She had put so much effort into it, but this cousin from a good family was about to die...
Luo Lingyu unconsciously raised her eyes and met Lu Xian who was looking down at her. Lu Xian was startled and gave her a kind and encouraging smile. The second cousin had a clear face and didn't have many thoughts. In fact,... Just as she was thinking this, a maid suddenly announced from outside: "The eldest lady is here!"
The men and women playing in the room were all startled and stood up at the same time. They saw the bamboo curtain open, and a woman in a long dress with a lapel and tight sleeves came in with a frown, surrounded by maids. Her clothes were dark in color, just like the solemn and dignified impression she gave people. The eldest lady of the Lu family came, and the relaxed atmosphere in the room suddenly disappeared.
Luo Lingyu stood beside the chessboard and saw her second cousin coming over in surprise: "Mother, why are you here?"
When everyone saluted Mrs. Lu, they were all surprised, because they knew that the eldest lady of the Lu family did not like these things and usually would not come to play at a small banquet like theirs. Luo Yunhua stood next to her sister like a little adult, standing on tiptoes, and she pulled Luo Lingyu's sleeve: "Sister, look!"
Luo Lingyu followed her sister's little finger and saw a child of about eight or nine years old following the eldest lady with his head down and a sad look on his face. The child looked up pitifully and peeked around. Suddenly he saw the Luo sisters, and the young man showed an anxious expression.
Luo Lingyu: "You were sick a few days ago and didn't recognize him. This young man is Lu Silang Lu Chang. He should call you 'cousin'."
Luo Yunhua snorted, "Look at him... Sister, is he going to cause trouble?"
While Luo Lingyu was lost in thought, Mrs. Lu had been invited to the seat of honor by the attentive daughter of the Wang family. She poured a cup of tea for Mrs. Lu, but she refused to take it. She glanced coldly at the men and women around her, and when her eyes fell on Luo Lingyu, who was standing in the corner and couldn't suppress her lust, she kept her eyes on her for two breaths before moving away.
Luo Lingyu's heart skipped a beat.
Mrs. Lu said calmly, "The teacher said that you have not been doing well in your studies recently. When I asked about them, all of you were not in the yard and had gone out to play. So I had no choice but to chase you and ask about your studies one by one. Lu Yao, bring us all the homework for our sons this month."
All the men were stunned: "...!"
Lu Xian frowned: "Mother, what are you doing? You can't ask about homework later..."
Mrs. Lu: "Shut up! Since Madam Luo came, your academic performance has been so poor, don't you know?"
The gentlemen lowered their heads, and the cousins were silent. The atmosphere was heavy, and Mrs. Lu really sat in the upper seat, had the wine and food on the table cleared away, and the thick silk and paper were moved over. The red-ink comments of the academy teachers were all on them, and starting with Erlang Lu Xian, Mrs. Lu questioned them one by one...
Mrs. Lu suddenly said, "Mrs. Luo, come here and help me grind the ink."
Being secretly stared at by all the men and women, Luo Lingyu blushed when she was suddenly named by Mrs. Lu. This kind of humiliation was no less than a public execution. Mrs. Lu didn't even glance at her, as if she was blaming the poor academic performance of the Lu family's young men on her.
The cousins were busy with their own affairs, but when they found that Luo Lingyu seemed to be supporting them, they breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time they secretly glanced at Luo Lingyu: Would this cousin be so angry that she would walk away?
Luo Lingyu looked normal. She whispered a few words to her sister who was frowning with dissatisfaction. Luo Yunhuan looked up at her sister and nodded. Luo Yunhuan was so small and beautiful. She walked away from her sister and walked past Lu Silang and Lu Chang who were slumped at the door. The young lady snorted and stepped heavily on the young man.
Young Master Lu Chang covered his mouth to endure the pain, and when he looked over in surprise, the young lady rolled her eyes at him.
Lu Silang was confused: "..."
Who is this little sister whom he has never seen before and who stepped on his foot?
No one was there to stop Luo Yunhuan, so she ran out of the yard. Luo Lingyu knelt down and sat below Madam Lu, grinding ink as an assistant while Madam Lu scolded the men about their studies.
Mrs. Lu didn't even give face to her own son, Lu Erlang, and scolded Lu Xian until his face was bruised and white. Other young men were even less likely to be spared. But she said the Lu family's young men on the surface, but implicitly she meant that Luo Lingyu led them to play and made the young men change their nature. If you bring women out from time to time, you should stay at home, learn women's work and how to feed them, and don't run around...
The cousins blushed.
Mrs. Han, who had been planning to go home tomorrow, was in tears: How could Mrs. Lu say that to them! Mrs. Lu herself liked to stay at home and not go out, so she wanted them to do the same?
The Wang family daughter, who was originally the host of the banquet, hesitated to speak: This banquet was originally hers...
When Wang was about to speak, her eyes met Luo Lingyu's. The Luo, who was sitting below Mrs. Lu, shook her head slightly, signaling her not to say more. Wang was upset and could only listen to Mrs. Lu's insinuations.
The cousins looked gloomy and thought: I will say goodbye and go back to my own home tomorrow and will not come to the Lu family again in the short term.
However, they have a home to return to, but Luo Lingyu has no other choice.
Mrs. Lu cursed until her mouth was dry, and called out again: "Madam Luo, am I right? They only know how to play all day long, not study, and have no ambition to make progress. They play around in the mansions, and are distracted by women and have changed their nature. Is this what gentlemen should do?"
Luo Lingyu slowly raised her head.
Everyone looked at her.
Luo Lingyu said calmly and softly: "Madam, you want to hear something from me. Can we move it to the account?"
Mrs. Lu: "Why? Why didn't the public say anything?"
Luo Lingyu lowered her eyes and said in a gentle tone, neither servile nor arrogant: "For Madam's own face."
Mrs. Lu: “…”
Her eyes narrowed, her forehead trembled, and she looked at this cousin with some doubt. After her expression changed several times, Mrs. Lu nodded, stood up, and went into the account with Luo Lingyu. Around, the people who were scolded and couldn't raise their heads all breathed a sigh of relief.
…
In the second room's "Qingyuan".
The two gentlemen sitting on the couch and playing chess under the plum blossom tent are Lu Yun and Liu Chu.
The lights popped and a flash of fire appeared. Lu Yun turned his head and saw the maid Jinyue anxiously winking at him outside the window. Jinyue gestured and pointed outside the courtyard: There really is something wrong over there!