Chapter 313: Enemies of Enemies Can Cooperate

Chapter 313: Enemies of Enemies Can Cooperate

Unfortunately, her son-in-law wanted a simple life and didn't hire servants or retainers for them.

She couldn’t raise her voice, so her momentum weakened, and she was shouted down by Chunmei.

At this moment, Zheng Jinyu smiled again. "What’s the rush? I said I came to see you and help you. Instead of thanking me, you’re yelling and cursing at me. You’re truly being unreasonable."

Erya laughed bitterly. "You want to help us? Do you think we’re fools to believe you?"

Zheng Jinyu asked, "Why not believe me?"

"Why should we trust you?"

"Because by helping you, I can also teach Zheng Jinxiu a lesson. Do you believe that?"

Upon hearing this, both of them fell silent.

They looked at each other.

Erya tentatively said to Zheng Jinyu, "You want to harm my real sister and use me?"

"Oh, don’t put it that way." She glanced around the small courtyard and smiled faintly. "Don’t you want it too?"

"Me?"

"Yes, have you seen the Lu family mansion? How does your little courtyard compare to it?"

Erya pursed her lips tightly and stared at Zheng Jinyu in a daze.

"Do you know what your current situation is called? A mistress."

Erya bit her lip, and the handkerchief in her hand twisted together.

A mistress, how could she not understand?

But she wasn’t like those high-born ladies who could negotiate with the Lu family or talk terms with Lu Shen.

Apart from her body that Lu Shen liked, she had nothing. What did she have to compete with others? Wasn’t it true that she would become whatever Lu Shen liked?

"Do you know what a mistress is?" Zheng Jinyu stared at her with a faint smile on her lips. "It’s a woman lower than a concubine or a bed warmer, a woman kept outside by a man and not recognized by his clan. Even if you bear a son, that child won’t be able to take the Lu surname and won’t be acknowledged by the Lu family. Such a woman is a mistress."

Erya’s ruddy complexion slowly turned pale.

Zhao Zhaodi wanted to curse at Zheng Jinyu, but seeing Chunhua glaring at her, she didn’t dare.

She could only support Erya and comfort her. "Don’t believe her words. Whether you’re a mistress or not isn’t decided by others, but by our son-in-law."

"Pfft!" Zheng Jinyu burst out laughing. "Lu Shen has neither fame nor ability. What does he have to decide anything?"

Zhao Zhaodi said, "The entire Lu family belongs to my son-in-law."

Oh, she really dared to dream.

It seemed she had inquired about some matters.

Zheng Jinyu smiled faintly. "There are more than a dozen brothers in Lu Shen’s generation. Until Grand Tutor Lu speaks, it’s uncertain who will inherit the family."

She glanced at them disdainfully. "Keeping you as playthings here, they simply don’t bother to manage you. But if you want to enter the gates of the Lu family, you can ask if they agree."

Erya knew she was dragged out; she was very clear in her heart.

Zhao Zhaodi hadn’t faced reality yet and continued to shout, "Lu Shen’s wife, Zheng Jinxiu, is my daughter, my own flesh and blood. Even without Erya, I’m still Lu Shen’s mother-in-law. Who dares to drive me away?"

Zheng Jinyu laughed. "Your words sound nice, but why don’t you try going to the Lu family? Go to the gate of the Lu family and say you’re Zheng Jinxiu’s birth mother, the mother-in-law of the Lu family’s young master, and see how they treat you."

Although she said so, how could she dare?

Zheng Jinyu’s words stabbed right into her heart.

Zhao Zhaodi’s face alternated between green and white.

Erya’s expression became even uglier because Zhao Zhaodi had just said that even without her, Erya, she still had Zheng Jinxiu, and she was still Lu Shen’s mother-in-law.

Sentence after sentence, "our son-in-law," which daughter’s husband was she referring to?

No, she had to plan for herself. No one could stop her, not even Zheng Jinxiu.

Erya took a deep breath and looked at Zheng Jinyu. "You said you want to help me? How do you help?"

Zhao Zhaodi panicked first. "You’re confused. She hates our whole family. How can she help you? Hmph, how can you trust her words? She won’t help you."

But Erya ignored her and kept looking at Zheng Jinyu.

"I admit, I can help you."

Zhao Zhaodi became anxious and went up to push Erya. "She wants to deal with your sister, your real sister. You can’t trust her."

Erya sneered and pushed Zhao Zhaodi away. "Hmph, real sister? Do you see her recognizing you? Does she recognize you or me? If she were really my real sister, how could she let Lu Shen kick me out of the Lu family? How could I become a mistress?"

"This…"

Erya would never forget that day when no matter how she begged for mercy, she was still dragged out of the Lu family like a dead dog.

Although Lu Shen came to explain to her that night, she didn’t believe him at all.

Those sweet words were just to placate her.

If there was no chance for revenge, it would be fine, but if an opportunity was placed before her eyes, how could she not take it?

"What should I do?" she regarded Zheng Jinyu as her lifeline, wanting to hold on tightly.

Zhao Zhaodi was anxious, "Don't believe her, Erya. Listen to your mother. She wants to sow discord between you sisters. Don't trust her."

This Zhao Zhaodi, popping up now and then to interrupt, was incredibly annoying.

Zheng Jinyu's expression darkened, and she instructed Chunmei, "Take her out."

"Yes, Miss."

Chunmei couldn't handle Zhao Zhaodi alone; while they were shoving each other, Zheng Jinyu shouted towards the door.

Soon, two unfamiliar old women, dressed as ordinary passersby, entered and subdued Zhao Zhaodi.

Zheng Jinyu was astonished.

She thought that only the young, strong guards arranged by Xie Peiyu were around her.

Never did she expect middle-aged women to be present.

Middle-aged women were great. Indeed, it would have been inconvenient for young men to enter this scene; it had to be middle-aged women.

Chunmei found it odd; she had never seen these two women before.

Zhao Zhaodi didn't suspect anything, assuming they were people from the Zheng family waiting outside.

They dragged Zhao Zhaodi to the woodshed, leaving Zheng Jinyu and Fang Erya alone to discuss matters.

Zheng Jinyu sat at the table, and Fang Erya poured her tea.

She picked up the teacup, sniffed it, and put it back down without drinking.

Fang Erya felt hurt by these subtle actions. Although the tea wasn't of high quality, it was the best they could afford. Unfortunately, it wasn't good enough for her guest.

Zheng Jinyu looked at Fang Erya, who now bore a striking resemblance to Zheng Jinxiu, and smiled. "Your appearance now is very similar to how Lu Shen looked when he fell for Zheng Jinxiu."

Fang Erya slightly turned her head, feeling an indescribable mix of emotions.

She knew.

The clothes she wore were given to her by Lu Shen, in a style that Zheng Jinxiu liked.

Zheng Jinyu said calmly, "I can help you look even more like her."

Fang Erya sighed, "What's the use? No matter how much I resemble her, it's just a resemblance. He's interested in me now, but only because Zheng Jinxiu is pregnant and not available. Once she gives birth, will he still give me a chance? At that point, whether Lu Shen comes or not is uncertain."