"Madam, please come in."
The maid standing outside lifted the thick hanging door curtain.
Hearing the voice, Lady Ye composed herself and turned to look.
At that moment, she was slightly taken aback.
It was indeed Lu Jinxi who had arrived.
She was slender, her complexion somewhat pale, yet her skin had a translucent, snow-like glow, as if carved from a piece of pristine mutton-fat jade. Her delicate features seemed to have been meticulously painted by a skilled artisan.
Her demeanor was gentle and graceful, flowing like a cloud, captivating and radiant.
"Madam, I apologize for the intrusion."
Her voice was soft and warm, like a wisp of cloud drifting across the sky.
Everything seemed the same as before, yet Lady Ye almost failed to recognize her.
They had met years ago, but now Lady Ye felt that the other woman had changed so much, like a stretch of overcast skies suddenly clearing, bringing comfort but also a sense of unease.
For a moment, Lady Ye was lost in thought, her heart filled with surprise and doubt.
Fortunately, having managed the affairs of the mansion for so long, she had developed a certain composure in the face of unexpected situations.
Seeing Lu Jinxi bow in greeting, she quickly stepped forward, taking her hand: "Oh, not at all, Madam. Why stand on ceremony? I’ve been thinking of you. It’s been so long since we last met, and you look even more radiant than before, putting me to shame… Please, come and sit over here."
As she spoke, she led Lu Jinxi toward the warm kang by the window.
Lu Jinxi rose gracefully, not bothering with excessive politeness.
Though the status of the Duke’s wife was noble, her own title as a first-rank lady was no mere decoration.
Earlier, she and Bai Lu had come all the way from the General’s residence. Along the way, they had observed the maids and servants attending to them, all of whom were orderly and disciplined, and the mansion itself was impeccably managed. Lady Ye had already earned her admiration.
Bai Lu had mentioned that Lady Ye was the eldest daughter of Ye Qi, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, known for her sharp wit.
Under her management, the vast Duke of Ying's Mansion had remained stable for years without a single mishap.
Lu Jinxi had initially thought that, given the incident involving the children, even if she wasn’t given the cold shoulder today, she might not receive a warm welcome from Lady Ye.
To her surprise, Lady Ye’s attitude was unexpectedly cordial.
Lady Ye was dressed in a dark blue narrow-sleeved long coat with white fox fur trim, her black hair styled in a loose cloud-like bun. Though her figure was modest and her features delicate, she exuded the dignified air of a noblewoman.
Yet, there was a complexity in her gaze.
There was a hint of regret, a touch of hesitation, and even a trace of unease.
Lu Jinxi suddenly recalled Lady Ye’s earlier demeanor toward her, as well as the fact that neither family had been able to uncover the reason behind the fight. She began to form a guess but remained silent, following Lady Ye inside.
The room carried a faint, bitter scent of medicine.
On the kang lay an autumn-colored golden-threaded python pillow, with two brocade cushions set opposite each other. Between them was a small redwood table, upon which were placed numerous jars and bottles, along with three recently written prescriptions, the ink still exuding the fragrance of pine soot.
Lu Jinxi recognized the messy handwriting as that of Zhang the Ghost Hand.
"Please, have a seat."
Lady Ye gestured for her to sit on the eastern side of the kang.
Lu Jinxi hesitated slightly but ultimately took her seat, understanding it to be a gesture of hospitality.
Once seated, Lady Ye also sat down across from her and turned to call out: "Dingfang, come and greet your Aunt Lu."
Luo Dingfang had already stood up from the kang with proper decorum when Lu Jinxi entered.
Now, at Lady Ye’s call, his face turned pale, and he trembled slightly before stepping forward to bow to Lu Jinxi: "A-Aunt Lu, greetings."
His voice was stammering and soft.
"Your arm is injured, there’s no need for formalities."
Lu Jinxi knew that the children of the two families were close, so being addressed as "Aunt" was appropriate. However, upon closer inspection of Luo Dingfang, she couldn’t help but frown.
The second young master of the Duke’s mansion appeared slightly older and taller than Chi, but he was far too thin. Still, his delicate features gave him a scholarly air.
At the moment, his left arm was heavily bandaged.
There was no doubt that this was Chi’s "handiwork."
The boy had made a fuss, insisting that she shouldn’t apologize, but seeing Luo Dingfang in this state, how could she not?
With a sigh, Lu Jinxi carefully chose her words: "Today’s incident was truly unexpected. Chi is usually mischievous, but he has never caused such trouble before. I was at Dazhao Temple at the time, so I could only send someone to fetch Doctor Zhang immediately. I’ve just returned to the residence and have prepared some things to check on the young master’s condition. I hope you can forgive us, Madam."
Bai Lu, hearing this, quickly signaled the maids carrying trays to present the precious medicinal items they had brought.
Lady Ye, however, first glanced at Lu Jinxi.
This first-rank lady, who had once been the subject of ridicule, now wore an expression so calm that it was impossible to discern her true thoughts or the sincerity of her words.
Lady Ye had a vague sense that the other woman wasn’t here to place blame.
"These are some medicinal items I found in our storeroom. I know the Duke’s mansion lacks nothing, but this is just a small token of my sincerity…"
As Lu Jinxi spoke, she observed Lady Ye’s expression.
Upon hearing her words, Lady Ye glanced at the trays Bai Lu was holding.
They were filled with precious herbs—ginseng, lingzhi, and more—all of the highest quality, clearly intended as a genuine gesture of apology.
In truth, the fact that the General’s residence had summoned Zhang the Ghost Hand spoke volumes about their attitude.
"It’s kind of you to be so thoughtful, Madam, and to care for my Dingfang. However…" Lady Ye paused, then let out a bitter laugh and shook her head, "I cannot accept these gifts."
The maids from the General’s residence immediately tensed.
Even Bai Lu’s heart skipped a beat, thinking that the Duke’s mansion was determined to make things difficult—this was going to be troublesome!
Lu Jinxi, however, sitting close by, could see Lady Ye’s expression clearly.
Since entering the room, Lady Ye’s attitude had been different from what she had initially expected. The fact that Lady Ye had asked Luo Dingfang to address her as "Aunt" had already given her some clues, so she remained silent.
A flicker of something unreadable passed through Lady Ye’s eyes as she looked at Lu Jinxi: "Since the two families opened the school, Chi and Dingfang have been playing together, and I’ve been very pleased. Today’s sudden fight and the resulting injury were as unexpected to me as they were to you. As soon as I brought him back, I questioned him thoroughly, demanding an explanation. But he remained stubborn, refusing to say a word."
This matched what the Zhou family’s servant had reported earlier, and Lu Jinxi was aware of it.
Lady Ye then turned to Luo Dingfang.
Before Lu Jinxi had entered, the mother and son had already spoken, so Luo Dingfang seemed to know what his mother was about to say. He lowered his head, his left hand gripping his right tightly.
This sight tugged at Lady Ye’s heart, adding to her inner turmoil.
But what needed to be said had to be said.
She sighed: "He’s my flesh and blood, and I know his nature well. If he were innocent and had been beaten like this, he would have been wailing and making a scene. Why would he be so quiet now?"
This left Lu Jinxi momentarily stunned.
She looked at Lady Ye, then at Luo Dingfang, realizing that only someone perceptive could say such a thing.
It seemed there was more to Chi’s actions than met the eye.
Lady Ye, for a moment, felt a pang of softness in her heart, but she steeled herself and gently patted Luo Dingfang’s head, speaking firmly: "I’ve already said what needed to be said earlier. Now that your Aunt Lu is here, you may speak."
"……"
Luo Dingfang stood at the edge of the carpet, timidly raising his head to glance at Lu Jinxi. His delicate face flushed red with embarrassment.
Nervous, he clenched his fingers tighter, his chest heaving as his breathing grew uneven.
He was anxious, even fearful.
The events that had transpired during the chess game in the study flashed through his mind, filling him with shame. He wished he could bury himself in a hole.
But now, he had to recount it all in front of his mother and Chi’s mother…
Could he really say it?
He thought of the promise he had made with Chi, torn and conflicted.
After a long pause, he finally mustered the courage to speak haltingly to Lu Jinxi: "A-Aunt Lu, it’s my fault. When I was playing chess with Chi, I… I…"
Seeing him struggle to speak, his words hesitant and fragmented, Lady Ye’s expression gradually darkened. Her manicured nails dug into the carved grooves of the redwood table, and she couldn’t help but snap: "Hurry up and—"
But at that very moment…
"Enough."
The soft voice came from Lu Jinxi, who had been silent until now.
Lady Ye was startled, both surprised and puzzled, yet she also felt a sense of relief. "Madam, you..."
Lu Jinxi's clear eyes gazed at Lady Ye, naturally catching the subtle changes in her expression. Her heart was as clear as a mirror.
Even if Luo Dingfang hadn't spoken, she already knew who was in the wrong.
But Chi refused to say a word to her, likely not wanting her to know. Now that she had heard it from Luo Dingfang, she wasn't sure how Chi would react if he found out.
Lady Ye had forced the child to explain in front of her, simply to give her an explanation.
But was it really her who needed an explanation?
"I'm not particularly concerned about why they fought," Lu Jinxi said gently, turning to look at Luo Dingfang, who was staring at her in disbelief.
She smiled softly and continued, "Adults shouldn't interfere in children's matters, and children shouldn't meddle in adults' affairs. What happened today is between the second young master and that rascal Xue Chi. It has nothing to do with me. So, I won't ask, and the second young master doesn't need to tell me either."
Lady Ye was stunned, feeling that these words were unheard of and unprecedented.
They didn't sound like something Lu Jinxi would say.
Luo Dingfang opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but when he looked up, he met Lu Jinxi's radiant gaze and her gentle, reassuring smile, so bright and warm.
Suddenly, he found himself at a loss for words.
Only Lu Jinxi remained composed.
She sat gracefully, serene as jade, and gave Luo Dingfang a playful wink. "If the second young master feels you truly must say something, how about this? Once you've recovered and returned to school, you can tell Chi yourself. What do you think?"
