APSIL -Chapter 25 The Vanguard and the Partner

Like master, like servants… Should he teach the three of them a practical lesson not to judge people by appearances? Zhang Shou found himself seriously considering the idea, but in the end, he decided it wasn’t worth the effort.

Sigh… He’d just have to teach them through his actions in the future.

Inside the room, Liuyin, emboldened by Zhu Ying’s usual favoritism toward her, boldly asked, “Miss, if it turns out the engagement is real, will you really marry Young Master Shou?”

“You silly girl! How dare you tease me? I think you’re the one who wants to get married!” Zhu Ying huffed. “I just think he’s someone who truly understands me. I’ve never thought about anything beyond that!”

After eavesdropping outside for a while, Zhang Shou had no choice but to cough loudly before entering.

The moment he stepped over the threshold, the lively mistress and her two maids instantly sat up straight as if nothing had happened. Zhu Ying immediately changed the subject with an annoyed expression.

“A-Shou, to put it bluntly, I’ve always attracted rotten admirers ever since I was little. All those fellows who swarm around me are nothing but useless playboys. Lu Sanlang is the youngest son in his family. His father ignores him, his mother spoils him, and he has two capable elder brothers above him. If he really had any remarkable talent, he would’ve shown it long ago. Don’t think too highly of him.”

“As for those noble young masters who actually have some ability, their mothers and sisters guard against me like I’m a thief. They spread rumors everywhere, saying that besides being born into the Duke of Zhao’s household and having a face that could bring down kingdoms, I’m nothing more than an embroidered pillow stuffed with straw. So whether someone becomes infatuated with my looks and follows me around is often used by certain people to distinguish true gentlemen from worthless dandies.”

Seeing the strange look on Zhang Shou’s face, Zhu Ying steeled herself and decided to speak frankly.

“But someone like Lu Sanlang may not have much ability, but he’s full of petty schemes. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to fall into one of his traps! You’re an upright bamboo gentleman who doesn’t understand how dangerous the world can be. You’re sincere with everyone, so don’t let him fool you. Stay as far away from that pig-headed Lu Sanlang as possible. You definitely won’t regret it!”

For the second time, Zhu Ying treated him as an innocent, trusting soul who could easily be deceived. By now, Zhang Shou couldn’t even be bothered to explain himself.

After all, if his appearance made people lower their guard around him, that was an advantage rather than a disadvantage. He certainly wasn’t the one losing out.

At that very moment, however, Liuyin suddenly interrupted.

“Miss, even if Lu Sanlang really is plotting something, what’s there to worry about? Young Master Shou has you backing him. What tricks could Lu Sanlang possibly pull? Besides, even if Master and Young Master seem troublesome, you still have the Old Madam behind you. The Empress Dowager and His Majesty would also support you. How could anyone easily scheme against you? And if Seventh Master Hua ever loses his temper, what is Lu Sanlang compared to him?”

As soon as Liuyin finished speaking, Zhu Ying didn’t answer. Instead, she hurriedly turned to look at Zhang Shou.

Seeing that he wasn’t angry but instead looked at her thoughtfully, she still couldn’t help worrying that Liuyin’s overly blunt words might have offended him.

“Miss Liuyin is right,” Zhang Shou said with a smile. “With the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhao’s household guarding the house, why should I be timid?”

He found this so-called engagement highly suspicious and believed the two families were completely mismatched in status, but he had never once thought himself beneath Zhu Ying because of it.

After saying this lightly, he nodded calmly to her.

“This whole matter only became possible because you’re here to support me. Otherwise, how would I ever dare scheme against these wolves and tigers born into noble families?”

Hearing those words, Zhu Ying felt happier than ever and made a decision without the slightest hesitation.

“Then let’s do it this way! A-Shou, you stay behind and come up with the plans, while I’ll stand in front and deal with everything! If Lu Sanlang dares pull any tricks and angers me, whipping him won’t be enough. I’ll march straight to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty and cry my eyes out. We’ll see who ends up suffering then!”

Zhang Shou never humbled himself because of her family background, nor did he resent her because of it. He dared to borrow money from her openly, admitted without embarrassment that he intended to make use of her status, and treated her with the same calm, natural attitude from beginning to end.

That was truly rare.

Now that she had finally found someone who understood her so well, she was perfectly willing to be his vanguard.

Faced with such an earnest declaration, Zhang Shou was stunned for a moment before breaking into a smile.

It was the first time in his life he had ever seen a heroic young woman volunteer to charge into battle while letting the man sit safely behind the lines.

After laughing, he noticed Zhanjin attentively placing a cushion on a chair covered with a padded cotton slipcover, clearly inviting him to sit.

Without any ceremony, he walked over, took his seat, and smiled as he shook his head.

“I appreciate your kindness. But I started this whole affair. How could I let you take the blame for me?”

Before Zhu Ying could insist, he chuckled and smoothly changed the subject.

“Actually, there’s one more thing I didn’t have time to mention just now. I don’t have any proof, but I have a feeling that while your second brother may be very enthusiastic about forming a marriage alliance with the Lu family, Lu Sanlang himself is probably only putting on an act.”

“A man who was flattering Liuyin so desperately just moments earlier, begging to see you, suddenly lost all interest in her simply because he became absorbed in solving a mathematical problem. That doesn’t seem normal.”

Liuyin immediately protested.

“Maybe he did that on purpose so I’d come back and report everything to Miss!”

“Which is exactly why I said it’s only a feeling.”

Zhang Shou thoughtfully stroked his smooth chin before speaking softly.

“You’ve all said that Lu Sanlang has a terrible reputation in the capital. As the youngest son of the Lu family, his two older brothers are both outstanding, while he appears to have no strengths whatsoever. But in reality, he’s highly skilled at mathematics and has even been deliberately hiding his abilities. If that’s true, then could pretending to be hopelessly infatuated with Yingying also serve some other purpose?”

Zhu Ying was so angry that she didn’t even notice Zhang Shou had finally started calling her by her childhood nickname again.

Her delicate brows shot upward.

“I already hate those people who spend all day hovering around me. But if he’s actually using me as a smokescreen, then what does he think I, Zhu Ying, am?”

“He may have figured that with so many moths already circling your flame, one more or one less wouldn’t make any difference. Since everyone already looks down on him, he might as well quietly pursue his own plans. Earlier, he sincerely offered me such a generous tuition fee just to become my student, and I hadn’t even agreed yet. Thinking about it now…” Zhang Shou smiled faintly. “How about the two of us work together and try to trick him into revealing his true intentions?”

The moment she heard that, Zhu Ying threw her earlier irritation to the winds and nodded enthusiastically.

“That’s a great idea! Even if you say that pig-head is clever, hearing is one thing and seeing is another. I have to judge him with my own eyes!”

Zhanjin and Liuyin exchanged glances.

They both thought it was an interesting idea, but Zhu Ying’s response left them rather puzzled.

‘Seeing is believing’? Didn’t that imply their young lady didn’t fully trust Young Master Shou’s judgment?

“Then let’s go right now!”

Zhu Ying’s decisiveness was astonishing. She turned and headed for the door immediately.

Zhang Shou laughed helplessly and quickly stepped forward to stop her.

“Don’t be in such a hurry. Lu Sanlang only arrived today. Let him spend a night at Cuiyun Residence first. Let him enjoy the cool mountain breeze, eat a meal without any meat to cleanse his stomach, and calm himself down. Then we’ll meet him tomorrow. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

“You’re right! Let him suffer a little first. Once he’s purified of worldly desires and so miserable that life seems meaningless, then we’ll see his true heart!”

Beaming with delight, Zhu Ying clapped her hands together, accidentally blurting out two completely mismatched idioms.

Yet she understood Zhang Shou’s meaning perfectly.

If Lu Sanlang still insisted on staying to study mathematics even after enduring such hardship, then he definitely wasn’t the foolish pig he pretended to be—he was a cunning fox in disguise.

After all, under normal circumstances, he was the kind of person who would complain endlessly at the slightest inconvenience and run away at the first taste of hardship. Patience had never been one of his virtues.