Chapter 85: Three Birds with One Arrow

Faced with the scolding from Mrs. Lu, Xiao Chen cried, begged, and threw tantrums, claiming she was deceived into marrying into the Lu family by Mrs. Lu and her parents. She argued that she shouldn’t have been left alone in the Lu household, especially since Lu Fangrong, preoccupied with thoughts of lady He, had a child with a concubine and ignored her completely, not even writing her a letter or providing any financial support. She even threatened to report the matter to the authorities, stating that the Lu family already had two sinner, the first Second Madam and now the second Second Madam who allegedly stole her stepdaughter’s property deed, declaring that she didn’t want to live anymore.

Xiao Chen’s audacity stemmed from her belief that Mrs. Lu and Lu Fangming, for the sake of their reputation, wouldn’t dare expose the situation. It was common for stepmothers to take advantage of orphaned girls, and she felt justified in her actions. She believed that even if Lu Fangrong discovered the truth, he wouldn’t act against her. Renhe Hall belonged to the criminal He Huang, and any scandal could lead to confiscation by the authorities, jeopardizing the brothers’ careers.

Mrs. Lu dared not escalate the issue or even inform her second son. In her eyes, Xiao Chen was more beloved than He  Mingzhu.

She not only shielded Xiao Chen but also instructed Mama Wang that money was trivial, and the most crucial thing was for Lu Man to grow up safe and sound. When Lu Man got married, she would oversee the substantial dowry for her. She even used Lu Man as leverage, forbidding Mama Wang from speaking to anyone, including Lu Fangrong.

To silence the main branch, she allocated two hundred acres of the five hundred acres gifted by lady He to the main family branch and likely provided them with money privately.

Mama Wang wept sorrowfully, “I’m terrified. The Second Miss has no mother, her father is far away, and if her grandmother causes trouble, she might not survive. That year, when Bao Qin and the Master returned for a break, she had already birthed two sons. I thought that with Bao Qin’s support, she would ask the Master to take the Miss to Wucheng, break free from Xiao Chen’s control, and retrieve Renhe Hall for her. While Bao Qin agreed to this plan, she frightened the Miss behind her back, claiming the Master had a bad temper and threatened violence. She portrayed Wucheng as a place of savagery, scaring the Miss… I failed the Second Madam and the Miss by not protecting Renhe Hall for her.”

Lu Man also remembered an incident when she was six years old, when Lu Fangrong returned with his concubine and their two sons, three-year-old Lu Chang and one-year-old Lu Fang, for a holiday.

After Bao Qin gave birth to two sons, she gained both Lu Fangrong’s favor and Mrs. Lu’s approval. Lu Man, already upset with her father’s neglect, was further deterred from getting close to Lu Fangrong after hearing Bao Qin’s words…

Lu Man’s chest ached with anger. Xiao Chen’s scheme to seduce the original Lu Man through Chen Fei was a multi-faceted approach. Whether it was catching them in the act, getting Lu Man pregnant, or even pushing her to suicide, Xiao Chen hoped for the worst outcome. Alternatively, if Lu Man didn’t take her own life, she planned to have her become Chen Fei’s concubine, creating a diluted version of the original Renhe Hall mistress without any complaints. Moreover, if Lu Fangrong found out, he wouldn’t dare act against Xiao Chen while Lu Man was at the Chen household.

Damn, these people were truly despicable.

Lu Man recounted to Mama Wang how Mrs. Xiao Chen brought Chen Fei into the Lu household earlier this year, leading to inappropriate interactions between the original Lu Man, herself, and Chen Fei. She also mentioned the incident where she (the original Lu Man) heard, Xiao Chen and Chen Fei’s conversation, felt hopeless and sought revenge by hanging herself in the bridal chamber…

Upon hearing this, Mama Wang cried even harder, expressing both sympathy for Lu Man and strong condemnation for Xiao Chen’s lack of morals and Bao Qin’s betrayal…

Lu Man advised, “Mama Wang, don’t be too upset. I’ve learned my lesson after going through a near-death experience. I’ll keep track of all these wrongdoings and settle the scores with Xiao Chen when the time is right…”

Mama Wang, furious, said, “That little harlot Hong Ling is still here? I’ll go kill her tomorrow.”

Lu Man intervened, “She’s bedridden, let’s ignore her for now. Once we deal with Xiao Chen, she won’t have it easy either.”

Remembering the fake property deed, Lu Man inquired, “What about the fake deed? Having evidence on hand would be beneficial for exposing them.”

Mama Wang replied, “I gave that fake deed to Manager Li. Later, Mrs. Lu asked for it, but I told her I knew it was fake, so I disposed of it.”

Seemingly, Manager Li was quite cunning to have taken the evidence away.

Lu Man hinted that her relationship with Jiang Zhanwei was contractual, with Jiang Zhanwei aiming for success before parting ways. Some at the Princess Changting’s residence were also reluctant to have her stay long-term. Naturally, she didn’t want to stay with Jiang Zhanwei either. When the old Marquis woke up, it might be time for her to leave the residence.

Upon hearing this, Mama Wang began crying again. Initially, she was pleased that Lu Man had found support and married into a seemingly good family. However, it turned out to be nothing but a facade, as once the old Marquis woke up, Lu Man would be cast out of the residence.

She wept, “Oh dear, how will the Miss survive being driven out of the residence? Since the Second Madam was divorced, we still don’t know if she’s alive or not…”

Lu Man hurried to console her, “Mama Wang, please don’t be upset. I will survive and thrive. The Princess Changting’s residence won’t dismiss me for reputational reasons; at most, I might have to leave the residence. Moreover, the Princess is kind to me and may not want me to go. However, my maternal family offended the Empress. Besides Jiang Zhanwei, others in the residence may also want me gone. In truth, I don’t want to stay as Jiang Zhanwei’s wife. I have some money, medical skills, and once we reclaim Renhe Hall, we can open a clinic. We can have Manager Li as the manager and hire a few physicians.”

“Miss, you have medical skills?” Mama Wang was astonished, ceasing her tears.

Lu Man chuckled, “I have a photographic memory and have memorized many medical texts. I’ve also learned from imperial physicians, diagnosing and treating a woman who couldn’t conceive, and now she’s pregnant… Besides, you should have noticed, even if a woman is virtuous, without a man’s or in-law’s favor, she won’t win their hearts. My mother is a prime example. Rather than relying on others, it’s better to rely on oneself and make the best of life…”

Mama Wang nodded in agreement. She knew well how He Mingzhu treated Lu Fangrong and the Lu family, but how did the Lu family treat her? Lu Man’s words resonated – self-reliance was crucial. Yet, for a woman without support, life was undeniably challenging…

As the night grew late, Mama Wang’s sobs gradually softened, but Lu Man tossed and turned, unable to sleep – seething with anger.