Chapter 237: Chapter 237: Zhi Wan Wants to See Her Cousin

Lady Wei sneered, "The Old Madam certainly treasures Lu Jinglan, but does she ever stop to think? The girl was a beggar. Even with such a lowly status, the Old Madam doesn’t disdain her, treating her better than her own sons. So how is it that when it comes to our Wan’er, she’s a ’lowly wench’?

"Our Wan’er is, at the very least, descended from a family of scholars. How could she not be better than that beggar! If our Wan’er is a lowly wench, then Lu Jinglan is a piece of vile filth!"

"You!" Old Madam Lu clutched her chest, enraged. She turned her head to Lu Zhenbei. "She speaks to me like this! Does she have any respect for me, her mother-in-law? Aren’t you going to do something about her?"

Lu Zhenbei frowned. "Minghui isn’t wrong. Besides, you were the one who spoke improperly first, honored Mother!"

Old Madam Lu’s face turned ashen with rage. She raised a finger and pointed at them, cursing furiously, "It seems I have no say in this family anymore! Every single one of you is so defiant and unfilial!"

Hearing this, Lu Jingsi frowned in disagreement. "Mother, to say such a thing truly chills your sons’ hearts. We have always respected you and have never been anything but filial.

"It seems just as Sister-in-law said: in Mother’s eyes, an outsider like Lu Jinglan is more important than your own sons.

"Otherwise, why would you accuse us like this over an outsider like Lu Jinglan?"

With that, he shook his head and sighed, a look of disappointment on his face.

Old Madam Lu choked on her words, a look of discomfort on her face.

"Mother, you must be more impartial. Since you can accept Lu Jinglan and treat her as your own daughter, why do you look upon Wan’er, a descendant of scholars, with such disfavor?

"You shouldn’t favor one over the other!

"Besides, Wan’er has always been well-behaved and sensible, never one to start trouble. Lu Jinglan, on the other hand, suddenly pulls this disappearing act. I’d say it’s obvious she’s hiding somewhere herself, just to make you worry, Mother," Lu Zhenbei said in a low voice.

"Nonsense! How could Jinglan be so thoughtless?" Old Madam Lu said, incensed.

"But the fact is, Lu Jinglan did disappear for no reason. And our family is no ordinary household. What kind of thief could be so skilled as to sneak into the mansion, abduct someone, and not alert the guards?

"The way I see it, just as Eldest Brother said, Lu Jinglan most likely hid herself." Lady Lou had long been dissatisfied with how well her mother-in-law treated Lu Jinglan.

’An outsider, doted on as if she were the apple of her eye, while her own granddaughter standing right here is treated as less than a stranger.’

’Just thinking about it made her furious.’

’In her opinion, it was a good thing Lu Jinglan was gone. It would be best if she never came back.’

"Impossible! Don’t spout nonsense!" Old Madam Lu pointed at her and cursed.

Lady Lou resentfully shut her mouth.

"Since Mother is so worried, we’ll send people to look for her. But if they can’t find her, there’s nothing we can do. After all, if someone truly wants to hide, it’s impossible to find them," Lady Wei spoke up.

Although Old Madam Lu was displeased, she was left with nothing more to say.

Soon, Lady Wei had sent out all the servants to search.

While Fushou Hall was in an uproar, Lu Lan went to Yaoguang Pavilion.

Seeing her arrive, Zhi Wan’s expression cooled. "What do you want?"

Lu Lan looked at her uneasily. "It seems Sister Zhi Wan isn’t very happy to see me."

"Even if I’m not, didn’t you come uninvited anyway?" Zhi Wan watched her act, amused.

"I... I was just a little scared, so I came looking for you, Sister Zhi Wan..." Lu Lan said, then began to sob quietly. "Did you know, Sister Zhi Wan? Little Aunt Jinglan suddenly... disappeared last night."

"The entire household knows. Of course I’ve heard." Zhi Wan’s gaze was scrutinizing. "Lu Lan, you’re so frightened. Could it be that Lu Jinglan’s disappearance has something to do with you?"

Lu Lan’s crying hitched. Beneath her sleeve, her fingers dug tightly into her palm. She forced a smile. "Sister Zhi Wan, that’s not a funny joke."

"Is it a joke? The way you’re acting so scared makes it very easy for people to suspect you," Zhi Wan said.

"I... I have no quarrel with Little Aunt Jinglan. Why would I harm her? On the contrary, Sister Zhi Wan... Grandmother said Little Aunt Jinglan’s disappearance is related to you," Lu Lan said in a soft, quiet voice.

Zhi Wan glanced at her, not angered by her words. Instead, she said in an unhurried tone, "Just because you say you have no quarrel doesn’t mean it’s true. Where no one could see, perhaps you two had a falling out long ago. So you took advantage of the conflict between Lu Jinglan and me, colluded with outsiders to have her kidnapped, and framed me for it all."

Lu Lan’s eyes widened in astonishment. "Sister Zhi Wan, how could you think such a thing? Why would I do that?"

"Yes, I’d like to know that too." Zhi Wan stared at her with a sharp gaze. "Lu Lan, I have no grievance with you. Why do you want to harm me?"

Lu Lan was startled but forced herself to remain calm. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. When have I ever harmed you?"

"I may not have proof, but the last time I left without a word, rumors flew around the mansion that I had eloped with someone. You were the one who spread that, weren’t you?" Zhi Wan said coldly.

"Sister Zhi Wan, you’re going to be the death of me with these false accusations! That had nothing to do with me! I wasn’t the one who spread those rumors!" Lu Lan said anxiously.

Zhi Wan observed her anxious demeanor and sneered internally. ’This Lu Lan is an even better actress than I am.’

She had no desire to play along with this charade and got straight to the point. "What happened to you had nothing to do with me. The person you should hate, the person you should blame, is the one who schemed against you. You shouldn’t direct your anger and grievances at an innocent party."

At the mention of her defilement, Lu Lan’s face went pale, and her whole body trembled.

After a long moment, she squeezed out a smile. "What are you talking about, Sister Zhi Wan? How could I possibly blame you for my misfortune? You’re overthinking it."

"I hope I am. After all, every injustice has its perpetrator, and every debt has its debtor. I have never harmed you, so my conscience is clear!" Zhi Wan said lightly.

"I understand." Lu Lan nodded and replied softly, "I’ll be going back now."

"Mm."

Once Lu Lan was gone, Shuang’er frowned. "There’s something strange about the Fourth Young Miss, isn’t there? Do you think she really blames you for what happened, milady?"

Zhi Wan nodded. "I believe so."

"That’s completely unreasonable!" Shuang’er said indignantly.

"The human heart is hard to fathom. From now on, stay clear of anything related to Lu Lan. Don’t fall into her traps," Zhi Wan instructed.

"This servant understands," Shuang’er nodded.

After leaving Yaoguang Pavilion, Lu Lan’s timid demeanor vanished, replaced by a strange smile playing on her lips.

Taking the Silver Coins she had been saving for a long time, she left the Duke Dingguo Mansion and found a painter to create a portrait for her.

When the painter finished the portrait according to her instructions, he looked at the person he had drawn and exclaimed in admiration, "What a beautiful young lady!"

Lu Lan stared at the person in the painting, a faint, unreadable smile on her face. "You think she’s beautiful too?"

The painter nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from the painting. "I’ve never seen anyone so lovely. This must be someone you imagined, miss?"

"Not at all." Lu Lan shook her head with a smile, taking the painting to admire it slowly. "The person in this painting is a poor relative staying with our family."

The painter was surprised. "She’s a real person? Then may I ask, miss, what do you plan to do with her portrait?"

Lu Lan didn’t answer. She lowered her head, rolled up the painting, and tossed a money pouch to him. "That’s none of your business."

The painter took the pouch and wisely kept his mouth shut.

「That night, Yaoguang Pavilion.」

Zhi Wan lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

That afternoon, an Embroidery Girl from the Brocade Building had come to take her measurements for a wedding dress.

Shuang’er had been grinning from ear to ear, but for some reason, Zhi Wan felt a sense of unease, as if something was about to happen.

Also, regarding Lu Jinglan’s sudden disappearance, she wanted to ask her cousin.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t dreamt of her cousin in a long time.

’I wonder what he’s busy with?’