Chapter 260 - 260 Plotting in Secret
260 Plotting in Secret
Lu Jiao stayed behind her and answered calmly, “I’m redoing the front courtyard.”
Zhao Hehua stared at Lu Jiao in surprise, “Why would you redo a perfectly good courtyard?”
She then recalled this place belonged to the Han family and couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Did master Han agree to this?”
Lu Jiao answered coolly, “We bought this place. We can change it up however we want.”
Zhao Hehua’s eyes widened. They purchased a property like this? This meant they must be wealthy.
If she was able to get together with master Xie, then she may become the owner of this giant property?
Her own family was renting their place. How infuriating.
Zhao Hehua glanced at Lu Jiao and silently checked her out. This woman was considered good looking, but she was so fat. There was no way master Xie would like a woman this size. She figured that master Xie didn’t like her but since she gave birth to four children, he allowed her to stay.
As Zhao Hehua thought it over, she studied the garden and noticed the four little boys who were pulling up grass with uncle Lin and the others.
“Ah, your boys are very good looking. What are their names?”
“First, Second, Third, and Fourth Born.”
Lu Jiao squinted her eyes. She didn’t want to think too much when Zhao Hehua visited this morning. But now that she seemed to refuse to leave and had asked so many questions, Lu Jiao had to be skeptical. This woman had set her mind on Xie Yunjin.
Lu Jiao thought that was funny. She looked at Zhao Hehua from head to toe and wondered what gave her the audacity to dream so wildly.
She may be good-looking, but not so beautiful that all men would fall for her right away. She also didn’t act virtuous or intelligent. She displayed no personality trait that would garner Xie Yunjin’s affection.
Lu Jiao didn’t want to pay much attention to Zhao Hehua. She went to chat with the artisans about more instructions on the middle part of the courtyard. She wanted to turn that section into slides, fake caves, and other playground-like facilities.
Since Lu Jiao ignored Zhao Hehua, she attempted to chat with the four little ones. She planned on marrying into this family, which meant she had to befriend the children.
Before Zhao Hehua could start a conversation, however, she heard footsteps followed by the old doorman telling Lu Jiao, “Lady Lu, there’s a servant at our front door saying that her master wants to see Lady Zhao. She said her lady’s surname is Xu.”
Zhao Hehua naturally knew she was being summoned and smiled, “It must be the grand commander’s daughter, Qingyin. She’s my good friend.”
She then headed out, leaving Lu Jiao behind to stare at her speechlessly.
Behind her, Feng Zhi leaned in closer and whispered, “Lady Lu, Lady Zhao is plotting something. You must be careful.”
Lu Jiao nodded, “I know. Keep an eye on her.”
As long as that woman didn’t overstep the line, Lu Jiao didn’t want to waste energy on her. However, if she does do something that would be considered evil, Lu Jiao was more than willing to go ask officer Zhao how he raised his daughter.
She’s already heard rumors about how upright and frank, and how much this officer Zhao hated injustice.
Lu Jiao went back to discussing the construction plans with the workers.
Zhao Hehua left the Xie family home and saw the young servant at the door. She was Xu Qingyin’s personal servant, Xiaoju.
When Xiaoju saw Zhao Hehua, she announced, “Lady Zhao, Lady Xu is inviting you to go over.”
Zhao Hehua noticed the horse carriage was parked on the side of the alley. It was the Xu family’s horse carriage.
Zhao Hehua followed Xiaoju and once they reached the carriage, Xu Qingyin lifted up the curtains and shouted, “Why are you running around so early in the morning?”
Zhao Hehua smiled and said, “A new neighbor moved in recently. I went to pay them a visit.”
At the mention of this new neighbor, Xu Qingyin remembered the young man she saw this morning and raised an eyebrow.
She stared at Zhao Hehua then ordered harshly, “Get inside, I have some questions for you.”
Zhao Hehua was used to Xu Qingyin’s tone being like this. Xue Qingyin was the daughter of the grand commander, a seventh rank position. Her own father may be an officer, but he simply arrested people at the order of government officials. Their families were not of the same caliber. This was why Zhao Hehua kept on speaking honorably to Xu Qingyin.
Without getting angry at Xu Qingyin’s tone, Zhao Hehua got into the horse carriage as asked.
Inside the cart, she noticed Shen Xiu. This woman acted weak and fragile every day. Zhao Hehua didn’t like women like that.
Zhao Hehua was born tall and somewhat stocky. Though good-looking, she was aware that men preferred delicate and feminine women. This was why Zhao Hehua didn’t like them.
“Qingyin, who is this?”
Xu Qingyin glanced at Shen Xiu and said casually, “She’s my dad’s new ninth concubine.”
She brought Shen Xiu with her because this woman was good at reading her and doing what she wanted. Therefore, she sometimes brought her out with her.
Zhao Hehua sarcastically smiled at Shen Xiu, “Hehe, so she’s another concubine your dad took in. She’s not that good-looking.”
Xu Qingyin didn’t care much about her father. She only cared about the identity of that young, good-looking man.
“Hehua, before we arrived, we saw a very handsome young master. Do you know who that is?”
The alarm bell in Zhao Hehua’s head rang loudly. Did Xu Qingyin set her eyes on master Xie?
She was aware of how picky Xu Qingyin was. This was why she was still single.
Naturally, Zhao Hehua wasn’t about to tell Xu Qingyin about Xie Yunjin. She didn’t want Xu Qingyin to steal the man she wanted for herself.
“I, I don’t know.”
Xu Qingyin was disappointed by the answer. Shen Xiu suddenly spoke up, “Lady Zhao, you don’t look well. Are you hiding information from Lady Xu?”
Shen Xiu coldly smiled. That woman dared to taunt her just now? That woman looked down on her? She’ll teach her a lesson.
Xu Qingyin started to stare at Zhao Hehua then, which made Zhao Hehua even more nervous.
Xu Qingyin noticed how strange Zhao Hehua acted and pulled on her hair, hard, “Speak. Are you hiding stuff from me? If I ever find out that you concealed information, I will hit you.”
Zhao Hehua didn’t dare to protest despite having her hair pulled. She begged, “Qingyin, I don’t want to tell you for your own good. That master has a wife and four sons. I think it’s better if you don’t know.”
Xu Qingyin froze and loosened her grip.
Zhao Hehua distanced herself.
Inside the carriage, Shen Xiu spoke up again calmly, “Lady Xu, since he’s married, let’s let him go. With your looks and your capability, you can find whoever you want. You are too good to be with a man who already has a wife. There’s no way that man’s wife is comparable to you. I am certain of it. If that man ever sees you, he may do something as ridiculous as divorcing his wife on the spot.”