Chapter 56

Chu Ran’s background was not difficult to uncover, especially with Old Master Lin pursuing the investigation with a specific purpose; it took a mere day to bring the truth to light.

As Old Master Lin flipped through the documents, his hands trembled. His vision went dark, and a mouthful of blood choked in his throat as he nearly collapsed. He never imagined that Chu Ran—this so-called biological grandson—was actually the biological grandson of his wife’s elder brother, the Marquis of Chongyang. Twenty years ago, to secure her footing in the Prince Rong Estate, his eldest daughter had gone so far as to trap Prince Rong and conspire with her mother to stage a fake pregnancy.

Confusing the Imperial bloodline… This was a capital crime involving the execution of the entire clan!

Old Master Lin’s face turned ashen, and he neared a total breakdown. He rubbed his brow with exhaustion and closed his eyes. Suddenly, they snapped open. He recalled the look in his son-in-law Prince Rong’s eyes during his annual visits over the years. For some reason, his heart hammered in fear. He had a sudden, sinking feeling that the Prince—whom he had always viewed as utterly mediocre—might have known something from the very beginning.

He had simply endured in silence.

Once this thought took root, and considering how Chu Ran had been stripped of his title just days ago… Prince Rong was clearly not a simple man. It was likely he had been watching everything, waiting for the perfect moment to strike the Lin family. Old Master Lin, who had originally intended to scrub the traces for his wife and daughter, felt as though he had fallen into an ice cellar. A bone-chilling cold rose in his heart.

And yet, his foolish wife was still leaping about, unaware of the death trap she was in.

The Lin family—the Lin family must not be destroyed in his hands. A ruthless glint flashed in Old Master Lin’s eyes. Since his wife and eldest daughter had orchestrated this, they would have to bear the weight of the crime of polluting the Imperial lineage! The Lin family could not take the fall! The Lin reputation must not be tarnished!

Deciding to act, he sat down without hesitation to write a memorial to the Emperor to confess and beg for mercy.

After Rong Mo sent his letter to Old Master Lin, he found his days significantly more peaceful. He gave a sarcastic smile; it seemed the Old Master wasn’t as indifferent to everything as he appeared. If Chu Ran truly wasn’t of Prince Rong’s blood, the Lins were in massive trouble. He wondered what the Old Master would do, but Rong Mo had long since abandoned any desire to acknowledge his maternal family. Such relatives were better off ignored.

The hundreds of lives lost in the Rong family could not be sacrificed in vain; this debt had to be paid. Luo Fei shared this sentiment. Currently, Luo Fei had entered the Hanlin Academy as a Junior Compiler, a minor official of the seventh rank. This was the standard appointment for the top three successful candidates of the Imperial examination in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Normally, if one joined a faction or became the son-in-law of a powerful minister, promotion and external postings would come easily; otherwise, one might languish in the Academy for a lifetime.

However, Luo Fei was the biological nephew of the Marchioness of Changle. Recently, the estate had released its second monthly batch of 200 “Divine Medicine” pills, and many high-ranking officials were desperate to build ties with the Marquis. Luo Fei’s future was brilliant. No one with eyes would dare make things difficult for him, so he was met with favor from everyone the moment he took office.

The Marquis and Rong Susu were delighted when they heard the news. The Marquis, in particular, felt the growing charm and power of the Divine Medicine.

Five days later, news suddenly broke that the deposed Consort of Prince Rong and her son, the former Heir, had both succumbed to a sudden illness and died. This was followed immediately by the news that Old Lady Lin had passed away shortly after due to excessive grief.

Then, censors launched a barrage of impeachments against the Marquis of Chongyang. Ultimately, the Emperor stripped him of his peerage and exiled his entire family to the harsh, bitter cold of the borderlands.

The ministers and great families of the capital sensed something was amiss, but the Emperor’s iron-fisted stance deterred them from investigating further. Sometimes, knowing too much was a death sentence.

When the commoners heard of the death of the deposed Madame Lin, they cheered in secret—the “Jinx” was finally dead. However, the high monk’s prophecy of a Great Disaster had not vanished. While the people were happy, they couldn’t help but curse her name; even in death, she found no peace.

Luo Fei was stunned when he heard his enemies were dead. He had only just learned his true identity and hadn’t even begun his revenge before his foes had perished. He felt a temporary sense of aimlessness.

The Changle Marquis Estate

“A-Mo, your enemies are dead!” Cheng Ruyi rushed into the Bamboo Garden, her face glowing with excitement. The old hag and her black-hearted daughter were gone; they wouldn’t be jumping around in front of her anymore. It was wonderful!

Rong Mo, who had just returned, thought of the dossier Prince Rong had secretly sent him. The deposed Consort had actually died under intense torture within the Imperial Clan Court. He smiled, feeling a weight lift. “Yes, they are finally dead.” Good and evil are rewarded in the end.

With his revenge settled, Rong Mo felt light, yet he was conflicted. His biological father, Prince Rong, had made it clear he knew the truth and wanted him to return to the clan. However, he had no such desire for now. Thinking of how Old Master Lin had discarded his wife and daughter to save the family, Rong Mo understood the logic but found it repulsive. That grandfather of his was truly ruthless. While the masterminds were the Old Lady and her daughter, the Old Master bore an undeniable responsibility. Thus, Rong Mo had no intention of claiming the Lins as kin.

“A-Mo, do you think Prince Rong killed them?” Cheng Ruyi blurted out. Why else would they die so fast, and why was the Old Lady’s natal family exiled?

Rong Mo nodded. Thinking of everything Prince Rong had done for him, his eyes were unreadable. “It was him. Actually, he had been secretly searching for me, but Old Lady Lin and that impostor used a wandering Taoist to tamper with my fate, severing the karmic blood ties between us. That’s why he couldn’t find me.”

The documents from the Prince detailed every evil deed those women had committed. Only then did Rong Mo realize his destiny had been altered—using his biological mother’s blood to perform the ritual that severed his ties to his family. The truth was so cruel that even the strong-willed Rong Mo was horrified.

Hearing this, Cheng Ruyi recalled Rong Mo’s fate in the original book. He had very little screen time; his first appearance was with his legs already amputated. In the end, after the original host’s “death-seeking” led to her demise, Rong Mo buried her and took the disgraced, exiled Marquis and his wife away from the capital, vanishing forever. Throughout the entire story, he never had any contact with Prince Rong.

“What a vicious method!” she exclaimed.

“Yes. Ruyi, you are my lucky star. If not for you, I might never have found the culprits for my revenge,” Rong Mo said with gratitude and relief. He suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace—so tight she could barely breathe.

Cheng Ruyi was a bit confused, not entirely understanding the gravity of his words.

As the wedding day drew closer, the weather turned colder, and some of the fruit trees in the estate began to shed their leaves.

Cheng Ruyi sat lazily in the courtyard, contentedly eating delicious marinated eggs from the kitchen. Mo Xiang chatted as she served her. “Miss, Miss Wanru from the Jian’an Marquisate next door is getting married in two days. Would you like to go see her?”

Cheng Ruyi remembered Cheng Wanru was marrying Tang Shuhua, a friend of her former fiancé. The matriarch of the Tang family was a formidable woman. However, as the original story’s primary “villainess,” Cheng Wanru wasn’t exactly soft either; the Tang family was in for some lively times.

“I won’t go. I heard there’s a tradition of ‘adding to the dowry.’ I’ll just have someone send a bottle of Divine Medicine over tomorrow,” Cheng Ruyi said. She had a decent impression of Cheng Wanru, so she was feeling generous. As for when Cheng Qingyao got married, she’d just have Mo Xiang embroider a simple pouch to send— hehe —that would irritate her to death!

Mo Lan blushed. “Miss, dowry gifts are usually jewelry or pouches. Is it okay to send Divine Medicine?”

Cheng Ruyi, busy eating her egg, mumbled, “Jewelry is boring and petty. My Divine Medicine is expensive— 10,000 taels a pill! I’ll send her ten. Cousin Wanru will be thrilled. Right, Mo Xiang?”

Mo Xiang’s mouth twitched. “You’re right, Miss.”

Cheng Ruyi finished her egg and took a sip of tea. “My gift is the most practical. When the Tangs find out, they’ll definitely look at her with more respect. I heard their matriarch is tough; with ten pills, Cousin Wanru will have more leverage. Since ancient times, the mother-in-law relationship has been a nightmare. I’m helping her out!” She sighed melodramatically.

Rong Mo arrived just in time to hear this and raised an eyebrow. Mo Xiang quickly bowed. “Young Master Rong Mo.”

“A-Mo, you’re here! Come try the marinated eggs, they’re delicious.” Cheng Ruyi waved him over with a bright smile.

“Alright.” Rong Mo sat beside her. He took a bite of the egg from her hand, seemingly unintentionally licking her fair, rounded finger with the tip of his tongue. He then praised seriously, “The flavor is good.”

It was unclear if he meant the egg or her finger. Cheng Ruyi pulled her hand back, her heart racing. A-Mo is getting better at flirting.

“What were you talking about that made you so happy?” Rong Mo chuckled. His gaze lingered on her reddish lips as his eyes darkened. Is my little fiancée getting impatient to marry me?

“Nothing much, just Cousin Wanru’s wedding. I like her, so I’m giving her ten pills as a dowry gift.” She sought praise with an air of immense generosity.

“That is indeed very generous,” Rong Mo teased, genuinely surprised by her willingness to part with them. Cheng Ruyi beamed, lifting her chin proudly. “Of course! I’ve always been a generous person.”

“Ruyi, I think I heard you say the mother-in-law relationship is a nightmare… You can rest easy on that front. You won’t have a mother-in-law to deal with,” Rong Mo joked, his eyes full of mischief.

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t be worried!” she snorted confidently. Her “Big Sister” (from her previous life) had told her how to handle such things. She wasn’t scared at all. Strength was the ultimate logic!

Seeing her arrogant yet cute look, Rong Mo felt like teasing her. “Is that so? Then tell me, if you and your mother-in-law didn’t get along and you felt wronged, what would you do?”

“Then I’d commit domestic violence against her son right in front of her!” Cheng Ruyi declared triumphantly. That was how her Big Sister did it—her brother-in-law became very obedient afterward, and the mother-in-law was completely tamed.

As the potential victim of said violence, Rong Mo’s mouth twitched. “…How brutal.” Only his fiancée could say something so domineering.

Mo Xiang was flabbergasted. She shot a look of sympathy at her future master. If he ever made the Miss unhappy, would he be subjected to domestic violence? She suddenly thought of the Miss’s former fiancé—if they hadn’t broken the engagement, poor Young Master Yan would probably be beaten daily. Mo Xiang suddenly felt he was very lucky.

Seeing Rong Mo’s odd expression, Cheng Ruyi gave a fawning smile. “Of course, I’m talking about other people. As for A-Mo, I wouldn’t have the heart to hit you.”

Rong Mo rubbed her head and smiled. “I know.” His little fiancée was truly adorable.

Cheng Ruyi relaxed and began happily chatting about how the poultry in the estate were diligently laying eggs. With hundreds of chickens and ducks eating feed made from their own vegetable garden, the eggs were piling up. Most were being salted for long-term storage, but there were still many left. Even the most delicious food gets boring if you eat it every day.

Cheng Ruyi, who hated wasting food, began plotting. She decided to give some away, and her first thought was Rong Mo’s biological father—that tragic, pitiable Prince. She heard Prince Rong was in poor health; as his future daughter-in-law, she decided to show some filial piety.

“A-Mo, the eggs from our estate are delicious and nourishing. I’ve decided to send two crates to my ‘future father-in-law’ to help his health.”

Rong Mo’s mouth twitched at the term “future father-in-law.” “…Alright.”

He wondered how Prince Rong would feel receiving crates of eggs from his future daughter-in-law. Though he hadn’t officially returned to the clan, Rong Mo had already acknowledged him in his heart. For some reason, thinking of the “mother-in-law” discussion, he was suddenly looking forward to seeing Cheng Ruyi interact with Prince Rong.

P.S.:

I have a new novel up. Please check it out and bookmark it. It’s a story about a mom who died and is transported 13 years into the future where her children became cannon fodders. It’s a comedy/family/healing drama, no romance drama,

Reborn Mother: Turning the Tide for My Cannon Fodder Children

After her death, Shu Shu discovered that she was merely the “White Moonlight” in a novel—the male lead’s long-lost first love who ran away while pregnant and died young.

Her children were destined to be the “cannon fodder foils” to the female lead’s children:

Her son was a street thug living adrift. He fought the female lead’s genius son over a girl, became a laughingstock, and eventually took a wrong turn that landed him in prison.

Her daughter, starved of maternal love since childhood, grew up dull and unlikable. She struggled with binge eating and obesity. While competing with the female lead’s “ethereal” daughter for the position of lead violinist, an accident ruined her hand, causing her to lose her mind and be abandoned by the family.

The story ended with the female lead replacing the “White Moonlight” in the male lead’s heart. Along with their brilliant children, the new family earned the recognition of the patriarch’s clan and lived happily ever after.

The good news: Shu Shu has been reborn.

The bad news: Her 18-year-old self has been reborn into the time when her son is already 17.

Shu Shu: …… (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

-This is adapted to vertical drama. One of the less toxic/stressful story lines. Chapters will be posted 4 times a week, Tuesdays-Fridays.

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