Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 294 is also a damned one.
Grand Commandant Shen was so angry with the young couple at home that he stormed out of the house and stayed in Bieye for two nights before returning.

Li Chang spent two days with Shen Zhui and managed to find out Shen Taiwei's dietary preferences. Lu Jia then personally instructed the kitchen to prepare a table of dishes that Shen liked to eat, along with a cup of wine that Shen liked to drink, and sent it to the main room as an apology.

Whether it was because he was too lazy to pay attention to her or not, Grand Commandant Shen continued to eat and drink as usual. After finishing the meal, he summoned Mr. Yi and several other advisors to go to their study to attend to their own business.

Lu Jia couldn't find out anything about the main wife, so she didn't bother. She simply instructed Li Chang to keep in touch with Shen Zhui whenever possible to try and extract information, and also told the kitchen to continue preparing dishes to curry favor with him.

He Qu brought Qi Rulan back that very night. However, when Lu Jia rushed over upon hearing the news, she didn't even get a chance to ask her any questions.

"The fire that happened in Lujiabieye back then burned the Qi Rulan siblings who had been captured by the Yan family. Her brother escaped. Qi Rulan did not."

"At that time, Madam Yan was delayed for some reason, which is why she escaped death from the fire and was traumatized. Over the years, she is usually fine, but once she is frightened, she becomes unable to speak."

After He Qu finished recounting the whole story from the confession of Qi Rulan's servants, Lu Jia, though anxious, could only first seek medical treatment.

After breakfast, Fuxiao was instructed to prepare some items for the incense offering at Baiyun Temple the next day. Hequ then came to report that Qi Rulan had woken up.

Lu Jia didn't even bother to hang up his pen, and immediately went with him to the side courtyard where Qi Rulan was being held.

Qi, who was already in her early thirties, had most of her face disfigured, but the intact half of her face still matched the portrait of Qi Rulan that she had obtained from Cheng Wenhui.

"you--"

Upon seeing Lu Jia, she, who was sitting against the headboard, immediately opened her eyes wide.

Lu Jia saw the confusion in her eyes: "Do I look familiar?"

The old woman next to her whispered a few words in Qi Rulan's ear, and the latter bit her lower lip, avoiding Lu Jia's gaze, before glancing back at him again.

After looking Lu Jia up and down, she said, "Don't ask me about what happened back then, I won't say anything!"

Lu Jia glanced at it, then turned around: "Then let's lock it up."

Qi Rulan panicked when she saw her about to leave: "Why are you locking me up? Do you think I'll obey you if you threaten me like this?"

“Whatever the truth is, I already know you are the executioner who killed my mother. Whether you tell me those details or not is of no importance to me.” Lu Jia turned around. “You are far from qualified to blackmail me.”

"Then what are you doing here?!"

"We need to see just how hateful you really are, so you don't die too easily, don't we?"

Qi Rulan's face twitched, and she snorted, "I was once a daughter of an official, and I know all the shady dealings you all do within the inner quarters. I don't believe you don't want something from me!"

She raised her head, her angry eyes filled with hatred: "I hate the Yan family for crossing the river and then burning the bridge, but I hate your Lu family even more! You're the ones who locked me up and made me live like a ghost for so long!"

"Then why don't you just die?"

Qi Rulan was stumped by the question.

Lu Jia looked out the window: "Is it because your brother who ran away is still in contact with you?"

Qi Rulan's face also froze.

Lu Jia held out her hand: "Take out something that can prove your identity. As long as your brother appears and my mother's case is resolved, I will give you what you want."

Qi Rulan swallowed hard. "Why should I believe you?" "It's fine if you don't give it to me." Lu Jia withdrew his hand. "I just need to put your servant back in his original place, and I can catch him by waiting for him to come to me. But by then, you won't be entitled to any reward from me."

She waved to He Qu: "Go, grab the people around her and bring them back to where they were. Once you've caught Qi Rujing, break both of his legs first!"

"Yes!"

Seeing that the person had been caught, Qi Rulan jumped to the ground and chased after Lu Jia, her already ferocious face becoming even more distorted: "You are as ruthless as your dead mother!"

But she couldn't even touch Lu Jia's clothes. A guard on the way simply raised his arm and knocked her to the ground!
Lu Jia glanced back at her, then stepped out the door.

Upon reaching the covered walkway, she frowned and said to the guards behind her, "This man is extremely arrogant. He dared to lay a hand on my mother when he was of lowly status, which shows that he has a lot of guts."

"She was able to escape after the incident, so she's not stupid. If we use her well, she might become a good weapon to strike down Yan Shu and his wife in the future."

"Don't lock her up too tightly, just play it by ear."

If it's locked too tightly, Qi Rulan won't have a chance to perform.

What crime should be committed to murder an official's family member? Cheng Wenhui made it clear enough when Jiang was injured last time.

If we failed to bring Yan Shu and his wife to justice this time, and they escape again, wouldn't we have lived in vain?!

"Young lady!"

As she walked back to the main courtyard, just as she was about to go to the kitchen to check on the dinner prepared for Grand Commandant Shen, Fuxiao came to greet her: "Young Madam, the guards who were keeping an eye on the Yan residence reported back that the Second Miss drove to Tongzhou Wharf early this morning to inspect the two grain shops of the Yan residence. Later, she heard that Madam Yan transferred those two grain shops to the Second Miss, and that they were specifically for the Second Miss!"

Lu Jia stopped upon hearing this: "Is the information accurate?"

"It was revealed by someone in the shop. The guards even saw them handing over documents, so it should be true."

Lu Jia paused for a moment, then continued walking.

"It seems the Yan family has indeed breathed a sigh of relief."

Lu Ying handed over such a significant witness as Qi Rulan, so it would be unreasonable for Lu Jie not to step down. Besides, he never intended to break ties with the Yan family at this time.

The Yan family needed Lu Jie's help at the right time, and since Lu Ying had accomplished this task, they naturally had to treat her well.

The Yan family embezzled countless sums of money, accumulating a fortune as vast as mountains and seas. They weren't usually stingy, but the two grain shops at Tongzhou Wharf were quite profitable, and transferring them was no small matter.

Such a move right off the bat shows that the Yan family was under real pressure regarding the military pay that Grand Commandant Shen had requested from the Emperor.

They already considered the Shen family a thorn in their side, and once the issue of military pay was resolved, they would definitely try every means to vent their anger on the Shen family.

She stepped into the kitchen courtyard unhurriedly: "Did you find out if the women of the Yan family are going to Baiyun Temple to offer incense tomorrow?"

"They should have gone. The guard said that the servants of the Yan family drove several carriages to the back alley to be cleaned in the afternoon, and several of them were their masters' large carriages."

Lu Jia nodded, and as the servants who came to pay their respects bowed, he looked around, then walked to the stove and rolled up his sleeves: "Then go wash our carriage too, and let Master Chen know in advance to ask him to do me a favor tomorrow."

Requesting monthly votes (`)**