Chapter 105: Transformation

Bao Qin thought to herself that if Lu Man were to die, the truth about how Renhe Hall ended up in Mrs. Xiao Chen’s hands would remain unknown to others. Even if Master Lu Fanrong had suspicions in the future, for the sake of their two sons’ careers and her two outstanding sons, he wouldn’t dare bring this matter to light. At most, he would deal with Mrs. Xiao Chen, who had gained benefits from the situation…

What was even more despicable was that foolish woman had sold out the Wang family for a small sum of money! If the deal was close, she would spare no expense to eliminate the entire family. If it was far, they would have no chance to return to the capital. Still, she couldn’t help but worry, after all, only the dead could keep secrets.

Bao Qin was terrified when she saw Lu Man today. Having survived, Lu Man was no longer the silly chubby girl she once was. Marrying into the Princess Changting’s mansion, even if it was for the wedding night, it seemed she had won the affection of her in-laws. Moreover, she bore a strong resemblance to the girl she had served for nearly ten years, but their characters were quite different… Could the truth about that incident remain hidden from her, even if Master Lu Fangrong was kept in the dark?

Bao Qin’s heart raced, filled with fear to the point where her body trembled slightly.

Lu Fangming chuckled, “Man is the first daughter to be married off from our family. Her first return home is a joyous occasion for the Lu family.” He then turned to Lu Man and said, “Man, your natal family will always be your roots and your reliance. Your siblings miss you, and you should be closer to them in the future.”

Relying on her roots? Lu Fangming was certainly good at speaking nonsense with his eyes wide open.

Ignoring him, Lu Man smiled at Lu Yu, who was sitting beside her, and said, “Elder sister, I have brought you a gift.”

Lu Ying handed over a brocade box, which Lu Man accepted and said, “This was a gift from Princess Changting, and now I present it to you, elder sister. Thank you for your past guidance, even though I was foolish and didn’t listen. If I had, I wouldn’t have gained such a bad reputation or made such a misstep.”

This remark hit a nerve with Mrs. Xiao Chen, who retorted, “Man, why would you say such things?” Due to Lu Man’s drastic transformation, she didn’t dare speak as boldly as before.

Ignoring Mrs. Xiao Chen, Lu Man retrieved a hairpin from the brocade box. It was a red gold hairpin in the shape of a lotus leaf, inlaid with a ruby in the center, and exquisitely crafted.

Lu Yu took the hairpin with wide eyes, expressing her surprise, “Second sister, is this gift for me? Oh my, it’s so beautiful and delicate.”

Although the young girl’s heart wasn’t wicked, she had inherited the Lu family’s traits, showing a shallow depth of understanding.

Lu Man replied, “This was crafted by the Internal Affairs Department and was a gift from Princess Changting, so it’s naturally exquisite.”

The jewelry crafted by the Internal Affairs Department was so exquisite that even with money, it couldn’t be purchased.

Lu Fangming and the Old Lady were delighted. When a daughter got married with such a piece of jewelry to wear to her in-laws, it was indeed an honor.

Lu Yuan, standing beside Lu Man, looked at her with teary eyes. She grabbed Lu Man’s sleeve and said, “Second sister, we are full siblings from the same father…”

Implicitly suggesting that since her cousin had given such a nice gift, as her blood sister, she should give an even better one?

Lu Yuan, just as greedy and shameless as Mrs. Xiao Chen, had the nerve to say such a thing.

Lu Man pulled back her sleeve, showing almost no warmth to Lu Yuan, and said, “Third sister, you and your mother have caused me so much trouble in the past, leading to numerous slanderous accusations. Even if I were foolish, I wouldn’t…”

Lu Fangrong was infuriated by his money-hungry daughter’s behavior. It was all due to Mrs. Xiao Chen’s foolishness that her daughter had turned out this way. Especially after hearing the implications in Lu Man’s words, he was certain that this mother-daughter duo had caused Lu Man a lot of harm in the past. Seeing Mrs. Xiao Chen and her daughter, he felt even more appreciative of Bao Qin. Despite being a concubine, she was still from the He family, had manners, and had raised his sons so well.

Seeing the distress on Lu Man’s face, he knew he had to endure his daughter’s grievances for a while. National affairs were a priority, and he needed to handle military matters first before addressing family issues. If Mrs. Xiao Chen had truly mistreated her daughter intentionally, which also related to Chen Fei’s matters and led to her daughter’s suicide, he wouldn’t spare this wicked woman. By ensuring this, the days of Bao Qin and her sons would be much better. He couldn’t let this wicked woman ruin his two sons.

With a stern expression, Lu Fangrong reprimanded Lu Yuan, “Yuan, you shouldn’t speak to your sister in that manner.”

Lu Yuan, particularly fearful of Lu Fangrong, remained silent when he scolded her, nervously playing with the handkerchief in her hands.

Mrs. Xiao Chen, fiercely protective of her daughter, interjected, “Fangrong, Yuan was only saying that she and Man are full siblings from the same father. She didn’t say anything else wrong.” Then she scolded Lu Man, “Man, why do you come back and cause chaos immediately, first challenging the grandmother and father, then involving your sister. Even if you climb to higher branches, you are still a woman of the Lu family.”

Lu Man’s expression darkened as she retorted, “Mrs. Xiao Chen, stop acting like an elder to me. You are not worthy!”

In ancient times, filial piety was highly valued. Despite their despicable behavior, Old Lady Lu and Lu Fangrong were still the grandmother and father of this body. Lu Man couldn’t openly defy them too much in public, as it would go against traditional values. However, Mrs. Xiao Chen, not only a stepmother but also responsible for numerous wrongdoings, had even earned disdain from feudal lords like Princess Changting. Naturally, Lu Man wouldn’t spare her any dignity.

Furious, Mrs. Xiao Chen, with red eyes, turned to the Old Lady and exclaimed, “Mother-in-law, even though I am a stepmother, I am still a mother. How can you allow your granddaughter to speak to me like this? You must intervene, or else how can I live with any dignity?”

Old Lady Lu had realized that Lu Man was no longer the same as before and understood that suppressing her as before was no longer feasible. She calmed down her initial anger, if she couldn’t suppress her, she had to get on her good side. Moreover, with the return of the second son, she couldn’t afford to upset him…

Observing that Mrs. XIao Chen failed to grasp the situation, Old Lady Lu inwardly cursed her foolishness. If it weren’t for the urgency to find a match for her son after divorcing He Mingzhu, she wouldn’t have rushed to marry this dim-witted niece.

She shot a glare at Mrs. Xiao Chen and said, “What nonsense! Eldest son is right. Man is a guest now, and our natal family must cherish her. She wasn’t disrespectful to this old lady earlier, she was just being playful with her grandmother.” Then she turned to Lu Man and added, “Man, don’t hold a grudge against your grandmother. She’s rough and has a temper. She was just too worried about you and upset that you don’t take care of yourself. That’s why she acted that way. Remember, before you got married, the old lady gave you a slap but didn’t stop you from entering the Princess Changting’s mansion. Otherwise, how could you have attained your current wealth and status? Your grandmother knows you love pig trotters, so she had the cook prepare them specially for you today.”