Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 290 I Only Believe in Myself

Lu Jie stared intently at Lu Ying, who was now dressed as a married woman, for a long time before saying, "Who told you to do this? Your father-in-law? Or your mother-in-law?"

“No, not at all.” Lu Ying shook her head. “I asked for it myself. This box is something I’ve wanted to give you for a long time. It’s just that I hadn’t found the opportunity yet, and the Yan family just happened to run into trouble this time.”

Lu Jie looked away, and in the instant he turned his head, his hand on the desk clenched into a fist.

"What do you want?" he said slowly. "You're willing to bear the stigma of disobedience to kill your birth mother and seek refuge with the Yan family. What is your ultimate goal?"

"Just trying to survive." Lu Ying slowly closed the box. "I know you never intended to give birth to me, but I was born anyway."

“You have never accepted your mother, so naturally you will not accept me without any reservations.”

"I don't want to delve into how you view me as your daughter, but since jumping into that fire pit is my only way out, I can only keep my head down and move forward."

"I need to play my part in the Yan family in order to protect myself."

Lu Jie frowned: "I have taught you many principles since you were a child. I think you are smart. If you behave uprightly, I may not be able to protect you if I gain power in the future."

“But I am already a member of the Yan family!” Lu Ying chuckled. “Besides, you made many vows to your mother, but in the end, didn’t you personally send her to her death?”
"It is clear that many things in this world cannot be believed."

"Father, I only believe in myself."

She pushed the box in front of him: "I'm sure you understand why I'm here. In any case, please give my father-in-law some face and let yesterday's matter drop."

"The Yan family needs you. And I need the Yan family."

"This is my sincerity. If you ever wish to avenge your sister's mother, and there is anything I can do to help you, as long as it does not harm my interests, I will do my utmost."

The open room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Lu Jie stared at the box for a long time before picking it up. Inside, besides a yellowed address, were a few odds and ends.

He looked across at the other side: "Does anyone else know about this?"

“There’s no one else.” Lu Ying looked back steadily. “I’ve already sent Granny Li to check on the person, and it’s confirmed to be him.”

"And someone has already been sent to guard it over there. However, things could get complicated if we wait too long, so it would be best if Father took over as soon as possible."

Lu Jie glanced at her and closed the box.

Lu Ying stood up and bowed deeply again: "Thank you for your trouble, Father."

Yang Bonong, who was at the other end of the corridor, watched her leave and quickly returned to the open pavilion: "Has the master already agreed to her request?"

Lu Jie pushed the box he had been looking at for a long time to him: "Send Lu Rong to take a look here."

……

As dusk fell, lanterns were lit all around the corridor.

Seeing Yan Liang pacing back and forth in the room, Madam Jin couldn't help but ask, "Hasn't Father already made up his mind about the affairs of the court? What else is there that you're so anxious about?"

Yan Liang glanced at her, not yet deciding how to answer, when the servant hurried in and whispered in her ear, "The Third Young Mistress is back..."

Yan Liang paused, then immediately went out.

Jin said, "Where are you going again? The meal has already been served!"

"You eat your food, don't worry about me!"

Looking at the table full of dishes that were brought to her, Madam Jin sat down with a displeased expression.

She sat down for a moment, then stood up again: "I just heard someone say they came back. Who was it?"

The maid who brought the meal pondered for a moment: "I only heard that the Third Young Mistress has returned, but I don't know if that's true or not."

“The Lu family?!” Madam Jin’s brows furrowed suddenly, and she walked out the door.

As Lu Ying crossed the front yard, she saw Yan Liang walking towards her from afar.

"How is your journey, Third Sister-in-law?"

Lu Ying took off her cloak and handed it to the maid: "My elder brother is urging me so urgently. I tried to persuade my father, even threatening suicide, and I came back just before dark. I don't know if it worked or not. You can ask my father to try it first."

Upon hearing this, Yan Liang could only nod and say, "Thank you for your trouble."

Lu Ying raised her lips: "Didn't you keep saying that I'm a member of the Yan family? In that case, it's nothing to do to serve the Yan family."

When Jin arrived at the courtyard gate, she looked up and saw the two people talking face to face. She stopped to observe, but Lu Ying left again!
She bit her lower lip and stepped forward: "Why did you rush here, my husband?"

Yan Liang assumed that Lu Ying had run into trouble and said irritably, "It's none of your business."

She left him behind.

Jin's face grew even colder.

When Yan Liang arrived at Yan Shu's room, he relayed what he had said. Yan Shu remained silent for a while before standing up and saying, "Go prepare the sedan chair. I'll go."

……

After it got completely dark, Lu Rong returned.

"We've already checked, and it is indeed Qi Rulan! Although her face is completely disfigured, the birthmark on her arm confirms it, and the old women around her are all the same ones from back then!"

Lu Jie stood in the room with his back to the light, remaining silent for a long time.

It wasn't until Yang Bonong came in again that he raised his eyes: "Before she died, Madam Jiang told Lu Ying everything."

Yang Bonong was taken aback: "It's already been confirmed?"

Lu Jie sat down and looked at Lu Rong: "Bring her back. I want to see her in person."

Lu Rong agreed.

Lu Jie sat silently with his head down. After a long while, when he saw Yang Bonong's feet in front of him, he remembered: "Is there anything else?"

Yang Bonong stepped forward: "A letter just arrived from the Shen family. Jia'er and her husband guessed that the Yan family wanted to make peace with you, sir. They gave some clues about the Yang family, saying that if you are negotiating with the Yan family, you can consider the Yang family."

Hearing this, Lu Jie paused: "The Yang family?"

Yang Bonong nodded and handed over the letter: "It's Yang Shuo! It's the Yang family that the adults ordered us to investigate a while ago, but we haven't found anything yet!"

Yan Song's wife's surname was Yang. In his youth, Yan Song was a penniless scholar who had received much help from the Yang family. After the Yan family gained power in the court, the Yang family also received promotions.

It's a pity that few of the Yang family's children are exceptionally talented, so they have not been promoted to a high position until now.

Otherwise, Yan Song would not have turned his attention to Lu Jie back then.

However, the Yang family has never been abandoned, especially Yang Shuo, the nephew of Old Madam Yan, who is the most outstanding among their generations. Many years ago, Yan Song had already begun to cultivate him.

Unfortunately, the emperor disliked Yang Shuo. Yan Song tried every means to keep him in the capital as an official, but in the end, he was sent to a post outside the capital.

But just before the Lunar New Year, the Yan family started thinking about transferring Yang Shuo back to Beijing.

As Lu Jie looked at the letter containing Lu Jia's handwritten notes about Yang Shuo, he quickened his pace, flipping through the pages: "How did this girl know all this?"

"Master! Yan Shu—Lord Yan has arrived!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a servant rushed over. "The sedan chair has arrived at the gate. This time, instead of coming in directly, someone was specially sent in to announce our arrival!"