Chapter 51: Forget It, Lu Huaijin

Su Yao's eyes widened in terror, her body trembling even more violently.

She shook her head frantically, her hair in disarray. "Madam, please believe me. They... they can all vouch for me."

Madam Lu looked toward Qiuyue, but Qiuyue kept her head lowered, saying not a word.

Seeing this, Chuntao was consumed with anxiety. She rushed forward and dropped to her knees. "Madam, the young miss she..."

"Slap."

Before Chuntao could finish, a heavy blow landed across her face, and fresh blood immediately seeped from the corner of her mouth.

"What kind of creature are you to dare wag your tongue?"

Mother Lu exchanged a glance with Goodwife Li, who held the silver needles. Goodwife Li understood instantly and nodded.

Goodwife Xi stepped forward, grabbing Su Yao's hand as if snatching a small chick, gripping it tightly to leave her no room for the slightest movement.

With a silver needle in hand, Goodwife Li slowly approached Su Yao's fingers, speaking coldly, "If you refuse to tell the truth once these needles pierce your nails, you will simply have to endure it."

Seeing the situation escalating, Changfeng hurried forward and dropped to his knees to plead for mercy.

"First Madam, the Young Master specifically instructed this servant to take good care of Miss Su. If any harm comes to her, this servant... this servant fears... there will be no way to answer to the Young Master! I beg the First Madam to show mercy."

Mother Lu looked down from her height at the man kneeling on the ground. "You are Old Steward's son, Changfeng?"

"This servant is," Changfeng replied, hastily lowering his head.

"Very well. The Lu residence is becoming increasingly lawless. Even a mere servant dares to cross me and openly defy my orders."

Shaking with fear, Changfeng kowtowed and begged for forgiveness.

"First Madam, spare my life! This servant would never dare! I am merely following orders—everything is at the Young Master's behest. The Young Master holds Miss Su in the highest regard. If I fail to handle this properly, the Young Master will surely fly into a rage... I only hope the First Madam will consider my loyal service and spare me this once."

"You protect her so fiercely. Could it be that you share an illicit affair with her as well? Hmph, who knows what scandalous deeds you two have been committing behind my son's back."

"This servant wouldn't dare!" Changfeng's face turned pale with fright.

"Wouldn't dare? I think your audacity is boundless!" Mother Lu's eyes blazed with fury as she roared, "Someone, give him mouth slaps! Beat him severely so he learns who truly gives orders in this Lu residence!"

Her voice startled the birds in the trees, sending them fluttering away.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside.

Su Yao looked up and saw that Lu Huaijin had returned.

Seeing Su Yao kneeling on the ground with a pale face, and his mother wearing an expression of absolute wrath, Lu Huaijin understood the situation in an instant.

"Mother, what is the meaning of this?"

Upon seeing her son's return, Mother Lu immediately changed her expression, though a trace of lingering discontent remained.

"Huaijin, look at how you discipline your servants! And to think you harbor such a woman in your inner courtyard—what kind of indecency is this? If your father and I hadn't returned to the capital today, we would never have known you'd pull off such a stunt."

Lu Huaijin stepped forward, raised Su Yao to her feet, and sheltered her behind him.

"Mother, if the people in my quarters have committed a wrong and displeased you, you could have told me. I would have dealt out the punishment myself; why trouble yourself with it?"

"I was merely reprimanding her a little to let them know their place. What? Is that tone of yours meant to defy me?"

"Mother, Changfeng has served by my side for many years with unwavering loyalty. Since he contradicted you today, I will have him take his punishment right now."

Lu Huaijin paused, then turned his gaze back to Su Yao. "As for the affairs of my inner courtyard, I must ask Mother not to interfere in the future."

Hearing this, Mother Lu flew into a rage. "Huaijin, how could you defy your own mother for the sake of such a woman? She is nothing more than a wild wench of unknown origin; how could she ever be worthy of you?"

"Mother, I know what I am doing regarding her and myself. I beg you not to mention today's matter again."

With that, Lu Huaijin took Su Yao by the hand and led her away from the main hall, leaving Mother Lu trembling with anger where she stood.

Back in the room, Su Yao's tears finally broke free, streaming down uncontrollably.

Lu Huaijin gently wiped her tears away, his voice tender. "Yao'er, don't be afraid. I am back."

Outside the window, the snow was falling even heavier.

Inside, Su Yao curled up in a corner, her tears tracing down her swollen cheeks, drop by drop, soaking the hem of her skirt. Yet she refused to utter a single word in response to Lu Huaijin standing beside her.

Frowning, he said, "I know you blame me. If you want to vent your anger, hit me. I will not fight back."

Still, Su Yao gave no reaction whatsoever.

Seeing this, Lu Huaijin grew increasingly frantic.

Whenever Su Yao was angry, she would scold him or beat him. But today, despite suffering such immense grievance, she remained completely silent.

This was wrong.

Terribly wrong!

He grabbed Su Yao's hand. Her skin was chillingly cold, sending a sharp pang through his heart.

"Yao'er, I'll have the Head Imperial Physician Shi come and take a look right now."

"Forget it, Lu Huaijin."

Su Yao finally spoke.

Lu Huaijin dared not imagine what "forget it" meant coming from her lips.

Two clear trails of tears slowly descended.

They fell upon the hem of her dress, and struck straight into Lu Huaijin's heart.

When he reached out to embrace her, Su Yao remained as rigid as a block of wood—neither resisting nor responding, allowing him to hold her while remaining utterly devoid of life.

The ache in Lu Huaijin's chest felt suffocating.

He knew his little girl had surely suffered a grievous wrong, and her heart was broken—shattered completely.

"I want to be alone for a while."

How could Lu Huaijin dare leave her alone in the room? If she were driven to despair and did something foolish, what would he do?

He held Su Yao tightly in his arms, pressing her close and refusing to budge.

Su Yao's tears continued to fall, drop after drop.

As if they would never end.

She wept and wept, crying until her heart felt torn to pieces, crying until she was utterly exhausted, until she somehow drifted off to sleep.

Lu Huaijin carried her to the bed, removed her shoes, pulled up the quilt, and tucked her in carefully, smoothing the corners.

Looking at Su Yao's tear-stained face, his heart was pierced once more.

He stood up and walked out of the room with a stern expression.

The sky outside had grown pitch dark.

Lu Huaijin, who was usually so adept at concealing his emotions, was genuinely consumed by rage at this moment.

"Changfeng, who struck her just now?"

"It was... it was Goodwife Tian and Goodwife Li from the First Madam's quarters. They are both senior servants by the First Madam's side."

As he spoke, Lu Huaijin strode toward Mother Lu's courtyard.

Mother Lu was resting in her room. Upon hearing from a servant that her son had arrived, she felt a surge of secret satisfaction, assuming he had come to apologize.

Putting on a stern face, she said coldly, "Whatever the matter is, we will discuss it tomorrow."

"Who is Goodwife Tian?" Lu Huaijin's voice was low.

Mother Lu was startled. "What?"

Goodwife Tian, standing near Mother Lu, was equally astonished. Trembling, she stepped forward. "Young Master, it is this servant."

Before she could say another word, Lu Huaijin struck out viciously with his foot.

He sent her sprawling to the floor.

He had put real force into the kick. Goodwife Tian had no time to dodge; knocked flat to the ground, she let out a cry of agonizing pain.

Clutching her knee, her face turned pale as death, cold sweat rolling down her temples, unable to stand up at all.

"Her face—did you strike it?"

Terror finally gripped Goodwife Tian. She had never seen Lu Huaijin so completely out of control.