Insult

"Are you a young master of the Lu family?"

Zhang Feng'an asked Lu Chang'gong.

Lu Chang'gong wore a dark green robe embroidered with bamboo. He was as handsome as the air his clothes gave him, and there was already a hint that he would grow tall and upright.

"Yes, sir. I am Lu Chang'gong."

Zhang Feng'an looked at him and smiled.

Over the years, he had taught hundreds of students, if not a thousand, and had developed some skill at reading faces.

One look at a student was enough to give him a general idea of their character.

Zhang Feng'an spoke with Lu Chang'gong a little longer, asking nothing about his studies. They simply chatted about brushes, ink, paper and inkstones, and the affairs of daily life.

Lu Chang'gong knew the man before him was a famous teacher. Thinking of his legal mother, he loved the house and even the crows on its roof, and treated him with great respect.

He answered politely, "I am used to rising early... I eat whatever the kitchen makes. I have no particular preferences..."

Zhang Feng'an nodded in satisfaction.

Diligent and not a picky eater—he was a good child.

Lu Chang'gong said, "Sir, I must go pay my respects to Mother now."

Zhang Feng'an smiled and let him go.

The boy was a fine seedling. Zhang Feng'an had thought he might be teaching a pampered wastrel, so this was a pleasant surprise.

He returned to his guest room, still delighted, as though he had picked up a treasure.

"Mother, I ran into a gentleman on my way here. He must have been Mr. Zhang."

When Lu Chang'gong reached Drooping Silk Hall, he told Lin Yunwan what had happened that morning.

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly. "What did you think of Mr. Zhang?"

He recalled Zhang Feng'an's face.

"His cheeks were too thin, and he had quite a few white hairs. At his age, he shouldn't have so many."

Finally, he concluded, "Though he was stern, he was a good teacher who cared about his students."

Lin Yunwan laughed when she heard that.

"Mother, what, what are you laughing at?"

Lu Chang'gong didn't even dare eat his breakfast.

Lin Yunwan said, "I just thought you were very observant. Go on, eat. You've finally filled out a little these past few days. Eat more; you still have growing to do."

Only after Lu Chang'gong had finished eating did she ask him, "Mr. Zhang has taken the imperial examinations, after all, and knows more about them than I do. Would you like him to teach you too?"

Lu Chang'gong shook his head.

"Mother, didn't you say learning isn't accomplished in a single day? I've only studied with you for a short while. I'll still go to school later, so there's no need to rush."

"The teachers at school know what Mr. Zhang knows too."

Lin Yunwan looked at him in surprise. This child...

Whatever she taught him, he grasped it at once, but she hadn't expected him to be forming his own ideas already!

Lu Chang'gong stood and said, "I'll go practise my writing in the study now."

Lin Yunwan nodded.

Lu Chang'gong stepped over the threshold, then suddenly turned his head halfway back. But he said nothing and left with a red face.

Though Lin Yunwan didn't know what he had wanted to say, she could guess it was probably something that would have made her happy. The boy was reserved, however, and had simply been too embarrassed to say it.

"Tao Ye, keep an eye on the courtyard. Ping Ye, come with me to the marquis and madam's rooms."

Ge Bao'er's treatment in the household had yet to be settled. The old madam wanted Lin Yunwan to allocate silver from the household accounts for her, but that depended on whether Wei Shi would agree.

When she reached Wei Shi's rooms, Lin Yunwan asked with concern, "I haven't paid my respects to you in some time, Mother-in-law. How has Father-in-law been lately?"

Wei Shi sighed. "Much the same as ever, lucid one moment and confused the next. But he doesn't hurt people much anymore."

Lin Yunwan nodded.

That was good.

Otherwise, it was distressing when the maids and older servants were injured.

"Mother-in-law, there's a matter I can't decide myself. I must ask you to consider it for me."

"What is it?"

Ping Ye handed her a booklet, and Lin Yunwan said, "The old madam told me to set a monthly allowance for Cousin Miss. I don't know whether giving her the same treatment as the eldest married daughter of the family, born of a concubine, would slight her. That precedent was set quite a few years ago, after all."

Wei Shi immediately flew into a rage. "She's an outsider! How can she be compared to the eldest married daughter?!"

"That ill-omened little hussy! The moment she entered our home, she stirred the whole household into a mess, sending chickens flying and dogs jumping."

Wei Shi snatched the booklet away. "Stay out of this. I'll deal with it."

Lin Yunwan naturally had to protest. "Mother-in-law, this is the old madam's affair, after all..."

"Then all the more reason for me to take care of it. You manage everything in the household, big and small. It's not often I get to relieve the old madam of a worry. All right, you may go back."

Lin Yunwan left without a care.

An older servant at Wei Shi's side came over and said, "Madam, why get involved in the old madam's affairs? It isn't wise."

"What isn't wise about it?!"

Wei Shi said stubbornly, "There's nothing wrong with it!"

She immediately sent people to arrange a room and assign maids for Ge Bao'er.

She wasn't as good at managing a household as Lin Yunwan, but she was a young lady from an official's family, and she knew how to handle such matters.

At the Hall of Longevity, several menial servants carried furniture into Ge Bao'er's room: old, chipped trunks, a table and chairs. The two young, unplucked maids weren't even quick with their tongues; never mind serving their mistress, it would be a blessing if they didn't cause her trouble.

They had been sent to collect their monthly silver for nothing.

Ge Bao'er was dumbfounded. She stopped the older servants and asked, "Wh-what are these?"

An older servant said, "What else could they be? Furniture for you to use, Miss."

Wu'er was stunned too. Where... had they dug these up?

Ge Bao'er pointed to a yellowed spot. "The paint has already come off here."

"Oh, if the paint has come off, it can just be touched up. Please keep your voice down, Miss. The old madam is resting. If you make such a racket and wake her, whose fault will that be?"

Ge Bao'er bit her lip. As soon as the servants left, her eyes reddened.

The servants went unpunished for throwing filth at her, and now she was being made to live in a room fit for a servant. Was this what she and her son had suffered seven years outside for?

They had spared no effort searching for her and her son, yet once they had brought them back, this was how they treated her.

"Boo-hoo."

Ge Bao'er lay facedown on the bed and wept. Wu'er came over to comfort her. "Miss, please stop crying. Miss..."

"Miss, Nanny Yan is here."

Nanny Yan had heard the commotion some time ago. Afraid it would disturb the old madam, she had come over first.

"Xiliu, step outside for now."

"Yes."

Nanny Yan said coldly, "Miss, who are you putting on this crying show for?"

Ge Bao'er sat up on the bed and said aggrievedly, "Nanny Yan, I'm not afraid of hardship. I've been used to it since I was little, but the Lu family can't insult me like this! One after another, what do they take me for?!"

Nanny Yan gave a scornful laugh.

"Do I really need to tell you what you are, Miss? You're no maiden in the first bloom of youth anymore."

Ge Bao'er trembled with anger. Her face pale, she said, "I'm going to find the heir and the old madam!"

Nanny Yan persuaded her, "Miss, these things were all sent by Madam's people. This is Madam's wish. Madam is the heir's mother. Do you really intend to offend her at a time like this?"

Ge Bao'er pursed her lips.

Of course she didn't want to.

No one could say how much longer the old madam had to live, but Wei Shi still had many years ahead of her. If Wei Shi really became her proper mother-in-law and took issue with her...

Nanny Yan said, "It's good that you've thought it through, Miss."

She also reminded her, "Don't forget your status, Miss, and keep a lower profile. Someone will naturally look after the young master's affairs, so don't try to stick your foot into everything. You've seen it yourself: not one thing has ended well when done your way."

"If you truly want what's best for Young Master Qing, and for yourself too, then behave yourself for now. Everyone will have an easier time of it!"

Those words left Ge Bao'er dumbstruck.