Chapter Fifty-Five: The Clever Lu Ying

Though Madam Huang was a servant, she was clever and somewhat worldly. She turned to look at Lu Ying, observing her gentle, composed demeanor, and for a moment could not discern whether Lu Ying was deliberately acting to change everyone's opinion of her, or if such calmness was simply her true nature, so easily overturning her reputation without any scheming at all.

Confused for a while, Madam Huang smiled and called softly, "A-Ying?"

Lu Ying turned her head, lips pressed together as she looked at Madam Huang, seemingly unsure how to respond after the help she had just received. After a moment's hesitation, Lu Ying managed a faint smile and said quietly, "Thank you for speaking up just now. It's getting late—I'd best be going." With that, she turned and walked toward Lu Yun, who was squatting by a stall some three hundred meters away, utterly absorbed in something.

Madam Huang watched Lu Ying's retreating figure thoughtfully but said nothing more.

Before long, Lu Ying reached Lu Yun. The stall was draped with thick Sichuan silk, displaying a row of stones—some smooth, some lustrous, all carved into various shapes. Though roughly made, each piece had its own charm.

Lu Yun, head bowed, was carefully carving a palm-sized stone with a chisel, his expression utterly absorbed. Even as Lu Ying approached, he didn't notice her. The stall owner, a thin young man of about twenty, was crouched before Lu Yun, earnestly guiding him on how to handle the tool.

Seeing her brother so focused, Lu Ying was startled. It was the first time she realized that her brother, who was always distracted when reading, could be so intent on something.

She glanced at the sun—still early—so she decided not to call him just yet and wandered off among the stalls, lingering here and there.

As she walked, Lu Ying pondered. Although Madam Huang had helped her, she left Lu Ying with an uneasy feeling, as if she'd come prepared for something.

Prepared for what? To get closer to her? Or was there another purpose?

After a moment's thought, Lu Ying mused coldly: Tomorrow I'll go inquire about Widow Zhang's proposal. If that Zhang boy hasn't been instigated by someone, so be it...

As she wandered, Lu Ying was suddenly startled by an earth-shattering wail from behind: "Heavens above, why don't you strike this animal with lightning... Living off me every day, eating my food, and now I can't even keep a few coins! Open your eyes, Heaven!"

The wailing was so loud it drew a crowd. Lu Ying had no interest at first, but when she glanced back, she realized the commotion was coming from where Lu Yun had been.

She walked over calmly.

As she approached, the woman wailed even louder, slapping her own thigh with resounding smacks. The sheer volume was enough to make one's eardrums ache.

Pushing through the crowd, Lu Ying immediately saw Lu Yun at the center, his dark eyes glaring angrily at the woman, his little fists clenched tight.

When the woman's wailing finally paused, Lu Ying heard her brother say, "Why are you like this? Brother Qian only wants to earn a little money to buy books..."

Before Lu Yun could finish, the plump, small-eyed woman in her thirties let out a piercing shriek, drowning out his words. She slapped her thigh and cursed the heavens, "Is there no justice? Beast! Beast! Now you're even getting outsiders to take your side against your own family! Beast! Why hasn't thunder struck you yet!"

Lu Yun, unused to such scenes, was so angry his handsome face twisted in frustration. Just then, he caught sight of his sister in the crowd.

His eyes brightened at first and he took a step toward Lu Ying, but suddenly hesitated. No, he thought, my sister's engagement has already been broken off. If this shrew splashes her filth onto my sister, that would be terrible.

Gritting his teeth, he stayed put.

Lu Ying, having noticed every nuance of her brother's reaction, felt her heart lighten with pride. She always knew her brother was clever!

She had often worried that his honest nature left him unable to grasp the twists and turns of human nature, so she would always explain her methods and intentions to him. Now, it seemed, her brother truly had grown up.

While Lu Ying smiled, the thin young man—scolded as a beast by the woman—sat slumped on the ground, motionless, his hand clutching three copper coins trembling.

The plump woman, after another bout of wailing, glanced at the young man's tightly clenched hand and began howling again, "Beast, Heaven, why not just strike him? I fed him, clothed him, raised him with such hardship, and yet he begrudges his sister-in-law a few coins..."

Amid her thunderous howling, Lu Ying heard several voices in the crowd:

"That's Second Son Sun from Xiahe Village."

"He's a pitiful one, stuck with that shrew of a sister-in-law. He leaves before dawn to work, and before he's even earned his money, she follows him to demand it. If he doesn't hand it over, she makes a scene like this—sometimes several times a day."

"Don't believe a word she says. Look at all the fat on her! All her children are plump as pigs, except for Second Son Sun, who never has enough to eat or wear... That vicious woman took over the dozen acres left to him by his father, works him half to death, and now wails like this over a few coins."

Hanyang Street was just like that—a small place where everyone knew everyone else. After a few moments of such chatter, Lu Ying understood the whole story.

Recalling how the fat woman had just called Lu Yun a little beast, Lu Ying's eyes turned cold. She stepped through the crowd to stand before Lu Yun.

At the sight of a beautiful, refined young lady—clearly not a common village girl—the fat woman abruptly fell silent, staring wide-eyed at Lu Ying.

Lu Ying ignored her. She walked up to her brother, who was still trembling with anger, and, smoothing his hair, comforted him with a smile: "Silly Yun, why are you angry? Don't you realize your new friend is in luck today?"

What?

The crowd was baffled, all turning to look at Lu Ying. Even the fat woman pricked up her ears, sniffing as she listened.

To the bewildered Lu Yun, Lu Ying raised her voice: "Didn't you say a few days ago that the court is seeking candidates for filial piety and integrity, sending important officials here to Hanyang to find men of virtue? Look at your friend—he let his father's land go to his elder brother and sister-in-law, works hard every day, and though he doesn't have enough to eat or wear, he keeps his sister-in-law and nephews well-fed and clothed. Yun, do you know what filial piety and integrity mean? This is it! To yield to one's elders, to keep to one's duty—such people the court will reward handsomely. If he stayed tucked away in Xiahe Village, those officials might never hear of him. But now, with his sister-in-law making such a scene, his reputation will spread far and wide!"

At these words, the young man let his hands fall from his face and stared blankly at Lu Ying. The fat woman, who had just been howling, now quickly covered her own mouth, her beady eyes darting around, clearly searching for the important officials Lu Ying had mentioned.