She had personally heard her eldest son say that the imperial inspector was a close confidant of the emperor, whose word could determine life and death. Local officials treated him like an ancestor, and each inspection ended with him returning fully loaded.
However, before Lu Changli married, the Lu household was managed by the second branch’s wife, so Lu Changli’s private savings had never been handed over.
“This…” Seeing that he couldn’t hide it any longer, Lu Changqing could only confess everything. “Mother, it’s not that I intentionally withheld Eldest Brother’s money, but while in Jiangning, all of Eldest Brother’s money was given to the Xu family.”
“Didn’t you say Madam Xu regarded wealth as dirt?”
“Miaoyan may not care for riches, but that doesn’t mean the Xu family isn’t greedy. If I didn’t give the money, the Xu family wouldn’t let me take Miaoyan away!” Lu Changqing sighed heavily. “The thousand taels Eldest Brother left behind were all given to Madam Xu’s family. But even with that thousand taels, it still wasn’t enough to repay the debt.”
“Ah!” Lady Chen stared blankly at the millet porridge on the table. “What do we do now?”
Before, she had thought the Xu family was as indifferent to fame and fortune as Xu Miaoyan, which would have saved them a dowry. Only now did she realize that what should have been given had already been given long ago.
Her eldest son’s private savings were gone just like that. The thought alone pained her.
“What else can we do? Return the clothes!” Lu Changqing said.
Brocade Emporium was no ordinary shop. It was said to be backed by a certain prince. If you dared to default on a debt, the shop’s enforcers could tear down the debtor’s house.
Who among those who opened shops on Vermilion Bird Street didn’t have connections? The Lu family couldn’t afford to offend such a shop.
Lady Chen remained silent, only wiping her tears with a handkerchief.
“If it were my own clothes, returning them would be one thing, but asking Miaoyan and Wanrou to take out their clothes to return them—how humiliating would that be for them? Besides, who knows if Brocade Emporium would even accept worn clothes.”
Mother and son sat in silence, the only sound in the room the crackling of charcoal in the brazier.
After a long while, Lu Changqing sighed deeply. “Let Lady Fang settle this debt.”
“Hmph,” Lady Chen sneered coldly, her long nails tightening around her handkerchief. “She has money to host a birthday banquet but won’t even help me repay a debt. Is this how a daughter-in-law should behave? She simply looks down on us, wanting to see us make fools of ourselves.”
“How dare she!” Lu Changqing tossed the account book in his hand aside. “She’s the daughter of a disgraced official—what right does she have to look down on us? Tomorrow, at Yao’er and Yuan’er’s birthday banquet, have Brocade Emporium’s people come to the feast to demand payment. If she refuses, sell her jewelry!”
“Yes, yes,” Lady Chen had a sudden inspiration. “Why didn’t I think of that? I don’t believe she would risk losing face. In front of the guests, she’ll have to settle the matter quietly.”
In the backyard of Pine Sound Residence.
The setting sun shone on several pine trees of varying heights, their shadows dancing gently.
Unlike the desolation outside, the room was filled with a sweet, cloying fragrance.
“Miss, it’s terrible! Second Master Lu has gone to Plum Blossom Pride!” The maid Xiuqiu hurried along the corridor and rushed into the room. Without even catching her breath, she pointed outside and reported, “I heard Second Master even specially had someone buy clothes, shoes, and socks as birthday gifts for the two children!”
Xu Miaoyan, who was blending incense, frowned, and the incense ball in her hand rolled into the mortar. “So all those words were lies to me. He said he had cut ties with Lady Fang and those two children, but in the end, he couldn’t abandon his own flesh and blood.”
She wore a bright yellow silver-threaded gown from Brocade Emporium, paired with a red coral bead hairpin. Her dark hair flowed like clouds, making her breathtakingly beautiful.
“Not necessarily. This servant sees that Second Master is truly sincere towards you, miss. Perhaps… he just went to take a look and will come right out,” Xiuqiu comforted.
“No need to speak up for him. Second Mistress is holding a birthday banquet for her child, yet neither the old madam nor Lu Wanrou are going—only he insists on attending,” Xu Miaoyan snorted coldly, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Last night he went to Plum Blossom Pride and even hid it from me. Men really can’t be trusted.”
In her heart, she felt Lu Changqing couldn’t be trusted, but then again, what man in this world could be?
All crows under heaven are equally black. If she lost Lu Changqing, the next one might be even worse. Picking the tallest among dwarfs, she could only make do.
After all, Lu Changqing had some talent, was gentle toward her, and Xu Miaoyan did find him quite handsome.
Xiuqiu lowered her gaze, not daring to speak.
The air in the room grew heavy, the fragrance so thick it felt suffocating.
“Go fetch the incense blocks I made a few days ago,” Xu Miaoyan stood up. “Since he went, I’ll go give Lady Fang a gift as well.”
“Ah, miss, why are you going?” Xiuqiu said. “Today’s banquet is full of Lady Fang’s friends. What if you end up at a disadvantage?”
“That depends on whether she has the ability to put me at a disadvantage,” Xu Miaoyan’s eyes curved into a smile.
“What a pity about that South Sea Dew-Radiance Incense, giving it to that uncultured Lady Fang!” Xiuqiu pouted. “Miss, you might as well have given it to the Empress instead.”