The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 664 - 626: Favoring the Concubine, Destroying the Wife (Part 1)

Chapter 664: Chapter 626: Favoring the Concubine, Destroying the Wife (Part 1)

Lu Pingzhou finished giving instructions and called a servant to escort the doctor to Shazao Town.

Shortly after the doctor left, Lu Yanbin hurriedly came in.

Without waiting for his father to speak, he asked, "Since you so dislike the Su Family, why not just divorce her?"

He was fully aware of how Su Yi had been treated by the Lu Family over the years; if it weren’t for the marriage decree from the late Empress Dowager, she would be nothing.

Lu Pingzhou held a teacup, the tea mist swirling around him, and his expression remained unchanged as he said nothing.

Lu Yanbin continued, "The Su Family’s influence is gone; Father, since you favor your concubine so much, you should give her a proper status."

Lu Pingzhou chuckled softly, "You came just to tell me that?"

"I just feel that someone like her shouldn’t be the Heir’s wife of the Duke Mansion, nor your primary wife."

Lu Pingzhou took a slow sip of tea, "Not to mention that it’s impossible to divorce a wife decreed by the Empress Dowager, even if I did divorce her, what difference would it make?"

Lu Yanbin’s eyes lit up, "Divorce the Su Family, then you can elevate Mother to the primary wife. Because of the Su Family, Mother has lowered herself for so many years, and her patience, Father, you’ve seen it with your own eyes. Moreover, she bore your firstborn son, coupled with your affection, isn’t that enough to qualify as a primary wife?"

"Naive!" Lu Pingzhou coldly spat out the words.

Lu Yanbin was stunned, "Father, don’t you wish for Mother to be your primary wife?"

He had never doubted his father’s feelings for his mother. If it weren’t for deep love, why would Father bring her from Yizhou after his grand marriage, afraid she would have to perform concubine rites to the primary wife, and even went to great lengths to bring her into the mansion after childbirth?

Even though she came to the Lu Family as a nanny, Lu Yanbin firmly believed his father’s feelings for his mother were unique.

Since it was unique, isn’t it only right and proper to divorce the Su Family for her faults and elevate his mother?

Lu Pingzhou glanced at him, with a firm attitude, leaving no room for negotiation, "Once the Su Family is gone, you’ll only end up with another stepmother."

Lu Yanbin was stunned, completely unprepared for such words from his father.

"Father, how can you treat Mother like this? She’s been a concubine for twenty years for you. Despite the Su Family constantly making trouble for her, she’s never once quarreled with them. Don’t you think it’s because she’s afraid of putting you in a difficult position, choosing to swallow all her grievances? Yes, I admit my mother comes from a humble background, unlike the Su Family’s prestigious lineage, but her sincerity towards you can be seen by heaven and earth. Father, the person you intended to marry was Mother; why now, when the opportunity arises, are you unwilling to give her a chance?"

"Shut up!" Lu Pingzhou’s eyes were icy cold, "Don’t forget you’re the legitimate eldest son set to inherit the position. Such absurd actions as elevating a concubine, do you think you can turn the Lu Family into such a place?"

Lu Yanbin opened his mouth, wanting to speak but unable to utter a word.

Lu Pingzhou said, "Just because I haven’t spoken doesn’t mean I approve of your actions. You have seven emotions and desires; showing favoritism to anyone is a private matter in your house, and I, as your father, have no right to interfere. But you must understand that no matter what you do, you must first be a man, a man of the Lu Family. A man of the Lu Family should be as strong-backed as your grandfather, and if you indulge in romance, you will eventually destroy yourself and the Lu Family."

Lu Yanbin realized his father was subtly criticizing him for loving a concubine and neglecting his wife.

He found it ridiculous.

Wasn’t he just following his father’s example?

If the senior branch is not upright, the junior branch will become crooked.

But he dared not say it out loud; he only straightened up and told Lu Pingzhou one word at a time, "Daidai and I truly love each other. When I wanted to marry her, it was you who stopped me, which led to this situation. If you had agreed back then, Daidai would be my primary wife now, and how could I neglect Mrs. Xiao Liu? In the end, the three of us, me, Daidai, and Mrs. Xiao Liu, have become what we are today because of you all."

Lu Pingzhou’s face looked gloomy and unpleasant. He had already stated that it was impossible for a concubine to become the primary wife of the Lu Family, yet his son was still so stubborn!

A surge of frustration welled up in his chest, and Lu Pingzhou hissed, "Get out!"

The matter remained unresolved, somewhat unexpected for Lu Yanbin, but he did not regret it in the slightest. He was firm in his love for Daidai, unlike his father, who left his mother waiting for so many years, only to end up not giving her any status.

He would find a way to deal with Mrs. Xiao Liu, whether by divorce or separation; one day, he would make Daidai his wife properly.

Lu Pingzhou watched his son’s departing figure, massaging his forehead in frustration.

He indeed had feelings for Wen Niang, but he wouldn’t be foolish enough to let passion lead him to disgrace the family.

Elevate Wen Niang?

He had never thought of it; even if he did, he wouldn’t actually do it.

——

By the time the doctor Lu Xingzhou arranged for arrived at Shazao Town, it had been a day since Su Yi met with Nanny Qin.

Su Yi lay weakly on the bed, lacking the strength to move.

Upon hearing that the doctor had arrived, her eyes finally showed a trace of spirit.

When Shanhu brought the doctor in, and seeing no sign of Qiu Yan and Qiu Yun, she hurriedly asked, "Where are those two?"

The doctor was taken aback.

Su Yi said, "Qiu Yan and Qiu Yun, where did they go?"

The doctor shook his head, indicating he did not know.

He was just a doctor invited in from outside by the Young Master and had no knowledge of the Lu Family’s internal affairs. He didn’t even know who Qiu Yan and Qiu Yun were, so how could he possibly know their whereabouts?

Mistress Fang sneered at the situation, "No wonder those two insisted on going; they must have planned not to follow Madam to Suzhou all along."

As she spoke, she spat, filled with resentment.

Suzhou is on the border, barren and desolate, while staying in the Capital means living well; who would want to follow and suffer in such a place?

The more she thought about it, the more resentful Mistress Fang became.

Why should Qiu Yan and Qiu Yun get to stay while they have to toil and suffer?

Su Yi took in Mistress Fang’s expression. Normally, a servant daring to show such rudeness before the master would have been beaten and sold off long ago. However, now things were different; she had fallen out of favor and, being ill, she needed the servants’ attentive care along the way. If she were to openly confront them now, and they teamed up to trouble her, she would undoubtedly be doomed on her trip to Suzhou.

With these thoughts, Su Yi swallowed her resentment and allowed the doctor to examine her.

After sitting down, the doctor checked her tongue and pulse, finally determining the medication dosage based on her condition.

The prescription ingredients did not need his own research; it was prepared by the Young Master. The key was the medication, carefully balanced to neither exacerbate her condition nor provide a complete cure, right on the edge of life and death.

Doctor Yuan soon handed the new prescription to Shanhu, who turned around and went downstairs to fetch the medicine.

The medicine was retrieved, and Mistress Fang went to the small stove to oversee the brewing. After Su Yi drank it and rested for half a day, she felt slightly better, but not by much; her body still felt weak.

Doctor Yuan explained that because the illness had been delayed, it had harmed her fundamentally, requiring a slow recovery over time.

Su Yi looked at Doctor Yuan and suddenly asked, "When you went to see the Young Master, did he say anything else?"

Her tone carried a trace of hope.

She understood her past mistakes had been grievous, but she believed she had faced her due punishment. After all their years together as husband and wife, she hoped Lu Pingzhou would give her a chance to start anew.

However, the doctor’s words were like a basin of cold water in the harsh winter, chilling her from head to toe.

"I didn’t see the Young Master," Doctor Yuan replied. "Aunt Wen was the one who asked me to come."

Upon hearing this, Su Yi nearly vomited blood.

Before the doctor could administer acupuncture to cleanse her, she had already fainted from the shock.

——

Song Wei "took leave" due to illness and stayed idle at home for two days.

Granny Song personally came to check on him. Seeing he was alright, she breathed a sigh of relief and then asked about Nanny Qin, "What’s with that widow? She came back from visiting home with an illness and even brought her son here. Is she planning to keep him here with us?"

Wen Wan replied, "Qing recently fell ill, and when Nanny Qin went to see him, he couldn’t bear to be away from his mother, so she brought him back."

Granny Song frowned disapprovingly, "If he couldn’t be without her, then just give her her monthly salary and let her go. As Third Son’s wife, you’re a Commandery Princess; if you need a nanny, there are plenty of people lined up outside. Why choose someone unlucky? She’s infected with disease; what if she inadvertently spreads it to someone in our household?"

Wen Wan nodded, "Don’t worry, Mother, arrangements have already been made for her, and she’ll be gone before New Year’s Eve."