Full House Spring

Chapter 39 Lu Lingchuan's Thoughts

Lu Qinghe had probably never met such a self-aware maid. Her face was full of surprise and she was unable to react for a moment.

Xia Li still smiled, and the two looked at each other. The wisdom and determination reflected in her deep eyes seemed to see through everything in the world, which made Lu Qinghe's heart beat fast.

Seeing that she didn't say anything, the old lady said in a deep voice: "What's the matter? You don't want to pay the five hundred taels?"

Lu Qinghe raised his head and said with a strange expression: "Grandfather, you misunderstood. I am willing to pay and can afford it, but is the Tongcao peony in summer really that valuable? Even if I buy a pot, it really doesn't need to be so expensive, right?"

Xia Li's eyes flashed with a deep belief in her own ability. She said calmly, "Miss, you are wrong. Scarcity makes things valuable. Real peonies will not bloom in the cold winter. The tongcao peonies I made are in short supply. Besides, five hundred taels of silver can make Concubine Shu smile. This deal is not a loss at all."

Upon hearing this, Lu Qinghe stared at Xia Li coldly, with a sarcastic smile on his lips.

"The Tongcao peony is so lifelike that it is worth the price. If it is exaggerated and the real thing is unsightly, wouldn't it be a joke?"

Xia Li smiled gently, and said with a powerful aura: "Everyone has different vision and preferences. It is unfair for the eldest lady to judge alone. Why not ask the old lady and the two ladies to appreciate it together? If you like it, then you can pay for it. If not, just think of it as a maid making it for the old lady to enjoy."

The old lady privately thought that Lu Qinghe was too ignorant of the overall situation. Her temper had been suppressed over the years she had stayed in the ancestral temple, but she had become narrow-minded and self-righteous.

The old lady did not give her a chance to refute and directly made the decision: "It's settled. If she is picky, I will pay the five hundred taels of silver and give me the Tongcao peony as well. It's no big deal."

A gentle smile spread across Xia Li's face, making her look particularly lively. She said in a brisk voice, "If the old lady doesn't want to pay me, it would be my honor!"

The old lady smiled brightly at these words. She said lovingly, "No wonder your grandma loves you so much and thinks about you so much. You are really a lovely person."

Xia Li's eyes narrowed into a crescent shape, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.

"That's because the old lady and grandma are kind-hearted and compassionate. Why don't outsiders love me?"

At first, the old lady treated Xia Li like a maid, but now she treats her more like a granddaughter.

After several rounds, Lu Qinghe not only did not gain any advantage, but also made her grandmother unhappy. She regretted it so much that she hurriedly tried to make amends:

"What I just said was just a joke. I'll pay the five hundred taels of silver. But you need to make more of these Tongcao peonies. You have to keep some in the mansion for grandma to enjoy."

It was too late for Lu Qinghe to say such flattering words. With Xia Li's beautiful words before her, the old lady was not interested in anything at the moment.

Xia Li, however, knew her limits and how to advance and retreat. Even if she had the upper hand, she would not get carried away. A maid is a maid. Only by keeping in mind her current identity at all times can she go further.

She lowered her head and said respectfully, "I obey your command. Don't worry, young lady, I will not let you down."

Lu Qinghe nodded slightly and did not continue to find fault. She had achieved her goal this time. She had already spent most of her energy dealing with Concubine Shu in the palace. She was exhausted both physically and mentally after arguing with Xia Li for a long time.

After finishing the matter here, Xia Li went back to the back room to do needlework. Since the old lady had ordered the servant to find some grass and wood, she was afraid that it would be delivered to the mansion soon. While she had some free time at this moment, Xia Li just wanted to finish the work at hand as soon as possible.

There is no wall that is impenetrable in this world. The old lady did not try to keep the secret, and the matter was soon exaggerated and spread throughout the house.

Xia Li is a capable girl, and the Duke is aware of this fact. Lu Qinghe is so petty that she is inevitably inferior and easily criticized.

When Mrs. Luo heard the gossip, she ran straight to Yize Hall. Mrs. Song had been delayed in taking care of household chores because of entering the palace, and was now assigning tasks to servants in the conference room. When she heard the maid announce that the second wife was here to visit, she and Nanny Gui looked at each other in surprise.

The two sisters-in-law had completely different personalities. Although they didn't fight each other to the death, they rarely had a good conversation with each other, let alone take the initiative to visit each other. Although Song was puzzled, she still hurried to see her.

Mrs. Luo was quite tactful. Even though she looked down upon the eldest sister-in-law who was the head of the family, she still treated her with respect on the surface. As soon as the two met, Mrs. Luo said in a brisk voice, "I came to bother you, sister-in-law. I didn't expect that the tea here is so fragrant."

Song said calmly, "You are joking, my sister-in-law. The tea I drink here is the same as that of Chunshanju. They are all new tea picked before Qingming Festival."

Luo raised her eyebrows, put down the teacup and said, "That may be because the maid is very skilled in making tea. I came here today to talk to you about Qing He..."

Song said with a puzzled look on her face: "Qing He has only been back for a few days and has only met with her sister-in-law once. How did she upset you?"

Luo frowned slightly and lowered his voice:

"Sister-in-law, what you said is wrong. As an aunt, how can I bother with a junior? She didn't offend me. It's just that forcing Xia Li to make a peony flower to please the Concubine Shu is not a decent thing to do. It will inevitably be criticized and will affect other girls in the mansion."

Song's heart tightened, and she said seriously, "Did she go to Leshou Hall to force Xia Li?"

When Luo saw her like this, she knew that she didn't know about this yet, so she quickly told her what she had heard in vivid detail.

The more Song listened, the uglier her expression became. After she finished speaking, she forced a smile and said,
"The Concubine Shu has loved Qing He since she was young. The aunt and nephew have a deep relationship. Qing He wants to please her, which is also filial piety, but the method is not advisable. I will teach him well. If you hear the servants talking nonsense again, remember to scold them severely. How can a servant make up stories about the master? It is really unreasonable."

Luo curled her lips, not caring in her heart, but said:
"Don't worry, sister-in-law. I have already sternly talked to them. Just keep this in mind. I won't bother you anymore."

When Luo's figure disappeared, Song's face turned pale. She slumped down on the Luohan bed and said angrily to Nanny Gui:
"Why is Qing He so impatient? I have told her what Concubine Shu is thinking, but she is looking for trouble at this time. This will make Xia Li unhappy, which is tantamount to offending the ancestor. If she dislikes it, this marriage will become even more difficult."

Song was so worried about Lu Qinghe that she had a headache. She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. Nanny Gui quickly found a headband and put it on her, saying softly, "Don't be sad, it's better to be happy."
"The eldest girl is stubborn by nature. She has been forced to stay in the family temple for the past few years. She may not say anything on the surface, but she must be holding a grudge in her heart. You can't use force on her. You can only persuade her slowly."

Song was filled with pain but had no way to express it. She sighed, "Forget it. She is here to collect the debt. You can ask a maid to run errands and ask Lingchuan and Qinghe to have dinner with me. If she doesn't listen to me, let her brother try."

Nanny Gui bowed and accepted the order, then turned around and went out to call two young girls to run errands. Since the Song family's head of the family was busy every day, Lu Lingchuan was moved to the front yard by the Duke to teach him personally when he was five years old, so Qinghe was inevitably a little neglected. Fortunately, Lingchuan was outstanding enough. Not only was he well-behaved and capable, but he also respected and loved her. The two siblings had a deep relationship. Qinghe trusted this brother quite a bit, and she hoped that she could persuade him a little.

Although Mrs. Song was the mistress of the household, she usually ate light food, especially dinner, when there was hardly any meat. Considering that her two children were still growing up, she added a few more dishes.

The brother and sister walked into Yize Hall one after the other. Qing He was very happy to see her brother. She walked up to him and looked up and asked, "Brother, have you been busy these days?"

Lu Lingchuan looked her up and down, frowned slightly and said, "Why don't you put on a cloak before going out? It's windy outside, be careful not to catch a cold."

Lu Qinghe felt warm in her heart and chuckled, "It's okay, I'll feel warm after walking a little."

When Aunt Gui heard the noise, she lifted the curtain and came out to greet them. She said with a warm smile, "Master, Miss, please come in and sit down. Madam is waiting inside."

The brother and sister followed her into the house. Mrs. Song, who was in a bad mood, saw her children and raised her lips slightly. She said lovingly, "Hurry up and wash your hands and eat. The food has just been delivered and it will be cold if it is left for too long."

Lu Lingchuan's every move showed the demeanor of a gentleman. After washing his hands, he sat to Song's left and served her a dish with chopsticks. He said in a gentle voice, "Mother doesn't look very well. Has she been overworked these days?"

Song didn't intend to hide it for her daughter. She glanced at Qing He and said with a wry smile, "I was pissed off by your sister."

Lu Qinghe paused holding the chopsticks, and said in a low voice: "Mother, you are talking nonsense. When did I make you angry again?"

Song said with a straight face, "Then let me ask you, where did you go after you returned home?"

Lu Qinghe lowered his eyes and stammered, "I went to see my grandmother and chat with her."

Song put down her chopsticks and said in a bad tone, "Are you here to chat with your grandmother or to cause trouble for Xia Li? Why are you always making things difficult for her? What good will you gain by making things difficult for her?"

Lu Lingchuan looked at his sister sharply. He was not in a hurry to speak as he wanted to listen to what was going on first.

Lu Qinghe also put down his chopsticks and said helplessly: "Whose nonsense did you listen to? Why should I make things difficult for her? She is just a servant with some tricks. Can't I control her?"

Song was so angry that she almost died. She suppressed her anger and said:
"Do you really think that others can't see your shallow thoughts? Xia Li not only saved your grandmother, but also your brother. She is thorough and everyone praises her, but you always provoke her. If you want to please the Concubine Shu, you can find a way yourself. It's really mean to embarrass others."

Lu Qinghe said dissatisfiedly: "Am I your daughter or is that bitch your daughter? She stood in front of the ancestor and slapped me in the face, can't you see it?
I was just making the best use of everything. She was greedy for money and asked for five hundred taels of silver. She has never suffered a loss at my hands. The ancestors are on her side, and you come to criticize me. "

Lu Qinghe really felt wronged, her voice was choked with sobs, Song felt tired, she said earnestly:
"No matter how respectable Xia Li is, she is just a maid and won't get in your way. You should be more generous and make friends with her and learn her way of dealing with people. Others will only praise you for your tolerance, but you are obsessed with it.

As for Concubine Shu, the more you try to please her, the more she despises you. You never listen to what I say, and you only regret it when you are bleeding and have no way out. You are simply stubborn and unrepentant."

Lu Qinghe felt extremely aggrieved and could not help but shouted: "You only blame me and never stand up for me. Don't worry about my affairs in the future. I will plan my future myself."

After saying that, she turned around and walked out. Lu Lingchuan shouted at her, "Try to go forward again! You have no respect for your elders, no respect for your elders, and you have learned all the rules to your heart's content."

Song's hands were shaking with anger. She really couldn't tolerate such a stubborn girl any longer.

Lu Qinghe dared to speak loudly to Song, but she was very afraid of her brother. She turned around and said with tears in her eyes: "Brother, even you want to teach me a lesson? You all side with outsiders and don't help me. You might as well throw me into the family temple and let me fend for myself..."

Lu Lingchuan frowned and said indifferently, "You are so unbecoming. If you are sent to the family temple again, you will never get out in this lifetime."

Lu Qinghe was startled, her pupils dilated, and she said in disbelief:
"Did I kill someone or set the fire? You are targeting me so much, could it be that you have also been bewitched by Xia Li? Yes, how could I have forgotten that you have had physical contact with her since you were eight or nine years old, and she has been yours for a long time. I am the outsider."

Lu Lingchuan's face gradually darkened, and he said in a cold voice: "Don't eat dinner, go back to your room immediately and copy the female rules three hundred times. Don't come out until you have finished copying. Shihu, send the young lady back."

Shihu, who was guarding outside the door, responded loudly. Lu Qinghe's eyes opened wide, her nostrils flared and contracted, her hands clenched into fists, her chest heaving rapidly, as if her anger had already burned to her throat. But she was afraid in her heart and did not dare to argue with her brother. She could only turn around and leave with a grim face.

Song looked at the violently shaking door curtain, put her hand on her forehead dejectedly, and said weakly:
"Your sister is too stubborn. I'm really afraid she'll go to extremes. If a girl makes a mistake, she'll make mistakes all the time. There's no turning back. I really don't know what to do."

Lu Lingchuan also realized how serious Qing He's problem was. He said directly:

"Don't let Qinghe marry too high. Pick a noble son who is a good match for you and keep him by your side to look after him. That way there won't be any big trouble."

Song nodded unconsciously. She said worriedly, "I can't stop Concubine Shu every time. What if..."

Lu Lingchuan's eyes were deep as he said, "There is no such thing as an emergency. Mother does not need to worry. The Third Prince has a close relationship with Princess Zhaohua. It is not Qing He's turn to interfere."

Song felt unhappy. She was both happy and sad. She sighed:

"I'm so lucky that you're still here, but...what are your plans for Xia Li? I like that girl very much, and the old lady loves her very much too. If she's taken away from slavery and becomes your concubine, and stays by your side, I'll feel much more at ease."

Lu Lingchuan received instruction from the legitimate heir, and he knew very well how big a hidden danger it would be to have a concubine with a strong family background in the mansion. But if the target was Xia Li, he would inexplicably feel sorry for her. With her ability, she could even be the Crown Prince's wife.

He pondered for a moment and said in a steady voice:
"Mother, please don't mention this matter again. Xia Li is very opinionated. It would be bad to force him to do something."

Song stared at him with a strange look on her face for a few seconds, and when she figured out what was going on, she said gently:
"Your father also agrees with this. Xia Li is very intelligent and will definitely give birth to good children in the future. Whether it is for long-term planning or for your personal consideration, this girl is more pleasing than finding someone else outside."

Lu Lingchuan did not refute, and subconsciously followed Song's thoughts...

(End of this chapter)