Chapter 227 – Still a Concubine (2)

“You don’t want to? Such an ident.i.ty is not clear. Now, do you still have the audacity to stand up for the w.a.n.g fei?” Old Madam Lu sneered. “Liu s.h.i.+, don’t go and humiliate yourself and our family.”

Madam Lu’s complexion turnd pale.

“The reason why w.a.n.g Fei was confined was that the emperor wanted to favor a palace maid. She forced her way into the Palace of Heavenly Purity and made a scene with the emperor. Such behavior was enough to abolish her position,” Old Madam Lu frankly said with a burning heart.

Lu Wushuang was indeed spoilt rotten by her family. Her wilful ways as a child had only gotten more out of hand as she grew. No one stopped her, always giving in to her demands, no matter how untenable.

She hadn’t changed after her marriage to the emperor. If anything, she had turned even more rampant. So much so, that in her fit of rage she had forgotten who held the supreme power over the Qin Dynasty. It seemed she still had no qualms in behaving impulsively without any forethought for the ramifications.

Who could stop the Son of Heaven from doing as he pleased? Whichever woman the emperor chose to pamper, could the w.a.n.g fei stop him? Still, she broke into the Palace of Heavenly Purity! Fortunately, for old time’s sake, the emperor didn’t really punish her for her treachery. Otherwise, the entire Lu Family would be killed.

Madam Lu didn’t expect this to be the reason. She cried in a low voice. “The emperor already has Lu Wushuang. What else does he want from a palace maid? How could he… ”

“Silence!” Old Madam Lu yelled in rage. “Who do you think the emperor is? Even if he is to be an ordinary son-in-law, you can’t stop him from taking a concubine. The emperor is the one who rules this country, and having three thousand beauties in the harem is not an issue. Who can object to whichever woman he wants to favor?”

“Mother, I understand.” Eldest Madam Lu’s mouth twitched.

She’s aware that she had said something wrong. She was merely aggrieved and had to speak on behalf of her daughter. Her daughter was without a doubt, a beauty. But she thought that the emperor, like other men, gets disenchanted by women once they got sick of the old one and enamored by the new. One cannot blame a concerned parent for being angry.

Old Madam Lu took a deep breath. “Behave yourself. You must not cause trouble for w.a.n.g Fei.”

“Mother, even if the matter of w.a.n.g Fei being confined has nothing to do with Yaoyao, I think still it’s not appropriate for Yaoyao to always enter the palace. It would be better to arrange her marriage first avert trouble in the future.” Madam Lu looked at the old madam tentatively.

“Yaoyao will bring forth what kind of trouble?” Old Madam Lu coldly asked.

Madam Lu moved her lips upon seeing the old madam’s countenance becoming more and more unsightly. However, she was already riding the tiger[1], there was no way she could get off now.

[1] Riding the tiger is to take on a responsibility or embark on a course of action which subsequently cannot safely be abandoned.

“Mother, although Marquis Liang is a widower, he is only thirty years old. Why don’t we marry off Yaoyao to the marquis? Such a marriage and a family is not easy to find. Moreover, Yaoyao grew up in a border town since she was a child. She is still ignorant of the tropes of the capital. But, I’m quite certain that the Liang Family would not turn their backs on her, and guide her to fit here.”

Old Madam Lu looked at her with a bitter smile but didn’t answer a word.

Marquis Liang appears good on the surface, but the Liang Family is already at the point of death. What is Liu s.h.i.+ even thinking of!

“Liu s.h.i.+, if you abuse other people’s daughters like this, be careful of your retribution,” Old Madam Lu said flatly.

Madam Lu was visibly taken aback, the change in her expressions said so. These were the heaviest words the old madam had ever said to her.

“You need not meddle in family affairs anymore. You can make offerings to the G.o.ds, pray to them to help us settle this matter. As for me, I’ll wait for your return. For this, you better stay in your room or go to Zhuangzi to recuperate,” Old Madam Lu said in a decisive tone.

“Mother… ” Madam Lu cried. “… do you intend to banish me?”

“Yes!” Old Madam Lu nodded firmly. ” … to avoid you causing trouble to anyone in the Lu Family.”

Madam Lu paled and looked at the old madam incredulously. She opened and closed her lips, but nothing came out… even words seemed to have abandoned her.

“You may leave.” The old madam simply dismissed her.

“If you had not been so biased then, I would have not become estranged from my husband. Madam, what’s wrong with me?” Madam Lu asked in a piteous voice.

Back then when she betrayed Lu s.h.i.+ming, was she not also worried that the old madam would be even more partial to the third household? Unexpectedly, her husband blamed her and even her son did not understand her.

Old Madam Lu glanced at her lightly. “That’s because you are foolish.”

If one had a brain, would one have treated her own husband coldly for most of his life? Would one have kept her husband out of one’s house for more than a decade?

Old Madam Lu was not an old fool. Even if she didn’t know the actual facts during that time, she could guess what happened from her eldest son’s conduct and deeds.