Chapter 53: That's so like you, you always have so many wicked ideas up your sleeve.

Madam Zhou stood frozen in place. Banxia said with a forced smile, "What? Does Madam Wu perhaps wish to stay and discipline our Second Young Master?"

With a stammer, Madam Zhou replied, "I didn't... I... Could you let Qinian come out for a moment? I have something to say to him."

"Is Madam Wu unaware of our Second Young Master's temperament?" Banxia asked.

Madam Zhou was left speechless.

Banxia curtseyed to Madam Zhou and said, "Madam Wu, safe journey."

Without another word, Banxia turned and walked away.

Madam Zhou stood in the reception hall for a while, feeling deeply humiliated under the stares of the maids, and eventually fled in disarray.

As Lin Wanqing returned to the inner courtyard, a page boy rushed toward her in a panic, crying, "Mistress, please hurry and check on the Second Young Master! He has locked himself in his room and is smashing things."

Frowning, Lin Wanqing quickly led her entourage toward Lu Qinian's courtyard.

Lu Qinian was in a state of utter breakdown. Locked inside his room, he wept as he hurled objects about. The maids and page boys dared not approach and huddled together along the veranda.

Seeing Lin Wanqing arrive, the servants hurriedly rushed over to pay their respects.

Lin Wanqing waved a hand dismissively and instructed Zishu directly, "Kick the door open."

Receiving the command, Zishu stepped forward and delivered a swift kick that burst the door open.

Lu Qinian was currently holding a vase high, preparing to smash it onto the floor.

"Go ahead and smash it," Lin Wanqing said calmly. "After all, everything in this room belongs to you. The Lu family is currently as poor as a church mouse; even if you smash it, there's no silver to buy replacements, and if you can't replace it, you simply go without."

Following the events of today, Lu Qinian unconsciously cast off some of his hostility toward Lin Wanqing.

Although he still wore a sour expression, he refrained from smashing the vase, instead clutching it to his chest as he turned and retreated into the inner chamber.

Lin Wanqing followed leisurely. Seeing Lu Qinian slumped on the bed with the vase in his arms, shedding tears, she let out a light laugh. "Is that all the backbone you have?"

Utterly annoyed, Lu Qinian tossed the vase aside, grabbed his quilt, and pulled it over his head.

"You certainly suffered a grievance today," Lin Wanqing said, "but there is no need to take it this hard."

Muffled from beneath the quilt, Lu Qinian retorted, "You talk as if it's nothing! How could I not be upset? That's my mother! She sided with that scoundrel Wu Zeren to bully me!"

Lin Wanqing replied, "Your own mother refuses to trust her own son and instead defends another's son—she is utterly brainless. But her lack of brains isn't news of just today or yesterday. Have you still not accepted it?"

Lu Qinian froze.

Lin Wanqing continued, "What was Wu Zeren's purpose in instigating her to lecture you? Wasn't it to watch you and your mother turn against each other into enemies? By acting like this right now, aren't you walking right into his trap?"

Lu Qinian whipped the quilt aside and sat up. "What you're saying actually makes some sense."

Lin Wanqing smiled. "Just think about it. You didn't come out the loser in today's affair. If you had just been a bit more affectionate with your mother when you saw her earlier, and then used the opportunity to lodge a complaint against Wu Zeren, exposing his true face on the spot—tell me, how severely would Wu Zeren's father beat him to avoid offending our Lu family?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Qinian's eyes widened in sudden realization, and he slapped his thigh. "That's right! Why didn't I think of that? Is it still too late to send someone to chase them back?"

Lin Wanqing gave him a sidelong glance. "They've already run eight hundred miles away, what is there to chase? Next time, use your brain!"

With that, Lin Wanqing turned and walked toward the exit. "Have someone keep a tally of the things you smashed, and deduct the cost from your monthly stipend from now on. Keep deducting until it's paid in full."

Lu Qinian was dumbfounded. "Then what am I supposed to spend?"

"If you have nothing, you spend nothing," Lin Wanqing said. "At any rate, the General's Estate won't let you starve."

That wretched habit of smashing things the moment he got angry needed to be broken once and for all!

No sooner had Lin Wanqing left than Lu Huixin entered Lu Qinian's room. Seeing the servants busy sweeping up various shards and fragments, she bypassed them and entered the inner chamber.

Originally, she had expected to find Lu Qinian throwing a tantrum, but to her surprise, he was acting as though nothing had happened, casually practicing swordplay with his small saber in the room.

Had his eyes not still been slightly red, one would never have guessed he had just been crying.

Surprised, Lu Huixin asked, "You're all right now?"

"Such a trivial matter," Lu Qinian scoffed, "why would I take it to heart?"

Something felt wrong to Lu Huixin. She knew her younger brother's temperament far too well—he was someone who could never tolerate even the slightest grievance. Today's incident clearly saw Lu Qinian on the losing end; by all rights, he should have been tearing the roof off the place.

Why, then, was he so calm now?

A thought struck Lu Huixin. "What did that merchant's daughter say to you?"

Frowning, Lu Huixin's brother replied, "Elder Sister, she is the legitimate wife married in by Father. Even if you don't wish to call her Mother, you shouldn't address her like that."

Squinting, Lu Huixin looked him up and down. "You're acting strange! Tell me, what kind of spell did she cast on you to make you speak up for her? Let me tell you, don't you dare forget whose side you're on!"

Looking rather impatient, Lu Qinian said, "Elder Sister, I don't think she's a bad person. Stop being so suspicious all the time."

Lu Huixin sneered. "Not a bad person? What makes you think she isn't a bad person? If she weren't a bad person, how did the General's Estate end up in her hands? Let me remind you, our biological father is gone, and we have been adopted by the Third Uncle. Although you are nominally the eldest grandson of the Lu family, you are not Third Uncle's biological son after all. In the future, when they have children of their own, what will an adopted son like you amount to? Have you forgotten what Mother said? Don't be a fool!"

Showing signs of annoyance, Lu Qinian retorted, "I just think she's not a bad person, so what? Am I not even allowed to speak the truth?"

Panicking, Lu Huixin pressed on, "Her schemes are truly brilliant! First she alienated Grandmother and Young Aunt, and now she's gotten to the two of us. Lu Qinian, use your brain! Aren't you afraid you'll end up with nothing in the end? This General's Estate contains a portion earned with our father's very life!"

Lu Qinian paused. "But I really think she's not as bad as you imagine..."

If she were truly evil, how could she possibly have helped him?

Driven nearly to exasperation, Lu Huixin cried, "What is wrong with you? Why won't you listen to reason?"

Annoyed, Lu Qinian gave her a shove. "It's none of your business. Go back and practice your deportment! I know what I'm doing."

Driven out of the room, Lu Huixin left Lu Qinian in peace once more. Glancing at the vase on the bed, Lu Qinian lost all desire to play with his small saber and instead stood before the window in a daze.

A day later, the Wu family sent a carriage laden with gifts, claiming it was to offer apologies to the Lu family and Lu Qinian.

The items were delivered by the Wu estate's steward; Madam Zhou did not come.

Unsure of how to handle the situation, Lu Qinian went to ask Lin Wanqing whether these gifts should be accepted.

"Since they have delivered them to our doorstep," Lin Wanqing said, "why not accept them?"

Frowning, Lu Qinian asked, "But if we accept these gifts, doesn't that mean forgiving that brat?"

Lin Wanqing smiled. "What of it? Forgiving him this time doesn't mean you can't beat him up the next time. Whenever he opens his mouth again, just beat him until his teeth are scattered all over the floor. Remember: do not start trouble, but those who provoke first are despicable."

Lu Qinian's eyes lit up brilliantly as he said to Lin Wanqing, "It really is you! You certainly have plenty of wicked ideas."

Lin Wanqing thought: *That was a lovely compliment, please don't ever do it again.*