Chapter 3: Worthless Father

In the Prince Su Mansion, Yin Sumu sat before a brazier, turning a piece of jade over in his hands while listening with keen interest to Lingdang’s report.

"The concubine-born daughter of the Xu household..."

Lingdang nodded. "Yes. She has been timid and cowardly since childhood, rarely spoke, and seldom left the house. She had little interaction with the outside world, so it is difficult to judge the truth of what Miss Xu said."

"Timid and cowardly?" The face of Zhao Jiao suddenly flashed through Yin Sumu’s mind. These words did not seem entirely appropriate.

Lingdang also felt the intelligence might be inaccurate. "By the way, Your Highness, the report that the Xu young lady attempted to hang herself is indeed true!"

Yin Sumu raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"The Xu family is truly heartless. To force a fine young daughter to marry a merchant over fifty years of age as a second wife." Lingdang curled his lip; in this light, the girl was quite pitiful.

Yin Sumu frowned slightly. "You said, who is her father again?"

"Xu Guodong. He serves in the Censorate, a fifth-rank official."

"Is that the Censor-in-Chief who bows and scrapes to everyone he meets?" Yin Sumu seemed to have a vague impression.

"The very same. Your Highness, I still feel this is improper. If she lets slip what happened today, it will be troublesome. Since she wanted to die anyway, perhaps I should go and—" Lingdang made a throat-slitting gesture. The past affairs of the Marquis of Loyal Valor remained a taboo within the imperial family and the court alike.

Yin Sumu cast a cold glance at Lingdang. "Isn't it too late for a cover-up now? Forget it. I don't think she is a fool. Before returning to the capital, I heard that when Zhao Jiao was alive, she acted entirely according to her whims, quite willful and unrestrained. She often wandered the city; perhaps they really were friends. If that is the case, she is a loyal soul."

Across the entire court and the common people, besides him, was there any other weak girl who dared to pay respects today?

"Your Highness, do you think she will come tomorrow?" Lingdang muttered. *If we aren't killing her, why stare at me like that?*

"Whether she comes or not, won't we know by tomorrow?" Yin Sumu smiled deeply. He had a feeling that her offer to visit was motivated by some ulterior purpose. If there was a motive, she would surely come. After all, life was dreadfully dull.

***

Zhao Jiao emerged from Madam Qiu’s room, with Concubine Meng repeatedly checking if she had been mistreated. Exhausted by the fuss, Zhao Jiao paused in the wind and snow to gaze at her.

"In the end, you nodded and agreed to this marriage anyway. Since you knew you lacked the ability to protect me, why bother saying those useless words?"

Concubine Meng stood frozen, staring at Zhao Jiao, two streams of hot tears rolling down her cheeks. Xu Yunjun stood nearby, teeth clenched and fists balled, trying to hold back his own tears. Though a young boy, he seemed to already understand the bitterness of the world.

"I'll go beg Father!" He turned and bolted away.

Concubine Meng finally reacted, looking at the direction her son had run with a sudden sense of resolve. "It was my fault; I am useless. Today, even if I have to risk my life, I will go and plead for you..." She turned to follow him.

"Why?" Zhao Jiao asked, staring at her.

Concubine Meng did not understand, but she wiped her tears and said to Yunxiang, "It’s cold. Take the young miss back to her room and change her into dry clothes. I... I am going to beg the Master!" She hurried away.

Zhao Jiao watched Concubine Meng stumbling away, feeling a sense of confusion. Why? Didn't she know long ago that pleading was useless? Why not simply be cold and heartless? Why make themselves suffer so much? Why couldn't they be like that person? To tell her clearly that she was born only because it was unavoidable. Such clean-cut heartlessness—how wonderful that would be.

"Miss, the snow is getting heavier. Let's go back." Yunxiang drew closer with an umbrella to shield her mistress from the wind. "Miss, in truth, the concubine still loves you. After all, you are her own flesh and blood..."

*Flesh and blood?* Zhao Jiao let out a sudden laugh, looked up at the swirling snow, and strode away. So what if she was flesh and blood? Could flesh and blood not be reduced to ashes all the same?

***

Concubine Meng and her son had no other choice but to kneel in the snow, begging for the mercy of the head of the house. But if there were any mercy to be had, why would this marriage exist in the first place?

"Are there no rules left in this house? If they want to kneel, let them kneel! Marriage is a matter of parents' orders and matchmakers' words. What, is the fifth girl different from anyone else? So what if he is older? She will be the mistress of the household once she marries. The Lu family is wealthy and influential; they wouldn't treat her poorly, would they? Living a good life and refusing to, why must they create such a scene?"

Madam Qiu watched her husband pounding the table in anger, silently bowing her head to hide the disappointment in her eyes. Aside from his career, what else remained in his heart?

"And you! How are you managing this household, allowing them to carry on like this? If word reaches the Lu family, what will they think? What will outsiders say?"

Madam Qiu had not expected the fire to spread to her. Feeling humiliated in front of the servants, she stood up abruptly. "The fifth girl is also the Master's own flesh and blood. She has already tried to take her own life; what else can I do? Why are you blaming me, Master? I never supported this marriage from the start. Outsiders don't know the truth; they’ll only think I, the legitimate mother, am mistreating a concubine's daughter."

Madam Qiu had endured for a long time, and her eyes turned red as she spoke. In the past, the Master would never have humiliated her like this; it was only because her father had retired to his hometown and was no longer useful in the court. She finally realized why her father had looked down on Xu Guodong all those years ago. It was her own foolishness.

"You... what do you mean by that? Fine... now I can't even speak, everyone is against me..." Xu Guodong was so angry he could hardly catch his breath, collapsing into his chair.

Seeing this, Madam Qiu felt a moment of regret for her impulsiveness. She had endured for so many years...

"Enough. The Madam must be tired from managing the household for so long. Someone, go to Fushun and invite the Old Madam here. I refuse to believe that our Xu family cannot uphold its own rules!"

Madam Qiu stared at him in shock. "Master... what does this mean?"

Avoiding her gaze, Xu Guodong said coldly, "Since the Madam cannot manage this household well, we shall have to trouble my mother to handle it."

Madam Qiu felt as if she had suffered a devastating blow. Unable to believe it was true, she turned and left without a word. The pride in her bones would not allow her to lower her head and beg, but more importantly, her heart had gone completely cold.

Xu Guodong had once been a penniless scholar who used the Qiu family’s influence to establish himself in the capital. Now that Old Master Qiu had retired, Madam Qiu had no support left in the city, and Xu Guodong’s true nature had finally been revealed.

***

Concubine Meng and her son had suffered in vain.

"Miss, please go see the concubine and the young master. I heard they knelt in the snow for over an hour last night. The Master only had them carried back when they passed out. Now, they are both running fevers and talking nonsense."

Early the next morning, Yunxiang rushed into the room with the news. Zhao Jiao, a light sleeper, opened her eyes immediately.

"They knelt for over an hour?" In such freezing weather, a child and a woman... Xu Guodong, he was truly something else.

Yunxiang nodded, tears in her eyes. Zhao Jiao threw off her quilt, letting the cold air bite at her. "Why tell me only now?"

"The Master forbade anyone from bringing word. I... I only just found out..."

Zhao Jiao’s eyes flashed with fury. He was using the lives of the mother and son to warn her, to make her obediently marry? Should she kill her father for the sake of Xu Jiaojiao? If it were necessary, she would not hesitate!

After a simple change of clothes, Zhao Jiao hurried off. Even if it were just for the sake of Xu Jiaojiao, she could not turn a blind eye.