Satisfied

"Madam, look! Qiao Da had someone send this in. This fan is really quite ingenious. Give it a turn like this, and it makes a strong breeze without much effort."

Ping Ye excitedly turned the fan to show Lin Yunwan. Wave after wave of breeze blew over from it, and it really was refreshing.

Lin Yunwan's long hair fluttered up.

"Mother."

Lu Chang'gong had come to pay his respects.

Lin Yunwan invited him in to sit down, then asked Ping Ye, "Did Qiao Da make only one?"

"Just one," Ping Ye said.

Lin Yunwan nodded thoughtfully. "It doesn't look easy to make. I wonder how long another one would take..."

Lu Chang'gong looked at the fan and said, "Mother, keep it for yourself. I don't need one. There's no need to trouble anyone over it."

Lin Yunwan laughed. "Who said I was going to give one to you?"

Another one—wasn't it for him?

Lu Chang'gong's eyes widened, and he soon looked embarrassed by his misunderstanding.

Lin Yunwan teased him. "Your maternal grandmother, your uncle, and Lady Guo, whom you've met, are all your elders. You'll have to wait your turn."

Lu Chang'gong scratched his head.

"I... I didn't think..."

Ping Ye said with a grin, "Eldest Young Master, can't you tell? Madam is teasing you."

Tao Ye laughed too. "Madam, I'll go ask Qiao Da to make four more right away."

Lin Yunwan was in an excellent mood, and her voice was light. "Give him some extra silver as a reward. Don't let him pay for anything himself; he isn't well-off either. And dig up that jar of Dongting Spring buried at the foot of the wall and give it to him to drink."

At the mention of the wine, Ping Ye widened her eyes and said, "Qiao Da really struck it lucky. You even gave him that jar of wine."

They chatted and laughed, and the days passed quickly.

During the sweltering summer, Qiao Da made several more hand-cranked fans for Lin Yunwan. Because he had received the jar of wine, he made a few extra.

Lin Yunwan sent the extras to Drooping Silk Hall and Wei Shi.

Wei Shi had been attending to the Marquis all this time and had not come to pay her respects to Old Madam Lu for a long while, so she chose a day to go with Lin Yunwan.

Old Madam Lu was in a fine mood. Her face beaming, she said, "Jia is coming back."

She was speaking of Lu Zhengliu's elder half-sister, Lu Jia, now the Xia family's eldest legitimate daughter-in-law, the Eldest Madam of Xia family.

Though born of a concubine, she had married well, and the household had always held her in high regard.

Wei Shi smiled too and said eagerly, "Why is she coming back at this time? It isn't a festival." After all, she had raised the girl, who called her legitimate mother. Though Lu Jia was not her own flesh and blood, Wei Shi missed her somewhat.

Lin Yunwan added, "Elder Sister's father-in-law, Master Xia, has been transferred back to the capital. Though it's a transfer at the same rank, a capital official holds considerably more standing than a local official of the same rank, so it is truly a promotion worth celebrating. The household should prepare a gift to congratulate the Xia family on their promotion and return to the capital."

She still held a letter sent by the Xia family.

For now, she was nominally in charge of the household, so she received all the correspondence involved in maintaining such relationships.

Of course, Old Madam Lu had long since received another family letter from her granddaughter Lu Jia in private.

Wei Shi was even more delighted. She clapped her hands and said, "How wonderful! She truly is my good daughter, blessed with such good fortune! Our whole family will be reunited from now on."

Old Madam Lu smiled as well. Another capable family related by marriage meant another source of support.

She instructed Lin Yunwan, "Though your elder sister-in-law has been married for many years, she has always had difficulty bearing children. In all these years, she has had only one son, who is also the Xia family's eldest legitimate grandson. Nothing else matters, but you must pay Zhuo plenty of attention. Only if he does well will your elder sister-in-law do well, and only then will things be good between us and the Xia family."

"Yes."

Lin Yunwan's lips curved in a smile. That little tyrant was doing splendidly indeed! If not for him, how would Qing have offended an important person and thrown the entire Wuding Marquis Residence into a panic? Of course, the Lu family's indulgence had also played its part.

In this life, she only had to stand by and watch.

Old Madam Lu had no idea that danger was approaching. Looking at the hand-cranked fan Lin Yunwan had sent over, she was quite pleased. "How filial of you. Where did you find such a novelty?"

Wei Shi joined in the praise. "It really is good. It saves the maids effort, and the breeze it makes is quiet and comfortable. With this at night, the Marquis sleeps very soundly." Even she slept comfortably. Before, the Marquis had always kept her from sleeping well at night.

"Qiao Da came up with it."

Old Madam Lu and Wei Shi's expressions changed. Wei Shi was merely surprised, but Old Madam Lu's face was not so pleasant.

She was clearly the one who had given Qiao Da a good assignment, so why had he sent his fine creation to Lin Yunwan instead of bringing it to her?

Still, it was not something she could make an issue of, so she said, "I'm tired. You may go."

She dismissed them all.

Lin Yunwan had actually grown tired of sitting there too and was just about to leave.

Wei Shi hurried back to enjoy the comfort of the hand-cranked fan and soon left.

Watching her retreating figure, Ping Ye sighed. "Madam Wei really has a good life. She doesn't worry about anything, and she never gets upset."

"Not necessarily. The days when she has things to worry about are still ahead."

Ping Ye did not understand. What would there be to worry about later?

When she saw Lin Yunwan set off, she hurried after her with the parasol raised.

Mistress and maid ran into Lu Zhengliu. He was home on leave that day and looked as though he had just come from Rain Apricot Pavilion.

"Heir Apparent."

Lin Yunwan's expression was cool as she bowed.

Lu Zhengliu walked over, his tall figure blocking her path. He looked at her without a word.

Lin Yunwan raised her head. There was an added chill in his stern eyes that she could not understand.

"Are you satisfied now?"

He spoke through gritted teeth.

Lin Yunwan did not understand. Frowning, she asked, "Satisfied with what? What are you talking about, Heir Apparent?"

Lu Zhengliu stepped closer and gave a cold laugh. "Zhuqing."

"Lin Yunwan, tell me, what else do you want to force me to do?"

Lin Yunwan raised an eyebrow. "Heir Apparent, was I the one who forced you to spend the night at Rain Apricot Pavilion?"

Lu Zhengliu's gaze paused, his face turned livid, and he strode away.

Ping Ye was so frightened that she did not dare speak for a long while. Only after he had vanished from sight did she say, trembling, "Madam, the Heir Apparent was terrifying like that!"

"Was he?"

Lin Yunwan said coldly, "I only found it ridiculous."

Someone else had forced him to do everything: to marry her, and to take a concubine too.

No one could force him!

Not unless he had wanted to in the first place.

"It isn't shameful to be weak and greedy. What's shameful is not daring to admit one's own weakness and greed."

Lin Yunwan had just finished speaking when she saw Lu Chang'gong watering flowers for her beside her courtyard wall.

Lin Yunwan said, "The maids will water them after the sun goes down. You don't need to see to it."

Lu Chang'gong set down the watering can and smiled faintly. "Mother."

Lin Yunwan went over, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, "The sun is so strong. Aren't you afraid of getting too much of it?"

Lu Chang'gong shook his head.

"Chang Gong, come inside. I have something to say to you."

Lu Chang'gong happily followed her in, not caring whether what Lin Yunwan had to say was honey or arsenic.