Lu Tong followed the Ke household servant through the mansion gate while Yin Zheng remained outside.

Upon entering, they were immediately greeted by a peony terrace. The Ke family’s garden was vast, with flowers in full bloom. Walking in felt like entering a flower grove, the entire courtyard filled with fragrance.

Lu Tong lowered her eyes.

Lu Rou had been allergic to pollen – whenever she got close to fresh flowers, her face and body would break out in red rashes. The Lu household never had a trace of flowers. However, since Lu Rou loved flowers so much, her mother had made many artificial flowers from cloth scraps, arranging them in porcelain vases to add some color.

But the Ke family seemed to have no such concerns, with various flowers competing in their splendor and beauty.

Upon reaching the main hall, an elderly woman sat in a huali wood chair. She had a long face with sharp, downturned eye corners and thin lips covered in rouge. She wore a lichee-red long vest with intertwined grape patterns, heavy gold gourd earrings weighing down her ears, dressed in particularly wealthy fashion. At first glance, she appeared somewhat harsh.

After a moment, Lu Tong gave Old Madam Ke a gentle curtsy: “This humble one, Wang Yingying, pays respects to Old Madam.”

Old Madam Ke said nothing, looking down at Lu Tong appraisingly.

This was a young lady wearing a faded light brown hemp dress with an inconspicuous patch at the elbow, appearing quite poor. Old Madam Ke’s gaze fell on the white gauze covering Lu Tong’s face, and she frowned slightly, saying: “Why are you wearing a face veil?”

“Yingying contracted an acute illness on the way to the capital, and the rash on my face hasn’t completely faded,” Lu Tong said softly. “I dare not offend Old Madam’s eyes.”

Old Madam Ke noticed there were indeed traces of rash on her exposed neck, and her thoughts stirred. She waved her hand: “Then keep your distance.” Her tone was not at all polite.

Lu Tong obediently stepped back two paces.

Nanny Li at her side put on a smile, while massaging Old Madam Ke’s shoulders, and asked Lu Tong: “Where is Miss Yingying from?”

Lu Tong replied: “I am from Southern Su.”

“Southern Su?” Old Madam Ke looked her over. “Never heard of the Lu family having any relatives in Southern Su.”

“Sister Rou’s mother was Yingying’s maternal aunt. When Yingying was young, I followed my parents to Southern Su. Back then my mother was frail and my father fell gravely ill. Aunt mentioned that she would treat Yingying like her own daughter, and if difficulties arose in the future, to seek help in Changwu County.” At this point, Lu Tong’s voice carried just the right touch of melancholy. “Now that my parents have passed away, Yingying finally made it to Changwu, only to learn that Aunt had already…”

Old Madam Ke felt relieved – just as Nanny Li had said, this Wang Yingying was just a poor relative coming to ask for handouts. She probably wanted to swindle some silver.

Thinking this, she lost her patience and said: “Since you’re looking for Lady Lu, you should know she died long ago – there’s no such person in the Ke household now. Besides,” she said with a cold smile, “you say Lady Lu was as close as a sister to you, but in the past, she never mentioned such a person. Who knows if what you’re saying is true or false?”

“Old Madam need not worry. Yingying once lived in Changwu County for a time, and all the neighbors know of this. Old Madam can send someone to inquire in Changwu County – one question will reveal the truth.”

Old Madam Ke choked slightly. Nanny Li beside her immediately spoke up: “Miss, the former madam has passed away. Even if you wanted to seek refuge here, the young master has already married a new wife, and his marriage bond with Lady Lu is ended. For an unmarried young lady to stay in the Ke household would be improper – if word got out, it would damage your reputation.” She considered these words very reasonable – what young lady doesn’t care about her reputation? Even if trying to ask for handouts, one must weigh whether it’s worth it.

Lu Tong’s gaze flickered slightly.

New wife…

Lu Rou had only been dead for a year, yet Ke Chengxing had already remarried.

Her fingers curled tightly inside her sleeve, but a gentle smile appeared on her face: “Yingying understands the awkwardness of my position and naturally wouldn’t dare stay at the Ke household. I already told the gatekeeper – this visit is to retrieve my cousin’s dowry.”

At these words, the room fell silent.

After a while, Old Madam Ke slowly spoke: “What did you say?”

As if not noticing her malevolent gaze, Lu Tong spoke in a soft voice: “Aunt once wished to register Yingying under her name and raise me, so I am half a member of the Lu family. Since the young master’s marriage bond with my cousin has ended and they are now strangers, and since my cousin bore no children, her dowry should naturally be returned to the Lu family. I can take custody of it.”

“When a wife passes away, the husband’s family should rightfully return the deceased wife’s dowry.” Lu Tong looked up, feigning surprise. “With the Ke family’s wealth, surely you wouldn’t begrudge my cousin’s small dowry?”

Her voice was unhurried, her manner gentle, yet it was like hot oil being poured down, instantly igniting Old Madam Ke’s fury.

Old Madam Ke slammed the table: “Dowry? What dowry did she have? The daughter of a poor scholar – marrying into our family was already climbing up the social ladder! If my son hadn’t liked her, why would our Ke family make such a marriage alliance, inviting ridicule from others? Nothing but a fox-bewitching face, if it weren’t for…”

Nanny Li beside her coughed.

Old Madam Ke suddenly stopped speaking. Meeting Lu Tong’s gaze, she suddenly sneered: “You keep saying how close you were to your sister, why don’t you go ask around about what kind of person your sister was?”

Lu Tong looked at her calmly.

“After Lady Lu entered our Ke household, she didn’t behave as a proper wife should. Relying on her looks, she openly flirted with the young master from Grand Tutor Qi’s mansion in the shop. She didn’t know her worth – how could the young master Qi look at a woman like her? She had no shame, and when young master Qi rejected her, she ran out in disarray. Afterward, realizing she had lost face, she couldn’t bear it and jumped into the pond. Yet she made our Ke family become the laughingstock of the capital!”

As she spoke of this, she became increasingly agitated: “The Lu family, not a single good person among them. Her brother was a troublemaker who was arrested by the authorities after entering the capital – theft and adultery! They called themselves a scholarly family, but they’re nothing but thieves and whores, not a single good person! They deserved to die!”

Old Madam Ke pointed to the peony terrace outside: “If she hadn’t jumped into the pond and sullied my new residence’s feng shui, why would I spend so much silver filling in the pond to plant peonies? What a waste of my newly blooming red lotus…” She then pointed at Lu Tong, her voice particularly sharp: “You want to find the dowry? Go ask your sister for it. Lady Lu entered our door empty-handed – our Ke family providing her food and clothing was already the height of kindness. Even if you report this to the authorities, I’m not afraid. Let’s see if the officials believe you a lot of thieves and whores, or our Ke family!”

After the woman finished speaking in one breath, her chest heaved violently. Nanny Li hurriedly stepped forward to pat her back and help her breathe. After drinking two sips of fragrant tea, she finally caught her breath and glared at Lu Tong: “What else do you want? Why aren’t you leaving? Planning to shamelessly stay at the Ke household?”

Lu Tong lowered her eyes: “Yingying understands.” She turned to walk out of the hall.

Perhaps because the commotion had been too loud, just as Lu Tong reached the main hall, she ran into a young woman. This woman had a pretty oval face, her powder applied very white, with eyebrows drawn sharp and upturned, wearing a turquoise horse-face skirt, appearing somewhat sharp-tongued. Her voice was also slightly elevated as her suspicious gaze swept over Lu Tong before looking into the hall: “Mother, who is…”

Mother…

Lu Tong’s heart stirred. Old Madam Ke only had one son, Ke Chengxing, so this woman… must be Ke Chengxing’s new wife.

Old Madam Ke coughed lightly: “Just a distant relative.”

Lu Tong’s gaze lingered for a moment on the flower hairpin in the woman’s hair before quickly looking away. Without paying any more attention to those behind her, she left the hall without looking back.

Outside the Ke residence, Yin Zheng was anxiously pacing back and forth. Seeing Lu Tong come out, she hurried forward to ask: “Miss, how did it go?”

Lu Tong didn’t speak, only urged: “Let’s go.”

Yin Zheng didn’t understand but looked once more at the Ke family’s gate before hurriedly following Lu Tong away.

After passing through the alley under Fengle Tower, Lu Tong suddenly stopped, and pulled off the white gauze from her face, revealing a face covered in rash spots.

“Miss,” Yin Zheng studied her expression, “should we ask around more…”

“No need to ask anymore.” Lu Tong spoke coldly. “My sister was murdered.”