The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 654 - 616: The True Identities of the Twins (Part 2)

Chapter 654: Chapter 616: The True Identities of the Twins (Part 2)

Lu Pingzhou mocked himself inwardly. He had prided himself on his strategic prowess all his life, yet the only time he miscalculated was when Su Yi, this venomous woman, cuckolded him.

He hadn’t spoken of it before because it was too difficult to admit, but with Su Yi’s increasingly frequent moves recently, Lu Pingzhou felt that the Lu Family could no longer accommodate this woman.

Facing his biological father’s questioning, he was silent for a moment before calmly stating, "Brother Bin didn’t lie. He and Qiao are indeed not the children of the Su Family, but are Wen Niang’s children."

"Nonsense!" The old master slammed the writing desk heavily, startling the root-carved pen holder on top, scattering the brushes all over the ground.

Lu Pingzhou lowered his eyelashes.

"Back then, Su Niang betrayed me first; the dragon and phoenix twins she gave birth to belonged to someone else. I couldn’t allow the Lu Family’s bloodline to be confused, so I had to find a way to swap them, exchanging Wen Niang’s child with Su Niang’s."

"So you’re saying Aunt Wen was also pregnant with twins?"

"No, Wen Niang was only pregnant with Brother Bin. Qiao was a child I adopted from a peasant family."

First, it was the eldest daughter-in-law committing adultery and giving birth to twins, then it was the eldest son adopting another child from a peasant family to cover the scandal.

This truth, which upended everything they knew, had even the always mature and steady Duke Lu breaking into a cold sweat, still fuming with anger, "Since it was such a big issue, why didn’t you confess back then?"

Lu Pingzhou let out a bitter laugh, "What man is willing to wear a green hat on his own head? Your son also has his dignity and didn’t want to make things known to everyone."

At his words, the old master couldn’t find words to refute for a long time, finally choking out, "How many people know about this matter?"

Lu Pingzhou replied, "Outside, only my second brother and sister-in-law know. Within the Lu Family, myself, Wen Niang, Su Niang, Brother Bin, and Qiao all know, and now adding you, mother, and Mrs. Xiao Liu."

Indeed, they had concealed the truth from him and his old wife, and the old master fiercely tugged at his beard, "While the matter hasn’t spread, find a way to seal the news. You know the consequences if it gets out."

"I understand, father."

The old master asked him again, "What do you plan to do with the Su Family?"

Mentioning that woman, Lu Pingzhou’s eyes became fierce, "The late Empress Dowager granted the marriage, so I can’t divorce her, but that doesn’t mean I can’t torment her. This time going to Suzhou, I surely won’t let her have smooth sailing."

The old master sighed deeply, "Su Yi is restless. As long as she has a breath left, there’s no guarantee she won’t come back to stir trouble."

It was rare to hear his always benevolent biological father harbor killing intent towards a woman, and Lu Pingzhou immediately said, "I know what to do."

"Go and take care of this matter quickly, lest it grows more complicated over time."

Lu Pingzhou exited the study and returned to Yi’an Courtyard.

The atmosphere in the main house remained tense. Ever since the old master called Lu Pingzhou out, no one had spoken, and Su Yi’s face was beyond pale.

For so long, her affair with Qi Hai had been a thorn she’s used to stab at Lu Pingzhou’s heart. Lu Pingzhou couldn’t divorce her, so he had to endure the humiliation.

She had grown accustomed to making Lu Pingzhou feel awkward every time he saw her, yet finding no way to make a scene.

Now, with the veil of shame torn off and laid bare before many, Su Yi felt no satisfaction, only as if her skin had been flayed.

The old lady, supported by Mrs. Fang, took a Life-saving Pill to barely calm down, glaring at Su Yi with no words in her anger.

Mrs. Xiao Liu turned into a statue, sitting motionless.

No wonder Lu Yanbin was deeply attached to his concubine; it turns out he himself was born of a concubine.

So is his resistance towards the legitimate wife ingrained in his heart?

Mrs. Xiao Liu increasingly felt her life was engulfed in confusion.

Years ago, she was muddleheadedly brought to the Capital by the old lady’s arrangement, muddleheadedly met Lu Yanbin, and this marriage was thus settled, ending with her muddleheadedly marrying into the family. She thought, being the old lady’s kin, that even if the young master didn’t hold her in high regard, he would at least show her some respect out of appearances — never did she expect to be neglected from her wedding day to now.

Every time the old lady spoke to her about offspring, she felt bitter beyond words.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Xiao Liu’s eyes turned red. She truly wanted to question Lu Yanbin once, if he was so opposed to his legitimate wife and didn’t favor her, why did he agree to marry her in the first place?

If he had shaken his head that year, she would have married another. Now, even if not wealthy or noble, her life would at least be more comfortable than merely pretending to be a couple.

He could spend all his days fondly with a concubine, while she endured the pressures from the elders, always about offspring.

The old lady even worried it was her body that had problems and brought in an experienced midwife to examine her.

At times like this, what could she say? Tell the old lady that she and Lu Yanbin hardly shared a room?

She could only accompany it with a smile and say her fate with children had not yet arrived.

Spending her whole life to fulfill his deep love for the concubine, and yet he felt not an ounce of guilt or regret, was truly chilling.

When Lu Pingzhou entered, Mrs. Xiao Liu sat even more upright, promptly dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, not wanting the father-in-law to notice any flaw.

The old lady kept a stern face, "Eldest, how do you explain the previous matters?"

"There is nothing much to explain," Lu Pingzhou said frankly, "Brother Bin is indeed Wen Niang’s biological son; as for the Su Family..."

As he spoke, his gaze slowly shifted to Su Yi.

Su Yi felt a chill under his gaze, opened her mouth but couldn’t utter a single sound.

"Mother, at this point, further pursuit is pointless," Lu Pingzhou said, "I have already explained the details to Father. If you want to know, you can ask him yourself. Since there are younger ones present, I won’t elaborate. The remaining matters need not trouble Father and Mother; leave it to me."

Only then did Mrs. Xiao Liu suddenly come to her senses, hurriedly stood up, "Father, Old Lady, I won’t speak of this matter."

As the Young Madam in charge of managing the household stuff, she should have this sense of awareness. The old lady gave a slight hum, and her mood finally eased a little.

Afterwards, Lu Yanbin returned to Feixue Courtyard to visit Su Dai, while Mrs. Xiao Liu supported the old lady into the inner chamber.

Su Yi, on the other hand, was taken away by Lu Pingzhou.

With such an earth-shattering piece of news dropped on her, how could the old lady rest easy? Once seated, she ordered Mrs. Xiao Liu to invite Aunt Wen over.

Mrs. Xiao Liu responded, walked out of Yi’an Courtyard, and shortly brought Aunt Wen from Haitang Courtyard to Yi’an Courtyard.

The incident occurred abruptly, leaving Aunt Wen unsure of what had happened, feeling extremely uneasy inside.

The old lady never showed any kindness towards the concubines, especially since the young master favored her; in the eyes of the old lady, she was simply a bewitching seductress. Always, she avoided the old lady as much as possible, reluctant to bother her eyes.

Yet today, she was summoned alone to Yi’an Courtyard, and Aunt Wen felt an overwhelming sense of foreboding, but dared not ask Mrs. Xiao Liu, only lowering her head.

Once she entered the old lady’s inner chamber, she respectfully curtsied, "Your servant greets the Old Lady."

The old lady held a teacup in her hand, whisked away the foam on top, and upon seeing Aunt Wen enter, slightly frowned; she didn’t drink, but set the cup down, "Raise your head."

Aunt Wen slowly raised her head.

Today, she wore a willow-green watery silk jacket, had only simple ornaments on her head, and her makeup was very plain.

Even if in the eyes of the old lady she was a shameless charmer, she always dressed modestly and never flaunted herself.

Regarding her makeup, the old lady couldn’t pick any faults, yet thinking of her improper standing, she inevitably felt uneasy.

Before being elevated to the status of a concubine, this woman was the Lu Family’s wet nurse, and while nursing, she became the lord’s woman.

Back then, this incident made a lot of people outside laugh; they said the lord and a pair of children fought over the food.

The old lady’s prejudice towards Aunt Wen began from then; as Lu Pingzhou’s devotion to her grew, the old lady’s revulsion naturally deepened.

Even knowing now that Aunt Wen was indeed Brother Bin’s biological mother, the old lady’s impression of her wasn’t greatly improved.

"Since when did you and the Eldest start?"

The old lady was straightforward, having no patience for beating around the bush.

Aunt Wen was completely stunned, having no idea what the old lady was getting at.

Seeing her hesitation, the old lady frowned more deeply, "Earlier, Brother Bin mentioned some matters to me and the elder master. I just want to ask, how did you and the Eldest meet, and where did you meet?"

Aunt Wen’s heart sank, the first thought was that Brother Bin and Qiao’s true parentage couldn’t be concealed anymore. She trembled nervously, stuttered a little while speaking, "Your servant... your servant met the Lord in Yizhou. At that time, the Lord went out on business. His health was poor and once collapsed by the roadside. Your servant knows some medical theory and happened to pass by and saved him."

Such trope, the old lady didn’t even feel like listening to.

"So, you later became his mistress for a while?"

"Yes."