Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 156 Intercept him!
When Lu Jia went to the west, Shen Qingzhou was standing under the western wall of the Lu family mansion, already only inches away from her.

Yesterday, I heard that Shen Zhui went to Yanzi Hutong. After finishing his work, he also went to the Xie family.

Originally, he planned to give Qiu Niang and the others a few words of advice before leaving, but just before he left, Chang Fu came to deliver a message saying that Lu Jia needed people tonight.

Although it was unclear what she needed the guards for, there were six replacements after He Qu and Tang Yu left, which was enough to fulfill Lu Jia's request.

Shen Qingzhou could have left, but inexplicably, she personally led two guards to the western wall designated by Changfu.

This was the closest he had ever been to Lu Jia since they separated.

Just as that scream came from the west courtyard of the Lu family, he was leaning against the big camphor tree outside the mansion with his arms crossed, waiting quietly.

The scream, separated by a high courtyard wall, was not very clear. But to a discerning ear, even the chirping of insects and birds would be amplified many times over.

He instinctively wanted to climb over the wall, but reason prevailed and stopped him.

He turned to the guard and asked, "Did Changfu say anything about what the Lu family is up to tonight?"

The guard replied, "They only said there was a welcome banquet arranged for the young lady tonight, nothing else. But judging from the sky, the banquet should have ended long ago. I wonder why the young lady has made us wait here?"

Shen Qingzhou frowned. He had already heard from Xie Yi about Jiang's behavior after she returned to the manor yesterday.

That wicked woman is cunning and scheming. She clearly wants to kill Lu Jia at all times, but she pretends to be kind and benevolent. This welcoming banquet was most likely arranged by her, which means something is very likely going to happen.

He turned his head and gestured: "I'll stay here and keep watch. You guys scout along the wall and see if there's any movement. Go and come back quickly."

The guards left the area under the tree, and he found a secluded spot to quietly approach the side gate.

……

When Lu Jia arrived at the scene of the incident, before she even entered, she heard Jiang's voice: "...Hurry up! It's almost dawn, the Du family should be here to pick her up soon. Although she made a mistake, the Du family still needs to be given an explanation!"

Lu Jia stepped forward and looked everyone present over: "Why is there such a commotion so late at night? Whose body is this? Who died?"

The servants who came to retrieve the body were already in place and busy arranging the ropes.

Of course, after working for half the night, dawn was breaking.

Under the deep blue sky, everyone crowded in the courtyard looked like a wandering ghost.

Jiang turned around and looked at her, saying, "Why are you here?"

"Mother, please forgive me. It was the middle of the night, and I didn't dare to go out because I didn't know what had happened. I only came here after I heard that you had come too."

Madam Jiang sighed, "Granny Du is dead. Last night, she inexplicably threw herself into the well."

Lu Jia was surprised: "Really? She's getting old. Even if she's not kicked out, she should be going back to retire. Why is she so desperate?"

"What could possibly be so deadly?"

Madam Jiang said slowly, "It was just a very small matter at the banquet. She meant well and was just trying to remind you, but you didn't know what was important and insisted on taking advantage of her. Now someone has died. Be careful your father will punish you later."

“Mother is mistaken. It was Father who ordered the punishment of Granny Du. This matter has nothing to do with me.” Lu Jia nodded slightly.

At this moment, a maid in the main room approached Madam Jiang with an object in her hand: "Madam, this was found just now by the well."

The onlookers all craned their necks to look. "It's a piece of jade," someone muttered first. "This jade is obviously no ordinary object. How did it end up here?"

"Isn't this the young lady's?" someone in the crowd exclaimed. "I saw the young lady wearing this jade pendant yesterday!"

Everyone's eyes were drawn to Lu Jia, as if pulled by a rope.

The maid who picked up the jade looked around at them: "How could the young lady's jade be at the place where Granny Du threw herself into the well? Since we saw it yesterday, it must be something the young lady always wore, so it's even less likely that it would appear here for no reason."

The maid's voice was high-pitched and thin, and every word sounded like she was trying to exonerate Lu Jia, but every word also carried a sticky, fishy smell!

Lu Jia said, "Yes, how did my jade end up here? Who stole it? We need to investigate."

"Is it really my sister's jade?" Lu Ying frowned. "Did you examine it carefully, sister?"

“Of course it’s my jade.” Lu Jia held it in her hand. “Look, there’s even my writing on it. No wonder I couldn’t find it earlier.”

The previous chatter suddenly subsided, and everyone's eyes were fixed on Lu Jia.

And all those gazes were filled with contempt, after all, who would rush to admit that they were the owner of the jade at such a moment?

Isn't this stupid?
Last night, I saw a young lady who seemed quite sharp-tongued, but it turns out she's not very bright!
Isn't it normal for someone who lacks common sense to do mindless things?

Lu Jia looked at them and said, "Why are you all looking at me like that? Oh, you don't actually think I pushed Granny Du down, do you?"

No one responded to her, but the meaning was clear on everyone's face and in their eyes.

The maid who had picked up the jade earlier said, "Since the young lady has admitted it, whether it is true or not, I can't say for sure. But everyone saw how the young lady bullied Granny Du so aggressively at yesterday's family banquet."

"Shut up!" Fu Xiao shouted. "You want to frame the young lady just because of a piece of jade? How dare you!"

The maid opposite sneered: "If Granny Du wasn't murdered, then where did the screams come from? Surely she wouldn't scream if she was trying to kill herself?"

"Besides, if she really wanted to die, in this freezing weather, there are plenty of other options, like hanging herself or slitting her throat. Why would she have to suffer by jumping into a well?"

"As a young lady from a prominent family, the daughter of a high-ranking official, how can she be so intolerant of a servant who has already been severely punished? Doesn't this make all of us who serve her feel insecure?"

Lu Jia sneered inwardly and said calmly, "I didn't kill her, so don't make false accusations."

"The evidence is right here, Miss, are you still not going to admit it?" The maid stepped forward, chin raised. "If the Du family comes and can't find her, they might take her to the authorities. I wonder if Miss can bear the consequences?"

Lu Jia shot her a sharp glare: "Dawn!"

At dawn, she stepped forward and slapped the maid across the face: "Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to our young lady like that? Our young lady is innocent and upright, how dare you throw mud at her like that?!"

Fu Xiao, who was usually kind and gentle, easily slapped the maid, causing her to stumble back half a step.

The maid covered her face, bit her lip, and her eyes blazed with fury.

"Outrageous!" Madam Jiang shouted at Fuxiao, then looked at Lu Jia: "Yesterday you refused to let Granny Du go, and today you attacked my maid. Do you even have any respect for me as your mother?"

After saying that, she shouted, "Someone, go and invite the master over!"

The title is a little off because it's been edited... just ignore it.