Chapter 3: He Has Two Homes

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.

Madam Xu sat in a daze, unable to process what she had just heard.

Jue Xia chuckled softly. “Madam, our young master is becoming so thoughtful. The Marquis will surely be delighted when he hears about this.”

Madam Xu and the Marquis had always shared a deep affection for each other. If there was one regret in their marriage, it was their three sons’ lack of accomplishment.

A faint bitterness touched Madam Xu’s lips. Ying Xue cast a sharp glance at Jue Xia. The Madam had been waiting all day for the Marquis, only to be disappointed. Her heart must be heavy with sorrow. Ying Xue was about to speak when the sound of a voice outside interrupted her.

“Madam, Miss Deng Zhi has returned.”

Madam Xu straightened up immediately.

Deng Zhi entered, her face clouded with anger. “Everyone, leave and guard the door.”

The two second-ranked maids bowed and retreated. Once the doors closed, Madam Xu’s expression grew somber.

Deng Zhi fell to her knees with a loud thud, trembling with fury, her eyes red and swollen. She spoke through gritted teeth. “Madam, your foresight was uncanny. In Green Rain Alley…” Her voice cracked, and tears began to flow as she recalled what she had seen.

“When I arrived, the Marquis was helping a woman, heavily cloaked, onto a carriage. She held a newborn infant in her arms.”

Deng Zhi was on the verge of breaking down.

[So they didn’t strangle me to death. Two of the old women were caught, and they decided to move elsewhere out of fear something might go wrong.]

This thought rang clearly in Madam Xu’s mind. She took a deep, steadying breath, suppressing the turmoil rising within her.

“Are you certain it was… the Marquis?” she asked through clenched teeth, her face pale as paper.

Deng Zhi wiped her tears. “I heard her call him Lu Lang.”

“I posed as someone renting a house and heard from the neighbors that they’ve been living there for years, referring to each other as husband and wife. The Marquis is… very considerate of her, Madam. He even personally bought gifts for the neighbors to ensure they would look after her.”

Madam Xu felt as though her chest had been cleaved open.

“Madam…” Deng Zhi looked at her worriedly. If this revelation was devastating for her, how much worse must it be for the Madam?

[Beautiful Mother, don’t cry. He’s not worth your tears. Oh, my heart aches for my mother…]

The soft murmurs of her baby daughter echoed in Madam Xu’s mind, tugging at her heartstrings. [How could he abandon such a beautiful woman? That scoundrel must be blind.]

“What is that woman’s surname?” Madam Xu asked after a long pause, her tone tinged with despair.

“I only heard her referred to as Madam Pei. The Marquis calls her Jiao Jiao—it might be a nickname,” Deng Zhi replied.

Madam Xu’s last glimmer of hope shattered. Jiao Jiao? She recalled a mid-autumn night years ago when, during a family gathering, the Marquis had murmured that name in his sleep.

A metallic taste filled her mouth. The years of trust and affection she had invested collapsed like a crumbling tower. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she leaned against the bed.

Her daughter’s gentle voice interrupted her grief.

[Mother, stop crying. Beneath the crooked-neck tree in your family home is something tied to the Emperor’s destiny.]

The small girl pouted, frustrated by her inability to speak aloud. When the Xu family was searched, something incriminating was discovered under the crooked-neck tree. Her eldest uncle took the blame and was executed in public. That incident marked the beginning of the Xu family’s downfall.

Madam Xu’s heart pounded as the words “Emperor’s destiny” echoed in her mind.

When Lu Yuan Ze had sought her hand in marriage, her family had objected vehemently. She had insisted on marrying him, and that stubbornness had sealed their union. Over the years, out of fear of displeasing Lu Yuan Ze, she had distanced herself from her family. But she could never bear for them to suffer.

Madam Xu sat bolt upright, straining to hear more, but her daughter fell silent. The Emperor loathed witchcraft. If such a thing were found in the Xu household…

Pushing aside her fear, Madam Xu summoned Deng Zhi and whispered instructions in her ear. “Tell them I am craving Mother’s ginseng soup during my confinement. Secretly dig it out and ensure no one sees you.”

As Deng Zhi prepared to leave, Madam Xu hesitated. “Wait.” She rose unsteadily from her bed, her garments damp with cold sweat. From the highest shelf, she retrieved a hand-copied Buddhist scripture. She had intended it as a gift for her mother-in-law’s birthday.

She bit her finger, pain lancing through her as she wrote on the scripture in her own blood. Once the writing dried, she handed it to Deng Zhi.

“Replace the item under the tree with this blood-written petition. Ensure no one notices anything amiss. Return immediately once it is done,” Madam Xu instructed solemnly.

Deng Zhi nodded, sensing the gravity of the matter, and hurried out. Madam Xu spent a sleepless night, her mind churning with unease.

By dawn, Lu Yuan Ze returned, his face etched with fatigue.

“Shi Yun, it’s my fault. Urgent matters at court kept me up all night, and I couldn’t return to you. You must have felt so wronged,” he said as he entered, his words laced with remorse.

Once, his apologies would have melted her heart. She had always comforted him, urging him to prioritize his duties. But now…

Madam Xu scrutinized him closely. At thirty-four, Lu Yuan Ze remained as handsome as ever, his refined demeanor enhanced by the wisdom of age. His eyes, brimming with guilt, threatened to drown her.

[This scoundrel father of mine… He looks decent enough, I suppose. No wonder someone waited over a decade for him.]

Lu Chao Chao’s inner complaint went unheard by Madam Xu.

“Is this our little daughter?” Lu Yuan Ze asked, reaching out with a smile. “Come to Father, little one. You are our only…” He hesitated.

Madam Xu’s eyes turned cold. “Yes, the only daughter of the Lu family,” she said pointedly.

“Her brows resemble mine, but her lips are yours,” Lu Yuan Ze commented, though a flicker of displeasure crossed his face. He had to admit, the child was indeed beautiful.

“You never held the other three, yet you’re willing to hold her,” Madam Xu said with a faint smile.

“Boys should not be coddled. Daughters are different,” Lu Yuan Ze replied lightly. After over a decade in the court, while many of his peers had grown rotund, he remained slender and refined, exuding an air of authority. He was admired by many women in the capital, who lauded his integrity and virtuous reputation.

[Beautiful Mother, he’s lying to you again. He’s done horrible things to the brothers…]

The baby’s muttered grievance stirred a sense of foreboding in Madam Xu. What had he done to her sons?

A chill swept through her, bringing sudden clarity. Could Lu Yuan Ze’s betrayal be more than a matter of infidelity? Was there another layer to his deceit?

Years of deceit had turned manipulation into second nature for Lu Yuan Ze. His casual lies had always been enough to earn her trust.

“Have you chosen a name for her?” Madam Xu asked.

Lu Yuan Ze paused, startled by the question. Before he could answer, a servant behind him interjected, “The Marquis has been so thoughtful, Madam. Even before the baby was born, he spent nights in the study looking for the perfect name. He even combed through the Classic of Poetry.”

“Enough!” Lu Yuan Ze barked sharply, his expression darkening like an impending storm. The servant flinched, confused. Hadn’t the Marquis spent three days just to find a name?

“I intended it as a surprise, but this fool ruined it,” Lu Yuan Ze said, shaking his head with a rueful smile.

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