Chapter 25: Who Dares Touch My Master?

Wei Lan ignored him and walked straight ahead, soon running into Qianxue and the others who were hurrying over.

 

When Cao Qiushuang saw Qianxue, his eyes lit up.

“Miss Qianxue?

Why are you here?

I was just about to go see the young lady.”

 

Qianxue didn’t even glance at Cao Qiushuang, but instead bowed to Wei Lan, “Master, are you alright?

The young lady specifically sent me to escort you.”

 

Wei Lan nodded to her, “I’m fine.”

“Master, please.”

Qianxue made a gesture for Wei Lan to proceed first.

 

Cao Qiushuang stretched out his hand from behind, “Wait for us!”

 

Qianxue didn’t give him even half a glance, leading the maidservants as they followed behind Wei Lan.

She reminded her, “Master, the young lady is waiting in the study.”

“Okay.”

Wei Lan acknowledged.

Her mood was extremely poor at the moment; the joy of selling her jade had been completely dampened.

 

Cao Qiushuang, teeth gritted, followed behind.

He dared to disrespect Wei Lan because he thought the young lady didn’t value her, but he didn’t dare to disrespect the young lady’s senior personal maidservant.

So he had to endure the humiliation in silence.

 

However, Cao Qiushuang was already picturing the scene of Wei Lan being scorned.

Thinking about it, he felt much better.

 

Soon, Wei Lan and the others entered Jingchen Courtyard.

Wei Lan walked straight towards Lu Zijin’s study.

 

Lu Zijin was sitting on a round stool waiting.

Seeing her arrive, she quickly stood up and asked, “What happened?”

 

Wei Lan was in a bad mood and casually wiped the fine sweat from her cheek before speaking, “I’d like to know what happened too.

Suddenly got chased and bitten by a few mad dogs in the residence.”

 

Seeing the sweat on Wei Lan’s cheeks and neck, Lu Zijin quickly ordered,

“Qing Zhi, have someone bring water.

I’ll help the master wipe her sweat.”

 

Every time Wei Lan came to her, she was clean and tidy.

Lu Zijin had never seen Wei Lan so disheveled.

Even when she had her in bed, she couldn’t bear to bully her too harshly.

So who dared to do this to her?

 

Thinking this, Lu Zijin’s expression turned cold, her gaze sweeping over Cao Qiushuang and the other guards.

 

When Cao Qiushuang saw Lu Zijin looking at him, a smug smile spread across his face, “Young lady, Wei Lan she…”

“Get out.”

 

Cao Qiushuang’s words were cut off directly by Lu Zijin’s rebuke.

 

Cao Qiushuang was stunned for a moment, then said somewhat defiantly,

“Young lady, she committed a wrongdoing…”

“What?

Is it you who runs the Lu residence now?

Get out and wait.”

Lu Zijin’s cold gaze swept over the men.

 

Cao Qiushuang’s face flushed redder than a pig’s kidney.

His mouth opened and closed, but in the end, he clenched his teeth and walked out.

 

He and the other nine guards didn’t go far, just stood right outside the study door.

Cao Qiushuang’s chest heaved; he was so angry he could faint.

But there was nothing he could do.

Although he was the head of guards, he was, after all, just a servant of the Lu residence.

He dared not disobey Lu Zijin.

 

But the young lady had just scolded him like that in front of the brothers.

What face did he have left?

 

Thinking this way, Cao Qiushuang felt he could kill Wei Lan.

But then he thought, once the young lady found out Wei Lan was a thief, she would surely scold Wei Lan harshly too.

Thinking that, he felt balanced again.

 

Cao Qiushuang comforted himself for a while.

When he looked up again, he nearly lost control of his anger.

 

In the study, Lu Zijin had just dampened a cloth.

She gently wiped the fine sweat from Wei Lan’s cheeks and neck with the cloth, saying softly,

“They’re just servants.

Don’t get angry over them.

What if you get upset over nothing?”

 

Lu Zijin’s movements were gentle.

The cloth, soaked in cool water, felt cool on her skin, and Wei Lan really wasn’t as angry as before.

 

Lu Zijin wiped her neck with one hand while stroking Wei Lan’s cheek with the other.

“I’m here for you.

I am the master of this Lu residence.

As long as I live, I can protect you.”

 

Lu Zijin’s hand had just touched the cool water, and it felt cool against Wei Lan’s face.

The fire in Wei Lan’s heart was extinguished a bit.

 

Seeing that the little Qiankun didn’t seem so angry anymore, Lu Zijin asked, “What exactly happened?”

 

Wei Lan glanced at her and said, “This morning, I took the jade I carved out to sell.

When I came back in the afternoon, Cao Qiushuang and some guards were waiting at the back gate.

They said I secretly took things from the residence to pawn.

They even said a lot of nasty things and insisted on dragging me here to confront you.”

 

Wei Lan took a breath and continued, “I sold all my carvings to Yuyaxuan.

If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to Yuyaxuan to verify.

I am upright and honest; I did not take anything from the residence.”

 

Lu Zijin smiled faintly at her, “What angry words are these?

Of course I believe you.

Don’t be angry.

The small kitchen just made some iced milk.

I saved some for you.

Shall I have someone bring it over?”

“Mm.”

Wei Lan responded, somewhat placated by Lu Zijin.

She had originally thought that if Lu Zijin didn’t believe her, then she wouldn’t bother anymore.

No matter how good the free ride was, she wouldn’t endure mistreatment.

But now it seemed Lu Zijin did believe her.

 

Lu Zijin sent someone to get the iced milk.

When it arrived, Lu Zijin took Wei Lan’s hand and made her sit down to eat it.

“Sit down and eat first.

I will handle these bastards myself.”

Lu Zijin, afraid Wei Lan would get too upset, coaxed her to eat first before having Qianxue call Cao Qiushuang and the others in.

“Tell them to get in here.”

Lu Zijin sat beside Wei Lan as she spoke.

“Yes.”

Qianxue immediately went to relay the order.

 

Soon, the ten guards all entered the study, standing in a row.

 

Lu Zijin’s cold gaze swept over them.

Several guards had already started sweating.

They had all signed deeds of indenture; even if their master beat them to death, the authorities wouldn’t investigate.

 

Moreover, they had just seen the young lady’s attitude towards Wei Lan – it was clearly very good, even somewhat doting.

If they had known it would be like this, they would never have followed Cao Qiushuang into this mess.

Now, all of them regretted it deeply.

 

The most regretful of all was Wang Yiding.

He was the one who had told Cao Qiushuang.

He had originally thought that since Wei Lan was unpopular anyway, reporting her would let him show his face in front of the young lady and also curry favor with Cao Qiushuang.

But he never expected this outcome.

Who was it that said Wei Lan was unloved?

They had really ruined him!

 

Among the ten, the most defiant was Cao Qiushuang.

He stiffened his neck and stared fixedly at Wei Lan.

He just didn’t understand – a waste, why was the young lady so good to her?

Just because the waste had a pretty face?

 

Lu Zijin had already been planning to replace the head of guards.

But the letter she had sent to Zhuozhou would probably take some time, and it would take at least another month for her cousin to send people over.

Therefore, she wasn’t in a hurry to replace him, but planned to first teach these servants a lesson.

 

Lu Zijin wasn’t in a hurry to speak.

Her silence made the guards even more uneasy.

Their young lady was someone who had the final say in front of all the managers.

Just her cold, superior aura was enough to intimidate them.

All of them kept their heads down, not daring to look at Lu Zijin.

Only Cao Qiushuang still stiffened his neck, glaring at Wei Lan.

 

Lu Zijin unhurriedly took another sip of tea before lifting her gaze and asking, “Tell me.

Why were you disrespectful to the master?”

 

Cao Qiushuang, having just been told to get out by Lu Zijin, was now a bit reluctant to speak first.

He signaled to Wang Yiding, indicating for him to explain.

 

But Wang Yiding didn’t even look at him, head down, sweat dripping onto the floor.

 

Cao Qiushuang reached out and tugged at Wang Yiding.

Seeing that Wang Yiding still didn’t react, he took a deep breath, stiffened his neck, and spoke, “I want to report Wei Lan.

This morning, she took a big bundle out of the residence.

When she came back this afternoon, the big bundle was gone.

We suspect she took things from the residence to pawn.”

 

Lu Zijin looked at him coldly, “Is that so?”

“Yes, young lady.

We are loyal to you.

We were just afraid you’d be deceived by this pretty girl…”

“Shut up.

What do you think you are, to dare speak of her like that?”

Lu Zijin laughed coldly and questioned, “Do you have evidence?

With no evidence at all, you dared to detain the master of the residence.

Are you going to detain me one day too, and make yourself the master of the Lu residence?”

“Young lady, please see clearly.

I have always been loyal to you.

But as the head of guards, I cannot tolerate any fault.

Even if she is the master, she shouldn’t take things from the residence to sell,” Cao Qiushuang said, still arrogant, believing he was in the right.

“Can you not understand plain speech?

You fool.

Setting aside the fact that you have no evidence, even if you did, so what?

Wei Lan is my Qiankun and the master of this residence.

She is different from you servants.

The things of my Lu family, my own Qiankun can sell if she wants.

It is not the place of you servants to interfere.”

 

As she spoke, Lu Zijin’s gaze swept over the men, and she said coldly, “As for you, I’ve been busy with affairs outside the residence this year.

You people seem to have forgotten the rules of the residence.

You think I have a good temper and won’t punish you, is that it?”

“Young lady, spare us!

Young lady, spare us!”

Wang Yiding was the first to kneel before Lu Zijin, kowtowing incessantly.

 

Although they had signed deeds of indenture, the monthly wages at the Lu residence were much higher than those offered by other wealthy families in Panyang City.

He didn’t want to be sold off.

 

Seeing Wang Yiding kneel, the remaining guards immediately began kneeling too, kowtowing and admitting their fault.

“Young lady, spare us!

It was our fault, we were foolish.”

“Young lady, forgive us!

We won’t dare interfere in the master’s affairs again.”

 

Lu Zijin’s gaze turned coldly to Cao Qiushuang.

Only he was left standing now.

 

Cao Qiushuang saw Lu Zijin looking at him with disdain.

He felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown out for everyone to see, like a jumping clown.

 

Cao Qiushuang’s chest heaved.

Furious, he pointed at Wang Yiding and cursed, “Wang Yiding, you were the one who came to me first, saying Wei Lan took things from the residence to pawn.

Now, isn’t this nice?

It’s all my fault for stirring things up, right?”

 

He then looked at the few guards kneeling on the ground.
“And you few!

Weren’t you just as indignant?

Why are you all mute now?

Say something!”

 

Cao Qiushuang could have ground his teeth to dust.

The subordinates who usually flattered him were now quiet as mice.

 

Lu Zijin looked at him, “Anything else to say?”

“I don’t accept this!

It’s clear Wei Lan stole from the residence.

Fine, have the matrons from Wei Lan’s courtyard brought here.

They surely know what things she took out.”

Cao Qiushuang still refused to give up.

If he lost face today, who among the guards would still respect him in the future?

 

And if this matter wasn’t handled well, the young lady would probably hate him too.

Thinking of this, Cao Qiushuang panicked completely.

 

Lu Zijin took a sip of tea and said coldly, “Fool.

Did you not understand what I just said?”

 

But then, Lu Zijin had a second thought.

Calling the two matrons from Fuqu Pavilion over to give them a warning might also be good.

So she said, “Send someone to bring the two matrons from Fuqu Pavilion here.”

 

Upon hearing this, Yun Xiang, who was outside, immediately perked up.

She had been behaving herself lately.

She hadn’t targeted Wei Lan, but someone else had struck first.

She was overjoyed.

“Yes, this servant will go right away.”

Yun Xiang eagerly took the errand and headed to Fuqu Pavilion with a few young maidservants.

She thought that once she got to Fuqu Pavilion, she could also pass a message to those two matrons and encourage them to speak some bad words about Wei Lan.

 

Having given this order, Lu Zijin’s gaze turned to Wei Lan.

One bowl of iced milk was already finished.

Seeing Wei Lan liked it, she asked, “Want another?”

 

Wei Lan looked at Lu Zijin with a pitiful expression and nodded.

 

Lu Zijin smiled at her, reached out to wipe the sweat from Wei Lan’s brow, and ordered, “Get another bowl of iced milk.”

“Yes.”

A young maidservant outside immediately went to get it.

Soon, the iced milk arrived.

 

Lu Zijin pushed it in front of Wei Lan and coaxed, “This is the last bowl.

Eating too much cold stuff will be hard on your stomach.

Stay for dinner later.”

“Mm.”

Wei Lan responded softly and obediently sat there eating her iced milk.

 

She had originally wanted to have a big argument with Cao Qiushuang, but Lu Zijin had said everything she wanted to say.

Wei Lan felt she had no room to contribute, so she just buried her head in her iced milk.

 

The Lu residence truly deserved its reputation as the wealthiest in Panyang City; they even had an icehouse.

Being able to eat a bowl of iced milk like this in the summer was so comfortable.

 

Compared to Wei Lan’s comfort, the guards opposite, except for Cao Qiushuang, were all kneeling.

 

Lu Zijin looked at Cao Qiushuang and said, “What?

You think you’re special and don’t have to kneel to me?”

“I…

I… no.”

Cao Qiushuang could have ground his teeth to dust.

Usually, Lu Zijin didn’t make them kneel for no reason.

And he always thought of himself as the head of guards, someone Lu Zijin needed to rely on, so he had become arrogant, almost thinking he could call the shots in the Lu residence.

Now, being publicly humiliated like this by Lu Zijin, he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

 

He said he grew up in the Lu residence, but he was still a servant.

His deed of indenture had been in the hands of the Lu residence’s masters since he was a child.

If Lu Zijin really sold him off, where would he find such a good life?

 

Cao Qiushuang knelt, but he still didn’t think he was wrong.

Instead, he felt Wei Lan was just a petty person who had gained power.

Anyway, once the two matrons from Wei Lan’s courtyard arrived, everything would be clear.

 

After a little while longer, by the time Wei Lan had finished her second bowl of iced milk, Yun Xiang and the young maidservants had finally reached Fuqu Pavilion.

 

As soon as they arrived, Li Zhufeng and Zhao Linghui came forward to greet them.

“Isn’t this Miss Yun Xiang?

Why are you here?”

Li Zhufeng smiled and greeted her.

This was a senior maidservant from the young lady’s side; they had to flatter her.

 

Yun Xiang snorted coldly, “The young lady sent me to fetch you.

Someone has reported the master, saying she took things from the residence this morning to sell.

The young lady is very angry and is handling the matter now.

She wants you to come and ask if this is true.

You’d better watch your words.”

 

Hearing this, Li Zhufeng quickly tried to absolve herself first, “Miss Yun Xiang, I’ve been in this residence for over ten years.

You should know my character.

This matter was all done by the master alone.

It has nothing to do with me.”

“It has nothing to do with me either.

I only saw her carrying a big black bundle out.

We don’t know what was inside it,” Zhao Linghui quickly added.

 

Yun Xiang smiled at the two, “You know the young lady’s character.

Just tell the truth as I’ve said, and she won’t blame you.”

“Oh my, that’s a relief.

Thank you for the guidance, Miss Yun Xiang.”

Li Zhufeng nodded and bowed gratefully, and Zhao Linghui did the same.

“Don’t keep the young lady waiting too long.

Let’s go quickly.”

Yun Xiang urged.

“Okay.”

Li Zhufeng quickly responded.

She and Zhao Linghui hurried towards Jingchen Courtyard with Yun Xiang.

 

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Yun Xiang announced, “Young lady, I’ve brought them.”

 

As she spoke, she led Li Zhufeng and Zhao Linghui into the study.

 

Seeing a room full of people kneeling, Li Zhufeng and Zhao Linghui immediately knelt down as well.

 

Cao Qiushuang, seeing them arrive, quickly straightened up and said, “You two, quickly tell the young lady.

Didn’t Wei Lan take things from the residence to sell?”

“Yes, the master did take a big bundle out early this morning to sell.

But young lady, it has nothing to do with us.

We didn’t help the master,” Li Zhufeng quickly said, trying to distance herself.

Because Yun Xiang had tipped them off beforehand, she didn’t carefully observe the current situation.

“That’s right, that’s right.

We just saw the master take things out.

Steward Li even asked, and the master said they were jade carvings, so we didn’t think much of it.

We never imagined… never imagined the master would do such a thing.”

As Zhao Linghui spoke, her voice even took on a tearful tone.

 

Wei Lan was furious.

Weren’t they just blatantly lying?

 

She pointed at Li Zhufeng and Zhao Linghui and said, “You saw me come out of the workshop.

There’s nothing in there except my jade.

How dare you slander me?”

“Oh dear, how would this old servant dare?

But in the end, this residence still answers to the young lady.

Master, if you really did take things from the residence, you should quickly apologize to the young lady.

I’m sure she won’t blame you,” Li Zhufeng quickly said.

 

Wei Lan’s expression turned completely dark.

She stood up and swept her gaze over the kneeling servants on the floor, saying, “It’s a good thing I have witnesses today who can prove I went to sell jade.

Otherwise, I would have been framed by you black-hearted things.”

“Wei Lan, what else do you have to say?

Even the matrons from your own courtyard aren’t speaking up for you.

It seems your time as master is over.”

Cao Qiushuang felt that proving Wei Lan’s theft would restore his honor, and surely the young lady would now understand Wei Lan’s true character.

 

But Lu Zijin’s expression turned even colder than before.

She reached out and grabbed Wei Lan’s wrist, looking up at her, “Don’t rush.

There’s no need to call the witnesses you mentioned.”

 

She smiled reassuringly at Wei Lan, then her smile faded as she looked at Qing Zhi.

“Qing Zhi, summon all the guards here.

Today, I will settle accounts with these people properly.”

“Young lady, young lady, this matter truly has nothing to do with us,” Li Zhufeng continued.

 

Zhao Linghui also sensed something was wrong, “It was all the master’s doing.

It has nothing to do with us servants.

At most, we could be charged with negligence.”

“Negligence?”

Lu Zijin laughed coldly.

“She is my master.

Did I ever ask you to supervise her?

And furthermore, when your master faces trouble, you two are quick to wash your hands of it completely.

If something happened to the Lu residence, would your first reaction be to betray me and save yourselves?”

 

Zhao Linghui caught the wrong note in the young lady’s words.

Wait, was today’s matter not aimed at the master?

Oh no, oh no, then they had said everything wrong.

 

Zhao Linghui quickly tried to backtrack, “No, this old servant wouldn’t dare.

This old servant wouldn’t dare.”

 

Li Zhufeng also hurriedly knocked her head on the floor, “This old servant was wrong.

This old servant would never dare betray you, young lady.”

“Wouldn’t dare?

I am already married to the master; we are one.

Didn’t you just betray the master?

And not just betrayal, you also slandered her.

How should I deal with this?”

Lu Zijin’s voice was calm, but every word she uttered made Zhao Linghui and Li Zhufeng feel as if they had fallen into an icy abyss.

“This old servant wouldn’t dare.

This old servant was foolish.

It was Yun Xiang, Miss Yun Xiang who hinted for us to speak this way,” Li Zhufeng said urgently.

 

Yun Xiang immediately tried to defend herself, “Don’t spout nonsense.

I told you to speak the truth.

Who knew you would tell lies?”

“Young lady, if you shield her like this, how will you command respect in the residence in the future?

We did this for your own good, young lady!”

Cao Qiushuang kept babbling.

 

Lu Zijin just gave him a cold look, then turned her gaze to the courtyard.

By now, over thirty guards were already standing in the yard.

 

Lu Zijin said coldly, “Guards, take action.

Cao Qiushuang, for stirring up trouble and offending a superior, is to be dragged out and given thirty strokes of the board.”

 

After she spoke, the guards outside looked at each other but didn’t move.

 

Lu Zijin was so angry she laughed.

She stood up and looked at the guards outside.

“What?

Forgotten who the master of this residence is so quickly?

Fine.

Since you won’t listen to me, I have no use for disobedient dogs like you.

Qing Zhi, go tell the steward that all these people are to be sold off tomorrow.

The entire guard squad will be replaced with new people.”

“Yes, young lady.”

Qing Zhi received the order and headed for the steward’s office.

Only then did the guards panic, kneeling and begging for mercy.

“Young lady, forgive us!

We’ll do it, we’ll do it right away!”

Compared to their direct superior, they were, of course, more afraid of their employer.

If they were really expelled from the Lu residence, none of them would find a better place to go.

 

Four guards rushed in and dragged Cao Qiushuang out.

All the way, Cao Qiushuang struggled, shouting as he did, “Young lady, you can’t indulge her like this!

Otherwise, otherwise the Lu residence will surely be ruined by your hands…”

 

Lu Zijin’s expression grew even colder.

“Tie him up.

Give him sixty strokes of the board.

Just leave him breathing.

Move two chairs out here.

The master and I will watch you work.”

“Yes.”

The young maidservants respectfully moved the chairs.

Wei Lan followed Lu Zijin and sat down on the chair outside the door.

 

After a moment’s thought, Lu Zijin spoke again, “And all of you inside, get out here and kneel properly.

Today, I will settle all these accounts with you, one by one.”

 

Wang Yiding and the others had already been kneeling for nearly two hours; their legs were numb.

But they dared not disobey Lu Zijin’s command, stumbling as they went out to kneel.

Li Zhufeng and Zhao Linghui did the same, the two of them sniffling and wiping fake tears as they followed the others out to kneel.

 

---