Chapter 93 Debt Collection
Madam Yue is pregnant.
Twelve years later, she became pregnant again.
She was diagnosed with pregnancy at the Yuefu (a type of traditional Chinese music venue).
It wasn't a holiday, and no one in the Le family was celebrating a birthday, yet she still came to visit.
Everyone knew she had something to do.
Since getting married, this aunt has devoted herself to her husband and never goes out unless absolutely necessary.
However, when asked, she said nothing was wrong.
She shook her head gently, saying that nothing was wrong, but her face was filled with sorrow and resentment.
I've asked several times, and it's always the same.
Having no other option, Madam Zhang had to find someone to call her youngest son back.
Madam Yue was always closest to her third brother. The two siblings were close in age and had practically grown up together. Moreover, her third brother was naturally lively and knew how to make herself and those around him happy from a very young age, so he was more favored by her than her two older brothers.
It's not good to tell others what's on my mind, but it's fine to tell my third brother.
Feeling extremely wronged, tears streamed down her face.
"...What more do you want from me? Even though he's not my biological son, I've always loved him sincerely! I've treated him even better than my own children! Because of this, Fei Luo has argued with me countless times, both openly and secretly... I can betray my own daughter, but I wouldn't dare betray him, and what's the result! Saying that we killed his mother! If he cared about me, would he say such a thing? He can't be tame, he really can't be tame!"
Master Le was genuinely kind to this girl and truly cared about her.
"I advise you to be more patient. Regardless of whether he can be tamed, as long as he's around, you'll have an explanation, and Liu Zixiu won't have any reason to take another concubine. Sister, do you think it's just about having a child? A woman who has given birth to his child, especially a son, do you think his heart will be biased? You love Liu Zixiu so much, can you really stand it? This is already good enough. It's just him, no one else, he can't cause any more trouble, it's clean and efficient. You just haven't understood why you insist on him having eyes for you? Do you want him to raise you to your death? Why bother? He can keep your husband from taking another concubine and from causing you any trouble, that's already doing you a favor. Think about it, isn't that the truth?"
That's true.
The son's greatest use is to give her husband no reason to take a concubine. That's the only benefit she benefits from him. As long as that benefit remains, there's nothing she can't tolerate. So what if he doesn't treat her like his own mother? There's nothing to be upset about. Being good to him is just to make her husband happy, isn't it? What he is really like is not important.
Thinking this, Madam Le's complexion improved considerably, but she still didn't look good enough.
"Have you been sleeping poorly lately? Your eyes are so dark that even makeup can't cover them up."
"He couldn't even eat properly, let alone sleep well. Zixiu was sick for two or three days, and I was the one taking care of him the whole time, while I was still angry with him..."
"You! A young lady from a distinguished family, a lady of high birth, have become so worthless just because you met him!"
"I do! I love him..."
Mrs. Yue said gently.
Master Le didn't want to hear his sister's sarcastic remarks, so he went out to ask someone to fetch a doctor for her.
When treating a noble person, doctors are always quite cautious, and it is not unusual for them to take a long time to take the pulse each time. However, this time it took a really long time, and they even took off the handkerchief that was draped over Madam Yue's wrist.
The doctor was an acquaintance of the Le family, so Third Master Le had no reservations and asked directly, "Is there something wrong with my sister?"
“It’s not bad…” the doctor hesitated. “Judging from the pulse, it seems that the young lady is pregnant… My medical skills are not good enough, sir, you might as well ask someone else to take a look.”
Everyone knows that Madam Yue's health was damaged and she couldn't have more children, so how come she suddenly got pregnant again?
The doctor was only afraid of making a wrong diagnosis.
They called in three doctors in a row.
Everyone said she was pregnant.
That's for sure.
The child actually had a reason for coming, but Madam Yue still couldn't believe it.
She longed for a child so much that she was practically heartbroken, but unexpectedly, she actually became pregnant...
When Chu Qingdai first mentioned a formula for warming the ovaries that could help with fertility, Madam Le didn't really believe it. All the doctors said she couldn't have children, and she was so unwilling to accept that that she asked every doctor she saw.
Asking again only brings more heartache.
However, Chu Qingdai's prescription traveled hundreds of miles to reach her.
She still harbored unrealistic hopes.
The doctor looked at the prescription and said it would be harmless to the body. Before leaving, he asked if he could make a copy to take with him.
This doctor is very famous in the south; even he has to copy the prescription, so it must be something good.
While observing the mourning period for your mother-in-law, take good care of your health so that good news will come in the future, in addition to filial piety.
That's what she thought, and then she obediently drank the bitter medicine for three years.
It was really tough, but it was useful.
My health is really improving. My periods are less irregular, the bleeding is gradually returning to normal, and my stomach no longer hurts for no reason, and I no longer bleed for no apparent reason...
She was truly full of anticipation.
However, no.
She didn't give up and continued taking it for two more years, but there was still no good result.
She thought, maybe it's time to give up. If it's not meant to be, don't force it.
But I still continued taking the medication. I didn't want to take it at first, but after stopping for a while, my health gradually deteriorated again, so I started taking it again.
She gave up on the idea; taking the medicine was merely to improve her health.
I never expected that my wish would actually come true...
Her son, her home...
She was so happy she was practically intoxicated; everything she saw was dazzling and colorful.
The stepmother is pregnant again.
Upon hearing this news, Liu Min's most prominent emotion was joy.
I'm so happy, it's not fake.
His father is going to have another child, and he will probably lose his status as the only son of the Minister, and he will also lose many other things.
These are all very practical issues.
But it didn't matter; he was still very happy.
Because it is a form of liberation.
He never forgot his mother, and her hatred was his hatred as well. However, his mother had never raised him, and after his grandmother passed away, it was his stepmother who took care of him. His stepmother treated him very well.
He cannot enjoy the benefits his stepmother gives him while simultaneously resenting her.
It's so unfair to the stepmother.
This is not the behavior of a gentleman.
But he simply couldn't let go of his mother's hatred.
My mother was killed by them.
He can refuse his stepmother's kindness, so he won't feel indebted, and he can hate her with a sense of justification.
But he owed not only his mother a debt of gratitude, but also his grandmother, who raised him and always thought of him...
His father was his grandmother's son.
Of course, the grandmother loved her son.
He had to repay his grandmother, so he couldn't help but play the role of a loving father and filial son with her son.
He was actually very unwilling.
However, there is no half-method.
There's really no other way.
Who told him to be born into such a miserable life, owing favors to this person and debts to that person, always having no control over his own destiny.
But what if the stepmother has a son?
Everything will be different.
He is no longer unique; the responsibility of bringing glory to the Liu family will fall on a more suitable shoulder, and he can leave.
Leave with a clear conscience.
Leaving Xingdu, leaving the Minister's Mansion, leaving behind a bright future.
He was not concerned about the glory he was about to lose; he neither wanted it nor needed it.
He was exhausted and often felt like he was just a tool.
He was truly diligent in his studies, but he had neither the ambition to rise to the highest position nor the benevolence to save the world and bring peace to the people. He studied not for himself, but to meet the expectations of others, to dedicate himself, and to continue a legacy of glory.
If it's not for yourself, why make yourself work so hard?
But that's how tough it is.
Because we owe people debts.
Now things are finally looking up, and the debt is gone. Even if there was a debt before, the person doesn't necessarily have to repay it, since he's now an extra person.
If he is not in debt, he can live for himself and do what he wants.
He thought...
Go find Shanlai.
Shanlai is gone; we don't want him anymore.
She loved him so much, but she still left.
He vowed to give her a stable future, so he studied even harder, afraid that he wouldn't pass the high school entrance exam, afraid that it would be too late, afraid that she would suffer more injustices...
Even though I told myself that, when it was time for my ten-day break, I still couldn't sit still and complained that the time was too long.
I miss her so much.
The kindest thing to him among the living was to do good.
She was beautiful, intelligent, kind, and good-natured...
There is no bad thing about being kind.
She loved him so much that she was willing to give him anything.
I really like Shanlai.
She's in my dreams too.
To my shame, after those two nights, whenever he dreamed of her, he was always a bit indecent and unrestrained. So unrestrained that every time he woke up, he couldn't believe that the person in his dream was actually himself. But when he reflected on it... he would feel very sorry for Shanlai, that he had been too disrespectful to her. She was clearly a very dignified person, and it was he who was too despicable...
Yes, Shanlai is very dignified, like a goddess, so how could she do such a licentious thing?
He was really stupid.
He couldn't wait to see her, and he thought she must feel the same way and be waiting for him.
Indeed, quite a few people were waiting for her. How many? Probably a dozen or so, densely packed, all standing under the eaves. When he went in, they all looked at him, each one hesitant to speak.
Goodness is not in there.
Perhaps she's busy, painting; one can't be distracted or disturbed while doing this.
It's alright, he'll only glance at it, it won't bother her.
The furnishings in the room remained unchanged, nothing was missing, and even the fragrance she wore was still there.
But there are fewer.
The beaded lamp he won for her was missing a pearl hanging from the eaves. Underneath the lamp lay a silver note and a piece of paper with her handwriting on it—her words to him.
Just four words.
There's no need to look for me.
Only then did he realize that she was saying goodbye to him.
She's gone, and I don't know if she'll ever come back. Perhaps I'll never see her again in this lifetime.
Thinking of this, his heart felt as if it had been crushed, shattered into pieces. He lost his footing and couldn't support himself, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, his face covered in stars.
Does he resent her? Of course he does. He resents her for not trusting him and leaving him all alone.
But I don't hate.
He knew why she left.
It's rare to see her act so foolishly, thinking things so simply. If I found her, grabbed her, and angrily questioned her, she would definitely say through tears, "I'm doing this for your own good..."
She really made a foolish mistake. Without her, how could he be alright? He wouldn't be happy.
It's not her fault; it's because she wasn't good enough, which is why she backed down.
It's all his fault.
Of course he wanted to find her, to know how she was doing, but he wouldn't go himself. He had to stay and study hard; he wanted to pass the imperial examinations and fulfill all the promises he had made to her…
He neither cried nor made a fuss; he immediately took his things and returned to the Imperial College.
He spent his days reading, writing, listening to lectures, and waiting for the exam.
Before the test even started, good news arrived first.
What great news! He thought to himself, "Great! No more exams, no more waiting! Now, right now, I'll go find Shanlai, no matter where she is, and never be separated from her again."
But before he could even set off, his stepmother came to collect the debt.
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