Lu Wanning gave her a gentle push and said with a smile, "Madam, we were playing chess in the pavilion over there earlier, and then we came to this waterside pavilion. We've never left, and we haven't seen Miss Lu come here either."
The old maid naturally didn't dare to say anything against it. After asking a few young gentlemen over there, she left.
The young gentlemen nudged each other. "What's going on? Should we go and take a look?"
If it were just one person, he'd be afraid of being called a gossiper and not a gentleman. But with a group of people, they weren't afraid. They could just say they were curious.
Seeing their hesitation, Zhen Yan immediately clapped her hands and laughed. "Shall we go? Playing chess is so boring. Miss Lu is a young lady from a noble family after all. We're all familiar with each other. It wouldn't be good if she's in danger. Let's go and look for her together."
With this excuse, how could the young gentlemen not agree? They chatted and laughed all the way as they went to "look for" the person.
Before they got there, they heard someone whispering. "Does the third young master of the He family have a connection with Miss Lu? I've never heard of it. Why did the third young master invite Miss Lu there... Have you seen the third young master He?"
The people in front were asking. Lu Wanning's group hadn't arrived yet. One of the sharp - eared young gentlemen heard the question and looked back at He Nanfeng hesitantly. He confirmed that he was indeed the third young master He. But why was he so calm? Didn't he hear?
Sheng Songyan and Zhen Yan walked side by side in front, blocking He Nanfeng so that the people in front couldn't see him. Seeing this, the young gentlemen looked at each other and then surrounded He Nanfeng on their own initiative.
Lu Wanning really wanted to laugh. These people were so funny. They all loved to stir up trouble.
Before long, an old maid came over and knelt on the ground. "M... Madam, I saw Miss Lu going to the second young master's courtyard. She said that the third young master promised to give her an inkstone before and invited her there..."
He Chan frowned and asked, "Did Third Brother invite Sister Lu? But why did he invite her to Second Brother's courtyard? Where's Second Brother?"
The old maid shook her head, indicating that she didn't know.
Madam Lu couldn't wait any longer and urged repeatedly, "Hurry up and lead the way!"
The group then rushed towards He Wenbo's courtyard.
Lu Wanning walked to the front and saw Shi Aohan walking with He Chan. She walked lightly, not at all like her usual weak - willow - swaying - in - the - wind appearance.
Shi Aohan might have sensed the gazes of others. She looked back and saw Lu Wanning standing in front of a crowd of people who were pushing and shoving. Shi Aohan's eyelids twitched heavily. She always felt that today might not go smoothly.
Before long, they arrived outside He Wenbo's courtyard.
Madam Lu's heart sank, and her voice rose a few notes. "Is the He family so shabby? There isn't even a servant guarding the young master's courtyard?"
Madam He was also flustered. She pointed into the courtyard and asked, "What's wrong with you people? Where are they? Where has everyone gone?"
An old servant who guarded the gate came over and knelt on the ground. "Madam, b... before, the third young master came and said that he had an appointment with the second young master to drink. He told me to take everyone away and not to disturb them."
Madam He frowned. "What kind of day is today? Drinking? How could Nanfeng come up with such an idea? Don't we need to entertain the guests? And Wenbo, just let Nanfeng make a fool of himself?"
The old servant shook his head and said nothing.
Madam He asked again, "Did you see Miss Lu from the Lu family come?"
The old servant trembled in fear. "I... the third young master told us to retreat and not to disturb. He said... he said that if we didn't listen, he would send us away..."
Madam He was furious. "Nanfeng has such a big airs! Let's go in!"
At this time, He Nanfeng laughed. "This old servant's words are really interesting. Have you seen me today?"
When the old servant saw He Nanfeng, he was as if he had seen a ghost. He stammered for a long time. "Y... y... you..."
He Nanfeng sneered and bowed to Madam He. "Aunt, I've been with the Prince of Qishan, the Princess of Zhaoyang, and Miss Zhen all day. I only left for a while because of a stomachache on the way. I never separated from them again. In the middle, Second Brother sent someone to look for me and said he wanted to drink with me. But today is Aunt's birthday banquet, and there are many guests at home. It's not appropriate for me to leave the guests and go drinking with Second Brother, so I didn't go."
Shi Aohan's eyes widened, and her heart sank. She had no idea why everything had changed. She suddenly looked up at Lu Wanning.
Lu Wanning was also looking at her. When she saw Shi Aohan looking over, she gently raised her eyebrows.
Shi Aohan was in a complete mess. But in just a moment, she grabbed Madam Lu's hand and gently pinched the back of it. "Since it's a misunderstanding, I think there's no one here. Let's go to other places to look for her."
Madam Lu was just about to speak when the back of her hand was pinched by Shi Aohan. She panicked. She also felt that things were not that simple. If something really happened to her daughter, if she went in with people like this, wouldn't... the Lu family's reputation be ruined?
Thinking like this, she nodded and wanted to leave.
However, Sheng Songyan sneered. "A misunderstanding? The more you talk, the more something seems wrong to me. No wonder Nanfeng was with me nicely and said he was going to relieve himself. It turns out there's such a thing. Nanfeng said that Second Young Master He invited him, but he didn't come. But this old servant said they were sent away by Nanfeng. This matter seems to be fishy. If we leave like this, won't Nanfeng get a bad name for neglecting guests and casually disposing of servants?"
Zhen Yan continued, "That's right. Third Brother He has been with us all the time. You've all seen it, right?"
The young gentlemen nodded repeatedly. "That's right. We did see them come from the pavilion and stay in the waterside pavilion without leaving."
Madam Lu secretly resented it in her heart, but for a moment, she didn't know what to do. She could only look at Madam He for help.
Just as Madam He was about to speak, He Nanfeng gave a bitter smile and pulled Sheng Songyan. "Your Highness, don't be like this. After all, this is Second Brother's home and his courtyard. Maybe... maybe this old servant saw wrongly. So... just don't pursue it anymore."
If there were no one around, Lu Wanning would really have laughed until she pounded the ground. Was it because He Nanfeng lived under the same roof as Shi Aohan? His innocent - looking act was on point! The more he said this, the more people would think that the He family was treating him, a nephew from a collateral branch, badly.
In this way, if Madam He wanted to deal with it casually, she couldn't.
Sheng Songyan asked seriously, "How can it be like this? Is this how your He family deals with things, vaguely? Do you want me to invite the Duke to come and handle it personally?"
Madam He forced a smile with a stiff head. "There's no need for that. The He family will never let go of such servants who deceive their superiors and conceal things from them. Someone, go in and take a look. Ask if Miss Lu has been here!"
Sheng Songyan waved his hand again. "Come on. We've seen the servants of the He Mansion. It's better for us to go in and take a look ourselves."