Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 143 The Rules of High-Ranking Families

Undoubtedly, Lu Jia's sudden return caught everyone in the Lu household completely off guard. Even Lu Jie couldn't concentrate on anything else all day.

Although the second and third branches of the Lu family had already established their own households, the grand spectacle at the main residence today, coupled with the fact that the news had already spread throughout the streets and alleys, meant that word had naturally reached them.

Just as Lu Jia finished tidying up, Zhi Mu, who had been keeping watch at the courtyard gate, returned: "The Second Madam and the Third Madam have gone to the main courtyard. The Second Master and the Third Master have gone to the front courtyard to look for the Master."

"It's alright." Lu Jia had anticipated this. "We're not going out today. They said someone came to invite us, and I felt a little unwell, so I lay down."

Lu Jia's second and third uncles were all officials in the imperial court, and naturally they all had some degree of dependence on the eldest branch of the family.

Over the years, Jiang has been in charge of the inner quarters of the Lu family, and both of her sisters-in-law have shown her great respect.

In her previous life, these two aunts didn't interfere much in Lu Jia's situation. Simply put, they didn't protect her, but they also didn't aid and abet the evildoers. They couldn't get involved in the affairs of the Minister's Mansion either.

Lu Jia knew that they had come in a hurry only out of courtesy, so there was no need for her to go and deal with them.

Not long after, as expected, someone from the second and third wives came to invite them. Zhi Mu sent them away, and a little while later, someone from the second and third wives brought over some refreshments.

Lu Jia accepted the gifts as requested, and then asked Qinghe to prepare some small gifts so that she could thank them in person at the welcome banquet later.

Qinghe said, "How do you know, young lady, that there will definitely be a welcome banquet later?"

“Of course it will,” Lu Jia said confidently. “How could such a good opportunity to build her image as a loving mother not be taken advantage of?”

As for the matter of Lu Jia disappearing, reappearing, and returning home, this is the second time she has done so.

“But she won’t be that quick,” Lu Jia lit an incense stick and placed it in the incense burner. “I was caught off guard when I came back today, so she will definitely try to find out my background. She will only hold back until she has figured it out.”

At this point, she looked at Fuxiao and said, "Have Changfu send a message to Mother, instructing them to keep a close eye on the people in front of the door these days. If anything seems amiss, beat them if necessary, or kick them out if necessary."

"Tell your mother to remember that she is the adoptive mother of the eldest daughter of the Lu family and a benefactor of the Minister's Mansion. Ordinary people cannot afford to offend them."

Before coming, Lu Jia had given Qiu Niang and her son some instructions, but since they had not yet returned to the Lu residence, there were many things that could not be explained in advance, so he only gave them a general overview.

Fuxiao received her order and arrived outside the second gate. Changfu had not yet been assigned any tasks, so Fuxiao asked someone from the manor to call him from his room.

Following Jiang's instructions, Granny Du sent several people in two groups to investigate Lu Jia's background. One group went to the Cheng family's place, and the other group went to the Xie family's residence in Yanzi Hutong.

Just as they had sent the person away, they saw Lu Jia's maid whispering to the servant named Changfu who had brought her with her.

She frowned and looked at them for a moment, then walked over and said, "Why are you talking here? Why don't you go and serve the young lady?"

Fuxiao gestured for Changfu to leave, then turned around and bowed: "Greetings, Granny. It was Miss who had something to tell me, and I'm here to deliver the message."

Seeing that she was calm and composed, and even when she was bowing, she was neither servile nor arrogant, Du Mama decided to ask her: "When did you start following the young lady?"

Fuxiao said, "It's been some time."

How many days are some days?
Granny Du was clearly dissatisfied with this answer. She frowned: "Judging from your age, you're not young anymore. Shouldn't it be time for you to be released? Why did you come back to the manor?"

“Granny, you don’t know, the young lady has already granted me the favor of allowing me to remarry in two years.” After saying these two sentences, Fuxiao smiled at Granny Du: “I wonder if there is anything else, Granny? The young lady has other instructions, so I must go back to my room first.”

As she was about to step over the threshold, Granny Du called out, "Stop!"

Looking back at dawn.

Du Mama pointed to two pots of winter plum blossoms on the side: "These are two pots of flowers that were just bought. Madam specifically requested them. Everyone is busy right now, so you can deliver them to her while you're at it."

Fuxiao glanced at the two pots of winter plum blossoms, each half a person's height, and then at the two maids behind her who were doing nothing. Knowing that this was a way of putting her in a difficult position, she smiled and said, "I'd like to do you a favor by giving me this task, Madam. I'd like to get to know Madam better, but unfortunately, Miss is short of servants and is used to me, so I can't leave right now. Please find someone else, Madam."

Granny Du said, "How could it take you long? It's just on the way."

As she spoke, she took half a step forward and said with a forced smile, "You don't understand the rules of high-class families, do you?"

"If you want to stay here for a long time, obedience and compliance are the most important things."

"I know you are the young lady's confidantes, but now that you're back, you're all part of the household. If everyone were like you, what would be the difference between 'yours' and 'mine'? Where would the rules be then?"

“I am the head maid of the main house, and my words are equivalent to the Madam’s words. If even I can’t order you around, then are you deliberately trying to disobey the Madam?”

Fuxiao said calmly, "Granny, you don't know this, but our young lady has already told us that even after we return home, we will only serve her."

"The affairs of the manor are arranged by the madam, and we are not allowed to cause trouble."

"The young lady said that the Madam has managed the entire Minister's mansion so well over the years, that it is not necessary to use the people around the young lady when she returns."

"Otherwise, wouldn't it make it seem like Madam is acting without any rules or methods?"

"What a fine girl!"

Granny Du sneered, "Is this how Miss has behaved all these years?"

"I say one thing to you, and you reply with ten!"
"Today I'm going to teach you a lesson on behalf of the young lady, so you won't embarrass her and ruin her reputation in the future!"

After saying that, she gestured to the maid behind her: "Hold her down and do it according to the rules of the manor. Give her two slaps first!"

The two maids immediately stepped forward from the left and right and grabbed Fuxiao.

At dawn, he broke free from his restraints: "I don't know where I went wrong? What rule did I break?"

“You have violated the rules of disrespecting the mistress!” Granny Du said. “I asked you to deliver two pots of flowers to the mistress on your way, but you made many excuses. It is clear that the young lady has neglected to discipline you.”

"Once you're at the Lu residence, you naturally have to follow the Lu residence's rules!"
"Hit me!"

Lu Jia was already so arrogant that she infuriated Madam Jiang, but she never expected that even her maid would be so arrogant!
Who's in charge of the Lu family's inner quarters? Have they not figured it out yet?

Once inside this mansion, do you think we'd tolerate a lowly servant girl like her acting so arrogantly right under our noses?