Chapter 4: Daughter

After leaving the house where the old madam lived, Third Young Master Lu did not rush back to his own courtyard. Instead, he first went to see his birth mother, Concubine Qian.

Inside the room, Concubine Qian affectionately called her son over and asked, “Well? Did you bring up the matter of separating the household?”

She had been obsessed with the idea of splitting the family ever since she gave birth to her son but failed to win the master’s favor.

The hierarchy in the Lu family was clearly defined. At the top were the old master and old madam. Below them were the legitimate sons and daughters, the true masters of the household. In this hierarchy, Concubine Qian and her son were stuck in an awkward position—neither true masters nor mere servants.

Her son was at least a young master, a man. If he found things intolerable, he could leave the house and take a walk to ease his frustration.

But where could she go?

As a concubine who had borne a son, she had nowhere to escape. For years, she had endured this half-master, half-servant existence in the Lu family. Now that the master had passed away and the old madam was sick and unable to manage things, her desire to separate and take control of her own household grew even stronger.

After being punished by the old madam again today, Concubine Qian was even more determined to split from the family.

However, upon hearing her words, Lu Ke’s expression darkened.

“Mother, please don’t bring up this matter of splitting the family anymore.”

Concubine Qian was stunned and asked, “What do you mean? Didn’t we agree on this? Even if the old madam doesn’t agree for now, at least mentioning it would set the groundwork, letting everyone be mentally prepared. Why are you backing out now?”

Lu Ke sat down inside and gestured for the maid to serve tea.

After the maid poured tea, he picked up his cup and said, “That’s exactly why I came. I was planning to bring it up with Grandmother, but before I could even mention it, she spoke first. She said she kept hearing rumors that you were instigating me to separate from the family and asked me if it was true.”

Hearing this, Concubine Qian clutched her handkerchief tightly.

Her son continued, “When she asked me that, how could I possibly admit it was true? I had to deny it, saying that Mother never said such a thing, and that it must have been others spreading lies to sow discord.”

Concubine Qian frowned. “How did she find out? We never openly talked about splitting the family, so how could she be so well-informed?”

Lu Ke crossed his legs and took a sip of tea. “The servants in this house are all sharp-eyed. Who wouldn’t notice? Besides, Mother, you’re not exactly subtle about it.”

“So she caught on first and turned the tables on us,” Concubine Qian sighed, feeling frustrated.

Lu Ke set his teacup down. “It wouldn’t have mattered much—it’s a fragile matter that would have broken sooner or later. But oddly enough, she suddenly started talking about how difficult things have been for my eldest brother these past two years. She painted such a picture that I felt utterly ashamed, as if wanting to separate the family made me unworthy as a person—disloyal to my brother, unfilial to my parents. With that kind of framing, what else could I say? I could only ask about Grandmother’s health a little and then leave quietly.”

Concubine Qian asked unwillingly, “So, does this mean we can’t separate now?” Would she have to keep bowing and scraping before Wen Ruyu?

Lu Ke, knowing his mother’s unwillingness, comforted her, “Only for now. Mother, just wait a little longer. Once I pass the imperial examination and become a ranked scholar, even if we don’t split the family, no one in this household would dare look down on you anymore. And if we still want to separate then, my words will carry more weight—it might even be easier.”

Hearing her son’s vision for the future, Concubine Qian’s frustration eased, and she began to look forward to it.

Yes, though she had to endure humiliation for now, her son was promising!

At just a teenage age, he was already a scholar. His next step would be the provincial exam, making him an imperial candidate!

What could Wen Ruyu do? Among her sons, the smartest one had abandoned scholarly pursuits for business. The other two were free-spirited and only interested in indulging in pleasures.

Although Wen Ruyu’s youngest son was also a student with a sharp mind, his frivolous nature meant he would likely bring disaster upon the family if he ever became an official. Compared to him, her own son was truly outstanding—filial, capable, and well-behaved.

Having indulged in the future her son painted, Concubine Qian no longer pressed the matter of splitting the family.

As mother and son chatted, it was soon mealtime.

Just as they were about to go to the dining hall, they heard someone outside shouting, “The eldest young master has returned!”

Wen Ruyu had already received word in her room. Since she was feeling much better now, and since her eldest son was returning, she had to show some formality. She stood up and ordered the maids to help her change.

Just as she was about to dress, a maid named Fen’er entered and reported that her eldest daughter-in-law, Zhao Shi, had arrived.

Wen Ruyu knew she was here to deliver the good news and instructed the servants to invite her in. After finishing dressing, she went out to meet her daughter-in-law.

Zhao Shi was a straightforward and diligent woman from a scholarly family. Her father was a tongsheng (a lower-level scholar), and she herself was literate and skilled in managing household accounts.

Now, she oversaw the household affairs and was exceptionally filial to Wen Ruyu.

To Wen Ruyu, any child who provided her with money was considered filial. By this measure, Zhao Shi ranked quite high.

Upon entering, Zhao Shi greeted her with a smile. “Congratulations, Old Madam! The eldest young master has returned!”

“You must be happy too.” Wen Ruyu smiled faintly in response, then asked, “Has Song’er disembarked yet, or has he arrived home already? Did you send someone to receive him?”

Seeing that Wen Ruyu looked much healthier, Zhao Shi was relieved but still cautious. She stepped forward to support her mother-in-law to a seat before replying, “I just sent someone to meet him. His belongings will be handled by the servants, but we had him brought straight home first. Old Madam, don’t worry. The eldest young master should be off the dock by now. He will arrive home in less than half an hour. You should rest for now—your health has only just started improving.”

Hearing this, Wen Ruyu was satisfied. She then instructed the kitchen to prepare a feast to welcome her son home.

Meanwhile, at the dock, Lu Songnian was helped off the boat by the family servants.

It was winter, and even with a coal stove burning inside the boat, the nights were still freezing.

Fearing that the river would freeze over and make travel difficult, Lu Songnian had hurried back despite his exhaustion.

The Lu family steward greeted him respectfully and led him to a carriage.

Lu Songnian asked, “How is everything at home?”

“Everything is fine, except that the old madam was unwell for a while. She has recovered now and is waiting for you to return and take charge.”

“Mother was sick?”

Lu Songnian was always filial. Hearing this, he grew anxious.

“She’s much better now,” the steward reassured him.

With that, Lu Songnian disregarded his luggage, leaving only his trusted servant, Zhao Xi, to manage it while he hurried home.