radicalducati Chapter 143 The Bright and Elegant Fake Gold 20
Chapter 143 The Bright and Elegant Fake Gold 20
"I wanted to tell them immediately, but then I thought, if word got out, I'd be kicked out. My son has a mountain of gambling debts, and this job is the only way to pay them off. In a moment of foolishness, I kept it a secret!"
Zhang the midwife cried uncontrollably, her forehead banging against the ground until it turned red.
"I secretly inquired and found out that although the Liu family were merchants, they were among the wealthiest in Jiangnan. They would certainly treat the child well, so I thought it wouldn't matter if I continued down this path. But I was always uneasy, so after a few years I resigned from my job and went back to the countryside. These past few years, I've been tormented by my conscience day and night!"
Zhang the midwife cried her heart out, kowtowing repeatedly, leaving faint traces of blood on the ground.
The front hall was eerily quiet, save for her sobs and the heavy breathing of the others.
Madam Wen staggered backward, and almost fell if Lord Wen hadn't caught her in time.
"Because of your momentary lapse of judgment, I've been separated from my own flesh and blood for over a decade!"
Madam Wen's voice choked with emotion, and tears finally streamed down her face.
She looked at Liu Qingqing, then at Liu Yunshu, her gaze shifting back and forth between their faces, her eyes filled with tenderness and guilt.
Looking at Madam Wen's red eyes, Liu Yunshu felt a surge of sorrow and took the initiative to support her arm, gently comforting her:
"Mother, don't be sad. It's all in the past now, and we've got it back, haven't we?"
Madam Wen hugged her tightly, tears soaking her moon-white dress, her voice choked with sobs: "Shu'er, my Shu'er, how could you not be! How can your mother accept this!"
Liu Yunshu gently patted Madam Wen's back, her eyes reddening, but she held back her tears and said softly:
"Mother, regardless of whether I am your biological child or not, you have treated me as your own for the past ten years or so. You will always be my mother. Now that Qingqing is back, you should be happy."
She turned to look at Liu Qingqing, who was still standing there in a daze, took her hand, and led her to Madam Wen: "Qingqing, quickly recognize your parents."
Liu Qingqing's hands were still icy cold, and they only warmed up slightly when Liu Yunshu held them.
She looked at Madam Wen's red eyes and Lord Wen's complex yet tender gaze.
A lump formed in her throat, and tears instantly blurred her vision. She knelt down, pleading, "Father... Mother..."
Madam Wen quickly reached out to support her, pulling her into her arms, and cried even harder:
"My good child, it's all my fault. I've made you suffer outside!"
Lord Wen looked at his wife and daughter, who were embracing and weeping, and his eyes also reddened slightly. He sighed softly and patted Madam Wen's shoulder.
"Okay, stop crying. It's a happy occasion that the child has been found. Don't make the child sad anymore."
He looked at Liu Qingqing, his tone full of reconciliation and gentleness, "These years, you've suffered."
Liu Qingqing buried her face in Madam Wen's arms, shook her head, but her tears flowed even more fiercely: "It's not bitter... My parents treat me very well, and everything they provide for me is exquisite. I live a very good and happy life."
Hearing Liu Qingqing's words, Madam Wen stroked her head with satisfaction, "That's good! That's good!"
Wen Zhimiao stood to the side, her gaze fixed on Liu Yunshu.
Seeing her forcing back tears as she looked at Madam Wen and Liu Qingqing, her fingertips secretly clenched.
He walked up to her, quietly took her hand, and their fingers intertwined beneath the wide sleeves of his clothes.
As Liu Yunshu was enveloped by the warmth of his palm, the bitterness in her heart suddenly subsided.
When she turned her head to look at him, the redness in her eyes had not yet faded, but a gentle smile spread across her face.
Wen Zhimiao gripped her hand tighter and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Don't be sad, I'm always here."
Lord Wen looked at the midwife kneeling on the ground, his expression darkening, but he did not reprimand her further.
"What's done is done, and dwelling on your mistakes won't bring back the past."
He waved his hand and said to Wen Lin, "Let her go back. In the future, discipline your son properly and make sure he doesn't do anything foolish again."
Zhang the midwife was stunned. She hadn't expected Lord Wen to be so lenient, and she quickly kowtowed to express her gratitude.
"Thank you for your mercy, sir! Thank you for your mercy, sir! This old servant will certainly accumulate good deeds and do good in the future to make up for my mistakes!"
Wen Lin stepped forward and led the midwife Zhang, who was repeatedly thanking him, out of the room.
The atmosphere in the front hall gradually eased, and at this moment, Wen Zhimiao released Liu Yunshu's hand.
Upon reaching Lord Wen and his wife, he lifted his robe and knelt down.
The knee slammed into the ground with a dull thud, startling everyone in the hall.
Madam Wen quickly got up to help him, her voice filled with surprise: "Zhi Miao? What are you doing? Get up!"
Wen Zhimiao remained unmoved, his gaze fixed firmly on Lord Wen and Madam Wen, his tone steady yet filled with intense pleading: "Father, Mother, I kneel here today because I have a request for your permission."
Lord Wen frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "What is it? Get up and speak. What kind of decorum is this?"
"This matter concerns my son's entire life, and he must earnestly plead with the utmost respect." Wen Zhimiao's eyes were filled with a resolute determination, as if she were making a desperate gamble.
Mrs. Wen quickly wiped away her tears and wept with joy.
"Zhimiao, you've finally come to your senses. Which family's daughter is she? I'll go and propose marriage right away."
Lord Wen stroked his beard with satisfaction, "Since you already have someone in mind, you might as well say it. As long as she is a girl of good character, your parents will definitely agree."
Wen Zhimiao's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he turned to look at Liu Yunshu, his eyes filled with undisguised fervor and determination. "Father, Mother, the one your son wishes to marry is Yunshu."
As soon as he finished speaking, the front hall fell silent once again.
Madam Wen's smile froze instantly, and Lord Wen also abruptly withdrew his hand from stroking his beard, his brows furrowing into a knot.
Liu Yunshu's heart skipped a beat, her fingertips trembled slightly, she was both expectant and nervous, and her hands hanging at her sides unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.
Liu Qingqing stood to the side, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, but she didn't say anything more.
Madam Wen was the first to recover, her tone tinged with urgency and confusion:
"Zhi Miao, what nonsense are you spouting! Even if it's now clear that you have no connection to each other, to outsiders, you're still 'siblings.' How can that be allowed?"
"Mother," Wen Zhimiao looked up, her tone becoming increasingly earnest.
"Now that the truth is out, she has no blood relation to the Wen family, and her son only wants to marry her and protect her for the rest of his life."
"Outrageous!" Lord Wen slammed his hand on the table, the teacup rattling slightly. "When did you begin to have such thoughts! She's your sister!"
Wen Zhiming stood ramrod straight, showing no sign of backing down, and her voice grew even more steady:
"Father, my feelings for her have long since crossed the line between brother and sister, but I have always restrained myself. Now that the shackles of our relationship have been removed, I cannot afford to miss her again."
"Restraint?" Lord Wen's face darkened considerably as he pointed at him with his finger.
"As the Junior Tutor, you should know propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame! Even if there is no blood relation, who in the entire capital doesn't know that Yun Shu is the young lady the Wen family has raised for over a decade? If you marry her, outsiders will surely say that your Wen family is blurring the lines between public and private matters and has violated ethics. Your future and the Wen family's reputation will be ruined!"
Madam Wen's eyes also reddened with anxiety. She grabbed Wen Zhimiao's arm and pleaded, "Zhimiao, I know Yunshu is good, but you two aren't a good match! I'll find you another good girl, someone whose family background and character are a good match for you, okay?"
Wen Zhimiao looked up at Madam Wen, her tone gentle yet each word firm: "Mother, no matter how good the girls in the world are, none of them are Yun Shu. My heart is already set on her, and I cannot tolerate anyone else."
He looked at Lord Wen, his eyes full of pleading and guilt, "Father, I know that my decision is willful and will cause the Wen family to be embroiled in rumors and gossip, and may also jeopardize my future."
Wen Zhimiao spoke sincerely, her knees still firmly planted on the ground, "But my son has lived a life of following the rules, and this is the only thing he refuses to compromise on."
As he spoke, he kowtowed three times heavily, his forehead hitting the blue bricks and leaving faint red marks.
"Your unfilial son begs for your permission, Father and Mother! If you grant my request, I will work even harder to protect the Wen family and will never allow Yun Shu to suffer any criticism. If you do not grant my request, I will kneel here until you nod in agreement."
Lord Wen was so angry that his chest heaved violently. He pointed at him but couldn't utter a word. After a long while, he finally managed to stammer, "You..."
Looking at Wen Zhimiao's kneeling figure, Liu Yunshu felt a mix of sadness and warmth in her heart. She took a step forward and bent her knees to kneel down as well.
"Yun Shu! What are you doing!" Madam Wen reacted quickly, grabbing her arm and speaking with a mixture of urgency and pain.
"Get up! This has nothing to do with you; it's Zhi Miao who's being foolish!"
Liu Yunshu stubbornly struggled, looking firmly at Lord Wen and Madam Wen, her voice clear yet earnest: "Father, Mother, it has nothing to do with my brother, it's just that I've also fallen for him."
She took a deep breath and revealed her feelings, which she had kept hidden for a long time.
"I had these feelings for him from the moment he was seriously injured and fell into a coma while protecting me, and I stayed by his side in the cave. But because of our relationship, I dared not say it, nor dared I think about it. Now that the truth is clear, I don't want to hide it anymore."
She gently brushed away Madam Wen's hand, but still knelt down and stood side by side with Wen Zhimiao.
"If Father and Mother feel this is inappropriate, it is my and my brother's fault, and you may punish us as you wish. But my brother and I are of one mind, and this is not a momentary impulse. I beg Father and Mother to grant our request."
Wen Zhimiao turned her head to look at her, her eyes brimming with tenderness and affection. She reached out and gently took her hand, whispering, "Silly girl, let me do it."
Liu Yunshu squeezed his hand back, shook her head, and told him with her eyes, "I want to be with you."
Lord Wen looked at the two kneeling on the ground. One was his eldest son on whom he had placed great hopes, and the other was a child he had raised for more than ten years and regarded as his own daughter.
The anger in his chest was gradually replaced by a complex mix of emotions: frustration, helplessness, and a barely perceptible touch of emotion.
He sighed heavily, turned his back, and said in a deep voice, "Do you know what you're saying? The entire capital is watching the Wen family. What face do you have left by doing this?"
"Father, face is important, but my feelings are even more important."
Wen Zhimiao's voice was calm and steady, "As for the criticism, I will address it all. I will personally go to His Majesty to explain the whole story and request His Majesty's blessing for the marriage. With His Majesty's decree, no one else will dare to say anything more."