Qin Shuying smiled and thanked the wives and old women for their concerns. Suddenly, Ziteng pointed at the Lu residence gate and asked, “Miss, the main wife is still at the Lu family – how are we to return home?”

Qin Shuying was momentarily stunned and turned to look at the carriage, which had long since been squeezed away by the crowd and disappeared.

Ziteng wiped away her tears and said, “The main wife clearly knew Miss had been wronged, yet she didn’t speak a single word. Not only did she allow the Lu family to trample on you, she even helped them speak. Miss, how will you live in the residence from now on? If the main wife finds an excuse to say you’re ill and won’t let you leave the residence or see people, what can be done? What can be done?”

The more Ziteng spoke, the more anxious she became, and she began crying again, “Master, Mistress, if you have knowledge in the underworld, please help Miss!”

Qin Shuying looked completely forlorn, shaking her head, “Ziteng, don’t cry… There’s still Grand Uncle! Grand Uncle is the Minister of Justice – the Minister of Justice settles people’s lawsuits. He’s most reasonable and definitely won’t allow the main wife to trample on me. Ziteng, don’t worry. If there truly comes a day when even Grand Uncle can’t see…”

Qin Shuying turned toward the wives and old women who had surrounded her, tears flowing like rain, saying mournfully, “If there truly comes such a day, fellow neighbors, as long as you know how I died, that’s enough. This is my fate, my fate…”

Having said this, she slowly bent her knees, then slowly rose, supporting herself on Ziteng. The master and servant slowly walked out of the crowd, gradually moving away.

The others all turned to watch, discussing even more animatedly.

“This means the main wife of the Qin residence is actually an accomplice?”

“Must be so.”

“This main wife of the Qin residence is Noble Consort Lianpin’s birth mother – the most benevolent person imaginable. How can she treat her niece like this?”

“Who knows what schemes are involved?”

…

Qin Shuying, supporting Ziteng’s hand, walked all the way to the street corner before seeing their rented carriage. They got on and departed in distress.

Sitting in the carriage, Qin Shuying’s lips slightly curved upward.

Lu Changxuan, you owe Qin Yaoyao and Feng’er far too much. This is just a small punishment.

What you deserve is far more than this.

Xu Shi…

Qin Shuying gave several cold laughs.

How could she not know that such actions brought her no benefit and no good to her reputation? Yet she still did it.

Not only did she not need a good reputation now, she actually wanted a bad one.

For no other reason than not wanting to marry Liu Junqing.

Moreover, no matter how much she disguised her emotions, she couldn’t remain indifferent to the Lu family members. With Feng’er’s body still warm, how could she calmly seek revenge?

Besides, only this kind of decisive method could attract others’ attention and shatter what Lu Changxuan cared about most.

Today’s events were naturally arranged by her in advance. Several people among them were ones she had identified as useful through months of investigation – she only needed to sow discord among them. The rest of the crowd weren’t people she knew, but they had been attracted to the Lu family gate through special means.

That bearded man and two inconspicuous women who took the lead were the younger brother of the steward who had been falsely accused of adultery with Qin Yaoyao.

That steward had greatly admired Qin Yaoyao’s abilities and had been close to her. He never expected to be charged with such a crime and imprisoned. Though he only suffered some hardship and was eventually released, his family wealth was confiscated, neighbors looked askance at him, and even his wife didn’t believe him.

The steward was also a person with some means. Unable to swallow this grievance, he was also troubled by Lu Changxuan’s cunning. Moreover, Lu Changxuan supposedly held some “evidence” against him, so even though he was angry, he couldn’t vent it.

With his reputation ruined, having been imprisoned and beaten, falling ill – the steward’s heart was like dead ashes. When he barely survived and wanted to make a living, he discovered no one would hire him. Combined with the considerable money spent on getting him out of prison and treating his illness, in just half a year, his family couldn’t make ends meet.

Where was even half the prosperity of before?

Early this year, someone found him and showed him a way to make a living with generous compensation. But there was one condition – when needed to deal with the Lu family, he must do everything in his power.

Dealing with the Lu family was already the steward’s wish, so naturally no additional instruction was needed. He agreed readily.

Therefore, today’s excellent performance at the Lu residence gate was basically the steward’s masterpiece.

This was far from over – rumors and gossip would only intensify.

Today, so many wives, old women, stewards, and servants from powerful households had witnessed this. In the future, these neighbors of Chongde Ward would have quite a story to hear.

…

That night.

The Qin residence.

Qin Yongtao angrily rebuked Xu Shi: “Xu Shi, explain to me clearly – what exactly happened? The Lu family had just a small full-month celebration today, and all of the capital knows about it!”

Qin Yongtao thought of his colleagues’ strange looks and felt choked with anger.

Someone had even asked him sarcastically, “Minister Qin, could it be that your residence actually needs to be supported by a little girl?”

At the time he was baffled. Only when the steward reported the Lu residence incident to him did he understand why his colleagues’ looks had been so strange.

Everyone was spreading rumors that Xu Shi had taken jewelry from Qin Shuying and given it to Qin Feifei, who then gave it to Old Madam Lu. Wasn’t Xu Shi supposed to be a great philanthropist? It was all an act.

He had immediately rebuked the steward for reporting such unreliable matters to him.

But after rebuking the steward, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, and he suddenly remembered there should indeed be such a matter, because he had once seen Xu Shi using some rare objects. At the time he hadn’t paid much attention.

He had seized much of Qin Yongzhou’s wealth but never used Qin Yongzhou’s things. This way, his greed left no traces. He thought Xu Shi would be as clever as him, never expecting her to be so foolish. The previous lesson wasn’t enough – she had done it again?

Of course, he didn’t know that jade hairpin had been taken out by Xu Shi long ago.

Xu Shi’s eyes flickered as she glanced at Qin Shuying.

“Seventh Girl, what exactly happened?” Qin Yongtao’s tone was still cold, but with an obvious pause.

Qin Shuying laughed coldly in her heart. Five hundred taels of silver per month seemed quite effective indeed.

In the past, Qin Yongtao wouldn’t have spoken to her so “pleasantly.”

“Grand Uncle, this niece truly doesn’t understand why the hairpin Old Madam Lu was wearing on her head was Mother’s relic? This niece only asked a few questions, and Old Madam Lu just… just…”

Ziteng was also kneeling on the ground at this moment. Seeing that Qin Shuying never dared finish her words, she cried out, “Grand Master, Old Madam Lu called our Miss a little whore! Grand Master… wuu wuu wuu…”

Xu Shi reflexively said, “Nonsense! When did Old Madam Lu ever say such a thing?”

Ziteng sobbed, “Main Wife, so many people heard it with their own ears at the time – there were several hundred people… wuu wuu wuu… Old Madam Lu even said she would sell this servant away, wuu wuu wuu… She wanted to be the head of our Qin residence… wuu wuu wuu…”

Xu Shi was struck speechless. Ziteng’s words were part truth and part fiction, deliberately vague and unclear.

When they were in the room, Old Madam Lu hadn’t said such things – this was fact. When they were outside, she had naturally heard it from Old Madam Lu’s incessant chatter later.

But how could she defend against this?

Qin Shuying hung her head, looking forlorn, only shedding tears: “Great Grandmother, Grand Uncle, how could Shuying let her make decisions?”

The old lady’s face was grim, her eyes showing disgust and annoyance as she stared at Xu Shi.