Chapter 307: Let Me Guess What Else

Chapter 307: Let Me Guess What Else

Last night, after reading the letter, he stayed awake until dawn.

By morning, streaks of white appeared at his temples.

All these years, he had played both sides carefully, ensuring the Yongning Marquis's household maintained its dignity within noble circles, never reduced to irrelevance like other fallen marquisates.

But what had his wife and his own daughter done?

He could not let anyone know the contents of the letter.

The hereditary title passed down by his ancestors must not be ruined in his hands.

Lu Mingchao sensed the refusal and resolve in Yongning Marquis's attitude and sighed softly, murmuring wistfully, "Uncle Lu, did Mama Wang's letter leave any words about me?"

Yongning Marquis lowered his head, unable to meet Lu Mingchao's gaze. "She said she had sewn new clothes for you last New Year."

"She said all the wages she saved over the years were deposited at the Huitong Bank, with the receipt hidden in the new clothes she made for you. That money was left for you."

"She said she loved the pear-blossom salve you made for her as a child. If by chance her body was not completely lost, she hoped you could place a jar of pear-blossom salve before her grave."

At this, Yongning Marquis paused, hesitating for a long time before adding, "She said don’t let gratitude for raising you hold you back—to live your own life well."

"She said, whether or not you were the marquis's daughter, you were still the child she raised with her own hands."

Lu Mingchao's heart throbbed with dull pain.

In this world, there truly had been someone who sincerely cared for the original owner.

"Uncle Lu, may I take care of Mama Wang's final rites?"

"She was utterly alone in this world, with no family left. Apart from the Marquise (his wife), whom she served for decades, only I can give her a proper burial."

"Naturally," Yongning Marquis hurriedly agreed.

A trace of mockery flashed in Lu Mingchao's eyes.

Had Yongning Marquis, after reading Mama Wang's suicide note, decided to hush it up quietly?

"Marquis," Lu Mingchao dabbed at her tears, her voice dropping low.

Yongning Marquis looked up, puzzled.

"Let me guess what else was written in Mama Wang's suicide note."

"For example, Lu Minghui nearly sold herself to a father and son over a silver-coated hairpin?"

Lu Mingchao spoke slowly, her gaze fixed on Yongning Marquis's face, noticing the slight contraction of his pupils before he struggled to keep his composure.

"For example, lewd illustrations."

Originally, Lu Mingchao had not known about this.

While Xie Yan was investigating the incident of Lu Xiaoxin falling into the water, left addled by fever, he stumbled upon that Lu Minghui had once lain exposed in flimsy silk for a painter in exchange for ten taels of silver.

"For example, the Marquise (his wife) covered up Lu Minghui's scandal by murdering to silence them during the Lunar New Year festivities."

"For example, Lu Minghui referred men to Princess Qingyu, who kept a harem of male lovers."

"Marquis, do you know who Lu Minghui recommended?"

"Headmaster Yu of Baopu Academy’s newly accepted disciple."

"What shameless gall!"

"For instance, the declining maternal family of the Marchioness has been using the Marquis's name for loan-sharking."

"When borrowers can’t repay, they torch homes, kidnap children, and seize fertile farmland."

"Any resistance is crushed under the pretense of putting down rebellion."

"I heard one of the Marchioness’s nephews, a minor sixth-rank military officer, made his name ‘suppressing peasant uprisings’."

"Marquis, tell me—where do you think that officer’s so-called ‘battle merits’ really came from?"

"Marquis, do you truly believe these deeds can be concealed flawlessly?"

The Yongning Marquis was utterly stunned, staring at Lu Mingchao in horrified disbelief, his lips trembling as he asked, "How—how could you possibly know this?"

Lu Mingchao continued, "There’s another matter Nanny Wang probably never learned."

"You know what they say—unnatural occurrences always hide dark truths."

"Aren’t you curious, Marquis, why Lu Minghui suddenly changed her mind and agreed to call off the wedding?"

"After all, she was so determined to marry Gu Huai."

"Because the Marchioness dangled an even grander future before her."

"What could possibly outweigh becoming a future Duke’s household matriarch? You know the answer well, Marquis."

"Tell me, Marquis, can you truly protect them—mother and daughter?"

"No, you cannot."

"At the very least, their scheme of killing witnesses to silence them and butchering civilians for false glory cannot remain hidden."

"If I uncovered this, others certainly can."

"You—"

He abruptly stood, pointing a shaking finger. "You—"

"You’ve known this whole time?"

"I only learned of their scheme of slaughtering innocents for credit a step ahead of you," Lu Mingchao said coldly. "The Marchioness and Lu Minghui’s wickedness stems directly from your indulgence, shielding, and the heartless selfishness you modeled for them."

"If I were you, Marquis, I’d have an honest talk with the Marchioness immediately."

He staggered away, his disgrace now complete.

That same day, Lu Mingchao moved out of the Yongning Marquis's estate.

She still needed to oversee Nanny Wang’s funeral arrangements.

In the rented room where Nanny Wang had lived, she found the new clothes Nanny Wang had stitched for her by hand.

Not an outer robe, but a set of lovingly sewn, cloud-soft cotton underclothes, carefully folded. The underclothes had already been washed, still carrying the faintest whisper of soapberry fragrance.

On the front of the garment lay a thin slip of paper.

It was a Huitong Bank draft.

Lu Mingchao carefully tucked away the undergarment and the draft.

The hundred taels of silver on this draft represented Matron Wang’s life of servitude.

She couldn’t tell whether the Marquise was cruel or soft-hearted.

She had spared Matron Wang’s life but gouged out her eyes, cut out her tongue, and sliced the tendons in her hands and feet.

Was it out of sentiment for decades of service?

Such sentiment was worse than none.

Matron Wang’s body had been prepared with care and laid in the coffin.

The blood on her forehead had been thoroughly washed away, her graying hair pinned up neatly at the back of her head. A headband inlaid with emeralds concealed the wound on her forehead, while a white silk cloth covered her empty eye sockets.

Prim and proper.

Just like the Matron Wang in Lu Mingchao’s memory.

The coffin lid was closed, and one long nail after another was hammered into the wood.

Kneeling on a kneeling cushion, Lu Mingchao recounted the past shared between the original mistress and Matron Wang in a soft voice.

She pinched spirit money and tossed it into the brazier. A gentle breeze swept by, causing the paper to swirl in the flames, intertwining with the curling smoke—as if silently affirming that she, too, remembered.

Perhaps Matron Wang had already met with the original mistress, whom she had missed so dearly.

Lu Mingchao could only take comfort in this thought.

"My lady, His Highness Prince Duan has accepted the requested meeting. He will meet you tomorrow at 9:45 in the morning in the private dining room of the Guiyu Pavilion."

Amber knelt beside Lu Mingchao, first burning a handful of spirit money for Matron Wang before speaking.

Lu Mingchao nodded. "Amber, have the pear blossoms outside faded yet?"

"This year, they bloomed early and withered early," Amber replied softly.

Then she added, "The pear blossoms on the hills outside the city should still be in full bloom. I'll go pick some right away."

"My lady, don't grieve too much."

Suddenly, there was a light knock at the door.

Lu Mingchao looked back and saw Gu Huai, dressed in plain mourning clothes, standing in the doorway with a large bamboo basket in hand.

"A Chao, I’d like to burn incense for Matron Wang."

As if afraid Lu Mingchao would send him away, Gu Huai quickly added,

"A Chao, in the past, Matron Wang was always very kind to me."

Lu Mingchao rose with Amber’s support. "Go ahead."

Would her heart soften again?