The Nunnery

"Old Madam, something terrible has happened!"

On the eve of the Lunar New Year, the Lu family set up a stage, invited an opera troupe to perform, and also invited relatives and friends to have New Year's Eve dinner.

Before Old Madam Lu even reached the Flower Hall, she heard Nanny Yan announce that something big had happened.

Her heart skipped a beat. She didn't even have time to grab her prayer beads. Frowning, she asked, "What happened?"

Nanny Yan said with a troubled expression, "The relatives and clansmen are arguing in the Flower Hall."

"It's the Lunar New Year's Eve, what's all the noise about!"

Nanny Yan said, "Isn't it all because of Concubine Ge!"

"For her?"

Old Madam Lu said nonchalantly, "Didn't we tell her not to go out? What's there to argue about?"

Nanny Yan said, "The Members of the Lin clan were making a scene again recently, saying that the Lu family shouldn't have brought this Concubine back, and that they're probably thinking of favoring a concubine over their wife again."

"Old Madam, the rumors are spreading like wildfire. Our own family members are being pointed at and insulted whenever they go out; we're all so ashamed!"

"Somehow, the topic of Concubine Ge came up in the Flower Hall..."

From the moment the two tribes began discussing peace and separation, resentment was already brewing, so how could they not start arguing?

However, since the Wuding Marquis Residence is the direct descendant of the Lu family, and given its status, everyone still values the harmony of the clan.

Nanny Yan said worriedly, "If we don't deal with Concubine Ge, I'm afraid the peace in the clan won't last long..."

Old Madam Lu snorted coldly and said, "What do they know!"

"Let your Madam keep quiet for now. They'll understand my good intentions once they know my scheme."

"It's embarrassing now, but it's only temporary. What if we really manage to climb up to the Duke Xingguo's Residence..."

Nanny Yan was very uneasy, and thinking about the poisoned soup she had drunk, she said, "Old Madam, this old servant thinks our Young Madam is the best. The wealth and status of the Duke Xingguo's Residence is not something that can be easily attained."

Old Madam Lu sighed, "How could I not know Yun Wan was so wonderful!"

"She's not on the same page as the Lu family anymore, so what good is she? The better she is, the more she'll be an obstacle to the Lu family!"

Nanny Yan was speechless.

A commotion had broken out outside the Hall of Longevity. Old Madam Lu frowned and asked, "What's going on?"

Nanny Yan went out to take a look, and when she came back, she exclaimed in alarm, "They've come all the way here arguing! They're saying they want to send Concubine Ge away!"

"Nonsense!"

Old Madam Lu got up to go out, but through the window she could see the door was almost impossible to close, and she could hear the voices of several shrewish women from the clan, as well as an Old Madam of her generation...

Nanny Yan said, "You'd better not go out."

Old Madam Lu really didn't dare go out, so she came back and sat down. If those shrewish women started fighting, she would lose all face!

She lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and said, "Just tell them I'm sick, and that they should all leave. We shouldn't have the Lunar New Year's Eve dinner this year."

Nanny Yan felt that hiding wasn't a solution.

She said, "If you manage to avoid tonight, what will you do when we go to pay New Year's visits on the first day of the Lunar New Year? What will happen to the Lu family?"

Old Madam Lu said, "Just say I'll be sick from today until the New Year. Once the first ten days of the first lunar month are over, the family's anger has subsided, the rumors outside have stopped, and my illness will be 'cured' again."

Nanny Yan didn't know what to say.

As a servant girl, she couldn't say much, but deep down she felt that the Old Madam was becoming increasingly shameless!

"Well."

After leaving, Nanny Yan sighed and, with a thick skin, persuaded the Lu family members to leave. Fearing trouble during the New Year, she specifically instructed Ge Bao'er: "If you don't want anything to happen, Concubine, you'd better behave yourself. Dozens of eyes from the Lu family are watching you!"

Ge Bao'er's face was expressionless; she was completely absorbed in embroidery.

Feeling bored, Nanny Yan left after finishing her story.

Ge Bao'er plunged the embroidery needle into the embroidery surface and gave a cold laugh.

May they all die a horrible death!

The Lu family's affair became the laughing stock of the Capital.

During the Lunar New Year, Old Madam Lu continued to feign illness and avoid seeing any members of the Lu family. When neighbors and relatives came to pay their respects, they inevitably talked about the Lu family.

The servants of the Lu family now feel ashamed to even go out in public.

Nanny Yan came to serve the Old Madam and said to her, "I went to the maids in the Drooping Silk Hall and asked around, but no one knows where Young Madam's Jade Pendant is hidden."

I still can't find it.

Hearing this, Old Madam Lu became annoyed and asked, "Where did she hide it? Did she carry it with her the whole time?"

Searching the house is one thing, but searching the mistress's body... that's impossible.

Nanny Yan then asked, "Old Madam, you also said you were going to drug Young Madam, are you going to do it or not...?"

"Of course we can't go now!"

Old Madam Lu frowned and said, "Although that medicine is not easy to detect, what if something happens to her now and a skilled Physician finds out? Even if we find someone to take the blame, our Lu family will never be able to shake off the reputation of plotting against the mistress of the house!"

"The Concubine's affairs are minor matters; at worst, it's just the men indulging in lust. It's the mistress who will be in real trouble, the Lu family!"

"Don't mention the medicine yet. Go and call Zhengliu over."

"Neither of us can get close to Yun Wan. Zhengliu is her husband; she can't escape him."

"This..."

Seeing the Old Madam's matter-of-fact expression, Nanny Yan lowered her head and withdrew.

Lu Zhengliu at the Rain Apricot Pavilion.

Even he himself found it unbelievable that the time he spent with Zhu Qing was the most comfortable he had in the manor.

Zhu Qing brought over a cup of tea. "Sir, please have some."

Lu Zhengliu took the tea and asked, "How are you feeling now that you're pregnant?"

Zhu Qing sat down and said with a smile, "I feel sleepy and nauseous. I don't feel unwell otherwise. Young Madam is taking very good care of me."

Lu Zhengliu nodded.

Lin Yunwan... has always been very kind to Zhu Qing and the maids.

"Nanny Yan."

When Zhu Qing saw Nanny Yan coming over, she got up to greet her.

Nanny Yan smiled and said, "Please sit down, Concubine. I've come over to say a few words to the master."

Lu Zhengliu was impatient to listen.

The New Year was so stressful that I said, "If it's not important, please don't say anything."

Zhu Qing tactfully replied, "I'll go out and sweep some snow to store."

Two maids helped her out, and outside they could hear Lu Zhengliu throwing a tantrum; he smashed a cup.

Nanny Yan was also startled and said, "Sir, it was all the Old Madam's idea. Sigh..."

Lu Zhengliu didn't want to talk.

He's looked down upon outside, and now he faces discrimination no matter what he does. Even at home, he has to listen to this person and that person!

Nanny Yan said helplessly, "Sir, if you find this annoying, just ask yourself which one you really want to be closer to. Why not just ignore the Old Madam and follow your own heart?"

"My heart?"

Lu Zhengliu sneered, "I want to go back eight years, is that even possible?"

Eight years ago, he and Lin Yunwan were inseparable, their relationship harmonious, and there was no chaos at home. The Members of the Lin clan and the Lu family got along very well.

"This..."

Nanny Yan shook her head and sighed, "How could that be!"

One cannot have both fish and bear's paw; now it's a choice between two options.

I'll go to Yun Wan's place.

After leaving Rain Apricot Pavilion, Lu Zhengliu still decided to go to the Drooping Silk Hall, not for the Jade Pendant, but simply to get closer to her.

As we approached the entrance of the Drooping Silk Hall, we saw the maids carrying our luggage.

What are they doing?

Lu Zhengliu coldly asked the maid, "He didn't agree to a divorce!"

Ping Ye was startled and said, "Sir, the Old Madam has been ill since childhood and hasn't gotten better. Young Madam is going to the family temple to pray for Old Madam."

Lu Zhengliu a sigh of relief, but remained extremely vigilant.

The Lu family's ancestral temple is located on the south side of the main street of the Wuding Marquis Residence, requiring one to leave the residence to reach it. There is Small Buddhist Shrine at home; why would one need to go out to pray for blessings?

When Lin Yunwan came out of the Drooping Silk Hall, she had changed all her clothes into plain colors, and she didn't have a single hairpin in her hair. She really looked like a widow or a nun.