Chapter 25: The Genius’s Mother
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“This Madam is truly destined for wealth and prosperity,” the crowd couldn’t help but compliment.
The Buddhist Prayer Beads she held were treasures of extraordinary rarity.
Pei Jiao Jiao, having endured years of humiliation, now allowed a trace of pride to bloom on her face.
“My son excels in his studies,” she began, lifting her chin slightly. “At merely ten, he became a Aspiring Scholar, and at seventeen, he is now betrothed to Miss Jiang. Next year, he will sit for the Provincial Exam.”
Pei Jiao Jiao cast a glance at Madam Xu, whose face had turned pale, her heart surging with delight.
“Ah, his fiancée is the legitimate daughter of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, isn’t she? I heard her intended is a genius youth,” someone chimed in.
“Is this the mother of the young prodigy, Lu Jing Huai?” another asked with wide eyes.
Pei Jiao Jiao nodded faintly, basking in their admiration.
“Miss Jiang’s fortune is unmatched. They say she was once engaged to another man, but that unfortunate soul became disabled, bedridden, and entirely reliant on others for care.”
“Now, she’s engaged to a genius youth,” someone else added.
Pei Jiao Jiao chuckled softly. “A fine lady deserves a fine gentleman. Such a cripple—how could he ever compare?” Her tone dripped with disdain.
The crowd grew even livelier. After all, Lu Jing Huai, who achieved scholarly acclaim at ten, was rumored to have the brightest prospects for achieving the title of Top Scholar.
The current Top Scholar was thirty-three. If Lu Jing Huai succeeded, he’d become the youngest Top Scholar in Northern Zhao at just seventeen.
The shopkeeper’s eyes gleamed with approval. “The brocade on this infant’s swaddle—is it the legendary Protective Cloth?”
The Protective Cloth was an item of profound spiritual significance, blessed by the National Temple to safeguard newborns. To acquire it, a close relative had to kneel and ascend the One-Thousand Steps, bowing at every step.
Pei Jiao Jiao smiled and nodded. “This girl was born frail, and my husband cherished her deeply, going so far as to pray and procure the Protective Cloth for her.” She gently caressed her daughter’s cheek.
Back then, while pregnant with her eldest son, Lu Jing Huai, she had poured all her efforts into teaching him, forcing him to chase after Lu Yan Shu, Madam Xu’s eldest son.
But Lu Yan Shu was like a cloud in the sky—untouchable, ethereal, and forever out of reach. Both she and her son had suffered under his shadow.
No one knew better than Pei Jiao Jiao the reason for their nightmares. Lu Yan Shu’s brilliance was undeniable. So brilliant, in fact, that even her husband, Lu Yuan Ze, began to waver in his devotion to her, placing all of the Marquis Zhongyong Manor’s honor and hopes onto that exceptional child.
Pei Jiao Jiao forced her son, from a young age, to surpass Lu Yan Shu. But one day, her son secretly sought out his rival, only to be devastated by what he saw—a talent that shattered his confidence entirely. He fell gravely ill.
But fortune, Pei Jiao Jiao thought with a twisted smile, favored her in the end. That wretched boy’s fate was sealed. Like a fleeting rainbow, his brilliance vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Year after year, she pressed her son, inch by inch, to usurp the position that had once been Lu Yan Shu’s. Now, Lu Yan Shu was nothing but a crippled disgrace to the household.
With the birth of her daughter, Pei Jiao Jiao’s status soared even higher. The Old Madam adored the girl, and her husband doted on her endlessly.
She traced a finger over her daughter’s face. “This girl has been showered with affection since birth. When I craved certain delicacies during my pregnancy, her father had them brought from beyond the borders, sacrificing three steeds to ensure my satisfaction.”
Madam Xu’s gaze darkened. She had once received a basket of the same fruit, delivered eagerly by her husband. Though she had cherished it, she later realized—it was merely leftovers from someone else’s feast.
“Madam, your fortune truly knows no bounds.”
“Even the Abbot of the National Temple foretold that this child is destined for immense wealth and prosperity,” someone said, leaning closer to observe.
Initially, they prepared to praise the child’s appearance but stopped short. Behind her stood another infant, porcelain-like and radiant. Compared to this divine little one, Pei Jiao Jiao’s baby seemed like a clumsy little monkey.
This divine infant was none other than Lu Chao Chao. She clung to her nursemaid’s shoulder, feeling the tremors of her mother’s suppressed rage, her tiny face scrunched into an angry pout.
[That old fool of an Abbot should gouge out his useless eyes! How blind must he be?]
Lu Chao Chao’s round eyes darted towards the Buddhist Prayer Beads.
“These 108 beads were each blessed by an eminent monk. They’re said to ward off all evil. With the Ghost Festival approaching, no malevolent spirit would dare come near,” someone said, admiration thick in their voice.
Pei Jiao Jiao basked in their reverence, her confidence unshaken by Madam Xu. After all, she had been with her husband for seventeen years without issue. Madam Xu’s faith in Lu Yuan Ze was unshakeable.
Lu Chao Chao glared at the prayer beads. Unlike others, she could see the faint golden glow wrapping around each bead, marking them as genuine artifacts of protection.
[How dare they possess such treasures? The Abbot must’ve lost his mind!]
[Mother, the hairpin she wears is part of your dowry! Aaargh! This is infuriating!]
Madam Xu’s heart skipped a beat. Last time, when her daughter cursed her grandfather, his hair had nearly been scorched clean.
Summoning a wisp of her spiritual energy, Lu Chao Chao directed it straight at the prayer beads. Pei Jiao Jiao, in the midst of her triumph, suddenly heard a sharp crack.
The entire gathering fell silent. The prayer beads, imbued with the Spirit-Sheltering Beads’ aura, snapped abruptly, scattering across the floor. As the beads fell, their golden light extinguished, leaving them as dull and lifeless as decayed wood.
Someone picked one up. Moments ago, the bead had been smooth and radiant. Now, it crumbled into dust at a single touch.
Pei Jiao Jiao stood frozen, her face pale with shock. She knew the Old Madam had placed great importance on these beads.
Madam Xu pressed her lips tightly, struggling not to laugh.
“Rumor had it that the Spirit-Sheltering Beads were indestructible. Yet here they are, shattered and drained of their aura,” someone murmured, trembling.
“Madam, could it be you’ve offended some higher power?”
The moment the words fell, the crowd instinctively distanced themselves from Pei Jiao Jiao.
“You!” Pei Jiao Jiao’s voice quivered, her eyes brimming with tears. But Madam Xu’s words had undeniable weight, leaving her no room for rebuttal.
Even the shopkeeper cast her a wary glance. “Madam, my sincerest apologies, but might you consider leaving for now? Today… it’s simply inconvenient.”
Pei Jiao Jiao trembled with fury, biting her lip. But knowing her husband valued reputation above all, she had no choice but to leave. Her maid tugged at her sleeve, urging her to retreat.
Just as Pei Jiao Jiao turned, Madam Xu raised her hand slightly.