Chapter 223: The Rise and Fall
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Lu Yuan Ze’s voice thundered through the room, echoing with fury. “You cheated to pass the royal exam! You stole Yan Shu’s work!”
Lu Jing Huai, struggling to maintain his composure, shot back, “Yan Shu just guessed the questions correctly. That’s all he did!”
“You took all his manuscripts! How dare you!” Lu Yuan Ze’s voice cracked under the strain, his eyes bloodshot and veins bulging on his forehead as he pointed a trembling finger at Lu Jing Huai.
“You’re not a genius! You’re not! It was all Yan Shu from the beginning to the end!” His voice grew hoarse with each accusation. “You said you admired his talent and asked me to take his books. You made Wan Yi steal his manuscripts for you! You used his talent to pass the exam and gain fame. Your so-called genius was stolen; you stole Yan Shu’s talent!” He was nearly hysterical now.
[I’ve been deceived!]
Years ago, Lu Yuan Ze had invested his heart and soul into Yan Shu, hoping he would elevate the Marquis of Zhongyong household with his brilliance. The marquis was in desperate need of such talent to thrive.
But after Yan Shu’s tragic accident, despair had gripped him. It was then that Lu Jing Huai stepped forward, promising to be the beacon of hope.
“Father, you still have me. Jing Huai will make you proud. I will pass the exams, I will bring honor to our house.”
But now…
He had neglected his wife and children for that faint hope, only to discover it was a facade, a reflection of Yan Shu’s brilliance. His world crumbled.
Madam Pei’s heart skipped a beat, her complexion turning ghostly. She eyed her son sharply, yet her expression revealed no surprise.
“You knew all along, didn’t you? Pei Jiao Jiao, you knew it all along!” Lu Yuan Ze’s realization dawned harsh and bitter.
He had been manipulated.
Madam Pei’s face paled further, evading his gaze.
“Why blame Mother?” Lu Jing Huai’s voice trembled, his eyes wild with a touch of madness, barely holding back the effects of the drug.
This plan was originally meant for Yan Shu! [Why, why does Yan Shu always get so lucky?]
“Back then, you wanted to keep a mistress. You coaxed Mother into being your secret lover! You promised her your heart, that Madam Xu was nothing serious.”
“Mother believed you and agreed to be your hidden lover.”
“Day after day, she waited for you to leave Madam Xu.”
“And you?” Lu Jing Huai’s eyes blazed with scorn.
“When Yan Shu was born, you were captivated by him! As he grew, showing early signs of genius, you forgot everyone else!”
“At one, he memorized the Three Character Classic. By three, his intellect was undeniable. He could recall complex texts after just one hearing. You began to scorn Madam Xu, but then…”
“You started praising her as a good mother. Every time you came home, it was Yan Shu this, Yan Shu that.”
“When excited, you’d push me to recite alongside him.”
“I was just a regular kid. I couldn’t keep up with Yan Shu, who absorbed everything with ease. You grew increasingly impatient with me, even said I was less than a fraction of him.”
“All you saw was him!”
“I despised him. I despised Yan Shu. Night and day, I wished for his downfall, for his disgrace.”
“Yet, he excelled in the exams at just eight! The youngest scholar ever!” Lu Jing Huai’s voice dripped with venom.
“Hahahaha… Everyone lauded him, elevating our house to new heights.”
“You were so proud. He could proudly claim his place as the legitimate son of the marquis. And I? I was just another face in the crowd, seething with jealousy.”
“Why? Why was he so favored?”
“He had legitimacy and extraordinary talent. Why did fate grant him everything? I couldn’t stand it, I was so filled with envy!” Lu Jing Huai’s scream was chilling, his madness palpable. He had longed for Yan Shu’s demise.
“So, you had Pei Yaozu attack Yan Shu?” Lu Yuan Ze’s memory jogged at the mention of Pei Yaozu, his body shuddering.
“You actually harmed Yan Shu!!” In a rage, Lu Yuan Ze grabbed an inkstone and hurled it at Lu Jing Huai’s head.
Blood trickled down Lu Jing Huai’s face, his breath sharp with pain.
Lu Jing Huai gazed at his father’s enraged visage and let out a twisted chuckle.
“You ruined Yan Shu, you’ve doomed our house. You monster, how could I have fathered such a monster!! You deserve death!” Lu Yuan Ze couldn’t believe his young son harbored such dark thoughts.
Lu Jing Huai smirked, “Why wouldn’t I dare? He was in my way; he deserved to die!”
“At eight, he achieved the triple crown. Seeing him fall at his peak would have been your ultimate torment.”
“Sadly, Pei Yaozu was a fool! He couldn’t even kill a child! If he hadn’t botched my plan, I would’ve usurped everything from Yan Shu by now!” Lu Jing Huai lamented not taking matters into his own hands sooner.
Pei Yaozu, notorious for his thievery and debauchery, lacked the courage to kill.
And though he managed to steal from Madam Xu and lived lavishly under the Marquis Zhongyong’s roof, his cowardice led him to merely knock Yan Shu unconscious.
[It would have been better if he’d stayed paralyzed, always confined to a wheelchair. Why does fate continue to favor him?] Lu Jing Huai’s hatred simmered. [Why does Yan Shu always receive divine favor?]
“If he isn’t dead, if he isn’t paralyzed, you will never see me. I will forever be eclipsed by him, unable to ascend! Mother and I will always be overlooked by you!” Lu Jing Huai, frenzied and bloodied, grinned at Lu Yuan Ze.
“When he was paralyzed, you were in despair. Only then did you notice me…”
“He is the legitimate son, honorable and pure. He shuns all deceit.”
“I am the illegitimate son, concealed and malevolent. I was born to usurp his place and thrive. Why shouldn’t I act against him?”
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“This rise and fall, Father, you should understand this principle!”
Lu Yuan Ze recoiled. He had never imagined Lu Jing Huai could harbor such darkness.
At just eight, he had used Pei Yaozu’s hands to eliminate Yan Shu.
“Monster, monster!” Lu Yuan Ze trembled.
“Father, what are you afraid of? Didn’t I learn it from you? You married a high-born lady, manipulated her into being your pawn. You used her wealth to support us and your mistress, even…”
“You exploited the Xu family’s influence to forge alliances, leeching off them. You’re more despicable than me.”
“You even planned to raise Jing Yao under Madam Xu’s care, scheming to frame the Xu family and eliminate them. Father, in ruthlessness, you surpass me…”
“You drained the legitimate wife to sustain the mistress and even conspired against the Xu family. How could a son be more ruthless than his father?”