Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 367 It's time to get away.
Lu Jia was sent away by her family and sat helplessly on the steps for a while. When she returned to the Grand Commandant's mansion, she happened to meet Grand Commandant Shen's personal guards who were preparing a horse for her.

Lu Jia called out "Uncle" and stepped forward to ask, "Father is leaving tonight?"

The guard replied "Yes," and thanked the young mistress for preparing everything for the journey. He said that the Grand Commandant had spoken and that they would leave that night. Since they were traveling light, the young mistress would not need to see him off. Then he turned and went to attend to other matters.

Shen Bo was actually heading south this time, so the fewer his entourage, the better. Fortunately, these people had followed him through many years of trials and tribulations, so they knew exactly what to do. Lu Jia watched them all busy and, afraid that she might get in the way if she got too close, she stepped back and sat down on the railing.

She understood what Grand Commandant Shen and Lu Jie meant. Although the emperor had ordered the Yan family to personally clip their wings, which was a fatal blow to the Yan family, it also showed that the emperor did not have any intention of killing them at the moment.

But how can the Yan family not be eliminated?
Putting aside the fact that everyone should kill the thief, we've already come this far, so how can we possibly back down now?

This sense of urgency was even more intense for Lu Jia and Shen Qingzhou.

The lessons of the past are still fresh in our minds. In the previous life, we all suffered such a crushing defeat. The people who were murdered have not yet been exonerated, and a new batch has already taken their place.

Yan Song will return to the cabinet tomorrow, once again becoming the most important person in the court.

Grand Commandant Shen was so eager that he wished he could fly to the southeast immediately.

Lu Jie had already been suspected by Yan Song, and at this point, he had no better choice than to fight for power.

Looking at the guards bustling about in the courtyard, she suddenly stood up: "Silver Willow!"

Yinliu ran over: "Young Madam, is there something you need?"

Do you have any news about the second young lady?

After such a big incident happened to the Yan family, there has been no news of Lu Ying until now. That night, she wrote to Lu Jie asking him to take care of his daughter, but he did not respond.

"News from the inner quarters of the Yan family can't get out." Yin Liu was powerless to do anything about it.

“Then go and keep watch at their northwest corner gate,” Lu Jia dismissed her. “Didn’t the Second Young Master say that she’s been in charge of affairs in the mansion these past two days? There must be people coming and going around her. Catch one of them and send her a message saying that I want to see her tonight.”

Lu Ying is still the young mistress of the Yan family. Although she is in charge of affairs, it is only because the events of the past two days have been sudden and no one is more suitable than her for the time being.

She is, after all, a young lady of the Lu family. Given how things have developed, it's time to consider her situation.

Grand Commandant Shen left at the beginning of the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), and Yin Liu returned at the end of the hour of Yin (3-5 AM).

"Sure enough, I met Granny Li at the northwest corner gate and asked her to pass on a message to the Second Miss. She later replied that around 7 p.m., she was waiting for the Young Mistress at the north gate opposite the back garden."

Lu Jia asked, "Are the Second Young Master and the others also squatting under the North Gate?"

"Exactly!"

Lu Jia nodded and went to make the arrangements without further ado.

……

More than two days have passed since Yan Shu's body was brought back to the mansion. Even the most capable woman like Madam Yan was devastated by the sudden loss of her husband, and then by receiving an imperial decree that her family, whom she had always relied on as a support, was on the list of officials Yan Yan was personally investigating. This was another blow. She managed to hold on for half a day, but couldn't bear it any longer and immediately summoned a doctor upon receiving the decree. For many years, Madam Yan had been wary of her concubines and sons rising in status within the household. At this critical juncture, as long as she could still breathe, she naturally couldn't allow them to steal the limelight.

However, there was indeed a need for manpower at the moment, so Yan Song arranged for several of his illegitimate sons to handle matters. Madam Yan couldn't stop them, and there was no reason to object at this time. However, all household affairs were handed over to Lu Ying.

Actually, it wasn't really her who gave it to him, because when he fainted while holding Yan Shu's body that day, Yan Liang arranged for Lu Ying to receive it on the spot. By the time Madam Yan came to her senses, the steward and his wife of the He family had already spoken to Lu Ying.

Lu Ying was, after all, her own daughter-in-law, so there was nothing to say. Thus, Lu Ying had been able to get things done smoothly these past two days while staying in her room.

However, seeing the once glorious Yan family's fortunes change drastically in just a few days, and the arrogance of its subordinates diminished considerably, she herself also lost some of her spirit.

She once harbored a dream of seizing power and making a name for herself in the supreme Grand Secretary's mansion, but now that she is finally in charge, she can't muster any passion whatsoever.

As night fell, she received a message from Granny Li. She quickly ate dinner and made all the necessary arrangements in advance. At 7:00 p.m., she went to the North Gate under the pretext of copying scriptures in the garden.

"elder sister!"

Upon seeing Lu Jia emerge from the carriage, she hurriedly boarded and closed the door.

"The Yan family is on high alert right now, and they'd love to go straight to the Shen family. They might even hate Father. Shouldn't you be busy with family affairs at this time? Why are you here?"

"I came to see you." Lu Jia glanced at the dark street and lowered his voice, then checked her over by the light from the car's glowing pearl. "They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

"Not yet." Lu Ying shook her head. "But it's hard to say when it will happen. The old man and the others don't have time to care about me. Ever since they received the imperial decree, they've been busy dealing with court struggles. Anyway, they don't let me near the study, so they don't care about me."

"As for my mother-in-law, she grits her teeth whenever she mentions the Shen family. She didn't like me to begin with, and now with my father's matter, she probably hates me even more."

"When I went to bring her her medicine in the afternoon, she didn't even see me."

Lu Jia's brows furrowed with worry: "Given this situation, we should prepare for the worst. Get ready to leave as soon as the opportunity arises."

"You'd better find a way to contact me within two weeks."

Lu Ying looked up: "Are you saying that the Yan family will collapse within half a month?"

Lu Jia shook her head: "I'm not sure. The Emperor only gave the Yan family half a month, didn't he? What if?"

Lu Ying pursed her lips: "I can't get away until my mother-in-law takes over the management of the household. I'll be followed by someone all the time, and besides, I'm the lawfully wedded young mistress, how can I leave?"

"Even if I leave, they will definitely try every means to bring me back. Do you think I can hide in my parents' home for the rest of my life and never show my face?"

"They'll find out eventually. Even my father might not be able to protect me from something that goes against the rules."

“If the Emperor really wants to confiscate my property and punish me, I will be on the list no matter where I go.”

"Don't worry about the Emperor for now. Let's get out of here first. Even if the Emperor really comes after us, we'll deal with that later!"

If the Yan family is really brought to justice, surely Lu Jie and his group of living people can come up with a way to feign compliance?