Ten Thousand Arrows Piercing the Heart

"Second Young Master, your stepmother is gone, why are you still hiding in this room?"

Zhu Qing was too impolite, speaking to a child who was not even nine years old like that.

Lu Changzong, however, was already quite sensible. He kept his head down and didn't dare to look her in the eye.

Zhu Qing looked at him and reminded him, "Second Young Master, aren't you going to see your stepmother one last time? Once the Eldest Young Madam is laid in her coffin, you won't be able to see anything. It would be a terrible act of filial impiety if word got out!"

Lu Changzong stood up, wanting to go but not daring to.

"Concubine, I... I..."

He knew he should go, but... but he was afraid! Afraid of his stepmother's death, afraid that others would say his birth mother had killed his stepmother.

"Chōzō, let's go."

Lu Chang'gong came out, dressed in mourning clothes, and clutched a thin white hemp rope in his hand, which he would tie to his arm once the funeral was held at home.

With his Elder Brother so badly injured, yet still insisting on going to observe mourning, Lu Changzong could no longer avoid it and went with him.

The body is still outside the Discussion Hall.

Lu Changzong didn't dare to look. Lu Chang'gong went over, kowtowed, and prostrated himself on the ground, weeping bitterly.

Lu Changzong had no choice but to kneel down and kowtow. He didn't dare to look at anyone; he knew... the maids Matron were all glaring at him hatefully, suspecting that his birth mother had killed his stepmother.

Lu Zhengliu walked over and said in a hoarse voice, "Chang Gong, why are you here? Didn't I tell you to rest and recuperate?"

He looked at the back of the child's hand, which was covered in frightening blisters.

Such a huge fire...

Lu Zhengliu glanced at the charred corpse again. The manager had already gone to buy a coffin, but it hadn't been brought over yet. She was just lying there on the white sheet... How much pain she must have been in before she died!

He closed his eyes, feeling as if his internal organs were twisted together.

"Father, I have recovered. When will the funeral be held? Where will the mourning hall be set up? Your son will keep vigil for Mother."

Lu Zhengliu said with a heavy heart, "The stewards and mothers in the Front Courtyard and back yards are already making arrangements. Once the coffin arrives, it will be carried to the main hall in the Front Courtyard yard, which will be your mother's mourning hall. Then white lanterns will be hung, and the funeral will begin."

Lu Chang'gong asked, choking back tears, "The murderer who killed my mother... what should be done with the murderer?"

He clenched his fist involuntarily, and pale red blood seeped from the gauze on his wound.

Lu Zhengliu's gaze sharpened, gradually turning cold.

"Murderer..."

Ge Bao'er is still safe and sound!

Lu Zhengliu glanced at Lu Changzong and said coldly, "Qing'er, come with me."

Lu Changzong nodded and obediently followed behind his father.

Things are different at home now; he doesn't dare to misbehave at all, and his quick wit is barely needed.

Lu Zhengliu led Lu Changzong to the Rain Apricot Pavilion, and said to the Matron guarding it, "All of you, step back."

The Matron bowed their heads and dispersed.

He pushed the door open and went in; Ge Bao'er was actually asleep!

She can still sleep!

"Get up! Get up right now!"

Lu Zhengliu pulled the person out of bed.

Ge Bao'er woke up, frowned, and, still not fully awake, asked, "Did you find the Jade Pendant?"

"Jade Pendant?"

Lu Zhengliu sneered; she only cared about the Jade Pendant!

"Yun Wan is dead! You killed her!"

Ge Bao'er was stunned for a moment.

She knew Lin Yunwan die, but when she actually heard the news, she still found it hard to believe.

Where... where is that Jade Pendant?

Ge Bao'er panicked a little. Lin Yunwan was really dead, the Jade Pendant would be her only lifeline!

Lu Zhengliu, however, knew that was not the case.

He looked at her coldly and said, "There's no Jade Pendant. Even if we found Jade Pendant, after what you've done, do you think the Duke Xingguo's Residence would still dare to acknowledge you?"

"This is murder! Murder! Even Princess committing murder is a capital offense!"

Ge Bao'er shouted, "I didn't really kill her!"

"I... I did bring the oil, but I didn't pour it in. Lin Yunwan burned herself to death!"

"If she hadn't hidden my Jade Pendant... if your Lu family hadn't harmed me... I, as a mother, was only doing this for myself and my child. I was just retaliating! What did I do wrong!"

Lu Changzong walked in, sobbing, and asked, "Mother, did you really kill my stepmother?"

He cried louder and louder.

Ge Bao'er panicked.

"Qing'er, what brings you here?"

"Mother, is it true?"

Lu Changzong grabbed Ge Bao'er's sleeve and pressed her for answers.

Ge Bao'er was somewhat at a loss.

Lu Chang'gong arrived, and said in a weak voice, "Father, Mr. Zhang wants to resign."

A letter of resignation was handed over.

Lu Changzong was a slow learner, so Zhang Feng'an stayed in the Front Courtyard to teach him. He had originally planned to leave after March of this year, but now he has resigned ahead of schedule.

The reasons are self-evident.

"Resignation?"

Lu Zhengliu accepted the letter of resignation, his face showing great embarrassment.

Lu Chang'gong pursed his lips and said calmly, "Mr. Zhang said that the Lu family should keep their promise and not tell anyone—"

He glanced at Lu Changzong and said slowly, "Don't even mention that Changzong is his student; he won't charge him tuition this year either."

Lu Zhengliu had anticipated this.

This won't be the first, nor will it be the last, bad thing.

"Understood. Go and see Mr. Zhang off for me, and have the steward settle all of Changzong's tuition fees. Don't let him owe Mr. Zhang anything."

"Yes."

Lu Chang'gong turned to leave, Lu Zhengliu and Lu Changzong said, "Go and say goodbye to your teacher."

Lu Changzong pouted, cried, and looked at Ge Bao'er with resentment. "Concubine, you are so cruel!"

He left with Lu Chang'gong.

Ge Bao'er felt as if she had been pierced by a thousand arrows!

"Vicious?"

Her son says she's vicious? And he even calls her "Concubine"!

Was she just a vicious Concubine?

Who did she do all this for? It was all to be on the same page as her son, for his future. Now her son only sees her as a vicious Concubine!

All her misfortunes paled in comparison to her son's call of "Concubine" and his cruelty; Ge Bao'er burst into tears.

Lu Zhengliu and instructed the Matron, "Lock her in the woodshed, don't disturb Concubine Zhu Qing's pregnancy."

"Yes."

Ge Bao'er chased after him, pointing at Lu Zhengliu figure and shouting, "You're the most vicious person! It's you!"

"You killed her! You killed her!"

Lu Zhengliu paused for a moment, then strode out of the Rain Apricot Pavilion.

Zhu Qing was also in tears, feeling extremely resentful towards Lu Zhengliu.

"She's right, it was the old man who killed the Eldest Young Madam."

The Front Courtyard was set up with a mourning hall, and burlap, paper offerings, lanterns, and other funeral supplies were purchased.

Old Madam Lu gave the order, "Proceed with the funeral."

Lu Chang'gong tied a white hemp rope around his neck and stared blankly at the sky. It was snowing; a heavy snowfall.

"Mother..."

By this time, you had already flown out of the Inner Residence like a bird.

"Old Madam, Madam, Master, it's terrible! The Lin Family has arrived!"

"They're coming, so what's the rush!"

Although that's what Old Madam Lu said, she was more panicked than anyone else. The Lu family Lin Family even held a funeral, so they must be here to cause trouble.

"I'm going to see them."

Lu Zhengliu, dressed in white linen clothes, went to the Front Courtyard to meet the Members of the Lin clan.