Chaos

What did Chang Gong say to you?

Lin Yunwan was very curious.

Qi Lingheng smiled mysteriously, "What kind of person do you think Chang Gong is?"

Lin Yunwan's impression of Chang Gong was still from a few years ago. She smiled and said, "He was a hardworking, shy, kind, Filial Piety person."

"I have never seen such a good child. No amount of good description is enough to describe him."

She had a very high opinion of Lu Chang'gong.

Qi Lingheng smiled and said softly, "Then it's better if you don't know."

"How?"

Lin Yunwan frowned slightly.

Qi Lingheng paused, then said, "... He probably doesn't want you to know either. Just wait and see. See what he'll do for you, and for himself."

Lin Yunwan raised an eyebrow, wondering what else Chang Gong might do.

\

The Marquis of Wuding is in complete chaos.

"Sigh, if it weren't for the Eldest Young Master keeping things in check, the manor would be in complete chaos!"

The servants at the door were talking dejectedly.

"Who says otherwise! Luckily, our late Eldest Young Madam chose such a fine Eldest Young Master for the Lu family, otherwise what would the manor be like now?"

They were all household slaves, so they were able to guard the gate.

Those things that were recently bought, or sent by Madam Chen, either left or were sold, Wuding Marquis Residence suddenly became sparsely populated.

Qiao Da, carrying an axe on his back, passed by the gate. Looking at the dilapidated state of the mansion, he spat and walked away arrogantly.

The gatekeeper said enviously, "He certainly knows how to choose his master. Now that he's with the Eldest Young Master, he'll finally be able to hold his head high."

"He's even getting cocky now? When has Qiao Da ever been treated badly in all these years? I don't know why the Eldest Young Master takes such good care of him."

Inside the inner courtyard, Lu Zhengliu from being anxious and angry to feeling utterly hopeless. He refused to see anyone, as if he were giving his final instructions to Lu Chang'gong.

"Chang Gong, if I... the family will depend on you from now on."

"If the family business fails, so be it. There are only two things that cannot be sold: the ancestral home and the ancestral land. As long as the house stands, the ancestral hall stands. As long as our ancestors are alive, the Lu family will rise again one day."

"It's your father's fault. The Metropolitan Examination after the New Year, and I've made you worry so much. Don't worry about anything else. Just focus on your studies. As long as you have a degree, the Lu family will not fall."

After rambling on for a while, Lu Zhengliu sighed, patted Lu Chang'gong's shoulder, and said earnestly, "Fortunately, the Lu family still has you. Even if I die, I will have the face to meet our ancestors."

He knew he couldn't escape it.

As the Lu family has come to this point, fortunately, there is still an outstanding eldest son.

Lu Chang'gong's expression was calm and composed. "Why are you saying such discouraging things? It's just that the Duke Xingguo's Residence took their things, but our family is still doing just fine."

Lu Zhengliu shook his head, a sorrowful feeling welling up inside him. "You're still young, you don't understand."

Lu Chang'gong looked blankly at him. "What doesn't my son understand?"

Lu Zhengliu filled with bitterness and couldn't utter a single word. He gave a bitter smile and said, "You'll understand when you're a little older. You're still a child... you're only fifteen..."

Therefore, Lu Chang'gong did not recognize Lin Yunwan, and he did not blame his eldest son.

How could a child dare to publicly identify Prince Huan Consort? How could he understand the significance of recognizing Lin Yunwan?

"Sir, sir, something terrible has happened!"

A servant was calling from outside.

Lu Zhengliu felt annoyed when he heard this, but he had heard it so many times these days that he had gotten used to it.

He frowned impatiently and solemnly said, "Chang Gong, study hard." It was like a dying wish, and he passed away with a deathly pale face.

I will definitely study hard.

Lu Chang'gong nodded in assurance.

As soon as Lu Zhengliu stepped out, the servant hurriedly said, "Master, the clansmen are making a fuss about coming over to divide up the family's land..."

"Dividing the ancestral land?"

Lu Zhengliu's heart sank.

In recent years, at least the Duke Xingguo's Residence has been helping to support them, and the Lu family still has a title. He has no future, but the eldest son of the legitimate wife has a future.

The Lu family hasn't completely broken ties with them yet.

Is this a sign that we're cutting ties with them now?

Then the Lu family will truly be scattered!

"They're foolish!"

Lu Zhengliu rushed over to see his clansmen.

With his family falling apart, he had no heart to think about Prince Huan Consort anymore.

Lu Chang'gong watched his retreating figure, holding a Jade Pendant in his hand. He picked it up and saw that it was a jade Jade Pendant carved with a swan.

When Qianru came to serve tea, she said, "Eldest Young Master, this Jade Pendant has become quite lustrous from all your handling."

Lu Chang'gong put away the Jade Pendant and smiled faintly.

This was a gift from his mother; he wore it for many years, taking great care of it and often playing with it.

How's it going over there?

Lu Chang'gong sat down to drink tea and asked about the affairs in Lu Changzong's Courtyard.

Qianru and said, "The Second Young Master has been spending all his time with Xiao Xuan these past few days and doesn't want to go out. Xiao Xuan, on the other hand... still loves to go out! She sneaks out whenever she has a reason."

The household was not strictly managed, and maids could freely enter and leave the Marquis's Residence if they wanted to.

Zhu Qing was someone at the side gate, and Lu Chang'gong told her to turn a blind eye and let Xiao Xuan go out.

Xiao Xuan then posted more and more frequently.

Lu Chang'gong said indifferently, "She is a person with a bright future."

Qianru and said, "Eldest Young Master, you're right. Every time she comes back, I notice something extra or something missing about her. The high branches of the Marquis's Residence's mansion aren't enough for her to climb; who knows who she's climbed up to outside."

Lu Chang'gong remained silent.

Qianru knew her mistress didn't like discussing such matters, but there were some things she still needed to say, both openly and subtly, so she said, "... After all, she's a few years older than the Second Young Master. The Second Young Master is so young, like a child, unlike you. Xiao Xuan probably wouldn't be interested in him."

Lu Chang'gong knew this perfectly well.

Xiao Xuan was incredibly bold; she almost tried to seduce Lu Zhengliu. She had tried with all the respectable people in the mansion.

However, she didn't succeed with him.

"Have Concubine Zhu Qing find a way to tell Concubine Ge about what Xiao Xuan did."

Qianru nodded. "Yes."

She went to deliver the message, and Zhu Qing immediately perked up. She slammed her handkerchief on the table and laughed, "I've been waiting for this day for far too long!"

Mu'er blinked and asked, "... Mother, people outside are saying our family's property is going to be confiscated, is that true?"

Judging from her mother's expression, it didn't seem like anything bad was about to happen at home.

Zhu Qing cupped her daughter's cheeks and said with a smile, "You're such a lucky girl. You haven't even called her 'Mother' yet, and you've already received the blessings of your former stepmother. Even if they confiscate our property, they won't touch us."

Mu'er was confused, and Zhu Qing gave the order so that Ge Bao'er would inadvertently discover Xiao Xuan's affair.

Ge Bao'er actually heard from "one of her own" that Xiao Xuan had been going in and out of the Marquis's Residence several times, and that she was not clean!

"I knew it... I knew it! Qing'er was still protecting her so much, she had no idea she was such a despicable person!"

Ge Bao'er was initially worried about her fate.

Now all he can do is get angry.

"I'm finished. Prince Huan Consort will never let me go. But my Qing'er..."

Ge Bao'er closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't just die like this! All her wealth and glory were gone, and her son still hated her so much.

What did she ultimately gain in her life?

The maidservant asked anxiously, "Concubine, should I go and tell the Second Young Master right now?"

Ge Bao'er was unusually calm. "Do you think Qing'er will still believe what I say?"

The maidservant paused for a moment, then shook her head, "Xiao Xuan is now the Second Young Master's darling."

The Second Young Master's relationship with his Concubine is currently extremely strained. Unless he catches them in the act, how could Second Young Master possibly believe what his Concubine says?

Ge Bao'er was heartbroken.

She suddenly remembered Qing'er sitting at the entrance of the Drooping Silk Hall, holding a piece of bamboo and thinking of Lin Yunwan, and her heart ached even more.

No... Qing'er is my son!