Yi Qing wasn't afraid that Lady Jia would do something desperate. She had nothing for Lady Jia to bite at. However, with Lady Jia as an ally, it would be much more convenient for her to handle things in the future.
Lady Jia stared at Yi Qing. She didn't trust Yi Qing, or rather, she didn't trust anyone. Otherwise, she wouldn't have boiled the medicine herself. But now she had no other choice.
"Then I'd like to thank Lady Xiao," Lady Jia said with a smile.
"You're welcome," Yi Qing replied and got up to leave.
After Yi Qing left, Lady Jia immediately lit a brazier and burned the dregs of the medicine. So what if she knew that Yi Qing had sent people to infiltrate the Jia family? Now that Yi Qing had something on her, even if it meant a fight to the death, she couldn't break free.
"Aren't you afraid that Lady Jia will do something extreme?" Ruo Hong asked worriedly.
"People like her won't die easily," Yi Qing sneered.
It was almost noon. Going to the Lu family at this time would seem like she was going there just for a meal. So Yi Qing decided to go home for lunch first. When she got to the door, she saw a carriage from the Lu family parked there.
"What's going on?" Yi Qing stared at the carriage and asked the guard beside her.
"Lady Lu has been waiting for you in the mansion for half a day," the guard replied.
Yi Qing was surprised. She hadn't gone to look for Lady Lu yet, but Lady Lu had come to her first.
Seeing Yi Qing come back, Lady Lu quickly stood up. "Lady Xiao."
"Please sit down, Lady Lu. May I ask what brings you here?" Yi Qing was really curious. Although Lady Lu had opposed her mother's relationship with Bai Chengyi, she seemed to have shown no strong reaction after their last conversation.
"I'd like to ask Lady Xiao for a favor," Lady Lu said, looking around dryly, indicating that she wanted Yi Qing to dismiss the servants.
"Please feel free to speak, Lady Lu."
Lady Lu hesitated for a moment and then said, "I heard that Lady Xiao has a good relationship with Wu Min. I'd like to ask Lady Xiao to persuade her to move back to the Lu mansion."
"When did Wu Min move out?" Yi Qing didn't know about this.
Wu Min only knew her and Lu Tianxun in the capital. If she had moved out of the Lu family and didn't come to her, where could she live?
"She moved out two days ago," Lady Lu said with an embarrassed look. "And I'd also like to ask Lady Xiao to persuade Tianxun not to get involved in the matter of the scholars from poor families petitioning."
Yi Qing hadn't paid attention to this matter in the past two days and didn't know how serious it had become. "I can't help with this," she refused directly.
Come on, this was something she had supported. How could she undermine her own cause?
Lady Lu was a bit reluctant to give up. "Tianxun is from a noble family. Even if he doesn't pursue a career in the officialdom, he is still a respected figure. If he insists on doing this, he will surely ruin himself."
"Lady Lu, I think this is a matter of stance, not the right or wrong of the matter itself. Maybe if Master Lu helps to achieve this, he will be remembered in history and leave a glorious mark in the literary world of the Great Jin Dynasty."
Lady Lu had come to ask Yi Qing to persuade Lu Tianxun, but unexpectedly, Yi Qing was trying to persuade her. "How many scholars are there from poor families? The world ultimately belongs to the noble families. I can't let Tianxun take this risk."
"Even if there is only one, we can't deny their existence," Yi Qing said firmly.
"Is it worth gambling a person's real and bright future for the possible existence of one person?"
Yi Qing thought for a while. "Master Lu is Lady Lu's pride. Lady Lu has taught him very well. He is reasonable and determined, and can distinguish right from wrong. Since he has chosen to do this, he must think it is right and more valuable than his future."
Lady Lu stared blankly at Yi Qing, unable to say a word. Of course, she believed in her son, but this matter...
"As for the matter of Wu Min, I will ask about it. After all, Wu Min hasn't married into the family yet. In the Great Jin Dynasty, it's normal for her to live outside," Yi Qing didn't immediately agree to this matter.
She guessed there must be other reasons. Thinking about Lady Lu's attitude towards Wu Min before, Yi Qing was even happy that Wu Min didn't live in the Lu mansion. How could Lady Lu really care about this?
"Then I'll trouble Lady Xiao," Lady Lu said with a thoughtful look.
"I just happen to have something to trouble Lady Lu with," Yi Qing said directly.
Lady Lu looked at Yi Qing in surprise.
"It's about my mother. I'd like to find an opportunity to give an explanation to those who care about this matter. After all, this is a family matter of the Di family. At that time, Lady Lu doesn't need to interfere."
Lady Lu knew what was going on. Since she needed Yi Qing's help now, she had to bite the bullet and agree. "I was really overstepping on this matter. Lady Xiao can rest assured that I won't interfere anymore."
After seeing Lady Lu off, Yi Qing propped her chin and analyzed the matter. She wondered how Song Zhiyu had persuaded Lu Tianxun, considering how proud Lu Tianxun was.
"Ruo Hong, what's going on at Yunyang Academy?"
"The scholars from poor families' petition has reached the emperor. The issue of the joint liability in the recommendation has also been raised," Ruo Hong always kept an eye on the matters that Yi Qing was involved in.
"What about the death of Mo Kong?"
"Lord Xu is investigating this matter."
When Yi Qing heard what Ruo Hong said, she couldn't help laughing. Xu Maozhi was really good at procrastinating.
"Why are you laughing, Lady?" Ruo Hong didn't understand.
"Go and tell Lord Xu that since it's a murder case, it can't be delayed for too long," Yi Qing knew the purpose of Song Zhiyu and the others, but she wouldn't let anyone die in vain.
"Yes."
"What about Wu Min?"
"Miss Wu Min has moved to a mansion outside Yunyang Academy, and Master Lu doesn't go home either."
Yi Qing suddenly realized that it seemed that what Lady Lu really cared about wasn't that Wu Min didn't go back, but that Lu Tianxun didn't go home.
Lu Tianxun's not going home might be related to Lady Lu's opposition to his support for the scholars from poor families.
Actually, it was quite difficult for someone like Lu Tianxun to support the scholars from poor families.
"Send someone to pick up Wu Min tomorrow. Also, see which courtyard in the general's mansion is suitable for a banquet, and invite all the people who received the invitation before to attend the banquet," Yi Qing said and stretched. "Also, get the people from Lady Xia's side ready."
"Yes," Ruo Hong bowed.
When Xiao Jinghan came back in the evening, Yi Qing was looking at the menu for the banquet and planning to change some of the dishes.
"If there will be unpleasantness at that time, why prepare so carefully?" Xiao Jinghan walked over and tried to get Yi Qing's attention away from the menu.
"The unpleasantness is one thing, but the preparation still has to be done well," Yi Qing said, pointing at the menu. "These all cost money. It would be a pity to waste them if there is unpleasantness. So we should use cheap things that no one can find fault with."
Xiao Jinghan knew where he had lost. Yi Qing didn't care about the dishes, but about how to save money.
As they were talking, the floor was knocked. Yi Qing really wanted to go over and stamp on it. That dog emperor treated her home like a back garden and came here whenever he was free.
Xiao Jinghan went over and opened the secret passage. This time, there was no Gan Chengyou. It was just the emperor himself.
"Go and prepare some food for me," the emperor turned his head and saw Yi Qing, then immediately smiled.