Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 91 The Xie Family Daughter's Absurd Behavior

"Madam, Master is back."

As Jiang was still gazing at the osmanthus tree in the courtyard, someone came up to her.

Her eyes flickered slightly as she looked towards the courtyard gate. Then, she took a deep breath, lowered her eyes, and gestured with her chin towards Guo Lu: "Go down first."

Guo Lu quickly followed her directions and retreated from the other side.

Just as Madam Jiang composed herself, Lu Jie walked in from behind the curtain lifted by the maid.

The tall, slender man walked with a composed gait; even after a whole day out, his crimson robe and crown remained impeccably neat. His face, though etched with the marks of time, still possessed a refined and handsome appearance, radiating a gentle warmth. When he looked over, his peach-blossom eyes seemed to overflow with the waters of a spring river.

"I heard Li Dehai has set up a stage for a theatrical performance and wants to invite you to go. Are you going?"

Jiang stepped forward: "I was just about to go, but I haven't had time yet."

After saying that, she picked up the handkerchief next to her and said, "Let the maids help you change your clothes. The second son's wife and the Cheng family's daughter have also been invited by Li Dehai's family. It would be inappropriate for me to be late."

Upon hearing this, the maid at the door quickly went inside to help Lu Jie change his clothes.

After stepping out of the courtyard, Madam Jiang let out a long sigh of relief and slowed her pace.

Longxiang caught up with her: "Madam, the Yan family sent a matchmaker over the other day to discuss the marriage. We haven't given them a reply yet, and Master just asked about it again."

Jiang closed her eyes, and the breath she had just exhaled was sucked back in as she frowned: "He just keeps urging us. So many noble families sent people to propose marriage before, but I've never seen him in such a hurry."

Longxiang paused for a moment: "After all, it's not easy to offend the Yan family..."

Jiang looked up and saw Guo Lu waiting not far ahead, so she said, "We'll talk about it tonight."

After saying that, he turned to leave.

Longxiang caught up again: "I wonder who Master went drinking with today. He smells strongly of rouge on him."

Jiang glanced at her: "Who went out with him today?"

"It's Su Zhi'an."

"Have Su Zhian wait for me at Li Dehai's house."

Longxiang agreed. "Just now, Master also instructed that he would be hosting a banquet at Xiaerlou tomorrow, and asked me to carefully select a couple of outfits."

Jiang asked, "Whom are you inviting?"

"Eunuch Gao of Qianqing Palace."

Jiang was slightly surprised, then silently waved his sleeve.

After Longxiang left, Guo Lu walked up to her and said, "Madam, what about the eldest young lady..."

Jiang paused for a moment, then asked, "Who was the imperial envoy that Your Excellency recommended to the cabinet at the beginning of the year to oversee the river transport in the two lakes region?"

"He is Guo Yi, the grandson of Academician Guo of the Hanlin Academy, who originally served in the Six Ministries."

"Isn't that Guo Yi who married the granddaughter of the Lan family of General Zhaoyi's mansion?"

Jiang turned around.

“That’s right,” Guo Lu answered smoothly. “It’s him, his wife Lan Shi. At the beginning of the year, she was still having a grudge against Ying’er.”

Madam Jiang sat down on the veranda railing and accepted the tea handed to her by a maid: "That's all. The Lan family rose from humble beginnings; what kind of well-mannered daughters could they possibly raise?"
"But this Guo Yi, who said all the right things to get the imperial envoy position from the master, how did he manage to get it?"

“A niece actually instigated her mother to send her own uncle to prison and rob him of all his property. How could the imperial envoy turn a blind eye to such an unethical act?”
Is this acceptable?

Upon hearing this, Guo Lu instantly understood: "Madam is right. The Xie family's daughter has acted outrageously and disregarded the law. The Imperial Envoy should indeed punish her severely. Otherwise, if everyone follows suit, what will become of us?"

Jiang handed the tea she had just sipped back to the maid beside her, without even raising her eyelids, and waved for her to leave. After Guo Lu left, Jiang sat for a few more moments before getting up.

Now that the person has been found, everything else is easy.

It's just a loose end from ten years ago that wasn't resolved in time; it's not worth putting too much effort into.

What truly gave her a headache was how to handle the marriage proposal from the Yan family.

……

Since entering the capital region, Song En had sent people to contact Shen Qingzhou, but the rooms were next to each other on the night of their arrival in the capital, making it difficult to move around.

Considering that Lu Jia had left home at a young age and that traveling was inconvenient, Shen Qingzhou stayed in the room that night and did not go anywhere.

The next morning, he first summoned He Qu: "The young lady asked you to find a house, how do you plan to find one?"

He Qu scratched the back of his head: "I've never done this before, young master. How about you point me in the right direction?"

Shen Qingzhou then said, "Make room for one of your vacant houses."

He Qu and his group of personal guards were all born into the Shen family and had served the Shen family for generations, accumulating a substantial fortune long ago.

He Qu owned two or three small residences, several shops, and a considerable amount of land in the capital, making him a fairly wealthy man.

Shen Qingzhou's words solved a problem for He Qu, who then left with a sigh of relief.

Shen Qingzhou knocked on Lu Jia's door again, only to find that she had already tidied up. When she opened the door and saw Shen Qingzhou, she greeted her and led her downstairs. Shen Qingzhou didn't say anything and followed her.

Lu Jia only took him with her; the rest of the people stayed at the inn.

She hired a carriage on the street and said, "To Xia'er Tower." The driver glanced at her and then drove the carriage toward Xia'er Tower.

Xia'er Tower was the most famous entertainment venue in the capital, frequented only by the powerful and wealthy. Ordinary people like Lu Jia and his companions were not worthy of it!
Upon arriving at the location, Shen Qingzhou looked up at the towering teahouse across the street, wondering how Lu Jia would get inside: "A place like this, without someone to guide you, you probably can't get in, right?"

Lu Jia then took out her jade pendant and waved it in front of him: "You forgot about this?"

Shen Qingzhou suddenly realized.

But he couldn't go in.

Although he disliked socializing and had only been to this place a few times, nine out of ten people who frequented the place recognized him.

"I'll wait for you outside."

Lu Jia felt it was unnecessary and was about to persuade him when Shen Qingzhou pointed towards the backyard: "You are in the open, and I am in the dark. We might find out more."

Lu Jia was persuaded by him.

He went inside and found a young shop assistant, slipping him a small piece of silver: "May I ask where Minister Lu is?"

Lu Jia didn't know if Lu Jie was actually here. She only came to try her luck because she knew that Lu Jie had reserved a room here for many years in her previous life.

Unexpectedly, the waiter, for the sake of the money, immediately pointed to the northwest corner upstairs and said, "The Minister is hosting a banquet here today, but he hasn't arrived yet."

Lu Jia glanced at it and asked, "Do you know who we've invited?"

"I don't know about that, and even if I did, I certainly couldn't say."

Lu Jia looked him up and down, then asked, "What kind of job do you do?"

"The one who serves tea at the door."

Lu Jia then took out another silver coin.

(End of this chapter)