Chapter Thirty-Four: Xu Shangshu's Selfishness

  Xu Mingjin's sharp eyes saw Mrs. Xu's expression turn unpleasant upon hearing this sentence.

  "Speak quickly! What's wrong with your mother?" Xu Ruo Yi shouted at Xu Ming Jin. His expression was almost frantic.

  Xu Mingxuan sneered repeatedly, who was this deep and sentimental expression for? The person waiting for your pity has already left and will never look at you again!

  Mrs. Xú's face turned even more unpleasant as she heard the word "mother" coming out of Xú Ruòyì's mouth again. Her palms, hidden in her loose sleeves, were already sore from being scratched by her fingernails.

  "My mother is dead!" Xu Mingxuan suddenly shouted. By the time Xu Ruoyi turned his head, he was already in tears: "My mother was poisoned to death by someone in the inn at midnight!"

  "Impossible! How could Yu Yao possibly be dead?! You're lying!" Xu Ruo Yi shook his head in disbelief, turning to Xu Ming Jin: "Jin Er, is Xuan Er deceiving me? Is your mother really okay? Wasn't she just sitting in the last car with you all on the way back?"

  Xu Mingjin looked at Xu Ruoyi's crazed appearance, but only wanted to laugh, feeling an inexplicable sense of irony in her heart. Putting on this deeply hurt expression, was he trying to tell me and Mingxuan that he actually deeply loved my mother? If he truly loved her, how could he have designed a situation where she lost the opportunity to marry him properly, and instead became his secret mistress in Liu City, someone Xu Shangshu couldn't acknowledge publicly? What a farce! Xu Mingjin turned to look at Mingxuan, only to find that his expression was cold and unyielding. Xu Mingjin immediately understood that in Mingxuan's heart, the man who was crazed for his mother's sake, the woman beside him who was trying to appear deeply hurt but couldn't hide her guilt, and the crowd of onlookers, were all just strangers. After his mother passed away, Mingxuan's only family had been Xu Mingjin and his uncle Fan Dichen.

  Xu Mingjin calmly said to Xu Ruoyi: "My mother is dead, I didn't lie to you."

  Xu Ruoyi suddenly ran towards the horse-drawn carriage team, first running to the front of the first carriage, lifting the curtain and sticking his head out with full expectation, but immediately revealing an extremely disappointed expression. He immediately abandoned the first carriage without hesitation and ran towards the second carriage, also revealing a disappointed expression. He didn't give up and ran to the third, fourth, fifth carriages, all of which were empty.

  Xu Ruoyi suddenly calmed down.

  He turned his head and said, "Where is your mother's body?"

  "Let's go inside and talk about it later! Look, it's getting dark already."

  Xu Ruoyi was eager to get the answer from Xu Mingjin's mouth, and upon hearing this, he glared at Madam Xu with anger, just about to explode, when he suddenly realized that they were standing in front of his own mansion. Whatever was said here might spread like wildfire by tomorrow. Xu Ruoyi broke out in cold sweat, and looked at Madam Xu with gratitude.

  Mrs. Xü saw him come to his senses and secretly felt pleased, so she went forward and grasped Xu Ruo-yi's arm, calling out to Xu Ming-jin and the others to come in together.

  Xu Ruoyi was still worried that Xu Mingjin's siblings couldn't keep up. She frequently turned back to look and wait.

  Xu Mingjin thought to herself, "So Fang Yicheng slipped away at the city gate, probably because he knew I decided to return to the Xu family. He didn't say a word and quietly left." After all, Zhang Yiniang and others were nearby, and he didn't have time to bid farewell. When Xu Ruoyi lifted the last curtain of the sedan chair just now, Xu Mingjin was extremely nervous because Fang Yicheng had been riding in that sedan chair all along. When Xu Ruoyi felt disappointed, Xu Mingjin let out a sigh of relief. She would send someone to contact him tomorrow. She didn't see Zhang Shuozi either, apparently he slipped away with Fang Yicheng. Xu Mingjin smiled to herself, thinking this was for the best. Zhang Shuozi was the key to her connection with the outside world after entering the Shangshu Mansion. If she entered the mansion, she would definitely be sent to another place by Madam Xu to work as a servant, losing the value of bringing him to the capital. Good steel should be used on the blade!

  Xu Mingjin and others slowed down their pace when Xu Ruoyi finally stopped looking back, and whispered to Xu Mingxuan who caught up: "Later, remember not to provoke them into anger."

  Xu Mingxuan thought for a moment and looked at Xu Mingjin again, saying: "Good."

  Xu Mingjin smiled lightly. The sister and brother walked side by side in the Shangshu Mansion, but neither of them turned their heads to glance at the pavilions and buildings along the way. They seemed to have not seen the grandeur and elegance of the Shangshu Mansion.

  Xu Mingying and the other two kept a distance from Xu Mingjin's base. Xu Mingjin didn't mind, nor did she want to put on a fake face with them. After Xu Mingjin finished talking to Xu Mingxuan, the two fell silent. At this time, the night wind blew gently, carrying over the conversation of Xu Mingying and the other two from not far behind: "What's there to be proud of? Isn't it just because her mother is the most favored by Father? What's so great about that? She's just a poor country girl, what's she got to be arrogant about?" This was Xu Mingfang, whose voice Xu Mingjin remembered as the most delicate among the sisters. But now, this delicate voice had become sharp and vicious.

  Another voice said, "That's not what I'm saying, didn't you see Father just glare at me? It's all because of that country bumpkin! I won't let her off!" Needless to say, Xu Mingjin also knew it was Xu Mingying.

  "What's the point of not letting go? Xu Mingxuan is Father's only son. You'd better try to get on his good side! Who knows, he might let you off the hook!"

  "Xu Mingyu, you want to fawn or go yourself! I would never stoop to that level!" Xu Mingying said in a rage.

  "Mind your own business, it's none of your concern!"

  "Oh no! Keep your voices down! What if she hears us?" It was Xu Mingqian's voice.

  ……

  Xu Mingjin's expression didn't change after hearing these words. However, Xu Mingxuan couldn't hold back and said to Xu Mingjin with a hateful tone: "Sister, I will protect you!"

  Xu Mingjin patted his seven-year-old little head and didn't say a word.

  Xu Mingxuan became anxious: "Sister, don't you believe me?"

  Xu Mingjin hastily said: "Of course I believe you, here, only you can make me believe." Xu Mingjin's tone was filled with melancholy.

  They finally arrived at the main courtyard, where Xu Ruoyi and Ye Shi lived. The magnificent architecture was second only to the imperial palace.

  Xu Ruoyi didn't wait for Xu Mingjin to sit down before eagerly asking again: "Jin'er, what's going on?"

  Xu Mingjin glanced around the room, where some people were gloating, some pretending to be sad, some indifferent, and others guilty. Of course, the one who was guilty was Mrs. Xu. She thought she had played it cool. Indeed, even Xu Ruoyi had been deceived by her, but Xu Mingjin and Xu Mingxuan already knew that she had sent someone to kill Fan's wife. How could they not notice her hands trembling slightly in her sleeves?

  Xu Mingjin glanced at Xu Mingxuan and found that both of them had concealed their resentment towards Mrs. Xu very well. Especially Xu Mingxuan, no matter how carefully others looked, they couldn't see the hatred deep in his heart. Except for Xu Mingjin.

  Xu Mingjin didn't want to conceal the cause of Fan's wife's death either. Although she didn't report it at that time, it was because she knew that even if she reported it to Xu's wife, it would be useless. Now, Xu's words were like hitting a stone with an egg. However, Xu Mingjin had no ability to report, but Xu Ruoyi could! Xu Mingjin recounted the tragic events of that night at the inn in detail, only omitting the part where she was almost killed by several thugs. If this matter got out, Xu Mingjin's reputation would be ruined. Even if no one said anything, it would still become a handle for Xu's wife to control Xu Mingjin, making her subject to restrictions everywhere.

  Xu Mingjin would certainly not be foolish enough to personally hand over such a large handle to Mrs. Xu. She'll have to find another opportunity to settle this account later!

  After Xu Mingjin finished speaking, she was already crying uncontrollably. Xu Mingxuan also couldn't bear it anymore. The whole room fell silent as everyone stared at the siblings in tears. Only Zhou and others who came with Xu Mingjin kept comforting them, their own faces streaming with tears.

  After hearing Xu Mingjin's words, Xu Ruoyi's face turned pale with fright.

  Mrs. Xu and her sister Xu Mingying and others belatedly sensed the tense atmosphere of the impending storm, and they were all frightened into silence.

  Xu Mingjin's sister and brother were still crying silently beside him.

  After a long while, Xu Ruoyi slowly turned his head and comforted the two suffering children. He said: "This matter, it's better not to pursue it further, your mother was just unlucky."

  Xu Mingjin sneered repeatedly, looking at her father who would stop at nothing for his own position. She had just thought of using him to report the murder case, but she was too self-righteous. How could Xu Ruo Yu possibly let this matter be exposed? Once it's exposed, Xu Ruo Yu, a high-ranking official, would definitely lose his official hat for secretly keeping a mistress. He would absolutely not allow such a thing to happen. Having figured this out, Xu Mingjin didn't even give Xu Ruo Yu another glance. In her eyes, he was now not even worth a piece of dung.

  Xu Ruoyi also knew that he was saying this, and it was really unfair to the two children. However, this matter absolutely cannot be reported to the authorities. Xu Ruoyi tried to comfort the two children, so he said to Madam Xu: "The mother of these two children died a miserable death, it's really pitiful. Why not, from now on, consider them as your own children in your care? They are all my legitimate children."

  As soon as this was said, Madam Xu's face turned white and she anxiously said: "Master, it can't be done!" Madam Xu wanted to say something else, but seeing the unyielding expression on Xu Ruoyi's face, she knew that there was no room for opposition in this matter. She sat there with her mouth open, unable to utter another word, looking dispirited and dejected.

  Xu Mingying's sisters, all of whom were extremely jealous, gazed at Xu Mingjin with envy, secretly sighing in their hearts: These two are incredibly lucky to have been born to such a wonderful mother, who can even secure the status of legitimate children for them after her death. Why didn't they have such good fortune? And so, they began to resent their own mothers in their hearts.

  Xu Mingjin was also surprised, she didn't expect Xu Ruoyi to offer such a high price to shut her and Mingxuan's mouths. They exchanged a glance, both seeing disdain in each other's eyes.

  Does he think this makes up for their loss of their mother? Xu Ruoyi is too naive.

  Xu Mingjin sneered. She would never let go of the person who killed her mother. But from now on, she would take revenge for her mother's death by herself and would no longer rely on Xu Ruoyi.

  "You'd better be well-prepared, for tomorrow we'll open the ancestral hall," Xu Ruoyi said unequivocally.

  "Tomorrow isn't too soon, is it? The clan elders haven't even had a chance to send word yet, and besides, they're all still very tired. Why don't we rest for a few days before opening the ancestral hall?"

  "No, tomorrow," said Xu Ruoyi.

  Mrs. Xü looked at Xu Ruòyì's expression and finally shut her mouth.

  This banquet was eaten by everyone with a tasteless mouth.

  After dinner, Mrs. Xü personally sent her capable subordinates to send Xu Mingjin's sister and brother back to their respective courtyards. The crowd also dispersed.