Chapter 33: Marrying a Scoundrel
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
[Flooding of Lin Luo Province? Isn’t that the key incident where Second Uncle was torn apart by refugees?]
[Second Uncle, you must be wary of Dong Jia Ming! He will harm you!]
The little one grew anxious inside. Meanwhile, Second Uncle’s furrowed brow relaxed. Heh, this trip wasn’t wasted.
Dong Jia Ming?! Fine, he’d remember that name!
Madam Xu was also pondering how to warn her second brother.
Second Master Xu skipped dinner, sat briefly, and then left in a hurry. He even arranged for Chao Chao to spend more time with his two sons. After this visit, he felt both children seemed sharper than before.
That night, as Lu Chao Chao was soundly asleep, faint noises drifted from outside. Madam Xu threw on a robe and got up as Deng Zhi entered to report: “Someone has rushed to De Shan Hall; they say someone is gravely ill.”
Lu Chao Chao yawned and turned over to continue sleeping. Ah, the joy of being able to turn over independently!
Fortune was a fickle thing; when one rose, another fell. In the original story, the Xu family had fallen from grace. Xu Shi’s three sons met one misfortune after another, while the heroine’s family thrived. But now, the Xu family had risen to rank and wealth. Xu Shi herself survived, Third Brother didn’t stray, and Mother had even emptied the Lu family and the heroine’s storerooms in the process. Naturally, it’d be hard for everything to go smoothly for the others.
The ruckus outside lasted all night, but Lu Chao Chao slept soundly.
Early in the morning, Madam Xu was summoned to De Shan Hall.
The Old Madam’s face looked weary as she glared at Madam Xu, who appeared radiant and refreshed. Her anger bubbled up.
It’s all her fault! This mess was all because of her!
“You sleep so soundly. The wedding for Wan Yi is soon, yet you do nothing to help. An old woman like me has to handle everything. What’s the point of having you here?” The Old Madam’s words landed with calculated precision.
If it were before, Madam Xu would have knelt in remorse. But now:
“Mother, haven’t I doted on her all these years? Everyone in the capital knows it. No matter what they say, I’ve done no wrong.”
Her tone turned playful and teasing: “And how could you possibly be old? When you gave birth to Wan Yi, others your age were already grandmothers. You’re still sprightly enough to have a daughter; you’re far from old.”
The Old Madam couldn’t bring herself to smile. Instead, she felt Madam Xu was mocking her, yet there was no evidence to prove it. The suffocating frustration only grew.
“Wan Yi is your own daughter. It’s fine for me to dote on her daily, but for wedding matters, it’s best for her birth mother to oversee things. Lest outsiders criticize you.” Madam Xu’s smile deepened.
Everyone in the capital knew she disapproved of Lu Wan Yi’s marriage. This way, she kept herself entirely uninvolved. When Lu Wan Yi regretted her choices in the future, it wouldn’t be Madam Xu’s concern.
The Old Madam’s brows knitted tighter with suppressed irritation.
Since Pei Jiao Jiao’s public disgrace and a night in the county office lockup, she’d caused a scene with Lu Yuan Ze upon her return. Rumors began to swirl in the capital, claiming that Lu Jing Huai’s mother was a thief. Some even whispered that their house had been struck by lightning. Such gossip tarnished Jing Huai’s reputation.
With everything compounded, even the servants showed less care when serving Lu Jing Yao. Last night, she developed a relentless fever, leaving the Old Madam sleepless with worry. Now, she was even more determined to keep Jing Yao closer. If the child could be raised under Madam Xu’s care, gaining her trust and inheritance, while being constantly monitored by the Old Madam, it’d be ideal.
“You’re Wan Yi’s sister-in-law. Do help her vet the arrangements.”
Madam Xu merely smiled without responding.
“There’s something I wanted to discuss with you today,” the Old Madam continued. “A letter arrived from the old manor in Clear Creek. A distant relative’s household faced a calamity, leaving behind a frail, orphaned daughter.”
“The girl is about Chao Chao’s age, but she’s been raised so poorly she’s all skin and bones. There’s no one in the clan to support her.”
“I thought perhaps we could extend a helping hand. There aren’t any children in the household near Chao Chao’s age. Why not give her a companion? Chao Chao’s brothers are unreliable, but with a sister, there might be some support.”
“What do you think?” the Old Madam’s voice, though couched in polite inquiry, carried a tone of certainty.
Madam Xu had been part of this household for seventeen years and had never once defied its authority. She vividly recalled the time when the Old Madam fell gravely ill, bedridden and weakened by a severe chill. In such prominent families, attending to a sick elder was often a matter of formality, with servants and maids taking on the brunt of the care. Yet, Madam Xu—once the treasured daughter of heaven herself—was not spared. One mere word from the Old Madam had her personally tending to the unmentionable tasks without a single complaint. It was then that Madam Xu’s defiance was ground down to nothingness.
The Old Madam’s plans left no room for refusal this time either.
“When the time comes, we’ll add her name alongside Chao Chao’s on the family registry. We’ll raise her as a twin daughter,” the Old Madam said with a smile. “This way, her birthday need not change, and she can rightfully claim her place in the household.”
Madam Xu’s nails dug painfully into her palms. [How dare they!]
[How dare they even think of such a thing!]
The thought of bringing a child born of an outside mistress into the household, placing her under the care of the legitimate wife—forcing her to nurture and educate this illegitimate seed—made Madam Xu seethe with silent fury. She suddenly remembered that this had been their intent from the very beginning.
It was only because she had heard Chao Chao’s inner thoughts that the plan had been thwarted.
[Had Chao Chao perished then, would I have unknowingly raised that vile child like a treasure, only to be betrayed in the end? Such a calamity would have been worse than death.]
Her scalp tingled at the mere possibility. Madam Xu clenched her fists tightly, suppressing any outward signs of distress.
“Mother,” she said evenly, “I already have Chao Chao. What need is there for another daughter?”
“Besides, hasn’t the child lost both her parents?” she asked, feigning concern.
The Old Madam gave a faint nod of acknowledgment.
“Mother, it isn’t that I cannot be accommodating,” Madam Xu added, her tone edged with apprehension. “But isn’t this child’s destiny… peculiar? Consider this: before her birth, everything was harmonious—a loving family, prosperous times. Yet after she came into the world, it all fell apart. Such misfortune surely indicates a ‘hard’ fate, one that may bring calamity to her kin. I am young and can endure, but you…”
She trailed off, her words heavy with implication.
The Old Madam’s brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of displeasure flashing in her gaze. Lu Jing Yao and Lu Jing Huai were her pride and joy, and she would not tolerate ill remarks about them. Furthermore, Jing Yao’s noble destiny had been affirmed by a high monk himself.
“Very well,” the Old Madam relented at last. “If you’re unwilling, I won’t force the matter.”
Yet, as Madam Xu departed, the Old Madam couldn’t help but think it a pity that Lu Chao Chao had not been drowned at birth.
Outside, Madam Xu’s composed facade crumbled the moment she crossed the threshold. [Dream on!]
Lu Chao Chao, oblivious to the schemes swirling around her, continued her innocent existence. Even if she had known, she wouldn’t have allowed Lu Jing Yao to claim her as a sister. Her will was immovable, even against the Heavenly Dao itself.
At seven months old, Chao Chao had sprouted her first tooth. She could now enjoy a variety of soft foods and had even managed half a steamed egg on occasion. Meanwhile, preparations for Lu Wan Yi’s wedding were underway.
[Heh heh, in my past life, my mother saved you from a pit of fire, only for you to scald her face in return! This time, let’s see if you regret it…] Chao Chao dressed festively, the red mark on her forehead accentuating her adorable demeanor. Her thoughts, however, were anything but innocent.
[Heh heh, beat her, beat her, beat her to death…]
The Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor was bustling with celebration, red lanterns hung high, and the double-happiness characters pasted everywhere. The Old Madam beamed with joy, while the mother and daughter wept tearfully as they parted ways.
Madam Xu, amidst the joyous crowd, caught sight of Lu Jing Huai among the party of wedding escorts. He seemed to share a good rapport with Gu Ling, the newly crowned Top Scholar. But did he know that Gu Ling was a wife-beater, prone to violence within his marriage?
With cold eyes, Madam Xu watched Lu Wan Yi’s radiant figure walk towards what she believed to be a blissful union.