Chapter Seventy-Five: The Reply

Aqing looked at Lu Ying and said, “Aying, will you accept it or not?”

“I will, of course!” Lu Ying picked up the basket, smiling. “Aqing, why don’t you stay for a meal before you leave?”

Aqing thought for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. Your third aunt repeatedly told me to speak well of you in her presence. If I dine at your house, they’ll surely be pleased.”

Naturally, they would be pleased. Accepting their gift and keeping Aqing for a meal was a clear sign that no resentment remained.

At this moment, Aqing asked cautiously, “Aying, what exactly happened?”

Lu Ying smiled gently. “It’s nothing now.” In truth, Madam Ping had intended to take her away directly. Likely, when they learned that Lu Yun had always been at the academy, they were filled with doubt and suspicion. But all their fury, suspicion, even their disdain and schemes, must have turned into panic the moment they saw her entering and leaving that noble residence as if it were her own home.

Madam Ping must be afraid of her now!

Yet Lu Ying had no inkling that another tough battle awaited her the next day.

After promising Aqing that she would interact more with Madam Ping in the future, Lu Ying saw her off. As soon as Aqing left, Lu Yun approached his sister with a complicated expression and asked, “Sister, why did they give you gold?”

Lu Ying turned to see her brother pursing his lips, his handsome face puffed up. She couldn’t help but reach out to ruffle his hair. Lu Yun blushed and batted her hand away, protesting, “Sister, I’m grown up now.” “Alright, you’re grown up,” Lu Ying said, hastily dropping her smile and adopting a solemn expression as her brother glared at her.

After recounting the events of the day, she sighed and said, “It was all forced upon me. With no other options, I had no choice but to visit Yiyuan once more.”

In this moment, Lu Ying set aside the composure she had shown during the day. Sitting on the couch with her brows furrowed, she took several sips of wine before speaking in a low voice, “Ayun, honestly, Madam Ping is now a phoenix who has lost her wings. Perhaps, since I’d already made my move last time, I should have seen it through to the end.”

Yes, she hadn’t been ruthless enough. To cast over a hundred people from their lofty positions to nothing—that, she couldn’t quite bear. She had thought that if Madam Ping no longer acted against her, she would let them go.

Thinking of this, Lu Ying sighed again. Closing her eyes, she murmured, “Ayun, do you think I should take revenge on Madam Ping?”

Lu Yun gritted his teeth. “Of course they deserve a lesson!” He looked up, his eyes bright with admiration as he gazed at his sister and asked in a hushed voice, “Sister, do you have a plan?”

Lu Ying replied with a quiet “Mm,” and said, “We must proceed gradually.”

At these words, Lu Yun’s eyes shone brilliantly. He looked up to his sister as if she were a towering tree, capable of withstanding all the world’s storms.

After a little more talk, the siblings went to sleep.

The night passed dreamlessly.

The next day, less than an hour after Lu Yun left, the gates of the Lu residence were knocked upon once more.

Had Madam Ping sent someone again?

Lu Ying’s brows knitted as she strode over.

With a creak, she opened the door. The moment she saw the man standing outside, her eyes narrowed sharply.

Standing there was a young man in black, whom she had met once before. His dignified face and steady posture gave an impression of unshakeable composure.

Seeing Lu Ying, he lowered his head and bowed. Then, slowly, he said, “Madam Lu. My master asked me to tell you that he heard everything you said. Since you have the intention, he will let you call a carriage yourself and enter Yiyuan through the side gate. He also said that he might grant you a title.”

He might grant her a title!

He was telling her to summon her own carriage, to enter through the side gate, and then, if he was in the mood, maybe he’d give her a name and position!

Lu Ying thought that, for other women as lowly as herself, such words might seem ordinary.

But to her, it was nothing short of humiliation!

Lu Ying’s face darkened, her lips pressed tightly together as she stared silently at the young man.

The young man kept his head lowered, avoiding her gaze, his face expressionless, simply waiting for her reply.

No one knew how long had passed before Lu Ying finally sneered, “Even if I had such intentions, I would never rush to be someone’s concubine!” Lifting her chin, she continued in a furious undertone, “Report to your master: Yan Lang may be noble, but he is nothing special.”

With these words, she added coldly, “Wait here.”

She turned, entered the house, and came back with several wooden boxes that Aqing had delivered the previous day. Without a second thought, she shoved them into the young man’s arms, saying icily, “Tell your master, here are three hundred gold pieces. I once borrowed his name; perhaps this sum is nothing to him. Still, to sit and receive three hundred gold for nothing is a blessing, is it not? If he still feels it’s not enough, should I ever attain wealth and power, I will owe him a favor.”

The young man’s head snapped up, staring at Lu Ying in disbelief.

He couldn’t believe that, one day, he would hear a woman dare speak to his master in such a way!

His Adam’s apple bobbed several times before he finally sighed, “So, Madam Lu, you say if you ever gain wealth and status, you’ll return the favor?” For some reason, he felt a sudden urge to laugh.

And, in fact, he did laugh. His eyes bent in amusement, and he decided not to persuade Lu Ying any further. He nodded, “Very well, I will convey your words exactly to my master.”

Soon, the young man returned to Yiyuan.

His master had just finished dealing with some affairs and was sitting in the study, his expression stern. The scent of sandalwood lingering in the air and the gentle sound of calming zither music relieved some of the tension on his face.

Seeing this, the young man could hardly wait to enter.

…He found it odd himself; after all, Lu Ying’s words had been extremely harsh, yet he had always felt a certain fondness for her. Why, then, was he so eager to report back?

Striding up to his master, the young man bowed his head.

The nobleman glanced at him and asked indifferently, “How did she reply?” As he spoke, he leaned back in his chair, adopting a relaxed posture, clearly enjoying the anticipation of Lu Ying’s response.

Just as expected.

The young man coughed and, slowly, began, “I delivered your message to Madam Lu. She was very angry—her face turned completely dark.”

“Oh?” The nobleman’s mood lifted. He leaned forward with a smile. “How exactly did she show her anger?”

The young man pinched his throat and, mimicking Lu Ying’s tone, said sharply, “…‘Even if I had such intentions, I would never rush to be someone’s concubine!’”

It had to be said, the young man was quite skilled. His imitation of Lu Ying’s demeanor and tone was spot-on.

The nobleman’s lips curved upwards as he nodded. “I knew she’d answer like that.” After a moment, he stroked his chin and said to a beauty at his side, “Bring me a bronze mirror.”

“Yes, sir.”

A bronze mirror was set before him. Examining his reflection, the nobleman stroked his chin and, in a tone of humility, asked, “Tell me, why would someone so cautious act so brazenly before me, so recklessly?”

This had always puzzled him, and those around him, too.

After pondering for a while, he turned back. “Go on.”

“Yes, sir.”

The young man continued. “After saying that, Madam Lu lifted her chin and arrogantly declared, ‘Report to your master: Yan Lang may be noble, but he is nothing special!’”

The nobleman was not angered. In fact, he found that, even if only pretending, he could never truly be angry at Lu Ying’s boldness.

Frowning, he asked, quite humbly, “Why did she say ‘Yan Lang may be noble’? I’m not surnamed Yan.”

The young man answered straightforwardly, “I have no idea either.”

But in the corner, another advisor offered tentatively, “Perhaps, when she said ‘Yan Lang,’ she meant that Master’s looks are exceptional?”

At these words, the young man at the nobleman’s side twitched his lips.

The nobleman’s face darkened.

After a moment’s thought, he realized it might very well be the case.

So, even now, that Lu Ying couldn’t help but tease him?

Lounging back lazily, the nobleman said, “Continue.” “Yes, sir.”

The young man stepped forward, placed the wooden boxes before the nobleman, opened them one by one, and continued, “After Madam Lu gave me these, she coldly said, ‘Tell your master, here are three hundred gold pieces. I once borrowed his name; perhaps this sum is nothing to him. Still, to sit and receive three hundred gold for nothing is a blessing, is it not? If he still feels it’s not enough, should I ever attain wealth and power, I will owe him a favor.’”

Again, silence fell.

After a long pause, the nobleman stroked his chin and asked, “In your opinion, given my status, is receiving three hundred gold for nothing a blessing?”

The young man pondered, suppressing a laugh, and replied, “In Madam Lu’s eyes, perhaps it is.” Though, in truth, such an amount wasn’t even enough for his master to spare on a beggar.

The nobleman considered this, nodded his agreement, and asked, “By the way, she said if she ever gains wealth and power… Besides me, who else in this world could bestow her such fortune? Where does her confidence come from?”

The young man shook his head, barely holding back a smile. “I don’t know, my lord.”

“Very well.” The nobleman nodded. “Go and bring her here. Discreetly—after all, she doesn’t want others to know, does she?”

“Yes, sir.”

Watching the young man depart, the nobleman, who had been so tense moments before, found himself in an excellent mood. With a smile, he waved his hand, summoned a few beauties to play the zither, and happily began to drink.

After a few sips, he suddenly sighed and turned to a beauty beside him. “Tell me, am I perhaps too easy to bully?” Otherwise, how could a young woman have the upper hand over him so thoroughly?

The beauty, startled by such a question, immediately prostrated herself, trembling and knocking her head on the floor, unable to utter a word.

What a killjoy! The nobleman dismissed her with a wave, releasing the terrified beauty, and then strolled out of the study.