Favoring a Hidden Mistress? Engagement Broken-Chapter 37

That year, the news that Second Master Lu died on the battlefield along with his two sons reached the Capital City. His wife tried to hang herself that same day to follow her husband. If it weren’t for her personal maid discovering something was wrong, the Lu Family wouldn’t have a Second Madam now.

The then ten-year-old Xie Wanqing was deeply moved upon hearing the news.

For a long time, she regarded Second Madam Lu as the epitome of women in their times.

Loyalty, chastity, and deep affection.

The love between her and Second Master Lu was worthy of being sung for generations.

But now, she heard Lu Ziyuan’s low voice.

He said, "Back then, my Second Uncle wasn’t married long before he was ordered to go to Bianzhou to serve as Military Governor. Second Aunt was pregnant and couldn’t accompany him. Seeing him alone, a subordinate in Bianzhou sent him two women. Before his term ended and he returned to the Capital, Second Uncle gave them some silver to dismiss them, but little did he know one of them was pregnant."

"The woman returned to a good status and didn’t have the desire to remarry. She wished to raise the child alone but worried that news would leak, leading to her death while the child was retained, so she hid in the countryside to raise the child. On her deathbed, she revealed the child’s background."

"His name is Lu Zishuo. Given his age, he should be my cousin. He grew up in the countryside and achieved the honor of a scholar. While staying at a classmate’s house, Liu Manrou was arranged to serve him and thus became his concubine."

"Later, when bandits ran rampant in Bianzhou, Lu Zishuo was cut down in the street and happened to be encountered by me, as I was on an imperial mission to eliminate bandits in Bianzhou."

"He resembles my Second Uncle a lot. After I saved him, on his deathbed, he revealed his background to me. I also sent trusted people to carefully investigate and confirm that the Lu Family had bloodlines left over outside. Unfortunately, the day the brothers met, he perished under the bandits’ knives."

Xie Wanqing felt like she was listening to celestial tales, as her fingertips, once lightly tapping the table, had unconsciously stopped, watching with a dazed expression as his lips opened and closed.

Lu Ziyuan kept looking at her, earnestly narrating, "When the bandits were successfully eliminated and before returning to the Capital, Liu Manrou approached me, saying she was pregnant. She had been with Lu Zishuo for two years with an official title as a concubine. Since she was pregnant, I naturally couldn’t let the Lu Family bloodline remain outside again."

——So he brought her back to the Capital.

Xie Wanqing added the latter part of his sentence.

Even her mind began to ponder spontaneously why he didn’t directly disclose Liu Manrou’s identity to the public.

Lu Ziyuan wasn’t the eldest son of the Lu Family’s main house; he had two elder brothers above him, but they all died in battle with their father.

As the legitimate youngest son, he rarely saw his father due to his long-term stationing at the Northern Border, while Second Master Lu stayed in the Capital more often.

The uncle and nephew had a deep bond. Having learned his Second Uncle had descendants in the world, he naturally should arrange for them to recognize their roots.

Yet the Lu Family had a Second Madam who had kept her chastity for many years for her husband.

Years ago, after the Second Madam was saved by a maid from committing suicide, she repeatedly sought death until her ailing mother dragged herself to the Wuyuan Marquis Mansion to scold her harshly, persuading her to return.

Though she was willing to live, Second Madam Lu since then shunned meat and avoided bright colors, worshipped Buddhist teachings for years, and poured all her care into Lu Ziyuan, treating him as her own child.

Her feelings for her deceased husband were her spiritual pillar in her widowhood. If she learned he left descendants outside.

All her feelings over the years would be empty; whether she could retain any will to live was uncertain.

The Lu Family had too few descendants. Lu Ziyuan, needing to recognize his Second Uncle’s bloodline while considering his Second Aunt, decided to conceal Tang Manrou’s identity and claim the child himself.

This makes sense, that someone with a cold personality, who never liked maids close to him since childhood, would go out once and find a woman to bring back.

It’s just...

Xie Wanqing recalled those dreams.

After Liu Manrou gave birth to her eldest son, he actually granted Liu Manrou the status of a second legitimate wife, rather than what he said now about arranging her to be a concubine.

And those marks, sometimes hidden yet sometimes exposed, Liu Manrou showed her upon every encounter.

In the dreams, Lu Ziyuan’s unabashed favoritism towards Liu Manrou and her child let everyone know his cherished woman was her.

He fought against all opposition to give her the status of a legitimate wife, gave her child the identity of a legitimate descendant, and provided enough favor for her to be arrogant and domineering.

All that any woman desires, he lavishly bestowed upon Liu Manrou.

Now, he told her that she was his cousin’s concubine?

In the next moment, Xie Wanqing’s hand was held, and she suddenly snapped back to reality, only finding everything absurd and laughable.

She struggled to withdraw her hand, took out a handkerchief to wipe it carefully, and calmly said, "Are you done speaking?"

"Wanwan!" Not expecting her reaction after hearing everything, Lu Ziyuan’s voice sank slightly: "Everything I said earlier was true without any falsehood."

Xie Wanqing hummed in response and said, "If you’re finished speaking, remember to send the marriage documents tomorrow."

Lu Ziyuan’s jaw tightened, his face appearing unsightly: "Don’t you have anything to ask me?"

... Was he asking her to repeat the questions from that day?

Xie Wanqing frowned and thought for a moment, asking, "What else did I ask that day? You might as well say it all because I really don’t remember."

Lu Ziyuan’s expression stiffened, remained silent for a long time, and then said with difficulty, "I was wrong; I shouldn’t have said those absurd things..."

"Which ones?" Still harboring grievances, Xie Wanqing feigned confusion: "Was it that saying even if we get married, having another woman beside you wouldn’t be wrong, or that saying you won’t live your days just with me alone?"

She chuckled and continued, "Or was it that saying no matter how many women you have, it wouldn’t affect my status as the legitimate wife, right?"

"Wanwan," Lu Ziyuan pursed his lips, "If you have anger in your heart, I’ll let you handle it."

"There’s no need," Xie Wanqing stood up, "Your identity as Heir Lu is noble; how dare I handle you."

With that, she raised her step to leave, but he grabbed her wrist.

"Let go!" Xie Wanqing glared angrily.

Lu Ziyuan complied and let go, looking at her and said, "We haven’t finished talking, and you’re leaving like this, so I wouldn’t fulfill my promise."

Xie Wanqing laughed angrily, "I had no idea you were this shameless." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Staying persistent in not withdrawing from the engagement, even using this to threaten her.

Being ridiculed like this by her, Lu Ziyuan’s eyes dimmed slightly, and his tone stubbornly said: "What I said is true, Liu Manrou and I are clear and innocent."

At this point, he paused, struggled to speak: "I haven’t experienced any pillow joys with anyone."

Xie Wanqing: "..."

She paused for a moment before forcing herself to understand his words.

After a while, she softly said, "I don’t believe it."

She didn’t believe it.

Even if he was uncomfortably exposing his innocence before her now, she still didn’t believe it.

Since the dreams were true, then even if he has no feelings for Liu Manrou now, he would gradually fall in love with her in the days to come, bestowing all his favoritism upon her.

Not minding that she was his cousin’s concubine, not minding she bore children of another man.

Thinking so, Xie Wanqing couldn’t help but praise their love.

Transcending status and disregarding ethics.

If this isn’t true love, then what is?