have taken the imperial examination for many years without success. It can be said that your sister, I am a great opportunity to change the fate of the Ping family, and they will not let go due to their interests."

  Upon hearing this, Lu Yun began to pace back and forth in the room. As he walked, he muttered to himself: "This won't do, that won't do, must I just let them have their way?"

  "I won't let them have their way!"

  Lu Xuan's eyes drooped, her voice icy cold. "Cut off its wings, chop off its hands and feet, rot its roots. This move isn't just something they can do!"