Chapter 76 "Don't you all think you're...?"
Looking at his tearful wife, her swaying body, the veins bulging on her forehead, her fists clenched, Lü Lin could no longer restrain himself and strode forward to embrace her tightly.
"Qingxi, don't cry." He said in a low voice, trying to comfort her, "Zong-ge'er will be alright. I will definitely find him."
Fan Qingxi leaned against this familiar yet unfamiliar embrace, her eyelashes lowered, concealing the complex emotions she couldn't express, and she sobbed softly with increasing grievance.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi hid in a secluded corner to watch the drama unfold, and couldn't help but whisper their comments: "As expected, human potential is limitless. Sister-in-law Fan's acting skills have really exploded!"
Yan Yi didn't reply to her immediately. She stared at Lü Lin without blinking, and saw a complex mix of emotions on his face, including pity, anxiety, entanglement, and struggle.
She said softly, "The fake Lü Lin's acting skills are not bad either."
Anyone who saw this scene would only think of two parents who had lost their son and were in unbearable grief.
Shen Lingyue crossed her arms. "Now it's up to the fake Lü Lin to choose."
Should he choose his beloved son, or that "secret that can't be told"?
The next second, they suddenly saw Lü Lin release Fan Qingxi and stride towards the two of them, his face tense, as if suppressing a deep anger.
Before Shen Lingyue could react, Lü Lin was already standing in front of her, his tall figure enveloping her completely and creating a sense of oppression.
"Madam Shen," Lü Lin forced out through gritted teeth, "Could we speak in private?"
Shen Lingyue gave Yan Yi a reassuring look, and walked with Lü Lin to the courtyard wall not far away.
"What does Lord Lü want to say to me?" Shen Lingyue frowned slightly, her face showing just the right amount of worry. "The most urgent thing right now is to find the child."
Lu Lin's deep eyes were fixed on her. "Doesn't Madam Shen know the whereabouts of Zong-ge'er?"
His voice grew lower and lower, even carrying a hint of urgency, "You've always doubted my identity, even going so far as to kidnap Zong-ge'er to force me... Is this the result you wanted? Why drag innocent children into adult matters?!"
Shen Lingyue opened her mouth, as if she had suffered a great injustice, "You suspect that I kidnapped Zong Ge'er?"
She stomped her foot angrily and swore to the heavens, "I was with Sister-in-law Fan and Sister-in-law Guo all day. The servants of the Lü family can all testify. How could I have had the opportunity to kidnap your son?"
"It really wasn't you?"
A flicker of doubt crossed Lü Lin's face. Based on his ten years of experience as an official and his experience interrogating countless heinous criminals, Shen Lingyue's shock and anger at this moment did not seem fake.
Shen Lingyue glared at him irritably. "I think you should think about what enemies you've offended, Master Lü?"
She deliberately dragged out her call to him, as if their shared identity was an unspoken, unspoken understanding between them.
Lu Lin's eyes flickered with emotion as he suppressed countless feelings, coldly uttering, "You'd better not let me find out that this matter is related to you, otherwise even the Marquis of Changning's mansion can't protect you."
He turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.
Shen Lingyue returned to Yan Yi's side, and the latter asked in a low voice, "He didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"
"I don't know anything, what can he do to me?" Shen Lingyue said confidently.
She had only given Fan Qingxi a small suggestion; she didn't even know where Zong Ge'er was now, so of course it had nothing to do with her.
...
Lü Chong led the constables to search the entire Lü residence three times, almost digging up the ground, but they still couldn't find any clues.
It was as if Zong Ge'er had simply vanished into thin air.
He was somewhat frustrated and went to Lü Lin to discuss: "Brother, it seems that the people who kidnapped Zong Ge'er were after you. Did you offend someone in the Northwest and they want revenge?"
Lu Lin remained silent, but one could see the tense atmosphere surrounding him, as if he were pondering the object of his suspicion.
Lu Chong continued, "The kidnappers aren't after money, they just want to meet you at the usual place... Brother, where is the usual place? Do you have any leads?"
If his elder brother could provide a few suspects and locations, he might be able to rush over and rescue Zong-ge'er.
"I...I don't know either."
Lu Lin finally spoke, his voice terribly hoarse, as if he were being tormented by a fire burning in his heart, like being fried in oil.
He sat there, his hands gripping the hem of his clothes tightly, his knuckles trembling slightly from the force.
Just then, the gatekeeper of the Lü residence ran in from outside, carrying a wooden box in his hands.
Lu Chong abruptly stood up, his eyes blazing. "What is this? Who sent it?"
The doorman, head bowed and trembling, replied, "I don't know either. In the blink of an eye, this box was placed at the door..."
At this moment, the whole family gathered in the front hall, and all eyes were focused on the wooden box.
The doorman, fearing he would be blamed, lowered his head even further, his hands holding the wooden box trembling slightly.
Tick-tock...
A few drops of reddish-brown liquid seeped from the edge of the wooden box, splashing onto the floor tiles and faintly emitting a fishy smell.
Lu Chong's expression turned serious in an instant. Seeing that Lu Lin was about to step forward to check, he quickly raised his hand to stop him, "Brother, let me do it."
He took a deep breath without making a sound, then suddenly lifted the lid of the box. The contents inside stung his eyes, and he immediately closed it again.
Lu Lin could no longer contain himself and stood up, stepping forward. "What's inside the box? Let me see!"
Lu moved his lips, unsure how to speak, his voice hoarse: "Brother, you'd better not watch..."
Just as the two brothers were at an impasse, Fan Qingxi, who had been sitting on the other side of the chair with her head down and sobbing, suddenly stepped forward, took advantage of Lü Chong's inattention, snatched the wooden box, and opened it.
“…Brother Zong!” Fan Qingxi cried out in anguish, collapsing to her knees.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi were standing not far behind her. The moment the wooden box was opened, they both saw a blood-soaked child's finger inside.
"Qingxi!"
Lu Lin pushed Lu Chong away, carefully squatted down in front of her, stretched out his hand, and tried his best to use the gentlest tone: "Give me the wooden box, okay?"
Fan Qingxi just cried harder, clutching the blood-dripping wooden box tightly, not caring at all that her clothes were soiled.
She collapsed to the ground, her makeup ruined by tears, her hair disheveled, and her bloodshot eyes glaring at him fiercely: "Lü Lin! Zong-ge'er has been arrested and his fingers have been chopped off... Who did you offend that you would do this to my son?!"
Lu Lin was stunned by her painful and desperate accusations, his mind went blank, and he couldn't utter any words of defense.
Fan Qingxi seemed to hate him intensely. Suddenly, she shoved him hard, pointed at him, and shouted, "Go! Go see that person! Go and bring my son back!"
"What? The box contains Zong-ge'er's..."
Upon hearing this devastating news, Lü's mother gasped and nearly fainted.
Guo Yun quickly stepped forward to help her up, and after much persuasion, managed to get her mother-in-law to go into the inner room to rest. Through the screen, she could faintly hear the old lady's heartbroken sobs.
Minister Lü was now also getting restless. His brow furrowed, he stroked his beard repeatedly, and looked at his eldest son: "Who could be so cruel as to do this to a child? To go to such lengths, the enmity between you two must be quite deep. Think carefully and come up with a solution. Otherwise…"
He couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence in front of Fan Qingxi.
But everyone present knew perfectly well that if they couldn't rescue Zong Ge'er, the next time they might send more than just a finger.
Lu Chong urged, "Brother, think of something! Where exactly is the old place? Even if we don't have a clue, we can always try our luck in a few more places."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi hid behind a pillar, both with identical expressions of astonishment on their faces.
She couldn't help but peek out.
Fan Qingxi was still sitting on the ground, weeping bitterly, clutching the wooden box containing "Zong Ge'er's fingers" tightly in her arms, like a mother beast who had lost her cubs, and no one could get close to her.
Shen Lingyue bit down hard on the corner of the handkerchief, otherwise she was afraid she would scream.
...Sister-in-law Fan is indeed ruthless!
Although they could all guess that the so-called finger was fake, Fan Qingxi held onto the box tightly because she was afraid that the men in her family who were well-versed in criminal matters would see through her act.
However, it must be said that this is definitely a powerful weapon for the fake Lü Lin.
Now that things have come to this, can he still stubbornly refuse to admit it?
...
After being pushed away by Fan Qingxi, Lü Lin stood motionless, his head bowed, his cheeks taut, and large beads of sweat dripping from his forehead, as if he were under immense pressure.
He could hear his father and brother's anxious urging and his wife's desperate weeping. So many voices buzzed in his head, as if a sharp knife was violently churning his brain.
Minister Lü held the so-called extortion letter in his hand, looking at it over and over again. After serving as Minister of Justice for his entire life, he finally realized something was amiss.
Why does the letter repeatedly emphasize that "only Lü Lin" can meet at the old place, and not someone else?
Who is this "other person"?
Was he afraid someone would follow the eldest son and find the other's hiding place, or was he afraid... someone would impersonate the eldest son and go to meet him?
Minister Lü raised his head, and his old, cloudy eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp light as he scrutinized his eldest son, who had been away from home for ten years.
He suddenly remembered the story of the "real and fake county magistrate" that his wife had jokingly told him a few days ago.
Those minor details that he had unintentionally overlooked suddenly seemed to become discordant noises in a piece of music, standing out with exceptional clarity.
Ten years is enough for a person to grow up completely, but is it also enough for a person to be completely replaced by another person?
Handwriting, accent, diet, preferences—these can all be changed, but can one's inherent temperament change? From infancy to a fine young man, over twenty years of father-son relationship—is the eldest son he raised still the same person before him?
"Lü Lin."
Minister Lü suddenly called his name, his tone heavy and full of authority.
Lu Lin snapped out of his reverie and subconsciously looked up. "Father, what are your instructions?"
Minister Lü gazed intently into his eyes and spoke slowly, word by word: "Do you still remember when you were nine years old, what was the title of the first eight-legged essay I taught you to write?"
This seemingly unrelated issue to the current kidnapping of Zong Ge'er struck Lü Lin like a thunderbolt, instantly draining all color from his face.
Lu Chong stared wide-eyed at his father, somewhat puzzled: Why are you suddenly asking this?
Fan Qingxi paused in her sobs, raised her blurry, tear-filled eyes, and stared intently at the trembling back of the man in front of her.
After a long while, they heard Lü Lin's hoarse voice, "Too much time has passed, son, son really can't remember."
Minister Lü's face showed a complex and subtle expression, and after a long while, he slowly pulled out a smile that was neither a cry nor a laugh.
"You've forgotten? Let me tell you, it's 'Great virtue does not transgress boundaries, but lesser virtue may dabble'... The original manuscript of the first article written by every scholar in his life is still in my study. How dare you say you've forgotten it?!"
Minister Lü abruptly stood up, his anger like that of a thunderbolt, and pointed at the man before him, shouting fiercely, "Who exactly are you? Where is my son Lü Lin now! Has he... has he already been murdered by you, his identity stolen by you!"
Lu Lin slowly lowered his head and knelt down in front of him with a thud.
"Minister Lü... is extremely discerning. I am indeed not your son."
Finally revealing the secret buried for ten years, the man felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his back, and he even felt a sense of relief.
Lu Chong was completely dumbfounded. He rushed up to him, looking him up and down. "Brother, what nonsense are you talking about? Who else could you be but my brother?"
The man gave a wry smile and shook his head: "My real name is Xu Yanhe. I'm a scholar from Duling County, Yunzhou Prefecture. Perhaps it's fate playing tricks on me, but even though Lü Lin and I are two completely unrelated people, we look eight or nine parts alike..."
His suspicions were confirmed. Minister Lü closed his eyes, forced himself to sit back in his armchair, and poured himself a cup of tea to calm his nerves.
When he spoke again, he seemed to have aged more than ten years, his voice low and weak: "When did you start taking over my son's identity?"
"Ten years ago, when Lü Lin took up his post in Xichuan County."
Xu Yanhe raised his head, his face carrying a calm, deathly stillness that spoke of everything, and said calmly, "I was originally a poor scholar who lost both my parents and made a living by teaching in the county school. But one night, I was forcibly kidnapped and imprisoned in a dark and gloomy secret room. I was required to imitate a son of an official from the capital, the future magistrate of Xichuan County, as quickly as possible."
He said to Minister Lü, "You should know very well that Lü Lin, a son of an official from a privileged background, should not have been assigned to the impoverished and desolate Xichuan County. All of this was Wang Hong's revenge against you at the time."
Minister Lü remained silent.
He was impartial and just in dealing with Wang Hong's younger brother, who was causing trouble in his hometown, ignoring several letters of pleas for leniency. As a result, less than half a year later, his eldest son, whom he was so proud of, was assigned to Xichuan.
For countless sleepless nights, Minister Lü worried about his eldest son who had gone to his post alone. Only after his son had established himself and led his troops to a great victory in suppressing bandits did he finally feel at ease.
But now Xu Yanhe tells him that from the very beginning, Wang Hong had woven a deadly trap for Lü Lin, and had even found a substitute.
A metallic, hot sensation rose in his throat, and Minister Lü quickly took another large gulp of tea, his fingers holding the cup trembling slightly.
Xu Yanhe's calm and composed voice continued to reminisce.
"After Lü Lin arrived in Xichuan County, while he was searching for the bandits' hideouts and devising a strategy to suppress them, he was completely unaware that there was another pair of eyes on the mountain, hiding in a secret corner, secretly observing his every move. That person was me."
Xu Yanhe was captured by bandits and forced to imitate Lü Lin's speech, mannerisms, handwriting, and accent. Wang Hong even found many articles written by Lü Lin from various places and forced him to repeatedly recite and imitate them until he could pass for the real thing.
Even each member of that bandit group could act as his "examiner." If he slipped up, he would be subjected to anything ranging from starvation and thirst to severe torture.
“Everyone keeps telling me that I am Lü Lin. Wherever I go, if someone calls me Lü Lin, I must respond immediately. If I hesitate even slightly, I will be hit with a stick.”
Xu Yanhe chuckled self-deprecatingly, “It’s no exaggeration to say that in the end I even believed it myself. I was Lü Lin, and I didn’t even dare to reveal a single word in my sleep.”
"According to Wang Hong's plan, the day Lü Lin leads his troops into the mountains to suppress the bandits will be the best time for me to replace him and become Lü Lin."
Lu Chong couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "Why did Wang Hong do this? If he wanted to take revenge on my father, he could have just killed my elder brother. Why go through all this trouble?"
He looked at Xu Yanhe with a hint of suspicion. "Those bandits were all wiped out by my elder brother's troops. There's no way to verify their identities. You can just spout nonsense and shirk responsibility."
Lu Chong grew angrier the more he thought about it, and suddenly drew his sword, pointing it at Xu Yanhe. "I think you're just an imposter and a thief. You're the one who ruined my brother!"
Xu Yanhe showed no fear in the face of the gleaming silver blade, calmly looking at him.
"The reason Wang Hong forced me to imitate Lü Lin was because he needed an obedient magistrate of Xichuan County as a puppet to cover up his crimes of colluding with the royal family of the northern desert, allowing the Hu people to enter the pass and plunder, and raising bandits to enhance his own power."
Wang Hong always regarded the Northwest as his own, and the officials under his jurisdiction were all his puppets. Xichuan County, due to its strategic location and connection to the secret passage out of the pass, needed to be occupied by someone who was absolutely loyal to him.
Xu Yanhe: "Why do you think the previous magistrates of Xichuan County died mysteriously one after another? It's because they refused to collude with Wang Hong, so he used bandits to silence them."
Those so-called bandits were actually spies planted in Daye County by the northern desert to bribe high-ranking military officers and steal intelligence about the war situation.
However, the deaths of several magistrates in Xichuan County were too frequent and would eventually arouse the suspicion of the imperial court. Coincidentally, when Wang Hong's subordinate went to Duling County on business, he met Xu Yanhe, who looked very much like Lü Lin. So, he carefully planned this clever trick of switching the beams and pillars.
Lu Chong's hand holding the knife trembled slightly. "Then... what about my elder brother? Was he really killed by those bandits?"
Xu Yanhe pursed his lips and remained silent.
Lu Chong assumed he had acquiesced, and a surge of rage welled up within him. He raised his sword and slashed, shouting, "I'll kill you—"
"Ah Chong, stop!"
A loud shout came from outside the hall. The familiar voice made Lü Chong tremble and look up in disbelief.
A tall figure draped in a black cloak strode into the room, slowly removed his hood, and knelt down.
"Your unfilial son, Lü Lin, pays his respects to his father."
With a clang, the knife in Lü Chong's hand fell to the ground.
"Big brother? You're really my big brother?!"
The newcomer slowly raised his head, revealing a face that was almost identical to Xu Yanhe's beside him.
The only difference was that he had two deep, hideous scars on the left side of his face, and his skin was rougher, as if it had been through many hardships.
Minister Lü could no longer control himself. He staggered forward, grabbed Lü Lin's arm, and scrutinized him closely. "Lin'er, are you really Lin'er?"
Tears welled up in Lü Lin's eyes as he nodded vigorously, "It's me, I'm Lü Lin, the real deal."
He turned to look at Xu Yanhe beside him and explained to Minister Lü and Lü Chong, "Father, Second Brother, you have all misunderstood. I voluntarily let Yanhe take over the identity."
Minister Lü looked bewildered: "Why did you do this?"
"I originally thought this secret might be taken to my grave."
Lu Lin said in a low voice, "Yan He and I, one openly and one covertly, are both working for the peace of the border of Daye, so as to expose more high-ranking officials who collude with the royal family of Mobei."
He recalled the day he went into the mountains ten years ago to suppress bandits.
"...I wrote to Wang Hong to borrow troops, thinking he would make all sorts of excuses and difficulties, but to my surprise he agreed very readily. Later I found out that this was a trap he set to send me to my death."
Even the so-called secret passage into the mountains was revealed to him by a "spy" among the bandits arranged by Wang Hong, who pretended to surrender.
Lü Lin successfully entered the mountains, led his troops to the bandits' lair, fought a fierce battle with them, and captured numerous bandit leaders.
It went too smoothly, so smoothly that this young man in his early twenties developed an arrogant sense of complacency, full of ambition, thinking he had accomplished a great feat, but little did he know that a cold arrow would come from behind.
"If Yan He hadn't spoken up in time to remind me to avoid the vital points, I would have really died on the mountain as Wang Hong had planned."
Lu Lin said with emotion, "Yan He suffered this undeserved disaster because of me, but unexpectedly overheard many secrets about Wang Hong's collusion with Mobei on the mountain. In a hurry, the two of us came up with a plan to take each other's identities, pretending to be different, and waiting for Wang Hong's next move."
From that day on, Xu Yanhe became Lü Lin, while the real Lü Lin was secretly hidden away to recover from his injuries, and was outwardly a dead man.
Xu Yan stumbled and fell as the magistrate of Xichuan County, while Lü Lin, though healed from his injuries, was left with a scar on his face that was difficult to heal. He changed his name and secretly traveled between the northern desert and the border of Daye, waiting for an opportunity to act.
“Wang Hong is not the only powerful figure in Daye who is colluding with the royal family of Mobei. There are even people with higher status above him. I cannot reveal my identity rashly, otherwise Wang Hong’s backer will definitely secretly kill me. Then all my and Yan He’s painstaking planning will be in vain.”
"No wonder you've insisted on staying in the Northwest for the past ten years, no matter how many letters I wrote to persuade you to move..."
Minister Lü seemed to understand something, and hurriedly asked, "Then why did you agree to return to the capital this time? Is it because... things have been resolved in the Northwest?"
Lu Lin lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "It is a confidential matter, please forgive me for not being able to tell you for the time being. Today, I have no choice but to show myself."
Xu Yanhe seemed to suddenly come to his senses, gripping Lü Lin's arm tightly, his voice anxious: "Zong-ge'er has been kidnapped by thieves, and they specifically asked to see you..."
"No."
A cool, indifferent female voice sounded from behind, "Zong-ge'er is fine. I lied to him and said we were going to play a game of cops and robbers, so I had his wet nurse take him out of the mansion to hide."
Zhen Lülin suddenly turned around, looking at her with a complicated expression: "Qingxi..."
Fan Qingxi immediately interrupted, "Don't call me by my name!"
She stood up and casually tossed the wooden box she was holding out of her arms.
The box was opened, and a blood-soaked little finger rolled out.
Lu Chong steeled himself and picked it up, only to find that the texture was off. He squeezed it a couple of times and exclaimed, "It's made of wax!"
He breathed a sigh of relief and murmured, "That's great, it's good that Brother Zong is alright..."
He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, his eyes widening suddenly.
No, that's not right. If Lü Lin and Xu Yanhe switched identities ten years ago, then who is Zong Ge'er's child?
Minister Lü had clearly also thought of this crucial question. His gaze swept back and forth between the two men, and a hint of hesitation appeared on his face, as if he didn't know how to start the conversation.
"So you're not going to say anything?"
Fan Qingxi stepped forward, looked at the two identical faces in front of her, and gave a mocking smirk.
Do you all think you're so great?
Finally, Xu Yanhe couldn't withstand the pressure and spoke first, "Qingxi, I..."
Snap!
Fan Qingxi slapped him and ran out without looking back.
Xu Yanhe wanted to chase after him, but his foot, which he had just lifted, stopped in mid-air.
Her burning cheeks seemed to mock him mercilessly: Who do you think you are? What makes you think you can pursue him?
"Father, it's my fault... I'm sorry, Qingxi."
Lu Lin lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "The situation was critical at the time, and I didn't dare to let a third person know my identity. By the time Qingxi arrived in Xichuan County, she had already met Yan He."
Xu Yanhe remained silent, the scene of him receiving Fan Qingxi at the post station ten years ago flashing through his mind.
A young woman of noble birth, gentle and beautiful, alighted from the carriage, removed her veil, and filled with the joy of reuniting with her new husband. For the first time ever, disregarding societal norms and social conventions, she rushed into his arms like a bird returning to its nest, tightly embracing his waist, "My husband..."
Xu Yanhe stood frozen in place, not daring to move. After a long while, he gently patted her back and called her "Madam."
He was confident that his identity as "Lü Lin" could fool everyone in the county government, but he dared not meet Fan Qingxi's hopeful and expectant eyes.
Using his busy official duties as an excuse, he spent most of his time staying at the front office, repeatedly declining Fan Qingxi's advances and not daring to get close to her.
Until that day, he went back to the backyard on business and unintentionally passed by Fan Qingxi's room. Through the half-open window, he saw her sitting alone on the edge of the bed, shedding tears all alone.
The young wife couldn't understand why her husband had suddenly changed his mind, treating her with cold indifference and indifference. She had traveled thousands of miles from the capital to the harsh northwest, with no relatives, no friends, and not even her husband, the only person she could rely on, was there.
“It was I who... persuaded Yanhe and Qingxi to become husband and wife.” Lu Lin’s voice was low and hoarse. “At that time, we didn’t know how long such days would last. Once Wang Hong discovered that Yanhe had betrayed him, he and Qingxi would both be in danger of being killed.”
“Zong-ge’er is our child.”
Xu Yanhe also spoke up, "I have to make Wang Hong believe that I not only took Lu Lin's identity, but also seized his wife. Only in this way can he feel the pleasure of revenge and lower his guard against me."
Minister Lü felt dizzy and disoriented. Pointing at his two "sons," he was momentarily at a loss as to which one to scold first.
"Father, it's all my fault. Qingxi and I are destined to be apart."
Lü Lin knelt before Lü Shangshu again, pleading, "But Qingxi is innocent. She knows nothing. She wholeheartedly devoted herself to being 'Lü Lin's' wife, managing the household and raising their children... Please, please don't hold a grudge against her."
Minister Lü's breathing became slightly heavy, and he remained silent.
Just then, a maid ran in crying, "Master, something terrible has happened! The eldest young mistress... she has hanged herself!"
Xu Yan's pupils constricted, and he immediately chased after her without thinking.
...
The backyard, the west wing.
Fan Qingxi lay on the bed with her eyes closed, a faint deep red ligature mark on her neck.
The sound of her kicking over the stool startled the maid outside the door, who promptly called for help and rescued her.
Having learned that her grandson was safe and sound, and that her true eldest son had also returned home safely, Mother Lü sat by the bed, holding Fan Qingxi's hand, crying and cursing Lü Lin and Xu Yanhe who were kneeling before her.
"You men shout slogans so loudly, thinking you're loyal to the emperor and patriotic, but have you ever thought about the women in our inner quarters? Qingxi, a perfectly respectable young lady from the capital, endured ten years of hardship in the Northwest for her husband, and what was the result? Who allowed you to replace her with another man without a word???"
As she spoke, Lu's mother grew angrier and angrier. She raised her hand high, but when she saw the large scar on Lu Lin's face, she trembled and finally just patted his back.
"You bastard! How can you face the wife I went through so much trouble to find for you?"
Lu Lin remained silent, letting his elderly mother scold him. Finally, she took his scarred, rough, and deformed right hand and burst into tears.
"My son, you have studied hard for more than ten years. I don't expect you to achieve great things or be remembered in history. I only hope that you will be safe and sound, free from illness and disaster... These hands of yours should have been used to write articles. How did you wear yourself down like this?"
The thought of her most outstanding and proud eldest son, hiding his identity in the northern desert for ten years, spending his days with those nomadic herders, and having to learn their crudeness and cruelty just to gain a sliver of trust...
Mother Lü was both proud of him and heartbroken.
She wiped away her tears and looked at the two of them earnestly: "I don't care about your court secrets. I only have one question: can your identities be changed back?"
Lu Lin and Xu Yanhe exchanged a glance, about to speak, when Lu Lin's mother interrupted them.
She waved her hand forcefully, "I don't care which of you is my son, but I only have one eldest daughter-in-law, and that is Qingxi!"
"Mother……"
Fan Qingxi slowly woke up and happened to hear these words. She struggled to get up and threw herself into her mother's arms. "Mother, your daughter-in-law has a request. Please grant it..."
Mother Lü cupped her haggard face in her hands and gently comforted her, "Qingxi, say whatever you want to say, and I will grant it to you."
Fan Qingxi glanced at the two people by the bed, then looked away indifferently and said softly, "Your daughter-in-law wants to take Zong-ge'er and move back to the dowry house in the east of the city."
Mother Lü readily agreed, "No problem, that was originally your house..."
After saying that, he belatedly realized that something was wrong.
Fan Qingxi raised her head and slowly repeated in a firm tone, "It's just my son and I moving back."
As if she understood something, Lu's mother asked nervously, "Qingxi, do you want... a divorce?"
It's no wonder her daughter-in-law had such thoughts; if it were her, even Lu's mother wouldn't know how to face these two men.
And if the daughter-in-law really wants to investigate, wouldn't this be considered that the Lü family committed marriage fraud?
Mother Lü couldn't help but glance at Xu Yanhe, her expression conflicted.
It's too difficult. Although Fan Qingxi and Lü Lin are nominally husband and wife, the one who has actually lived with her for ten years is this Young Master Xu, and even Zong Ge'er is his son.
“Mother, Zong’er was born after I carried him for ten months. Even if the Lü family doesn’t acknowledge him, he is still my flesh and blood.”
As if guessing what Lu's mother was thinking, Fan Qingxi said, "I don't care what great careers those men have. Right now, I just want to raise my child peacefully on my own."
After saying that, she sat up, walked past Lü Lin and Xu Yanhe, and slowly walked out of the room.
"Fan... Sister Qingxi, are you alright?"
As soon as they entered the courtyard, they were stopped by Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi, both of whom looked concerned.
Shen Lingyue cleverly changed the way she addressed him.
A faint smile appeared on Fan Qingxi's face. "You haven't left yet?"
Shen Lingyue glanced at Yan Yi with a sly look, "Perhaps we hid well, and by the time Minister Lü wanted to clear the area, it was too late."
Cough cough, although she suspected that the real and fake Lü Lin had communicated and tacitly allowed the two of them to stay.
After all, she and Xu Yanhe were in a semi-open state, and they probably wanted to figure out where their pretense had fallen apart.
Yan Yi looked at Fan Qingxi seriously, "Now that the truth is out, it's all their fault. You are innocent and shouldn't punish yourself for other people's mistakes."
"Yes, yes, Sister Qingxi, please don't do anything foolish! How could you try to take your own life?"
Shen Lingyue hurriedly chimed in, "At worst... at worst you can just think of it as the death of one husband and the marriage of another. All that talk about a woman not serving two husbands is nonsense. The court doesn't even promote chastity arches anymore!"
Fan Qingxi's smile deepened upon seeing the sincerity in their expressions.
She leaned down slightly and whispered in a voice only they could hear: "Don't worry, I'm faking it—if I don't make a scene like this, how can they easily let me and Zong-ge leave the mansion?"
The fact that she could plan a kidnapping case in just a few days that even the Lü family couldn't see through, and that she had someone make a child's finger that was so realistic, is enough to prove that Fan Qingxi is by no means a weak and helpless woman confined to her home.
She raised her head, tears still streaming down her face, but her gentle features were filled with determination.
"The ten years that 'Lü Lin' served as an official in the Northwest were also the ten years that I managed internal affairs in the Northwest, maintained good relations with the female relatives of his subordinates, and visited and comforted the elderly and children. I was not a weak woman who was useless."
Don't underestimate a woman who has been deceived in her marriage, and don't expect to easily gain her forgiveness and pardon.
"Whether we get a divorce or not, I haven't decided yet." Fan Qingxi's gaze drifted into the distance. "But I don't want to see the two of them for a while; it's too upsetting."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi both breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Fan Qingxi was much stronger than they had expected.
"Don't worry, I'm fine." They parted at the door, and Fan Qingxi waved. "Come over and talk to me when you have time."
Shen Lingyue coughed twice, embarrassed. "Sister Qingxi, you must teach Zong Ge'er well in the future."
Even a naughty child can be saved!
Fan Qingxi was taken aback, then blushed slightly and nodded seriously.
"I will never be lenient with him again."
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Author's Note: [Moon Child: Comrade Lü Lin, so you're actually from Mount Emei!]
[Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers] I finally finished writing this major plot! This past week has been so frustrating! Tomorrow I'll add some follow-up and wrap things up, including revealing some of the foreshadowing from earlier!
I can't help but share my emotional journey through this whole mess [let me see] because it was really tough qwq
Actually, the "thief taking the place of another" plot is quite classic and common, such as in Detective Dee, Let the Bullets Fly, and Tang Sanzang's parents...
Initially, I only designed a simple substitution plot. In the original version, the real Lü Lin died ten years prior, and the fake Lü Lin, for some reason, took his place, diligently serving as an official, and inadvertently believing himself to be a good one… Eventually, the truth was revealed by Yuezai and Yanyan, and the Lü family, wanting to continue having a capable eldest son, decided to pretend nothing had happened and accept the mistake. Over.
But as I wrote, I realized something was wrong. It was so unfair to the real Lü Lin and his wife. And what about this fake Lü Lin? Was he a good guy or a bad guy? (Yuezai and Yanyan also discussed this issue.)
Then I began my "Great Shift of the Universe"... The version presented now is inspired by Tang Sanzang's mother, Yin Wenjiao. I won't go into the details of the story; you can search for it yourself.
What I find most heartbreaking is why Yin Wenjiao chose to commit suicide after Tang Seng avenged his father? And why was she stopped by her family the first time she attempted suicide, and then, upon learning her husband was still alive, did it again…
Why should she? Isn't she a victim too?
That's how Fan Qingxi came to be.
Although I devised a very, very high-sounding reason for the real and fake Lü Lin to impersonate each other, I must admit that they both wronged Fan Qingxi. She should not have become a sacrifice for men's loyalty to the emperor and their country.
Minister Lü's question to Xu Yanhe, "Great virtue does not transgress boundaries, minor virtues may vary," can be considered a prophecy. To put it bluntly, it refers to Lü Lin himself: possessing great righteousness but lacking in minor details. He wasn't a perfect person, but of course, no one in the world is perfect, haha.
This is just my personal assessment of him, and of course, I welcome different opinions—freedom of speech! [Let me see][Let me see]
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