Chapter 113: The Misdeed
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
“Unfilial wretch, that is your Little Mother!”
“What are you doing?!” The Old Clan Chief roared, his voice sharp and heavy with anger.
At the thunderous shout, Lu Jing Huai came to his senses abruptly. His grip on Su Zhi Qing loosened in an instant.
She stumbled back, terror plastered on her pale face as she pointed at him, her whole body trembling. “You… you…”
The sight of others approaching only deepened her horror, draining every last drop of color from her face.
“What did you say? Who is she?” Lu Jing Huai froze as if struck by lightning. The alcohol haze dissipated immediately, replaced by an icy chill surging to the crown of his head.
The Old Clan Chief was beyond livid. “Wretched child! A disgrace! A legitimate heir was removed from the family register for the likes of you! And now you repay us with this filth?!”
“You’ve shamed the ancestors of the Lu Family! How will I face them?!” he cried, voice shaking with fury and humiliation. The Old Clan Chief’s face was ashen as he glanced at Lu Jing Huai, who had dared to act so dishonorably towards his father’s concubine—a secondary wife officially recorded in the family’s lineage.
Lu Yuan Ze arrived in haste, catching sight of his son’s rare expression of panic.
“She is your Little Mother! An equal wife to me! Her name is inscribed in the family register! Have you lost all sense of propriety?” The Old Clan Chief bellowed.
He grabbed the broom leaning by the door and struck Lu Jing Huai in a fit of rage.
Lu Jing Huai, caught off guard, took the blow squarely to the face, blood pouring from his nose in an instant.
“Clan Chief, why are you doing this? What wrong has Jing Huai committed?” Lu Yuan Ze hurried forward to snatch the broom away. But his heart sank when he saw Su Zhi Qing clutching her clothes, her expression one of utter shame and anger.
“All because you’ve spoiled him!” the Old Clan Chief spat, his voice grim. “Ask him! Ask him what he’s done to his Little Mother!”
Shock rippled across Lu Yuan Ze’s face. Little Mother? With Jing Huai?
Meanwhile, Lu Jing Huai stood motionless, his lips pressed into a thin line. Could it be true? Was Su Zhi Qing truly his Little Mother? His father’s equal wife? A woman officially part of the family as his elder?
Pain suddenly contorted Su Zhi Qing’s features. She clutched her abdomen, her face turning deathly pale. “Ah… my stomach… it hurts!”
She swayed as agony pierced her belly. “Marquis! My stomach hurts so much…” Her voice cracked as she doubled over. Warm liquid flowed down her legs.
Lu Yuan Ze quickly reached out to steady her.
“Ah! The lady is bleeding!” one of her maids shrieked, pointing at the vivid crimson staining Su Zhi Qing’s snow-white skirt. Blood streamed down in alarming rivulets.
Lu Jing Huai stumbled back a step, his face ashen.
Lu Yuan Ze’s drinking companions exchanged uneasy glances before quietly excusing themselves. Without waiting for an explanation, they left in disgust, their sleeves swishing as they departed.
Outrageous. Truly outrageous. Lu Jing Huai had dared to act improperly with his own Little Mother! This debacle was the height of humiliation, an insult to everyone present.
Lu Yuan Ze felt his chest tighten with suppressed rage. He had planned to petition for his son to be named the official heir the next morning. Now, it seemed that not only would the petition be rejected, but impeachment would surely follow!
Madam Pei arrived hurriedly, only to be greeted by the scene of utter chaos. Her eyes fell upon Su Zhi Qing, who was delicately draped in Lu Yuan Ze’s arms, and she exploded in fury.
“Wretched maid! What have you done?!” she shrieked, disbelief flooding her voice. What was this?
She had brought Su Zhi Qing into the household to deal with Madam Xu’s children, not to turn against her own family! Worse, Su Zhi Qing had even been taught the likes and dislikes of the Lu Household to secure her position within the Marquis’ Manor!
What treachery was this?
One of Su Zhi Qing’s maids, emboldened by the generous monthly bribe of three hundred taels from Madam Xu, retorted sharply, “Our lady is no wretched maid! She is the Marquis’ Equal Wife!”
Hearing this, Madam Pei nearly fainted. Her son and Su Zhi Qing had been caught alone in a room together? Tremors coursed through her, threatening to unsteady her entirely.
The imperial physician arrived swiftly, taking Su Zhi Qing’s pulse. The elderly man sighed after a moment, shaking his head.
“Madam Su is over two months pregnant. However…”
Su Zhi Qing’s heart clenched. She had counted on bearing a child to secure her position. “What of the child?” she asked anxiously.
The physician’s tone was regretful. “Madam is still young and will surely conceive again in time. But this child… the pregnancy was unstable from the start. After today’s shock, the baby has been lost. Rest and care will help, and she will have another chance.”
Tears streamed down Su Zhi Qing’s face as grief consumed her.
Even Lu Yuan Ze felt suffocated by the frustration in his chest. He had doted on this son, only for Lu Jing Huai to bring shame upon the family with such foolishness. His father’s wife, of all people!
That night, the Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor was steeped in turmoil. Yet, little Lu Chao Chao slept soundly, blissfully unaware of the chaos.
To everyone’s astonishment, the next morning, the Emperor rejected Lu Yuan Ze’s request to appoint a new heir.
The imperial court buzzed with whispers. Aging officials shot accusatory glares at Lu Yuan Ze. “To oust a legitimate son for the child of a concubine was already improper. But to nominate someone so immoral?”
“A man who disregards family propriety, who behaves so disgracefully towards his Little Mother? How can such a person inherit the title of heir?”
The Crown Prince, having planted the incident in the ears of the court’s elder statesmen, smirked faintly. As long as the officials were focused on others, his position was secure.
Bang! The Emperor threw the memorial scroll directly at Lu Yuan Ze’s head.
With a heavy thud, Lu Yuan Ze knelt before the throne. “Your Majesty, I have failed to govern my household and violated the natural order.”
“The nomination for heir is denied. Further petitions will be dismissed,” the Emperor declared.
Lu Yuan Ze bowed deeply, outwardly thankful, but internally, bitterness churned. His son’s idiocy had cost the family dearly.
Meanwhile, the Emperor’s mood lightened considerably. No longer needing to keep certain matters hidden, he smiled as an official spoke.
“Your Majesty, famine plagues the region of Lin Luo. The people are desperate and riots are brewing. However, the Lu Family’s youngest daughter has procured 27,000 stones of grain to avert disaster.”
The Emperor’s expression brightened. “Such efforts deserve recognition. Rewards must be given! Lu Chao Chao’s contributions are particularly meritorious and should not go unnoticed!”
Old officials, elated, exchanged knowing looks. Recognition for one’s descendants meant legacy, a matter far more precious than mere titles or wealth.
Lu Yuan Ze, too, was momentarily thrilled. Could it be that the money Lu Chao Chao had swindled was used to purchase grain? However, his joy quickly soured as realization struck.
They had divorced just the day before. Any rewards would bypass him entirely. But worse yet, the loans she had taken would still fall on his shoulders to repay!
The Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor had truly lost out, left to wallow in the mess of their own making.
This one was so short ?
ya, some chapters are. i condensed some parts because its better
I’m not on Lu Yuan Ze’s side… But it now seems unfair that he paid back the money that Chao Chao took and now everyone else will get rewarded and he won’t be getting that money back or any rewards himself
He should pay it. He wanted her to kneel in snow for 3 days and 3 nights when he dound out. He’s not a good person overall. He depended on his wife to support his side family and his own for 18 years. Now he cries about 22,000 taels.