The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 360 - 328: Willing to Be a Concubine for the Sake of Revenge (Third Update)

The conversation between Empress Su and Empress Dowager Renyi was destined to end in defeat for Empress Su.

Returning to Kunning Palace, she immediately prepared gifts to visit Fourth Young Master Su Yaoqi at the Duke Mansion.

In the early stages of treatment, the wound healed slowly, and Su Yaoqi would be awakened by pain every night.

During the day, the Duke and Duchess often accompanied him.

At night, only a few maids and servants remained to keep watch.

At the moment, just as the Chief Eunuch at Kunning Palace had returned from visiting Su Yaoqi, a maid came in and said, "Lord Duke, Sixth Miss is kneeling outside again."

In her plea for her biological mother, Su Dai had knelt until her knees were bruised these past days, yet Duke Su remained unmoved.

Anything concerning Su Yaoqi was like gouging out his heart; how could he easily relent?

"If she likes kneeling so much, let her kneel properly!"

Duke Su waved his hand and turned to enter the inner chamber.

Su Yaoqi heard the commotion and asked the Duke, "Father, who were you speaking to?"

The Duke replied, "No one, just a few disobedient fools. How are you feeling today, Fourth Brother?"

Su Yaoqi lowered his eyelashes, "Still very painful."

As soon as he finished speaking, he hissed in pain, his brow furrowing.

The Duke’s heart clenched, "Stop speaking, just lie down properly!"

The injury was on his face, so as soon as he opened his mouth, it would inevitably pull the muscles at the corners of his lips, causing unavoidable pain.

Su Yaoqi stared at the azure canopy, his gaze vacant.

Unable to speak, unable to get off the bed, unable to sleep—this feeling of endless days made him long for his days studying at the Imperial College.

The Duke seemed to understand his son’s thoughts, "As long as you focus on your recovery, once you’re well, I’ll send you back to the Imperial College, or if you prefer studying at home, I’ll hire more tutors for you."

——

Hao Yun worked at the Ministry of Justice and was familiar with the government office’s procedures for trial cases. To avoid troubles, he exerted considerable effort and successfully drove the Third Aunt to despair.

Upon learning of her mother’s death, Su Dai felt as though her heart had plunged into an icy abyss, and the last shred of hope she held for her father, Duke Su, was utterly shattered.

From that day on, she became reticent and never visited Su Yaoqi again.

All along, Su Yaoqi never knew the truth about the fire in his courtyard. Only after not seeing his Sixth Sister for several days did he casually ask one day, to which Duke Su grimly replied, "Your mother is arranging a marriage for her; she has no time to come."

——

Due to the death of the Third Aunt, Su Dai had dropped out of the Hongwen Academy. Hearing that her stepmother was arranging a marriage for her, she understood in her heart that this home could no longer accommodate her.

That evening, while walking alone in the garden, Su Dai happened to encounter Aunt Qiu.

Considering that Aunt Qiu was also not well-liked in the mansion, Su Dai couldn’t help but feel a sense of mutual understanding and sat down to chat with her for a while.

Perhaps Aunt Qiu’s demeanor was too approachable; by the end of their conversation, Su Dai revealed her confidences.

"While Aunt was alive, Mother never favored us illegitimate children. Now that Aunt is gone, Mother is eager to marry me off, having gained Father’s consent. It’s clear she won’t arrange a good family for me."

As she spoke, tears fell, her sobs tinged with a sense of helplessness.

Aunt Qiu said, "Sixth Miss, don’t be disheartened. Even if you don’t have your biological mother’s care, you still have a Third Aunt."

The "Third Aunt" mentioned by Aunt Qiu was Su Yi, Lady Lu.

Hearing her words, Su Dai was taken aback.

Indeed, Third Aunt had always cared for her. Now with such significant issues, why not seek refuge with her?

...

A few days later, Su Yi returned to her parental home filled with anger.

Duke Su assumed she was there to visit Su Yaoqi, and politely invited her in. However, Su Yi started scolding him right at the door, "Big Brother, how do you teach the girls in your family? You’re in trouble and want to drag your sister into it so you can feel better?"

The Duchess knitted her brows at once and sternly reprimanded, "Su Yi, is this how you speak to your elder brother?"

Su Yi glared coldly at the Duchess, a mocking smile tugging at her lips, "Since my sister-in-law has spoken, I should ask you why you couldn’t control Sixth Miss and let her embarrass herself at our house?"

Duke Su’s head was splitting from her yelling, "What nonsense are you spouting now?"

"I’m spouting nonsense?" Su Yi’s expression grew even darker, "A few days ago, Sixth Miss came to my place, and I thought she was just in a bad mood after Aunt had passed, so I kindly sat with her and tried to console her. But what did she do? After just two visits, someone caught her in an embrace with Brother Bin from our family! The old master and mistress are seething with anger now. Big Brother, you tell me, what does your family intend to do?"

The Duchess felt a surge of annoyance as she looked towards a nanny nearby and asked in a low voice, "What’s going on?"

The nanny replied, "Sixth Miss has indeed been leaving the house lately, but she went to the Lu Family. The servants probably thought that with Third Aunt there, they wouldn’t disturb the Duchess and Fourth Young Master with such reports."

Upon hearing this, the Duchess felt her heart sink, stumbling back a half-step, she muttered to herself, "It’s all over..."

Despite the in-law relationship, the Lu Family and Su Family have never gotten along in reality.

Being caught in such shameful behavior at the Lu Family, regardless of the cause, ultimately tarnishes the girl’s reputation. Su Dai, who is currently involved in matchmaking talks, would struggle to find a suitor if such rumors spread.

Unlike the Duchess’s despairing look, Duke Su laughed in anger, "Your son ruined my daughter’s purity and you still have the nerve to come here to accuse me? Since you, the mother, are here, let’s have a proper discussion about justice—is it for Sixth Miss to marry in, or must I take this issue to the courts to argue with your Lu Family?"

Su Yi’s eyes reddened with anger.

If it truly were her son, she wouldn’t mind him marrying Sixth Miss, but neither Brother Bin nor Qiao are her biological children. Her aggressive visit today was completely due to being forced by the elder master. If she doesn’t get an explanation today, the elder master certainly won’t let it go.

Upon hearing Duke Su, the Duchess immediately caught on, not letting go of Su Yi, "Even if our family’s girl suffered a huge loss and her purity was ruined, this accusation from the esteemed lady makes no sense. Even if there should be an explanation, it ought to come from your family, don’t you think?"

Seeing Su Yi remain silent, the Duchess continued, "As I see it, letting Sixth Miss marry isn’t a bad option. Our two families are already connected by marriage. Now that your niece is going to serve your son, it only strengthens the familial bond. Why does the esteemed lady seem so unwilling? Do you think our family’s girl is unworthy of your son?"

Su Yi suddenly sneered, "A concubine born of a mother who committed a capital crime? She’s only fit to be our Brother Bin’s concubine. Isn’t it justice your family seeks? The Lu Family’s resolution is that she may marry in, but without any formal proposal or ceremony, directly through the side door. From then on, when the rightful wife enters, she must heed and obey her."

"You..." The Duchess was infuriated, "A daughter from the Imperial Uncle’s family, with so many outstanding suitors lining up to marry her, and yet you want her to be a concubine?"

"I’ve said my piece. If your family is unwilling, just take her back. The Lu Family can pretend nothing happened."

The Lu Family might pretend nothing happened, but can the Su Family?

The Duchess was simmering with anger. She had always thought this Third Aunt sided with her parental family, but now, in the face of her family’s crisis, not only did she rarely visit, she even humiliated their girl—it was simply too much to endure!

The Duchess had no recourse and turned to look at Duke Su.

Still fuming, Duke Su immediately told Su Yi to get out.

...

A few days later, unable to withstand the public outcry, the Su Family finally agreed to let Su Dai marry into the Lu Family as a concubine for Lu Yanbin.

At the Lu Family, in the outer courtyard study.

Su Dai knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Lu Pingzhou, "Thank you, Master, for taking me in."

Lu Pingzhou maintained a calm demeanor, "I took you in because Brother Bin likes you. But don’t forget your prior promise."

Su Dai nodded solemnly, "I won’t forget. It was Duke Su’s failure to distinguish right from wrong that drove my mother to prison and ultimately to her death. He is also the reason I’ve fallen into such dire straits today. From the moment I cross into the Lu Family, Su Dai will stand against the Su Family in perpetual enmity!"

Lu Pingzhou’s lips slightly curled.

Indeed, the incident when Su Dai was caught privately meeting with Lu Yanbin by a servant was nothing more than a trap set by Lu Pingzhou. He had long seen that Lu Yanbin was fond of Su Dai, and Su Dai proactively sought him out for refuge, saying she would be willing to be a concubine as long as she could seek revenge.

Thus, Lu Pingzhou orchestrated a scenario where Su Dai would deliberately throw herself into Lu Yanbin’s arms in front of passing servants, spreading the word through the servants and forcing the Su Family to allow her into the Lu Family.

——

The fierce battles among Empress Su, the Empress Dowager, the Su Family, and the Lu Family did not seem to disturb the tranquility of the Song family.

Even as their mansion grew larger, their servants increased, and regulations took hold, their days remained peaceful and serene.

Though it seemed the Mid-Autumn Festival had just passed, in a blink, it was time for the Xu family’s full month celebration for their twin newborns.