APSIL -Chapter 24 Good Looks Are Justice

Seeing Zhang Shou remain silent, Lu Sanlang assumed the old gentleman had heard about his reputation and was therefore hesitant. He hurriedly added a few more words.

“Old Sir, your Emerald Bamboo Retreat is the only elegant place fit for lodging within several li of here. If you grant my request, then when all those lecherous fools from the capital come swarming over after hearing that Miss Zhu is staying here, I’ll stand in front and shield you from them!”

“I’m not boasting. My name carries at least a little weight in the capital.”

Zhang Shou nearly choked.

I went to all this trouble to lure a flock of fat sheep here so I could fleece them thoroughly… and this fool wants to help me keep them away?

Chuckling hoarsely, he replied casually, “We’ll leave the matter of studying aside for now. If you truly wish to learn, I can have Xiao Qi teach you.”

“As for anyone else who wishes to stay here, there’s no need to stop them.”

“You need only help Xiao Qi maintain order and make sure everyone follows the rules.”

Lu Sanlang blinked in surprise.

Then realization dawned on him.

“Old Sir, maintaining order is easy.”

“If those pigheaded idiots can’t solve the puzzles, then charge them ten taels of silver for every day they stay!”

“Your refined character would naturally never ask for money yourself. This isn’t something you’re collecting—it’s simply a rule that I, as the first guest, willingly accepted. Who among them would dare refuse? Wouldn’t they fear offending Miss Zhu?”

“You could use the money to renovate Emerald Bamboo Retreat… or to help the villagers.”

As he spoke, he grinned broadly.

“Miss Zhu herself managed to solve one of the puzzles.”

“Would those fellows dare lose face?”

“I’ll quietly tell them that after paying for a few days’ stay, they can later tell Miss Zhu how many puzzles they solved.”

“Compared to that kind of prestige, what does a little money matter?”

If he could learn mathematics from this reclusive old master, that would merely be an unexpected bonus.

His true objective was to thoroughly muddy—or even completely destroy—the entire circle of Zhu Ying’s admirers, along with all the political scheming surrounding the Zhu family, including his own father’s calculations.

I’m truly a genius, Lu Sanlang thought smugly.

This is killing several birds with one stone!

And who would ever suspect it was all my brilliant idea?

Watching Lu Sanlang’s crafty eyes dart about, Zhang Shou almost wanted to rub his forehead.

This fellow had somehow guessed nearly everything he himself had been planning.

Did I intend to lure in a fat sheep… only to end up bringing home a fat fox instead?

Later, following the narrow trail known only to a handful of villagers, Zhang Shou quietly returned from the bamboo cottages to the Zhang residence.

There he found Zhu Ying wearing an unmistakably unhappy expression because she had been unable to witness Lu Sanlang making a fool of himself.

Unable to resist, Zhang Shou sighed.

“That Lu Sanlang… You’d never know what kind of person he really is until you meet him. He’s genuinely quite remarkable.”

Before Zhu Ying could ask further, Zhang Shou recounted, in front of both Zhanjin and Liuyin, everything that had happened after Liuyin left.

His memory was exceptionally sharp.

Just as Zhu Ying had once vividly repeated her father the Duke of Zhao’s scolding word for word, Zhang Shou perfectly mimicked Lu Sanlang’s expressions, tone, and mannerisms.

The performance left all three women utterly stunned.

“If I hadn’t seen his true personality with my own eyes, I’d have assumed he was just another spoiled young noble.”

He was just about to explain Lu Sanlang’s final proposal in detail when Madam Wu called to him from outside.

Smiling, he said, “My mother is calling me. I’ll go see what she wants and come right back.”

After greeting everyone, Zhang Shou stepped outside.

Madam Wu was standing in the courtyard, her face full of worry.

“Mother, what’s wrong?”

She hurried over, pulled him aside, and anxiously asked, “A-Shou, Old Liu just told me that when the Minister Lu’s son from the capital came earlier, he brought a large group of attendants. They looked quite intimidating.”

“Fortunately, Liuyin led them away.”

“But what if he comes back and blocks our gate, insisting on seeing Yingying? What then?”

Zhang Shou couldn’t help laughing.

“Mother, do you really think all those guards sent by the Duke of Zhao’s household are here just to eat free meals?”

“Besides, I know exactly how to deal with Lu Sanlang.”

“And if all else fails…”

“…there’s still the young lady inside to keep everyone in line.”

Madam Wu immediately shot him a reproachful look.

“You’ve already accepted Yingying’s personal savings. How can you leave all the troublesome matters to her as well?”

“You’re always so sincere and considerate toward everyone else.”

“So why won’t you put a little effort into treating her well?”

“A noble young lady with such a good temper and such a beautiful face…”

“You couldn’t find another even if you searched with a lantern.”

“Enough. I’m done talking.”

“Hurry back inside and keep her company.”

Being chased away by his own mother after only a few sentences—and scolded for not knowing how to dote on his fiancée—left Zhang Shou both amused and speechless.

Most people forgot their mothers after getting a wife.

His mother, on the other hand…

His wife hadn’t even entered the household yet, and she was already taking the future daughter-in-law’s side against her own son.

When Zhang Shou reached the doorway of the main room, he heard voices coming from inside.

Zhu Ying’s tone was filled with indignation.

“So that’s how it is!”

“That Pighead Lu is actually that cunning!”

“That lecherous, foolish act he always puts on…”

“He was pretending all along just to fool me!”

After their young lady slammed the armrest and shot to her feet in anger, her willow-like brows standing on end, Liuyin couldn’t help saying,

“Miss, whatever kind of person Lu Sanlang is, it really has nothing to do with us.”

“Everyone in the capital knows he’s an ignorant pighead.”

“Only Young Master Shou realized he actually has some talent.”

“If you ask me, what matters isn’t Lu Sanlang’s abilities.”

“What matters is that Young Master Shou has the discernment to recognize talent and the generosity not to judge people by appearances.”

To Zhang Shou’s surprise, Zhanjin nodded in wholehearted agreement.

“Exactly!”

“If it had been anyone else, they never would have spoken well of someone with Lu Sanlang’s terrible reputation in front of Miss.”

“Much less notice that he has any good qualities.”

“Young Master Shou is truly kindhearted.”

Hearing such praise, Zhang Shou couldn’t help feeling that Lu Sanlang had suffered an injustice even greater than Dou E’s legendary wrongful conviction.

As for himself…

He once again experienced, more profoundly than ever, the truth behind the saying:

Good looks are justice.

He had merely spoken a few seemingly fair words on Lu Sanlang’s behalf…

Yet everyone immediately showered him with compliments.

Inside the room, after hearing the two maids speak in succession, Zhu Ying’s anger completely disappeared.

She happily sat back down and smiled.

“That’s because A-Shou is simply too honest.”

“When I held him hostage that first time, he was actually worried that I’d trip over the doorstep…”

Before she could finish, both maids simultaneously turned to stare at her.

Their eyes were filled with utter disbelief.

Although Zhu Ying had grown up alongside Zhanjin and Liuyin and normally hid nothing from them, accidentally blurting out that she had once taken Zhang Shou hostage still made her feel a little guilty.

Then she reminded herself that the two girls weren’t outsiders.

Immediately, she tried to explain as though nothing unusual had happened.

“I only kidnapped A-Shou because I wanted to ask him privately about the engagement.”

“He told me he’d never heard anything about it.”

“He even said that if I didn’t want the marriage, he’d help me find the marriage contract and burn it so I could return home with peace of mind.”

“Tell me…”

“How many gentlemen as kind and considerate as that still exist?”

“That’s why I decided to stay and personally investigate what was really going on with this engagement.”

Zhanjin immediately smiled until her eyes curved into crescents.

“So that’s what happened!”

“When I first heard Miss was staying here, I was completely shocked.”

“I even secretly cursed Young Master Shou a few times.”

“Amitabha…”

“The moment I met him, I knew I’d wrongly accused him!”