Hearing Madam Yao address him as Lord Hu instead of Master, Hu Sheng's face darkened, and he was somewhat displeased, but he held back in order to appease Madam Yao.
"Man'er, this matter has wronged you."
As Hu Sheng spoke, he tried to take her hand, but Yao avoided him.
"Lord Hu, please speak frankly."
Yao felt that his attitude towards her over the years was outrageous. She had been his concubine for so long, and he would even look at her with disgust. How come he was still reluctant to let her go after writing the letter of decision?
Something unusual must be going on. Yao was not a fool, so she naturally wouldn't take it lightly.
Seeing her like this, Hu Sheng became even more affectionate, and said with a repentant look, "Man'er, I know that you have suffered all these years, but it's all because Zhu Shi doesn't allow me to be good to you. You also know that she has the Zhu family as her backer, and I can't disobey what she says... But you have to believe that I have always had you in my heart. Otherwise, why would I have personally gone to Jingzhou to welcome you into my family?"
This was the first time Yao had ever heard such sweet talk; she had been married to two men and this was the first time she had ever heard it.
If this had happened a year or two earlier, she might have been moved, but now, after the hurt of two marriages, she is immune to men. Although it was the first time she had heard such words, she was not moved at all, and even felt disgusted.
So she stepped back and looked at Hu Sheng with a wary expression.
She finally managed to write the decision, and if he still wants her to go back to the Hu family, she'll... she'll ask Madam Lu to teach him a lesson!
"What exactly is Lord Hu trying to say?"
She was getting impatient and even regretted coming out with him, as it had only delayed her time to eat.
So much has happened today, I'm so hungry.
"What I'm trying to say is, once this matter is over and Madam Lu's anger has subsided, I'll come back to plead with her and bring you back to the manor. You just wait for your husband~"
He spoke with great seriousness, which frightened Yao Shi quite a bit. She retreated repeatedly, saying, "I won't go back with you! Hu Sheng, don't think I don't know what you're up to. Don't even think about it! I won't go back with you, and I won't let you get close to Su Su. Stay away from my daughter and me from now on!"
Perhaps genuinely frightened, Yao's eyes widened in horror. She took a few steps back defensively before turning and running away.
Hu Sheng wanted to give chase, but was blocked by the suddenly appearing Steward Huang, who said without any mercy, "Lord Hu, don't forget, this is the General's Mansion!"
Hu Sheng was furious. How could a mere butler ruin his plans time and time again?
Before he could speak, Steward Hu added, "My mistress asked you to go and see your wife, and to persuade you not to hurt your wife's feelings."
Hu Sheng then realized that he hadn't seen Zhu Shi after all this time. Although he was dissatisfied and somewhat unwilling, he decided to go and see her under pressure.
The moment Hu Sheng saw Zhu Shi in the woodshed, he instantly abandoned all his previous thoughts of trying to curry favor with the Lu family.
In just a short while, Zhu was tortured beyond recognition, barely clinging to life, her body covered in blood, looking utterly terrifying.
"lady!"
Hu Sheng was frightened and wanted to help Zhu Shi up, but he was deterred by the bloodstains on her body and felt disgusted, so he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Zhu had initially held some hope, but seeing Hu Sheng like this, her heart sank to the bottom.
The old woman standing nearby was also anxious, calling out, "Master, Madam is so badly injured, please take a look at her!"
Because the old woman was old, He Jiu Niang was worried that if she was beaten too hard, she would die, so she asked people to be gentler. Therefore, the old woman's injuries were not as serious as Zhu Shi's.
More importantly, Zhu was not only physically injured, but also suffered a mental blow. She is now extremely disheartened, and her condition is much more serious than before. If she hadn't been holding on to her anger, something really might have happened.
Hu Sheng glanced at the nanny with displeasure and said, "How dare I touch Madam when she is so badly injured? It would be terrible if she were hurt again. I have already sent someone to fetch a doctor, and he will be able to treat Madam soon."
He offered a brief explanation before immediately changing the subject: "What exactly happened? Why would someone deliberately damage a gift bestowed by the emperor? Madam was truly careless!"
His tone was quite blaming, basically blaming Zhu for messing things up.
The old woman was also very disappointed in Hu Sheng, saying, "Master, this was a deliberate scheme against Madam; it's not entirely Madam's fault..."
"How dare you! You old servant, when did it become your place to lecture me!"
Hu Sheng yelled at the old woman. Just then, the doctor arrived, so he went outside to stand. He felt that staying in the woodshed any longer would be an insult to him.
Zhu gritted her teeth, no longer wanting to say anything more. She asked the doctor to give her injuries a quick treatment, and then the servants carried her to the carriage outside. She didn't say another word to Hu Sheng throughout the entire process.
Of course, Hu Sheng didn't want to pay any attention to her.
However, after seeing Zhu's condition, Hu Sheng abandoned his idea of winning Yao back. This general's mansion was not a place he could rely on; he might end up like Zhu.
Furthermore, Yao is currently backed by the Lu family, but who knows what the future holds? They might turn against him at any time, and he would be the one who suffers the most.
Hu Sheng and Zhu Shi left in a sorry state, while He Jiu Niang and Yao Shi were having a sumptuous dinner with their three children around the table.
This kind of food is something you can't get at the Hu family's house, but Yao and Susu still ate very elegantly, without the slightest bit of impoliteness.
He Jiuniang said to Yao Shi, "Your reaction surprised me a bit. I thought you would be very touched."
She was referring to the mushy things Hu Sheng had said to Yao Shi before. People like Yao Shi, who had never experienced warmth, were usually the easiest to be deceived.
Yao smiled somewhat embarrassedly and said, "I know he's up to no good by being so solicitous. Besides, I finally broke off our relationship, and I won't fall for it again."
She never had any romantic feelings for Hu Sheng. Back then, it was her brother who forced her to marry Hu Sheng as a concubine. Hu Sheng was almost forty years old, old and ugly, and he treated her badly, always beating and scolding her. It would be a miracle if she had any romantic feelings for him.
"Well said! That's exactly what it means to be overly attentive! But he probably won't be in the mood to bother you anymore, he's too busy taking care of himself, hahaha!"
As He Jiuniang spoke, she winked and made faces at her.
Madam Yao looked at her curiously, somewhat puzzled. He Jiu Niang kindly explained, "Actually, it's nothing. I just stirred up trouble between the couple, hehehe..."
Originally, He Jiuniang wanted to teach Hu Sheng a lesson, but thinking that Zhu Shi would not let him off easily, He Jiuniang decided not to interfere anymore and just let Zhu Shi deal with him properly.
Neither of them will have a good time.
Hehe, there was a meeting with parents last night, so there were even fewer people. I'll make up for it later.
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