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Chapter 31: Bearing a Child
Chapter 31: Bearing a Child
The matriarch was carried back to the courtyard by the servants.
Lu Lingxiao shot a deep glance at Tan'er, who stood beside Meng Qianqian.
Tan'er stared up at the sky, ignoring him.
He turned to Meng Qianqian and said, "Since she's your person, make sure to keep her in line. Have someone teach her the rules of this household soon."
Meng Qianqian bowed slightly. "Your daughter-in-law understands, Father. Please take care."
Lu Lingxiao gave one last look at the dozen or so men on the ground before sweeping his wide sleeves and leaving coldly.
Tan'er asked Meng Qianqian, "Don't you think he's so embarrassing?"
"Are you injured?" Meng Qianqian asked.
Tan'er patted her hands. "Of course not. Those cowards couldn't hurt me."
Meng Qianqian smiled and turned to the dozen or so servants who dared not speak, their faces full of anger. "Why are you still here? Leave!"
"Yes, yes! We're leaving right now!"
"Hurry up and go!"
The servants, having regained some strength, endured the pain in their bodies and climbed to their feet. Supporting each other, they scurried away as if fleeing.
Banxia snapped out of her shocked state and stared at Tan'er in astonishment. "Everything the Toothless Granny said was true..."
"Tan'er, untie them."
"Okay!"
Tan'er snapped the ropes binding Wan and Liu.
The two women had only suffered external injuries, and their bones and organs were unharmed. Meng Qianqian asked Banxia to fetch some golden wound medicine to treat their injuries.
Meng Qianqian was about to head inside as well.
"Stop."
Tan'er stood beside her, blocking her path. With two fingers, she held a silver needle against Meng Qianqian's neck, coldly pressing it against her skin. "Where did you get this reverse needle?"
Meng Qianqian's expression didn't change. "I picked it up."
Tan'er hummed in response, then suddenly smiled. "I knew it. How could she give away her treasure to someone else? It's definitely not yours!"
As Tan'er spoke, she adjusted the needle, pointing the sharp end toward herself and the handle toward Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian took back the silver needle.
Tan'er skipped into the courtyard, exclaiming, "Roast duck! Eight Treasure Chicken! Braised pork! Braised pig trotters..."
She paused, as if remembering something, and added thoughtfully, "That set of silver needles seems to be missing one... Never mind! It's not mine anyway! Braised pig trotters! Roast duck! Eight Treasure Chicken..."
She continued skipping and hopping, her cheerful voice echoing through the courtyard.
During mealtime, Li returned and Banxia told her what had happened. Li never expected that while she and Hu were out getting breakfast for the family, her young mistress's dowry was almost stolen.
"Since ancient times, a woman's dowry has been her private property. It's up to her if she wants to be filial to her in-laws, but it's unheard of for the in-laws to take it by force. She may not be a good person, but she's still an elder. How could she do such a shameful thing..."
"...shameless!" Tan'er finished the sentence for Li.
Li blushed and said seriously, "Don't speak nonsense."
Tan'er folded her arms. "But that's what you're thinking, right?"
Li said, "Be careful of bringing disaster upon yourself and implicating your mistress."
Tan'er stuck out her tongue. "If anyone bullies my sister, I'll hit them back!"
Li was a conservative person who valued rules and propriety. In her opinion, Tan'er's behavior today had gone too far. Her actions were too extreme, offending not only the matriarch but also the master.
This would only make her mistress's situation in the Lu family even more difficult.
Meng Qianqian understood Li's concerns. Whether or not Tan'er was here, this day would have come eventually.
Over the past few years, her father-in-law had appeared kind to her, but that was only because she had value to him.
Once she stopped being useful to the Lu family, her father-in-law would no longer stand by her side.
Li sighed. "In the past, the matriarch wasn't particularly close to you, but she never treated you so maliciously... Now that the masks are off, we see their true colors."
What kind of a pit had her young mistress jumped into?
Today, they dared to rob in broad daylight. Who knows what they'll do in the future.
"Miss, the matriarch will not let this go." Banxia said.
Meng Qianqian replied calmly, "Then let's see if she has the ability to do so."
A steaming bowl of job's tears porridge was served.
Tan'er's eyes widened in shock. "Where's my roast duck? My Eight Treasure Chicken? My braised pork and trotters?"
Meng Qianqian, unfazed by the situation, curved her lips and said, "You've been hungry for too long. It's best to avoid rich food for now. Have a few days of light and bland meals first, and I'll arrange for your favorites later."
"You're not tricking me?" Tan'er asked.
"Mhm."
Tan'er grit her teeth, conflicted. "Fine, I'll trust you one more time!"
On a moonlit night with sparse stars, the evening bell rang in the cold mountains.
The evening prayers at the temple had ended, and the monks returned to their rooms to rest.
In the most secluded Zen room of the temple, Baoshi, dressed as a little tiger cub, had just woken up from a nap.
She crawled up from her small bed and looked around.
"Meow!"
Baoshi was furious.
Lu Yuan and the monk sat cross-legged on the floor, facing each other, with a small table between them bearing tea, snacks, and a chess set.
The monk closed his eyes to meditate, slowly twirling his prayer beads.
Baoshi crawled over angrily, grabbing Lu Yuan's clothes with her small hands and trying to pull him away with a fierce expression.
Lu Yuan remained calm and collected, letting her tug at him.
The monk slowly opened his eyes. "Little donor wishes to descend the mountain, why do you insist on staying?"
Lu Yuan smiled, looking down at Baoshi. "Just three days. I'll take you down the mountain in three days."
Baoshi's small face was serious as she roared angrily, "Meow!"
Lu Yuan raised his finger, and a Jin Yi Wei guard entered the room, picking up the little one and carrying her out.
"Master, now that you're awake, take a look at this."
Lu Yuan pushed the Xuan Tie token on the table towards the monk. "Under Chu the Great Marshal, there were twelve commanding officers, also known as the Twelve Guards. This one is the Shen Monkey token. After the Great Marshal's death, the Twelve Guards and their one thousand Black Armored soldiers went missing. But just a few days ago, a self-proclaimed daughter of Shen Monkey appeared, claiming that her father never left Yumenguan. Instead, he hid among the common soldiers and fought the Northern Liang people to the last moment."
"I want to know if this token is real or not."
The monk remained silent.
"If Master refuses to speak, I have no choice but to wait here. I have plenty of time."
"Meow! Meow!"
"Be a good girl, drink your milk. After you finish, we'll go down the mountain."
From the neighboring room came Baoshi's roars and the nanny's helpless cooing. Without guessing, one could tell that the little one was refusing to drink her milk again.
The monk sighed. "The token is real."
Lu Yuan's smile widened. "Thank you, Master."
After the incident, the old madam was carried back to Fushou Yard, where she lay in bed, fuming, for two days. Even the Second Madam, who came to pay her respects, was scolded mercilessly.
The Second Madam was wronged. It wasn't her who had offended the old madam, so why was she taking her anger out on her?
"You unfilial girl! How dare our Lu family marry such a rebellious thing! You have no shame! Go! Call Xiaoge'er! I want to divorce her!"
The old madam had a plan. By divorcing Meng Qianqian, the silver would become the Lu family's property.
Wu Mama advised, "Old Madam, she kept vigil for the master for three years. If you divorce her, the Lu family will be in a difficult position."
The old madam shouted, "Then what should we do? Are we going to let this girl continue to freeload and cause me grief?"
Wu Mama said, "It's not difficult to control a woman. Don't you remember how you kept the First Madam in line?"
The old madam paused. "You mean..."
Wu Mama proudly said, "With women, just make her have a child, and she'll behave."
(End of Chapter)
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