Chapter 49: Lu Qinian’s Grievance

Lu Qinian snorted, “My affairs don’t concern you.”

Lin Wanqing glanced at him with disdain. “You’re overthinking. It’s not that I care about you or want to meddle in your matters. But now you are my nominal son, so I have to take charge, whether you like it or not. If you feel rebellious, you’ll just have to hold it in until your father returns.”

Lu Qinian was momentarily at a loss for words.

Lin Wanqing patiently continued, “If you refuse to tell me, I’ll have no choice but to write to my father. Do you know how intense the ongoing battles are? Are you aware of the dangers on the battlefield? If your troubles reach your father’s ears, it will distract him. You should understand how fatal distractions can be in war, right?”

Lu Qinian grew anxious. “Then can’t you just not tell him?”

Lin Wanqing shook her head. “No. I’m only a stepmother. There are many things I don’t want to get involved in, and I’m not in a position to meddle too much. If I interfere too much, people will say I’m overstepping. If I interfere too little, they’ll think I don’t care. So, I’ve decided to write to your father more often and let him make the decisions. That way, no one can blame me.”

Lu Qinian, still young, was somewhat swayed by her argument. “Fine, I’ve said it. Can’t you just drop it? Don’t write to Father. It’s such a small matter—there’s no need to trouble him.”

Lin Wanqing laughed bitterly. “A small matter? Lu Qinian, do you know how serious it is to assault a teacher? He’s your teacher. If you really hit him, do you know what consequences you’ll face?”

Lu Qinian puffed up his cheeks, anger flashing in his eyes. “Who made him take sides? He is a teacher, yes, but I don’t recognize him as mine. I don’t have a teacher like that!”

Lin Wanqing saw he was quite upset and asked, “He took sides? Why? Whose side did he take?”

Clenching his fists, Lu Qinian said, “Wu Zeren! He sided with Wu Zeren! That bastard Wu Zeren was spewing nonsense first, but Teacher Li didn’t listen fairly and took Wu Zeren’s side!”

Lin Wanqing inquired, “What exactly did Wu Zeren say?”

Lu Qinian fell silent.

Lin Wanqing frowned and turned to Lu Qinian’s servant, Lu Qi. “You tell me. What grievance did your young master suffer?”

Lu Qi glanced at Lu Qinian uncertainly, unsure if he should speak.

Lin Wanqing snapped, “I’m asking you. Why are you looking at him? Speak honestly, now!”

Lu Qi trembled slightly and hurriedly said, “Madam, Wu Zeren said… said that the young master’s birth mother—”

“Enough! Don’t say another word!”

Lu Qinian shouted at Lu Qi, then turned to Lin Wanqing. “Don’t bother with today’s matter. I’m not going to school anymore!”

After saying this, Lu Qinian lowered his head and walked away.

Lin Wanqing said to Lu Qi, “Go after him quickly.”

Lu Qi hurriedly ran after Lu Qinian.

Lin Wanqing then instructed Zisu, “Go and find out exactly what nonsense Wu Zeren said.”

Zisu obeyed and left.

After a while, Zisu returned with an unpleasant expression.

“Miss, I’ve found out. Today at the school, Wu Zeren insulted the young master’s birth mother in front of the Second Young Master. He said she lacked virtue as a woman, was shameless, and couldn’t live without a man.”

Lin Wanqing’s brows knit. “Which family is this Wu Zeren from?”

Zisu replied, “He is the son of a man named Wu Yongwen, who remarried Madam Zhou.”

Madam Zhou had remarried a man surnamed Wu, called Wu Yongwen, a businessman who had been childhood sweethearts with Madam Zhou. Wu Yongwen had once sought to marry her, but the Zhou family disfavored the Wu family. With Lu’s mother’s matchmaking, Madam Zhou instead married into the general’s household. Wu Yongwen married his first wife and bore two children.

Both had moved on with their lives until fate brought them back together—Madam Zhou had lost her husband, and Wu Yongwen lost his wife.

Zisu continued, “After Madam Zhou married into the Wu family, life wasn’t easy. Wu Yongwen’s children always opposed her, and Wu Yongwen kept a harem… Wu Zeren recently joined this school and immediately clashed with the Second Young Master. Today, he said those outrageous things.”

Lin Wanqing asked, “And what about Teacher Li?”

Zisu said, “Teacher Li’s wife is a close confidante of Wu Zeren’s birth mother.”

Lin Wanqing sneered, “So he took sides? What a disgrace to be a teacher!”

Clearly, the trouble began with Wu Zeren, who insulted Lu Qinian’s birth mother, provoking Lu Qinian’s anger and a beating. Unable to match Lu Qinian, Wu Zeren summoned Teacher Li. When Teacher Li tried to restrain Lu Qinian, the latter pushed him away, causing him to stumble. Already biased toward Wu Zeren, Teacher Li further deemed Lu Qinian unruly and sought to expel him.

Lin Wanqing glanced at the school, then climbed into the carriage. “Let’s find that boy.”

They soon found Lu Qinian by a nearby pond.

Lu Qinian was skipping stones across the water. Seeing Lin Wanqing arrive, he turned to leave.

Lin Wanqing called out, “Don’t you want to seek justice for yourself?”

Lu Qinian paused. “Justice?”

Lin Wanqing nodded. “Yes. Wu Zeren caused the trouble first, and Teacher Li was unfair afterward. Don’t you want them to apologize? Are you just going to swallow this injustice silently?”

Lu Qinian immediately replied, “Of course not! But… he is a teacher…”

“What of it? If a teacher is in the wrong, he must admit his mistake.”

Lu Qinian looked incredulous. “You think I’m not at fault?”

Lin Wanqing nodded firmly. “Not only are you blameless, you did well. Since they started the trouble, you deserved their punishment. A teacher taking sides is unfair, and trying to expel you with such a serious charge is unjust. We won’t accept that.”

Lu Qinian was stunned. He hadn’t expected Lin Wanqing to say this. He thought she would blame him for causing trouble.

Lin Wanqing said, “As long as you didn’t provoke them first, you’re in the right. Why should I blame you? You defended your mother—what’s wrong with that? If you had stayed silent while others insulted your mother, that would have been a grave mistake.”

A warmth spread through Lu Qinian’s heart, and his eyes reddened.

Lin Wanqing took him into the carriage, and they returned to the school.

Teacher Li wore a stern expression. “Madam Lu, I have made myself clear—I will no longer teach Lu Qinian, even if you bring the general’s name to pressure me, I will not yield.”

Lin Wanqing smiled slightly. “Teacher Li, you misunderstand. I’m not here to beg you to accept Lu Qinian. I’m here to ask you to apologize to him.”

Teacher Li was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in shock, “I… apologize to Lu Qinian?”

Lin Wanqing nodded. “Yes. And Wu Zeren must also publicly apologize to Lu Qinian.”