Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 394 Tea Party
Yan Liang happened to walk outside the door.

Just as she turned to leave, the door behind her opened, and Zhou, holding Lu Ying's hand, walked out with Wu.

“Young Master?” Madam Zhou stopped. “You’ve come at the right time. We’ve heard that you’re now in charge of the Yan family’s affairs. So, our Lu family would like to ask you for an explanation. What happened to our Second Miss’s injuries?”

"She returned to her parents' home with a bruised and swollen face after only three months of marriage. In less than six months, she was treated like a slave by the Yan family. They call it being valued, but the head of the household is now walking among the servants with such injuries. Is this what your Yan family promised to treat her like a daughter when you proposed marriage?"

Yan Liang bowed and said, "These days, the affairs at home have been very busy, and it has indeed been tiring for my third sister-in-law. I will ask the concubines in the inner quarters to share some of the burden so that my sister-in-law can get some rest."

"What eloquence!" Zhou sneered. "Young Master, you never mention our Second Aunt's injuries. Poor Second Girl is still covering for you, lying that she fell."

"May I ask how badly you fell to get all these injuries?"
"In my opinion, no matter how high the Yan family's social standing is, they have no right to trample our Lu family underfoot. Since the eldest young master wants the concubines to manage the household, then Second Girl, you come back with us and come back after you've recovered from your injuries!"

Zhou pulled Lu Ying away.

At this moment, there were also some female guests from other families who had come to pay their respects in the mourning hall, and their eyes were frequently turning towards this side.

Yan Liang glanced around and then looked away: "There is currently a great mourning period in the household, yet my sister-in-law has abandoned her household duties to return to her parents' home. This will likely be detrimental to her reputation. Since Madam loves her dearly, she should be considerate of her difficulties. — Third sister-in-law, what do you say?"

Lu Ying paused for a moment, then turned to Zhou and Wu: "I'm sorry to trouble you, Second Aunt and Third Aunt. I'm busy with things at home. I'll go back to visit you both in a couple of days when things have calmed down. —I remember it's Fourth Sister's birthday in two days? I'll go back to celebrate with her. I'm sure the Eldest Young Master will understand."

"Big brother, is that right?"

Yan Liang met her gaze, then smiled and said, "How could I not agree?"

Zhou nodded and said, "Young Master, we must make this clear from the start: if we see our aunt injured again, then even if the threshold of our Lu family is not as high as that of the Yan family, we ordinary people who are not of any use will still have to risk everything to prove ourselves."

"There's no reason to bully people like this, don't you think?"

Yan Liang stretched out his hand: "The Yan and Lu families have long been sworn brothers and sisters-in-law. How could we not value our third brother and sister-in-law?"

"I hope so!"

After finishing her sentence, Zhou flicked her sleeve and left with Wu.

Yan Liang straightened up only after they left. He looked at Lu Ying, who was watching them go, and asked, "Aren't you going to see them off?"

"Are you sure you don't mind if I deliver it?"

Lu Ying left those words and went back to her room.

……

Inside the Qiyu Pavilion, as soon as Granny Li entered the room, she immediately took out a slip of paper from her sleeve and handed it to Lu Ying.

"The Third Madam gave it to me! Take a look!"

Lu Ying opened the book with trembling hands, read it twice, and then quickly began: "My sister said that Father has agreed to let me return to the Lu family."

"That's wonderful!" Granny Li exclaimed excitedly, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's always unsettling when the adults don't give their approval. No matter how capable the young lady and her family are, they can't give Grandma a respectable marriage. — It's good that they agreed! What else did they say?"

“My sister said that we must stabilize the situation for the next two days no matter what, as Father is on the verge of victory. Moreover, she has already made arrangements!” Lu Ying said, suddenly clenching the note tightly. “We just sent out the message yesterday, and my sister sent my second aunt and the others here. But judging from the surface, this trip didn’t seem to have any effect. Could it be that their trip was part of my sister’s plan?”

With the Lu family's intervention, they obtained Yan Liang's permission to return to the Lu residence in two days. If Lu Ying is not seen in two days, the Lu family will have a reason to make trouble for Yan Liang.

On the surface, Yan Liangxu seems to have something to worry about, but would someone like him be so obedient and accept constraints?

Will this work for him?
In my memory, Lu Jia never acts without a purpose, so there must be a reason why she specially sent Zhou and the others here!
……

Lu Jia waited for Zhou and Wu outside the alley. After hearing what had happened, she gave them a few instructions and had Yin Liu escort them back to their residence.

Then she asked He Qu, "Is everyone ready?"

"Everything is ready!"

Lu Jia nodded: "You will take people to keep a close watch on things for the next two days. If anything happens, I will use them immediately."

"Don't worry, young mistress!"

He Qu patted his chest and left.

Lu Jia glanced at the tall gates of the Yan residence from afar, told Tang Yu to stay, and then instructed the coachman to turn the horse around and head back home.

Lu Jie's side is making rapid progress, and if Yan Liang has the power to obstruct it, he doesn't have much time left.

Zhou said that Yan Liang was always by Lu Ying's side and refused to let Lu Ying leave. Lu Jia guessed that Lu Ying had been exposed.

Yan Liang, however, remained inactive.

Logically, since he suspected Lu Ying, he had countless ways to force her to reveal the truth. But he didn't; he tolerated Lu Ying. Was this because he still cared about Lu Jie, or was there another reason?

In short, Yan Liang will not remain silent forever.

……

When Yan Qu entered the main room, Yan Liang sat silently on the couch with his legs bent.

"Brother, I heard that Lu Jie's case is almost closed. It is said that not only have the corrupt officials at the three-tenths wharf on the river been purged, but at least 500,000 taels of silver have also been recovered for the Emperor. The advisors judge that he handled this case so smoothly because he must have been prepared for a long time, and just waited for the right moment to expose them."

"They say that Lu Jie's entry into the cabinet is a foregone conclusion."

After Yan Qu finished speaking and received no reply, he called out again, "Big Brother?"

Yan Liang pressed his forehead against his palm, closed his eyes, and didn't look up: "Get out."

Yan Qu sat down opposite him: "At this critical juncture, shouldn't we think of a solution? I heard from the stewards that you've been out these past two days, and even visited people from the Dali Temple and the Censorate. I know you must have a solution! Now that things are urgent, shouldn't you act immediately if you have a solution?"

"Someone is coming."

The person outside walked in.

"Please ask the Third Young Master to leave!"

"Why were you told to leave?!"

Yan Liang finally lowered his hand and raised his head: "What can you do? You can't even protect your own wife, what else can you do?"

Yan Qu gritted his teeth.

Yan Liang looked at the table: "If you have nothing to do, go to the mourning hall and keep Father and Mother company."

Yan Qu gritted his teeth, stood up, snorted angrily, and stormed off.

Yan Liang picked up his teacup, took a sip, then another, and finally turned his eyes to look at the Qiyu Pavilion beyond the latticed window: "Someone, send these invitations out. Also, have someone wait outside the Minister's residence. Tonight at 7 PM, I invite Lord Lu to my private residence for tea. I urge him to do me the honor."