Chapter 68: Sowing Discord

Chapter 68: Sowing Discord

"Did you find out anything?"

Zhu Qing entered hastily, clearly having something to report.

Lin Yunwan, setting aside the book she was preparing for Lu Changgong, spoke first.

Zhu Qing shook her head, "The maids in Shou Hall are vigilant, and by the time I managed to get in, everyone had left, so I couldn’t hear much."

"However, I did overhear the Old Lady saying that Qing needs proper discipline."

Lin Yunwan, clutching the corner of the book, said, "It’s indeed time to properly discipline Qing."

He is now Ge Baor's only reliance.

Ge Baor is probably still hoping to turn her fate around with Qing's help!

Who knows, she might still be deluding herself about becoming the main mistress!

Zhu Qing sat down and asked, "Madam, don’t you find it strange? How long have Master Qing and — Ge Auntie known each other? Yet Master Qing listens to her so much."

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly, "What do you think is the reason?"

Zhu Qing shook her head.

She said, "Madam, not to flatter you, but Master Qing, if he is to be close to anyone, should be close to you."

"I really can't understand why he’s so close to Ge Auntie."

Lin Yunwan chose not to continue the conversation with Zhu Qing.

But Zhu Qing, perhaps having witnessed some unsavory relations between men and women, spoke with a mix of mystery and fear, "Madam, do you think Ge Auntie might be... Master Qing is only seven! Even if he needs a personal maid, it should only be after he turns ten."

Her speculation grew more outrageous.

Lin Yunwan said, "Stop guessing wildly. It's getting colder, and you've just returned to the mansion, you don’t have many clothes. I've recently received some new fabric, you can choose some for yourself."

"I also have an old cloak, which used to fit me well but doesn't anymore. You're more slender than I am, so it should suit you. It's almost new; if you don't mind, you can take it."

Zhu Qing smiled, "How could I mind when Madam is so kind to me? I can't thank you enough."

Peach Leaf brought out the cloak, saying with a smile, "Madam instructed us to wash it, iron it, and even scent it before giving it to you."

Zhu Qing received the cloak, made of very fine material with exquisite embroidery.

"I thank Madam."

She put it on immediately, and with Peach Leaf's help, fastened it. Then she went to the storeroom to select a few pieces of blue and turquoise fabric before returning to Yu Xing Pavilion.

Upon returning to Yu Xing Pavilion, she indeed found the "neighbor" had arrived.

The maid informed her, "Auntie, Ge Auntie has moved from the side courtyard."

Zhu Qing didn’t respond. She had no intention of showing kindness to Ge Baor and walked straight back into her room without any courtesy.

The maids serving in Yu Xing Pavilion were accustomed to attending only one mistress. With a new arrival, they still looked to the established mistress for cues.

"Let's go, let's go. Stop looking towards Ge Auntie’s room. What if she asks us for help later? Should we go or not?"

"Who would dare to go!"

Only Wu Er was helping with moving things in and out.

Zhu Qing's maid, looking at Wu Er, lamented, "Xi Liu was originally a second-tier maid serving the Old Lady. Unfortunately, she had bad luck and ended up with Ge Auntie."

"Oh? You know Ge Auntie's maid?"

The maid smiled, "Think about my name."

Zhu Qing said aloud, "Tong Liu - did you enter the Lu family together?"

Tong Liu nodded.

Zhu Qing smiled, "Then you should find an opportunity to take good care of your friend."

Tong Liu responded, "I’ll go right now."

Zhu Qing said, "Don't go empty-handed. Take these two plates of pastries with you, and you can eat them together."

Tong Liu packed the pastries in a steamer basket and carried them to find Wu Er.

\\

Old Madam Lu summoned Qing Ge'er and scolded him personally.

"Why have you come only now? Didn't I send word for you to come as soon as your class ended?"

The Old Madam was rarely this serious, and Qing Ge'er was too scared to joke around.

Moreover, with so many things happening at home, the attitudes of his great-grandmother and father were growing colder.

He didn't dare to be as clever as before.

"To my great-grandmother, I... I..."

Old Madam Lu didn’t look pleased, "She asked you to see her again?"

Qing Ge'er didn't dare to answer.

Old Madam Lu slammed the table, making him shudder, and he stammered, "Yes, yes... I, I missed my mother."

"Mr. Zhang teaches you so much every day, and you can't even keep up with your studies. Do you still have time to miss her?"

"Tell your great-grandmother honestly, is it really you who misses her, or did she teach you to say that?"

The birds in the corridor fell silent, and the room quieted down instantly.

As Yan Mama closed the door, Qing Ge'er became even more frightened.

He thought a beating would be preferable!

"If your heart isn’t in your studies, then there’s no point in studying at all. It seems you won’t achieve much anyway!"

Old Madam Lu turned her face away, speaking harshly.

Qing Ge'er immediately burst into tears, "Great-grandmother, please don't be angry. I want to study, I want to learn."

"I am worried about my mother, but, but I still want to study. It’s my mother who asked me to find a way to see her. I, I also somewhat want to see my mother..."

But with his studies being so demanding, he only thought of her occasionally.

Besides, with Lu Changgong living in the front courtyard, his biggest worry was not being able to surpass Lu Changgong, fearing that even his great-grandmother and father would prefer Lu Changgong. Would his attendants still treat him well?

"Qing Ge'er, your great-grandmother will set a rule for you. If you obey, she will continue to care for you. If not, don’t blame her for being heartless."

Qing Ge'er, still young, didn’t fully understand what 'heartless' meant, but seeing the stern look on the Old Madam's face, he knew he couldn’t be willful anymore.

He clutched the Old Madam's sleeve, "You tell me, I’ll behave."

Old Madam Lu kindly said, "Get closer to your legitimate mother, learn from her how to conduct yourself, and keep your distance from your mother. Do you remember?"

Qing Ge'er nodded vaguely.

The next day.

Qing Ge'er went with Lu Changgong to pay respects to Lin Yunwan.

Previously, his stepmother was very strict, and he was quite afraid of her, but today was different. She showed unexpected concern, "Why aren't you eating anymore? Are you full?"

"Full, I'm full."

Lin Yunwan sighed, "You're lying to me." She instructed Peach Leaf, "Serve another bowl for the Second Young Master."

Peach Leaf served another bowl of porridge and placed it in front of Qing, smiling, "Young Master, please have another bowl."

Qing took the bowl, somewhat bewildered.

"Th-thank you, Miss Peach Leaf."

His mother and her maids seemed quite kind.

After breakfast, Qing and Lu Changgong both bowed to Lin Yunwan, "Mother, we shall take our leave now."

"You may go."

Lin Yunwan smiled faintly.

Qing and Lu Changgong left together. Lu Changgong initiated conversation, "Little brother, have you finished 'The Hundred Family Surnames'?"

"I have, brother... Big brother, what have you learned so far?"

Lu Changgong smiled, "I learn a bit faster."

Aware that he couldn't compare with Lu Changgong, Qing didn’t dare to continue, fearing to embarrass himself!

Lu Changgong, seeing his reluctance, considerately said, "I hear Teacher Zhang is stricter than mother. If you don't understand something, you can ask me. I'll teach you first, so Teacher Zhang won’t have to scold you."

"Really?"

Qing's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

Lu Changgong looked sincere.

"Then I'll come to ask you later. It's getting late; I have to meet Teacher Zhang."

Lu Changgong nodded and didn't return to the main courtyard with Qing.

Peach Leaf hurried out, calling from behind him, "Master Changgong, Madam is asking for you."

Lu Changgong returned to Chuisi Hall.

Lin Yunwan asked him, "Why are you suddenly so nice to Qing? Have you stopped resenting him?"

Lu Changgong replied, "Mother, haven’t you also been kind to him?"

Lin Yunwan said, "But you don’t know why I am being kind to him."

Lu Changgong shook his head, "I don’t need to know. Mother, you're busy, I’ll go back now."

As soon as he left, Lin Yunwan had someone send a message to Yu Xing Pavilion.

"Now Master Qing is very close to Madam, just like Master Changgong."

"That's wonderful. Madam is such a good stepmother, it's only right for Master Qing to behave this way."

Ge Baor, in her room, asked Wu Er anxiously, "He still hasn't come to see me?"

Wu Er hesitantly replied, "Master Qing said... he's busy. Teacher Zhang has assigned a lot of homework."

Ge Baor bit her lip.

Was Qing Ge'er really busy, or were they preventing him from seeing her, his birth mother!