Chapter 674 - 667_1
Lin Yue had kept her head down until she suddenly stood up to confront Ceng Lu, and it was only then that he realized the woman of the Zhao Lin Family was actually a beauty. It was rare for such a person to emerge from a remote mountainous area, a tender and fresh beauty at that. Her appearance aside, her aura alone outclassed those of the beauties in the government office. Ceng Lu, driven by his lust, found it impossible to look away from Lin Yue, his eyes ablaze with wolfish desire, forgetting everything else as he stared.
"Madam Lin, please do not be angry. This lowly servant is ignorant of proper conduct and has poor eyesight, which led to offending you with his words. Please don’t take it to heart; I will certainly discipline him later. Get lost, do you not see that I’m speaking to Madam Lin? How dare you interrupt! Truly senseless." Regardless of Lin Yue’s earlier comments or Ceng Lu’s lustfulness, the blame shamelessly shifted entirely onto Quan An.
The steward watched with glee at the side. He knew Quan An was too hasty for quick success, and targeting the Zhao Lin Family like this would surely backfire. Since the lady of the Zhao Lin Family was not only charming but also beautiful, how could he not know about the master’s weakness? By now, he must be regretting his rude words in the presence of beauty, especially since Madam Lin even brought up the Emperor, ensuring Quan An would be crushed under her weight.
Originally acting on cues from Ceng Lu, Quan An was caught off guard by the sudden change in attitude. He was not entirely unaware of Ceng Lu’s faults, but he hadn’t expected him to be so shameless as to lust after a married woman. However, seeing the beauty of the Zhao Lin Family, he understood the appeal. Zhao Erhu, a rough man with age and burdens, managed to marry such an attractive wife, truly a flower stuck in cow dung. He had heard that Zhao Erhu was initially very poor, not the wealthy man he was now. How could he be so fortunate? Whereas he, although a scholar with official favor, had yet to find a wife.
Twisted by nature, Quan An’s thoughts shifted from jealousy to outright resentment. It wasn’t that he couldn’t find a wife; as a scholar, there were plenty of matchmakers willing to find him a match. But his standards were too high, his ego too inflated. He wanted to marry a lady from a distinguished family and wouldn’t settle for less, leaving him unattached to this day.
Lin Yue felt goosebumps all over from Ceng Lu’s licentious gaze; it was disgusting and even more repulsive than his previous arrogant behavior. No wonder the citizens were full of complaints and living miserably under such an official.
By now, the servant had gone to report to Eunuch Li. Lin Yue, suppressing her discomfort, looked at Ceng Lu with a forced smile, "The dog at the side of Magistrate indeed lacks training. Although my Zhao Family may not be a influential household, we serve the Emperor. Even at our worst, we do not deserve to be insulted by such a cur, hmph!"