Chapter 38: If Anyone Must Die, Let It Be the Lu Family

Upon hearing the commotion, Madam Guo rushed out and grabbed Chi Guiying, handing her over to the maidservants to watch before hurrying down the steps to check on her husband, who was wailing on the ground.

"My lord, are you alright?"

"Alright?! I’ve nearly been killed by your daughter! To think I was still standing up for her at Lesheng Court! In my opinion, since she has become this unhinged, we might as well drag her to the Lu family. If she wants to die, let her die at the Lu residence! That would be better than ruining the reputation of my Vice Minister’s manor!"

In such agony, how could he speak kindly? Madam Guo was stunned, unable to believe that the husband she had accompanied for so many years could utter such heartless and cold-blooded words.

"Quick, find a physician!"

The steward hurried off to have him moved. Chi Yunjing, consumed by resentment, clutched his tailbone as sweat beaded on his forehead. He felt he had been gravely injured; if there were any lasting complications, how could he continue to survive in the officialdom? The more he thought about it, the more he loathed Madam Guo and Chi Guiying for bringing this trouble upon him. Before being carried away, he spat out, "Hmph, useless!"

Such cold-heartedness left not only Madam Guo but even Chi Guiying—who had been clearly contemplating death—in tears. Closing her eyes in despair, she murmured, "Father is abandoning us."

As others offered comfort or support, a gloomy atmosphere hung over Biyun Court. Meanwhile, the Linglong Court, where Concubine Zhao resided, was in a flurry of activity.

Chi Yunjing was brought there, a development that surprised Concubine Zhao. She had craved Madam Guo’s position and wanted the second young lady ruined, but she certainly did not want anything to happen to Chi Yunjing, her only pillar of support in this house. With eyes full of worry and heartache, she rushed forward, asking, "My lord, what happened? Please don't frighten your concubine!"

Chi Yunjing was in too much pain to speak clearly, but fortunately, the steward arrived with a physician who performed a thorough examination. Underneath his robes, Chi Yunjing’s tailbone was bruised and swollen. Having fallen from the steps and caught himself awkwardly, he had sustained a critical injury. The physician frowned, noting the severity. When he touched the area, Chi Yunjing let out a sharp cry.

"The tailbone is injured; it appears to be a minor fracture, but it doesn't seem to be broken, which is fortunate—otherwise, you might have been bedridden for life, sir. I shall prescribe a medicinal paste to be applied daily. You must not move about much. If it does not heal properly, you will suffer every time the weather changes!"

"Are... are you certain I will be fine?"

"Is a fracture not a serious matter?"

"I won't be paralyzed, will I?"

"That, at least, is unlikely. Fortunately, the stairs were not very high; had it been a dozen steps more, it would be hard to say!"

The physician’s words provided some reassurance, but they also deepened Chi Yunjing’s hatred for Madam Guo and Chi Guiying. If not for their insatiable greed in involving the Lu family, none of this catastrophe would have occurred. Hearing this, Concubine Zhao wept like a flower in the rain, leaning over to comfort him, "My lord has suffered. Your concubine wishes she could bear this pain for you."

Chi Yunjing had never felt such pain in his tailbone. His lips were pale, and sweat continued to stream down his forehead. Even in such agony, he remained preoccupied with his official career.

"Go, find someone to request leave for me. Tell them that because of today’s double celebrations, I drank too much and accidentally fell, and I need three months of rest. If there are urgent matters from the Ministry of War, have them sent to the manor."

Speaking these few sentences exhausted him. His cheeks flushed with fever while his lips remained white, and he felt a terrifying numbness in his legs. The steward hurried off to handle the medicine and send a servant to request leave. In the midst of the chaos, they encountered the Marquis of Haibo and his party. Seeing them, the steward stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Greetings, Marquis, Marchioness, and Second Young Master."

"We were just leaving, but the people at Lesheng Court said your master was injured and needs rest. What happened?"

The steward sighed and recounted the day’s events. "The second young lady was so ashamed she tried to hang herself. My master rushed to stop her, but in her struggle, she knocked him down, injuring his tailbone. The physician says he must rest for at least two months to avoid permanent damage. I am just now arranging to request leave for him."

"Did it break?"

"Not broken, but fractured. The physician says that is even more troublesome."

The Marquis of Haibo felt a flicker of schadenfreude, but realizing it was inappropriate, he coughed twice to hide the slight curl of his lips.

The Marchioness, Lady Qin, handled such matters with ease. She stepped forward and said politely, "Children are their parents' burden. The second young lady must have been acting in a moment of desperation, hence the accident. Let him rest well. By the way, we intend to bring Wan back to the Marquis's manor for a few days to help her handle some preparations before her wedding. Since the Vice Minister is injured, we will not disturb him further. We shall send some ginseng and medicine for external wounds shortly. Please remind him not to give in to anger; recovering his health is the most important thing."

"You are right, Marchioness. This old servant thanks you on behalf of my master."

Having stated their purpose, the Marquis and his party departed. Although the Chi manor was in disarray, they kept the news tightly sealed. With Chi Yunjing incapacitated, the question of who would manage the household became a problem.

Concubine Zhao naturally wanted to step forward, but with the Old Madam still present, a concubine who had only recently entered the family could not possibly seize power. However, after the Old Madam visited her son and saw the situation, she deemed the matter of the second granddaughter and the Lu family a hot potato she did not want to touch. Returning to her quarters, she feigned illness, locked the doors of Huafang Studio, and played the part of a "living Bodhisattva" detached from worldly affairs.

Madam Guo was capable, but Chi Guiying’s spirit had been shattered; she was constantly threatening self-harm at the slightest provocation, draining all of Madam Guo's energy and leaving her unable to manage the house. In the end, the burden fell, as Concubine Zhao had hoped, into her own hands.

"These are the keys and tokens of the manor. You must audit the accounts every few days to ensure there are no errors. The steward has served me for many years and knows the situation better than anyone; discuss everything with him carefully, understand?"

"Rest assured, my lord. Your concubine will take good care of you and this family."

Concubine Zhao expressed her loyalty, but then adopted a troubled expression and asked, "The Lu family mother and son are still locked in the woodshed. If we continue this way, regardless of whether we finalize the marriage or break it off, we will inevitably have to settle today's accounts with them eventually. My lord, give me your instructions: how should I handle them?"

Chi Yunjing naturally did not want to let them off easily, but given his current state, he could not deal with them directly. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Keep them locked up for three days first. If we just let today’s events pass without consequence, what will become of the dignity of my Vice Minister’s manor?"

"And as for their meals..."

"As long as they don't die, that's enough."