Chapter 109: The Decision
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Madam Xu returned late from Deshan Hall to find her courtyard awake, her three sons waiting anxiously. For eighteen long years, she had been deceived, and the passionate love of her youth turned out to be a lie. Despite her tragic life, the worried faces in the courtyard melted away her pent-up frustration.
“Mother, are you alright?” Lu Yuan Xiao stepped forward to support her, sincerity evident in his eyes.
Madam Xu patted her son’s hand and offered a reassuring smile. “Mother is fine, but hearing them belittle you is hard to bear.” Her children, once prodigies, had all suffered greatly. Her eldest son, talented and exceptional, had been crippled; her second son, once a close friend of Lu Jing Huai, had been fooled by Su Zhi Qing; and her third son was considered dull-witted.
“Mother, the more he belittles us, the more hope we have of leaving the manor. This is a good thing,” Lu Yan Shu, who now carried a book daily since regaining strength in his hands, remarked calmly. Once arrogant due to his talents, he now possessed a calm depth that intimidated others.
“Yes, Yan Shu is right. The more he looks down on us, the more chance we have to reunite,” Madam Xu agreed, feeling a bit more at ease.
Lu Yuan Ze’s disdain was evident, and Madam Xu had never considered returning to her parents’ home with her large family. Her eldest was seventeen, and if not for Jiang Yun Jin breaking off the engagement, she might have been a grandmother by now. Returning home would harm her children’s pride, leaving them dependent and homeless.
Determined, Madam Xu pushed away such thoughts. Lu Chao Chao, already sleepy, lay in her eldest brother’s arms, her face flushed from sleep, and everyone looked at her tenderly.
“He always praises Lu Jing Yao’s intelligence, but I think she’s rather foolish. If she hadn’t called for her parents during the affair, there might have been more to the story,” Lu Yuan Xiao pouted. “Is this really the mind of an adult?”
Madam Xu chuckled softly, “She’s not that stupid, just an ordinary person standing on the shoulders of giants as a soul from a thousand years later.”
“Transmigration and rebirth don’t increase intelligence,” Lu Yan Shu said casually, not lifting his eyes from his book. “Besides, Lu Yuan Ze used my dowry to support them. Now that I’ve taken it back, they live frugally. It’s easy to go from frugal to extravagant but hard to go from extravagant to frugal. Even Lu Jing Huai is wearing last year’s fabrics. How good could her situation be?”
Madam Xu understood. “She considers herself extraordinary and can’t stand grievances. The wealth of the Marquis’s residence dazzled her.”
Madam Pei and Lu Yuan Ze had been caught in the act, leaving no room for maneuver.
“A foolish transmigrant won’t turn into a genius. Father wants Lu Jing Huai to bring glory to the family, to support the Marquis’s residence, to achieve the top in the royal exams, and to become the crown prince’s tutor. How laughable,” Lu Zheng Yue said with disdain, remembering how his brother’s previous works had been stolen.
Lu Yan Shu’s eyes gleamed, “Then, let’s take it all back.”
Lu Zheng Yue sighed, “Luckily, we hid the news of elder brother’s impending recovery.”
“Tomorrow, spread the news of our parents’ imminent divorce to Madam Pei. We don’t need to worry; someone will take action.” Lu Yan Shu waved his hand, and a servant pushed his wheelchair out the door, his voice echoing, “The ones who should be anxious are not us.”
Madam Pei was already furious, knowing Madam Xu had long left the spy she planted in the Marquis’s residence to relay messages to her. The news had already spread.
“I followed him for eighteen years, bore children for him, and he only wants to take the children back to the manor?” Pei Jiao Jiao was livid. “If Madam Xu wants to leave, let her. Isn’t it perfect if she takes her children? No one will obstruct my son! Lu Yuan Ze won’t get rid of me! Son, you must stand up for your mother. I have nothing left but you!” Madam Pei held Lu Jing Yao, crying bitterly.
“Madam Xu has three sons. How could she treat Jing Huai as her own? Jing Huai, Mother loves you the most,” she said nervously.
From the day she and Lu Yuan Ze were caught, she had a premonition that he might abandon her. She could only rely on her son.
Lu Jing Huai, with his back to her, frowned slightly. That day, he had sought Su Zhi Qing, but she avoided him, and he didn’t witness Madam Pei’s public disgrace. Later, his classmates’ contempt was unbearable, but he dared not voice his resentment.
“Mother, you have suffered a lot for me. I understand it all. Only you can be my mother. How is Madam Xu worthy? If you don’t enter the manor, I won’t return to the family. In the future, I will achieve the top in the royal exams, bring back a royal decree for you, and trample Madam Xu underfoot!” Lu Jing Huai’s sincerity made Madam Pei smile, grateful for her intelligent children.
Lu Jing Yao blinked, “Bwother, sistew will give you a poem…”
Lu Jing Huai’s eyes lit up, knowing his sister was not ordinary. Her precociousness transcended the era. Even if she was a demon or ghost, she was willing to help him. Her poem “Drunk on Wine” had once made him famous, prompting their father to recognize and want to return them to the family.
“Climbing High.” Lu Jing Yao began reciting, “The wind is swift, the sky high, apes cry mournfully, the clear islet, white sand, birds fly back. Endless falling leaves rustle, the long river rolls on endlessly…”
With each line, Lu Jing Huai trembled with excitement, while Lu Jing Yao’s eyes shone with pride. The eternal masterpiece would increase her brother’s leverage, making their father’s choice clear.
That night, the ancient poem spread throughout the capital, causing a frenzy of admiration. Some were so excited their faces turned red, proclaiming him an unparalleled genius.
In the palace, King Xuan Ping looked at the secret letter, his expression enigmatic. “Lu Jing Huai can compose such an eternal masterpiece? At seventeen, he writes with such a sense of old age and desolation?” Disbelieving, he waved his hand, scaring the palace servants to their knees.
The crown prince, recalling Chao Chao’s words about Lu Jing Yao being a soul from another world, pondered, wondering if they could dissect and see what’s in there.
Lu Yuan Ze, noticing people’s inquiries about Lu Jing Huai, finally decided. “Take them away and let’s see how they survive. A divorced woman with useless bastards, let them suffer! My Marquis House is about to rise! The wealth of the Marquis House will forever be beyond their reach!”
Why do I have to pay per chapter?
Same question. Wtf is this
this isn’t even your own story but you want people to pay? laughable.
First of all, the translator can choose whether to translate this novel or not. It’s not her obligation but she’s taking time out of her personal sched to translate this. The least you can do is be grateful. If you don’t want to pay, then don’t. No one is forcing anyone, just that there’s an option to if you want faster access to future chapters. If you can’t say anything good, might as well not say anything.
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where do the haters suddenly come from??
reading ahead for a dontaion or on patreon is common practice and very fair.
not to mention that getting free chapters at this speed is a great thing! i very much appreachiate the translator – speed, quality and free we are being spoiled <3.
getting pissed off for not getting even more is a choosing beggar move. no manners, no sense of proportion, shame on you! take a good look at yourself in the mirror.
actually we should be happy for the option of donations and reading ahead because it motivates people to donate which means the translator is getting something for their effort which translates to higher chances of sustainability – so we want there to be donations so the translation will continue for a long time.