Mrs. Liu’s final words pierced straight to the heart.
The old lady grew increasingly furious, her cane seed to carry fire as she repeatedly struck Lu Yanbin, "How many tis have I told you to treat her well, yet you heedlessly neglected her ti and again for that little harlot, even going so far as to beat her. And now, the second child is gone too, are you satisfied? Are you happy? You owe my great-grandchild!"
Lu Yanbin winced in pain, his knees buckling as he knelt on the ground, "Grandmother, please calm down, I know my mistakes. Once Shuyuan wakes and recovers, I will surely make up for a great-grandchild."
The old lady slumped into the nearby armchair, holding her head in anguish.
Hong Ling quietly suggested, "The Young Madam needs peace and quiet, let’s go outside!"
Hong Xiang wiped her tears, stood up, and went to assist the old lady.
Just then, a servant from Lu Pingzhou’s courtyard arrived, standing outside the door, "Young Master, the Princely Heir requests your presence."
The conversations and cries inside the room ca to an abrupt halt.
Lu Yanbin trembled uncontrollably, he didn’t co out and shouted to the servant, "Did my father say what he wants for?"
The servant replied, "The Young Master will know once you go."
Before Lu Yanbin could respond, the servant added, "The Young Master also said that if you do not go, he will co personally."
Lu Yanbin’s heart raced in panic, hastily he stood up, walked outside, and followed the servant to Aunt Wen’s courtyard.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Lu Pingzhou holding a thumb-thick Black Vine Whip, his gaze freezing cold without a trace of warmth.
Aunt Wen stood nearby, not daring to say a word, only able to cry, covering her face.
"Father..."
Lu Yanbin quivered his lips and called out.
"Kneel!" Lu Pingzhou didn’t waste words, his actions were as swift as ever.
"Father, I..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Pingzhou swung the whip over.
The blow was so forceful that Lu Yanbin groaned imdiately, having to kneel down.
Aunt Wen was terrified, hurriedly pleaded, "Master..."
"Shut up!" Lu Pingzhou coldly barked, "Today I will make him know the price of favoring the concubine over the wife."
With the words said, his arm swung, delivering ten lashes onto Lu Yanbin’s back, each one with full force.
The weather was hot, and Lu Yanbin wore thin clothes, soon blood was seeping through and he was pale with pain.
Aunt Wen dared not plead anymore, crying while looking at Lu Yanbin, "Brother Bin, quickly apologize to your father, tell him you know your mistake."
Lu Yanbin moved his lips, about to speak.
Lu Pingzhou sneered, "How could he know his mistake? Every ti the issue of favoring the concubine is raised, he dares to use , his father, as a shield."
As he spoke, two more lashes landed.
Lu Yanbin convulsed, collapsing to the ground yet forcing himself to straighten up and kneel.
Aunt Wen cried uncontrollably.
Lu Pingzhou did not stop, continuing to lash while ridiculing, "Back then, you dared to admit in front of the old Duke and old Mada that you are not the Su Family’s biological son, it shows you are well aware you are just a concubine’s son and not an heir. So, where do you get the confidence to compare with ?"
These words struck Lu Yanbin like lightning.
His back was covered in blood, Lu Pingzhou tired from beating, threw the whip aside, sat in the nearby red railing chair, and sipped the tea handed by the maid, "I think you have always misplaced your position, as a concubine’s son having your own favored concubine and a virtuous wife cos from my affection for your birth mother. What you should do is be grateful and repay, not recklessly using my na for your actions. Understand that your birth mother is just a concubine, once my affection for her is depleted, your good days will end. The main household can have only one eldest son, yet can have many heirs, after all, I do not necessarily need your birth mother, whether soone will replace your position, succeed the Princely Heir title, or even the Duke title, is but a matter of my word, Lu Yanbin, do not exhaust my benevolence."
Lu Pingzhou was always like this, the angrier he was, the calr he beca, and the words spoken in this calmness were as sharp as blades, cutting and terrifying.
The term "concubine’s son" thoroughly crushed Lu Yanbin’s innate pride and self-esteem to the depths.
He lowered his head, unable to speak due to the pain in his back and the emotional trauma.
After Lu Pingzhou left, Aunt Wen quickly ran over to pull him, "Brother Bin, get up, Ah Niang will take you to apply dicine."
Lu Yanbin did not rise, remaining kneeling without moving.
"Brother Bin?" Aunt Wen called him again.
Lu Yanbin remained silent for a mont, suddenly bowed his head to Aunt Wen.
Aunt Wen froze, "What are you doing?"
Lu Yanbin rasped, "It’s all my fault, causing Ah Niang to suffer."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Wen’s eyes filled with tears.
Indeed, it was because of Lu Yanbin favoring the concubine that Lu Pingzhou beca colder towards her, but she never spoke of it to others, swallowing the hardship alone.
"I owe Shu an apology, as long as she wakes up, I will repay her doubly for what she is owed." Lu Yanbin straightened, causing his wound to ache, and he groaned.
Aunt Wen cried out, "Stop talking, stop talking, soone help the Young Master apply dicine!"
...
Mrs. Xiao Liu slept deeply, her dreams were chaotic, images of Lu Yanbin beating her, then forcing her to drink, and finally frozen on that shocking patch of blood.
When she awoke from the dream, Mrs. Xiao Liu found the room very quiet, instinctively her hand reached toward her abdon, that area was as flat as before, seemingly unchanged, but she knew, the child she barely managed to conceive was gone.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Xiao Liu felt a deep sorrow.
She turned her head, intending to ask the maid for water, but unexpectedly discovered Lu Yanbin asleep by the bed’s edge.
Seeing him, Mrs. Xiao Liu recoiled in fear, shrank back and turned away, pulling the blanket over her head.
Hong Xiang entered, witnessing the scene, softly asked, "Did the Young Madam wake up?"
"No, I want to continue sleeping," Mrs. Xiao Liu’s muffled voice ca from under the blanket.
Hong Xiang said, "The small kitchen cooked porridge, would the Young Madam like a few sips before sleeping?"
Mrs. Xiao Liu shook her head fervently, "I don’t want it, Hong Xiang, make him leave, make him leave..."
Hong Xiang looked helplessly at the still slumbering Lu Yanbin by the bed, pursed her lips.
At that mont, Lu Yanbin slowly woke, seeing Mrs. Xiao Liu hiding under the blanket scared to co out, he paused, "Shu?"
Mrs. Xiao Liu scooted further in, stopped when she was pressed against the wall, then kept calling out, "Hong Xiang, Hong Xiang..."
Hong Xiang bit her lip, reluctantly said to Lu Yanbin, "Young Master, you better leave first!"
Lu Yanbin was utterly confused, "Why is she so afraid of ?"
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