Qin Feifei’s heart skipped a beat, cold sweat streaming down her back. Did Old Madam Lu’s words just now carry hidden meaning? Did she know what she had done?

These days, Old Madam Lu found her displeasing no matter how she looked, nitpicking at everything.

After Qin Shuying caused such trouble at the Lu family, as Qin Shuying’s cousin, Old Madam Lu directed all her fury at Qin Feifei.

Especially learning that Old Madam Qin had declared Qin Feifei was no longer welcome to visit—wasn’t it because Qin Feifei had taken Qin Shuying’s things to curry favor with herself, and Old Madam Qin discovered it?

When Qin Yaoyao was alive, Old Madam Lu thought the things Qin Feifei gave her were her own. Only after Qin Shuying’s incident did she learn they were actually Qin Shuying’s.

If not for Qin Feifei being such a miser, refusing to part with a penny, how would she—such a virtuous and chaste woman—end up being cursed at by others!

It was all Qin Feifei, this disaster!

Old Madam Lu hadn’t lived these years for nothing. She had long known about the affair between Qin Feifei and Lu Changxuan, but since it was her own son taking advantage of an official family’s young lady who threw herself at him, why not enjoy it? So she turned a blind eye.

When Qin Yaoyao’s scandal broke with so many guests present, her face was completely lost. After confining Qin Yaoyao, she was happy to watch Qin Feifei torment Qin Yaoyao to death.

Throughout, she observed coldly without intervening, but that didn’t mean she was unaware of Qin Feifei’s actions and schemes.

Hence these words.

Lu Changju also said, “Sister-in-law, you truly can’t compare to your Second Sister. When your Second Sister was here, we never lacked anything. Look at you—how long have you been here, and the household already needs to cut expenses? If Second Brother hadn’t lacked silver for bribes, why would he have failed? It’s all because you can’t produce money! Now I’m too embarrassed to go out. Which noble ladies in the capital don’t buy expensive pastries and fruits when they travel? Look at me—this morning I asked you for money, and what did you tell me? How shameless!”

Qin Feifei was so angry she could barely breathe!

How could this be her fault? How could it be?

That wasn’t all. Old Madam Lu said, “I think outsiders are right—you’re a harbinger of misfortune. That Scholar Liao was fine originally, but after marrying you, he became sickly. Without leaving any offspring, he died. Since you married into our Lu family, nothing good has happened. First the business failed, leaving only two struggling shops. Then came this incident, implicating Changsong too.”

Qin Feifei wept in anger, crying, “Mother, you, you’re wronging your daughter-in-law!”

Eldest Aunt Lu fingered a piece of broken silver in her pouch, saying, “Changxuan’s wife, this is your fault. Sister-in-law is teaching you—who are you crying for? Changxuan’s wife, you should pay from your own silver to cleanse your sins so our Lu family can have peace.”

Qin Feifei looked at Eldest Aunt Lu as if seeing a ghost. Even she dared to pressure her now?

General’s Manor of the Western Campaign.

After hearing Liang Yanjun’s account, Liang Zhe burst into laughter, “Interesting, interesting! This young lady is interesting!”

Liang Yanjun looked pained. Young Master, this young lady is engaged.

Please don’t show such appreciation for her character.

“Under such circumstances, she could still turn the tables—truly clever! And ruthless too, showing no mercy to her cousin and second cousin! Good, good!”

Liang Yanjun said, “Young Master, Seventh Miss Qin is engaged to the eldest legitimate son of Huzhou’s Liu family head Liu Gongshan. He placed third in the metropolitan examination, and the palace examination probably won’t pose major problems. People are now betting whether he’ll become the Great Zhou’s youngest Third-Place Scholar.”

Liang Zhe obviously knew this, saying, “Tomorrow you place a bet for me too—bet he’ll succeed.”

Knowing she was engaged yet still showing such interest, Liang Yanjun couldn’t fathom Liang Zhe’s intentions. What exactly was the young master planning?

“Yanjun, let’s make a bet ourselves. What do you think?”

Liang Yanjun reflexively said, “Don’t bet too much!”

Liang Zhe smirked, “Look at your pathetic ambitions!”

Liang Yanjun said miserably, “Young Master, this subordinate still has an unmarried sister!”

Young Master, you love gambling, especially high-stakes gambling. Several people have already lost to you without even keeping their pants. If you win and I lose too badly, what about my only relative’s dowry?

“You haven’t even heard my wager and already assume you’ll lose?”

Liang Yanjun asked tentatively, “Could it be Young Master isn’t certain he’ll win either?”

Liang Zhe gave him a look, “Since it’s gambling, both sides need roughly fifty-fifty odds. If I bet on eating meat tonight, what would be the point?”

Liang Yanjun laughed heartily. After returning to the manor, the young master’s table invariably featured meat and fish at every meal, but prepared roughly—nothing a refined household should produce.

After laughing, Liang Yanjun said, “Young Master, with all the rumors about you, aren’t you angry?”

Liang Zhe said, “Angry about what? Why be angry? They say I’m fierce and violent—am I not? Battlefields are merciless. If I weren’t fierce, would I still be alive? They say I’m crude and vulgar—don’t I just love eating meat? We military men train daily. Without meat, we lack strength to wield swords. They say I’m a wastrel and lazy—there are only a few delicate beauties in the palace. What’s there to do? Sleeping is proper business!”

Liang Yanjun forced an ugly smile. No, their young master wasn’t like that at all! Not at all!

The young master was brave in battle yet well-read with superior strategy…

“Enough with the long face. Let’s discuss our wager. Seeing you’ve eaten well since returning to the capital but look sallow and thin, I won’t be too harsh—just fifty taels of silver.”

“Young Master, my monthly military pay is only five taels!”

“Then you need to find a way to beat me—wouldn’t you earn fifty taels?”

“Young Master, you’re… shameless!”

“I gave you a chance.”

“…Fine, speak.”

Liang Zhe said, “We’ll bet whether Qin Shuying will ultimately marry Liu Junqing.”

Liang Yanjun said, “What’s worth betting about? The engagement is already set.”

Liang Zhe said, “Not necessarily—that’s why we’re betting.”

Liang Yanjun pondered briefly, then said, “I bet they’ll marry.”

But Liang Zhe said, “I bet they won’t.”

Just as they were getting excited, Nanny Lu entered, “Young Master, Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master are here.”

Liang Zhe’s expression darkened as he said, “Invite them in.”

Soon, a pair of almost identical young men entered—twins.

They were Liang Zhe’s half-brothers, both sixteen years old. The elder twin was named Liang Dong, the younger Liang Jie.

Both were extremely handsome, raised with refinement, and dressed exquisitely.

They called out in unison, “Elder Brother!”