Chapter 257

Chapter 257: Casting Wealth Away

This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation

Lu Yuan Ze felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss.

His mind reeled, his body swayed, and it felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured straight over his head. A violent shiver racked his frame.

“You… you aren’t talking about the pregnant woman beside my mother?” Lu Yuan Ze’s voice trembled, a flicker of fear flashing in his eyes.

“How could that be possible?!”

“This humble monk was not blind at the time!”

“The Old Madam was bathed in a radiant red glow, her fortune boundless, all because of her unborn granddaughter. As her mother, do you think I wouldn’t see it?”

“There was no need for deliberation—her mother had to be a woman of great status. How could she be a mere concubine?”

“The granddaughter I spoke of was the daughter of the legal wife!”

“The one with a fate of immense prosperity is your rightful, legitimate daughter!” A destiny blessed by fortune could never belong to a concubine’s child!

What was Lu Yuan Ze thinking?!

“Pfft—!” A mouthful of blood spewed from Lu Yuan Ze’s lips.

It felt as though an invisible hand clutched his heart, squeezing so tightly that he struggled to breathe. His face turned deathly pale, his mouth gaping open as he desperately gasped for air, barely managing to stay upright.

His eyes were bloodshot as he glared, his voice hoarse. “The legal wife? Xu Shi Yun’s daughter?”

“You mean Lu Chao Chao?!” His voice was shrill with disbelief. Goosebumps prickled his skin, and a chill ran down his spine.

In a fit of madness, he violently shoved Lu Jing Yao aside.

With a loud thud, Lu Jing Yao crashed onto the ground, her head striking hard, fresh blood trickling down her face.

“Father! Father, what are you doing? I am Yao Yao! Your beloved Yao Yao!” Lu Jing Yao was in utter shock. The noble status she had always prided herself on…

Was actually meant for Lu Chao Chao?!

“Father, there must be some mistake…” Panic flooded her eyes.

How could this be?!

She was a transmigrator, Heaven’s favored daughter. Wasn’t her fortune grand enough?

“Get out! Get out! Get out!” Lu Yuan Ze clutched his chest, his body wracked with agony as if the heavens themselves had collapsed upon him.

“Wrong! Wrong! It was all wrong!! You mean the one destined for greatness is Chao Chao? The daughter I abandoned?!”

“I… I already cast her out of the family!”

Not only that, but he had even erased her name from the family registry!

Drip. Drip. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.

“Impossible! Impossible! Abbot, Madam Pei was standing right before you back then. How could you have meant Xu Shi Yun?!” Lu Yuan Ze’s voice was almost pleading.

“Madam Pei was heavily pregnant before the Old Madam! We all assumed it was Madam Pei!”

Lifting his head, he caught sight of Lu Chao Chao sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, leisurely munching on snacks.

“Wait! Wait…!” Lu Yuan Ze hastily wiped the blood from his lips.

He staggered down from the platform, making a beeline for Xu Shi Yun. “Chao Chao, come with me to see the Abbot!”

“What nonsense are you spouting now?!” Xu Shi Yun smacked his outstretched hand away, refusing to let him touch Chao Chao.

For the first time in his life, Lu Yuan Ze was utterly deranged—laughing and crying all at once.

“Shi Yun, I beg you, let the monk examine Chao Chao’s bones. Please!” His lips quivered violently.

Back then, when Pei Jiao Jiao and the Old Madam had visited the temple to pray, they had happened upon the Abbot.

The Abbot had instantly declared that the Old Madam’s household would bring forth a person of unparalleled fortune, a descendant whose future was destined for greatness.

Both he and the Old Madam had simply assumed it referred to Pei Jiao Jiao’s unborn child.

Never had it occurred to them—it was actually Xu Shi Yun’s daughter!

“Why not let the Abbot take a look? He rarely reads destinies, as doing so entangles one with karma. This is a rare opportunity.” Princess Consort Jing Xi’s sharp gaze landed on Xu Shi Yun.

She knew Xu Shi Yun had reservations, so she reassured her, “There are countless guards here. Do you really think Lord Lu could abduct Princess Sunshine?”

Xu Shi Yun turned to Lu Chao Chao. “Do you want to go?” She respected her daughter’s choice.

Lu Chao Chao nodded vigorously.

She wanted to see exactly which foolish old man had been spewing nonsense!

Lu Yuan Ze attempted to hold her hand, but Xu Shi Yun pulled her away, leading Chao Chao up the platform herself.

She would never entrust her daughter to Lu Yuan Ze.

Lu Yuan Ze stumbled forward, his eyes locked onto Lu Chao Chao.

The very daughter he had never spared a glance at.

Her chubby little face was round and soft, her dark eyes brimming with an intelligence that darted around curiously. Her tiny hands were clenched into fists, one of them hiding a piece of candy.

Her clear, innocent eyes always carried a smile.

Except when looking at him.

Whenever her gaze met his, she would huff loudly and turn away in a huff.

In just a few short steps, Lu Yuan Ze recalled countless past events.

So many things he had ignored.

Mere days after Chao Chao was born, he had been struck by lightning while meeting with Madam Pei in secret.

Xu Shi Yun had suddenly come to her senses, swiftly reclaiming her dowry, while he and Madam Pei had been forced to sell off everything to cover their losses.

Xu Shi Yun, once blindly devoted to him, had begun resisting.

After taking three sons and a daughter in the divorce, Yan Shu had achieved top honors in the imperial exams.

The Emperor doted on Chao Chao, bestowing upon her the title of Princess Sunshine—the only titled princess of North Zhao.

Zheng Yue had entered the military.

Even the once good-for-nothing third son had become ambitious.

And what of himself?

Ever since Chao Chao had left, his life had taken a nosedive.

Lu Yuan Ze’s face drained of all color, his thoughts growing ever more horrifying.

He had truly—

Made a grave mistake.

He had assumed the fortune lay in Madam Pei’s unborn child.

But the moment Lu Chao Chao stepped onto the platform, the Abbot fell to his knees with a thud.

From his tightly shut eyes, threads of blood seeped out.

With a heavy sigh, he murmured, “So I was not unjustly blinded after all.”

The true bearer of fortune… had been cast away by Lu Yuan Ze himself!

“You haven’t even examined her bones yet! Why are you kneeling?!” Lu Jing Yao’s voice was shrill with resentment.

“Even if this humble monk were blind, I could still see the golden glow of boundless merit radiating from her!”

Like a miniature sun, its brilliance was impossible to ignore.

“This humble monk was blind to the truth. I have wronged the young lady.” The Abbot bowed deeply to Lu Chao Chao.

“No wonder, no wonder North Zhao’s fortunes suddenly flourished—it was because His Majesty recognized you as his foster daughter?”

“His Majesty is truly fortunate.”

Even the little monk couldn’t help but remark, “Lord Lu failed to catch this overwhelming fortune and instead cast it away, letting His Majesty reap the benefits!”

Lu Yuan Ze felt his chest tighten, darkness creeping into his vision.

[Oh? This monk can actually see my golden merit light?]

[So he’s not a fraud after all.]

“Why didn’t you make it clear?! Why didn’t you make it clear?! I always thought—!” Lu Yuan Ze howled, unable to accept reality.

Xu Shi Yun, however, was thoroughly amused.

So the grand fortune Lu Yuan Ze always spoke of belonged to Chao Chao?

He had treasured Lu Jing Yao like gold, only to have been mistaken all along?

“Is this not karma at its finest?”

“Abbot Shi Kong is a monk. Of course, he meant the legitimate daughter! Who told you to keep a concubine? You planted the seeds of your own downfall!”

“Every cause has its effect!” Xu Shi Yun sneered.

“Your retribution is me…” Lu Chao Chao poked her little head out, staring at her scumbag father.

Every cause has its effect. His downfall was all because of her…

Indeed, the rise and fall of Lu Yuan Ze hinged on Chao Chao.