Chapter 217: Do Not Swear Recklessly
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
At this moment, Lu Yuan Ze felt a sudden wave of dizziness. His heart pounded wildly, his vision blurred, and nausea surged within him. A chilling sensation spread through his limbs as if something vital was being stripped from his very being.
Clutching a tree for support, his face turned deathly pale.
It was as if a fragment of his soul had been forcefully taken away.
Lu Chao Chao’s small hand suddenly let go in the direction of the Old Madam.
Inside the manor, a burst of joyful cries erupted.
Yu Shu rushed out in haste, her eyes still glistening with tears.
“Little Miss! The Old Madam… she had stopped breathing just moments ago!”
“But for some reason, she suddenly came back to life!”
“The Imperial Physician said it’s a miracle. Her pupils had dilated, her body had gone cold, and her breath had ceased… but now she’s sitting up on her own!” Yu Shu stomped her feet in excitement.
“The Xu Family has already begun the ancestral rites to thank the ancestors for their blessings.”
Lu Yuan Ze held onto the tree, his face drained of all color. His throat was dry as he asked in a panicked voice, “W-When did she recover?”
Yu Shu, not fond of him, still answered with good spirits, “Just now. The time it takes to finish a cup of tea.”
“All superstition. Just superstition,” Lu Chao Chao waved her tiny hands at him.
“But still, thank you.”
“The Imperial Physicians had all said there was no hope. She had already passed away. Yet, she revived. Thank you…” Lu Chao Chao sincerely expressed her gratitude. [Ten years should be enough for Grandma to live well.]
Lu Yuan Ze was in utter panic. But at this moment, his limbs were weak, and he could only watch helplessly as Lu Chao Chao left.
Left standing in place, Lu Yuan Ze began to doubt everything he knew about life.
Meanwhile, at the Xu Manor, the family celebrated as if it were the New Year.
“How strange, your pulse is now full of vitality, even stronger than before,” the Imperial Physician marveled.
“Your condition is remarkable. I shall return for the next three days to observe your pulse.” The physician was deeply astonished.
[Hehehe, swapped that scummy father’s lifespan for Grandma’s.]
[Heavenly Dao, you better not strike me down…]
[You heard it yourself! He said it willingly! I never forced him, he gave it up of his own accord!]
[Besides, that scummy father gave up twenty years, and you still took ten for yourself! My Grandma only got ten!]
Lu Chao Chao mischievously glanced at the sky, occasionally stealing a peek, afraid that divine retribution would strike her down.
She was no stranger to bribing the Heavenly Dao.
Hearing Lu Chao Chao’s inner thoughts, her uncles all froze.
It was Chao Chao!
Madam Xu hugged Lu Chao Chao tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face. Lu Yan Shu and the others unconsciously formed a protective circle around their little sister, ready to shield her should heavenly thunder strike.
[Hehehe, the Heavenly Dao is just and fair! It didn’t strike me down.]
Lu Chao Chao’s invisible little tail wagged triumphantly.
But what astonished the Imperial Physician even more was what happened right after he stepped out of the Xu Manor—he was immediately summoned to the Lu residence.
Though Lu Yuan Ze had lost his title as Marquis Zhongyong, the physician, out of old sentiment, still decided to pay a visit.
“Oh dear, how peculiar! Why is your pulse so weak today?” The Imperial Physician was filled with suspicion.
“The Old Madam of the Xu family had lost all signs of life, yet she suddenly regained her breath, and now her pulse is full of vigor. She can easily live another ten years without issue!”
“But Lord Lu, your pulse is incredibly frail for someone in his prime. It’s as though you’ve aged ten years overnight.”
The physician chuckled, jesting, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had somehow given ten years of your lifespan to the Old Madam.”
Lu Yuan Ze coughed violently.
Though spoken in jest, the words struck a deep chord in him, making him panic beyond reason.
“My lord, you must take good care of yourself. Also, about your tooth—it can only be replaced with a metal cap now.”
The physician, knowing well of Lu Yuan Ze’s feud with the Xu family, didn’t linger and quickly departed.
Lu Yuan Ze’s mind was in turmoil as he hastily called for Madam Pei.
“When do you think the Abbot of the National Temple will return to the capital?”
Madam Pei knew he had gone to seek out the Xu Family again. Her expression soured as she replied coldly, “Next month.”
She pulled her collar up slightly to conceal the red marks on her neck.
“So, you went to beg her again? And even got beaten to the point of having a bruised and swollen face?” Madam Pei couldn’t help but mock him upon seeing his disheveled appearance.
Once, he prided himself on true love; now, all that remained was a mess of shattered dreams.
Smack!
Lu Yuan Ze’s palm struck Madam Pei across the face, his eyes filled with loathing.
“If not for your schemes, our family would still be harmonious. How could we have ended up broken like this?” Lu Yuan Ze longed for the days when the Marquis Manor had been a place of peace.
Shi Yun had once managed the household flawlessly, but now…
“Schemes? It was you who climbed into my bed back then!”
“Did you not say that Xu Shi Yun was just a dog you raised? That she would come and go at your command? And now you want her back? Hahaha! Lu Yuan Ze, this is your retribution!”
Furious, Madam Pei stormed out of the room and headed straight for the Little Buddha Hall.
Ever since Shi Yun had divorced him, the manor had been in utter chaos. Madam Pei had not gained the peaceful life she had envisioned. Instead, the woman who had left in disgrace had now become Lu Yuan Ze’s unattainable white moonlight—a mark that would never fade, like a stain of mosquito blood on his heart.
…
At that moment, Shi Yun sat nestled beside Old Madam Xu.
Earlier, the old lady’s complexion had turned an alarming shade of purple, sending Shi Yun into a panic. Now, however, she clutched her grandmother’s warm hand, feeling immeasurable relief.
“The imperial physician has assured us that there is no danger. Do not worry,” she murmured soothingly.
“You and General Rong should not hesitate any longer. I can see that he is sincere…” Old Madam Xu knew that her granddaughter was still torn.
“Mother, I only wish for you to live well. If you are at peace, then I can be at peace too,” Shi Yun said softly as the old lady patted her hand.
A slight blush crept up Shi Yun’s ears.
“Mother is not going anywhere. I still plan to live for another ten years!” she said with a sly smile. Who would have thought Lu Yuan Ze had traded ten years of his own lifespan for her grandmother’s health?
“We will talk after Yan Shu finishes his examination,” she added, glancing at Rong Che.
Upon hearing this, Rong Che was so overjoyed he could barely form a sentence. He happily kowtowed several times before Old Madam Xu.
“Yan Shu’s imperial examination is soon. It must not be delayed. Hurry back now; my body is perfectly fine,” Old Madam Xu said reassuringly, feeling as if she had an endless supply of energy.
…
That night, Shi Yun returned to the manor with her children.
Lu Yan Shu had already retired early to his courtyard to prepare for his studies.
“How was your first day at the academy?” Shi Yun asked Lu Chao Chao.
Chao Chao held her milk bottle with both hands and said earnestly, “The snacks after class were yummy, and lunch was yummy too! But the other kids cry a lot…”
“Cry a lot?” Shi Yun was taken aback.
“Yep! They read books so weirdly!”
“They dun listen and write at the same time. One time hear, all forget!” Lu Chao Chao shook her head in dismay.
From the doorway, Lu Yuan Xiao muttered, “It makes sense why you got hit at the academy.”
Her intelligence was not what made her frightening.
What was terrifying was that she assumed everyone possessed the same level of brilliance.
…
On the ninth day of the second month, the first day of the capital examinations arrived.
Before dawn, Shi Yun woke to pray to the Bodhisattva, pleading for peace and good fortune.
The atmosphere at the Imperial Academy was tense. Everyone had their minds set on the spring examinations.
Lu Chao Chao had just stepped inside when she heard a boastful voice.
“What is so special about Princess Sunshine’s intelligence?”
“Jing Yao is the truly brilliant one!”
“Jing Yao is also his daughter, yet Princess Sunshine refuses to accept her! How utterly cruel!”
The one speaking was a boy of five or six, his brows arched with arrogance, clearly someone of noble birth.
“Who is that?” Lu Chao Chao asked.
Xuan Ji Chuan replied, “Him? He just returned to the capital yesterday. You only attended for half a day, so you wouldn’t have met him.”
“His father is the Emperor’s younger brother, Prince Jing Nan. They have resided in their fiefdom for years and only returned to the capital for the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration.”
Man condolences for 10 years of life.