"No, no, the adults only said... the child is for you, and in the future... in the future he and Madam Yuefang will have their own children."
Chunlu uttered with difficulty the words he had "specifically" instructed him to say, and which he had to say to his wife.
Shu Yao exhaled through her nose and said frankly, "I understand..."
It doesn't matter, as long as she gets Xiaobao, it's none of her business who he has hundreds of children with.
"Young Madam..."
“Chunlu, don’t call me that anymore. Thank you for serving me so diligently and for taking care of Xiaobao these days. As for what happened between you and Qi Huo and the deception you made of me, we’re even. From now on, I have nothing to do with the Huo family and nothing to do with you either.”
Chunlu lowered her head in shame, having helped the master deceive her. Even though she was forced into it and truly felt sorry for the young mistress, the old Taoist's words had left everyone in the mansion shaken. Survival was paramount, so they had no choice but to be ruthless towards her. Although she felt somewhat wronged, as long as the young mistress could live well, this grievance was nothing.
Chunlu sighed again, "In short, I have completed the task assigned by the master and delivered the message. From now on, I hope you and the young master will take care."
Even the most elaborate feasts must come to an end. Though we may be reluctant to part, there will eventually be a time for separation; it's just a matter of time.
Looking at the maid who had served her for many years, Shu Yao was filled with emotion. She also thought of Xia Hong, Qiu Yue, and Dong Xue. She never imagined that their last parting would be their last. Now, having left the Huo family mansion and the capital, her sisterly bond with them had vanished without a trace.
"Madam, the carriage is filled with everything that the young master is used to eating, wearing, and playing with. We have packed and brought everything that he usually uses. We have also labeled each box with what is in it. If you need any of the items, just look for them according to the labels."
"Thank you," Shu Yao said sincerely. The things they had done for Xiao Bao were enough to show their care for him.
Unable to bear seeing the young mistress's sad appearance any longer, Chunlu bowed and got up to leave.
"Wait..." Shu Yao grabbed her hand, stopping her from leaving. "Chunlu, there's something... I want to ask you!"
"You have something to ask me? Is it related to the young master?" Chunlu asked, bewildered.
"No, there are just some things I don't understand. Before you cooperated with Huo Jingsha in the exercise, did something else happen? And I just forgot about it?" She carefully observed Chunlu's reaction.
Chunlu was suddenly startled, her eyes filled with inquiry, wondering if the young mistress had recalled the past. But before she could be sure, she had no choice but to deny it, saying, "I... I don't understand what you mean."
She dared not imagine what the consequences would be if the young mistress really remembered.
Shu Yao narrowed her eyes. "You've always served me, do you remember how I got this scar on my left chest?"
She pointed to the location of the wound.
Chunlu held her breath, trying to remain calm. "This...this, have you forgotten? It was because the young master accidentally scratched it with his toy." She made up a lie, blaming the innocent child, secretly hoping that this would get her away with it.
"Really? I really don't remember anything like that..." Would a child's toys contain such sharp objects? But Chunlu didn't seem to be lying. She wanted to think about it more deeply, but suddenly her head started to throb with pain, interrupting her train of thought.
"Madam, perhaps too many things have happened lately, which has aggravated your nerves, so you can't remember such a small matter. But it's good that you don't remember, it's not a big deal after all."
Chunlu suppressed her guilt and said...
"Right? I also heard that before Yuefang, the master brought a woman named Luo Wenpei into the manor. Is that true?" Shu Yao asked again, frowning.
“It’s true, but as far as I know, Miss Luo and the master are related. After she entered the manor, the master stayed with the madam every night and never did anything inappropriate with Miss Luo. As for other things… I don’t know.” Chunlu feigned ignorance, deftly deflecting the question.
Shu Yao pursed her lips. The story told by Chunlu was completely different from what Qi had said, and she didn't know who to believe. As for what Chunlu was saying, she didn't intend to completely believe it either. She would ask her questions, but she wanted to observe her reaction and hope that Chunlu would reveal some clues so that she could find a flaw. Unfortunately, Chunlu was very clever and she couldn't see any clues at all.
“Chunlu, you… no, all three of you should really think about yourselves. When will this ever end with Huo Jingsha?”
The young mistress had brought up this issue with them more than once. They knew that young women's youth was precious, but after working under Lord Huo for so many years, they had become accustomed to it. They didn't know what they could do if they left the Huo family. If this matter were to be explained in detail, it would be considered a tragedy for the four of them.
"Thank you for your concern, Madam. You don't know the circumstances under which Lord Huo pulled us out of our misery. If we have the chance to repay him in this lifetime, we will have done our duty. So, perhaps until death do us part, we are all prepared to die for him at any time."
Chunlu's straightforward answer surprised Shuyao. "What if... he treats you like he treats the concubines in the back courtyard..." Could they really give you away so easily without any complaints?
“Young Madam, I understand your concerns. The Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) are known for their ruthless and cold-blooded methods, and most of their members are indeed like that. But the Lord is different. He is the most considerate master I have ever met. He never mistreats or abuses anyone around him, including the servants in the mansion. Especially towards the four of us, he has never forced us to do anything. If we disregard his position as the Commander-in-Chief of the Jinyiwei, he is absolutely a good father, a good husband, and a good master to his son, to you, and even to us servants! Young Madam, you have been married to the Lord for many years, so you should know that he… is a good man.” Chunlu couldn’t help but say more.
Shu Yao looked down at her son, who was sleeping soundly and carefree in her arms, and abandoned any thought of persuading him. "Don't you think your words are truly contradictory and ironic? Look at me and Xiao Bao, a man who abandoned his wife and children, how can you call him a good father and a good husband?"
"This..." Chunlu had no words to express her bitterness, but she could no longer argue with her master. Justice is in the hearts of the people, and Heaven knows. "Then, just pretend I didn't say anything."
Not daring to linger any longer lest she say something inappropriate, she had no choice but to turn and leave hastily.
Watching Chunlu's retreating figure, Shuyao thoughtfully began to consider some things...
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