Chapter 35: Stealing the Elder Brother’s Article
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
“Marquis, is this what you came here to discuss? You even want Lu Yan Shu to act as a witness?”
“He was rejected from marriage, scorned by others, and now you want him to testify? Are you rubbing salt into his wounds?”
Lu Yuan Ze spoke gently, trying to soothe her. “Shi Yun, Yan Shu is already crippled; what harm is there in a little humiliation?”
“If he doesn’t leave the house, he won’t face any harm,” he added lightly, his tone enraging Madam Xu, who seethed with fury.
“As for Lu Jing Huai, I’ve met him. A seventeen-year-old who has achieved the Triple Crown of Excellence—he’s no ordinary talent. He’ll rise to the skies; why not form a good relationship with him?”
“Some even claim he’s another Lu Yan Shu! His literary talent, his articles, are no weaker than Yan Shu’s!” Lu Yuan Ze’s eyes gleamed with excitement as if life had returned to him.
Madam Xu stared at him coldly. Did he still remember how Yan Shu’s brilliance had once far surpassed Lu Jing Huai’s?
“No one will step on my son to climb upward!” Madam Xu trembled violently, her lips pale.
This wasn’t just about being a witness; this was about making Lu Yan Shu a stepping stone for Lu Jing Huai to gain fame!
“Even if Yan Shu is paralyzed, I will not allow him to become a stepping stone! That Lu Jing Huai—back when Jiang Yun Jin hadn’t annulled the engagement, there were already connections between them. Who knows if they were secretly involved?”
“Genius youth? Triple Crown? He’s nothing but a shameless adulterer! And you want my son to testify for him? Dream on!” Madam Xu gritted her teeth tightly.
Smack!
Lu Yuan Ze’s palm struck Madam Xu’s face. His expression carried a faint anger. “What nonsense are you spouting?!” There was a trace of panic in his eyes.
Madam Xu wiped the blood from the corner of her lips with her hand. Her gaze was filled with intense hatred.
“You’ve lost your mind!”
“Shi Yun, how did you become like this? So narrow-minded, unable to tolerate others? Gone is your past magnanimity and virtuous nature!” With that, he swept out, leaving her behind.
Deng Zhi burst into the room, only to see the madam’s swollen, bruised cheek and bleeding lips. Tears rolled down her face immediately.
“How dare the Marquis lay a hand on you?”
Deng Zhi hurriedly ordered someone to bring water to soothe the swelling.
Madam Xu remained expressionless, allowing the maids to fuss around her.
Not far away, Lu Chao Chao sat upright on the bed, her little face serious. Even her favorite apple had rolled to the floor unnoticed.
[Genius? He only gained his reputation by stealing Big Brother’s articles!]
[If he can steal from Big Brother now, when the heroine grows up, he’ll have all of Chinese civilization’s five thousand years of poetry and prose to back him up!]
Outside, the courtyard lights shone brightly, but the room’s atmosphere was heavy. Madam Xu’s eyes were full of undisguised hatred.
Her lips twitched, pulling at the pain on her face. “Investigate Lu Jing Huai’s articles that brought him fame over the years. Bring back his earlier works as well.” Madam Xu’s expression changed slightly, recalling Chao Chao’s inner thoughts.
Xu Yi Ting had provided several reliable guards, and Madam Xu often sent them on errands. They were trustworthy individuals.
As Lu Yuan Ze stepped beyond the gates of the Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor, he did not return for half a month. It seemed deliberate, an attempt to pressure Madam Xu into submission. His intentions were clear: force her to lower her head.
Adding to the tension, Lu Wan Yi sent a message that fanned the flames: “A man would never strike a woman without reason. Surely the woman must have erred. Sister-in-law, reflect deeply on your mistakes. If you are in the wrong, admit it. For a woman to bow her head to a man is nothing extraordinary.”
Deng Zhi, upon hearing this, erupted with indignation. “This is too much! All those years the Madam guided her, wasted!”
“The Madam cherished her as her own! Such ingratitude is unthinkable!” she fumed.
Meanwhile, Madam Xu smiled faintly, her expression unreadable. “Did the Old Madam hear this message?” she asked coolly.
Deng Zhi, still incensed, replied, “How could she not? The message was relayed to the Old Madam first before reaching Listening Wind Courtyard. It’s likely the Old Madam also wishes for you to reflect on yourself.”
On the bed, Lu Chao Chao blinked her bright eyes, thoughts swirling mischievously. [The beating isn’t far off now for Auntie…]
[Fight, fight, fight!] she cheered silently, clapping her chubby little hands together with crisp, enthusiastic slaps.
Madam Xu pinched her daughter’s round, soft cheeks. This little one truly had a knack for enjoying the drama. Well then…
A hint of a smile tugged at her lips. She was eager to watch the show unfold too.
In her thoughts, Lu Chao Chao shifted gears. [I really want minced meat tonight. If I can eat minced meat, I’ll be the happiest child in the world! Minced meat, minced meat, minced meat…]
Perched on the bed, she grinned wide, flashing a single pearly tooth, her cuteness radiating to the heavens.
“Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival,” Madam Xu said softly. “Steam some minced meat for Chao Chao, and make her some easy-to-digest treats.” Her daughter’s joy warmed her heart. Without Chao Chao’s presence, she…she would already be at the end of her rope.
Madam Xu furrowed her brows slightly, determination burning in her eyes. She would seek a mutual divorce, but she would also claim custody of all four children openly and with honor. A difficult path, but with Chao Chao, there was hope.
[Mother is the best, the prettiest, and the most wonderful in the whole wide world!] Lu Chao Chao thought as she hugged her mother tightly and planted a kiss on her cheek.
[If I could go out and admire the moon tonight, that would be perfect…] She giggled to herself, but her mother feigned ignorance of her wishes.
“The small kitchen discovered a type of egg yolk melt by chance,” Deng Zhi interjected. “They melt in the mouth and are the size of a fingernail—perfect for the little mistress.”
Madam Xu nodded. “Fetch some later.”
“The kitchen also baked mooncakes early this morning,” added Deng Zhi. “Everyone’s looking forward to enjoying the moon tonight. I heard there’s even a grand moon-viewing event outside, where scholars and beauties will display their talents. In previous years, the Eldest Princess always held a grand lantern festival as well…”
Smiling faintly, Madam Xu remarked, “This child is too precious. She wouldn’t dare host a lantern festival this year.”
“Tonight, we’ll set floating lanterns in the pond. Have the kitchen prepare extra food and distribute double the monthly silver to everyone,” she instructed, her generosity bringing Deng Zhi immense joy. The maid promptly bowed in gratitude.
Glancing down at Lu Chao Chao, Madam Xu whispered, “Having Chao Chao is my greatest blessing.”
Then she turned to Deng Zhi, her voice steady and resolute. “Take ten thousand taels of silver from the treasury and donate it in Chao Chao’s name for disaster relief. I hear there’s been flooding in Lin Luo, and many refugees have settled outside the city. Let us consider it an act of merit.”
“You are most benevolent, Madam,” Deng Zhi said solemnly, bowing deeply before leaving to carry out the task personally.
By evening, Deng Zhi finally returned to the manor. That day, the city had not imposed a curfew, and crimson lanterns adorned every corner.
“Madam, the plight of the disaster victims is truly heart-wrenching. They’ve now settled in a small town fifty miles outside the city. To express their gratitude for the little miss’s kindness, they named their newly established village Sunshine Village in her honor.”
Madam Xu nodded gently, while Lu Chao Chao’s eyes sparkled with delight as she munched on egg yolk melts.
[No wonder I’ve been feeling a delicate stream of golden light constantly surging into my body today.] Though the disaster victims likely saw this as a form of protection, the truth was much deeper. Little did they know that in the face of future calamities, Sunshine Village would become the sole survivor. Bearing her name in honor granted them the Heavenly Dao’s blessing.
“Madam, the Marquis… still hasn’t returned to the manor. The Old Madam, using the excuse of visiting the temple for prayers, also attended the temple fair,” Deng Zhi hesitated for a moment before lowering her voice.
The maids instinctively hushed their tones, wary of provoking Madam Xu’s ire. After all, the Marquis had been absent from the manor for ten days.
Madam Xu’s expression remained calm. In the past, she would have been filled with apprehension and self-blame, humbly seeking forgiveness. But now? If Lu Yuan Ze still thought he could oppress her, he might as well dream on.
She resented him to the marrow of her bones, wishing nothing more than to feast upon his flesh and blood.
“Enough. If he doesn’t return, so be it. We’ll enjoy a peaceful holiday instead,” Madam Xu declared. She understood that today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for family reunions. Naturally, Pei Jiao Jiao would have found a way to keep Lu Yuan Ze by her side. To humiliate Madam Xu further and force her to admit fault, Lu Yuan Ze would have willingly stayed.
But did she feel humiliated?
Tears welled in Deng Zhi’s eyes. How could the Marquis, who had wed Madam Xu with the honor of an eight-palankin bridal procession, choose to spend such a significant festival with a mere mistress? Such an insult to the Madam was unbearable!
“Deng Zhi, you must understand. What I seek now is no longer his heart,” Madam Xu said, her tone resolute. Her true goal was to leave with her children, unscathed.
The more recklessly he indulged in debauchery and excess, the easier it would be to drag him down to ruin.