Chapter 26 Broken Ties

Chapter 26: A Final Severance

"Ming'er, this isn't poisoned wine," Father Lu said. "Be good and drink it."

Lu Jiming remained motionless.

"Ming'er, you've always been the most sensible child in the family since you were little. You should understand that if you truly marry into the Eastern Palace, the Lu family will..."

Suddenly, a flash of white light streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder that drowned out Father Lu's voice. Lu Jiming could only see his father's mouth opening and closing.

Lu Jiming didn't want to hear any more. No amount of reasoning could conceal the fact that he had been abandoned by his family.

"If it's not poisoned wine, why doesn't Father taste it first?" Lu Jiming said. "Your son wouldn't dare overstep."

Enraged by Lu Jiming's attitude, Father Lu shouted, "All of you, come in!"

Amidst the flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder, Lu Jiming saw six or seven burly men armed with long clubs enter the room. Each of them looked like a trained martial artist.

"Has Father changed his mind? Not planning to poison me, but to beat me to death instead?" Lu Jiming laughed again. "Of course, beating a son or grandson to death in the ancestral hall isn't unusual, is it? Wasn't that how my cousin-uncle died here years ago?"

"Ming'er, drink the wine. Be good," Father Lu's voice softened once more.

Lu Jiming reached out his hand. The servant immediately brought the wine pot before him. Lu Jiming picked it up and examined it carefully.

Fine blue-and-white porcelain. What a pity.

"Father, if I drink this, will I still be a good descendant of the Lu family? Your good son?" Lu Jiming asked.

Father Lu said, "Yes."

Lu Jiming closed his eyes. So, drinking poisoned wine meant he wouldn't disgrace the family name. But he no longer wanted to be a son of the Lu family.

"Has Father ever considered how the Lu family will explain my sudden, unexplained death to His Majesty?"

Father Lu's hand trembled slightly. "You caught a chill upon returning from the sea voyage, and you already had some old ailments. The illnesses compounded, and you passed away just like that."

"And how will you deceive Young Master Yin and the Imperial Guard?"

"This is a family matter of the Lu family. We're all officials navigating the same circles. As long as enough gold and silver are offered, I doubt anyone will speak out of turn."

Lu Jiming burst into wild laughter.

Good, everything's been calculated! It seems the elders have been holed up these past days, meticulously planning every detail. No need for him to worry.

"Ming'er, rest assured," Father Lu said. "You are my only son. This isn't poisoned wine. After drinking it, you'll just sleep for a while. When you wake, you'll have a new identity. The Lu family will provide for you for the rest of your life."

"Is that so..." Lu Jiming looked at the wine pot in his hand, brought the spout to his lips, then glanced at his father and violently smashed the pot onto the ground.

The blue-and-white porcelain shattered into pieces. The sound of breaking china intertwined with the thunder outside, like the prelude to a symphony.

"Lu Jiming, you... you..." Father Lu, never expecting the always-obedient Lu Jiming to resist, was so enraged he couldn't speak. Stumbling over his words, he pointed at Lu Jiming and shouted to the thugs behind him, "Seize him!"

"I'd like to see who dares." A man's voice rang out. The moment Father Lu turned his head, a flash of lightning illuminated the figure of "Yin Yuxie." Behind him followed over a dozen Imperial Guard officers, seemingly filling the entire courtyard of the ancestral hall.

At Wei Yan's command, the Imperial Guard officers rushed into the ancestral hall and swiftly subdued all the thugs around Father Lu.

"Impossible..." Father Lu's eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost.

"Why impossible?" Wei Yan stepped over the scattered thugs on the ground and approached Father Lu. "Or does the esteemed elder believe that, having consumed the knockout drug in your wine and dishes, this junior and the Imperial Guard officers should still be unconscious, unable to stand here?"

Father Lu's face darkened. "That was no ordinary drug."

Lu Jiming thought, his father was, after all, a pedantic scholar, unable to grasp intricacies. When questioned, he confessed everything.

If it were him, he would naturally deny any knowledge of drugs, even feigning ignorance and asking why Young Master Yin had suddenly arrived while he was discussing family matters with his child.

"A pity. The esteemed elder's hospitality was so generous, even personally overseeing to ensure we partook," Wei Yan said.

However... Ning Jia had been monitoring the mansion's movements these past days. Wei Yan had sent an extra person to work with Ning Jia. Before the kitchen staff could drug the wine and dishes, they had already switched the substances. No matter how potent the drug, it was wasted.

Wei Yan continued, "Although Lord Lu and the Crown Prince have not yet completed the wedding rites, he is already the imperial-designated Crown Consort. Tonight, the esteemed elder has committed the grave crime of plotting against the royal family. This could very well lead to the extermination of the entire clan." Wei Yan deliberately exaggerated the consequences to intimidate Father Lu.

Seeing the situation was lost, Father Lu turned to Lu Jiming. "Ming'er, whether you believe it or not, that cup earlier wasn't poisoned wine. Your father never intended to take your life."

Lu Jiming wanted to ask, should he believe it? Gamble that the Lu family would risk deceiving the emperor to spare his life? How could he dare?

"It's late. Father, your health is not good. You should rest now," Lu Jiming said. "I must trouble Young Master Yin. Tomorrow morning, please have someone invite all my uncles over. We have much to discuss."

Wei Yan gave Cui Chi a look. Cui Chi bowed slightly to Father Lu with a smile. "Esteemed elder, this way, please."

Father Lu glanced at Lu Jiming, but Lu Jiming turned his head away, refusing to meet his gaze.

Father Lu offered no further resistance and left, half-supported, half-escorted by Cui Chi. The subdued thugs on the ground were also taken out by the other officers.

Only Wei Yan and Lu Jiming remained in the ancestral hall.

The sound of pattering rain filled the air, as if only the two of them were left in the world.

Wei Yan looked at Lu Jiming's bare feet. "Why aren't you wearing shoes?"

Lu Jiming couldn't help but laugh. Having just witnessed a scene of father and son turning against each other, this man was only concerned about whether he was wearing shoes.

"I was thinking, the State Preceptor's words were truly accurate. On this journey, we've faced pirates and now my own family. It truly has been turbulent," Lu Jiming said.

"No matter how turbulent, haven't we overcome it all?" Wei Yan didn't elaborate on the State Preceptor with Lu Jiming, as it was merely a pretext he had fabricated.

He bent down, pulled a kneeling cushion from under the altar table, and placed it before Lu Jiming. "Sit. Let me see if you're injured."

Lu Jiming obediently sat down. He was too exhausted tonight, with no energy left for formalities with Wei Yan.

Wei Yan gently lifted Lu Jiming's ankle, carefully examining the soles of his feet for any cuts.

Lu Jiming stared blankly at the rain falling outside the window. Tears, belatedly, began to roll down his cheeks.

Wei Yan had just confirmed Lu Jiming was unharmed and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt drops of water fall onto his hand. He looked up and met Lu Jiming's tear-streaked face.

Lu Jiming cried almost silently. His body didn't seem to shake; he simply remained wordless, letting tears stream continuously down his face.

A pang of pain shot through Wei Yan's heart. He pulled Lu Jiming into a tight embrace.

Lu Jiming's hands hung limply at his sides, his eyes still fixed on the night rain. "Shi Xia, I'm so sad. Why does it still hurt so much when my heart is already dead?"

Wei Yan didn't correct the inappropriate name Lu Jiming had uttered. Instead, he spoke softly into his ear, using a tone one would use to comfort a child. "Because he is, after all, your father. Isn't it only natural for a child to hold expectations of their father?"

Yes, natural... Isn't it also natural for a father to love his child? Why was he still abandoned?

If Mother were still here, today in the ancestral hall, at least one figure would have stood between him and his father.

But now, he alone had witnessed the merciless tearing away of that veil of pretense. When he could no longer bring glory to the Lu family, he ceased to be his son.

Lu Jiming raised his hand as if he were a puppet, clutching Wei Yan’s back helplessly.

He prayed in his heart that Wei Yan would love him.

Please, just love me. Ning Jia and Lu Guanguan will eventually have their own lives. If even you don’t love me, I’ll be completely alone.

Lu Jiming tightened his grip on Wei Yan, as if clinging to the last lifeline.

But Lu Jiming didn’t utter a single word. He didn’t want to appear so pathetic, nor did he want to lose the last shred of his meager dignity in front of Wei Yan.

“It’s okay, it’s over,” Wei Yan said. “Now think about it—what do you want to do? Do you want to kill them? Whatever you decide, I’ll help you.”

“Yes,” Lu Jiming released his grip, turned around, and looked up at the densely stacked ancestral tablets. A flicker of malice flashed in his eyes. “I want to tear them to pieces.”

He wanted them to kneel forever in the endless hell, repenting to him.

Before his ancestors, Lu Jiming spoke the most rebellious words.

He had made his ancestors witness kin turning against each other in a fight to the death.

But he wasn’t the one who started it.

“Alright,” Wei Yan agreed without hesitation.

But Lu Jiming said, “Forget it. It’s meaningless.”

If he truly dealt with the Lu family, others would no longer investigate what wrongs the Lu family had committed. Instead, they would accuse him of being heartless and ungrateful.

Since ancient times, rulers have governed with benevolence and filial piety. Wei Yan, for helping him, would also face criticism and condemnation.

Lu Jiming hadn’t been blinded by hatred. He couldn’t bear to watch Wei Yan be tarnished because of such people.

“Just let it go like that?” Wei Yan couldn’t believe that, even at this point, Lu Jiming would still cling to protecting the Lu family, yet he feared that Lu Jiming truly meant it.

“Of course not,” Lu Jiming said. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m leaving the Lu family. From now on, we go our separate ways. I am no longer a member of the Lu family.”

“Xuping, once you marry into the Eastern Palace, you naturally won’t be a member of the Lu family anymore.”

“No,” Lu Jiming gritted his teeth. “I want to sever all ties with the Lu family.”

Wei Yan looked at Lu Jiming in disbelief. Severing all ties meant being removed from the family register. For Lu Jiming, for the Lu Jiming who once valued family interests above all else, this was simply unimaginable.

Lu Jiming sneered.

He didn’t care anymore, not at all.

Starting from him, his descendants would never have to yearn for that elusive family register. He would protect his children well, without relying on these lifeless wooden tablets in the ancestral hall.

No more burdens weighed on his shoulders. He didn’t have to be anyone’s son or grandson—he could just be himself. He was completely free.

Next, it was time to repay his debts.

His creditor stood before him now, offering him a gratified smile.

“Alright, Xuping. I told you, whatever you want to do, I’ll help you.”

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Author’s Note: *I’m afraid some might misunderstand, so let me clarify here. I don’t think Little Lu reached the bad ending in his previous life because he abandoned love for family ties. Rather, he failed to realize that family isn’t defined by blood but by love. Relatives who don’t love you don’t have to be treated as family. In my view, if Little Lu in his previous life couldn’t cut ties with the Lu family, even if he maintained a relationship with Wei Yan, they would eventually drift apart. In this life, whether he chooses to be with Wei Yan or not, he will have a completely different, happy life. (Of course, he definitely won’t want to let Wei Yan go.)