“Mother, it was all my elder brothers’ instigation. How could you abandon even me? Your son hasn’t married yet—I can’t be without my mother—”
“Who will receive the bride’s tea ceremony?”
“Mother, without you, your son couldn’t even afford betrothal gifts. Do you want me to remain alone for the rest of my life? Sob—please don’t give up on me?”
“I’ll change, I’ll definitely improve.”
“Sob—Mother, I’ll never make you angry again. I don’t want to separate households anymore, let alone sever ties. Please be magnanimous and let your son off like passing gas!”
Song Jinyao listened, her temples throbbing incessantly.
“Silence!”
How utterly grating!
What a worthless creature—even as a villain he’s such a pathetic coward, truly one of a kind in this world!
At this moment, the Elder also advised: “Lady Song? The fourth son isn’t married yet. What do you think?”
If the child wasn’t willing, it would indeed be inappropriate to drive an unmarried son from the household. After some thought, Song Jinyao could only compromise.
“Enough, no more talking. The ties must be severed, but—” She massaged her temples and continued: “Fourth son, stop your wailing. I’ll provide your betrothal gifts, and you may temporarily remain here. But you must move out immediately after marrying.”
Song Jinyao’s tone was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation. Lu Chuan sniffled and could only reluctantly agree.
Something was better than nothing.
He would behave well and strive to change his mother’s mind.
At this thought, he sprang up abruptly.
His injuries from the beating no longer hurt, and he no longer feared his third brother’s sharp glare.
Declaring his loyalty word by word: “Mother, when shall we make these two move out? Your son will supervise their moving—I’ll watch closely to ensure they don’t take even a needle or thread extra.”
Everyone: “…”
What a turncoat!
The Lu Yue brothers were so furious they nearly rolled their eyes back.
What a traitor!
With matters largely settled, Song Jinyao contentedly stored the severance document. After playing such an elaborate game of chess, she had finally achieved her wish.
Relaxing mentally felt like a snapped string—she actually staggered slightly.
“Mother?”
She didn’t know when eldest son Lu Yuan had arrived. With a complex expression, he supported Song Jinyao, remaining silent at a loss for words.
“Eldest? You’re here.”
Summoning her last strength, Song Jinyao smiled at her eldest son.
Then she naturally leaned half her weight against her firstborn—a gesture of complete trust.
“…Mn, I’m here.”
Lu Yuan stiffened momentarily before responding quietly and steadying Song Jinyao.
He had actually arrived some time ago, but his mind remained in turmoil even after everything concluded.
He couldn’t understand why Song Jinyao had changed so drastically.
Hadn’t she previously doted on her biological sons without limits?
Why now?
In short, today had profoundly shaken him.
“Since Lady Song is unwell, she should rest first.”
Pei Jingzhe had been observing Song Jinyao’s condition. Her stumble had startled him, but before he could act, someone had beaten him to it. Hearing the other address Song Jinyao as mother, he guessed this young man’s identity.
Lu Xiuyuan’s child with his first wife?
He looks quite decent, his genes must have come from his mother.
As for the father’s genes, there’s no doubt they must be terribly poor—otherwise, how could someone like Song Jinyao give birth to a nest of snakes and rats?
Lord Pei concluded that Song Jinyao was rather unlucky, as her sons took after their scoundrel of a father.
After a pause, he added, “Regarding the matricide case, since I am a witness, Lady Song’s presence is no longer required.”
This suited Song Jinyao perfectly. She readily agreed, “Then I’ll trouble Lord Pei to handle it.”
Lu Residence.
Upon receiving the news, Qiao Shi, with her bulging belly, hurried toward the ancestral hall.
Her maid watched in alarm as Qiao Shi strode swiftly despite her large belly and anxiously urged, “Third Madam, please slow down. Be careful with your belly.”
But Qiao Shi paid no heed and instead slapped the maid across the face.
“Stop nagging! If we don’t hurry, my husband might lose his life to that wicked woman Song Jinyao.”
Stinging from the slap, the maid fell silent in fear.
Qiao Shi had always shown one face to the Third Master and another to the servants. The maid regretted having spoken up.
The second branch also received the news simultaneously.
After listening to her trusted maid recount the events at the ancestral hall, Shen Shi widened her eyes. “Is what you’re saying true?”
“Absolutely. I just bribed a junior clansman to get the information. The severance document has probably been signed by now.”
The maid Chunzhi frowned, her face full of worry. “What are we to do now? Since the Second Master has severed ties with the Old Madam, no one will be able to restrain him anymore. What if he brings that woman from outside into the household?”
“……It doesn’t matter. Let him bring her in if he wants.” Shen Shi smiled bitterly. What else could she do? Whether that woman existed or not, she was destined never to win Lu Xiao’s affection.
Married for three years and still untouched—who would believe it if word got out?
Suddenly, Shen Shi thought of something and her expression turned serious. “Chunzhi, you must hide the money, property deeds, and land deeds left by my parents well. We can’t let the Second Master find them.”
He was even capable of digging up burial silver.
She didn’t believe that Lu Xiao, if driven to desperation, wouldn’t turn against her.
Such a man disgusted and terrified her.
“Don’t worry, Miss. I’ve kept those things well hidden.”
Two years ago, when Shen Qingmo’s parents passed away one after another, they left a considerable inheritance to their only daughter. Shen Qingmo had been cautious and hidden the assets discreetly. Lu Xiao only thought that after the elders’ deaths, the Shen family had declined, leaving Shen Qingmo with nothing but an empty mansion.
That mansion was later seized by Lu Xiao and given to his mistress, Wanyue Tao.
Just thinking about it made Chunzhi grit her teeth in anger. Fortunately, her mistress had been foresighted.
Shen Shi pondered for a moment, still feeling uneasy, as if something was about to happen. She added, “Hiding them isn’t enough. Hurry and prepare a few fake account books. Halve the remaining amount of my dowry and make the shops appear to be operating at a loss.”
Chunzhi was the maid she had brought from her maiden home. Having been exposed to such matters, creating a few fake account books wouldn’t be a problem.
Besides, given Lu Xiao’s intellect, he wouldn’t be able to tell they were fake even if they were handed to him.
“Wah……” Suddenly, Chunzhi burst into tears.
What kind of life was her mistress living? With her maternal family gone, she treaded on thin ice in her husband’s household as if constantly guarding against thieves.
“Mistress? Do you truly not intend to seek a divorce?”
Shen Shi was about to tell her to stop crying—the weeping made her heart pound even more erratically—when she never expected Chunzhi to bring up the matter of divorce.
Instantly, Shen Shi’s expression darkened.
Divorce?
Even Chunzhi was urging her to divorce?
But where could she go after a divorce?
She no longer had any family to return to. If she divorced, she would truly be left all alone as an orphaned woman.
For some inexplicable reason, she thought of her mother-in-law. Their fates were indeed somewhat similar.
However, her mother-in-law had always been strong-willed, while she was not. She was afraid—afraid of many things—and could never emulate her mother-in-law’s resilience.
“Chunzhi, do not mention this again in the future. A woman must follow her husband, be he a chicken or a dog. As for me, I’ll just take each day as it comes.” With that, Shen Shi sighed, her eyes clouded with unshakeable sorrow.
Meanwhile.
Song Jinyao was escorted back to her courtyard, supported by her eldest stepson, Lu Yuan. She and Qiao Shi had taken separate paths—one a small lane, the other the main road—thus perfectly avoiding each other.
Fortunately, this allowed Song Jinyao to rest peacefully and catch up on some sleep.
Lying on the couch, Song Jinyao fell into a deep slumber almost as soon as her head touched the pillow. Lu Yuan did not leave immediately. He tucked the quilt snugly around Song Jinyao, then pulled up a stool and sat by the couch, staring blankly at her sleeping face, lost in thought.
“Mother? Why have you changed so drastically?”
“You’re driving Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother out of the estate, severing ties. Will I be next?”
“After all, you were willing to abandon your own sons. As your stepson, you must care even less about me, right?”
“But it doesn’t matter. Though I resent you, I do not hate you.”
“If you also wish to cast me aside, I will surely comply with your wishes and not cause you any trouble—”
Lu Yuan sat there muttering to himself for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn before finally leaving the room.
By the time Song Jinyao awoke, the setting sun had dyed half the sky crimson.
Outside the courtyard, there was weeping and clamoring.
Song Jinyao immediately furrowed her brows. She was all too familiar with that voice—exaggerated and affected, the sobs sounding as if they were squeezed from the throat, ying ying ying—
It could be none other than Qiao Shi.
“Baishuang, what’s going on outside?”
Song Jinyao rubbed her temples as she asked, but the room was silent with no response. She then remembered she had sent Baishuang to attend to her youngest son.
It seemed she needed to hire more servants; otherwise, handling such situations would be terribly inconvenient.
After dressing properly, Song Jinyao opened the door and stepped out.
Sure enough, Qiao Shi was throwing a tantrum at the courtyard gate.
Shen Shi from the second branch had also come, but she wasn’t making a scene. Standing in the corner with her maid, she remained as inconspicuous as ever.
To Song Jinyao’s surprise, the eldest, Lu Yuan, had not left. It was he who had blocked Qiao Shi outside the courtyard gate.
At that moment, Lu Yuan stood with his back to her, speaking to Qiao Shi in a measured tone: “Mother is still resting. No matter how urgent your matter is, you must wait until she wakes up.”
“I absolutely will not allow you to enter and disturb Mother’s rest.”
Though his tone lacked much fluctuation, Song Jinyao felt a faint ache in her heart.
She had never shown this child an ounce of affection, yet he still sought to protect her.
“Mother!”
At that moment, Qiao Shi also noticed Song Jinyao had emerged.
A flash of venom crossed her face, and she hurried over, dropping to her knees with a thud.
“How can you be so heartless, Elder? Third Master is your own son, and the child in your daughter-in-law’s womb is your first grandson.”
“Do you truly have no regard for blood ties, that you would drive us out of the manor?”
Qiao Shi wept bitterly, supporting her belly as she knelt and shuffled toward Song Jinyao: “Third Master has been taken by the authorities, Mother, I beg you, save him.”
Song Jinyao had anticipated that Qiao Shi would make a scene given her temperament, but she did not address her immediately. Instead, her gaze lingered on Lu Yuan’s face for a moment.
“Who did this?”
From a distance earlier, she had noticed several fresh scratches on the eldest son Lu Yuan’s face, which were still beading with blood. Song Jinyao’s heart clenched in pain.
She swept a stern glance over the assembled crowd without needing to raise her voice.
No one answered, but the eyes of several people turned toward Qiao Shi.
Qiao Shi’s eyes darted nervously, and she guiltily averted her gaze.
Seeing this, Song Jinyao understood everything immediately.
Her voice deepened further, and her eyes fell on Qiao Shi like daggers: “Qiao Shi, is this what you call a plea for help?”
“Assaulting and berating your elder brother-in-law at my courtyard gate—do you dare do this while I, this old bones, still draw breath?”
Qiao Shi shrank back in fear, stammering and mumbling: “I—I didn’t mean to, it’s just—he blocked my way and wouldn’t let me in to see you, Mother.”
As she spoke, Qiao Shi seemed to convince herself she was in the right, and her voice grew louder: “Besides, he’s merely an adopted son—an outsider. I am your true daughter-in-law by marriage. What right does he have to stop me?”
This provoked a cold laugh from Song Jinyao: “Qiao Shi, have you forgotten? Third Son has severed ties with me. Now, the eldest is the master of this household. You are the one who is the outsider.”