MFURCC -Chapter 78 A Vicious Heart

After arriving at the privy, Liuzheng thanked the maid.

“Thank you. I remember the way. I can return on my own in a while.”

She looked rather embarrassed.

The maid had originally intended to wait outside, but seeing Liuzheng’s slightly flushed face, she tactfully nodded and replied, “Yes.”

…

Meanwhile, in Madam Deng’s main hall, a servant came to report: “Young Master’s bleeding has stopped. However, with the summer heat, the wound may fester easily. We must be careful not to let it touch water.”

Madam Deng nodded. “I understand. You may go.”

At that moment, Madam Yuan spoke up. “Sister-in-law, why did you ask Yao Yao to come today?”

“Didn’t I already say?” Madam Deng sighed. “It’s about Changsheng entering an academy.”

Madam Yuan said, “Dufeng Academy isn’t particularly renowned. Why not try Lishui Academy? The teachers there are very strict, and students must board on campus. Perhaps if Changsheng studies there for two years, he may accomplish something.”

“Two years?!” Madam Deng’s voice rose sharply. “Changsheng is my only child! I will absolutely not send him somewhere that far away to study.”

Not to mention two years—she couldn’t even bear for him to leave her for two days.

“He’s still just a child. With rules as strict as Lishui Academy’s, how could he endure such hardship?”

Madam Yuan stared at her, dumbfounded.

Zheng Changsheng was seventeen.

Not seven.

How could she still say, “He’s just a child”?

Madam Deng, noticing Madam Yuan’s stunned expression, smiled and said, “You’ve never had children. You wouldn’t understand the mind of a mother.”

There was a faint pride in her tone—the kind that came from believing that having borne a child made her superior.

Madam Yuan’s expression stiffened slightly.

Before she could respond, Madam Deng brought up the pair of children Madam Yuan had adopted from a collateral branch.

“In my opinion, those two are ungrateful ingrates. They’ve been in the residence for nearly two years and still haven’t grown close to you.”

“If you ask me, you should return them.”

“They may be your cousin’s children, but that one word ‘cousin’ still means there’s a layer of distance.”

“Besides, we already have children in our own family. Why keep two outsiders in the house?”

Madam Yuan did not take the bait.

She and her husband had indeed considered letting Zheng Changsheng inherit the Zheng family in the future. After all, he carried the true Zheng bloodline and was the legitimate son of the eldest brother.

But Zheng Changsheng, as he was now… was already ruined.

If not for that, why would they go so far as to adopt from a collateral branch?

Moreover, the two children were merely not close to her; they were very close to her husband.

They were also obedient and sensible—not nearly as dreadful as Madam Deng made them out to be.

Madam Yuan smiled and vaguely replied, “They’ve been entered into the family registry. They’re no longer outsiders.”

Before Madam Deng could continue, she changed the subject to the prepared foods. “Sister-in-law, your cooking grows better and better. Might you share the brine recipe with me?”

“Why bother making it yourself? If you want to eat it, just tell me anytime.”

Madam Deng was stingy—even unwilling to share a mere brine recipe.

Madam Yuan deliberately kept pressing the matter, successfully steering Madam Deng away from the earlier topic.

Only after the time it takes to burn a stick of incense did Liuzheng return.

“My stomach’s been a bit upset… I’ve truly made a fool of myself before the two of you. Had I known, I wouldn’t have come today to embarrass myself.”

Madam Deng waved her hand. “Eating, drinking, relieving oneself, and sleeping—these are the five necessities of life. General Ruan need not feel embarrassed.”

Taking the opportunity, Madam Yuan shot Liuzheng a look and asked, “Are you feeling better now? If you’re still uncomfortable, perhaps you should return home and rest.”

“I’m still somewhat unwell.”

“Then I’ll see you out.”

“Alright.”

The two played along smoothly and took their leave of Madam Deng.

Madam Deng cast a glance at the nanny beside her. The nanny gave a slight nod, and Madam Deng did not stop them.

“General Ruan, take care. Come sit with me more often when you have time. I’ve nothing much to do all day but prepare food. If you like it, I’ll often make some for you.”

She even had the nanny pack some pastries and prepared dishes for Nanny Jiang.

“Many thanks, Sister-in-law Deng,” Liuzheng said softly, nodding before turning to leave.

The moment they stepped out of Madam Deng’s courtyard, Madam Yuan let out a long breath.

“I should have invited you out for tea instead. You truly suffered today.”

“What hardship is this? Compared to my household, this place of yours is already like a paradise.”

Hearing this, Madam Yuan gently squeezed her hand.

“Sister Yuan,” Liuzheng said, “may I sit at your place for a while? Lord Zheng should soon be returning from court. Since I’ve come, I ought to greet him. And… there’s something I must tell you.”

“Of course. Your brother-in-law also said he wanted to meet you.”

The two walked arm in arm to Madam Yuan’s courtyard.

Once within her own domain, Madam Yuan visibly relaxed.

After tea was served, Liuzheng hinted that she had something to say in private. Madam Yuan dismissed the attendants.

“What is it?” Madam Yuan asked curiously. “Is it about your fifth brother—they’ve found out that he has already…?”

“No,” Liuzheng replied. “It concerns you.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

She glanced at Nanny Jiang, who took out a tightly sealed brocade box from her sleeve.

Liuzheng accepted it and opened it before Madam Yuan.

Inside lay a small bead faintly glowing red.

“What is this?” Madam Yuan asked in confusion.

Liuzheng then recounted the matter of the bracelet.

“This Dried Blood Bead was taken from inside your bracelet…”

She carefully explained its harmful effects.

Madam Yuan’s face drained of color inch by inch, even her lips turning pale.

Her monthly courses had indeed grown increasingly scant since her marriage, with longer intervals each time.

Thinking back, the last time she had menstruated was before the New Year.

In other words, it had been over half a year.

“Yao Yao… are you telling the truth?”

Liuzheng raised three fingers. “I swear to Heaven—if I speak even half a lie, may I die a miserable death.”

Madam Yuan collapsed onto the rosewood chair.

She had always believed her inability to bear children was due to her own constitution.

She had never imagined it was deliberate harm.

She had dreamed of having a child.

She had merely pretended to be carefree and content.

Every time others pointed at her back and mocked her as a hen that could not lay eggs, her heart had nearly bled.

Her husband as well.

Though he said he did not mind, after the two adopted children came, she could see how radiant his smile was when he was with them.

Yet she, foolish as a pig, had treasured the very bracelet that harmed her, wearing it daily on her wrist.

At the thought, Madam Yuan tore the bracelet off and hurled it heavily to the ground.

It rolled twice, stopping by her feet.

As she lifted her foot to stomp on it, Liuzheng quickly picked it up.

“Sister Yuan, now that the Dried Blood Bead has been removed, the bracelet is no longer poisonous. You may wear it without worry.”

“I will never wear it again! I’ll throw it far away!”

She trembled with anger.

No matter how much she once loved it, she would not touch it again.

If it were paper instead of gold, she would burn it at once.

“Sister Yuan.” Liuzheng grasped her trembling hand firmly. “Calm yourself first. Let me tell you why you must continue wearing it.”

But Madam Yuan was still lost in guilt and fury.

Liuzheng had no choice but to persuade her.

“Sister Yuan, you must steady yourself. Now that we’ve found the root of the problem, this is good news. Better than remaining in the dark for a lifetime. If it can be treated, you may yet have children.”

Madam Yuan gradually came back to herself.

“I… can it still be treated?”

“There is a physician in my household. He once served as a military doctor by my side at the frontier. His medical skills are exceptional. Had he not been framed in his earlier years, he would have entered the palace as an imperial physician. He said we can try—there is still hope.”

Hope slowly pushed the anger from Madam Yuan’s eyes.

“I… can still have children?”

“There must be hope,” Liuzheng said cautiously, not daring to promise too much.

But hope had already ignited in Madam Yuan’s heart.

“Good sister, my good sister. Heaven must have favored me to let me meet you.”

“Are you calmer now?”

Madam Yuan nodded. “Speak. I can hear you clearly.”

She was very calm now.

Only then did Liuzheng continue. “The one who harmed you clearly does not wish for you to bear children. If you throw the bracelet away and stop wearing it, the culprit may not give up and find another method to harm you. We cannot alert the snake. You must continue wearing the bracelet—every day.”

Madam Yuan did not want to.

But she listened to advice.

She trusted Liuzheng.

She had witnessed Liuzheng’s sharp mind and wisdom.

“I’ll wear it. I’ll do as you say.” She took the bracelet from Liuzheng and placed it back on her wrist.

Liuzheng nodded.

“Good. Now I’ll ask you some questions, and you must answer me clearly.”

“Go ahead.”

“Who gave you this bracelet? Last time, you said it was Empress Cihui?”

“Yes… it was bestowed upon me by Her Majesty the Empress when I married. In her youth, she was very close to my sister-in-law. After becoming Empress, she would often summon her to the palace for conversation.”

At that point, without Liuzheng saying more, Madam Yuan connected the pieces herself.

She gripped the bracelet tightly. “It was her! My sister-in-law! She must have had the Empress give it to me! Our Yuan family has little connection with the Empress. If not for her, the Empress would never have rewarded me with a bracelet.”

She clasped Liuzheng’s hand and began speaking of Madam Deng, Zheng Changsheng, and the late eldest son of the Zheng family.

“My husband is gifted and became Minister of the Court of Judicial Review at a young age. The Zheng family has long been managed by him.”

“When my elder brother-in-law was still alive, my sister-in-law already resented this.”

“But he was reasonable and did not allow her to stir trouble.”

“After he died of consumption, my husband married me a year later. She must have feared that if I bore a child, she would have no standing in this household.”

“But if I could not conceive, perhaps we would support Zheng Changsheng instead.”

“She never expected we would rather adopt from a collateral branch than support him…”

“No wonder I never offended her, yet she always looked at me with disdain.”

“I used to think it was because I could not bear children. Now I know—it was because she wanted Zheng Changsheng to inherit the Zheng family!”

“She… has such a vicious heart!”