She wept, her cries echoing through the courtyard. Cheng Yunshuo, his face impassive, turned and walked towards the gate. “Yunshuo! Yunshuo!” Xing Dai Rong clung to his leg, but all she received was a merciless kick. Cheng Yunshuo mounted his horse and rode away. Those gathered at the gate, witnessing this scene, felt a sense of vindication.
“Well done, Young Master!”
“She deserved it!”
“Young Master is truly heartbroken now. He won’t bother with her anymore. It’s all her fault!”
Lu Lingyun listened to these words, watching Cheng Yunshuo disappear into the distance. Her eyes held a faint gleam. She had a hunch – Cheng Yunshuo was most likely going to confront Luo Heng.
“Yunshuo! Don’t you love me anymore?” Xing Dai Rong cried out, her voice hoarse and filled with despair.
Love?
Perhaps there wasn’t much left. Even if Cheng Yunshuo went to confront Luo Heng, even if he beat him up, it wouldn’t be out of love.
“Oh, isn’t this our future Mrs. Luo? What brings you here to our humble abode?”
At that moment, Qiu Ling, accompanied by her servants, arrived. Seeing Xing Dai Rong in such a wretched state, a look of glee spread across her face. “I distinctly remember a few days ago you were boasting about becoming the rightful wife of the Luo family! What happened? Did the Luo family reject you, cast you aside? What’s going on? What’s going on with the Luo family?!”
“And what are you doing here crying and wailing? Were you calling for our Young Master just now? Were you shamelessly asking if he loved you? How dare you even ask such a question! You should be going to your little Luo Gongzi! Didn’t he claim he loved you enough to disregard your status, to marry you with eight palanquins and ten miles of red silk, as his main wife?”
As Qiu Ling continued her relentless barrage of words, Xing Dai Rong, her body covered in wounds and her heart filled with anguish, spat out a mouthful of blood. Her head tilted to the side, and she fainted.
“Ah! I didn’t touch her! You all saw it! Don’t let her blame me!” Qiu Ling exclaimed, hastily retreating as she watched Xing Dai Rong fall unconscious.
Lu Lingyun, who had been watching the drama unfold, shook her head and smiled faintly. “Alright, stop it.”
“Young Madam…”
Lu Lingyun glanced at the unconscious Xing Dai Rong. “Take her back to the Houfu.”
“Yes.”
Xing Dai Rong was carried back to the Houfu, but this time, not to the Leisure Pavilion. Lu Lingyun had her placed in a guest room within the Houfu. She called for a doctor to examine Xing Dai Rong.
Qiu Ling sat in her courtyard, her voice a constant chatter. “Young Madam, why bother with her?
“Even the Young Master doesn’t want her anymore. He didn’t even look at her when he left. Doesn’t that speak volumes?
“With all the terrible things she’s done, how could she even be worthy of entering our mansion?”
Qiu Ling was utterly displeased that Xing Dai Rong was allowed to stay and receive medical attention, but just as she continued her complaints, the doctor emerged to report his findings.
“Young Madam.”
“How is she?”
“The lady has only suffered external wounds, except for a severe head injury, which should heal with time.”
“Young Madam, since she’s not in any life-threatening danger, we should get rid of her.” Qiu Ling mumbled.
But in the next second, the doctor continued, “However, I have discovered something else about the patient.”
“What is it?”
“The patient is one and a half months pregnant.”
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