Chapter 7

Lu Qi Huai was taken aback by what he heard. He raised his face to look at Shen Wei, murmuring, “Mother?”

He appeared genuinely confused about her intentions.

Shen Wei didn’t say anything as she looked at him. She lifted the lid of her teacup. The tea was brewed by Mo Qi earlier, and as soon as the lid was lifted, a wave of steam rose, creating a slight mist before her eyes. She held the teacup but didn’t drink. Instead, she absentmindedly brushed the tea foam on the surface with the lid, her gaze fixed on Lu Qi Huai.

After about a quarter of an hour—

Lu Qi Huai seemed to have thought it over seriously. He then softly replied, “I shouldn’t have argued with my cousins…” Seeing Shen Wei’s expression darken further, he quickly added, “I shouldn’t have upset you, Mother.”

Shen Wei listened carefully to these words, and seriously observed Lu Qihuai.

Given Lu Qihuai’s future cunning and tactics, she feared that he might be pretending more now. However, remembering how he was besieged and couldn’t even fight back earlier, Shen Wei suppressed her discomfort and said, “Regardless of your past, you are now the eldest son of the Lu family. Today, you allowed others to humiliate you like this. Have you thought about what your future will be like?”

After saying this, she softened her tone when she saw Lu Qihuai’s pale face, “Others will only think you are easy to bully. In the future, whether it’s the masters above or the servants below, no one will take you seriously. Over time, whether in the Lu family or in Bianliang City, everyone will consider you weak and easily bullied. Do you realize what your situation will be then?”

Lu Qihuai quietly listened, and by the time Shen Wei finished speaking, his face was full of guilt.

He said nothing, but after respectfully bowing to Shen Wei, he spoke, “Thank you for your teaching, mother. I realize my mistake.”

“I’m not doing this just for you. No matter what, you call me mother now…”

Shen Wei’s voice was calm. After speaking, she sipped her tea. Once the aroma of the tea filled her senses, she placed the tea cup aside, then held a handkerchief on her knee, and continued, “Remember, people of the Lu family are not to be bullied. If anyone dares to bully or humiliate you in the future, you must retaliate a hundred or a thousand times over.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Qihuai was taken aback and looked up at the woman before him.

The window was half-open, and sunlight streamed through the courtyard trees into the room. The woman was mostly bathed in this sunlight… Her appearance was serene, her eyebrows relaxed, and her demeanor calm and peaceful, yet the words she spoke were extremely ruthless.

He had never seen a woman speak so calmly about retaliating a hundred or a thousand times if bullied or humiliated.

For the first time, Lu Qihuai seriously examined her. When he entered the mansion, the servants had briefed him on the personalities and behavior of the Lu family members. According to what he knew, Shen Wei, despite managing the household, had little skill.

Such words could not have come from Shen Wei.

Who exactly was she?

—-

In the West Courtyard.

Recently, Lu Buyang had been promoted in the court, and Mrs. Wang was naturally feeling quite elated.

If it weren’t for Lu Buyang’s recent death and the family’s prohibition against celebrating, she might have already invited the wives of aristocrats over for tea and conversation.

Even though she couldn’t hold a celebration, she didn’t want to feel deprived. She had just ordered someone to fetch a few pots of exquisite orchids, rare varieties recently delivered from outside, and very valuable… Mrs. Wang, who typically couldn’t appreciate them, now had them displayed in her room just to please herself.

Her maidservant, Anxiang, was peeling a tangerine for her while saying softly, “Madam, you took a lot of things from the storeroom this time. If the lady of the East Courtyard finds out…”

Mrs. Wang raised an eyebrow, dismissing it, “So what if she knows? Our second master is now the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. If outsiders can’t come into the mansion to celebrate, does that mean I can’t take some good things to make myself happy?” She finished eating a segment of the tangerine and continued, “I hope she does come to argue with me. It would show our old lady just how petty her chosen daughter-in-law really is.”

Mrs. Wang had long disliked Shen Wei. Whether by age or by skill, the household management should not have been her responsibility.

But she was fortunate, married to Lu Buyang, and doted on by the old lady since childhood. As soon as she entered the mansion, the household management was handed over to her.

Thinking of this made Mrs. Wang even more upset, reducing her good mood. She tossed the tangerine back onto the plate and said coldly, “This tangerine is too sour. Tell someone from the storeroom to pick out some better ones. How dare they send me such inferior stuff?”

Anxiang didn’t dare delay, hurriedly acknowledging, and was about to leave when a maid rushed in through the curtains.

Already upset, Mrs. Wang’s face darkened further at this lack of decorum. But before she could say anything, the maid knelt down and urgently exclaimed, “Madam, the Second and Third Young Masters have been punished by the Lady of the House.”

“What?”

Mrs. Wang’s expression changed. She braced herself on the table and stood up, immediately asking, “What happened? Why were they punished?”

The maid, not daring to delay, recounted the earlier incident in detail, then added, “Now, the Second Young Master is confined to his room, copying the family rules, and the Third Young Master was taken by Madam Zheng to kneel in the ancestral hall. The servants were also taken to Shenhui Courtyard. And… and…”

She hesitated.

Mrs. Wang noticed and asked, “And what?”

“And…”

The maid lowered her head and spoke more softly, “The Old Madam has ordered all the servants to witness the punishment so that there won’t be such disrespect in the future.” She emphasized the last four words.

Although she spoke softly, Mrs. Wang heard her clearly.

Her face turned pale, and she took a few steps back, supported by Anxiang. Once steady, she gritted her teeth and said, “Disrespect? She’s not warning the servants but us.”

“The Old Madam claims not to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children, but she knows very well what she’s doing. And yet, our Second Master regards her as a mother, while she…”

These words were indeed too treasonous.

An Xiang hurriedly dismissed the maids, then gently advised, “Madam, you must not speak such words carelessly. Second Master is most filial to the Old Madam, and if he hears this, he will certainly quarrel with you.” After saying this, she lowered her voice and asked, “Madam, now that Second Young Master and Third Young Master are both punished, what should we do?”

“What can we do?”

Madam Wang replied irritably, “She’s already given her orders, what else can I say? But…” She paused for a moment before continuing, “What’s going on with the one from the East Courtyard lately? Not crying or making a fuss, and even rushing to help that illegitimate child?”

Hearing this, An Xiang replied, “Perhaps the First Madam knows she won’t have support in the future and is trying to hold on to the Eldest Young Master to avoid a bitter and lonely fate.”

Madam Wang pondered these words for a long time before speaking again, “I really underestimated her…” Then she added coldly, “When the Second Master returns from the yamen, you personally go and wait for him. Tell him I have something to discuss with him.”

Although An Xiang did not know what she intended to do, she respectfully agreed

—-

Evening.

Shen Wei leaned against a soft couch, listening to Mo Qi’s quiet report. She responded indifferently, “It’s just a few pots of flowers, let her be.”

Mo Qi, seeing her reaction, uncharacteristically did not agree immediately. She continued in a low voice, “Madam, it’s not just about a few pots of flowers. Each master’s monthly allocation is fixed. Lately, the Second Madam has been frequently sending people to pick out good things and deliver them to her. If it weren’t for me happening to see it today, how would we know that the steward of the accounts office is also secretly complying with her?”

“Moreover…”

She glanced at Shen Wei before biting her lip and continuing, “Those orchid pots were personally selected for you by the Duke when he was still alive. Regardless of their value, the sentiment alone… shouldn’t be ruined by the one from the West Courtyard.”

“And as for the steward of the accounts office, you’ve always treated him well. Who would have thought he could do such a thing? You can’t let them continue their reckless actions.”

Hearing these words, Shen Wei paused in turning the page of her book. The original owner indeed loved these flowers and plants, especially rare species. If she remembered correctly, the original owner had even had a special room built to house these plants. The varieties inside might even surpass those in the Imperial Garden.

Rare species are already difficult to cultivate…

Lu Bu Wei had really gone to great lengths for the original owner’s love of these plants.

Thinking of this, Shen Wei spoke, “Alright, I understand the matter now.” She didn’t say anything more.

Seeing this, Mo Qi couldn’t help but call out again, “Madam…”

“I already have a plan in mind, you don’t need to say more. As for the steward of the accounts office…” Shen Wei said as she turned another page, “I will handle it.”

Author’s Note: Shen Wei: Realized your mistake?

Lu Qi Huai (nodding sincerely): Realized my mistake.

Shen Wei (in a manner of teaching a promising child): Do you know what to do next time?

Lu Qi Huai: … Hundreds of words omitted of cruel punishment (then looking at Shen Wei with concern): What’s wrong with Mother?

Shen Wei (ventriloquizing in a headache): … Why did I naively think this black-hearted sesame stuffing would be bullied by others?