Chapter 246: Mother and Daughter’s Superficial Harmony

Chapter 246: Mother and Daughter at Odds

"Considering Lu Minghui’s upcoming marriage into the Duke’s household, the Madam of Yongning Marquis suppressed her anger and gritted her teeth to advise.

"You are the trueborn daughter of the Marquis's household, not some coarse country woman!"

"Constantly calling someone a 'wretch,' where is the demeanor of a noble lady?"

"Where is your grace and elegance?"

The Madam of Yongning Marquis genuinely feared that Lu Minghui's unrefined behavior might one day lead to her being divorced and cast out.

Madam Gu Shen of the Duke's household would never patiently tolerate Lu Minghui.

"Even you hit me."

Feeling the burning pain on her cheek, Lu Minghui looked at the Madam of Yongning Marquis with a hurt expression, tears falling in large drops, and screamed hysterically, "Is it my fault I wasn't raised as a precious jewel in the Marquis's household?"

"Now mother sees me as vulgar, shallow, and disgraceful, nothing compared to Lu Mingchao."

"Is it my fault?"

"Even a child knows that 'pulling up seedlings to help them grow' is foolish and laughable, yet mother fantastically hopes to make up for fifteen years of missing upbringing in half a year."

"Then should I blame mother for choosing the wrong person back then?"

"It was mother who condemned me to such a hard life for years—how dare she still scold me!"

As her daughter pointed and scolded, the Madam of Yongning Marquis turned pale, trembling with rage.

She pointed a trembling finger at Lu Minghui, "I am your mother, not a servant from Lanxi Manor!"

"Outrageous! How dare you be so disrespectful and unfilial!"

"Since you returned to the family, have I ever wronged you?"

"Have I mistreated you since you came back? You claimed your foster parents coveted the dowry and forced you to marry a hunter, so I insisted Mingchao relinquish the marriage contract."

"You claimed you were mistreated in the countryside because of the preference for sons, so I persuaded the Marquis to banish Mingchao, ensuring you were the sole legitimate daughter of the household."

"You even claimed you nearly lost your virtue in the countryside..."

"I’m too ashamed to even mention it!"

"How have you repaid me—or the Marquis's household?"

"Let me tell you frankly, Lu Mingchao was renowned in the capital from a young age, mastering poetry, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."

"As for etiquette, the governess exhausted her lessons within three months."

"As for you, you’re naturally dull. Even after three to five years of study, you’d never come close to Lu Mingchao’s brilliance."

Lately, the Madam of Yongning Marquis has been utterly drained, both physically and emotionally. Her once-devoted husband has become cold and unfeeling."

The once filial and diligent son has become downcast and lethargic.

The daughter, who was meant to make amends wholeheartedly, has only stirred up trouble.

During the New Year and Spring banquets, she had to endure the sarcastic remarks of the officials' wives without flinching.

She was the one left to suffer in silence, swallowing a bitter pill!

"Lu Mingchao, Lu Mingchao—it's always about Lu Mingchao."

Lu Minghui's face contorted grotesquely, as if she had gone mad.

If Gu Huai was her obsession across two lifetimes, Lu Mingchao was the embodiment of her jealousy and hatred.

In her previous life, Gu Huai and Lu Mingchao were in perfect harmony, like a pair of lovebirds, with no concubines or mistresses.

Lu Mingchao basked in the prestige of being a high-ranking lady and the unwavering devotion of her husband.

And her?

She went to extreme lengths, discarding her dignity to marry Xie Yan, but his heart remained icy, treating her as though she were invisible.

She even drugged Xie Yan to consummate their marriage, but Xie Yan would rather spend half the night in an ice cave than give in to her demands.

In her fury, she vented her anger on Xie Yan's children, believing that without them, Xie Yan would have no choice but to stay with her, if only to preserve the family lineage.

But who would have thought that Xie Yan would, heartlessly, divorce her?

She felt that in Xie Yan's eyes and heart, she was nothing but a repulsive creature.

In this life, she took the lead, gained control, and forced Lu Mingchao into the arms of the emotionally distant Xie Yan.

Why, then, did Lu Mingchao end up pregnant?

Why did Xie Yan suddenly become so affectionate!

Yet she couldn't keep Gu Huai by her side, nor could she satisfy her obsession.

Why did everyone treat Lu Mingchao with such favoritism?

After all, she was the rightful noble daughter of the Marquis's household.

Lu Minghui felt as though she were trapped in a roaring fire, consumed by anxiety and restlessness.

For a moment, she couldn't tell which lifetime's Lu Mingchao she envied more.

Yongning Marquis Madam gazed at the unhinged Lu Minghui, pursed her lips, and a flicker of disgust crossed her eyes.

Taking a deep breath, she offered a stiff explanation: "Minghui, your mother spoke out of frustration, hoping you would do better."

"Try to see things from my perspective and understand the challenges I face."

"As a member of the Duke's household, your greatest allies are your father and brothers, the Marquis's household."

"But due to your antics, Ming Hua's marriage is in ruins, and your father is deeply disappointed. He's even considering supporting an illegitimate son, seeking the right moment to secretly promote his mother to the status of a secondary wife, replacing Ming Hua."

"If I hadn't threatened to take my own life and stood my ground, the Marquis's household would have another legitimate son, and by then, replacing Ming Hua as the heir, your position in the Duke's household would become even more precarious."

"Minghui, you're about to become a wife. Be more mature and spare your mother some worry, alright?"

"You, Ming Hua, and I are bound together. Our fates are intertwined. I only want what’s best for you."

Lu Minghui was taken aback, wiping the tears that streamed down her face.

Concerns over wealth and status pushed her self-pity aside.

"Father has an illegitimate son?"

I've never heard of that.

Could mother have made this up to frighten me?

The suspicion in Lu Minghui's eyes was unmistakable, causing Yongning Marquis Madam a pang of distress.

This idiot!

No, I mustn’t lose my temper or scold her again!

Only if Minghui establishes herself firmly in the Duke’s household can Ming Hua’s position as heir remain secure.

"Yes."

"She was a widow who remarried. When the old master was alive, he forbade the Marquis from bringing the inauspicious widow into the residence, forcing him to keep her outside."

"Over the years, Ming Hua has proven himself capable, with impressive knowledge and a promising future. The Marquis felt he had a successor and didn't mention the illegitimate child again."

"But times have changed, and the Marquis is now considering replacing the heir."

Lu Minghui looked anxious, "Mother, even though Qin Wanrou is a concubine’s daughter, Grand Tutor Qin spoils her just as much as Qin Fuxi."

"How can father abandon elder brother simply because he married Wanrou?"

"It’s not about whether she’s a concubine’s daughter or a legitimate one." Yongning Marquis Madam shook her head, her voice tinged with gloom, "Minghui, Qin Wanrou’s birth mother was a lowly Yangzhou thin horse, a plaything to be passed around at will."

"This means, aside from Grand Tutor Qin’s favor, she has no maternal family or backing."

"Grand Tutor Qin is getting old—how long can he shield them?"

"The heir of Yongning Marquis cannot take a Yangzhou thin horse’s daughter as his principal wife."

"So, Minghui, it’s all in your hands now."

Yongning Marquis Madam grasped Lu Minghui’s hand, speaking earnestly, "Minghui, after the wedding, you must conceive as soon as possible to grow the family."

"With a son, you’ll have security."

"Help Ming Hua secure his position as heir, and he’ll stand by you in return."

A blush spread across Lu Minghui’s face, her expression turning uneasy as she stammered, "Mother, such things aren’t for me to decide."

"Yes, they are," Yongning Marquis Madam insisted. "I’ll prepare fertility medicine ahead of time."

"A born troublemaker."