Chapter 18: Gratitude

Lu Ying glanced at him but paid him no mind. Seeing that she was still angry with him at such a moment, Zeng Lang grew irritated. He reached out to pull Lu Ying aside to persuade her, but suddenly, a clear and pleasant voice rang out, “May I ask if Lady Lu Ying is present?” With the call, four graceful maids, dressed more splendidly than ordinary noblewomen, approached with elegant steps.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Lu Ying responded, “I am she.” As her words fell, the four maids smiled in unison and walked straight up to her. After offering her a respectful bow, one of them spoke reverently, “My mistress says that you have aided our young master. This small token of appreciation, please do not disdain it.” They bent over and gently placed the wooden box they carried before Lu Ying.

Watching the four beautiful maids depart, Zeng Lang was suddenly delighted and exclaimed, “I remember them—they are from the Chang household!” The Chang family had produced two officials, one of whom held considerable influence in Chengdu. The other, hailing from Hanyang and possessing both high rank and power, was precisely the person his father wished to befriend!

At once, Zeng Lang turned his head, his eyes shining with joy as he regarded Lu Ying. He felt she had never been so dazzling as she was now.

It was not until the philanthropist Wang had left that Zeng Lang strode up to Lu Ying. Lowering his head, he pondered a moment, then grinned broadly, “Ying, tell me—how did you help them? That Wang said you saved his son, but you’re just a young woman. Tell me, how did you do it?”

He was clearly excited, his words light and quick.

Lu Ying raised her head, glanced at Zeng Lang, then looked past him, searching for someone. After a moment, she asked, “Where is Yin?”

“Don’t worry about her now,” Zeng Lang replied irritably. “I’m talking to you; don’t change the subject.”

Lu Ying’s lips curved faintly. She spoke coolly, “It seems the young master of the Zeng family doesn’t understand human speech. I’ve already told you—there is no more connection between us!” Her expression was icy, her tone even colder.

Zeng Lang was taken aback.

He stared at Lu Ying for a long moment, suspicion creeping into his mind: Something’s wrong—her attitude toward me has changed too quickly. Could it be she’s climbed to some higher branch?

As soon as this thought occurred, he affirmed it at once. His eyes turned cold, and his thin lips pressed tightly together.

Meanwhile, the Yin whom Lu Ying was searching for sat gloomily in the returning donkey cart. After counting her fingers for a while, she couldn’t help but raise her voice, calling, “Nan, go and find out what remarkable thing Lu Ying has done!”

“Yes, miss.” The cart rocked and stopped. Within half an hour, the driver Nan ran back, panting, “Fifth Miss, I’ve found out. Heh, the matter is spreading like wildfire. Wasn’t Lord Qiu attacked today? The assassin was among a dozen or so students. Originally, all the students were detained, but your cousin stepped forward and found the true culprit, so the students were saved. Their parents are all deeply grateful to her.”

As Nan finished speaking, Yin’s face twisted, and she shrieked, “Impossible! All those grown men couldn’t find the true culprit—how could a mere girl do it? Something must be wrong here.”

“It’s true, Fifth Miss. If you don’t believe me, you can listen in—the whole town is talking about it. Many are saying they never expected your cousin to be so clever.”

Yin, stubborn and furious, refused to believe. Meanwhile, Zeng Lang, amazed and uncertain, edged closer to Lu Ying, hoping to say something pleasant.

But just then, footsteps sounded again. Two students from ordinary families, accompanied by their parents, approached to kneel and thank Lu Ying.

Lu Ying dared not accept such a gesture. She hurriedly stepped aside, and after much persuasion, finally accepted their small gifts—eggs, rice, and the like.

Afterward, Zeng Lang found it impossible to speak with Lu Ying alone. One parent after another arrived, some offering thanks, others presenting gifts. It wasn’t until night had fallen completely that everyone finally departed.

Once they were gone, Lu Ying entered her room. Zeng Lang tried to follow, but Lu Yun emerged with a broom and drove him back several steps.

Reluctantly retreating to the courtyard, Zeng Lang’s face alternated between pale and flushed. At last, he couldn’t help but call out, “Ying, rest well. I’ll come again tomorrow.” With that, he glared fiercely at Lu Yun, who was busy carrying gifts into the house and didn’t notice him at all.

Seated in his family’s donkey cart, listening to the creaking wheels, Zeng Lang, his face still gloomy, began to speak to the driver. “Gen, do you know? Half the people who came to Lu’s house today are wealthy families and officials from Hanyang.”

Gen flicked his whip, landing a heavy blow on the donkey’s back, and replied with a simple laugh, “Of course—those who can send their children to school are all respectable families.”

Zeng Lang liked this answer. He sighed, “Yes, all good families. She saved seven sons from prominent households—if used wisely, it’s like having mountains of gold and silver.” By now, he had learned the full story.

The more he thought, the more Zeng Lang’s heart itched. After a long while, he sighed, “Too bad Ying is so stubborn. What are gifts compared to a child’s life? Ah, why wasn’t I the one to do such a thing?”

But in the next moment, he grew excited again. “Ying is my betrothed, not yet married. Her act of kindness is as good as mine. When Father returns home, I must discuss with him how best to use it.”

He spoke with great enthusiasm. Gen, familiar with some of his dealings, was surprised and after a long pause, whispered, “Master, didn’t you say you didn’t want to marry Ying? That you wanted to marry Lady Ping’s daughter, Yin?”

Zeng Lang snorted, replying coolly, “That’s not a conflict. I never intended to give up Ying. Once she enters my household as a concubine, her favor still belongs to me, her husband.” He was in unusually good spirits today, explaining further, “Yin and Ying are different. Ying’s cleverness today was rare, but such things hardly count for much. Compared to her, Yin, with her fine family and generous dowry, is far more worth marrying.”

He murmured to himself, “Besides, if I marry Ying, Yin will never be mine. But if I marry Yin, Ying will still be mine. No matter how you look at it, it’s a good deal.”

Gen fell silent. He recalled how Ying had treated Zeng Lang earlier and thought: Ying seemed very serious—Master may end up with neither woman. But he kept the thought to himself, not daring to speak it aloud.