Catching an Affair Again

"Eldest Young Master, Xiao Xuan is going out again. Concubine Ge sent someone to secretly follow her."

Qianru came specifically to tell Lu Chang'gong.

Lu Chang'gong put down his pen; his neck was aching. He closed his eyes and asked, "Does anyone still listen to her?"

Qianru and said, "You don't know Concubine Ge. Even in dire straits, she always has a backup plan. When the Duke Xingguo's Residence came to take back the people and money they had taken, Concubine Ge probably secretly hid quite a bit of it herself."

"The old man is so busy he's nowhere to be seen, so nobody really cares about Concubine Ge."

Lu Chang'gong's gaze darkened slightly, and he said, "Go tell that girl someone is following her."

Qianru and quickly understood what Lu Chang'gong meant.

"If Concubine Ge catches him red-handed this time, she'll definitely find a way to get the Second Young Master to go and see for himself. I'll go and tip off Xiao Xuan... She'll know what to do next."

Lu Chang'gong remained noncommittal.

After Qianru went out, she disguised herself and followed her.

Ge Bao'er also received the news. "Concubine, Xiao Xuan really did go to meet a man! It's a hanger-on in his early twenties, in a courtyard not far behind here. She circled around several times before entering the courtyard, just to avoid the people in the manor. But I saw it clearly, she and that man went in one after the other!"

"Let's go! Let's find Qing'er!"

Ge Bao'er was so excited that she almost wanted to go over there herself.

She twisted her handkerchief, and said calmly, "No... no... I can't show my face."

"Xiao Xuan was chosen for him when Lin Yunwan was in charge. We need to make him suspicious so that he will hate Xiao Xuan and become distrustful of Lin Yunwan."

Instead of suspecting her of interfering.

Ge Bao'er had a good idea. "Let the maid who often visits Xiao Xuan casually mention it to Qing'er. You give her fifty taels of silver."

"... yes."

The two maids had just come out of Zhu Qing's Courtyard.

Lu Changzong quickly learned about Xiao Xuan's situation from them. He grabbed the maid and interrogated her, "What did you say Xiao Xuan went out to do? Did she have a secret rendezvous with a man?"

The two maids were so frightened they tried to run away.

Lu Changzong grabbed them, kicked one of them, twisted their arms, and glared at them angrily. "If you don't explain yourselves, I'll beat you to death!"

"Second Young Master, spare us! Second Young Master, spare us! We'll talk!"

The maidservants sobbed, "Sister Xiao Xuan is... she's..." They gave a specific location, crying, "Sister Xiao Xuan often goes there, but we don't know what she goes there for. Second Young Master, please don't worry."

Not suspicious?

How could he not be suspicious!

He always treated Xiao Xuan so well, giving her all the good things and telling her his innermost thoughts. How dare she go out and meet another man!

"I want to get out!"

Lu Changzong sent two guards out with him to catch the adulterers in the act.

"Kick it away! Kick it away! Kick it away!"

Like a mad dog, it doesn't care about anything anymore.

Actually, he couldn't care less. The house was in such a mess, what else was there for him to care about!

The guards kicked open the door, Lu Changzong rushed in to catch them in the act. Sure enough, he saw a broad-shouldered man dressed in blue cloth on top of Xiao Xuan. It would be strange if he wasn't cheating on her!

Xiao Xuan was so affectionate with him!

You bitch!

Lu Changzong rushed forward to separate them, slapped Xiao Xuan across the face, and made Xiao Xuan face turn red.

Xiao Xuan's face was swollen. She pulled the blanket over herself, covered her face, and cried blankly, "Second Young Master, what are you doing!"

Lu Chang'gong angrily retorted, "You're cheating on me with another man, and you dare ask me what I'm doing here?"

"What man are you stealing?"

Xiao Xuan stared wide-eyed at the "man" beside her.

The "man" turned around, his voice deep but unmistakably a woman's. "Young Master, I... I'm here to see Miss Xiao Xuan about her gynecological issues."

Lu Changzong was dumbfounded, "You... you are..."

The Matron, "I'm a gynecologist for women, how can I be a man?"

Xiao Xuan covered her face, looked at the guards outside, and wailed, "I... I don't want to live anymore!" She was about to smash her head against a wall and die.

Lu Changzong, at a loss, stopped her and quickly sent the guards away.

The Matron tried to smooth things over.

It was dark by the time Lu Changzong managed to coax the person home.

The Matron went into the small Kitchen and said to a trembling man, "Let's go!"

This was the man who had cheated on Xiao Xuan with someone else. The man nodded, wiped his sweat, and ran away.

They arrived at the Wuding Marquis Residence.

Xiao Xuan was still crying.

Lu Changzong felt guilty. "Don't cry. Why did you run out to find Matron to see a doctor? We have Physician at home."

Xiao Xuan bit her lip, looked at him, hesitated, but couldn't help touching her belly and saying, "I... I'm pregnant... Young Master, you're not married yet. Can I keep this baby? What am I supposed to do if I don't find someone to take a look?"

Lu Changzong was stunned. He was going to be a father?

He was just about to touch Xiao Xuan's belly.

Xiao Xuan asked, "Second Young Master, how did you know I went out? Who acted as your informant?"

Lu Changzong didn't want to admit that he had overheard someone's conversation.

Xiao Xuan was hysterical. "With the manor in such a state, I don't think I'll live much longer. I might as well just die..."

"Xiao Xuan, please stop!"

Lu Changzong then explained the situation.

Xiao Xuan's face turned pale. "Impossible! How could they... how could they possibly say bad things about me?" She always left on time, knowing they weren't on duty, how could they have known she'd gone out?

"Second Young Master, someone is trying to harm me. If you want to keep this child, bring them here for questioning!"

Lu Changzong was still a little hesitant.

Xiao Xuan said, "I'm going to die right now..."

"Okay, okay."

Lu Changzong summoned the two maids, who immediately confessed. "Second Young Master, we had no choice. Concubine Ge coerced and bribed us, and we had no choice but to agree..."

Xiao Xuan was furious. "Fine. It's Concubine Ge again! Second Young Master, from the very beginning of my service to you, Concubine has disliked me. I've endured so many years to get to this point."

She cried, "If my Concubine won't tolerate me, she probably won't tolerate the child in my womb either. I might as well die with the child in my arms..."

"Xiao Xuan!"

Lu Changzong hugged the person tightly, crying anxiously, "What will I do if you die? The family is in such a state, what will I do if I lose you too?"

Xiao Xuan seemed to soften, sat down to wipe her tears, and said aggrievedly, "But my Concubine won't tolerate me. It doesn't matter if I die, but what about your children, young master?"

"I'll think of a way, I'll think of a way..."

Lu Changzong murmured.

Xiao Xuan was frightened and tired, so she went to bed early.

Lu Changzong was out for a walk to clear his head when he unexpectedly ran into Nanny Yan.

"Oh my, Second Young Master, what brings you out so late?"

Lu Changzong glanced at her and realized it was Nanny Yan; they hadn't seen or spoken to each other in a long time.

Nanny Yan loved him dearly when he was little, but everything changed as he grew up.

"Nanny Yan, I'm feeling upset."

Nanny Yan sighed, "I'm annoyed too."

Lu Changzong asked worriedly, "Has something happened to the Old Madam?"

Nanny Yan said, "Oh, this matter, I... I don't know who to talk to!" She clutched her chest, looking very distressed.

Lu Changzong still remembered the kindness his Old Madam had shown him when he was a child, so he asked, "Grandmother, what happened? Please tell me!"

Nanny Yan said, "Alas... Concubine poisoned the Old Madam; Old Madam won't live much longer."

"What? Concubine Zhu Qing is so bold!"

Even if the mansion falls into ruin, it's still because it has no money and no power.

Murder is a capital offense!

Lu Changzong was covered in a cold sweat.

Nanny Yan said, "Where is this Concubine Zhu Qing? Concubine Zhu Qing is the most honest person."

Lu Changzong was stunned. "It's... my mother?"

Nanny Yan nodded, her heart breaking. "I dare not tell anyone, Second Young Master, please persuade Concubine Ge! Murder is no joke!"

She turned and walked away, a smile on her lips.

People die for money, birds die for food; she could obey Concubine Ge's orders for money, and she could also obey Concubine Zhu Qing's orders to save her life.

Qianru carried the lamp into Lu Chang'gong's room and said with a smile, "Eldest Young Master, Concubine Zhu Qing said everything has been taken care of."

"Good."

Qianru also curious. "Now the Second Young Master can keep his beloved Concubine and preserve his reputation for Filial Piety. I wonder if he will actually sue Concubine Ge..."

Lu Chang'gong narrowed his eyes slightly.