Chapter 105: Catching Adultery in Public
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Madam Xu had barely sipped two light drinks when she clutched her head, complaining of dizziness.
Lu Wan Yi’s heart leapt with joy.
“Sister-in-law, let me help you back to your room,” she said, her voice trembling with suppressed excitement as she lowered her gaze.
Madam Xu waved her hand dismissively, her flushed face showing no pretense of her intoxication. “There are many guests today; it would trouble you to watch over them on my behalf. I’m not good with wine; I’ll just go rest for a bit.”
Seeing her unsteady figure and convincing demeanor, Lu Wan Yi nodded. “Alright, I will keep a close eye on things.”
With a faint smile, she watched Madam Xu shuffle unsteadily toward the Listening Wind Courtyard.
Suddenly, Lu Chao Chao’s small brows furrowed.
[Three strange men have entered the courtyard. Chao Chao doesn’t recognize them.] Clinging to her mother, she continued silently, [They’re hiding in Mother’s room. Hmph, bad men! Why did they take off their clothes?]
Lu Chao Chao’s spiritual soul, immensely powerful since the last fire in the courtyard, had split off a wisp to keep watch over Listening Wind Courtyard. Madam Xu froze, the cold realization coursing through her. She bit the tip of her tongue to steady herself as her fingers trembled faintly.
[So this is how ruthless Lu Yuan Ze can be.]
“Mother, bad men are here in the courtyard,” whispered Chao Chao into her ear.
Kissing her daughter affectionately, Madam Xu responded, “Good girl, Mother understands. You’ve done well.”
She made no fuss, discreetly alerting Xu Yi Ting’s people, who swiftly dealt with the trespassers without drawing attention. Turning to her daughter, she said, “Chao Chao, Mother needs to rest for a moment. Go play for a while, alright?”
There were matters Chao Chao mustn’t see—like catching adulterers in the act.
Coaxed and escorted by Deng Zhi, the child was led away. Meanwhile, in the front courtyard, Lu Wan Yi suddenly cried out, “Thieves have broken into the estate! Quickly, someone—thieves!”
“What’s all this noise about?” Deng Zhi moved to block her path.
Lu Wan Yi, her expression fierce, retorted, “We have so many esteemed guests here today. What if they are disturbed? Step aside—I must apprehend the intruders immediately!”
The mention of the princess and titled madams still present in the manor sent an odd gleam through her eyes. She shoved Deng Zhi aside and led a group of people toward the rear courtyard.
Deng Zhi, her face stricken with anxiety, trailed after her, but Lu Wan Yi only quickened her pace. As commotion arose, the guests began sending inquiries.
“Where is the Marquis?”
“He’s been gone from his seat for quite some time now. Could he have run into trouble? Go and check!”
A crowd gathered, swelling with curiosity, as Lu Wan Yi theatrically opened one room after another in her “search.” When she reached Listening Wind Courtyard, Ying Xue barred her entry.
“Ridiculous! This is the main wife’s quarters. We’ve been guarding the door—how could there be any thieves here? Madam is resting inside; barging in would be improper!”
Lu Wan Yi arched a brow. “What’s this? Could it be Sister-in-law is hiding a man inside?”
“You—!” Ying Xue, furious, was about to lash out when the door creaked open. Madam Xu stepped out, her expression cold.
“Come in and search,” she said, gazing at Lu Wan Yi without emotion.
This girl, whom she had raised for over a decade and cherished as her own daughter, stood before her now with such malicious intent.
Only Madam Xu remained ignorant of her husband Lu Yuan Ze’s carefree life outside the manor—with another family, children, and a seemingly divine existence. All the while, she worked tirelessly within the estate, aging prematurely into a shadow of her former self.
For a moment, Lu Wan Yi faltered under her sister-in-law’s gaze but pressed on, feigning boldness. “Forgive me, Sister-in-law. This is for the sake of catching thieves.” She scoured every inch of the room but found nothing—absolutely nothing. Anxiety gnawed at her as realization dawned: [Where did it go wrong? Eldest Brother said there would be three men here!]
With calm poise, Madam Xu took the lead. “Let’s search together, then.”
Lu Wan Yi wanted to object, but the situation was no longer under her control. With no choice, she trailed along as the group combed through the Virtue and Kindness Hall, eventually reaching the Marquis’s own quarters.
The study, quiet and seemingly empty, stirred murmurs.
“Let’s not search the study,” Madam Xu suggested, her lips curving into a faint smile. “The Marquis is likely resting inside, weary from work. Let us not disturb him.”
“How considerate of Shi Yun. After 18 years of marriage, the Marquis and Madam remain as affectionate as ever,” someone commented teasingly.
“Indeed, their bond is famous throughout the capital,” another chimed in.
Madam Qin, with her fiery temper, interjected, “Since we’re here, let’s check. We wouldn’t want any thieves harming the Marquis.”
Resigned, Madam Xu pushed open the door.
A muffled groan came from within the study.
Everyone froze in disbelief, Madam Xu herself struck as if by lightning. Her lips parted, but no words came, her throat choked by the sheer blow of the revelation.
Madam Qin stormed forward. “Which harlot dares to cause trouble today? Climbing into someone’s bed during a child’s birthday celebration—shameless!”
She dragged Madam Xu forward, while the crowd, eyes glinting with curiosity, followed closely.
“Don’t come in!” came Lu Yuan Ze’s panicked shout, tinged with terror. “No, stay out!”
Inside, a sharp scream pierced the air.
Madam Xu swayed unsteadily. “The Marquis… it’s really the Marquis…”
“Who is it? Who dared seduce him?!” she sobbed, her romantic ideals crumbling. Her heartbreak echoed the rumors that had plagued her as a “love-obsessed fool.”
Madam Qin, bolder than most, tore aside the curtains. “Let’s see which celestial beauty caught the Marquis’s eye!”
Pei Jiao Jiao shrieked, covering her face as she desperately pushed at Lu Yuan Ze. Both of their faces were ashen, their bodies pressed tightly together in a grotesque tableau. Any slight movement brought cries of pain.
The crowd stared in stunned silence, Madam Qin clutching her belly, muttering, “What wild antics! They can’t even separate?”
“Isn’t that Madam Pei?” someone exclaimed in shock. “Why is she with the Marquis?”
“Madam Pei?” Madam Xu whispered, her voice trembling. “Marquis, how could you? She’s someone else’s mistress!”
“My mother is not a mistress!” Lu Jing Yao’s young voice broke the tension. “My parents are in love! You’re the bad woman!”
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
Father?
Mother?
And they said Yao Yao is smart LMFAO
Madam qin is the person you need in your life she will not let bad people get away
Finally! Felt like I was gonna combust waiting for the old antique train of tortoise-like inevitability to get here – satisfaction at last ?