Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 291 Apology
Yang Bonong couldn't help but sneer: "Now you've learned to be hypocritical. Where's all that arrogance from yesterday? If he's got the guts, why doesn't he barge in with his men like he did yesterday?"

He said angrily, "Let's leave him hanging for one night first!"

Lu Jie glanced at the box still on the desk, then picked it up after a moment: "Take it to the Grand Commandant's residence and give it to Jia'er."

Yang Bonong paused: "Grand Commandant..."

"Let her handle it. She'll understand."

After Lu Jie finished speaking, he stood up, stood there for a moment, and then walked out.

Yan Shu was accompanied only by a few close attendants and two personal guards. The sedan chair bearers carried him to the front of the Lu residence and stopped him there.

The summer night was scorching hot everywhere. Especially while waiting, the heat waves felt even more intense against the skin.

Yan Shu sat upright in the sedan chair, stroking his beard with his right hand. The sounds of carriages and horses coming from the street in the distance gradually became less frequent and then only occasionally. Nearly an hour passed in this sitting.

"Go and urge them again!"

The servants below the carriage shouted orders.

"No need." Yan Shu looked at the two tightly closed doors, then got out of the sedan chair himself. "I'll wait here."

Then he lifted his robe and sat down on the steps.

The servant inside listened intently, then quickly turned and went up to the veranda to report to Lu Jie, who was strolling along the veranda: "Everyone passing by is watching..."

Lu Jie glanced at him.

Just as a few passersby glanced at him on the street, the side gate behind Yan Shu opened, and a servant from the Lu family came out: "We were unaware of Lord Yan's arrival. Please forgive us."

Yan Shu turned around: "Where are your parents?"

"The day before yesterday, Lu Rong offended the lord. My master deeply regrets his failure to discipline him properly. So much so that the young master Yan rushed to the rear office late at night to reprimand him. Therefore, he is currently reflecting on his mistakes in the corner, otherwise he would not be able to explain to the lord."

The Minister of Revenue, a first-rank Grand Secretary of the court, was forced to reflect on his mistakes in front of the wall because Yan Shu, whose rank was far lower than his own. This was truly a slap in the face.

Yan Shu remained unfazed: "It's too much trouble for your master. Could you do me the favor and allow me to go in and pay my respects to him?"

The servant said, "The master said that the Lu family has no virtue or ability to dare not open the door for you. The master instructed me to kneel and kowtow three times and nine times to avoid bringing disaster upon the family."

At the end of his speech, he bent over as if to kneel down.

The servants beside Yan Shu changed their expressions upon seeing this. Kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times was a courtesy reserved for the emperor. What did Lu Jie mean by this?
Furthermore, what does this catastrophic disaster refer to?
Isn't this clearly a direct attack on the Yan family's core interests?
Yan Shu also stood up and looked at the servant in front of him.

His entourage said, "Go back and tell your master that our lord has come in person. He has something to say—"

Before he could finish speaking, Yan Shu stretched out an arm to stop him from continuing. With his other hand, he took out a few gold melon seeds and stuffed them into the servant's hand: "Please inform your master that I, Yan Shu, request an audience."

The servant glanced at him, then bowed and said, "Sir, there's no need for such formalities. I'm just here to greet you. Please come with me."

Yan Shu nodded.

Even Yan's servants couldn't help but widen their eyes when they saw him "swallowing his anger" like this.

Lu Jie was in the flower hall.

Yan Shu stepped across the threshold and bowed deeply: "I apologize to the Minister."

Lu Jie looked at him and said, "How could I, Lu Jie, possibly bear such a responsibility?" Yan Shu turned around and said, "Present the apology gift to Lord Lu."

The attendant behind him took out a stack of papers and respectfully presented them to him. Yan Shu then handed them to Lu Jie with both hands: "I had a few too many drinks the other day and behaved rather disrespectfully at the Minister's residence. I feel deeply remorseful after sobering up, so I have come to apologize. Please accept this as an apology, Minister."

Lu Jie said, "What merit or ability does my Lu family have to receive such a great courtesy from Lord Yan?"

Yan Shu straightened up, his hands clasped together: "We are in-laws, and have known each other for many years. If you are not willing to forgive me, I will never be able to rest easy for the rest of my life."

Lu Jie curled his lips slightly.

Seeing this, Yan Shu smiled and sat down on the chair next to him, clapped his hands, and the servants outside the door brought over a jar of wine and wine utensils.

Yan Shu filled two cups with wine, handed one to Lu Jie, and raised his own cup: "Even teeth can bite the tongue sometimes, and even brothers can have conflicts. Now I have investigated the whole story and know that you are the most innocent person."

"Drink this glass of wine, and you'll consider it forgiveness, okay?"

Lu Jie snorted coldly.

Yan Shuxian finished his drink first, then nudged Lu Jie's arm and pushed the glass to his lips: "Time will tell. If I offend you again in the future, you can just turn your back on me. How about that?"

Lu Jie snorted again.

Then, he did drink the wine.

……

When He Qu received the box from Yang Bonong and turned to deliver it to Bibo Pavilion, Lu Jia was still looking at the account books at his desk.

The situation with Liu Zheng is already settled; the Yan family can no longer save him. However, because of Grand Commandant Shen's intervention, the emperor has given the Yan family such a significant task, which will keep them quite busy.

The reason I chose to target the Liu family was to divert the Yan family's attention and gain Grand Commandant Shen's approval as soon as possible.

The Yan family has deep roots in the court, and it is necessary to unite various forces to confront them. Now that Lu Jie's identity is clear, it would be even more beneficial to gain the support of Grand Commandant Shen.

Even if Grand Commandant Shen doesn't support it, as long as he doesn't oppose it or treat Lu Jia as an enemy and keep a close watch on him, it would still be beneficial to them.

Raising several hundred thousand taels of military funds would take at least one or two months, meaning that Lu Jia had to gain the trust of Grand Commandant Shen within those one or two months.

But during the day, in an attempt to help Shen Qingzhou out of a predicament, she said some things she shouldn't have said, and she didn't know if it would deepen Grand Commandant Shen's dislike for her.
After dark, Shen Qingzhou went out to find Guo Yi.

After thinking for a while, Lu Jia sent Li Chang to deliver some roasted lamb leg and roasted beef shank to Shen Zhui.

Shen Zhui has been by Shen Bo's side since he was a child, and compared to Shen Qingzhou, this kid probably understands Shen Bo's thoughts better.

Given the inconvenience of directly probing, starting with Shen Zhui is clearly a viable approach.

Just as they were waiting for Li Chang to return, He Qu relayed Yang Bonong's words: "It was Lord Lu who asked Mr. Yang to bring these things to the young mistress. He also said that the Lord Lu has spoken, and that the young mistress is in charge of these things."

Lu Jia didn't pay much attention at first, until the box was placed in front of her and the two orchids engraved on the box caught her eye. Then she suddenly stared intently: "Where did this come from?"

He Qu was startled by her actions and hurriedly said, "Mr. Yang said it was Aunt Ying from the Lu family—it was Lu Ying who got it from Lord Lu earlier. She used this to act as a go-between for him."

"Lu Ying?"

A spark flashed in Lu Jia's raised eyes.