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Chapter 365: Lu Heng
There weren’t that many customers on the first floor at present, but neither was there only a small scattering of them. Even with her face veil in place and her maids helping her forward, Qin Yining could still feel gazes from everyone present.
Madame Lu was sitting primly in the middle of the hall at a spot next to the window. Though her chin was lifted proudly and a jeering curve graced her lips, it wasn’t hard to see jealousy glittering in her beautiful eyes if one took a closer look.
Being an exceedingly attractive person, the older woman loved most feeling men’s gazes resting on her. But when the Qin fourth miss descended the stairs just now, she’d heard firsthand how all conversation and chewing of meals had ground to a halt. No one so much as reached for another piece of meat, and even her respected second elder cousin [1] paused from refilling his wine cup.
It’s so nice being young! If she was ten years younger, it was a given that everyone’s eyes would cling to her instead. There would be no thought given to anyone else!
Qin Yining met Madame Lu’s dismissive and incendiary glare with a faint smile. The sheer gauze covered her dimples while her bright, almond-shaped eyes curved into waning moons. Hints of mischief sparkled in her bright expression.
“To think that we’d bump into Madame Lu here. Smooth Providence’s staff must have provided subpar service for big sister Lu’s maid to raise a fuss like this. I could hear the disturbance even on the third floor.”
Madame Lu snorted contemptuously. “Don’t try to pretend like we’re close. Aren’t you too high-and-mighty to befriend the Lu clan? I’m not worthy of you calling me big sister, oh no. Hurry up and leave with your people! I rented out this tavern a long time ago.”
The Qin fourth miss arched a slender brow, light rippling through her eyes. “Big sister Lu’s already rented out the place?”
“Yes! Do you need me to repeat myself? Hurry up and leave! Stop being an eyesore here.” Madame Lu was exceedingly unfriendly.
The younger girl nodded. “Big sister Lu’s memory must not be very good. I took pains to ask the manager just now and rented out the third floor only because it was empty. But big sister Lu says that you rented out the entire tavern a long time ago? Then, pray tell, why didn’t the manager mention this?”
“That old thing has a poor memory. Are you leaving or not?!” Urgency dripped into the Lu madame’s tone.
Qin Yining chuckled mockingly, the sound as crisp and pleasing as a silver bell. “Well now, isn’t that interesting? Big sister Lu is the one with a poor memory, but blames it on the manager. I ask only this: if you really had rented out the tavern a long time ago, then how did all the customers on the first floor make it inside? If the manager really does have a poor memory, allowing one customer inside is a mistake, but did he really let all of these people in because he has a bad memory? Surely you won’t say these are all your guests, big sister.”
The Qin fourth miss scanned the crowd of customers; the crowd sported varying body sizes and opulence of clothing. With Madame Lu’s temperament, she wouldn’t befriend anyone she deemed inferior.
The madame had nothing to say in return. She’d only wanted to deny Qin Yining face, but had forgotten the particulars of the situation.
The girl tittered softly, completely unperturbed by the madame trying to make things difficult for her. Her carefree laughter prompted the other guests to answer in kind, and an atmosphere that had been rather ruined by the madame’s maid lightened. The crowd’s impression of Qin Yining was thousands of times better than the domineering, spiteful Madame Lu.
As the Qin fourth miss laughed, she surreptitiously swept her gaze over the man standing next to the madame.
He looked roughly twenty five years old and held himself with an uncommonly refined air. His seated posture was lazily comfortable, a noble dignity suffusing every movement and gesture. Though his aura was out of the ordinary, there was nothing threatening about him.
He imparted the feeling of being as gentle and mild as water. One’s eye would be caught by his bearing, not his features. Just the former alone caused onlookers to unconsciously avert their eyes.
A saying rose in Qin Yining’s heart—the foundations of aristocracy are of nobility inborn.
Madame Lu was beet red with humiliation. Long accustomed to willful arrogance, she was someone that even the Princess of Anyang called ‘big sister’. She’d never been ridiculed in broad daylight like this!
“So it looks like you’re determined to be enemies with my clan!” she squeezed out through clenched teeth.
Qin Yining fluttered her long lashes with a smile. “The foundations of aristocracy have never been built upon bullying others from a position of strength, but are an accumulation of composure and masterful experience—as illustrated by the one standing next to you. As for you… loving and respecting yourself first is the key to the adoration and esteem that you’re so fond of. It’s absolutely not a function of a loud voice and threats.”
Madame Lu slammed her hand viciously onto a table and shot to her feet in abject fury. “Who do you think you are?! You’re just a broken piece of junk discarded by someone who’s gotten bored! Instead of finding a corner to hide in, you swan around in public! Stop making a fool of yourself outside when you’re just a dirty, rejected toy! The sight of you makes me sick!”
The look in Qin Yining’s eyes frosted over. Xiaoman and Xiaoxue were already posturing in front of her, Jiyun and Bingtang glaring ferociously from behind as well. Her servants were ready to feed Madame Lu to the dogs if Qin Yining gave the word.
1. The Chinese character used here means on the father’s side.
Chapter 365.2: Lu Heng
As tension stretched on, the man standing next to Madame Lu unexpectedly spoke up.
“Younger cousin Huan, you go too far. Apologize to this miss immediately!”
Madame Lu started, then whipped her head around incredulously at the man. “Second brother Heng! How can you help outsiders like this!?”
Lu Heng rose, casting but a single glance with his lanky form. Despite a lack of visible wrath, it was readily apparent that he was in fiery rage. An aura of dominance kept Madame Lu down so low that she didn’t dare voice another word of objection.
How could she forget that Lu Heng wasn’t her blood brother, but instead an older cousin in the clan? When it came down to it, her own family was just a minor Lu offshoot, but Lu Heng was the official second-born of the eldest main branch! He was someone that her own big brother had to greet respectfully and curry favor with.
Just what had gotten into her that she’d dared raise her voice at Lu Heng??
The madame glared at the Qin fourth miss standing off to the side. How would she have lost her temper if not for that girl purposefully acting this way?!
Madame Lu grew even more irate.
Meanwhile, Lu Heng declared with a frown, “To think that you’re this ridiculous and out of control outside of the house! The miss spoke rightly just now, the foundations of aristocracy are never built off of suppressing others. With your behavior, the family’s good reputation of several hundred years will be ruined in your hands. Don’t your father and brothers know to keep you in line? They allow you to atrociously throw your weight around like this, even turning right into wrong and black into white!”
Lu Heng’s tones were gentle and urbane, even when scolding others. He neither raised his voice nor quickened his speaking pace. Those further away might not even hear him clearly, but the self-possessed, seething undertones sent cold sweat pouring down Madame Lu’s back.
“Don’t be angry, second brother Heng. I was too brash.” It was a rare moment of submission from the older woman.
Lu Heng turned his gaze onto Qin Yining, smoothly meeting the girl’s limpid eyes. The man’s eyelashes half-fluttered and he looked down, but then seemed to think better of his actions and swiftly raised his eyes again. He smiled faintly at the Qin fourth miss and looked back at his cousin.
“You shouldn’t be be apologizing to me, but to the lady whom you insulted.”
Madame Lu turned purple with umbrage and she questioned disbelievingly, “Second brother Heng, you, you want me to apologize to this bitch? Do you know who she is? She’s the née Qin who seduced the Faithful Prince of the First Rank as soon as she entered the capital. She was carried off for days of pleasure at the Pang Manor!”
Qin Yining really wanted to inquire after the ‘good health’ of Madame Lu’s entire family. If she’d still possessed her temper of old, slaps would’ve been flying long ago.
But she wasn’t at home and she’d only make trouble for her father if she acted on her thoughts now. The Qins weren’t on solid voting yet. She had to keep it in and not lose her temper.
It turned out that Lu Heng was even more furious than her. “Your manner of speech…” he intoned. “Forget it, apologize to Miss Qin first. I’ll pay a visit to your father and brothers later.”
That was an unequivocal order, and he was going to have words with her father and brothers!
Madame Lu’s face ballooned, and she glare at Qin Yining with fury and humiliation. Her lips twitched, finally squeezing a few words after a long moment. “I’m sorry.”
Qin Yining smiled faintly. “I wouldn’t dare.” She turned and dipped a curtsey to Lu Heng, then turned to depart with her people.
Lu Heng didn’t retract his gaze from her body until the Qin fourth miss’ delicate figure slowly disappeared around the turn of the stairs. His own lack of composure just now was rather astonishing!
That he would form good feelings at first sight and not dare to meet a girl’s eyes! And he even tracked her form…
Man, Lu Heng, the older I get, the more like a kid I am!
Lu Heng turned and headed outside. When he saw that Madame Lu wasn’t trailing in his wake, he questioned lowly, “What, not leaving yet?”
The madame didn’t dare disobey. She left with a petulant stomp. She’d thought that a fearsome loss of dignity for Qin Yining was at hand today, given Lu Heng’s backing. But she’d been the one to emerge worse for the wear!
From their vantage point on the third floor, Qin Yining and Missus Liao could clearly see the Lu family carriage slowly drive off.
“In case you didn’t know, Alliance Head, that Second Master Heng is very prominent character. Born of the eldest main family branch, he’s the second official son in his family. Even though he’s only 26 this year, he’s been famous in the business circles for more than ten years. He didn’t do that with help from his family, but did so anonymously on his own. He didn’t tell the public he was a Lu until he made it big.”
Qin Yining nodded. “He looks like a highly shrewd and crafty individual. A noble house such as the Lus would naturally be able to cultivate such a stunning talent.”
“Absolutely. That Madame Lu wasn’t like this at first, either. Although she’s born of a Lu side branch, she’s still a proper, official daughter. In the early days of the revolution, the farmer army worked with the Lus for a time. In order to solidify relations, His Majesty had one of his generals marry one of the side branch misses. That was how General Mi wed Miss Lu Cuihuan.
“Miss Lu has extraordinary looks and a high sense of self. Naturally, she didn’t think much of a common-born, average looking bumpkin. As time passed, she started keeping her own harem. But since the marriage had been dictated by the Lu elders and the general rather liked Miss Lu, there was nothing to be done. As we all know, he died in the end anyways.”
Qin Yining listened to Missus Liao’s explanation with a smile and nods. “It looks like our alliance’s intelligence network is still in good working order.”
The older woman blushed. The alliance head really does hold a grudge! She smiled obsequiously, “Just give your orders if you’d like to know anything in the future.”
“Then I thank you for your troubles.”