Caught in the Act

When Lin Yunwan and the others arrived, Lu Chang'gong and Qing were indeed fighting and bleeding.

Both of their fingers and faces were covered in blood, making it impossible to tell whose was whose.

Looking at Qing's smeared face, Old Madam Lu trembled with anger. "They're all dead! Separate them up right now!"

The Stewardess and Matron stepped forward and separated the two.

"Ping Ye"

Lin Yunwan instructed a maid to go over and lead Lu Chang'gong over to wipe the blood off his face.

Lu Chang'gong, his eyes red, looked at her, then at the others, hesitant to speak, appearing very anxious.

When Qing hid behind Old Madam Lu, his expression changed completely; he became extremely smug.

Old Madam Lu first said to Old Madam Xia, "It's just children playing around, and we're sorry to have made our in-laws laugh at us—Jia'er, why don't you help your mother-in-law back to watch the play?"

Old Madam Xia smiled but remained silent.

The Xia family instilled brotherly love and respect in their children from a young age. The Wuding Marquis Residence, on the other hand, was quite different; they allowed their seven- or eight-year-old sons to fight.

Lu Jia protested angrily, "Grandmother, look at what Chang Gong did to Qing! His neck is all scraped, and you still think it's just playing around? I think Chang Gong wants to kill him!"

Ping Ye, still indignant, stepped forward and said, "Eldest Aunt, Young Master Qing only suffered a broken neck, but Young Master Chang Gong is injured in the eye. If the wound had been half an inch higher, Young Master Chang Gong would have gone blind."

"Besides, Young Master Chang Gong didn't even retaliate; he was just defending against Young Master Qing!"

She could see it clearly.

"Where did you come from, you lowly hussy! Who gave you the right to interrupt when your master is speaking?"

Lu Jia raised her hand, intending to slap Ping Ye.

The Old Madam Xia's mother, quick as a flash, grabbed her wrist.

With a stern face, Old Madam Xia said, "It's none of your business to interfere in the Lu family's internal affairs!" This daughter-in-law has become increasingly unruly since returning to the Lu family!

Lu Jia's heart skipped a beat, and she reluctantly withdrew her hand and stepped back.

Lin Yunwan couldn't let things end so haphazardly.

Today's commotion has not only made us a laughingstock, but if news of the murder of our comrade gets out, neither of us will escape unscathed.

Lin Yunwan asked Lu Chang'gong, "Why were you fighting?"

Lu Chang'gong opened his mouth, but did not say the reason.

Old Madam Lu also asked Qing, but Qing wouldn't say anything.

It wasn't until the Matron guarding the Side Courtyard arrived, panicking and shouting, "Old Madam, someone's dead! My Cousin Miss... she..."

Lu Chang'gong then whispered to Lin Yunwan, "Mother, my cousin has hanged herself."

Lin Yunwan pursed her lips.

Zhu Qing listened intently, then gave a cold laugh.

Lu Chang'gong, afraid of being overheard, whispered, "... Father went over there. Seventh Master Li couldn't wait for Father and left first. I wanted to come and tell you, but Qing kept delaying me, not letting me come. So we took action."

But he only wanted to come and tell his mother; he never intended to fight Qing to the point of bloodshed.

Old Madam Lu probably guessed what was going on. She felt dizzy, swayed, and almost couldn't stand up.

Nanny Yan, supporting her, called out worriedly, "Old Madam!"

Old Madam Lu held her hand tightly and said, "... Go and handle it." She also wanted to signal to Nanny Yan to quickly send away the relatives, especially Old Madam Xia.

Lu Jia spoke up first, "Grandmother, if you're not feeling well, please go back and rest. Mother and your siblings are here."

Old Madam Xia thought she was meddling; it was obvious the Lu family had wealth, why were the Xia family getting involved?

Lu Jia gritted her teeth and whispered to Old Madam Xia, "You always think my sister-in-law is pure and virtuous, and that everything about her is good. But you just saw it yourself; as her stepmother, she favors Chang Gong and doesn't care about Qing. And she doesn't do everything perfectly either."

"There's something else behind this that you don't know. You'd never guess she committed Seven Grounds of Divorce!"

Old Madam Xia frowned, and the way she looked at Lin Yunwan changed.

Lin Yunwan didn't even need to listen; she already knew what Lu Jia was saying about her.

She walked up to Wei Shi and said, "Mother, this is a matter of life and death. Please come with your daughter-in-law to see what's going on."

"... Huh? Me?"

Wei Shi had never seen a dead person before, and her legs went weak, making her unsteady on her feet.

Lu Jia deliberately said to Old Madam Xia, "Mother-in-law, didn't you also learn acupuncture from my uncle? This is a matter of life and death. If you could go and take a look, you might just save someone's life."

Wei Shi quickly replied, "That's wonderful! My dear in-law, you must help me out."

Looking at the two of them, Old Madam Lu felt dizzy and lightheaded.

What a terrible thing to do!

How could the Lu family have married such a daughter-in-law, and how could they have given birth to such a narrow-minded granddaughter!

Old Madam Xia seemed unable to refuse, and said hesitantly, "Since it's a matter of life and death, let's go and see quickly."

Old Madam Lu wanted to feign fainting.

... That can't be hidden forever; they'll find out eventually, and Lu Jia and the Wei Shi might do even worse.

I followed him, gritting my teeth.

They arrived late, but they had already seen everything they needed to see.

Ge Bao'er lay on the bed, crying her eyes out. There was a white silk ribbon on the floor and a chair that had been pushed over. Lu Zhengliu was in her room, just carrying her down from the white silk ribbon.

"Zhengliu, what are you doing here?!"

Wei Shi walked over, her eyes wide with shock.

Lu Zhengliu remained silent, not looking at Wei Shi, but glancing at Lin Yunwan and then at Old Madam Lu.

"Grandmother."

He came over and bowed.

Old Madam Lu sighed, at a loss for words, and secretly glanced at Old Madam Xia's expression.

How could Old Madam Xia possibly have a pleasant expression?

She asked coldly, "Is it this Heir Apparent's Concubine who is in mortal danger?"

Zhu Qing stepped forward and said, "Reporting to Old Madam Xia, I am the only Concubine in the household. This is our Old Madam's Grandniece and the Heir Apparent's younger female cousin. I wonder what has happened that has caused her to contemplate hanging herself?"

Old Madam Xia's face immediately darkened.

To secretly exchange gifts and then have her come over to witness it— the Lu family's reputation is utterly corrupt!

She gave Lu Jia a deep look.

Lu Jia felt extremely guilty, but since things had already come to this point, she said, "younger female cousin, what exactly has made you so aggrieved? Don't be afraid, tell me and let the Old Madam stand up for you."

Ge Bao'er just kept crying and didn't say anything.

Wei Shi, who had been kept in the dark the whole time, was the most surprised person. She angrily said to Lu Zhengliu, "How could you abandon your mother-in-law's affairs and come here to see this worthless younger female cousin!"

She shook her head in disappointment, afraid that Lin Yunwan be angry, and pulled her hand to explain, "Zhengliu is probably worried that someone might die, Yun Wan, don't overthink it." She also wanted to explain to Old Madam Xia.

Zhu Qing, however, said, "Cousin Miss, your clothes are disheveled. When the Heir Apparent rescued Cousin Miss just now, the two of you should have... been intimate."

Her voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard it.

Ge Bao'er reached out and pulled the blanket over herself appropriately, but the skin on her neck was red and her collar was messed up.

Who can explain how it happened!

In short, her Lu Zhengliu was definitely not innocent.

Lu Jia said, "In that case, brother, you can take your cousin as younger female cousin." She smiled at Lin Yunwan, "Sister-in-law, you wouldn't forbid the heir from taking Heir Apparent, would you?"

Lin Yunwan said, "The Heir Apparent cannot take his younger female cousin Concubine."

Lu Jia was overjoyed.

You can't keep up the act anymore!

Let's see how Lin Yunwan continues to act virtuous and gentle!

She sneered, "Sister-in-law, jealousy is Seven Grounds of Divorce grounds for divorce. You forbid your husband from taking a concubine; aren't you afraid the Lu family will divorce you?"

Lin Yunwan said calmly, "My younger female cousin is already engaged. For the Heir Apparent to forcibly take her as a concubine is to steal another man's wife."

What?! Ge Bao'er is already engaged?!

Both Old Madam Xia and Lu Jia's expressions changed.