Cheng Lu said indignantly: “How could this be a good thing? Do I think I’m not dirty enough already? Deceive you?!”
Min Jia gasped sharply.
Although she already knew about this matter, she hadn’t expected that Yuan Shi would actually deceive Cheng Xu and the Min family like this!
Min Jia felt as if a fire were burning in her heart.
Her expression also turned very ugly.
Cheng Lu’s objective achieved, a trace of a smile flashed across his expression as he bowed to Min Jia again: “It’s getting late. I imagine the Cheng family people will also be coming to find you soon. I’ll leave first!”
Min Jia looked confused, saying: “You came to find me just to tell me this?”
What meaning could this have?
Cheng Lu laughed loudly, his expression savage, carrying hatred as if to destroy heaven and earth, saying: “As long as I can make Cheng Xu unhappy, I feel delighted!”
Min Jia was astonished, yet had to admit that Cheng Lu’s words made sense.
Cheng Lu left in high spirits.
The guard called out “First Young Madam,” indicating what should she do?
At this moment, Min Jia’s mind was in complete turmoil, not knowing what to do at all. Seeing the guard’s signal, the first thought that floated into her mind was to quickly let this Cheng Lu leave, lest he go crazy and start shouting in front of people from the Yuan and He families—that would be troublesome.
She couldn’t help but wave at the guard.
The guard withdrew.
Min Jia felt chilled.
If what Cheng Lu said was true, what should she do?
She had already married Cheng Xu. The Min family had no remarrying daughters—she had to live with Cheng Xu no matter what. But given Cheng Lu’s crazed behavior, today he told her, who knows who he would tell tomorrow? Yuan Shi and Cheng Chi were both the chief culprits—who could she find to stop Cheng Lu?
She couldn’t tell her natal family. Once married out, she was part of the Cheng family. Telling her natal family about the Cheng family’s scandals—her parents and brothers might feel sorry for her, but her sisters-in-law married in from outside would only mock her and look down on her.
The people of her husband’s family… Min Jia suddenly thought of Cheng Shao.
He was currently the highest in seniority in the Cheng family, and was both uncle and great-uncle to Cheng Chi and Cheng Xu. His relationship with both was close yet also distant. It would be most appropriate for the old gentleman to come forward.
She made up her mind. Looking up, she saw Nanny Shang leading several rough-work servants hurrying over.
Min Jia couldn’t help but snort coldly in her heart.
This Cheng Chi—he came so quickly!
She smiled and nodded to Nanny Shang, saying with a smile: “Nanny has come late. That Cheng Xiangqing has already left.”
Seeing her half-smiling expression, Nanny Shang’s heart sank.
This Cheng Lu—whenever he appeared, nothing good came of it!
However, Cheng Lu’s audacity was truly excessive.
The Old Madam had originally planned for the whole family to go to Zhetan Temple, but then the Wu family came to invite them to go to Hongluo Temple together, specifically mentioning it was to seek children for the newly married young madam. Second Madam Qiu Shi was moved upon hearing this. Later, hearing that the Yuan and He families had decided on Hongluo Temple for offering incense, they all came together.
It was a last-minute decision. Who could have expected to encounter Cheng Lu?
It seemed they had been careless.
Fortunately, he found Xu’s First Young Madam. If he had made his way to Zhou Shaojin’s side…
Nanny Shang didn’t dare think further.
She quickly said to Min Jia with a smile: “We’ve frightened the First Young Madam!”
Min Jia said meaningfully: “He saw many people surrounding me on this side, spoke a few words to me, and ran off in a flash.”
Nanny Shang quickly asked with concern if she was frightened and whether they should call a physician.
Min Jia hastily dismissed Nanny Shang: “The newly married young madam from the Wu family will be coming over soon. Whatever needs to be said can be said when we return.”
After all, they weren’t from the same branch anymore.
Nanny Shang smiled and withdrew, rather dismissive of her.
If Xu’s First Young Madam truly believed Cheng Lu’s words, then there was no saving her. She could make whatever trouble she wanted, as long as she didn’t make trouble in front of Zhou Shaojin.
The Fourth Master was still formidable—dividing the household early on. Otherwise, living together with Yuan Shi and the others, with this one saying this today and that one saying that tomorrow, even with Zhou Shaojin’s gentle temperament, she probably couldn’t bear it.
When she saw Cheng Chi, she couldn’t help but suggest: “Why not find an opportunity to lure him to a brothel and beat him half to death?”
Otherwise, with him jumping around like this with no one managing him, he’d think the Cheng family had no way to deal with him!
“No need,” Cheng Chi’s expression was somewhat cold as he said, “He has no way to deal with the Cheng family now. Seeing Jiashan achieve the jinshi degree, he’s just jealous and resentful. Since he’s sought out Jiashan, let Jiashan handle it—isn’t he requesting an external posting? If he can’t handle even this matter well, I think it’s better he stay in the capital. If something happens in the capital, we can still help him clean up the mess. Once he’s outside, who knows what trouble he might cause.”
Moreover, if his speculation was correct, regarding the events of the previous life, the great eunuch Chen Li of the Qianqing Palace was probably not clean either. He had originally allowed Cheng Lu to smoothly become an adopted son-in-law of the Chen family precisely because he valued Cheng Lu’s ability to stir up trouble, right? Now that he had already made contact with the Fourth Prince’s household, let their relationship become even closer.
Cheng Chi smiled and instructed Nanny Shang: “Threaten and bluster all you want, but absolutely don’t actually injure anyone.”
Nanny Shang smiled knowingly and responded “Yes.”
Chen Li was as cunning as a fox, but this time he would probably fall into Cheng Lu’s hands.
Thinking of this, Cheng Chi was in a very good mood and asked Nanny Shang: “Where is Madam?”
※※※