Chapter 113: The Miscarriage
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“What are you doing?! How disgraceful! She is your stepmother!” the old clan leader roared sternly.
With a single shout from the clan leader, Lu Jing Huai snapped back to reality and abruptly let go of Su Zhi Qing.
Trembling, she retreated, her face full of terror. “You… you…” she stammered, pointing at him. As the crowd approached, her fear intensified, and her face turned pale.
“What did you say? Who is she?” Lu Jing Huai shivered, his drunkenness dissipating instantly. A chill shot straight to his head.
The old clan leader, beside himself with rage, declared, “Disgrace, disgrace, it’s all a disgrace! A good heir removed from the family registry, only to be replaced by such a disgrace! The ancestors of the Lu clan are all shamed!”
Lu Yuan Ze hurriedly arrived and saw Lu Jing Huai’s rare, panicked expression from a distance.
“She is your stepmother, a legitimate concubine recorded in the family registry to honor our ancestors!” the old clan leader shouted furiously. Despite their decline, their reputation could not be tarnished.
Grabbing a broom by the door, the old clan leader struck Lu Jing Huai directly, catching him off guard and causing blood to flow from his nose.
“Clan leader, what are you doing? What did Jing Huai do wrong?” Lu Yuan Ze demanded, seizing the broom. Seeing Su Zhi Qing clutching her clothes in shame and anger, his heart skipped a beat.
The old clan leader’s face was stern. “It’s all because you spoiled him! Ask him what he did to his stepmother!”
Lu Yuan Ze was shocked. Stepmother? And Jing Huai??
Lu Jing Huai pressed his lips tightly together, finally realizing Su Zhi Qing was his stepmother, his father’s equal wife, recorded in the family registry as a legitimate half-mother.
Terrified by the drama, Su Zhi Qing suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach, her face turning pale. “Ah… it hurts so much, Marquis, my stomach hurts so much,” she cried, feeling as if her lower abdomen was being torn apart. A warm stream immediately flowed down her legs.
Lu Yuan Ze hurriedly supported her, horrified by how pale his second wife had become.
“Ah, the lady is bleeding. Quickly call for the mansion doctor!” a maid shouted, pointing at the bloodstains on Su Zhi Qing’s snow-white dress.
Lu Jing Huai stepped back abruptly. Several of Lu Yuan Ze’s drinking companions exchanged glances and quickly excused themselves, leaving in a huff, deeming the banquet utterly disgraceful.
Furious, Lu Yuan Ze knew his request for the new heir’s title might not only fail but also result in impeachment at court tomorrow.
It was then Madam Pei finally arrived at the scene. Seeing what was unfolding, she exploded at Su Zhi Qing, whom she had sent to deal with Madam Xu’s son, yet was now involved in this scandal. “You wretch! What are you doing!”
“What wretch? Our lady is a legitimate equal wife recorded in the family registry,” Su Zhi Qing’s maid retorted, thanks to Madam Xu’s monthly bribe.
Madam Pei felt faint, her heart trembling as she recalled her son and Su Zhi Qing being alone earlier.
The mansion doctor, having checked Su Zhi Qing’s pulse, shook his head. “Lady Su has been pregnant for over two months, but the pregnancy was already unstable. Agitation resulted in a miscarriage. With good care, she will conceive again.”
Su Zhi Qing’s tears flowed as even Lu Yuan Ze felt a knot of frustration.
Lu Jing Huai, pale and blank, recalled his oppressive childhood overshadowed by Lu Yan Shu’s talent. He had gradually stepped over Lu Yan Shu, but now, caught publicly with his stepmother, he was filled with terror once more.
“You darn thing, you’ve mistaken the wrong person, caused trouble, and now go to the ancestral hall and kneel!” Lu Yuan Ze shouted, wanting to clear his son’s reputation. He was furious at his son’s stupidity for daring to touch his own stepmother.
That night, the Marquis Zhongyong’s mansion did not sleep, while Lu Chao Chao slept very well. As expected, the next day, Lu Yuan Ze’s request to appoint the heir was rejected by the king.
Several old officials, outraged, declared, “Marquis Zhongyong dismissed his legitimate son and promoted a concubine-born son as heir, which is against the norm. Moreover, this son has no respect for his elders and disregards etiquette, daring to behave inappropriately with his stepmother. How can such a character befit the position of the heir to the Marquis’s title and estate?”
The crown prince, having spread the matter to the old officials, watched with satisfaction.
The king, ready to throw the document at Lu Yuan Ze’s head, declared, “The Marquis Zhongyong’s family management is lax, disregarding morals. Re-establish the heir, request denied.”
Since the divorce was finalized, the king no longer had to hide his joy and immediately took on a happy tune.
“Your Majesty, Lianluo is suffering from floods, and the people are starving. The disaster victims are becoming increasingly uncontrollable. Fortunately, the young lady of the Lu family has raised twenty-seven thousand bags of grain, alleviating the crisis,” an official reported.
Beaming, the king declared, “Rewards are due. The children who raised funds for disaster relief should all be rewarded. Lu Chao Chao deserves even more!”
The old ministers, delighted, saw this as a key to a prosperous lineage. No matter the dynasty or age, a nation would only prosper if the new generation are capable and involved.
Meanwhile, Lu Yuan Ze, recalling the funds Lu Chao Chao had tricked out for grain, was stunned by the turn of events. No rewards for him, but the usurious loans were to be repaid by him!
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.