I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

Chapter 206: Brothers and Sisters

Because Nian'er didn't go, Lu Mingyang and her elder sister switched places. She took Ruying and Rushu to the opera troupe and the Jiaofangsi to recruit soldiers. Lu Mingyuan led his men to Hexi Village to recruit soldiers.

As expected, the recruitment went smoothly. Although the applicants had their own ulterior motives, the soldiers were finally recruited. As for whether they would be able to fight, it all depended on the eldest sister's ability.

Counting the densely packed names, Lu Mingyang returned to Chengyang Marquis Mansion to check the number of people with his elder sister.

"There are four hundred and thirty-two of us here. What about you, eldest sister?"

"One hundred and twenty-seven people!"

"That's 559 people, and we still need 241 people. We can gather 41 people from our mansion. His Highness said that the 200 people recruited from various places have already set off." Lu Mingyang finished calculating, closed the book, and said happily, "Once His Highness brings the list, my eldest sister and third brother can enter the palace."

A strand of hair fell down, and Lu Mingyuan tucked it behind his sister's ear and looked at Lu Mingze who was sitting opposite him.

"If it weren't for Yang'er, I wouldn't have waited for you to come back. Father's title would have fallen into the hands of others. Even father's coffin was protected by Yang'er at the risk of his life."

Lu Mingze had heard all this before, but hearing his eldest sister speak of it in person still moved him deeply. Lu Mingze stood up and bowed deeply, "Thank you for your hard work this past year, Fourth Sister. I'm here to thank you."

Lu Mingyang felt uncomfortable listening to this and asked, "If it was Eldest Sister who did all this, would Third Brother say thank you?"

Lu Mingze was stunned.

"Hmph!" Lu Mingyang turned sideways and said bitterly, "You won't, because in your heart, the eldest sister is family. Family members are supposed to do whatever they want. And I'm just an outsider."

"Why are you crying while talking?" Lu Mingyuan picked up the silk handkerchief to wipe his sister's tears.

"That's not what I meant. It's just that third brother doesn't know how to speak. Don't be angry, fourth sister." Except for Chu Yueling, he had never seen any girl cry in front of him.

Lu Mingze was at a loss: "How about you hit me a few times, hundreds of times."

Lu Mingyang teased, "After a few hundred hits, my hands don't hurt!"

"Then you whip him."

With a chuckle, Lu Mingyang was amused by his words.

Actually, she wasn't really angry just now. He was alienated from her, and she was also alienated from him. It was human nature.

But suddenly there was a brother, a brother completely different from Lu Mingfeng, a brother who was more important to her than herself, and the legitimate owner of Chengyang Marquis Mansion. She was a little afraid that Chengyang Marquis Mansion would no longer be her home.

Therefore, although those angry words were a rebuke, they clearly contained a flattering intention.

Lu Mingyuan stood up, took his brother and sister's hands, clasped them together, and held them tightly. "We are blood relatives. There is no debt, let alone any favors. No matter what the road ahead holds, we must stick together through thick and thin and never leave each other."

"Never leave!"

"Never leave!"

Lu Mingyang looked at his brother and sister and smiled.

"God has shown me His power!"

A sudden, hoarse voice interrupted the warm atmosphere in the hall. Second Grandpa, Third Grandpa, Fifth Grandpa... a bunch of grandfathers and uncles walked into the hall.

Third Grandpa even hugged Lu Mingze, tears streaming down his face. The others also gathered around and wailed. The scene was nothing short of a funeral scene.

Lu Mingyang hurriedly pulled his elder sister away from the touching scene.

When his father and brother were alive, Lu Mingze had never received such attention, and he subconsciously turned to his eldest sister for help. Lu Mingyang smiled and gave him a cheering gesture.

Lu Mingze said loudly: "Elders, please take a seat!"

There were too many people, so Uncle Zhong sent for stools to be brought in. Everyone sat down, and the noisy noises gradually died down.

Lu Mingze sat at the main seat, and Second Grandpa sat at the main guest seat. The others took their seats one by one, but there was still no room for Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingyuan.

Zhuxin and Ruying each brought a mahogany chair and placed it next to the main seat. Although he felt uncomfortable, Lu Mingyang still followed his elder sister and sat down obediently.

Second Grandpa's face was cold and serious: "Yuan girl, I heard that you are still recruiting female soldiers today. It's ridiculous."

Lu Mingyang snorted coldly: "Your Majesty's order, we will not do it. Do you want my eldest sister to disobey the order?"

"No quarrel, today we are not quarreling as a family." The tearful Third Grandfather interrupted the tense atmosphere and said directly: "Now that Aze is back, Yuan girl, when do you plan to meet with the emperor and return the title to your brother?"

Lu Mingyuan said calmly, "I'll listen to Aze."

Everyone looked at the man sitting in the main seat without saying a word.

Lu Mingze said in a deep voice, "Eldest Sister's title was bestowed by His Majesty himself and cannot be changed. I hope all the elders will keep this in mind."

Third Grandpa said anxiously: "She is a woman, how can she..."

Lu Mingze interrupted sharply: "The woman was also conferred by His Majesty himself."

Second Grandfather said: "Regardless of whether she is a man or a woman, she is a criminal."

"That's right, that's right..." Everyone echoed.

"What is it?" Lu Mingze turned his head to glance at his second grandfather, then looked at everyone with cold eyes and questioned, "My eldest sister is guilty of something to the Chen family, but has made contributions to our Lu family. You say she is guilty, but you don't want to be a member of the Lu family, but a member of the Chen family?"

Everyone was frightened and fell silent.

Lu Mingze stood up, helped Lu Mingyuan to his seat, and said loudly, "From today on, the head of Chengyang Marquis' Mansion is my eldest sister. I hope you will remember this."

They came today to speak up for Lu Mingze, just to show off their reputation so that when their descendants enter the court to serve as officials in the future, they will have a backer. Unexpectedly, they were rejected by the real boss.

Seeing that the talks were about to break down, the third uncle came out to smooth things over, "There's no rush for this matter, we'll discuss it later, later."

Lu Mingze said firmly: "There is no need for that. Even if the emperor offers me the title of Marquis of Chengyang, I will refuse it."

"Ridiculous, truly ridiculous!" Second Grandfather slammed his palm on the table in anger. "From now on, every time we worship our ancestors, do we have to follow a little girl to worship?"

"Wait until she's a hundred years old, and then hand over my Lu family's century-old foundation to someone from another family, right?"

"How dare you say that."

Second Grandfather stood up in anger and said angrily, "Whoever you want to be the head of the Chengyang Marquisate is the head. I have no right to interfere, nor do I want to interfere. If you insist on doing so, I will move the Lu family ancestral hall to my son's house."

"You dare!" Lu Mingze looked back coldly.

With a slap, Second Grandfather slapped Lu Mingze's face fiercely and stormed out in anger. His angry voice echoed in the hall: "Unfilial descendant!"

Everyone looked at each other and said goodbye and left.

Lu Mingze said in a clear voice: "Next month, my Chengyang Marquis Mansion will hold a one-year-old banquet. I hope all the elders will come. If anyone does not come, I will sever ties with my Chengyang Marquis Mansion."