Chapter 161: Delve into the Depths

Chapter 161: Delve into the Depths

"I have no way out."

Madam Sun let out a desolate laugh.

Though it was a laugh, it looked more painful than a cry.

Her voice was hoarse, like the creaking of a broken kite, unpleasant to the ear.

Even if she were fickle, what good would it do?

After Peng'er met a sudden and tragic death in prison, she felt as if she were trapped in an inescapable net, tightly sealed on all sides, with no room to breathe, suffocating her with overwhelming pressure.

She was forced to feign madness to barely cling to her fragile life, hoping to eke out each day.

The Taoist priests in the temple, young and old, all knew that she had fallen into hysteria due to her grief, sometimes lucid, sometimes confused, like a madwoman.

Lu Mingchao gently smoothed Madam Sun's disheveled hair. "Having no way out is what gives one the courage to burn one's bridges and take a desperate gamble, the qualification to turn the tide and find a way out of a hopeless situation."

"I know you resent me, thinking that without me, your household would be safe, and the Sun family's business would thrive and prosper; thinking that because of me, the Sun family has suffered this misfortune, the second young master of the Sun family died an untimely death, and you, who should have been enjoying the joy of grandchildren, are now forced to live in misery."

"On the surface, it may seem so, but appearances can be deceiving."

"Truth in the morning, lies by evening—it's hard to tell what's real. Throughout history, such incidents have never been absent."

"The firefly in the grass, though it flickers with a faint light, is just a flash in the pan; the dew on the lotus leaf, though it looks like a perfect bead, is not a real pearl."

"As the saying goes, 'Don't just skim the surface; delve into the depths.'"

"Until now, I never had the opportunity to speak with you calmly. Today is a good opportunity, and what I just said is not entirely to absolve myself."

"You can resent me, after all, I don't like you or your son either. But please, keep your eyes open and understand that the one you should resent the most is not me."

"The father's failure to teach is the father's fault. The second young master of the Sun family constantly bragged about the family's influence, but could the Sun family truly protect him from all repercussions, enabling his unrestrained arrogance?"

"Even the royalty and nobility in the capital wouldn't dare such audacity."

"How the second young master of the Sun family grew so arrogant—surely you have some inkling."

Madam Sun's throat felt clogged, as if stuffed with cotton, stifling her voice.

Lu Mingchao poured tea for Madam Sun, the cups clinking crisply. "This isn't about making peace; it's about working together."

"Madam, after you."

Madam Sun swallowed her bitterness and downed the tea in one go.

Regrets were futile now.

"Very well, let's cooperate."

Madam Sun stumbled out of the carriage, her steps faltering on the mountain trail.

"A Yan, lost in thought?"

Lu Mingchao, seeing Xie Yan deep in thought, smiled and inquired with curiosity.

Xie Yan shook off his reverie and started gathering the cups from the small table. "I was reflecting on how to instill in our children a sense of self-awareness, self-respect, and humility, and to avoid arrogance and disdain."

Lu Mingchao arched a brow, "Huaiqian is already quite mature and reserved for his age."

"Ru'an is thoughtful and unassuming, and in time, she’ll surely become graceful and refined."

"Jingyi..."

Lu Mingchao paused, pursing her lips in thought.

Xie Yan seemed rather troubled, "Jingyi might grow up to be a bit of a handful."

Lu Mingchao shook her head, "Though Jingyi seems delicate, she’s still well-mannered. People are as diverse as a field of blooming flowers, each displaying their own charm. Some are cool and distant, others are quiet and thoughtful, while others are lively and bright. However, as long as someone stands by their values, knows right from wrong, and keeps kindness in their heart, no matter their temperament, they should be themselves and let their unique light shine."

"Our Jingyi will grow up to be one of a kind."

Xie Yan looked at Lu Mingchao with deep fondness, filled with overwhelming joy.

Mingchao is truly perfect in every way.

He’d shield her from any storm, walk beside her, and even considered staying in her shadow.

Xie Yan slowly smiled, took Lu Mingchao's hand, and twined his fingers with hers, giving her a goofy, loving grin, his eyes brimming with tender love.

The mountain breeze slipped through the carriage cracks, drifting into their sleeves and spilling out, filling their robes, making their clothes flutter in the wind, twisting together as one.

"A Yan."

"Hmm?"

"You’re smiling like a goof."

"..."

The carriage swayed as it traveled along the mountain road, and Xie Yan and Lu Mingchao exchanged a smile.

Instead of returning to Changhe County, they went straight back to Changxi Village.

Lu Lei, completely worn out, slept like a rock, while Yunniang and Lu Chunsheng had dark circles under their eyes, clearly having been on edge for Lu Lei's sake these past days.

Yunniang had the intention to cook a few dishes to celebrate.

Lu Mingchao leaned on Yunniang's shoulder and softly advised, "Mother, there's no rush. Rest well for a couple of days, and when you're fully recovered, we can celebrate properly."

Hearing this, Yunniang did not insist.

When Lei'er was in the county jail, she had been like a chicken on steroids, tireless, staying awake until dawn, night after night.

Now, with her heart at ease, she truly felt drained, yawning continuously, just wanting to catch up on the sleep she had missed.

"Where's Xiao Xin?" Lu Mingchao gently massaged Yunniang's temples as she asked.

Yunniang half-closed her eyes, her voice laced with lingering fatigue, "Xiao Sui took him away."

Lu Mingchao smiled, "Mother, you rest well. I'll go back and see the children; it's been a while since I've seen them."

Yunniang opened her eyes, took Lu Mingchao's hand, and held it in her palm, "Mingchao, you've been through a lot these days."

"Everything you've done for your elder brother, Santu has told me."

"If it weren't for you, your elder brother, even with a mouth all over his body, wouldn't be able to explain himself clearly, and he would still be sitting in jail now."

Lu Mingchao rested her head on Yunniang's shoulder. "Mom, we are family."

"Big brother was implicated because of me, yet he harbored no resentment towards me. People have feelings too. Since my big brother treats me well, I should treat him well in return."

"Mom, you should get some rest."

...

For three days straight, Lu Mingchao didn’t bother with the chaos in Changhe County, but instead focused wholeheartedly on accompanying her family, while also answering Feng Jinyu's questions.

One day, Lu Mingchao was teaching Feng Jinyu arithmetic, but Feng Jinyu was having a hard time and couldn’t get the hang of it.

Shu Yuan lightly tapped on the window frame and beckoned, "Hey, sis."

Lu Mingchao gently patted the distracted Feng Jinyu, whispered a few instructions, and then pushed the door open to go out.

"News from the Marquis’s place," Shu Yuan whispered, barely audible.

Lu Mingchao took the note and casually asked, "When did we get someone inside the Marquis’s place?"

Shu Yuan leaned lazily against the wall, a blade of grass dangling from the corner of his mouth, and whispered indistinctly, "After Lu Chunhe and his son stirred up trouble."

"Not to mention you spent over a decade growing up in the Yongning Marquis’s place, and the ties are tangled and hard to sever. Just the fact that Lu Minghui and Lu Yao have a history of bad blood and fresh animosity, and will eventually come to a life-and-death conflict, how could we not plant someone to keep an eye on things?"

"It was Xie Yan’s call. Good or bad, it’s his responsibility."

"Not just in the Yongning Marquis’s place, but he even got people inside the Duke’s household."

Lu Mingchao unfolded the note, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, and she let out a disdainful laugh.

"Lu Minghui has taken to the role of a noble lady like a fish to water. In less than a hundred days, she has grasped the essence of life and death decisions."

"She’s gone on a killing spree."