amaotonovel Chapter 378
Chapter 378
After this incident, no one investigated the various misdeeds the mother and son had committed in the capital. The people of the capital, who always sympathized with the weak, denounced the Marquis of Jing'an for forcing his wife and son to death, and denounced him in public for his heartlessness.
Upon hearing this, His Majesty was furious and immediately issued an imperial decree, dismissing him from his official position, stripping him of his hereditary title, and banishing him to his native place, forbidding him from ever entering the capital again. The Marquis's family, the Yang family's second branch, was already related to the Jing'an Marquis's mansion. To prevent the fallout from the main branch, she had been busy traveling extensively, maneuvering among the powerful and influential.
She had hoped to wait until the incident had died down so she could find some time to arrange a marriage for her eldest son. However, she hadn't expected the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery to return home the previous day, scowling all day, sitting alone in his study until midnight. Suspicious, the Marquis's wife summoned Zhang, the Marquis's attendant, for a detailed interrogation, only to learn the full story. The revelation was a shocking revelation, leaving her stunned for a long moment. But then she reflected on her eldest son's recent seclusion from women. While he couldn't marry yet, and he disdained concubines, the fact that he didn't even have a close servant by his side was truly unusual. Her worries grew, and she couldn't sleep all night.
Today, at the crack of dawn, she had risen early, carefully selected valuable gifts, and dressed properly before ordering a carriage to head to Luo Shuiyao's place. She had wanted to arrive early, but she was afraid of losing the dignified demeanor of a marquis's wife, so she suppressed her anxiety and waited until three quarters past noon before leaving.
Unexpectedly, after finally arriving at the place, she was told that Luo Shuiyao had gone to the Right Prime Minister's residence early in the morning and had not yet returned. Although she was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, she still maintained the demeanor of a lady and had no choice but to stay in the residence, eagerly waiting for Luo Shuiyao to return soon.
Luo Shuiyao was completely oblivious to her thoughts. Upon hearing this, she smiled faintly and said, "Thank you for your concern, aunt. I'm fine. But I'm sorry to have troubled you to wait for so long. Why didn't you send someone to let me know?"
How could the Marquis' wife not have thought of sending someone to look for her? However, Luo Shuiyao was in the Right Prime Minister's residence, and she valued her reputation the most. If the news of sending someone to urge her to look for her got to the Right Prime Minister's wife, it would inevitably give her something to talk about. So she could only endure and wait. Hearing this, she quickly waved her hand and said, "It's okay. My aunt is now at home and has plenty of time to wait. Since you and the Right Prime Minister's wife have just recognized each other as mother and daughter, you should get closer."
As she spoke, she shifted her body and continued, "It's just that this little courtyard is a bit narrow after all. Why don't you go back to the Marquis' Mansion with your aunt today? Your aunt has been having someone clean your yard... It was my aunt who was confused and made a mistake before. But I know Yaoyao is always kind and generous, so she won't blame me, right?"
Luo Shuiyao was somewhat surprised by the Marquis's humble demeanor. She had already suspected that the Marquis's sudden visit must have a reason, perhaps still wanting to take her back to the Marquis's mansion. But her words today seemed to indicate otherwise.
Her eyes flickered slightly, pretending not to understand the deeper meaning behind the Marquis's words. She only smiled lightly and said, "Aunt, what you said—how could I blame you? I will always remember the kindness you and the Marquis have shown to Yaoyao. But after all, I have no blood relationship with the Marquis's Mansion, so it is really inconvenient for me to live there for a long time. Besides, I still have my aunt and her family at home. I will definitely bring them to the capital in the future. If that's the case, how can I live in the Marquis's Mansion forever?"
The Marquis's wife nodded slightly at this. How could she not know the reason? She had originally wanted to take the man into the Marquis's residence so that her son would have the advantage of being close to her. But now that she heard him mention her aunt, she felt it was inconvenient to force him, even if she had all sorts of plans.
The corners of her lips curled up slightly, and her fingertips gently placed on the back of Luo Shuiyao's hand, which was resting on the table. She spoke softly, "I've always known you to be a very filial child. The Marquis and I are always thinking about you, worried that you won't be able to get enough food, clothing, and other expenses outside. Since that's the case, your aunt won't force you. But you must remember, if you're not happy living here, be sure to tell your aunt. In this capital, you have the support of my Loyal and Brave Marquisate. Even if a noble family comes, no one will dare to treat you with disrespect."
She spoke sincerely.
Luo Shuiyao raised the corners of her lips and nodded gently: "Thank you for your concern. If I really encounter any inappropriate things, I will come to you and the Marquis for protection."
After hearing these words, the Marquis's wife finally felt relieved. After spending some time with her, she had already figured out her temper—this girl had a strong temper. If she didn't want to deal with the Marquis's residence anymore, she would have agreed without a trace of pretense; and if she had agreed, it would have been no perfunctory gesture. It seemed that this girl truly knew how to repay a favor and didn't hold a grudge against the Marquis's residence for what she had done previously.
Since she didn't bear any grudge against the Marquis' Mansion, and they both had a past relationship, perhaps the thing he wanted to facilitate wouldn't be as difficult as he had imagined.
But this matter couldn't be rushed; it needed to be done slowly. With this in mind, she and Luo Shuiyao chatted about some family matters. Although she brought up most of the topics, Luo Shuiyao agreed, and for a while, both the host and the guest were very happy.
As she was talking, the Marquis' wife mentioned Lu Zhaozhao intentionally or unintentionally: "Back then, I had a deep friendship with Chaochao's mother. We grew up together and were closer than others. Later, she saved my life, and I even took her as my best friend, but I didn't expect... all this was just my wishful thinking..." When she said this, a trace of hurt flashed in her eyes, and her eyes turned slightly red, but she forced herself not to let the tears fall.
Luo Shuiyao hadn't expected the conversation to take such a turn, and seeing her like this, she was speechless. After a few breaths, seeing that she was still lost in sorrow, she suppressed her doubts and comforted her, "Aunt, please don't be sad anymore. You can only know a person's face, not their heart. Who can tell at a glance whether they are a jackal or a tiger? Just look at the good results now, and that's enough."
Upon hearing this, the Marquis's wife raised her eyes, pressed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and forced a smile: "You are right, now everything is over, I should not dwell on the past."
At this point, she glanced at Luo Shuiyao casually, and continued, "Zhao Zhao, that girl, has been blinded by the prosperity of the capital since she first arrived, and has made many mistakes. The Marquis and I are not her closest relatives, so it's not easy for us to teach her harshly. Moreover, since you left the Marquis' Mansion, the Marquis and I sent someone to escort her back to the Lu family in Ping'an County. I'm afraid you two won't see each other again in the future..."
Luo Shuiyao's face was filled with astonishment, and she instinctively asked, "Why would she return to Ping'an County?" Deep down, she was filled with astonishment. According to the original novel, the heroine's core scenes were set in the capital. Now that Lu Zhaozhao has been sent away, how will the plot proceed? Furthermore, the heroine has always been proud and arrogant. Although she's being polite now, I'm afraid she's actually been secretly sent back by the Marquis' Mansion. How could she have willingly accepted this? With this plot twist, how will the rest of the story unfold?
Luo Shuiyao was genuinely unaware that Lu Zhaozhao had left the capital. After all, compared to the numerous scandals surrounding the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion, the news of an orphan girl's departure from the capital was unlikely to stir much, not to mention that those present at the time had already been silenced by the Marquis's mansion. Even if the common people had occasionally muttered gossip, it would never reach Luo Shuiyao. Furthermore, the Marquis's mansion had never publicized Lu Zhaozhao's departure, and since she hadn't paid much attention to its activities, she naturally knew nothing about the incident.
Seeing her genuine shock, the Marquis's wife assumed she was still reminiscing about their past friendship, so she sighed, "You two have been together for some time, and are the same age. Even if there have been some disagreements, there's still some affection. It's natural for you to feel a bit overwhelmed for a while, and your aunt certainly understands that. However, she is, after all, a direct descendant of the Lu family, and it's not right for her to stay in the Marquis' mansion long-term. It would be best for her to return home sooner rather than later."