Chapter 45: Lu Jinrong's Maid Turns Against Her

Clatter!

Lu Jinrong violently smashed a vase onto the floor, sending porcelain shards scattering in all directions. The maids and matrons were so frightened that they all dropped to their knees.

Lianxin trembled as she said, "Please calm your anger, Miss. Be careful not to hurt yourself."

Lately, the young mistress's temper had grown increasingly volatile, making life harder and harder for the servants.

Although the young mistress never directly vented her anger upon them, when the master of the house was in a foul mood, who dared to wear a smile?

Lu Jinrong paced furiously around the room, shouting, "Go and summon Lin Wanqing! I want to see her!"

Lianxin tried earnestly to persuade her, "Miss, your throat hasn't healed yet. Don't strain your voice, or you might cause permanent damage, and that would be truly troublesome."

Lu Jinrong howled, "My life is practically ruined, and you expect me to care about my voice?! Go and call her!"

Lianxin looked on the verge of tears, "Miss, the Madam said she will not come. Furthermore, the Madam also said..."

Lu Jinrong glared at her. "What else did she say?"

Lianxin didn't even dare to raise her head to look at her. "The Madam also said... she said you should face reality. She is the one in charge of this estate now. If you continue to refuse to cooperate, she will keep you confined until the General returns."

Having delivered the message, Lianxin mustered her courage and advised, "Miss, perhaps... perhaps you should just learn the proper etiquette..."

"What? You want me to learn etiquette?!"

Lu Jinrong exploded. "You think I need to learn etiquette too? You think I'm crude and unrefined?!"

Lianxin hurriedly shook her head. "Of course not, Your Ladyship. This servant merely thinks that the current situation is unfavorable to you. It might be better to adopt a delaying tactic for now."

Lu Jinrong, who had been hopping mad, suddenly froze. "A delaying tactic?"

Lianxin nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Miss. Right now, the entire General's Estate is under the Madam's control. We won't gain any advantage by locking horns with her directly. It's better to feign submission for now to lower her guard, so you won't have to remain locked up. When the General returns, you can settle accounts with her properly."

Lu Jinrong remained somewhat reluctant; she was completely unwilling to do this.

Seeing that she was not strongly opposed, Lianxin quickly continued to coax her, "Miss, you don't need to feel like you are bowing down to her; this is merely an expedient measure. Endure a moment of humiliation in exchange for long-term peace. As long as the General returns, he will certainly back you up. You and the General are full siblings born of the same mother; no matter how capable she is, the General would never allow you to be wronged."

After listening to this, Lu Jinrong frowned and pondered for a long time before saying, "What you say does make some sense. Very well, I will do as you suggest and play along with that merchant's daughter for a while. Once my brother returns—no, we won't even need to wait for my brother to return in person; the moment those letters reach my brother's hands, her good days will be at an end!"

Lianxin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She had truly feared failing this task.

That's right, persuading Lu Jinrong to submit was a task—a task assigned to her by Lin Wanqing.

The time turned back to a day ago.

Lianxin had knelt nervously before Lin Wanqing, her voice trembling uncontrollably, "This servant greets the Madam. I do not know why the Madam has summoned me?"

She was genuinely terrified. Her own young mistress had fought bitterly against this woman and lost; who knew if this woman would take the opportunity to eliminate those of them who were the young mistress's close confidantes? After all, once they were dealt with, the young mistress would have no helpers left in the estate, leaving her entirely at the mercy of this woman to be shaped and flattened however she pleased!

At this thought, Lianxin's face turned pale with fright.

Unexpectedly, Lin Wanqing simply smiled gently at her. "Why so nervous? Do I look like a fierce ogress?"

Lianxin hurriedly shook her head. "Of course not. The Madam is exceedingly beautiful, dignified, and gentle—the most beautiful person this servant has ever seen."

Lin Wanqing chuckled. "You have a sweet tongue, child. Don't be so nervous; I didn't call you here to make things difficult for you. I want to ask for your help."

"Help?"

Lianxin was utterly baffled. The entire General's Estate was currently controlled by the Madam; where could the Madam possibly need the help of a lowly maid?

Lin Wanqing said, "I am asking you to help persuade your young mistress."

Lianxin was even more confused. Wasn't this woman locked in a life-or-death struggle with their young mistress? Their mistress had already lost, so what kind of play was this woman putting on now?

Oh no, she couldn't possibly be trying to turn her into a traitor!

Lianxin blurted out, "Madam, although this servant is merely a lower-class maid, I am not the sort of despicable villain who turns with the wind! The Madam needn't waste her breath; this servant will never betray my young mistress!"

After saying this, Lianxin belatedly felt a wave of terror. Showing such blatant disrespect to this woman, would she even be able to survive?

At this thought, Lianxin's face turned as pale as a ghost, and she could barely keep herself from collapsing to her knees, yet she stubbornly gritted her teeth and refused to beg for mercy.

Lin Wanqing's smile faded. "You have a loyal heart, child, and more backbone than your mistress. Rest assured, I am not trying to turn you into a traitor, nor do I intend to ruin the relationship between you and your mistress. To be frank, I think very little of the people around Lu Jinrong, and even less of herself, because you are all truly foolish."

Lianxin: ......

Lin Wanqing continued, "I am asking for your help to persuade your mistress to properly learn etiquette. You are well aware of your mistress's lack of etiquette. Not to mention comparing her to young ladies from prominent noble households, she doesn't even measure up to girls from humble backgrounds."

"She is fast reaching the age for marriage. Do you think any respectable family would look favorably upon her current demeanor and lack of manners?"

"If you don't want your mistress to suffer in the future because of her poor upbringing, and even have her marriage prospects ruined, then help me persuade her to willingly learn proper etiquette."

"Remember this: you are her maid, and your life is bound to hers. When the mistress prospers, those around her rise to success as well. Helping to persuade her isn't just helping me; it's helping yourself."

Lianxin stared blankly at Lin Wanqing, completely failing to anticipate that this would be the request.

"Madam, don't you hate our young mistress? Why would you care about her future?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lianxin hurriedly covered her lips with her hand.

How could she have spoken her innermost thoughts aloud?! Was she trying to get herself killed?!

Lin Wanqing pressed a hand to her forehead. "Everyone in that courtyard truly needs to learn some etiquette!"

This habit of speaking without thinking seemed to run through everyone there, from top to bottom, without exception.

With mistresses and servants like these, it would be a miracle if they didn't get themselves ruined in the future!

"There is one more thing: I do not hate your young mistress; she is the one who has stubbornly treated me as an enemy. Of course, I am not looking out for her well-being either; I am doing this for my own sake. Since I have married into this family and taken over the management of the General's Estate, all of you must obey my arrangements. I do not like people working against me. I can afford to be magnanimous and overlook it once or twice, but my patience wears thin after three or four times. If you don't want her to suffer, help persuade her."

With that, Lin Wanqing waved her hand to have her escorted out.

Lianxin looked back repeatedly as she walked away. She still couldn't quite fathom this General's Madam, but she could be certain of one thing: the Madam was exactly as she claimed—she had never truly regarded her young mistress as an opponent.

Because she simply looked down on her young mistress entirely.