Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 151 Why slap me? Throw me out!

Lu Jie, who was listening to his second son Lu Ling talking over there, immediately looked up at Granny Du.

At this moment, everyone in the room quieted down and sat up straight.

Lu Jia took the milk broth that Fu Xiao had stirred, then looked at Granny Du and asked, "Is this your idea, Mother's idea, or Father's idea?"

Having suffered a loss at her hands yesterday, Granny Du was naturally not going to let her easily find fault with her now.

She smiled even more solicitously: "The Lu family is a family of officials for generations. We must know the rules of reciprocity. As the head maidservant by the lady's side, I should remind you of these things, young lady."

Lu Jia sneered: "So you're saying this was your idea?"

Upon hearing this, Granny Du sensed a trap in the words and was caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat. She could only vaguely reply, "How could this servant dare to make such a decision on her own? It's just that in the past, when the Second Miss received courtesy from her elders, it was always reciprocal. The Eldest Miss should not break the rules."

"If the second young lady wants to return the gift, then I have to return the gift too?" Lu Jia chuckled. "When I was the eldest young lady of the Lu family, you were still in the Jiang family. Are you here to remind me how to be a member of the Lu family?"

"In front of your father, ask your second and third uncles if, back when the old master and grandmother were alive, and when my mother was alive, there was any custom in the Lu family where juniors had to return gifts to their elders?"

Lu Jie and the second and third brothers, whose names were called, immediately straightened up.

“Father, speak up!” Lu Jia showed no intention of letting them avoid the conversation. “Why aren’t Second Uncle and Third Uncle saying anything?”

“I didn’t leave home until I was five years old. Let me ask you, when I was a child, I kowtowed to you during festivals and received your gifts. Why didn’t my father, mother and grandmother ask me to give them back?”

"What? I still remember the family rules that I've been strictly required to remember since I can remember, even after ten years, but you don't?"

Good heavens! Altering the family rules is a violation of ancestral teachings, a crime we cannot bear!

Lu Ling, who was still standing behind Lu Jie, couldn't help but shudder.

Lu Jie still had court affairs to attend to, and originally only wanted to enjoy the meal and intervene if things went wrong, so he could just let it go and make it look like a lively affair.

Seeing Lu Jia's completely different demeanor from yesterday, now brimming with sharp wit, he was stunned.

The third son, Lu Ruan, had nowhere to hide, so he covered his mouth and coughed: "Jia'er, you're talking nonsense. How can the family rules be changed so easily? It's just that no younger generation has come to visit the Lu family in recent years. I've forgotten how the family actually handles things, haha."

The Lu family is a scholarly family, and the distinction between elders and juniors is very clear. The affairs of the eldest son's family are none of the business of the second and third sons. But in today's situation, the eldest son's parents have not uttered a word so far, so he can only bite the bullet and make small talk.

Lu Jia was satisfied with his response. She looked back at Granny Du: "Since the rules haven't changed, why are you, a servant who came with me as part of my dowry, urging me, an unmarried young lady, to give a return gift? Do you think my in-laws, the old lady and my second and third uncles, can't afford this gift, or do you think the Lu family has stooped so low as to covet the possessions of our young ladies?"

Granny Du was speechless. Her still swollen face felt as if she had been slapped several times, burning hot.

Lu Jia then sneered: "I am still under the protection of my family and living off them. Where would I get the money to give back a gift?"
"When elders dote on the younger generation, they give them gifts out of love and affection. If they can't afford to give them, they naturally won't. If they are truly respectable, they would be ashamed to even mention it, let alone force them to return the gift."

“I must give it. I have a father and mother above me. Especially when it comes to giving gifts to elders, shouldn’t it be the proper duty of a mother to do so?”

"The second young lady gave gifts in previous years, and I didn't say which family's rules she followed. I just felt ashamed for her. I've never heard of a young lady with parents having to take back a gift as a courtesy. Madam, may I ask, do all the young ladies of the Jiang family have to return gifts when they receive them from their elders?"

Wei, the second woman to be named, couldn't sit still any longer. Jiang was also once a young lady of the Jiang family. Wasn't Lu Jia implying that Jiang came from an unruly family? "I never intended to accept a return gift from the young lady... Du Mama, you really deserve to be slapped! Your master and mistress haven't said anything, yet you're overstepping your bounds and trying to sow discord between the young lady and the mistress. How dare you!"

Who said that Miss Lu has become a country bumpkin after living away from home for so many years? She's clearly even more arrogant now than when she was pampered like a precious jewel. How is her mouth any different from her uncle's sharp tongue? She's practically just like the original wife, Madam Cheng, who was still alive back then!
"Why are you slapping me? Throw me out!" Lu Jia raised her voice, stepping on the end of Wei Shi's sentence, her face as cold as ice. "I've only been back at the manor for two days, and she's been targeting me for both days. It's obvious she's trying to sow discord between me and my mother. This time she's gone even further, actually making me return the gift in front of so many people. Isn't that pointing her finger at my mother and scolding her for not knowing how to manage a household and not understanding etiquette?"

"Should we keep this treacherous lackey around to continue ruining my mother's reputation?"
"My mother has been married to my father for more than ten years, managing the household and giving birth to our daughter. If my father doesn't severely punish this scoundrel and kick her out of the Lu family today, it means he doesn't respect my mother at all! Even I have to stand up for my mother."

With so many people in the room, everyone became mute.

The three Lu brothers, all well-read and eloquent, were now speechless. Zhou, from the second wife's family, and Wu, from the third wife's family, were even more dumbfounded, only able to look at each other in bewilderment.

Lu Jia was indeed a fiery girl back then, but she was just a child. Eleven years have passed, and the fiery girl has grown into a chili pepper.

Jiang, whose face was also pale and cold, gritted her teeth for a long time before looking at Lu Jie with bloodshot eyes.

Lu Jie's face had already darkened, and he slammed his hand on the table: "Nonsense!"

Everyone in the room straightened up, and half of them even held their breath.

Lu Jie stared at Lu Jia with a gloomy face: "Are you going to eat or not?"

Lu Jia also turned her head to look back—what does that mean? Taking sides?
After looking him up and down for a moment, his gaze lingered on her palm for a moment, and she suddenly became obedient and actually picked up the bowl in front of her.

On the other side, Chiang's expression had softened.

Her gaze swept over the silent Lu Jia, a playful smile playing on her lips.

After all, Lu Jie was a scholar from a family of scholars and a high-ranking official who valued his reputation. How could he tolerate Lu Jia's aggressive and domineering behavior?

Although her goal of getting Granny Du to expose the girl's embarrassing situation failed, her arrogance unexpectedly achieved its purpose.

They really shot themselves in the foot!

If the same thing happens a few more times, she won't be far from being abandoned by her own father.

"Father, calm down!"

Lu Ying then stood up and walked to Lu Jie's side: "Father, please don't punish my sister since she just returned. She has suffered a lot over the years, and Father should cherish her more. Sister," she turned her head and winked, "quickly apologize to Father. He has always been very kind to me. If you apologize, he won't punish you."

Lu Jia glanced at her, holding the bowl without moving.

Lu Ying was about to persuade him again when she heard Lu Jie slam his fist on the table beside her once more.

"Guards, drag this unruly servant away, give him ten strokes of the cane, and throw him out first thing tomorrow morning!"

Du Mama, who had just secretly breathed a sigh of relief, was stunned: "Master?!"

Jiang's head buzzed for a moment, then she stood up as well: "What did you say?"