Chapter 142: Confrontation in Court
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“Big bwoh-der!” Little Chao Chao’s voice quivered, her tiny face paling as she clutched her small fists.
Lu Yan Shu held his head tightly, his thin lips pressed together, cold sweat covering his forehead. His fists were clenched so hard that veins bulged on the back of his hands.
“Yan Shu…” Madam Xu’s voice trembled with worry as she reached out, wanting to comfort him but not knowing how.
Lu Yan Shu slightly raised his hand, his eyes closed tight, thick eyelashes trembling as if they were fluttering wings. [Lu Jing Huai ordered Pei Yaozu to kill someone when he was just a child?] he thought, stunned. [And then, he gouged out Pei Yaozu’s eyes and cut off his tongue!]
As he processed Chao Chao’s thoughts, memories he had long suppressed began to resurface. Back then, he had been young and arrogant, paralyzed on the bed, unable to accept reality. He had been extremely averse to that period of his life. Over the years, the memories had blurred, and the doctor had said that he had blocked them out as a means of self-preservation. Now, as the memories resurfaced, his heart churned with turmoil.
His lips trembled as he looked at Madam Xu, unable to speak for a long time. Madam Xu’s eyes reddened. “I have already sent Pei Yaozu to the Xu family, but it’s been ten years. We can no longer find evidence of Lu Jing Huai hiring an assassin.”
“It’s all my fault for misjudging people, causing you all to suffer.”
“Mother, our days are getting better. Let’s not dwell on the past,” Lu Yan Shu said, squeezing his sister’s hand, feeling a bit more settled.
“The hardships we’ve endured, the deceptions, the humiliations, we will reclaim them all!” he declared firmly. “Tomorrow, I will report this to the authorities. Though it’s been a long time and there’s no evidence of hiring an assassin, we can still sow discord within the marquis household and tarnish Lu Jing Huai’s name.”
Lu Yan Shu suppressed the murderous intent in his heart. [A born villain, Lu Jing Huai is a born villain!] Chao Chao inwardly cursed in anger.
The next morning, Lu Yan Shu personally went to the government office to file a report, with the Xu family escorting Pei Yaozu. Lu Yan Shu accused Lu Jing Huai of hiring an assassin and Pei Yaozu of the crime, causing a huge uproar.
“Was Lu Yan Shu a victim back then?” people whispered.
“Isn’t he the maternal uncle? The grandmother’s younger brother?” another asked.
“Did Lu Jing Huai hire an assassin? Lu Jing Huai was only about the same age as Lu Yan Shu, eight or nine years old at most?” The capital was in an uproar.
Lord Zhong of Shuntian Prefecture personally welcomed Princess Sunshine into the office. After all, she was now the Princess Sunshine.
“Peace to the princess,” Lord Zhong greeted with great respect.
Although Lu Yan Shu was now a scholar and not yet an official, he still respectfully saluted. The young man pointed at Pei Yaozu. “Back then, I jumped into the water to save Miss Jiang. Frightened, she hid among the rockeries and cried. I had already climbed ashore when Pei Yaozu pushed me back into the water until I passed out. The trauma made me lose those memories for years, but now I remember. Catch the criminal!”
“Pei Yaozu had his tongue cut out and eyes gouged by Lu Jing Huai. He is now a cripple!”
Lord Zhong quickly sent someone to summon Lu Jing Huai. Along with him came the old lady. As soon as Old Madam Pei entered the court, she let out a wail and rushed towards Pei Yaozu.
“Yaozu, Yaozu! I’m your sister. Who gouged out your eyes?”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Hearing the voice, Pei Yaozu opened his mouth and made guttural sounds, tears streaming down his face. He and Old Madam Pei hugged each other and cried bitterly.
“Your tongue, where’s your tongue? Yaozu! You are the foundation of our Pei family!” the old lady cried, heartbroken.
Lu Jing Huai watched coldly, having just finished the provincial examination and still feeling weak. He cupped his hands to Lord Zhong and spoke. “I never hired an assassin to kill anyone. Moreover, I was only eight years old at the time!”
“Brother holds a grudge against me for entering the marquis household. I admit my status is not honorable and I owe my brother, so I’ve always yielded to him. But why would he slander me?”
“That I hired an assassin to kill my uncle and attempted to kill my brother is absurd. That I gouged out my uncle’s eyes and cut out his tongue is even more ridiculous!”
Hearing his voice, Pei Yaozu became agitated. “Ah! Ah ah!” Pei Yaozu, like a madman, lunged towards him but, being blind, stumbled and fell.
Lu Jing Huai remained calm. “Uncle, out of familial affection, I will take care of your only son.” He spoke each word deliberately. Pei Yaozu, having suffered for ten years, was no longer the foolish man he once was. He cried out, his face full of despair and resignation.
“Uncle, was it I who hired someone to kill my brother?” Lu Jing Huai asked, his voice steady and cold. “Uncle, was it I who gouged out your eyes and cut out your tongue?” He walked forward, bending down to look at Pei Yaozu.
Pei Yaozu hugged his head and screamed in agony. He trembled at the sound of Lu Jing Huai’s voice, shaking his head repeatedly. Old Madam Pei was scared out of her wits.
“Who hired someone to kill Yan Shu? Who gouged out Yaozu’s eyes and tongue?” she asked, looking as if she had been struck by lightning.
Lu Yan Shu’s expression was calm. He never expected to bring down Lu Jing Huai today; he just wanted to sow discord within the marquis household. But Pei Yaozu had to die.
“Grandmother, Jing Huai did not hire an assassin. Look, even uncle is shaking his head.”
“Perhaps, brother accidentally offended uncle,” Lu Yan Shu said softly.
Old Madam Pei’s throat seemed to be blocked. She knew her younger brother. Without a hefty bribe, he cherished his life. Stealing chickens and peeping at women bathing, he did often. But committing murder? He wouldn’t dare.
“Don’t call me brother; you don’t deserve it!” Lu Yan Shu chuckled softly. “You’re like a rat hiding in a dark sewer, peering into our lives daily. A filthy thing unfit to call me brother.”
“Old lady, do you know what kind of person you are? Letting uncle commit murder, then gouging out his eyes and tongue. It’s terrifying… I’m afraid one day you’ll do the same to grandmother,” he said, glancing at Old Madam Pei.
Lu Jing Huai’s smile vanished, his expression darkening.
Lord Zhong knew that the two were sons from the marquis’s household, one legitimate and one illegitimate. He banged the gavel and asked, “Pei Yaozu, did anyone instruct you to commit murder?”
Pei Yaozu shook his head vigorously.
“Was it your doing alone?” Lord Zhong asked.
Pei Yaozu knelt on the ground, nodding continuously.
Old Madam Pei suddenly became clear-headed. “Yan Shu, Yan Shu, please don’t accuse your uncle. We are family, all one family!”
“Yan Shu, your uncle was spoiled since childhood. Forgive him this once. He will never dare again. Besides, you are standing now, aren’t you? Yan Shu, you are healed. You survived and recovered, so let your uncle go…” Old Madam Pei grabbed Lu Yan Shu, looking at him with hope.
“One family, broken bones still connected by tendons. Officer, we won’t press charges. We won’t press charges.” Old Madam Pei waved her hand, trying to take Pei Yaozu away. The officers blocked her.
“One family? Is my name in the family register?” Lu Yan Shu asked softly.
Old Madam Pei stood there, stunned. [Fortunately, we’ve severed ties. Otherwise, the old woman would still try to use filial piety to suppress us!] Little Chao Chao’s face was tense. [My brother’s ten years of despair, would you just laugh it off?]
“You personally drove me out of the family, erased my name from the register, and wrote a letter of severance, cutting all ties, didn’t you?” Lu Yan Shu spoke softly. His eyebrows shone with a dangerous glint.