Wang Zhengguo sat at the head of the dinner table, looking at Feng Qingxue and her cousin, Feng Qingyun, whom she had brought back from their second uncle’s home. Pointing at the meals on the table, he said with a smile, "We’ve had years of disaster for the past two years, and the crops have never been bountiful. The city runs out of food frequently, and a meal of sweet potato rice is considered a luxury. Not everyone can afford such grand meals even during the New Year. Seeing you two living well, I am relieved."
Feng Qingxue responded with a small smile, "Without you, uncle, we wouldn’t be where we are today."
"It’s your own capabilities that carried you here. All I did was introduce you to Lu Jiang. The final outcome was up to you," Wang Zhengguo humbly replied, "Lu Jiang’s father is a man of vision, and foresighted indeed. Whenever you have free time, visit them more often and take care of the old man and his grandson. It benefits you."
"Uncle, rest assured, I understand."
Seeing her obedient response, Wang Zhengguo was immensely pleased. His satisfaction prompted him to add more advice, "I’ve grown up in the Lu family. Although I do not know all their secrets, I am familiar with most of them. During the campaign to plunder their homes, some of the things I saw in my childhood were not confiscated. You understand what I mean, right?"
A chill ran down Feng Qingxue’s spine.
While fools exist in this world, so do the crafty and shrewd.
Lu Jiang’s father, with his foresight, hid a portion of their wealth which wasn’t confiscated. The gifts he gave her as a token of engagement are proof of that. But the shrewd are not limited to Wang Zhengguo. What he discovered, others are likely to notice too.
There are more than one companion readers in the Lu family, and not just servants.
"I have heard from Uncle Lu that when the homes were being raided, many people took advantage of the chaos and pocketed a lot of gold, silver and jewels. Some even covertly collected many valuable antiques and paintings. Thus, openly, not many treasures are visible. I suppose this is why the things you saw were not among those that were confiscated."
"Does such a thing happen?" Wang Zhengguo asked with doubt.
He never indulged in such activities himself, so he could not imagine others doing so.
Feng Qingxue responded with a faint smile, "Since Uncle Lu said so, it must be true. If you don’t believe me, uncle, you might want to keep an eye out in the future. Notice if any items from the Lu family appear in the hands of those who participated in the raid."
Wang Zhengguo suddenly remembered something, slamming his left hand on the table.
"No wonder, no wonder! I always wondered how Dazhu, the poorest man in the neighborhood, managed to survive the past two years of famine unscathed. I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I saw him in the black market time and again. He owes the production team money every year; how could he afford to buy expensive grains? Now that you mention it, I remember that Dazhu was one of the most active ones in raiding the Lu Family, and one of those who knocked down the walls. He found many gold and silver bricks, hiding them in his waistband. Who would have suspected him?"
"Did Dazhu participate in raiding the Lu family? Uncle, who else was involved at that time?" Feng Qingxue asked curiously, secretly elated that someone had sold off items from the Lu family.
Wang Zhengguo frowned.
"Many people participated. Only a few didn’t join in from the Wanglou Brigade. Even your aunt-in-law didn’t listen to me and rushed to the front. When the national directive came down, the lower-class people, especially the tenants and servants of the Lu family, were extremely excited. They thought they were finally their own masters and completely forgot the Lu family’s benevolence. They all rushed out to smash and destroy the Lu family’s home, and many valuable antiques and paintings were destroyed in the process. The scene was so tragic that it’s still fresh in my memory."