Qin Yining wondered why Lu Zheng’s wife would suddenly come to the guest quarters. Looking up to meet her gaze directly, not knowing the reason, Qin Yining only smiled and nodded.

But the eldest young mistress didn’t return the courtesy. She raised one eyebrow, her eyes containing undisguised contempt and appraisal—not looking at a person, but rather examining merchandise.

Qin Yining’s smile faded.

“You are Lady Ning?”

“I am. What brings the eldest young mistress here?”

The eldest young mistress walked toward Qin Yining step by step, her watery eyes examining Qin Yining from head to toe. Having been married to the eldest young master for many years, she had never seen him so enthusiastic about any woman. This time he actually urged her like a greedy cat to deliver jewelry.

Her heart was full of intense unease and jealousy. Seeing the real person, feelings of shame, anger, and self-consciousness mixed in, creating a complex array of emotions.

But she was the eldest young master’s legitimate wife, and her family still depended on the Lu family—she had no right to be willful.

Forcibly suppressing her heart full of anger and bitterness, the eldest young mistress adjusted her emotions within a breath and smiled politely: “Does Lady Ning have time? Could we speak privately?”

Only then did the eldest young mistress look toward Pang Xiao beside them.

Upon seeing him, her feelings became even more complicated.

She knew her husband had taken a fancy to someone else’s concubine, but he hadn’t mentioned that this “someone else” was such a handsome young master!

They were a perfectly good couple—why should she break them apart and bring the beauty before her to add to her own troubles?

Qin Yining exchanged glances with Pang Xiao, not understanding what the eldest young mistress meant.

Lightly patting Pang Xiao’s hand, Qin Yining walked toward the eldest young mistress with Bingtang and Ji Yun.

Pang Xiao crossed his arms and leaned impatiently against the door frame, waiting.

The eldest young mistress and Qin Yining walked one after the other toward a bamboo grove beside the path.

“That is Young Master Wan?”

“Yes.”

“It seems Young Master Wan dotes on you greatly?”

“Young Master Wan treats me extremely well.”

“With such beauty as yours, you naturally deserve any man’s kindness. Even those who usually aren’t particularly interested in feminine charms have been moved.”

The eldest young mistress turned around with a smile on her lips, though the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“I come at my husband’s command to ask if you would be willing to become a virtuous concubine?”

For a moment, Qin Yining didn’t know whether she should be angry at Lu Zheng’s audacious lust or sympathize with this woman who was clearly full of jealousy yet still had to play the virtuous wife seeking a concubine for her husband.

“To be honest with the eldest young mistress, Young Master Lu asked me this once before, and I already declined. Though the Lu family is wealthy, the Wan family is not weak either. Moreover, Young Master Wan dotes on me, I understand the Wan family well, and Young Master Wan is about to remarry… In the future, my days at the Wan family will be more smooth. Though the Wan family doesn’t compare to the Lu family’s foundation, I’m just a small woman who doesn’t need to conduct big business requiring capital. For me, my current life is already worth anticipating.”

While Qin Yining spoke, the eldest young mistress kept examining her expression, as if trying to see how much truth and how much falsehood were in her words.

Qin Yining calmly looked back at her: “Please convey my thanks to Young Master Lu for his kind intentions on my behalf. I can only disappoint him.”

The eldest young mistress hesitantly nodded and had the maid behind her present an exquisite three-tiered brocade box.

“This is what the eldest young master instructed me to give you.”

Two maids opened the first layer of the brocade box.

In the bright red box, jadeite jewelry was neatly arranged on black velvet—novel in style, exquisite in craftsmanship, and most importantly, the jadeite had excellent clarity.

The maids displayed all three layers, then closed the box and presented it.

Qin Yining’s eyes showed appropriate greed. Any woman seeing such a jewelry set couldn’t possibly be completely unmoved—she magnified her admiration dozens of times.

But she still refused.

“Thank you for the eldest young mistress’s gift. However, I cannot accept unearned rewards, and the business between the Lu family and Guangtong Company has been settled. It wouldn’t be proper for me to accept more. Please take it back.” Having learned of Lu Zheng’s intentions, Qin Yining didn’t want to entangle further with the Lu family’s eldest young mistress. She bowed: “Young Master Wan still wants to take me out. I take my leave.”

After nodding and bowing, Qin Yining walked back to Pang Xiao’s side.

The eldest young mistress was very surprised—this woman before her wasn’t a fool who only blindly coveted wealth.

Regardless, her refusal to enter the Lu family doors only brought benefits without drawbacks.

The eldest young mistress’s expression finally eased somewhat. She nodded distantly to Pang Xiao from afar, then turned and left with her people.

With Pang Xiao’s exceptional senses, and since Qin Yining and the eldest young mistress hadn’t deliberately lowered their voices, he had heard their conversation clearly without needing to ask. Though his stomach was full of jealousy, this wasn’t Qin Yining’s fault. After holding it in for a long time, Pang Xiao managed: “How are all the Lu family people cut from the same cloth!”

Qin Yining paused, then suddenly covered her mouth and laughed until her whole body shook.

Pang Xiao had been somewhat angry, but seeing Qin Yining laugh with her eyes curved like crescents, that expression truly softened his heart. She was naturally so outstanding—no wonder people admired her. He couldn’t blame his wife for being too beautiful, too intelligent, and having too good a temperament. He could only blame those people for having the audacity of a bear and the gall of a leopard.

Pang Xiao pulled her hand irritably and headed for the guest quarters’ side gate.

Bingtang, Ji Yun, and Huzi all struggled to suppress their laughter as they followed behind.

The two naturally went out for another round of “showing off.”

After discussing at an appropriate place, Pang Xiao went to the “Prosperity Restaurant” that Qiu Feishan had mentioned, making a big show of eating there.

“Our early appearance has convinced Lu Zheng that I’m truly Guangtong Company’s eldest young master. He naturally won’t come here to keep the appointment on the tenth day of the tenth month, which conveniently facilitates our actions.”

Qin Yining nodded in agreement.

Having decided on their strategy, before leaving, Pang Xiao called the restaurant manager over and first rewarded him with an ingot of silver.

“Your wine and dishes here are very good and suit this young master’s taste perfectly. Listen, next month on the tenth is my beauty’s birthday. This young master is telling you in advance—I want to book the entire Prosperity Restaurant for a banquet. This is the deposit.”

Huzi took out a five-hundred-tael immediately cashable banknote from his chest.

The restaurant manager had never seen such a generous young master—to celebrate a mistress’s birthday, he actually wanted to book the entire Prosperity Restaurant for a banquet.

Taking the banknote, the manager repeatedly said: “Young master, rest assured. Next month on the tenth, right? We’ll definitely arrange everything perfectly for you.”

“Mm. This young master has no other requirements—just don’t deliberately economize and don’t shame this young master.”

“Ah, just watch and see!” The manager bowed, and before leaving, he deliberately took an inconspicuous glance at Qin Yining, then left with understanding.

Pang Xiao and Qin Yining returned to the Lu family and continued living their “luxurious and dissolute” days as usual, only instructing Prosperity Restaurant to appropriately advertise for him, welcoming the entire city to come eat—it would be better if everyone celebrated together.

With Prosperity Restaurant’s promotion, everyone in Danzhou City knew that some wealthy young master’s concubine was having a birthday, and on the tenth day of the tenth month, one could eat and drink for free at Prosperity Restaurant. Some were curious, some contemptuous, and many people thought about taking advantage of this sucker.

This matter naturally couldn’t be hidden from Lu Zheng.

These days Lu Zheng had been wearing a dark expression, as if harboring many worries. Lu Xi naturally didn’t dare say much, only quietly attending beside him.

“Prosperity Restaurant? A banquet?” Lu Zheng sneered: “Who would have thought someone so addicted to taking small advantages would be willing to hold a banquet at Prosperity Restaurant. Even iron roosters will grow feathers to pluck.”

Lu Xi also said: “He’s just showing off wealth. If you ask me, Lady Ning really can’t calculate—she wouldn’t accept the priceless jewelry young master sent her, but instead values that wastrel’s one-day banquet. How much could a banquet be worth?”

Lu Zheng felt the same way, and thinking about it made him more irritated. But Lu Xi had spoken his thoughts aloud, which stabbed even deeper into his heart.

Lu Zheng irritably stood up and entered the house.

Lu Xi knew he had misspoken and didn’t dare say more. After a while, when Lu Zheng’s expression looked better, Lu Xi dared to ask: “Young master, will you go on the tenth of next month?”

“Go where? To eat at the banquet? Or continue chasing after Lady Ning like a dog?”

Lu Xi didn’t dare speak.

“What kind of woman haven’t I had? She’s just ignorant. Must I debase myself? Let it be for now. As long as the business with Guangtong Company continues, there will come a day when she’s delivered to me.”

Lu Xi nodded, knowing the young master had made up his mind. Not forcing things now represented his determination to obtain her later.

Lu Zheng grabbed a handful of chess pieces to toy with, suddenly saying: “Isn’t there another person buying an official position tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“When we conduct business tomorrow, have that wastrel come with Lady Ning.”

Lu Xi was stunned, then immediately understood and nodded in agreement. He happily went to relay the message to Pang Xiao.

After hearing Lu Xi’s message and politely seeing him off, both Pang Xiao and Qin Yining were puzzled.

“Young Master Lu wants us present when he conducts business? What does this mean?”

Pang Xiao tapped the table with his finger, pondering for a moment before smiling with understanding.

“He’s showing off his strength to me, this wastrel. This is also a common businessman’s tactic—letting people see how good their business is to raise their own value and facilitate future dealings.” Looking at Qin Yining, Pang Xiao added: “Perhaps he also wants to show you the Lu family’s power.”

Qin Yining blinked and said amusedly: “Are you jealous again?”

Pang Xiao pouted: “Peacocks displaying their plumage—it’s all rear end no matter how you look at it!”

Qin Yining paused, then burst into laughter at his joke.

Pang Xiao touched his nose, thought about it, and started laughing too.

With Lu Zheng’s intention to “display his plumage,” Pang Xiao naturally brought Qin Yining to hide behind screens and observe several of the Lu family’s transactions.

Only then did they truly realize how extensive and large-scale the Lu family’s business of selling official positions was.

In negotiations, the Lu family always held the dominant position. Once they stated their demands, they would never compromise—only those seeking to buy positions would yield.

Having observed much, Qin Yining and Pang Xiao would help calculate accounts for the Lu family during their private outings. As they had thought before, the Lu family controlled court appointments, earning not only silver but also connections.

One must know that in officialdom, whether colleagues, examination classmates, teacher-student relationships, or in-law connections—officials having any of these relationships represented wealth in terms of networks.