Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 149 She's back to deal with me!

Granny Du recounted the entire story of Lu Jia's return to the manor in one breath, leaving Guo Lu completely stunned.

The team sent to Shawan was led by a different person. Having learned from the previous experience, these people were sure that the people Guo Lu had led last time were skilled in martial arts, and they were also aiming to kill him in one move.

It turns out that not only did they fail, they didn't even get to see Lu Jia!
"Why did the young lady suddenly come to the capital? Since she has remembered who she is all these years, why did she choose to come to the capital at this time of year instead of earlier or later?"
"She was so surprised when she saw me last time, I think she probably recognized me. Logically speaking, if she knew it was me, there's no reason for her to knowingly walk into danger!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Jiang paused abruptly: "What you said has reminded me. If she recognizes you, she will definitely guess that it was me who did it."

"Since she guessed that I was the one who did it, she shouldn't have been so calm when she returned to the manor. Unless she even remembers what happened eleven years ago!"

"--I see!"

She suddenly stood up from her chair, her back straightening: "She said those sarcastic things because she remembers everything. So, she's back now to deal with me!"

When she said this, both Guo Lu and Granny Du were shocked.

"She's going after Madam?" Granny Du said. "What right does she have to go after Madam? Madam controls the entire Lu family's inner quarters now. How can she be allowed to cause trouble? Even if there's the Cheng family, they can't interfere in our inner quarters."

“But didn’t you see that she started causing trouble as soon as she arrived yesterday?” Madam Jiang looked at her. “Master never interferes in the affairs of the inner quarters, and he rarely meddles in Ying’er’s affairs. But look at him yesterday, he openly sided with her!”

“But the master and madam have been married for thirteen years, and the time he has spent living with his first wife is only a fraction of the time he has spent with you. The second daughter has also grown up with the master. Do you think the master treats the eldest daughter better than you and the second daughter?”

These words caused Chiang Kai-shek to fall into deep thought.

“She must have helpers with her. Didn’t you say last time that she had two powerful guards? But this time when she entered the manor, neither of them were with her.”

After a moment, she spoke again, but changed the subject.

“That’s right,” Guo Lu said. “Those two were indeed very capable. At that time, the Xie family had just taken back their property from the Zhang family. Apart from those two, there were no other capable people.”

When Lu Jia was ambushed in Shawan that time, she wouldn't have been able to escape if she hadn't had two powerful guards by her side!
"The men we sent out to scout have returned today and say that the Xie family now has quite a few skilled guards."

Jiang glanced at him and said, "Go back first, and keep a close watch on Yanzi Alley. I want to see what tricks this girl is up to."

After seeing Guo Lu out, Du Mama turned back and said, "Is Madam's concern for Master really genuine?"

“Who knows?” Jiang said, turning the cup in her hand, her gaze unfathomable. “I thought so too.”

“I’ve been with him for over ten years and we have a daughter. Jia’er and her mother only stayed at the Lu family for a short time, like they were just passing through. They can’t possibly compare to Ying’er and me.”

“But yesterday in his study, I never saw him show us the same expression he did to Lu Jia.”

"He seemed to respect and care for us, but he had a terrible headache with Jia'er yet still indulged her; it was from the bottom of his heart."

Du Mama looked bewildered: "Isn't it good to respect and care for Madam? Instead, it's better to treat her like you're a headache when you're treating Miss."

Jiang scoffed, "You don't understand."

Granny Du then fell silent.

After a pause, Madam Jiang added, "I hope I'm just overthinking it."

"Madam, our in-laws' mother has arrived. The banquet in the courtyard is ready, and the dishes will be served in a quarter of an hour."

Longxiang replied from the doorway. Madam Jiang stood up: "There are many people today, this is an opportunity. Watch my signals at the banquet later."

“If she really has come back to deal with me, then even if she didn’t tell the master the truth about what happened back then yesterday, she will tell him sooner or later.”

"In this family, the only person she can win over is the master, and now that she's back, she has to win him over."

"So regardless of whether the master still loves her or not, we must guard against this possibility. We must never let him believe her."

Du Mama immediately straightened up: "Don't worry, Madam, this servant will definitely not do anything wrong again and hold you back!"

Jiang took a deep breath and stepped out of the door, saying, "I'll go into the garden first. You go and welcome my mother in."

……

Everyone in the Lu family knew that Jiang's maternal family still had one mother left, and they also knew that this widow had been treated coldly by the Jiang family for a long time. Therefore, ever since Jiang took over the family, Lu Jie would invite his widow, Wei, to the Lu family to attend every family banquet.

With her son-in-law showing such respect, Madam Wei naturally held her head high in the Jiang family. Over the years, she had never heard of anyone from the Jiang family daring to do anything to Madam Jiang.

This has now become the norm.

She was naturally included in today's welcome banquet.

Lu Jia knew she would come. She already knew who was attending today and had also found out.

Besides the Wei family, there were also her second uncle and his wife, and her third uncle and his wife.

In my past life, there was also a welcoming banquet like this. That scoundrel surnamed Du, taking advantage of her rules, deliberately made her present gifts to the elders in front of everyone.

At the time, Madam Wei and the second and third wives gave Lu Jia a decent gift, but Lu Jia had been away from home for many years before returning to the mansion. Where would he get the money to prepare a return gift? Thus, the cunning servant took advantage of the situation.

This time, she could afford to give, but she didn't want to.

Arriving at the banquet hall just in time, Madam Jiang was already talking with her mother, Madam Wei. The second and third wives hadn't arrived yet, nor had Lu Ying. Lu Jie had heard that there was a meeting in court today, so he was probably still busy.

Lu Jia arrived at just the right time.

Moreover, she was very proactive, walking towards Madam Wei as soon as she arrived: "Grandmother, it's been so many years, you still look as radiant as ever!"

Her voice was so clear and loud that it was hard not to notice her.

Madam Wei instinctively stood up: "Young Miss..."

A gentle tug from Jiang's back made her sit down again. She cleared her throat and said, "Jia'er is so big already?"

There's no way, I'm used to it.

Back when Jiang had just married Lu Jie, Wei was still living a life of constant fear and timidity under the oppression of the Jiang family.

Back then, whenever she saw Lu Jia surrounded by admirers, she couldn't help but feel ashamed of herself and would always call her "Miss" repeatedly. Even after more than ten years, she still felt that her status was far inferior to that of the eldest daughter of the Minister's mansion.

Jiang glanced subconsciously at Qinghe, Fuxiao, and Yinliu, who were following Lu Jia with empty hands, and then at Granny Du.