Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 292 Sisters
The orchid pattern on the box is exactly the same as the orchid pattern on the round fan that Jiang drew for Madam Yan.

So this box is obviously related to Qi Rulan!

At that time, Jiang was at her wit's end, but she still dared to challenge the Yan family, so Lu Jia guessed that she had evidence in her possession.

Knowing that Madam Jiang wouldn't reveal the evidence to save her life, Lu Jia skipped that step and arranged for Madam Yan to "assassinate" Madam Jiang.

If Lu Jie hadn't intervened later, Cheng Wenhui would have definitely pursued Yan Shu and his wife relentlessly, posing as a member of Lu's family. With Jiang Shi as a witness, the truth of the case shouldn't be hard to uncover.

Later, due to unforeseen circumstances, Lu Jia's plan fell through, and with Jiang's death, even though he knew that he had evidence that the Yan family couple had plotted to murder Madam Lu, there was no way to find out.

Now, however, it has been handed to Lu Jie through Lu Ying's hands!
Where is Mr. Yang?

"He went back. Yan Shu had just made a great show of requesting an audience with Lord Lu, but Lord Lu sent Mr. Yang over before he could see him. So he hurriedly went back."

Lu Jia frowned as she looked at the box, picked it up, and then put it down again: "Go find the person at the address inside immediately, and bring her here as soon as you find her!"

He Qu took the box, glanced at the address written inside, and nodded.

Lu Jia looked at him, but then said, "However, since Father has already verified it, he must have brought the person back."

"To be on the safe side, send two people to search the original location, and then go to the Lu family in person. First, check on the Yan family's visit, and second, ask Father to bring the person back."

He Qu left only after she had finished explaining everything.

Qinghe, who had overheard this, came over and said, "It seems that the Second Miss must have gotten this box from Madam Jiang. This also shows that before Madam Jiang died, the Second Miss was fully aware of these secrets."

"If we hand this over, the master will surely compromise and use this as a stepping stone to make peace with Yan Shu."

"This servant is just a little worried. The Second Miss chose this time to reveal Qi Rulan's whereabouts. It doesn't seem like she was forced by the Yan family."

Lu Jia gazed at the candlelight: "Of course not. If I hadn't suddenly returned, he would have had an incredibly bright future."

"If I hadn't exposed Jiang's true colors, she wouldn't have married into the Yan family and become a living widow."

"She has her own agenda."

Qinghe sighed: "Madam Yan must hate Jiang to the core after she was exposed by Jiang for persecuting Madam Lu. Even if the Second Miss kills her own mother to prove her resolve, she probably won't easily gain her mother-in-law's trust."

"Right now, her only chance to change her predicament is to fight her way out of the Yan family's inner quarters. While this may seem to benefit us, the more she struggles, the more deeply she becomes bound to the Yan family."

The Yan family is now Lu Ying's battlefield. Which general who has fought bloody battles would give up the position he finally won?
Lu Jia paused, then said, "I need to see her."

Qinghe turned her head: "Does the young mistress still want to persuade her?"

Lu Jia stood up and said slowly, "Didn't Father ask me to handle this matter? Now that the box is in my hands, it's only right that I meet the person who handed over the evidence."

To be fair, Lu Jia had considered trying to keep Lu Ying, even though they didn't have much of a sisterly bond. But it's better to have one less enemy than one more.

When Jiang was imprisoned in the Taoist temple, Lu Jia chased after her to remind Lu Ying, but unfortunately, he was unable to bring her back in the end. The second young lady of the Lu family used her birth mother's life as a stepping stone to her future.

Now, Lu Jia no longer expected her to listen to advice, but Yan Shu and his wife were her mother's killers. If Lu Ying's situation required her help to resolve, then Lu Jia had no reason to stand idly by. "That's true." Qinghe nodded slowly. "Then this servant will write a letter and have Yinliu deliver it to the Yan residence tomorrow."

“No need,” Lu Jia said. “The women of the Yan family go to Baiyun Temple to offer incense on the first and fifteenth of each month. In three days, it will be the fifteenth of May.”

"These next few days, go and find out about the situation at the Yan family, especially the third branch. Father will have to maintain a superficial relationship with the Yan family for now, but only I can handle the matter of avenging Mother."

……

It was already past midnight when the lights in the front yard came on. When the news reached the third branch of the family, Granny Li took out some reward money for the messenger and returned to her room, where Lu Ying was playing chess alone.

"The master is back. He smells of alcohol and seems to have had a pleasant conversation at the Lu family's house."

Lu Ying examined the chessboard closely: "Where did he go after he came back?"

"They've gone back to the main house. Madam hasn't turned off the light either; she seems to be waiting. It's the same with Changfang; he heard the commotion and has already headed towards the main house."

“That’s right.” She placed a black stone with a cold smile. “Only if things go smoothly will he go back to the main house to discuss the next steps.”

She looked at Granny Li: "Has Qi Rulan been taken away?"

“They were taken away by the Lu family around dusk.” Granny Li closed the window and turned on the lamp. “But about a quarter of an hour ago, it seems that Lu Rong moved them to another location.”

Lu Ying frowned for a moment, then stood up and paced back and forth before saying, "Since Father's negotiations with the Yan family went smoothly, Qi Rulan will certainly not personally intervene."

"I guess he'll pass this on to Lu Jia. It concerns Lu Jia's birth mother, so it's perfectly legitimate for her to handle it, and since she's a woman, it also avoids the political infighting at court."

“Isn’t the eldest young lady a spy that the Yan family sent to the Shen family? Does she still need the Yan family’s support? Would she really challenge the Yan family?” said Granny Li. “Besides, I think that even if the eldest young mistress has this idea, she may not have the ability to do so.”

"This is unlike how she dealt with our wife back then. When the family was behind closed doors, she had far too many opportunities to make a move."

"This time, she's facing the Yan family, who wield absolute power, and she doesn't know anything about them. How should she proceed?"

She admitted that Lu Jia was somewhat intelligent, but when gods fight, it's not enough to just have brains; they also need strength.

Unless she has the Shen family backing her up, it's impossible for her to seek revenge on the Yan family for her mother's murder.

Lu Ying stopped behind the curtain, pondered for a moment, and then said, "If she has the ability to attack my enemies, it might not be without benefit for me. Using her to tear open a hole in the inner quarters of the Yan family so I can get some fresh air—what a wonderful thing!"

"Is the Third Young Mistress resting yet?"

As the conversation inside the house ended, a soft gasp came from outside the window, and lanterns outside the door illuminated the courtyard.

Lu Ying stared intently.

Granny Li hurriedly went out and asked, "Who is it?"

“Oh, it’s me, Biyun,” the maid said with a smile. “Madam saw that the lights were still on in the third house and asked me to come and check. If the third young mistress hasn’t rested yet, please come and sit down.”