Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Schemes Between Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law

After the three from the Su family fled Peach Blossom Lane, they slipped into the Lu Residence.

Seeing how messy and battered they looked, Ji Ru Zhen knew at once the plan had failed, and she frowned as she asked: “How did it end up like this?”

Madam Feng said, “We did everything just like you told us, but that shameless girl would not budge. I cried for half a day for nothing.”

Su Fu said, “And her husband is tough too. As soon as he opened his mouth he asked us to show proof and household papers.”

Su Rong said, “That Chun Zhi is very sharp. She saw right away we were not her family. She refused to admit we were kin, and even rammed us with her handcart! She also said she would report us to the officials!”

These three had been found by Ji Ru Zhen to pretend to be Chun Zhi’s family. The goal was to trick Chun Zhi into leaving Linshui Town, sell her far away, and make sure she would never see Lu Jing Yun again.

If the people of Linshui Town never saw her again, everyone would forget the issue between her and Lu Jing Yun, and no one would keep saying the Chancellor’s Daughter stole someone’s husband.

But these three were useless. Not only did they fail, they made the situation even worse.

Hearing them talk gave Ji Ru Zhen a headache, so she cut them off as she said: “So you just ran back? Why be scared if she reports you? With me here, would the magistrate dare touch you?”

Seeing the displeasure on Ji Ru Zhen’s face, the three from the Su family shut their mouths at once.

Thinking it over, when Chun Zhi said she would report them, they actually did not need to run. But they had guilty consciences.

Even with the Chancellor’s Daughter backing them, they still let Chun Zhi chase them off.

Looking at them, Ji Ru Zhen knew the plan to fake a family reunion and lure Chun Zhi away from Linshui Town would not work. With a throbbing temple, she waved her hand.

A maid spoke up at once as she said: “Useless trash who failed the job, why are you still here in front of Madam? Get out!”

“Yes, yes…”

The three from the Su family bobbed their heads and scurried out.

As they left, Old Madam Lu happened to see them.

Old Madam Lu believed that if Chun Zhi stayed in Linshui Town, it would harm Lu Jing Yun’s reputation. After talking it over with Ji Ru Zhen, she had told her that Chun Zhi had a peach blossom birthmark on her lower back.

Old Madam Lu did not know exactly what Ji Ru Zhen would do. Now, bumping into those people at the door, her heart began to pound.

Walking into the front hall, she asked as she went: “Those people just now were…”

Seeing it was her mother-in-law, Ji Ru Zhen spoke plainly as she said: “I planned to have people pretend to be Chun Zhi’s family and trick her into leaving Linshui Town, far away, so she would stop hurting my and my husband’s good name. I never thought those three were so stupid that Chun Zhi saw through them.”

“Chun Zhi saw through it?” Old Madam Lu’s heart lurched as she thought: [This will not do.] She asked, “What should we do now?”

“What can we do?” Ji Ru Zhen said. “They do not dare expose me anyway. It is just that as long as Chun Zhi and her husband stay in Linshui Town, the townspeople will talk about me and my husband the moment they see them. It is so annoying. Mother-in-law, do you have another way?”

Although Ji Ru Zhen and Lu Jing Yun had only come home to visit and would leave after taking Old Madam Lu with them, Chun Zhi and her husband would keep living in Linshui Town. Every time Ji Ru Zhen thought of them staying, she could feel the rumors never stopping, and it made her skin crawl.

All her life, Old Madam Lu cared most about Lu Jing Yun. His future and name could not be ruined by Chun Zhi. She thought for a moment and did come up with a way, then she said to Ji Ru Zhen: “The place where Chun Zhi is living now, the tofu workshop on Peach Blossom Lane, when it was bought, the deed was written under Jing Yun’s name.”

Hearing this, Ji Ru Zhen at once had an idea, and she asked: “Mother-in-law, is that true?”

“Of course it’s true,” Old Madam Lu said. “I remember it clearly.”

“Then it will be easy.”

Right away Ji Ru Zhen told her people to find the original owner of the tofu workshop.

The original owner had likely sold the workshop for lack of money. If she sent that owner to go fight to take the tofu workshop back from Chun Zhi, then Chun Zhi would not even have a place to stay. After that, Ji Ru Zhen could spread the word so no one would sell or rent to Chun Zhi in Linshui Town. Chun Zhi and her husband would naturally leave.

Old Madam Lu asked her: “Why are you looking for the original owner of the tofu workshop?”

“You will know when the time comes,” Ji Ru Zhen said.

Seeing her daughter-in-law’s expression, Old Madam Lu remembered it was the same look she had when she learned about Chun Zhi’s birthmark last time. Ji Ru Zhen must have thought of an even better way to drive Chun Zhi off.

Old Madam Lu felt sorry in her heart as she thought: [Chun Zhi, I am sorry.] But she also felt she was not wrong, because she told herself: [I am doing this for Jing Yun. I have no choice.]

While the two were talking, Lu Jing Yun came home.

This was not the first time he had found his mother and Ji Ru Zhen sitting together talking. When they saw him, both looked a little guilty.

Feeling it was odd, Lu Jing Yun smiled and asked them: “Mother and Madam, what are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” Old Madam Lu said. “We were only chatting about the recent rumors in Linshui Town.”

Hearing this, Lu Jing Yun’s expression turned a bit strange.

The biggest rumor in Linshui Town lately was that the top scholar cast off his child bride and married the Chancellor’s Daughter.

If Old Madam Lu was talking about that at home with Ji Ru Zhen, that would be nonsense.

Knowing her mother-in-law’s excuse had holes in it, Ji Ru Zhen hurried to add as she said: “Mother-in-law was telling me some funny stories from my husband’s childhood.”

“Really?” Lu Jing Yun did not quite believe it.

Most of his childhood stories were tied to Chun Zhi. His mother would never bring up Chun Zhi in front of Ji Ru Zhen.

The two women were acting off, but Lu Jing Yun did not call them out. After a few polite words, he went to the study.

Since returning to Linshui Town, he had many social calls. In the past, when he came home after drinking outside, there was always a steaming bowl of hangover soup waiting.

Chun Zhi always knew what he needed, and she prepared it at once.

After he married Ji Ru Zhen, she was gentle and thoughtful too, but she asked the maids to prepare everything. It always felt like something was missing.

When he lifted his brush to paint, without thinking he sketched Chun Zhi’s brows and eyes. By the time he came back to himself, the outline was there.

Afraid Ji Ru Zhen would see it, he dipped his brush in ink right away and smeared the painting.

Over on Peach Blossom Lane, after lunch, Chun Zhi washed the bowls while Huo Zheng scrubbed the pot.

Suddenly Huo Zheng asked, “When you set up your stall on West Street every day, are there a lot of people there?”

Chun Zhi said, “All of West Street is full of sellers. Of course there are a lot of people.”

Huo Zheng was quiet for a moment, as if thinking.

Chun Zhi asked, “Are you too bored staying at home to rest? I can take you with me when I set up the stall tomorrow.”

Huo Zheng looked up at her as he asked: “What do you mean take me with you?”

“I will sell tofu, and you can stroll around,” Chun Zhi said. “Don’t worry, I said I would support you. I will not make you sell tofu with me.”

Huo Zheng fell silent: “…”