Lu Tong followed the servants of the Ke Mansion through the entrance, leaving Yin Zheng outside.
Upon entering, a peony terrace faced them squarely. The Ke Residence's garden was expansive, the flowers were in full bloom, and walking into it was like entering a thicket of flowers, with fragrance filling the entire courtyard.
Lu Tong lowered her eyes.
Lu Rou was allergic to pollen; whenever she came close to the fresh blossoms, her face and body would break out in red rashes. There was never a shadow of a flower to be found in the Lu Family's home. Yet, Lu Rou quite adored flowers, so their mother made many faux flowers from scraps of fabric and arranged them in porcelain vases to add a splash of color.
However, the Ke Family seemed to harbor no such concerns, with a riot of flowers vying for beauty and a hundred blooms in fierce competition.
When they reached the main hall, an older woman was seated on a rosewood chair, with a long face, sharp, drooping corners of the eyes, and thin lips fully coated in rouge. She was wearing a lychee-red garment with a pattern of entwined branches and grapes, with heavy gold gourd pendants by her ears, dressing with great richness, and at first glance, appeared somewhat harsh.
In a moment, Lu Tong greeted Madam Ke with a slight bow, "The unworthy girl Wang Yingying pays her respects to Madam."
Madam Ke said nothing, scrutinizing Lu Tong from her elevated position.
This was a young maiden, dressed in a light brown ramie cloth garment that had turned white from frequent washing, with an inconspicuous patch at the elbow, quite shabby. Madam Ke's gaze fell upon the white gauze on Lu Tong's face and she frowned slightly, "What is the veil for?"
"On the journey to Shangjing, Yingying contracted a rash, and the red spots on the face have not yet faded," Lu Tong said softly. "I dare not offend Madam's eyes."
Madam Ke, noting the traces of rash on the skin of her neck that was visible, felt a stir in her heart, dismissed her with a wave of her hand, "Then keep your distance," she said bluntly.
Lu Tong stepped back as instructed.
Nanny Li at her side forced a smile, and while massaging Madam Ke's shoulders, asked Lu Tong, "Miss Yingying, from which place do you hail?"
Lu Tong replied, "I am from the south of the Su region."
"Su Nan?" Madam Ke looked her over, "I've never heard of the Lu Family having relatives in the Su region."
"Rou's mother is Yingying's aunt by marriage, and Yingying moved to the Su region with her parents when she was young. My mother was frail and when my father fell critically ill, my aunt mentioned to treat Yingying as her own daughter. She said that should hardship arise in the future, to seek help in Changwu County." At this point, Lu Tong's voice was exactly enough touched with sorrow, "Now that my parents have passed away, Yingying barely made her way to Changwu, only to learn that aunt had already..."
Madam Ke felt relieved, as it was just as Nanny Li had said: this Wang Yingying was nothing but a broke wanderer hoping to scam some silver.
With this thought, her patience waned and she said, "Since you are seeking the Lu Family, you should know that the Lu Family has long been deceased, and the Ke Family does not have this person anymore. Furthermore," she said with a sardonic smile, "you claim to be as close as sisters with her, but I have never heard the Lu Family mention such a person before. How can we know what you say is true or false?"
"Madam need not worry, Yingying has lived in Changwu County for some time, known by all the neighbors. Madam can send someone to inquire in Changwu County, and one question will reveal the truth," Lu Tong stated.
Madam Ke was abruptly caught off guard, and right away, Nanny Li interjected, "Miss, our former lady has passed away, and even if you wish to seek refuge, our master has already remarried, and his bond with the Lu Family is now severed. A maiden yet to be wed, staying in the Ke Residence is improper, and such ambiguity, if spread outside, would harm your reputation." She believed her words were sensible, for which maiden does not care for her reputation? Even if one sought to take advantage, they would have to weigh whether it was worth it.
Lu Tong's gaze flickered slightly.
The new wife...
Lu Rou had only been deceased for a year, and Ke Chengxing had already remarried.
Her fingers clenched discreetly within her sleeve, but her face revealed a soft smile, "Yingying is well aware of her awkward position and naturally dares not stay in the Ke Residence. I have already spoken to the gatekeeper that I've come to retrieve my cousin's dowry."
With these words, the room fell silent for a moment.
After a long pause, Madam Ke slowly spoke, "What did you say?"
As if oblivious to her sinister gaze, Lu Tong softly began, "Aunt by marriage once willingly took Yingying under her name to raise, and Yingying can be considered half of the Lu Family. Since my eldest brother's marriage to my cousin has ended, they have become strangers. My cousin never bore any children, and her dowry should naturally be returned to the Lu Family, and Yingying can take charge of it."
"It has always been the case that when a wife passes away. her dowry should be returned by her husband's family," Lu Tong raised her eyes, feigning surprise, "With such a family enterprise, the Ke Family can't possibly begrudge that little dowry from my cousin, right?"
Her voice was steady and smooth, her demeanor gentle, but it was like pouring hot oil, instantly igniting the rage in Madam Ke.
Madam Ke slammed the table, "Dowry? What dowry? The daughter of a destitute scholar, she was already climbing high by marrying into our family! If not for my son's affection, why would our Ke Family ever connect with such a family, becoming the laughingstock of the neighbors! It was nothing but her vixen's face that got her into our door, if not for..."
Nanny Li coughed softly beside her.
Madam Ke abruptly stopped talking, and facing Lu Tong's gaze, she suddenly sneered, "You keep saying how close you were to your sister, why don't you go and find out what kind of person your sister was?"
Lu Tong calmly looked at her.
"After Lu entered the Ke Family, she didn't abide by the women's virtue. Relying on her looks, she brazenly tried to seduce Young Master Qi from the Grand Preceptor's Mansion at our shop. She didn't even consider her worth. How would Young Master Qi stumble upon such a woman? Without a sense of shame, after being rejected by the Grand Preceptor's son, she rushed out with her clothes in disarray. It was only after the event that she realized she had lost face. Unable to bear it, she dived headfirst into the pond. And it was our Ke Family that became the laughingstock of the Capital City!"
As she spoke to this point, she grew increasingly agitated, "Not one good thing comes from the Lu Family. Her brother is a troublemaker; after entering Shangjing he was arrested by the Government Office, accused of both stealing and the indecency. They claim to be a family of scholars, yet they are nothing but thieves and prostitutes. Serves them right to have died!"
Madam Ke pointed to the peony platform outside the door, "If it were not for her jumping into the pond and ruining the Feng Shui of my new residence, why would I have had to spend so much silver to fill in the pond and replant with peonies? Alas, my pool full of newly bloomed lotuses..." She pointed to Lu Tong again, her voice even more shrill, "You want your dowry, go ask your sister for it! When she, Lu, entered our Ke Family with nothing, we provided for her food and clothing which was benevolence enough. Even if you take this to the Government Office, I'm not afraid. Let's see whether the official believes the word of your family of thieves and prostitutes, or that of our reputable Ke Family!"
Finishing in one breath, her chest heaved violently, and Nanny Li hurriedly approached to pat her back to help her catch her breath. After she took a couple of sips of scented tea, Madam Ke finally regained her composure, glaring at Lu Tong, "What more do you want? Aren't you leaving yet? Do you plan to stay shamelessly at the Ke Residence?"
Lu Tong lowered her eyes, "Yingying understands," she said, turning and walking towards the direction of the main hall's exit.
Perhaps the row she had caused was too loud, for as soon as Lu Tong reached the main hall, she collided with a young woman. This woman had a pretty melon-seed-shaped face, her makeup was very white, her eyebrows were sharply and upwardly drawn, and she wore a turquoise horsefaced skirt, looking somewhat bold. Her voice was also slightly high-pitched. Her eyes suspiciously swept over Lu Tong, then turned towards the hall, "Mother, who is this..."
Mother...
A thought struck Lu Tong, Madam Ke had only one son, Ke Chengxing, so this woman... must be Ke Chengxing's new wife.
Madam Ke gave a light cough, "Just a distant relative," she said dismissively.
Lu Tong's gaze paused for a moment on the flower hairpin the woman wore before quickly moving away, no longer paying attention to those behind her, she left the hall without looking back.
Outside the Ke Residence, Yin Zheng paced back and forth anxiously. Seeing Lu Tong emerge, she quickly went up and asked, "Miss, how did it go?"
Lu Tong didn't respond, simply urging, "Let's go."
Yin Zheng, unsure of what had transpired, glanced one more time at the gate of the Ke Mansion and hurriedly followed Lu Tong as she left in haste.
After passing through the alley under Fengle Building, Lu Tong suddenly stopped, grabbed the white gauze from her face, exposing a face covered in rash.
"Miss," Yin Zheng observed her expression closely, "Should we ask someone else…"
"There's no need to ask," Lu Tong said coldly, "My sister was murdered."