Chapter 265 – Aren’t you afraid that I’ll tell on you? (2)
Monk Xuwu entered the room and very politely saluted Ning Yuxuan, then he straightened his body and started to ridicule him, “Other families invite this old one over to perform religious ceremonies or ask for insight on how to meditate and contemplate Buddhist truths. Marquis, you’re the only one that would ask this old one to come over to check how old the baby was when his mother gave birth to him.”
Ji Man made a bet with herself. This old monk had definitely rolled his eyes. He just did it so quickly that no one had noticed.
Without any expression, Marquis Moyu handed the baby over to the monk.
Holding the baby, the monk lowered his head for a closer look. He twitched his lips and said, “This child had no traces of riches and n.o.bility. He’s destined for a mediocre life of accomplis.h.i.+ng nothing. He’s not as good as that previous baby…”
Ning Yuxuan coughed to interrupt him. With his brow slightly furrowed, “Just tell me how long his mother had been pregnant when she gave birth to him.”
“A solid body with strong bones. He’s definitely a baby that had been carried to full term, ah.” Monk Xuwu had only held Fu-er for a few seconds before he found it boring and stuffed him back into Ning Yuxuan’s arms. “You have too many children. Instead of staying an evil creature and involving yourself with worldly affairs, why don’t you learn from this old one’s immaculate lifestyle and have a pure and tranquil mind…”
Original translation is from fuyuneko dot org. If you’re reading this elsewhere, this chapter has been stolen. Please stop supporting theft.
Marquis Moyu was already not in the mood to listen to the rest of Monk Xuwu’s advice. Dengxin had brought over a booklet that recorded which dates each woman had been favored. All n.o.ble families had records like these in order to avoid muddling a family’s lineage.
“From the time that Honored Concubine Xue had been favored to when she gave birth, it had only been nine moon cycles.”
Ji Man sympathetically looked at Ning Yuxuan.
There wasn’t any man that could tolerate something like this, much less a tyrannical male lead like Ning Yuxuan.
“There’s no need to ask anymore questions.” So angry that even yelling wouldn’t be enough to vent his feelings, Ning Yuxuan laughed instead. Looking at Nie Sangyu, he said, “Pick two good stones for them, then tie them up and let them sink into the lake.”
Ji Man slightly pressed her lips together. She accepted the child that Ning Yuxuan pushed into her hands. Kneeling on the ground, Li Zixiu’s face had turned deathly pale. Muxu didn’t dare to raise her head and only cried and shouted, “My lord, please have mercy!”
“Lock them up in the woodshed. Tomorrow, drown that vile sp.a.w.n with them.”
Guibai made a sound of a.s.sent, and the other servants came forward and dragged Li Zixiu and Muxu out of the room.
Someone came to take the baby from Ji Man. She paused for a moment before handing him over.
Wen Wan took a step and said, “Madam, how can you be so heartless? The child is innocent. Why won’t you persuade the marquis to change his mind?”
Ji Man glanced at her and replied, “Why don’t you go and persuade him yourself?”
Wen Wan looked at that man, who was in the midst of a raging temper, and shrunk her neck back. At this moment, if anyone dared to go forward to plead for the child, then that person would be a true idiot. Even the greatest Holy Mother aura wouldn’t be able to calm down Marquis Moyu’s overwhelming fury.
Muxu cried until her voice became hoa.r.s.e as she was dragged to the woodshed. She and Li Zixiu were shut into the woodshed together.
—
Before leaving with Haohao in her arms, Xia-s.h.i.+ sighed and said, “It’s a pity. Why couldn’t she figure things out instead of doing something so shameless?”
Ji Man was lost in thought for a while before she decided to return to her room to rest. Standing behind her, Qi Siling lightly said, “Madam, you’re truly a vicious and merciless person. Even though she’s your servant girl, you’ll still get rid of her like this.”
Ji Man didn’t understand. “Why does Muxu’s punishment have anything to do with me?”
Marquis Moyu and Monk Xuwu had already left the room to supposedly talk about Buddhist principles. Most of the other people had already departed. Ji Man and Qi Siling were the only ones left.
“Servants are always the ones that know the most about their masters’ secrets. Today’s show of a pleading servant that betrayed her husband, isn’t this Madam’s way of burying a secret?” Qi Siling laughed as if she knew more than she was saying.
Ji Man really wanted to say, big sister, you’re overthinking things.
But, after thinking things over, while it was true that Muxu was the one that choose to walk down the path that would lead to her death, Muxu also knew a lot of her secrets, including how to make cold cream. Muxu’s death would save her a lot of trouble.
No wonder Qi Siling’s thoughts had turned to that direction. Ji Man sighed. “Everything is determined by an incomprehensible fate. Siling, you should start going to sleep earlier. Look at the dark circles under your eyes…”
After saying this, she went inside her room to rest.
Qi Siling stood in place for a while before clutching her handkerchief and heading toward the back of the estate.
Just as Ji Man was about to sleep, Dengxin led Luqiao inside and said that Luqiao had pleaded to see her.
With a shrewd and hopeful expression, Luqiao said, “This servant know everything that Mistress Xue has done and can bring everything out into the light of day. Madam, can you let this servant have slightly better days in the future?”
Once Luqiao’s master fell, she naturally had to be rea.s.signed.
Looking at Luqiao, Ji Man asked with interest, “What do you know?”
Luqiao answer, “This servant knows Young Master Fu-er‘s origin.”
Ji Man really wanted to say, I know too. But, looking at Luqiao’s glimmering eyes, she swallowed those words and nodded.
—
Muxu and Li Zixiu had been locked in the northern courtyard’s woodshed. After she had given up on crying, Muxu started to yell that she wanted to see Madam with all of her strength.
After dinner, Ji Man went over to the woodshed to see her.
Muxu looked quite pitiful as she cried out, “Master, save me.”
“The mistake that you made, it’s not something I can save you from.” Ji Man shrugged.
The pitiful tear-stained face suddenly became malevolent. Looking at her, Muxu hatefully said, “Madam, are you not afraid that I’ll tell the marquis about your business dealings?
Ji Man clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Do you really think that the marquis will still be willing to see you?”