Chapter 12: Infuriating Lu Lingxiao
Chapter 12: Infuriating Lu Lingxiao
What was all this about?
How did he end up penniless?
Did he lose the ability to speak?
Lu Lingxiao shot a cold glare at the servant, "Who gave the order?"
The servant replied sullenly, "It was the young mistress."
Lu Lingxiao had been away at the northern border of Beiliang for years, and upon returning home, he hadn't concerned himself with the management of the estate, assuming that his grandmother or mother was still in charge.
Of course, if Meng Qianqian was handling things, that was acceptable too. After all, his grandmother was elderly, and it wasn't suitable for his mother to be burdened. As his wife and granddaughter-in-law, it was only right for her to share some of the responsibilities.
In the Hall of Sea Buttercups.
Meng Qianqian was reading a storybook. Banxia entered listlessly, lifting the curtain, "Young Miss, the son-in-law is here."
All disappointments build up over time, not bursting forth suddenly.
Banxia no longer felt the same joy as before upon seeing her son-in-law.
Lu Lingxiao didn't bother arguing with a servant. As he stepped into the room, he felt a wave of warmth wash over him.
It was freezing outside, yet here it was as pleasant as spring. Even his grandmother's chamber wasn't this cozy.
"Grandmother only uses two braziers, but you have three. Are you that afraid of the cold at your young age?"
He gave a cold hmph and prepared to sit down, only to find that the chairs beside Meng Qianqian were occupied by various objects.
He looked at Banxia.
Banxia flipped her head away.
Frowning, he could only sit on a rather uncomfortable stool.
Meng Qianqian ignored him, continuing to read her book.
Lu Lingxiao glanced at her, suppressing his annoyance, and said, "I know you're still angry with me, but it's been a whole night. Your anger should've subsided by now."
Meng Qianqian's reading mood was interrupted, a hint of coldness flashing in her brows.
She marked her page with a bookmark and closed the book.
"What do you mean by saying that after a night, my anger should be gone? In your eyes, husband, do you think that once something has happened, as long as I pretend to be deaf and dumb, I will just let it go, and nothing needs to be resolved or addressed?"
Lu Lingxiao didn't want to quibble with a young girl, "What happened yesterday was due to my lack of consideration."
Meng Qianqian replied indifferently, "That's just lip service."
Lu Lingxiao felt as if he had been stabbed in a sore spot. He abruptly stood up, "Miss Meng! Don't be so relentless! I already said it was an accident, and I didn't expect you to come looking for me. Why couldn't you just find a place to shelter from the rain? I'm a grown man. There was no need for you, a woman, to worry about me."
Meng Qianqian laughed at his words.
How dare he say such things?
He didn't mention a word about his own misdeeds—bringing an outside consort, leaving her stranded in the carriage, exposing her to the wind and rain...
If she had just found a place to take shelter from the rain.
Wouldn't he have said, "Didn't I tell you to wait in the carriage? Why did you go to the fabric store? You made me waste time looking for you, and we were late for the Zhou ceremony!"
"Since you think it was your fault, why are you here with fake apologies?"
Lu Lingxiao frowned, "Are you done yet? Aren't you fine?"
Meng Qianqian retorted coldly, "Should I forgive you just because I'm fine? I'm fine because I'm lucky, not because of your efforts as a good husband! I'm going to rest now, husband. Please leave. Banxia, see him out!"
Guest?
He was her husband and the master of this courtyard!
Banxia lifted the curtain with a cold face, "Son-in-law, please leave!"
Lu Lingxiao was truly annoyed. Being driven out by a woman, where would he put his face?
He simply sat down and refused to leave!
Banxia urged, "Son-in-law—"
Lu Lingxiao shouted, "Get out!"
Li Mama pulled Banxia away.
Meng Qianqian smiled coldly, "General Lu sure is mighty!"
Lu Lingxiao rarely lost his temper with women, and after doing so, he felt a bit regretful. After calming down for a moment, he spoke earnestly,
"Miss Meng, I didn't come here today to blame you. Grandmother entrusted you with managing this household because she trusts you. You should act like a proper matriarch and not be jealous of Wan'er all the time or speak rudely to your husband.
Hearing the words "head of the household," Meng Qianqian smiled. "Husband, you didn't come here today to apologize. You're here for money, aren't you?"
Lu Lingxiao's face turned serious. "Those are two different matters and shouldn't be mixed together."
Meng Qianqian replied nonchalantly, "Alright, then. If that's what you wish, husband, let's only talk about the money."
Lu Lingxiao frowned. "That's not what I meant..."
Meng Qianqian took out an account book and said, "Husband, you've been away at the border for five years and never sent a single copper coin for household expenses. You must have saved quite a bit. Why don't you repay the money you owe me from these past years?"
Lu Lingxiao was bewildered. "When did I ever owe you money?"
A look of surprise spread across Meng Qianqian's face. "Didn't your grandmother tell you? These past years, the expenses of this estate have been covered by my dowry. Even the massive debt incurred previously was only cleared after I entered this household!"
"You're spouting nonsense!"
"Am I? Husband, you can check the accounts yourself if you don't believe me."
In reality, Meng Qianqian was being quite considerate. Previously, the Lu family had even mortgaged their mansion, and if it weren't for Meng Qianqian redeeming it, they would have been out on the streets by now.
"Actually, I'm not an unreasonable person. As the saying goes, a woman follows her father before marriage and her husband after. Spending some of my husband's money is only natural. But you are a proud and capable man, a war hero and a role model for the troops. I assume you wouldn't want to tarnish your reputation by spending a woman's money. While I don't mind using my dowry to support you, if it damages your reputation, I would be at fault. What do you think, husband?"
Meng Qianqian spoke with the gentlest tone, yet her words were sharp as a blade.
If Lu Lingxiao had any sense of pride as a man, he wouldn't be able to tolerate this insult.
Meng Qianqian sighed. "In that case, let me help you save face. Li Mama, go get the money quickly and settle Miss Lin's account! Don't tell her it's from me! Say it's from your husband's military salary! Your husband can afford to support his own woman!"
"That's not necessary!" Lu Lingxiao stood up, his face icy, and stormed out.
Li Mama and Banxia heaved a sigh of relief. They had been worried that the General would be so enraged by Miss Meng that he would resort to physical violence.
"Miss, you've really torn off the last layer of pretense today. It's not that I'm overly worried, but even a cornered dog will jump over a wall. If you truly anger the young master, and he decides to divorce you in a fit of rage... What will we do then? They won't return your dowry, and we'll be left with no options."
It was true that a woman's dowry was supposed to be returned to her, but where was the fairness in this world?
In reality, a divorce usually occurred when the wife's family couldn't compete with the husband's. Most of the time, it ended in a peaceful separation.
With no connections or support in the capital, Miss Meng would find it difficult to fight against the Lu family.
Upon hearing these words, Banxia immediately became anxious. "Miss!"
Meng Qianqian reassured her, "It's fine."
There were seven reasons for a man to divorce his wife, and three reasons why a divorced woman wouldn't remarry.
A woman wouldn't remarry if she had no family to return to, if she had served her in-laws during the three-year mourning period, or if her husband was poor when they married but became wealthy later on.
In Meng Qianqian's case, she had served the mourning period for both her husband and his grandfather. Lu Lingxiao wouldn't be able to divorce her even if he wanted to.
However, Li Mama's concerns weren't entirely unfounded.
It would be wise for her to make preparations early on.
"Mama Li, bring me all the account books from these past years. I want to calculate how much of my dowry is left."
Little Milk Baby: Auntie, can you give me a shoutout?
(End of Chapter)
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