Old Lady Zhou and her party were in a hurry, so Madam Zhou did not linger any longer on the estate and soon packed up to return to the county.
Sitting in the spacious carriage, Madam Lu looked around curiously and inquired of Madam Zhou, "Ying Mei, this carriage is truly spacious, and that estate looks vast too. How much silver must it have cost?"
Madam Zhou glanced at her but did not respond.
Old Lady Zhou chided softly, "If you don’t speak up, no one will think you’re a mute!"
Feeling embarrassed, Madam Lu shut her mouth and her belly full of complaints continued unabated. What’s she acting so high and mighty for!
Old Lady Zhou caught a glimpse of the serene Madam Zhou from the corner of her eye, sighed inwardly, closed her eyes, and silently started chanting Buddhist scriptures.
The travel from the estate to the county was but two shichen, and as they approached the Wu Residence, Madam Zhou felt quite uneasy on the inside; she knew that Wufu did not like the Zhou family’s people.
If what Old Lady Zhou had said was true, that Wufu had taken revenge on Zhou Dajun for his dishonorable conduct towards her, how would she react now when she saw Old Lady Zhou and her party? Would she be furious?
Madam Zhou glanced at Old Lady Zhou’s face, sighed lightly, and resigned herself to the situation, all for the sake of her face.
She led Old Lady Zhou and her party through the front door, where they were greeted with respect by stout maids, matrons, and young male servants.
Qiu Xiang intentionally fell a step behind and summoned Ji Tongzi close, whispering a few words in his ear, which caused Ji Tongzi’s eyes to widen as he quickly ran off toward the study.
As they followed Madam Zhou deeper into the inner part of the mansion, both Old Lady Zhou and Madam Lu were inwardly startled. Goodness, the mansion was elegant, and the servants showed such respect to Madam Zhou; perhaps this was what they called the true bearing of a grand household.
Madam Lu, like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, ogled everything around her with wide-eyed amazement, then glanced at Madam Zhou leading the way ahead. Madam Zhou’s demeanor left Madam Lu itching with envy.
If only she were the mistress, then...
Mesmerized by the thought, Madam Lu felt somewhat elated, unwittingly straightening her back.
"Ying Mei, is this mansion really yours? Just you and your daughter as the mistresses?" Madam Lu couldn’t help but inquire.
Such a large house, including the estate, would cost a lot of silver. Where did they get the money from? Could it be that some man had taken a fancy to them and kept them as his hidden concubines?
Madam Zhou was not slow-witted. Instantly picking up on Madam Lu’s insinuations and the look in her eyes, she stopped, her tone turning stern as she spoke, "Naturally, this is mine and Wufu’s home. In this entire mansion, only my daughter and I are the mistresses. Every flower, every tree, every needle, and every thread have been earned cleanly and honestly through Wufu’s own abilities."
Madam Lu, reprimanded, sheepishly received her mother-in-law’s warning glance and said, "Hehe, Wufu is indeed quite capable."
Madam Zhou snorted coldly, regretting somewhat that she hadn’t arranged accommodations for them at an inn outside the mansion.
At that moment, Wufu was completely absorbed in her carving. She was now working on the facial details of a human figure, making her cuts steady and decisive, the delicate details handled exquisitely.
Outside the study, a voice could be heard speaking. Wufu paused her carving knife but remained still.
Soon after, Liu Jin stepped briskly into the small workshop, stopping at the door with some hesitation.
"What is it?" Wufu’s hands didn’t stop.
Liu Jin hesitated for a moment, then, only when Wufu looked up at him, did he pluck up the courage to say, "Sister Qiu Xiang had Brother Tongzi come to say that Mrs. Zhou encountered Old Madam Zhou and her company at the estate, and now they have been brought into the mansion."
Wufu’s eyebrows rose, she put down her carving knife, reached for a handkerchief nearby to wipe her hands, and gave a cold laugh, "They really are inescapable, aren’t they?"
To avoid by all means, yet still to encounter? Is this a coincidence or a deliberate attempt to seek her out?