Chapter 9: Lord Candidate Has an Invitation

  "Master, I'll have the maids come in to help you change." Wang Jin, the steward of the Zhongjun Marquis's estate, was in charge of all the trivial matters in both the front and back courtyards. For many years, everything had been going smoothly.

  Until three years ago, Hua Niang relied on Hou Ye's favor and proposed a deputy manager. Although it was only managing the backyard, she also really took power away from him. The thirty-something Zhang Qi became Wang Jin's biggest worry. He is already over fifty years old and fears that if he is not careful, someone will take advantage of him and completely lose his influence in the Hou Mansion.

  Fortunately, he had been following Lord Leng's side for over 30 years and had never made a mistake in his work, so Zhang Qi did not shake his position.

  "Hmm." Leng Qing nodded, he never thought that the Empress Dowager would suddenly ask about Leng Ziyue, and his memories of this daughter were very vague.

  It seems that since the incident, he has never cared about her again. Even when she was favored by the Empress Dowager and often summoned to the palace, Leng Qing did not go to ask after her.

  He didn't know if it was due to disgust or intentional avoidance, but every time he saw her face, which was extremely similar to her mother's, his cold heart would be filled with unspeakable anger and pain, making him restless.

  "Master, I've come in." Lady Luo said as she pushed open the door, her maid carrying a steaming bowl of chicken soup behind her, showing that she had put some thought into it.

  "How did you get here?" Leng Ting took off his court attire and sat down on a stool in his white undergarments.

  Madam Luo smiled and took out a set of clothes from the closet, saying: "Young master, it's my duty to help you get dressed, how can I let the servants do it? They won't dress you as well as I will."

  Leng Ting allowed Madame Luo to help him change his clothes, but his mind was still thinking about the Empress Dowager's words. The Zhuque Platform incident had left the Empress Dowager furious after she returned to the palace, and he didn't know if Leng Ziyue had woken up yet, which gave him a severe headache.

  "Master, what's wrong? Shall I call a doctor to take a look?" Mrs. Luo gently rubbed the cold sweat on his forehead and massaged his temples with her fingers, speaking softly.

  Wang the housekeeper walked into the room, bowed to Madame Luo, and looked at Leng Zhuang, saying: "Young Master, are there any further instructions?" Seeing that Leng Zhuang had already dressed, the maids he brought with him stood quietly aside, lowering their heads to look at their own shoes.

  Everyone knows that Madam Luo is jealous, they are young and do not want to die so early. Those who know the score still lower their heads and do not let Master Hou see their faces.

  "Go and get the fourth young lady." He shook off Lu's hand, his expression cold as he said that on that rainy day, he only saw her being carried into the manor by the house servants, like a lifeless rag doll, barely clinging to life.

  Watching that little girl kneel on the ground and beg him, in the end he still called for a doctor, his heart had no feeling.

  "Yes." Wang, the housekeeper, nodded and left, but couldn't help wondering why Leng Zhen wanted to see that forgotten fourth miss, a miss who lived worse than even the lowest servant. Could she even be considered a miss?

  "How did Master think of calling that little...?" The two words had not yet left her lips when Lady Luo saw the change in Cold's expression, and her tone changed to one of grievance: "Master doesn't know, this morning, I heard my personal maid Xiaojing say that Fourth Miss woke up, so I took Silver Bell to West Wing to visit her, but..."

  She wanted to say something but didn't dare, lowering her head and speaking in a humble and pleading tone, which made Mrs. Luo look even more pitiful and lovely, with her meticulous makeup and unchanged elegance despite being the mother of two children.

  "What's wrong?" Coldly glanced at Madame Luo, asking lightly, he knew that the women in the Hou Mansion were not simple lamps, and their intrigues and struggles were no less than those in the emperor's harem.

  He opened one eye and closed the other, because they didn't make too much noise, he also didn't have that kind of leisurely elegance. He never doted on one person, but instead kept taking in new concubines, with the goal of balancing their powers among themselves, not letting any one of them become too powerful.

  Looking back on what he had planned to do for that woman, Leng Ting felt that he was extremely foolish.

  "Fourth Miss not only did not accept my good intentions, but also rejected me at the door, and even... Fourth Miss even used the Empress Dowager to threaten me." Just thinking about her going to that broken Western courtyard, she didn't even see Leng Zhiyue's face, and was blocked by Hua'er, that cheap girl, at the door. The fire in Madame Luo's heart rose up, burning her chest with pain.

  "Oh." His tone was slightly raised, although he didn't get along with Leng Ziyue, but from Wang's housekeeper, he had also heard some things. That girl was beautiful and gentle, not fond of competing, always yielding, everyone in the mansion from the women to the servants could bully her, she would only cry when scolded, didn't dare do anything else, couldn't even speak loudly, yet she had the guts to refuse Madam Luo at the door.

  Was this fall finally enough to make her understand what it means to be weak and preyed upon?

  "Master, you must take charge of me, after all I am also...". Lady Luo's words had not finished when two other voices asking for her well-being rose up, causing her to clench the silk handkerchief in her hand. These two women were everywhere, it was really hateful to the extreme.

  "Is Master safe and sound?" Both Madam Qiao and Madam Hua asked in unison, but their treatment was different.

  Leng Zheng stretched out his hand towards Qiao Niang and gestured for her to sit beside him, asking softly, "Is your body feeling any better?"

  "Mr. Lao is worried, the doctor said that Yao'er is fine now." Qiao Yiniang sat quietly beside Leng Zhen, it was undeniable that she also came to see Leng Ziyue.

  Madam Luo's heart was burning with anger, but she couldn't help but glance at Hua Niang with a provocative gaze. She had come in with Qiao Niang, so why didn't Master take care of her? Looking at her embarrassed face made Madam Luo feel extremely pleased.

  "Master, Fourth Miss's temper is getting worse and worse. We are her elders after all, we went to visit her early in the morning, but ended up being locked out, it really hurt my heart." Flower Mother-in-law had a look of grievance on her face, with tears welling up in her eyes. No matter if it was Madame Luo or Jo Mother-in-law, whoever blocked her way would become her enemy, and she would find opportunities to get rid of them.

  Now trampling on her head, who can laugh last is the real winner.

  "Stop arguing, Fourth Miss will arrive soon, you can continue arguing then." Leng Zhen furrowed his brow, since everyone in the Hou Mansion disliked Leng Tiexin, he followed the Empress Dowager's wishes and let her move into the palace.

  At the time of the elegant banquet for the gathering of the five nations, she can use her beauty and piano skills to win over one of the four countries. Before this, the Empress Dowager had already said that no one could touch her, otherwise it would be an enemy of hers.

  Always living in the deep palace, sitting firmly in a high position, if the Empress Dowager did not have some means, she might not have her current status today.

  He didn't have much feeling for this daughter. If she had such value, then her later days would be better and she would suffer less bullying.

  "Master of the house, Miss...Miss...Miss she..." Huā ér bit her lip and trembled. She had easily snuck into the mansion according to Lěng Zǐ Yuè's plan, but Miss hadn't returned yet, and now Master wanted to see Miss again - what was she supposed to do?

  Wang Jin's eyebrows were tightly locked, looking at the little maid's appearance, could it be that Fourth Miss was not in the room at all? "The young master wants to see Fourth Miss, hurry up and ask her to come out. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impartial."

  "Master Steward, Miss is still not recovered, can't even get out of bed..." Huā ér wanted to say something more, no matter what she had to entangle the steward, if he found out that Miss was not in the mansion, trouble would be big.

  Blocking the steward Wang who was about to rush in, Huahua's small body was no match for him, and he was knocked to the ground in an instant, his knees bleeding.

  "Is this how you invite people, Wang?" Leng Ziyue opened the door, still wearing a white dress that was somewhat yellowed, her cold gaze sweeping over Wang Jin before finally landing on Hua'er.

  Wang Jin's body trembled, and he hesitantly raised his head to look at Leng Ziyue's cold eyes without temperature. He was shocked in his heart and said: "The young master has called the fourth miss to Minghui Hall."

  "This young lady will go herself, no need for you to worry, Wang the steward. It's just... a slave is always a slave, don't put yourself in too high a position, or you might fall and die." Leng Ziyue helped Hua'er up, drawing out the last word with a slow and deliberate tone.

  How nice, I was just thinking of meeting you too, let's see what kind of person you are.

  Wang Jin's face stiffened, his old face turned alternately pale and red with rage, making a big scene. He wanted to retort, but facing those eyes filled with murderous intent, he couldn't say a word, and had no choice but to beat a hasty retreat.