Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 90 Unexpected
The old master of the Lu family passed away early, and the old lady had been a widow for many years before passing away a few years ago.

Without the elders, the Lu family no longer needed to celebrate the Double Ninth Festival much.

However, since everyone in the mansion knew that the lady loved lively gatherings, they set up Jushan in the front and back courtyards early on.

On the day of the Double Ninth Festival, Lin Shunniang, the wife of the steward Li Dehai, invited actors to her home early in the morning and also ordered two tables of food and drink.

She led her entourage to the main room, intending to invite Madam Jiang and Lu Ying to a performance and dinner as a token of her filial piety throughout the year.

The Li family were servants of the Lu family. They were originally just gatekeepers and guards in the fields and villages. After Jiang married into the family, she promoted them. Now, with their status rising, they have not only become stewards in the Lu family mansion, but the couple also serve Lu Jie and Jiang respectively. They have also bought a two-courtyard house in the alley behind the Lu family mansion. Now, they have servants following them when they go out.

Jiang sat on the couch, holding the ginseng soup, saying, "I'm not going." Shunniang kept urging her, so she said, "It's just the few of us women, what's there to be happy about? You just look at me and I look at you, it's so boring."

Lin Shunniang stood under the couch with a smile and said, "Knowing that Madam loves a lively atmosphere, I invited the second wife as well. It just so happens that the second wife's sister, Madam Cheng, is coming to stay for a while, so I invited her as well."

"It's kind of you to think of everything so thoroughly," Jiang said, then thought for a moment and added, "Are your son and daughter-in-law here? The rouge goose they sent over the other day was quite nice."

Lin Shunniang hurriedly said, "If Madam likes it, just tell them to prepare it."

Madam Jiang smiled and said, "With such a kind intention, how could I refuse? You go ahead, and my son will come over in a little while."

"Thank you for your kindness, Madam! I will go back and prepare right away!"

Lin Shunniang left happily.

Lu Ying, who was sitting and embroidering a pillowcase, looked at her back and smiled, "This is really thoughtful in every way. Although she has shown filial piety in previous years, she has never been this diligent as this year. I bet she has something to ask of Mother again."

Jiang lifted her legs and straddled the couch, leaning lazily against the pillows: "How many people in this world wouldn't get up early for nothing? —Longxiang, how old is his second son?"

A maidservant, who was lighting an incense burner under the curtain, walked over with a smile: "Madam has a good eye. The second son of the Li family has turned seventeen. I heard that Sister Lin has been asking about the Qi family's daughter lately. Perhaps she wants to ask Madam for a favor."

“I knew it,” Madam Jiang said with a smile. “They probably haven’t asked me for anything else lately.”

Longxiang asked, "Will Madam agree or not?"

Jiang handed the empty ginseng soup bowl to her. Before she could say anything, a maidservant came in from outside the door: "Reporting to Madam, Third Master Guo has returned."

Jiang immediately composed herself, placing her feet, which she had just raised, back on the ground. With a flick of her sleeve, Lu Ying, who was beside her, stood up and walked out one after the other with Long Xiang.

Jiang walked to the door: "Where is he?"

"Mrs!……"

Guo Lu walked out from the side, strode across the threshold, and knelt down on the ground with a thud.

Upon seeing him, Madam Jiang abruptly put down the pearl and exclaimed, "Why are you looking like this?"

Guo Lu looked travel-worn—which was normal, but beneath the dust, his arms were bandaged and his back was hunched, clearly indicating that he had difficulty moving around.

"Please forgive me, madam!"

Guo Lu raised his head, his face haggard and pale. Having lived in the Lu family for over ten years, he had always presented himself as a dashing young master.

"Forgive me?" Madam Jiang frowned. "What do you mean?"

"My nephew has found the young lady, but... but he failed to complete the mission. Not only did he fail to make a move, but he was also attacked!..." That night, Guo Lu was full of confidence in the mission he was tasked with.

He was only dealing with a small-time merchant's daughter. Even though his men had said he had powerful guards, in a small place like Shawan, how powerful could a rich man find guards?
In order to be of use to this distant cousin and to rely on the Yan and Lu families for a long time, Guo Lu practiced martial arts from a young age. While he may not be an expert, he was at least confident in his abilities.

Unexpectedly, none of the three of them could kill the young lady!
Not only did they fail to kill him, they almost fell into their hands!

"I don't know where she found such a powerful expert. I already found out that not long ago, they were being bullied by their relatives and struggling to make ends meet!"

Jiang stared at him intently until she finished listening, then slowly looked away and clenched her hands.

"Why did you try to kill me the moment you met me?"

She took two steps forward, stopped at the threshold, and looked at the golden, dazzling Chrysanthemum Mountain in the courtyard. She said, "It seems that Master Chen was right. She is indeed a blessed person. She is so lucky every time."

She chuckled, then slowly composed herself: "Since you've already taken action, didn't you even bother to find out what was going on before coming back?"

Guo Lu knelt down and turned around: "All three of us were seriously injured, the other two were more seriously injured, and although I am better, I have been lying in the clinic for four or five days."

"After recovering, I felt I couldn't find a better opportunity and was afraid of making things worse, so I immediately rushed back to the capital."

"But it has been confirmed that she is indeed the young lady who disappeared ten years ago, and her eyes look exactly like the master's!"
"Please grant me a little more time, Madam. I can take another group of people south and make sure things get done!"

"Since we failed to kill her this time, she's definitely on guard now. Are you confident you can succeed if we go again?"

This question stumped Guo Lu.

Then he suddenly remembered: "Oh right, the young lady is also a bit strange."

What's strange about it?

"When her guards lifted my veil, I thought I heard her recognize me."

Jiang turned around: "Recognize you? How could she recognize you?"

“My nephew also thought it was impossible, but she was indeed very surprised when she saw me, and even said, ‘It’s you?’ If she didn’t recognize me, why would she be surprised?”

Guo Lu's face was tense, with a hint of fear mixed in.

At that moment, Lu Jia's behavior was truly unexpected.

Jiang returned and said, "That's impossible! She was only five years old back then, and you were still in the Jiang family at the time. Even if she had a good memory and had seen you a few times, it would be impossible for her to still recognize you."

Watching the incense smoke rise in front of her, she reached out and gently brushed it twice, then stopped. "What does she look like now?"

Guo Lu pondered for a moment: "There's nothing special about it. I just opened a few shops, and even this shop was only recently acquired."

He also recounted the story he had heard about how Lu Jia had defeated Zhang Qi.

Jiang slowly raised her head and looked at the trees in the courtyard: "Only fifteen years old, and she already has such skills? She does have a lot of 'her' style."

(End of this chapter)