Chapter 327: Son, You Can’t Bear Children

Chapter 327: Son, You Can't Bear Children

"Doesn't she have her own son? Why doesn't she just try harder and bear one of her own?" Lady Lu smiled confidently. "Between raising an adopted son and bearing a biological one, she has to choose one, right?"

Lu Shen found this reasoning sound and gave his mother a thumbs up.

"Mother, that's a good idea. If the child is always in front of her, she might want to bear one herself."

"That's true."

Lady Lu changed her tone. "But first, you must get rid of Fang Erya. I don't want some shameless little tramp hurting my son."

Lu Shen's smile froze.

Ah, so that's what you're getting at.

"Mother, she's just a woman. You've never cared about these things before, why do you care now?"

"I don't care if you keep her outside, but now you've set your heart on her. You want to take her into the household as a concubine, right?"

Lu Shen's mouth twitched; he did indeed have that thought, and his mother knew him too well.

A few days ago, Zheng Jinyu said he had no right to take Fang Erya away.

Fang Erya wasn't a slave, and they didn't have her indenture papers.

If she was to be a concubine, there needed to be a formal document of engagement. In short, it couldn't just be his word; there needed to be proof.

He had nothing, and Fang Erya's parents were being uncooperative, so he really couldn't do anything about it.

That's why he wanted to make her his concubine. With the engagement document in hand, he wouldn't have to worry about her running away.

"Mother, she's just a woman. Is it really a problem for me to take a concubine?"

"But Fang Erya isn't a good person. She's a cheap tramp who seduced her sister's husband while her sister was pregnant. She's an illiterate country girl. Taking her as a concubine would be beneath you. Keeping her outside as a secret lover is fine, but bringing her home to be laughed at by others is unacceptable."

...

He originally thought the same thing. It was cheaper to support her family with a little money and play with her whenever he wanted than going to a brothel. How nice.

But the key was that she wasn't willing anymore.

"Mother, she's not willing to be a secret lover anymore. She says she wants to go back to her hometown and marry someone else. I have no choice but to bring her home."

Lady Lu still disagreed. "Look at you. It was one thing when Zheng Jinxiu controlled you because she had Cui Qingqing behind her, but Fang Erya is just a country girl with nothing. Why can't you just buy her from her parents? After buying her, send her to work on the estate. Don't see her for a month or two, then bring her back after Jinxiu gives birth. Keep her as a bedwarmer, but don't make her a concubine."

Lady Lu thought that if she could become pregnant, she could consider making her a lowly concubine. That was her limit.

Lu Shen looked troubled. "But Fang Da Chuan and his wife won't sell her, and she's currently in Zheng Jinyu's hands."

"They won't sell?" Lady Lu chuckled. "Would ten taels not work, but a hundred would? If a hundred isn't enough, how about two hundred?"

"This..."

"Hmph, these poor ghosts. They can't resist money." Lady Lu looked disdainfully.

She patted Lu Shen's shoulder and said, "I have ways to help you get Fang Erya, but before that, you need to make Zheng Jinxiu happy. You're not allowed to cause trouble until her child is born safely."

Lu Shen was speechless.

"Do I have to apologize to her?"

"Yes, comfort her well. The baby could be born within a month. Just bear with it."

"Hmph, why should I? Mother, you're spoiling her too much. If she doesn't want to bear a child, I can find other women to do it for me."

Lady Lu took a deep breath. Seeing his attitude, she decided to tell him about the matter.

"Shen Er, do you know what the tonics I send you every day are for?"

Lu Shen was confused. "Isn't it to strengthen my body?"

"It does have that effect, but the real purpose is to treat your infertility."

"Infertility..." Lu Shen's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Treating my infertility?"

"Yes, the doctor said it's difficult for you to impregnate a woman. I've been having you drink these tonics to adjust your condition."

Lu Shen couldn't believe it. "How is that possible? Counting the one outside, I already have two children."

"Ah!" Lady Lu sighed heavily. "The one on the estate isn't necessarily yours."

Lu Shen was stunned.

"What do you mean?"

"She was a bedwarmer in my chambers. She also served your father, so the child might not be your son but your younger brother."

"What?" Lu Shen nearly popped his eyes out.

Lady Lu continued, "That's why, even though he might be your illegitimate eldest son, we still don't let him come home. A child with an unknown father is shameful."

Lu Shen was completely stunned, staring blankly at Lady Lu.

She added, "The reason I kept him was to leave you a backup option. If the medicine doesn't cure your illness, even if he's not your child, we'll have to accept him. I can't let you be left without an heir."

Hearing this, Lu Shen was on the verge of breaking down.

He tentatively asked, "So... the one in Zheng Jinxiu's belly is possibly my only child?"

Madam Lu nodded. "I truly regret not watching over you better. You were only thirteen when you were lured away by those little bitches in the back courtyard. Exposing you to such matters at such a young age has damaged your health, leading to your current difficulties with offspring.

Zheng Jinxiu is a woman of great fortune. She brought prosperity to the Zheng family and now, in our Lu household, she's enabled you to have offspring. We must keep her stable, especially for this crucial month."

Lu Shen wasn't foolish; he understood the difficulty with having children.

If he couldn't father a child, no matter how much his grandfather favored him, he wouldn't entrust him with the inheritance.

Thus, he had to have a son—a legitimate heir.

"Mother, I understand."

Though Lu Shen was vile and did despicable things, he knew how to prioritize and retreat when necessary—this was why the old man favored him.

After hearing Madam Lu's words, he immediately agreed to temporarily avoid Erya and to apologize to Zheng Jinxiu, coaxing her to safely deliver the child.

Madam Lu was pleased with his attitude but also felt heartache.

Her own son, a grown man, had to bow down to a woman, and for such a matter.

It left a sour taste in her mouth.

"My son, the doctor said that if you take good care of your health, it's not entirely hopeless. Look, Zheng Jinxiu is pregnant. Don't worry too much."

"Mother, I understand. Rest assured, I won't dwell on it."

Madam Lu nodded, asked after his well-being a few more times, and comforted him before sending him off to pacify Zheng Jinxiu.

Upon leaving Madam Lu's courtyard, Lu Shen's composure broke.

In a fit of rage, he kicked and snapped a nearby sapling.

To think that he, the esteemed Young Master Lu, with such a vast inheritance awaiting him, couldn't father a child?