Chapter 227: Karmic Retribution
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Hearing the name Li Yuan Xi, the Old Madam trembled violently.
She whipped her gaze toward the bald man.
The man wore a monk’s robe, his demeanor aloof and condescending, a faint smile playing on his lips as he leisurely toyed with the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand.
Upon seeing his smile, the Old Madam shuddered involuntarily.
“Mud… mud…”
“Ah! No, no, no, no!” The Old Madam suddenly let out a shrill scream. Her eyes, filled with terror, darted toward Madam Pei, her cries becoming increasingly desperate.
Madam Pei slammed her teacup down heavily. “Can’t you shut her up?”
“Who knows what madness she’s spouting now!” she said impatiently.
Though the Old Madam often pretended to wail and make a scene, today’s screams sounded especially pitiful, almost as if she was experiencing an overwhelming fear.
Madam Pei sneered inwardly. [Perhaps she’s done too many wicked deeds, and now her conscience torments her.]
The Old Madam struggled to back away, but she had long since lost the ability to walk. No matter how much effort she put in, she could only move slightly. Her entire being radiated resistance and horror.
The bald man grabbed her effortlessly and flung her into a cold water bath within a partitioned room.
“Ah!” The Old Madam let out a bone-chilling shriek.
Her face turned ghastly pale in an instant.
Leaning in close to her ear, the man whispered, “Yuan Xi, Yuan Ze—do these names sound familiar?”
Tears welled up in the Old Madam’s cloudy eyes.
Her mind drifted back to years ago, to when the Old Marquis had gently placed a hand on Li Qiao’s swollen belly, a joyful smile on his face.
“This generation will carry the name ‘Yuan.’ Our legitimate eldest son will be named Lu Yuan Ze, while the child you bore, a concubine’s son, shall be Li Yuan Xi. If it is a daughter…”
At that time, she had stood at the doorway, watching the warm scene inside, her teeth grinding so hard she nearly shattered them.
Yuan Xi—he was Li Qiao’s child!
Li Yuan Xi casually dunked her into the water before tossing her back onto the bed.
The maid standing nearby hesitated, feeling the Old Madam’s icy cold skin, but she merely pressed her lips together and began changing her into clean clothes.
The Old Madam’s eyes glistened with tears as she clung tightly to the maid’s hand.
“Hou… Hou…”
She wanted Lu Yuan Ze.
The maid cast a quick glance at Madam Pei and the bald man. “Old Madam, please focus on recovering your health. Master is busy with official duties and has no time to tend to you.”
A muffled whimper escaped the Old Madam’s lips as drool dripped down her face.
She regretted it. She regretted everything.
She had torn apart what should have been a perfectly harmonious family.
A violent coughing fit overtook her, her face flushing a dangerous shade of red, her breath nearly failing her.
Madam Pei wrinkled her nose in disdain, covering it with a handkerchief. “Brew some medicine for colds. If she dies during the New Year, it’ll be an ill omen.”
More importantly, there was the matter of the mourning period.
If the Old Madam died, Lu Yuan Ze would have to observe official mourning. That was something Madam Pei could not allow.
“Shall we summon a physician?” the maid asked cautiously.
“A physician?” Madam Pei scoffed. “She’s covered in bedsores, her flesh is already rotting. If a physician comes and reports this to Master…”
“You serve the Old Madam closely. If word reaches Master, you may not keep your life.” Madam Pei smiled meaningfully.
The maid fell to her knees with a thud.
“Enough. Just give her the medicine for colds.” Madam Pei’s expression remained indifferent.
“Also, open the windows. The stench of rotting flesh is unbearable.”
A person bedridden for years, if neglected, would inevitably develop festering sores. If this were summer…
The wounds would fester with maggots.
The agony would be unimaginable. Neither able to live nor to die.
“Yes,” the maid murmured.
Madam Pei walked out with the bald man, commenting as they left, “Did she think I was like Madam Xu, serving her faithfully for decades?”
As they spoke, a maid hurriedly arrived.
“Madam, the Young Madam has returned.”
Jiang Yun Jin entered, her face ashen, her expression a mix of grievance and displeasure.
Madam Pei remained composed, watching her calmly.
Jiang Yun Jin stepped forward and bowed. “Mother.”
“It’s good you’re back. Lu Jing Huai was young and naive, easily deceived and harmed. As husband and wife, you must care for him well.”
Jiang Yun Jin clenched her handkerchief tightly. “Yes,” she replied, lowering her head to hide her expression.
Once Madam Pei departed, Jiang Yun Jin’s personal maid spoke bitterly.
“Shameless! How dare she preach about husband and wife unity?”
“The entire Capital City is talking about it.”
“If the engagement hadn’t been broken, it would’ve been perfect. Everyone says Lu Yan Shu is bound to achieve Triple Crown Excellence in the exams this time. A true genius.”
The maid stomped her foot in frustration.
A flicker of regret crossed Jiang Yun Jin’s eyes.
Mid-February.
Outside the Examination Hall, a sea of people gathered, shoulder to shoulder, completely blocking the way.
Lu Chao Chao and the others stood beneath the Big Banyan Tree.
Bundled in thick clothing, Lu Chao Chao stood on tiptoe, eagerly scanning the crowd.
“Has Big Brother come out yet?”
“I can’t see anything…” She huffed in frustration, resenting her short legs.
Even on tiptoe, all she saw were people’s backsides.
Seeing her about to burst with frustration, Rong Che lifted her onto his shoulders. “Hold onto Uncle Rong’s head. Be careful not to fall.”
“Wow! So high, so high!” Lu Chao Chao cheered, gripping Rong Che’s hair.
Rong Che, being exceptionally tall, made her perch all the more thrilling.
“How could you let Chao Chao ride on your head…” Madam Xu said, embarrassed.
“What’s the harm? She even rode the Emperor’s shoulders before,” Rong Che chuckled, his gaze soft as he looked at Madam Xu.
“Mother, can you see?” Lu Chao Chao asked, concerned.
Madam Xu glanced at the mass of people and shook her head in disappointment.
Lu Chao Chao’s eyes brightened, and she patted Rong Che’s head. “Mother, do you want to come up too? We can squeeze together!”
The moment she spoke, both Rong Che and Madam Xu’s faces turned crimson.
Their eyes met, a jolt of electricity passing between them before they quickly averted their gazes. Madam Xu’s face turned as red as a ripe persimmon.
“Uncle Rong, can’t you carry my mother too?” Lu Chao Chao asked seriously.
Rong Che stammered, “I… I suppose I could.”
“Mother, why is your face so red?” The innocent child’s words made Madam Xu blush even harder.
“It’s… hot. Too many people,” Madam Xu mumbled, fanning herself, avoiding Lu Chao Chao’s sparkling eyes.
Lu Chao Chao eyed her suspiciously. [So weird. It’s freezing cold, how could she be hot?]
Madam Xu broke into a cold sweat.
“They’re coming out! Young Master has emerged!” The servant, his face squashed from the crowd, hurriedly supported the Young Master as he exited.
The Spring Examination spanned three rounds, each lasting three days.
If one lacked endurance, by the end of the exams, they would be half-dead.
Among them, even elderly scholars exited the Examination Hall, their faces deathly pale.
One elder collapsed onto the ground, wailing, “Once every three years! I’ve taken the exam six times—six times! Eighteen years!”
For ordinary families, raising a scholar required the efforts of the entire household.
Scholarship was not just for oneself but for the hopes of the entire clan.
Outside the Examination Hall, some cried, while others rejoiced.
“That must be Lu Yan Shu?”
A low murmur spread through the crowd as they caught sight of him—
Tall and straight like a pine tree, a gentle smile lingering in his brows.