Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 2300: Chapter 2299: Showing Mercy

The emperor is naturally suspicious, and Bai Zepei had already noticed the emperor’s hesitation.

”You go back first. If I find out that Bai Ruozhu is behind this, none of you will be able to protect her,” Tang Yin sternly said.

”Yes, Your Majesty. I take my leave,” replied Bai Zepei.

Back at the Bai Family, Bai Zepei harshly scolded Bai Ruozhu, then said, ”Be careful and don’t let anyone catch hold of any faults.”

He knew his little sister well; even if she didn’t admit, he knew she was the culprit.

Bai Ruozhu laughed awkwardly, ”I understand, second brother.”

That evening, Yue Shan didn’t know from where he had invited a Daoist, who quickly dealt with the ghost, declaring that the Yue Residence was now peaceful and wouldn’t be disturbed by ghosts again.

Sure enough, there were no more ghostly disturbances at the Yue Residence after that, and the matter finally came to a close.

Tang Yin looked over a report from the Shadow Guard and muttered, ”Yue Shan found someone to dispel the ghost; could it really have been his doing all along?”

Wang Shun, standing nearby, said, ”Your Majesty, don’t worry. After all, this matter has reached a temporary resolution, and that Duke Du won’t cause any more trouble, will he? His previous antics were rather unsavory.”

Tang Yin coldly snorted, ”That’s why I look down on him. Such a grown man, lingering on past grudges, yet doesn’t dare to seek righteous revenge. Instead, he pretends to be heartbroken to ruin someone’s name. To harm the enemy by one thousand but lose eight hundred himself—such a strategy could only be thought up by him.”

Wang Shun couldn’t help but laugh out loud. If Duke Du knew the emperor was evaluating him this way, he’d most likely be so infuriated as to spit blood.

...

At the Du Residence, Du Zhongshu was feeling immensely frustrated. He still hadn’t outdone that woman, and he was truly unwilling to accept it!

With this thought, he strode to the backyard, barged directly into Lao Wan’s room, and ripped apart her clothes, venting his anger on her without any pity.

Lao Wan pleaded with tears and kind words, but to no avail; ultimately, she fainted from the pain.

Afterward, Du Zhongshu felt even more pained in his chest; he glanced at the woman beneath him. Not seeing Bai Ruozhu’s aloof face, he was suddenly filled with disgust and spat out a mouthful of blood, then fainted on the spot.

When Lao Wan awoke, she found Du Zhongshu lying on the floor, and there was a pool of blood beside him.

She was startled, but after checking his breath and confirming he was still alive, she heaved a sigh of relief.

But the next second, a murderous intent surged in her heart. Shouldn’t she take this opportunity to kill this demon who constantly tormented her? Then she would be freed from him.

Lao Wan grabbed a hairpin, aiming it at Du Zhongshu’s throat with forceful intent...

Unfortunately, when the hairpin reached the point, it stopped as she changed her mind.

She couldn’t let him die just like that; if he died, she’d become a widow and possibly be buried with him. Moreover, wouldn’t his death benefit Bai Ruozhu?

Thinking of this, Lao Wan endured the pain throughout her body and with all her strength helped Du Zhongshu to the bed, then fetched water to clean him up.

The next morning, when Du Zhongshu woke up, he found himself in a warm bed. He felt a bit bewildered, and after a long pause, recalled that he had fainted on the ground after vomiting blood the previous day.

Just then, the door opened and a plainly dressed Lao Wan entered, carrying his medicine for internal injuries. She timidly said, ”My lord, you’re awake? Please drink this medicine first; your health is important.”

Her voice was very gentle and she had lost some weight recently due to her bad mood, making her already slim waist appear even more delicate.

As the medicine was brought forward, she softly said, ”Let me blow on it so it’s not too hot.”

She puckered her red lips and blew on the medicine soup, while Du Zhongshu sat watching her, feeling his body heat up again.

Fortunately, he wasn’t an impulsive man; knowing his current physical condition, he quickly suppressed his excitement and drank the medicine in one gulp.

Lao Wan looked at him in surprise, asking, ”My lord, you drank it just like that? Aren’t you afraid I’ve poisoned it?”

Du Zhongshu gave her a sidelong glance, ”Would you dare?”

Lao Wan felt a bit annoyed but, as an illegitimate daughter, she was used to hiding her feelings due to the injustices she had faced.

”I wouldn’t dare. My lord is my entire world, moreover...” Her face reddened, ”My lord is very formidable.”

Du Zhongshu laughed, for what man didn’t like hearing a woman praise them in that regard? He was in a good mood and pulled Lao Wan to sit beside him, saying, ”You’ve done well today; tell me what reward you desire, and I shall grant it.”

Lao Wan suppressed her excitement and said, ”I don’t want anything. Here, I lack neither food nor clothing; I just want my lord to recover soon.”

Regardless of sincerity or falsehood, Du Zhongshu was very pleased with her attitude. Moreover, Lao Wan was beautiful, with the kind of willowy waist he favored, and since then, Du Zhongshu’s attitude towards Lao Wan changed significantly.

There were no other women in the residence, so Du Zhongshu spent every night in Lao Wan’s room, indulging in intimacy.

Elsewhere, Bai Ruozhu welcomed Xu Huilin, who had come from Beiyu City, and immediately introduced him to Fo Lanying, asking her to measure his arm so she could make him a mechanical arm soon.

”I hadn’t thought I would end up not using the mechanical arm you made,” Xu Huilin remarked sentimentally.

Bai Ruozhu let out a dry laugh, ”Everyone has things they’re good or bad at. I’m slow at mechanical techniques, and heaven knows how long it would take if you waited for me to make it for you.”

Xu Huilin laughed heartily, ”That’s also good; in fact, I wasn’t too confident in something made by a novice like you.”

Bai Ruozhu, feeling indignant, glared at him and said, ”You have a sharp tongue. Once you marry, I’ll have your wife sort you out.”

Xu Huilin blushed, ”My family has arranged a marriage for me.”

”Ah?” Bai Ruozhu was surprised. She had been worrying about Xu Huilin’s marriage recently, but she hadn’t realized it was already settled, making her concerns needless.

”Which family’s girl is it? Have I met her?” Bai Ruozhu asked eagerly.

”You’ve met her, and you know her quite well,” Xu Huilin replied with a smile. ”It’s the Ji Family’s third young lady, Ji An.”

Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh, ”Judging by your face, you must be willing and very pleased. Could it be that I played matchmaker?”

”More or less. After you all went to the Jiuli Clan, I would go to the Bai Family for food and drink. Your elder brother and sister-in-law treated me well, and she would occasionally come by too, so we became acquainted,” Xu Huilin said, blushing again.

Bai Ruozhu found it amusing that even someone like Senior Fox became so shy when falling in love, something she couldn’t have imagined before.

She hadn’t spent much time with Ji An, but she knew her to be a fine young lady.

Back when Ma Linglong married Ji An’s brother, Ji Bao, to retaliate against Bai Ruozhu, she had poisoned Ji An, who was studying at the bride’s school, framing the school’s makeup as inferior and causing Ji An’s skin to break out in a rash.