Chapter 10: Struck by Lightning
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“Madam, someone has truly been struck by lightning!”
“It happened in Peace Alley in the north of the city. They say the man of the house was hit.”
“A month ago, someone spent a fortune buying that house. The lady of the house is exceptionally beautiful, as if she just gave birth. Their daughter is only forty days old, born on the same day, month, and year as our Little Miss. They even have an elder son, who is said to be incredibly gifted in his studies, quite famous in the capital.”
“Crash…” The teacup in Madam Xu’s hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
“Madam…” Jue Xia gasped in shock. Seeing Madam Xu had burned her hand, she hurried to bring cool water to soothe it.
But Madam Xu seemed entirely unaware.
“An… elder son? How old is he?” Her voice was dry as she grabbed Jue Xia’s hand with such force that it hurt.
Jue Xia, puzzled by Madam Xu’s intense reaction, quickly replied, “The eldest son is seventeen, the same age as Young Master Lu Yan Shu. This year, both are seventeen. And it’s quite the coincidence—that young man’s surname is also Lu.”
Madam Xu’s expression froze as if struck by lightning herself.
Seventeen?
Her lips moved, but her throat felt constricted, rendering her unable to utter a single word.
Deng Zhi shot a sharp glance at Jue Xia before stepping forward to calm Madam Xu. “Madam, it might not be the Marquis. It might not be him…” But her own voice wavered with uncertainty.
Jue Xia and Ying Xue exchanged nervous glances, their faces pale. Jue Xia’s thoughts raced to the young man’s name: Lu Jing Huai.
Madam Xu took a deep breath, biting her lower lip hard enough to draw blood.
“Why? Why would he do this to me? I broke ties with my family for him. I washed my hands to cook and serve him, respected his mother, cared for his younger siblings… Why would he treat me like this?”
The thought terrified her—perhaps from the very beginning, it had all been a deception.
“His illegitimate child is already seventeen years old. Seventeen!” Madam Xu shivered just at the thought.
She had abandoned everything for this man, only to discover he had another family outside all along.
“Madam, this isn’t your fault. He’s the one who wronged you. Don’t harm your body over this,” Deng Zhi and the other maids, their eyes red, tried to console her.
Little Lu Chao Chao sighed softly. [My poor mother, PUA-ed for over a decade. How pitiful.]
“Madam, even heaven couldn’t stand it. Yesterday, the one struck by lightning might just be the Marquis,” Jue Xia added hastily. What had started as gossip now carried an air of schadenfreude.
“Heaven opened its eyes, finally recognizing your grievances. This is retribution, Madam.”
“And such perfect timing! That seductress had barely finished her postpartum month and was already rushing to seduce men. Broad daylight, struck right on their bed. Stark naked, burnt black. When neighbors barged in, that vixen screamed, covering her face.”
Madam Xu’s eyes widened. Such a coincidence?
Jue Xia nodded. “This time, they’ve thoroughly disgraced themselves.”
Madam Xu wiped her tears and gave a cold sneer. “Serves them right!” Yet, the bitterness and injustice in her heart refused to subside.
Did she hate him?
Of course, she hated him.
How could she not?
Since her coming-of-age ceremony, she had loved only him, even cutting ties with her family to be with him. The injustice burned deep; how could she sever such feelings?
“Madam, the Marquis has returned to the manor. He’s now at Virtue and Kindness Hall and requests your presence,” a young maid reported softly from outside.
Madam Xu frowned slightly, and Deng Zhi raised an eyebrow.
It wasn’t clear how the Marquis looked after being struck by lightning.
“Bring Chao Chao. Let’s go and see,” Madam Xu said, rising and heading towards Virtue and Kindness Hall.
The hall was situated in the eastern part of Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor, near the eastern courtyard where the Old Madam resided. She lived a quiet life, focused solely on Buddhist practices, ignoring worldly matters.
Crossing the manor’s inner lake and passing through the long corridor, they approached Virtue and Kindness Hall.
[Oh, there’s a burnt smell,] little Chao Chao sniffed, her small nose twitching as the scent grew stronger the closer they got to the hall.
Ying Xue adjusted Chao Chao’s position slightly, straightening her. Chao Chao’s eyes widened. [Such a big braised egg!!] She smacked her lips and even sucked in a bit of drool.
Madam Xu froze, her gaze snapping upward to the “braised egg” her daughter described.
At the center of the room sat a figure with a bald, pitch-black scalp, devoid of a single hair, burnt and charred.
The image of the youthful, refined man she had once admired, the handsome figure who had captivated her heart…
Collapsed entirely in an instant.
Madam Xu stood frozen, unable to react for a long time.
“Why are you just standing there? What are you doing loitering at the doorway?” the Old Madam’s voice cut sharply, pulling her from her thoughts.
Madam Xu’s mind was spinning with her daughter’s exclamation. [Braised egg, braised egg, braised egg…]
She hated Lu Yuan Ze, yet years of manipulation made it hard to abandon her feelings. Seeing him like this, she felt torn, as if her heart was split in two. One part hated him; the other pitied him.
But now…
Pity disappeared, leaving only the image of a braised egg swirling in her mind.
Her eyelid twitched as she stepped into the room. “Marquis, what happened to you? Where is your hair? Was this some ghostly prank?”
[Well done, Mother. Straight to the point!]
[Better to go crazy and terrify the whole family than be a doormat.]
Lu Yuan Ze’s face darkened. “There was a fire in Peace Alley. I went in to save someone and got my hair burnt. It’s nothing serious.”
“I’ve already submitted a memorial to His Majesty. I’ll be resting in the manor for the time being.”
Madam Xu’s expression turned colder. Save someone?
He sure knew how to embellish.
“You were also in Peace Alley? What a coincidence. I heard rumors about people being struck by lightning there. They say the pair were… indulging in broad daylight when it happened, stark naked and burned black for all to see. Marquis, the house you rescued… could it have been that one?” Madam Xu’s voice dripped with mockery, bolstered by her daughter’s silent encouragement.
Sure enough, Lu Yuan Ze’s face turned ashen, his fists clenching tightly.
“You’re a woman; you shouldn’t concern yourself with such matters.”
Madam Xu held a handkerchief to her lips, smiling faintly. “The whole capital is talking. I merely heard it as a joke.”
Across the room, Lu Yuan Ze and the Old Madam’s faces grew darker.
[Hee hee hee…] Chao Chao laughed mischievously, her thoughts anything but innocent.
Madam Xu perked up her ears. She could only occasionally catch her daughter’s inner thoughts, so she had to focus.
[He and his mistress were struck, caught bare-bottomed, and didn’t dare return. Now the entire city is searching for him. Lucky for him, no one saw his face because he covered his head while fleeing.]
Madam Xu’s brows furrowed. What filth to sully her daughter’s ears.
“You should focus on caring for Yuan Ze here in the manor,” the Old Madam interjected. “He works tirelessly for the Marquisate. A woman who doesn’t know how to tend to her husband is useless.”
“As for your family, don’t go contacting them. Who knows what kind of crimes they’ve committed? You’ll only drag the Marquisate into trouble.” The Old Madam shot a sharp look at her.
Madam Xu straightened. “Marquis, what do you think?” she asked softly, her gaze lingering on Lu Yuan Ze.
He glanced at her. “I pity your father’s misfortune, but His Majesty is furious. No one dares intervene. I must do my utmost to protect the Marquisate. Yun, you’re sensible. Don’t jeopardize the household.”
His tone shifted. “As for Yan Shu, don’t dwell on it. He’s simply unlucky. The Jiang family daughter has quite the reputation in the capital. It would be a shame to hinder her prospects.”
Something in his evasive gaze sparked suspicion in Madam Xu. Calling off the engagement—how would that benefit him? After all, he was Yan Shu’s father. Wouldn’t he be the one losing face?
his other son will get the b**ch