Chapter 547: Aunt Yuan Ti

Chen Yan's gaze fell on the woman, slowly scanning her up and down.

Though the woman was past her thirties, her posture was poised, and her brows bore a composure tempered by worldly experience; the bearing beneath her splendid attire was far from that of an ordinary lady.

His fingertips traced the rim of his wine cup as he pondered briefly; though a hint of surprise rose within him, he kept his composure and turned to Lu Huichun beside him, his voice gentle yet inquisitive: "Lord Lu, may I ask who this lady is…?"

Lu Huichun heard this, his smile deepening; he rose slowly, walked to the woman's side, naturally took her hand, turned to face the crowd, and announced loudly: "This is my wife, Cui Yuanti!"

Yuwen Ze froze for a moment, his hand holding the wine cup hesitating slightly.

The inquisitiveness in his eyes instantly turned to bewilderment, realizing he had misread the situation, then shifted to a trace of embarrassment.

He muttered to himself, "So it wasn't… a tribute…"

The thought flashing through his mind, he instinctively turned his head toward Feng Muye and Peng Chong beside him.

Coincidentally, the two were also looking at him, and all three shared the same awkward expression.

They then exchanged a tacit smile, lifted their cups and each took a sip, using it to mask their earlier wild speculation.

On the other side, Yu Jian differed from the others; his brows knit slightly as his gaze shifted from Cui Yuanti to Lu Huichun, his eyes carrying a hint of deep contemplation.

He mused silently, "Lu Huichun holds the post of Deputy Imperial Censor; his actions cannot be careless. To introduce his wife so casually at such an important banquet cannot be that simple..."

"Why would he go to such lengths? What calculation is he making?"

"Could it be that Madam Lu hides some unknown connection?"

Yu Jian's fingertips continued to tap lightly on the table, though the rhythm had slowed a bit.

His gaze floated between Lu Huichun and Cui Yuanti, trying to catch any trace of clue from their expressions.

Chen Yan, upon hearing this, slowly set down his chopsticks, leaned forward slightly, raised his hand, bowed his head and clasped his fist, his expression gaining a note of solemnity: "So she is Lord Lu's wife!"

"My apologies, my apologies!"

He paused, a warm smile appearing on his face, and asked, "May I know whether the lady belongs to the Qinghe Cui clan or the Boling Cui clan?"

Cui Yuanti heard this, her smile unchanged, a subtle pride rising in her eyes; the slight lift of her lips bore the dignified air of a great family. Her clear yet gentle voice replied, "I am of the Qinghe Cui clan!"

Those six short words rang out with authority.

The reputation of the Qinghe Cui clan thundered across the northern lands, carrying an innate sense of nobility.

Lu Huichun gently guided Cui Yuanti's hand, smiling, "Madam, you've endured a long journey; please sit and rest."

Having said so, he led her slowly back to his original seat, placing her in the empty spot beside him.

When Cui Yuanti sat down, her posture remained dignified; she lifted a hand to smooth her skirt, moving with elegant poise that fully displayed the bearing of a matriarch of a great house.

Chen Yan muttered the three words "Cui Yuanti" under his breath, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table.

His brows furrowed as if recalling something; after a moment, a flash of light sparked in his eyes, as if a sudden recollection, and he looked up at Cui Yuanti, his tone tinged with uncertainty and inquiry: "I recall the lady mentioning that my mother‑in‑law might have a full‑blood sister, called by this name…"

Before the words finished, his eyes narrowed, a deep glow in his pupils as he fixed his gaze on Cui Yuanti, his tone suddenly heavy: "Could Madam Lu be…?!"

"Exactly!"

Cui Yuanti met Chen Yan's probing gaze, slowly nodded, a gentle smile appearing on her face, and replied calmly: "My sister and I are full‑blood sisters, raised together since childhood, our bond unbreakably close!"

She paused briefly, sighed softly, a faint wistful hue touching her brows, her voice softening: "However, since my sister married far away into the Pei family of He Dong, and because the two states have been at war, she has not returned for many years, not even once…"

"Sss—" The words cracked like thunder on a clear day, exploding through the warm pavilion.

Yuwen Ze's hand gripping the wine cup jerked violently, the amber liquid nearly spilling; he was stunned, eyes wide with disbelief, a surge of turmoil raging within: "So Madam Lu is actually my elder brother's mother‑in‑law's sister?!"

Yu Jian also froze, instinctively clenching his cup until his knuckles whitened, astonished: "Madam Lu and the Grand Chancellor share such a hidden connection?!"

He had previously wondered why Lu Huichun would deliberately introduce his wife at such an important banquet; now the answer dawned instantly.

No wonder the Imperial Censor Lu was so eager to present his wife to the Grand Chancellor…

He intended to use this kinship to draw closer to the Grand Chancellor!

That move was truly clever.

Feng Muye's bright smile froze, his mouth slightly open, clearly shocked by the sudden news.

Ye Zhuxi's eyes widened as he looked at Cui Yuanti, then at Chen Yan, momentarily unable to process.

Chen Yan's shocked expression flickered away in an instant, replaced by a deliberately cheerful smile; his lips curled slightly, eyes full of surprise, and he sighed lightly, his tone tinged with sentiment: "So, Madam Lu is actually my senior…"

He finished, bowed respectfully to Cui Yuanti, his expression reverent: "Greetings, Aunt!"

That utterance of "Aunt" rang out, instantly elevating the atmosphere of the warm pavilion.

Cui Yuanti, seeing this, waved her hands repeatedly, her face full of delighted surprise, and hurriedly said, "Grand Chancellor, no need for formalities! You flatter me!"

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze burning as she looked at the Duke of Wei, genuine emotion shining in her eyes, and whispered earnestly: "I'm truly happy for my sister to have such a worthy husband!"

Chen Yan, hearing this, slowly shook his head, a modest smile on his face, and said calmly, "Aunt, you overpraise me!"

He paused, then continued: "After we return to Chang'an, Aunt, you will be able to meet mother‑in‑law and sister!"

"Really?" Cui Yuanti asked, her eyes suddenly brightening, pupils filling with hopeful light; her hands unconsciously clenched her robe's hem, and she exclaimed excitedly, "That's wonderful! Wonderful indeed!"

All the years of longing poured out in that moment.

A faint redness tinged the corners of her eyes, clearly tears of joy.

Lu Huichun sat beside her, watching his wife's demeanor, his eyes full of tenderness; he reached out and gently patted the back of her hand, soothingly saying, "Do not worry, Madam, we'll be in Chang'an soon!"

Chen Yan's gaze swept over the three Lu brothers and Cui Yuanti, a warm smile spreading across his face, as he exclaimed, "Truly, where in life do we not meet? I never expected we were family!"

Having said that, he lifted the cup on the table; the amber wine glimmered under the lanterns. Raising his cup high, he surveyed the guests and proclaimed loudly, "Everyone, I, Chen, offer a toast to you all!"

The Lu family of Fan Yang moving to Chang'an, whether for family prestige or political considerations, will inevitably be given great appointments…

Gaining kinship through the mother‑in‑law's connection is an unexpected delight!

Lu Huichun, hearing this, lifted the cup on the table; the wine swayed gently with his motion, making his smile even more sincere, and he replied loudly, "Grand Chancellor, when the Lu family of Fan Yang moves to Chang'an, I will still rely on your continued favor!"

"Indeed! Our Lu clan, newly arrived in Chang'an, are unfamiliar with the place and its people, and must depend greatly on the Grand Chancellor!"

Chen Yan, with his left hand steady on the cup, lightly tapped with his right hand and said, "Hey, Lord Lu, that's off; the title 'Grand Chancellor' isn't appropriate!"

He lowered his tapping hand, straightened slightly, and with solemn expression looked at the two Lu brothers: "You both are relatives of my aunt; in terms of seniority you are my elders. In the future, just call me A Yan; there's no need for such formality."

Lu Huichun and Lu Zhaoqun exchanged a glance, surprise and emotion flickering in their eyes, then in unspoken accord shared a look and replied loudly, "Very well! Then my brother and I will respectfully call you A Yan!"

Chen Yan heard that, a look of satisfaction on his face, he pursed his lips and said sincerely, "To speak of any special favor would be too presumptuous."

He looked around the crowd, his gaze landing on the Lu brothers with genuine sincerity: "How can one family speak as two?"

"When the Fan Yang Lu clan moves to Chang'an, the Pei Clan of my wife and my State Duke Mansion shall both spare no effort to assist, with not a hint of evasion!"

These are all great assistance, so naturally we must help with utmost dedication!

His words rang like thunder, instantly lifting the great weight from Lu Huichun's heart; he laughed heartily, the wrinkles at his eyes relaxing, his hand holding the cup trembling slightly: "Then thank you, A Yan! With your words, the Lu clan feels at ease in Chang'an!"

Lu Zhaoqun and Lu Mianzhi also quickly responded in unison, saying, "Thank you, A Yan!"

Chen Yan's smile remained unchanged: "No need for formalities; helping each other as family is simply our duty."

Having said so, he was the first to raise his cup, his gaze sweeping the seated guests: "Today is a joyous occasion, and we get to meet kin; truly a rare blessing."

"Come, let us drink another cup, to celebrate this fated gathering!"

Yuwen Ze, seeing this, immediately raised his cup in response, his face bright with a hearty smile: "A Xiong is right! This cup must be drunk!"

Yu Yan also lifted his cup, his expression modest, nodding: "To witness such kinship gathering is truly a blessing; I will share a drink."

Everyone raised their cups, the crisp clink of goblets echoing back and forth within the warm pavilion.

The wine slid down the throat, its rich aroma spreading across the tongue.

Chen Yan gently placed the empty cup on the table, his fingertip just touching the rosewood grain, then suddenly tapped his forehead, a hint of annoyance mixed with a smile on his face, and announced loudly: "My memory fails me; Your Majesty's appointment edicts for you all were nearly forgotten!"

Before the words finished, he reached into his bosom to search.

"Appointment edicts?!" Lu Huichun, Lu Zhaoqun, and Lu Mianzhi all froze, their smiles instantly solidifying.

They exchanged looks full of astonishment, their eyes brimming with disbelief.

Although they knew that surrendering to the Zhou State would bring rewards, they did not expect the edicts to be issued at this moment, in this circumstance.

After a brief shock, the three brothers dared not linger, hurriedly straightening their robes.

The folds of their collars were smoothed, jade belts re‑tied, each movement exuding reverence.

Then the three retreated together to the open space at the center of the warm pavilion, lifting their robes and kneeling, and shouted in unison: "We, Lu Huichun (Lu Zhaoqun, Lu Mianzhi), accept the decree!"

The others on the seat, seeing this, also stood up; the earlier relaxed atmosphere vanished, their faces assuming solemn respect.

Chen Yan took from his bosom a scroll of bright yellow edict, its edges embroidered with delicate cloud‑dragon patterns, glowing solemnly in the lamplight.

He unfolded the edict, cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over the kneeling Lu brothers, then read aloud: "The Fan Yang Lu clan, with pure lineage and loyal bravery, passes down through generations."

"Shuo Zhou's strategic region, the nation's shield; when the first smoke of war rose and bandit fumes grew fierce, the Lu clan stepped forward, sacrificing themselves, offering land to secure the realm; their merit is truly great."

"In recognition of his loyal diligence, we especially grant a commendation: Lu Huichun, of profound wisdom and outstanding merit, is Bestowed the title Left Guanglu Physician, E State Duke, and appointed Senior Pillar of State, to highlight his virtue!"