Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 296 We failed!
Lu Ying did not speak.

The water on the small stove boiled again, bubbling away.

Lu Ying turned her head and glanced at him, then stood up and said, "I have an appointment with someone, so I'll take my leave now."

Lu Jia watched her retreating figure and pointed to the opposite door: "You'd better go out this way. If people find out that you were talking to me here in private, it might cause you trouble."

Lu Ying clenched her fists, followed her instructions, and silently walked out from the other side.

Fuxiao respectfully saw her to the door, then came back: "Second Miss is indeed determined. How could that be? Judging from her attitude, she might not help Grandma."

"She's afraid that if I fail, I'll drag her down with me. It's alright, as long as she doesn't become an accomplice to evil."

Lu Jia fetched water and brewed tea: "Have Changfu go and see if Master Chen is free. If he is, invite him over for a cup of tea. If he is not, we'll return home."

Fuxiao instructed Changfu, one of her men, and then carefully closed the door where Lu Ying had left.

Jin copied a few pages of scriptures when an old woman hurried over: "Madam! The Third Young Mistress just went to a house on the east side of the lotus pond. Later, someone brought charcoal inside, and the Third Young Mistress should have been resting in that house."

Jin stopped writing: "Have you finished looking at it?"

The old woman nodded deeply: "This room next to the lotus pond is usually used as a resting place for worshippers. It only has simple tables and chairs. I watched her go in from afar. It's not a good place to stay for long, but it's also a good place to rest. It's more suitable for waiting for Madam."

"That's good."

Jin only slightly raised the hand holding the pen before putting it down to continue writing.

The summer breeze rustles through the leaves, the heat waves being broken up by the lush foliage and transformed into a cool breeze by the time they blow into the window.

Changfu came to report that Chen Ji was busy and had no time to come at the moment. Lu Jia had already anticipated this, so he prepared to return home.

Xiang had already been with the family before Lu Ying arrived. As the young mistress of the Shen family and their only female relative, she had never made a public appearance. To avoid being approached and entangled, it was best to leave early.

Just as I finished sending the person off to prepare the car, I heard footsteps outside the door.

As soon as I stopped, the closed door was pushed open forcefully.

A young man in his early twenties strode in. Seeing that only Lu Jia and Fu Xiao were in the room, he smiled and then waved to his back. Two more servants came from behind and walked towards Fu Xiao.

Fuxiao exclaimed in surprise, "Who are you?!"

The young man laughed heartily, then his face suddenly darkened: "Drag her out!"

Now that Fuxiao is a maid in the Shen family, outsiders dare not utter a sound when the names of the Shen father and son are mentioned. She has gained confidence now. Seeing this, she was about to turn hostile, glaring angrily at the guards hiding outside the window.

Lu Jia suddenly grabbed her wrist, gave her a wink, and then looked across at the other side: "Who are you?"

"My surname is Xie, and I'm just a pilgrim. It's hot today, and you're brewing tea here. I smelled the aroma and thought I'd come and have a bowl of tea with you." The man approached with a grin and then sat down in the chair that Lu Ying had been sitting in, just blocking Lu Jia's way.

Lu Jia glanced at his fine robes and the mutton-fat jade pendant hanging at his waist, then smiled and said, "You just barged in like this, aren't you afraid I'll kick you out? My husband is nearby. If he comes, you'll be in for a world of hurt."

The man laughed and said, "My lady, you underestimate me. I have already inquired and found that you are not accompanied by any man today. You can't fool me with that."

Did you inquire about her?
She came in through the same route Shen Qingzhou usually used. No one had ever noticed Shen Qingzhou before, so she should have been very safe. How could this person have found out who was with her when she came?

Fu Xiao suddenly cast a glance at Lu Jia, meeting her gaze. Lu Jia pondered for a moment, then asked, "Why are you staring at me? What kind of shady business are you planning to pull in broad daylight?"

"My lady is as beautiful as a flower, a peerless beauty. It is only natural for me to admire her and desire to have my way with her." As he spoke, the man slowly approached, his wicked smile growing deeper.

Lu Jia's face turned cold instantly.

She knew no one about this person, and as the eldest daughter-in-law of the Shen family, she would never dare to have such an idea towards her, given the current power of the Shen family.

If it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, judging from her attire, she was clearly not an ordinary woman. Where did this fellow get the audacity to make a lewd move on her right away?

Unless someone has given you pointers!

But since no one would know she was there, how could she secretly give instructions?
...Lu Ying?
She wouldn't go that far.

She didn't know Lu Jia was here, and besides, she had only been gone for a short while, how could she have set up this formation?

If she had left any later...

wrong!

What if Lu Ying were the one who stayed here right now?
Lu Ying was just an ordinary young mistress in the Yan family. Although she was accompanied by a group of guards today, most of them were currently following Jin Shi, the eldest young mistress.

The key issue is that Yan Qu is extremely violent and suspicious. If this matter were to fall on Lu Ying...

Lu Jia suddenly focused her gaze: "Do you recognize me?"

"I don't recognize it yet, but I'll soon, won't I?!"

He laughed heartily and waved again, ordering the men behind him to drag the dawn away.

Lu Jia sneered, then suddenly shouted, "Men, seize this scoundrel!"

The guards, who had been eagerly waiting outside the window, could no longer contain themselves upon seeing this. They didn't even bother to go around the door; they simply pushed open the window and jumped in.

What could have been easily handled by two people suddenly turned into a situation where four people entered.

The sound of thudding footsteps startled the person in front of them, causing them to jump up from the bench!
"Break his legs first, then interrogate the person who ordered him out!"

Lu Jia angrily gave the order, then turned to Fu Xiao and instructed, "How could such a thing happen in a royal Taoist temple? Go and invite the head Taoist priest here. I want to ask him who dared to be so insolent in front of my Shen family!"

Her voice was loud and clear, and not only did Fuxiao immediately go outside after hearing it, but even the pilgrims passing by not far from the door turned to look at her.

The man whose arm was being held down turned pale upon hearing the words "Shen family." He desperately raised his head and shouted, "What did you say? Who are you?!"

The guard slapped him across the face: "Blind dog, you don't even know the young mistress of the Grand Commandant's mansion is here! You deserve to be chopped up and fed to the dogs!"

The man was knocked to the ground with one blow, staring wide-eyed at Lu Jia, pointing a finger at her, his mouth opening and closing several times, but he couldn't utter a single word!
The commotion reached the courtyard, and among the pilgrims gathered at the gate, one person's expression changed several times before he left the scene and headed towards the scripture hall.

"Young Madam, Xie San has made a mistake."

After the old woman entered the room and finished reporting, Jin put down her pen, and a scripture was just finished.

The title number is incorrect. It should be 295.