Learning Bad Ways
"Zhu Qing, you worked hard last night."
She served Lu Zhengliu last night, and before dawn, she went to the Hall of Longevity to take care of the Old Madam with Wei Shi. She stayed up all night and then came over to tell Lin Yunwan that the Old Madam had woken up.
Lin Yunwan instructed Ping Ye, "Have the Kitchen send over some breakfast."
"Yes."
She lifted the curtain and went out, instructing the Kitchen to prepare breakfast for three people.
Zhu Qing sat down and said, "Madam, please rest assured, the Old Madam is fine. She was just upset from the stress; nothing serious has happened."
The Old Madam is really healthy.
Lin Yunwan replied perfunctorily, "That's good," not really taking it to heart.
Zhu Qing whispered, "Madam, I heard that the Xia family has already started packing their things in their Courtyard. They don't want to stay at the Lu family's anymore and want to leave."
"Yeah?"
This was somewhat unexpected. Lin Yunwan hadn't anticipated that Old Madam Xia would be so stubborn and show such disrespect to the Lu family.
She said, "If the Old Madam finds out, she'll probably be furious."
Zhu Qing didn't dare to show too much happiness.
But she wouldn't be sad for the Old Madam. If it weren't for the Old Madam a few years ago, she wouldn't have been driven to the estate. In the end, it was because the Old Madam didn't care about her.
She sighed, as if she were very sad.
"Mother, Concubine."
Lu Chang'gong arrived, his eyes covered in dark circles, clearly indicating he hadn't slept well.
Lin Yunwan said to him, "Come and sit down." Looking into his eyes, she asked, "Didn't you sleep all night? Your eyes are bloodshot."
Lu Chang'gong felt guilty.
He looked ashamed and wanted to apologize, but he didn't know how to say it.
"What's wrong?"
Lin Yunwan asked.
Lu Chang'gong choked up slightly, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have fought with my brother." He was terrified when he heard that the Old Madam had fainted. If the blame were traced back to him and then to his mother, he would feel terrible for her!
"This has nothing to do with you; it's an adult matter. Don't take it to heart."
Despite Lin Yunwan's words of advice, Lu Chang'gong still felt guilty.
Zhu Qing said helplessly, "Eldest Young Master, don't be sad. You've been tricked, and you're blaming yourself!"
"What trick did you fall for?"
Lu Chang'gong looked up at Zhu Qing. He rarely looked directly at his Concubine, after all, she was his father's Concubine.
Zhu Qing said softly, "Eldest Young Master, can't you see? Young Master Qing is deliberately trying to lure you into a fight in front of Madam and the Old Madam. No matter how much you don't want to fight, he'll find a way to make you fight."
"Think carefully about why you want to fight him."
Lu Chang'gong touched the Enlightenment Ceremony Jade Pendant at his waist, a gift from his mother to him when he began his education.
Lin Yunwan and Zhu Qing both looked over in that direction.
Zhu Qing exclaimed, "Oh!" and said, "The tassels on the Jade Pendant have all changed."
She thought for a moment before saying, "Given how much you cherish the Jade Pendant, Young Master Chang Gong, you wouldn't have damaged the knot that Madam made for you, would you? It must have been Qing who damaged the knot yesterday when he made his move."
Lu Chang'gong suddenly realized that Qing had done it on purpose!
At that time, Qing wouldn't let him go to his mother to complain, and then he grabbed his Jade Pendant, which angered him. Every move he made was calculated.
He still thought that Qing had really changed for the better.
He's overthinking it!
"Alright, let's not dwell on the past."
Chang Gong was only nine years old, Lin Yunwan didn't want him to focus on Inner Residence affairs too early.
Unlike women, men could study and enter officialdom, with the potential for rapid advancement in their careers.
For now, he should focus on his studies and learn a little about human relationships.
"Yes."
Lu Chang'gong lowered his head and gripped the Jade Pendant tightly.
Lin Yunwan thought he had taken her words to heart, but to her surprise, after Zhu Qing returned to the Rain Apricot Pavilion, the child asked her privately, "Mother, does my act of retaliating mean I've gone astray?"
"What?"
Lu Chang'gong pursed his lips and said, "It's nothing, my son was just saying."
Lin Yunwan was taken aback for a moment, then immediately understood and said to him, "You don't need to be like this. Focus on your studies first. With your intelligence, as long as you're a little cautious, there's nothing to worry about."
Lu Chang'gong raised his head and said calmly, "Mother is right."
"This time, my son was foolish and fell for his trick. But if we don't let him know, it's not that my son can't do it, he just doesn't want to be like him. He'll use my son to make things difficult for me again next time."
"Son takes his leave."
He turned and left, and in that thin, boyish back, Lin Yunwan saw a glimpse of his future, a figure capable of strategizing and manipulating events!
Tao Ye came over worriedly and said, "Madam, the young master..."
Lin Yunwan raised her hand to interrupt her, "Let nature take its course. My father said that the worst thing in teaching and educating people is to go against their nature."
"Besides, Marquis's Household are notorious for their ruthlessness; it's not a bad thing that he has the ability to protect himself."
Tao Ye nodded.
Ping Ye didn't see any harm in it. Why was it that others were allowed to do bad things, but her Eldest Young Master wasn't allowed to devise any schemes?
Three days later, Old Madam Lu had improved considerably, and she summoned Lin Yunwan to attend to her.
With Wei Shi attending to her, Lin Yunwan didn't need to lift a finger.
After taking her medicine, Old Madam Lu leaned against the bed and asked, "Where is Jia'er?"
It's one thing if the Xia family isn't coming, but why isn't Lu Jia here either?
Wei Shi hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
Although she was uneasy, Old Madam Lu asked Lin Yunwan with pale lips, "What's wrong?"
Lin Yunwan said, "Old Madam Xia has confined Eldest Aunt Jia's feet. The Xia family has also closed their courtyard gates and is not leaving the house. Master Xia family and his men have gone out to find a house. Once the deed is signed and the handover is completed, they will move out."
Why are you in such a hurry?
Old Madam Lu was so anxious that she almost couldn't catch her breath again.
Nanny Yan came over to comfort her, saying, "It's always inconvenient for relatives to stay with us. You should focus on getting better first."
Wei Shi curled her lip and said irritably, "Isn't it because you can't stand Cousin Miss! Otherwise, why leave now of all times?"
Nanny Yan was speechless, and said rather irritably, "Madam, please say less."
Isn't the Old Madam sick enough?
Old Madam Lu had no time to scold her daughter-in-law; she was only concerned with asking Lin Yunwan, "How was the banquet the other day...?"
Lin Yunwan remained silent.
Nothing you say can compare to the panic the Old Madam feels when she imagines it herself.
As expected, Old Madam Lu was agitated. "What happened in the end? Tell me!"
Wei Shi, clutching her handkerchief, said irritably, "What else can we do? You're ill, who has the heart to watch a play or have a gathering? The women ate quickly and then left. The Eldest Master of the Xia family and the Third Master Jin didn't even come."
"Cough cough... cough cough..."
Old Madam Lu frowned and called out, "Yun Wan, help me up, help me to see Old Madam Xia. The Lu family cannot treat its relatives so poorly."
Lin Yunwan was too lazy to go over. She said, "What will the Old Madam say if she goes over now?"
How so?
Old Madam Lu was stunned. Did she feel guilty for not being hospitable enough with the banquet?
Lin Yunwan said slowly, "You know what the Xia family cares about. There's no need to apologize for the banquet."
"You should think about how to handle Cousin Miss's matter. Only when her situation is resolved will the Xia family stop looking down on the Lu family so much."
Wei Shi gritted her teeth and said, "In my opinion, it would be better to strangle him!"
However, this is not something she can decide.
Nanny Yan glanced at Wei Shi, thinking, "Madam really doesn't know how to speak."
If it were that simple to strangle her, why would the Old Madam bother with all this trouble?