Chapter 155 The Wicked Stepmother and the Poor Child (48)
"No one present here today is to speak of what happened today. If I hear any rumors, I will not let you off the hook."
"Get rid of the child, and you won't lose a single penny of what's due."
The old lady gave her orders with a cold face, her expression not kind at all, but rather like a demon from hell.
The midwife cautiously carried the child away. Although she felt a pang of reluctance, she knew that a child born with such defects, considered a monster, would not survive even if he still had a breath left.
Such a child would not be allowed to exist in a wealthy and powerful family. The head of the household had given the order, and she had no choice but to obey and find a place to drown the child.
Rather than being born into this world and suffering endless scorn, it's better to be reincarnated early. There's still time to start over; this child has only been in the world for less than half an hour.
It's good to be free from this burden early, so that I can be reborn into a good family in my next life, have a healthy body, and start over.
That night, no one in the Gu household slept peacefully.
Gu Hongjian was in a state of turmoil, hating Zhou Jingxuan's madness and feeling a sense of unease and fear about the deformed stillborn child. The old lady was also frightened and had nightmares all night.
Only Chen Ci slept very soundly with the children.
The next day at noon, Zhou Jingxuan, who had been unconscious for more than a night, slowly woke up.
Giving birth is incredibly mentally and physically exhausting. Zhou Jingxuan was completely worn out, but she still remembered that she had just given birth. However, the events of last night were so chaotic that she wondered if her memory was playing tricks on her.
"My child, where is my child?"
"Quick, quick, bring my child here so I can see him!"
When Zhou Jingxuan woke up, the first thing she thought about was the child she had risked her life to give birth to the day before. She had clearly heard the baby crying yesterday.
But no one answered her calls. The room was quiet and deserted. It was eerily quiet both inside and outside. Zhou Jingxuan did not see any of the maids or servants who usually attended to her. She felt uneasy.
Did she die in childbirth? Is this the underworld?
Just as she was feeling uneasy, the little maid Ju'er cautiously emerged from some hidden corner, her small face filled with panic and fear.
Before Ju'er could speak, she suddenly knelt down on the ground with a thud.
"Auntie, please... take care!"
"Shortly after you gave birth to the young master last night, the old lady ordered the midwife to take the child away and dispose of him. She also gave an order that no one in the entire household is allowed to mention the young master in front of you."
Zhou Jingxuan was shocked. Her child, the child she gave birth to with her life, had been disposed of before she even had a chance to look at it properly. How was it disposed of?
"What do you mean? What do you mean it's been dealt with!"
Why, my child, my child! Is he or she a monster?
She asked in a trembling voice, having a vague memory of what happened that night, but unwilling to acknowledge it.
I'd rather believe I misread it, or that I was too tired to remember it correctly.
Ju'er shook her head, crying.
"This servant did not see the young master, but, but this servant heard the old lady and the master talking privately that if the concubine gives birth to a child, she will be promoted to a secondary wife, and it would be better if this child were not born."
"My lord, he nodded. They left after they finished dealing with it, and they also withdrew most of the servants from Shuyu Pavilion, saying that since the concubine is now pregnant, there's no need for so many people to serve her, and they should live frugally from now on."
These words shattered Zhou Jingxuan's Dao heart, and she immediately went berserk.
She screamed and, ignoring the tearing pain in her lower body, frantically searched the room as if her child had simply been hidden away.
"My child! Give me back my child!"
While pretending to stop her, Ju'er also kindly comforted her.
"Auntie, please don't do this!"
Last night, the lady tried to persuade the old lady and the adults, saying that the child still seemed to be breathing and that it would be better to keep the baby, but the old lady scolded her severely. Many servants heard this.
Zhou Jingxuan froze, her emotions a jumble, unsure of what to say.
She never expected that Shen Ci, who was always against her, would plead for her child.
Gu Hongjian, who claimed to love her, and her kind grandmother, who longed for the child's birth, couldn't tolerate the child and had him disposed of!
This contrast was heartbreaking for her. Had she been hating the wrong person all along?
She always thought that the person she should hate was Shen Ci, who had taken her place as the legal wife, but Gu Hongjian and the old lady, who had promised her that position, never intended for her to sit in it.
She was deceived, completely manipulated by the mother and son, and even harmed her own child.
The immense pain overwhelmed Zhou Jingxuan, making it difficult for her to accept the truth. She collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. The memories of their past love and vows of eternal devotion kept replaying in her mind, and the more she thought about them, the harder she cried.
She cried for an unknown amount of time, until her tears were almost all gone. Zhou Jingxuan's heart was bleeding. She remained silent, as if she had aged and become haggard overnight.
The love they once shared has now become a cruel irony.
During this painful time, only Ju'er stayed by her side, offering her tender comfort.
"Auntie, you must pull yourself together!"
Even in heaven, the young master would not want to see you like this. In this manor, besides you, who else would remember him?
If you're like this, then the young master...
Ju'er cried as she spoke, unable to continue.
Ju'er's words made Zhou Jingxuan suddenly realize something. Yes, she couldn't fall down. Her child had been harmed like this, and hadn't even had a chance to see the world properly before being killed. She had to avenge her child.
A person who is utterly despondent always needs something to sustain them in order to continue living, whether it's love or hate.
Love and affection no longer mattered; all that sustained her was boundless hatred.
The child was ordered to be killed by the old lady, even though the child was still alive at the time! And her premature birth was also caused by the old lady's anger. And what about Gu Hongjian? He pretended to love her so much, but in reality, he was just an accomplice of the old lady.
No one truly pities the mother and child. If she doesn't avenge her child, who will remember that poor child?
After resting for a few days, Zhou Jingxuan forced herself to cheer up, but all that remained in her eyes and heart was coldness and hatred. She hadn't yet figured out how to get revenge, but the old lady could no longer tolerate her.
That day, she was publicly beaten by a concubine and almost strangled to death. It was the greatest humiliation the old lady had ever suffered in her life! Whenever she thought of that day, the old lady felt a burning hatred in her heart.
If Zhou Jingxuan is not severely punished, what will become of her in this mansion?
However, since Zhou Jingxuan had just given birth, it would be unreasonable to settle accounts at this time. At the time, she also felt it was unlucky and was frightened, so she rested for a few days. Now she has recovered her spirits and has time to settle accounts with Zhou Jingxuan.
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