The Grand Secretary's Child-Raising Diary

When she heard that Lu Shiyan might be stuck on some reef and that even his body might not be found, Qin Shi could no longer suppress the corners of her mouth. Seeing Lu Chong's pale face, Qin Shi rolled her eyes inwardly, pinched a handkerchief and touched the tip of her nose, just enough to cover the upturned corners of her mouth.

After dismissing the servant who had brought the news, Lu Chong sat there for a moment before slowly getting up. Lu Xin hurriedly stepped forward to support him, saying worriedly, "Lord."

Lu Chong remained silent and was helped back to the front yard by Lu Xin.

Qin sneered at Lu Chong's departing figure. Ever since Lu Chong slapped her three years ago and confined her to her quarters for half a year, even though Lu Chong later appointed Lu Jingyan as the heir apparent in the imperial edict, Qin's feelings for Lu Chong had been completely worn away during those six months. Seeing him so devastated and heartbroken because of Lu Shiyan's death, Qin felt only pleasure.

Sitting beside her husband, Cui felt a strange mix of emotions. It was just that Lu Shiyan was gone; it was clear that the first and second branches of the family had been irreconcilable enemies for years, and she should be happy that Lu Shiyan was dead; it was clear that her husband would inherit everything from the Chengen Marquis's mansion; yet, looking at this vast, still magnificent and splendid mansion, she felt a sense of absurdity, as if the sun was setting.

Seeing his father walk away without a word, Lu Jingyan looked up at Madam Qin, who was sitting at the head of the table: "Mother, my second brother is gone. Should we set up a mourning hall in our household?"

The rest of the people here are all her own. Qin Shi no longer hides her smile. She smiles and stretches out her hand, but does not receive the perfectly hot and cold tea that is immediately offered to her. She glances to her side unhappily, but only sees Chunyan standing there like a wooden statue.

Qin Shi suddenly realized: "Oh, Qin Mama is long gone. She was sent to the Censorate by that illegitimate son for a trivial matter."

A slave was charged with violating her master's rules. Although she wasn't sentenced to death with reprieve, she received fifty strokes of the cane. Combined with the kick from Lu Shiyan, Qin Mama died not long after being released from prison.

The servant who served her for half her life.

Qin's face twisted for a moment, then she chuckled: "He was the second master of the Marquis's mansion after all. No matter how much he disobeyed me, his legal mother, in the past, now that he is dead, the past is no longer worth dwelling on."

He was pitiful, as he refused to remarry and only had one child. Of course, the Earl's family had to take care of his funeral arrangements.

"Jingyan, set up the memorial altar immediately. Also, send someone to the palace to bring Youning back. How can he be absent from his father's funeral?"

If it weren't for the smile on her mother-in-law's face, Cui would have thought she was some kind and loving mother.

Lu Jingyan thought about it and agreed, nodding in agreement: "Mother is right, I will send a memorial to the palace to bring Youning back."

Madam Cui stood up: "Mother, then your daughter-in-law will send someone out to purchase funeral supplies."

Qin nodded. After everyone left, Qin began to hum a little tune in a very good mood. Although it was a very melodious tune, it made the maids and servants in Chunhui Courtyard startle.

When the people from the Chengen Earl's Mansion went to various funeral shops to purchase funeral supplies, the news that the Second Master Lu of the Chengen Earl's Mansion had unfortunately passed away in Jiangnan soon spread throughout the capital, causing countless people to sigh with sorrow.

Anyone in the teahouses and taverns who still remembers the brilliant scholar who rode through the streets on horseback in the thirtieth year of the Qian Yuan era cannot help but sigh, "Heaven is jealous of talent."

Within hours, the Chengen Earl's Mansion was already draped in white mourning clothes, with only Songtao Courtyard standing out like an isolated island, cut off from this grand event.

Inside the Songtao Courtyard, Zhang Shi was practically paralyzed on the ground, and Banxia Shihu and the others were in a state of panic, while only Sun Mama remained relatively calm.

When Second Master left, he took Shouyan and Huaiyan with him. Now, she's the only one left in Songtao Courtyard who can still manage things. Having recovered from her initial grief, Mama Sun quickly gave instructions:

"Now is not the time to cry. Ren Dong, go and find all of the young master's private savings and give them to Shi Hu."

"Shi Hu, you immediately take Zhang the wet nurse and Kuandong and quietly leave the mansion. Take the money and find a safe place to buy a small house in Zhang's name. It doesn't need to be fancy, just enough for a few people to stay in temporarily."

Upon hearing this, Zhang was furious. After giving birth, she was forced by her husband's family to become a wet nurse for the third young master in the Earl's mansion. She had hoped to earn money and send it home so that her child could have enough to eat. However, the man was heartless and squandered the money she earned on debauchery. When her son fell ill, he couldn't even spare the money for a few doses of medicine. By the time she returned home, her child had already died and was wrapped in a tattered straw mat and thrown out.

Since then, Zhang was heartbroken. Only when she saw the Third Young Master could she feel better. After divorcing that man, she had decided that as long as the Third Young Master did not mind, she would stay by his side and serve him for the rest of her life.

But now that the Second Master has just passed away and the Third Young Master is still in the palace and we don't know what's going on, this old hag is already trying to run away with the master's money.

The thought of Lu Youning, who was only four years old, gave Zhang Shi strength again. She stood up and pointed at Sun Mama: "What do you want to do? Let me tell you, as long as I'm here, no one can touch the Third Young Master's things."

Sun Mama: "What nonsense are you thinking? We are all servants who have signed a life contract with the government. Even if we abscond with the money, we can't just run away."

"You're different. You're a free man, and you bought the house in your own name. If this mansion can't accommodate the Third Young Master, at least he'll have a place to stay after leaving the palace."

Dendrobium was quick-witted and understood what Madam Sun meant after a little thought: "That's right, since Madam hates the Second Master so much, she will definitely not tolerate the Third Young Master in the future. She might even take out her hatred for the Second Master on the Third Young Master."

Zhang was in a daze. She wasn't a very smart person to begin with, but there was one thing she thought the same as Sun Mama and the others: with the Second Master gone, the people in this mansion wouldn't treat the Third Young Master well.

Ren Dong wiped away her tears, rushed into the house, and took out the box containing Lu Youning's silver notes, as well as the small silver fish that Lu Shiyan had made for Lu Youning at the beginning of the year, and stuffed it into Zhang Shi's arms.

As if remembering something, she turned around and went back to her room, taking out all the savings she had accumulated over the years: "I am just a servant, and I don't know what will become of me in the future, so I'll leave this money to the Third Young Master."

No one spoke. When they left, Zhang's bundle contained not only Lu Youning's belongings, but also all the savings of the servants of Songtao Courtyard over the years.

The front yard of Chengenbo Mansion

Seeing Lu Chong sitting blankly behind his desk, looking as if he had aged several years in an instant, Lu Xin carefully reported, "Lord, the altar for Second Master has been set up. Please accept my condolences."

Lu Chong opened his mouth, then after a long pause, said, "The title of Marquis of Cheng'en is hereditary for three generations, and Jing Yan will be the third generation. Lu Xin, do you think that if this title is handed to Jing Yan, he has the ability to secure a good future for the Lu family's descendants before the court revoks the title?"