Chapter 276: Is Xie Wenyuan your biological father?
"Can we be a spectator at the Chen Estate?" Ning Xiaoyao asked Lou Zigui.
"You can announce Pei Yan to the palace later. Then, we will naturally find out what happened at the Chen Estate."
"Let's go see anyway," Ning Xiaoyao responded. In case Chen Lu decides to follow Grand Preceptor Xie, she could help Lady Xu beat him up together.
What else can Lou Zigui do if Miss Ning insist? "Alright, but you're only allowed to watch. Later, no matter what happens, you can't step in."
"Mm. I won't step in," Deep down Ning Xiaoyao had already thought of a hundred and one ways to beat Chen Lu to death, but she immediately promised Lou Zigui.
Once again, they were back on the rooftop. Lou Zigui sighed. How many times have they been on the rooftop since last night?
In the bedroom, all the maids and older female servants were wiping their tears. Lady Xu laid on the bed with white muslin wrapped around her rib area. Underneath the thin blanket, a huge blotch of bloodstain could be seen on Lady Xu's night clothes.
Chen Lu was carried into the room. When he saw his wife in that dreadful state, everything turned black and he almost lost consciousness again.
Lady Xu could hear the shocking cries of her maids. She opened her eyes and saw Chen Lu's beaten face. She was startled and automatically tried to sit up. But the moment she moved, it teared her injury. Lady Xu groaned from the intense pain and her face was instantly covered in cold sweat.
"Mah l-lady…" Chen Lu shouted in unclear articulation.
"Who beat you up?" Lady Xu anxiously asked while lying down.
"Who tried to kill you?" Chen Lu asked, distressed.
"Physician!" Lady Xu bellowed. "Hurry and send the physician in right now!"
"all of y-you, retreat!" Chen Lu stuttered and ordered all his servants to leave the room. Sadly, he sounded like he was about to draw his last breath.
"Do you want me to die from concern?" Lady Xu yelled.
"I won't die," replied Chen Lu. "My bones aren't even broken."
"Physician!" Lady Xu ignored Chen Lu and screeched.
The physician was waiting by the door. Since Lady Xu was shrieking like a maniac, he immediately rushed in with his junior disciple. The junior disciple carried his medical box and the two entered in the bedroom once more.
"Hurry, take a look at our general!" Lady Xu urged.
Chen Lu was trying his best to stretch his neck and look at his wife. Lady Xu's complexion was white as a paper. Furthermore, her voice sounded weak and feeble. Yet, deep down, she was looking out for his best interest. Great General Chen was both touched and sorrowful.
The physician was stunned to see Chen Lu in such devastation. Secretly, he was curious to know who the culprit of this crime was.
"How are his injuries?" Lady Xu restlessly asked.
After the physician inspected Chen Lu, he spoke the truth. "Great General Chen is only injured externally. His internals are fine. So, he should be properly healed within ten to fifteen days. There is no need to worry too much, Lady Xu."
"H-how's my lady's injuries?" Chen Lu accumulated his strength to ask his question.
The physician caught the cautionary look and nod Lady Xu gave him.
"The lady's injuries are severe, They were extremely close to her vital organs. Her ladyship is lucky she avoided death. But she must take proper care in order to heal." stated the physician.
Chen Lu ground his teeth so loud that everyone inside the room heard him. On the rooftop, Ning Xiaoyao turned to Lou Zigui. "Chen Lu is gritting his teeth. I think he's really mad ah!"
Lou Zigui quietly made an acknowledgement sound and patted Ning Xiaoyao on the head. "Lady Xu has bribed the physician."
Ning Xiaoyao: …
"At this point, how could Lady Xu allow herself to lie and rest on the bed doing nothing? The physician made eye contact with Lady Xu before he spoke. Xiaoyao, didn't you see? The physician didn't speak until Lady Xu nodded and gave him the approval."
Ning Xiaoyao dug her fingers into her palm. She didn't notice, but she wasn't going to admit it.
In the bedroom, the physician was applying medication on Chen Lu. But before he could give Chen Lu more medical advice, Chen Lu dismissed everyone in the room. After everyone left, Chen Lu anxiously questioned his wife. "Are you alright?"
"I won't die." Lady Xu curtly answered.
"Who were the assassins?"
"They escaped. I have no proof. What's the point of telling you?"
"Who is it?" Chen Lu pressed. "Tell me!"
"I'm not the type to sit around and wait for death," Lady Xu finally revealed. "I teared off the assassin's cloth he used to mask his identity. I've seen that man by the Grand Preceptor's side before."
Although Chen Lu already had a feeling, he still froze over Lady Xu's words.
"I guess Grand Preceptor Xie only sees me as a married woman living in the back residence," Lady Xu bitterly laughed, "Or else, why would he send his people to kill me? Look at the table."
Chen Lu turned to the small table by the bed. There was a wooden box lying on top.
"Open it," instructed Lady Xu.
Chen Lu opened the box. Inside, there was half a piece of brocade.
"What's that?" Ning Xiaoyao asked.
Lou Zigui narrowed his eyes and stared at the piece of fabric. He whispered, "It's the pouch where the dragon guards use to put their badge."
"Whaa? Why does Lady Xu have Windy or one of the dragon guards' stuff?" Ning Xiaoyao was dumbfounded.
"It's not real. It just looks like it." Lou Zigui analyzed. "Or else, it wouldn't only be half of it."
The corners of Ning Xiaoyao's mouth twitched. So deceiving?
"If I hadn't been able to see the assassin's face with my slight ability, I would've thought His Majesty was the one who wanted me dead." Lady Xu spoke in a low voice while laying flat on the bed.
Chen Lu closed the box aggressively. *pa*
"Who beat you up like this?" Lady Xu continued, "They didn't bother to kill you but wasted efforts to do something like this? What an idiot."
"I-I'm not sure." Chen Lu replied.
"You don't know. So does that mean we'll sit around at home and wait for death?"
Chen Lu lowered his voice. "Why don't you return back to the Xu Estate?"
Lady Xu's eyebrows turned vertical. Just as she was about to explode, her facial expression loosened. She wordlessly stared at Chen Lu.
"The capital is about to turn into a mess. It's best you leave now. My lady, after everything is over, I'll come pick you up. If for some reason I fail to make it, the Xie Clan will take good care of me. Even if I die, I'll be able to die at peace."
Ning Xiaoyao sniffed. Chen Lu's words made her feel so sad.
On the contrary, Lady Xu reacted the opposite. She endured the pain and sat upright as she slapped Chen Lu across the face.
"Aii motherf**ker!" Ning Xiaoyao subconsciously held onto her face.
"My lady," Chen Lu was beaten up again. He knew his face was even more unpresentable now, but he didn't mind. Instead, he gently gazed at his wife. "This is not the time to be angry. Pack up and I'll think of a way to send you back to the Xu Estate."
"Is Xie Wenyuan your biological father?" Lady Xu icily blasted.
"What do you mean? I'm the son of the Chen Clan, from Jiangyin!"
"If he's not your biological dad, why are you trying so hard to throw away your life for him?"
Chen Lu didn't say anything.
"You're a subject. You should be loyal to the monarch. Why are you so loyal to the Grand Preceptor? If the current emperor was a fatuous and self-indulgent ruler, then fine. But General, do you think His Majesty is a fatuous ruler?"
Ning Xiaoyao secretly clenched her fists. If Chen Lu dares to call her a fatuous ruler, she will definitely go down and beat him up!
Chen Lu sighed and shook his head. "Of course not."
"Then why must you follow Xie Wenyuan until death? Oh? Perhaps after Grand Preceptor Xie gets rid of me, you can find another woman to bear your children?" Lady Xu provoked.
"Xinghua!" Chen Lu screamed. Since he already sounded abnormal to begin with, his words sounded like howl.
Lady Xu's body trembled from the sound.
"I already told you! If we can't have children, we could always adopt one in the future. Aren't there children we can adopt within our clans? I don't have another woman. Can you stop accusing me? It's obvious that someone was trying to drive a wedge between us last night!" Chen Lu raged.
"Fine. Last night, someone tried to drive a wedge between us. How about today?"
Lady Xu's question instantly dissipated Chen Lu's anger.
"When great catastrophe approaches, each respectfully flies off on their own." Lady Xu smiled cynically. "I guess that line is true."
"I already said after everything is over, I'll come pick you up. We'll continue living how we were. How are we flying off individually?" Chen Lu patiently expressed.
"What if you die?"
"The Xu Clan will…"
"I would be an unemployed widow freeloading from my parents' home?" Lady Xu's volume increased substantially.
"Father-in-law wouldn't…"
"I am part of the Chen Clan now. Yet, you want me to return to the Xu Clan for the latter half of my life. Chen Lu, do you want me to become a joke?" Lady Xu's tears rolled down her face.
Lady Xu's tears caused Chen Lu's heart to be in a disarray. He wanted to hold his wife in his arms and wipe her tears away, but he couldn't move. So, he could only rush his words. "No, of course not! I'm just worried the elders will bully you if I'm not around."
Lou Zigui quietly explained to Ning Xiaoyao on the roof. "A married woman with no sons or husband will have to obey the arrangements of elders."
Ning Xiaoyao understood now. Lady Xu's temper was probably the result of her treatment from the Chen Clan.
Initially, Lady Xu was faking her cries. But hearing how Chen Lu was afraid she would be mistreated by the elders, she burst into real tears.
"Don't cry! I'll give you all my fine, soft valuables to take with you. That way, you won't be freeloading." Chen Lu soothed.
"Go join His Majesty's side." Lady Xu wiped away her tears. "I don't want to be a rich or broke widow. If you die, I'll die too. If you're in the underworld, I'll definitely catch up to you."
Chen Lu was speechless.
"This is so touching." Ning Xiaoyao whimpered.
Ning Xiaoyao was observing the scene before her, while Lou Zigui was observing Ning Xiaoyao. He lifted his hand and lightly rearranged Ning Xiaoyao's disheveled hair at the front.
"Grand Preceptor Xie…" After a long pause, Chen Lu struggled to speak. "Grand Preceptor's plan is well thought out. As for His Majesty…"
"I have already decided." Lady Xu cut Chen Lu off. She didn't have much strength left in her voice. "I have sent someone to get my father. The Xu Clan cannot continue following Xie Wenyuan."
"W-what are you going to tell your father?" Chen Lu stuttered.
"Xie Wenyuan wants to kill us." Lady Xu made direct eye contact with Chen Lu. "After we're dead, Xie Wenyuan will slaughter the Xu Clan."
"For what reason?"
"One of the ladies from the Xie Clan fell for you. You didn't want to be a heartless person and divorce me. So we have to die." explained Lady Xu. "Besides, now that Tao Chen is dead, Xie Wenyuan wants our military power. They want someone from the Xie Clan to control the Roaring Tigers Camp."
Chen Lu: …
"Is it really ok to say so much rubbish?" Ning Xiaoyao asked Lou Zigui. Would General Xu believe this?