Lu Changxuan handed a cup of tea to Old Madam Lu and said, "Mother, have some tea first."

  He understood her temper well. If left unchecked, she would surely spew even more unpleasant words. Given that both his mother-in-w and Qin Yunyun were present, it was best to prevent further embarrassment.

  Old Madam Lu’s face was still dark with anger. She huffed but eventually took the cup and sat down.

  Lu Changju let out a cold snort. "Seventh Miss, you are utterly without propriety. You sit there so boldly in front of Mother and Eldest Brother—if the noblewomen of the capital saw your behavior, who would ever want to associate with you?"

  Qin Shuying ignored her completely. Instead, she kept her eyes on the hairpin in Old Madam Lu’s hair and said, "Old Madam, you are someone who values etiquette the most. Let’s not beat around the bush. That hairpin is my mother’s heirloom, and naturally, it should be returned to its rightful owner."

  Old Madam Lu had just taken a sip of tea when she heard those words. The tea caught in her throat, unable to go up or down, causing her to choke violently.

  "Cough, cough, cough…"

  The room filled with the sound of her coughing. Her anger only made it worse, sending her into an uncontrolble fit.

  Lu Changju and Nanny Yuan hurriedly patted her back to ease her breathing.

  Lu Changxuan, however, remained composed. He didn’t even look at Qin Shuying, instead turning to Madam Xu and saying, "Mother-in-w, it seems the Seventh Miss has lost her mind. It would be best if you sent her back home immediately so she can recover properly. If her condition worsens, that would be troublesome. If you ck the manpower, I can arrange for a few people to escort her.

  "The full moon banquet is still ongoing, and I must attend to the male guests. I won’t be able to accompany you."

  Madam Xu slowly nodded. Lu Changxuan’s words were impeccably measured. At this moment, she fully understood his intentions. Her expression grew calmer as she said, "Go ahead with your business. As for manpower, I will indeed need a few more hands. It’s my fault for only realizing today that the Seventh Girl has lost her mind."

  Lu Changxuan replied, "Mother-in-w, don’t bme yourself too harshly. With so many affairs to manage in the household, occasional oversight is inevitable. Now that you know, there’s still time to act. I suggest calling a doctor for a proper diagnosis. In fact, I know of an experienced physician I can recommend."

  Madam Xu smiled. "That would be most helpful."

  Qin Shuying smirked coldly. Ruthless and calcuting—Lu Changxuan truly was a formidable figure.

  In her past life, Qin Yaoyao had known well that he was a man of many schemes, never revealing his true emotions. He never acted without certainty, but once he did, he always struck with deadly precision.

  If Madam Xu followed his suggestion and confined Qin Shuying to the Qin manor, no matter how sharp her tongue was, what could she do? Even with all the wit in the world, without a stage to use it, she would be powerless.

  Lu Changxuan had hit her Achilles' heel in one move.

  If it were the old Qin Shuying, or even Qin Yaoyao, they would have had no way to fight back.

  Qin Shuying, however, leisurely rose to her feet and said, "Lord Lu cims I have lost my mind—no need to trouble you. I will return on my own."

  With that, she turned and walked toward the door, with Zitong quickly following.

  Lu Changxuan took a step to the side, seemingly unintentionally blocking her path. Still smiling, he said, "Seventh Sister is unwell—how could she travel alone?"

  At his signal, voices responded from outside.

  "Immediately gather four attendants and escort Seventh Miss back to the Qin manor. Deliver her safely into my father-in-w’s hands."

  Qin Shuying sneered inwardly. How thorough—he intended to have her thrown into a carriage, bound, and delivered back to the Qin manor, where she would be imprisoned under the guise of illness. Once locked away, she would be at their mercy, left to wither away unnoticed.

  In her past life, that was exactly what had happened.

  Qin Shuying remained calm, standing still as if none of this concerned her.

  Moments ter, four stern-faced old servants entered. Lu Changxuan gave them a few quiet instructions, and they turned to look at her with hostility.

  Yet Qin Shuying walked with steady steps, her expression serene, as if she were merely going about an ordinary task. She brushed off the hands of a servant who touched her sleeve and lifted her chin as she strode toward the door.

  There was something about her demeanor—a composed dignity, an air of unshakable authority.

  The servants hesitated, uncertain whether to touch her. Since Lu Changxuan hadn’t explicitly ordered them to force her, they merely fnked her, subtly hemming her in as they escorted her out.

  Zitong followed silently, neither struggling nor protesting.

  Only then did Qin Yunyun’s lips curl into a relieved smile. No matter how sharp her wit, she couldn’t win against sheer force.

  Lu Changju scoffed. "Hmph. She got off easy. That jade hairpin really was exquisite."

  Old Madam Lu was still coughing, her anger undiminished.

  Though the Lu manor had five courtyards, it was neither too rge nor too small. After navigating several turns, Qin Shuying reached the front gate.

  From here, she could see the prepared carriage—one belonging to the Qin family.

  Nanny Liu had already stepped outside, having received Lu Changxuan’s orders. She gave instructions to the coachman, making it clear that she intended to accompany Qin Shuying back.

  The main gate was open, and across the street, a figure stood watching.

  Qin Shuying subtly nodded in that direction before stopping in pce, making no move to leave.

  "Seventh Miss, the carriage is waiting right outside. Hurry and get in," Nanny Liu urged smugly. She had not forgotten how Qin Shuying had humiliated her earlier.

  Qin Shuying suddenly spoke. "Nanny Liu, that jade hairpin—didn’t you bring it to Third Sister, who then gave it to Old Madam Lu? Back then, Second Sister was still alive."

  Nanny Liu’s heart pounded wildly. She quickly gnced around and saw only a few passing servants and the four Lu household attendants. Rexing slightly, she snapped, "Seventh Miss, get in the carriage!"

  Qin Shuying’s voice remained casual. "On such a grand occasion, Old Madam Lu couldn’t even produce a proper piece of jewelry and had to borrow from her daughter-in-w. Even the tea served today was low-grade. I suspect that before long, she’ll have to start selling off servants—otherwise, how will they manage?"

  Her gaze swept over the four attendants. "Tell me, do you still eat as well as when Second Sister was here? Back then, servants dined on fresh seasonal produce, the kitchen manager’s monthly sary was one tael of silver, and senior maids received eight hundred coins a month. Each season, they were given a new set of clothes.

  "Now? I hear your wages have been cut to four hundred coins. No new clothes, no rewards. Even on a day like today, the best you get is ten coins. In the past, it was five hundred. The difference is like heaven and earth."

  The four servants exchanged uncertain gnces, their expressions shifting.

  Qin Shuying continued lightly, "And to think, my Third Sister is the dy of the house. If she were just a little more frugal—just a tiny bit more generous—wouldn't that be enough to cover your expenses? Why make you all suffer?"