The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 306: A Fate That Dooms Wife and Child

Chapter 306: A Fate That Dooms Wife and Child

Before the woman’s hand could land on Nanli, the Black Armor Guard had already restrained her. By the end, she was crying bitterly, her body weak and collapsing to the ground.

Nanli motioned for the Black Armor Guard to step back. The woman continued to blame Nanli verbally. Hearing her accusations, Nanli felt a pang of sorrow. Even gods sometimes couldn’t escape their fate and calamities, let alone mere mortals.

"Your son’s death is indeed tragic, but the wrongs have a head and the debts a master. You should seek revenge on the real culprit."

Nearby, Ye Siheng, who was handling the aftermath, heard the commotion and approached immediately. He ordered the Black Armor Guard to bring forth the culprit.

Liang Zhen, with his hands bound by hemp rope, was dragged over. When he refused to kneel, a guard kicked the back of his knees, forcing him down.

Ye Siheng declared, "I’ve found out that Liang Zhen colluded with people from the Border Nation, placing Flesh-Eating Gu eggs in the steamed buns distributed to beggars and the poor, causing today’s calamity."

Many relatives of the victims on the street raised their heads in anger upon hearing this, glaring at Liang Zhen.

The woman who had been blaming Nanli was stunned and turned to look at Liang Zhen with a dazed expression.

Seeing the bloody mess and the corpses piled on the sides of the streets, Liang Zhen’s expression twisted into a sinister smile. He looked both proud and deranged.

"So many people have died..." Liang Zhen’s smile grew more distorted. "Now, my son won’t be alone on his journey to the afterlife."

Nanli’s face darkened, "Your son’s soul has already been torn apart and devoured by evil spirits."

"Shut..." Liang Zhen didn’t want to hear that. But before he could finish his word, the woman suddenly rushed at him, pulling a hairpin from her bun and stabbing it into his body!

"Liang Zhen! I’ll kill you!" The woman screamed in rage.

In her frenzy, she cut herself with the hairpin. Nanli hurriedly pulled her away, but when she got a closer look at the woman’s face, she was slightly startled, feeling a mix of emotions.

Liang Zhen wasn’t fatally wounded. He looked over, baring his teeth, and was also stunned: "Cuiping? Why are you still in the capital?"

No one expected that this common woman and the high-ranking duke had known each other.

Hearing her name, Ye Siheng recalled the secret information discovered by their spies.

"Twenty years ago, she was Duke of Jin’s concubine. Later, Duke of Jin, to fight for his title, married the legitimate daughter of the Qiu family from Longxi. The Qiu family’s daughter was jealous and did not allow Duke of Jin to keep concubines, so he sent this concubine away early."

Nanli sighed softly, "I had warned Duke of Jin before, but he didn’t listen. Now, his son is dead, and so many others have suffered."

He would be consigned to the deepest hell for his actions.

Ye Siheng was somewhat surprised. How could Nanli be sure that the woman’s son was Liang Zhen’s child without ever having seen him?

Meanwhile, Cuiping glared at Liang Zhen with intense hatred, "I knew you were cautious back then, so I didn’t resent you for sending me away. I stayed secretly in the capital because I didn’t want our child to grow up without knowing his father. But who could have thought... Liang Zhen, how could you be so heartless!"

Liang Zhen’s eyes widened, his tongue stammering, "Cuiping, what... what are you saying? We had a child? I have another bloodline?"

He remembered now; during their last night together, Cuiping hadn’t taken the herbal concoction.

Could it be he had another son?!

Heaven had not been unkind to him!

Cuiping looked at his eager, expectant expression, finding it both laughable and infuriating.

After a moment, she smiled, though her face had aged considerably, her wrinkles pronounced from years of raising a child alone.

"Yes, you have another son." She said.

"Where?!" Liang Zhen scanned around frantically, "Where is our child?!"

Cuiping pointed to a spot, "Right over there."

Liang Zhen struggled to his feet, eager to see his other son.

No one from the Black Armor Guard stopped him.

They all understood now and wanted Liang Zhen to experience the pain of losing a loved one himself.

Sure enough, Liang Zhen froze at the sight of a young boy’s corpse.

The boy’s face was half-devoured, but one could still make out his features.

He indeed bore a resemblance to a younger Liang Zhen.

Liang Zhen’s pupils contracted as he desperately clung to denial. Turning to Cuiping, he pleaded, "Cuiping, where is our child? Call him out so I can see him properly. You know my legitimate son is gone; I need him to acknowledge his ancestry, to inherit my title and estate..."

Cuiping’s expression darkened. She stood and dragged Liang Zhen closer to the boy’s corpse. "What use are your eyes if you can’t see? This is your son!" she shouted angrily.

Liang Zhen fell to the ground, his body trembling violently. He shook his head in disbelief. "No, it can’t be. Heaven wouldn’t do this to me, it can’t..."

To give him a glimmer of hope, only to snatch it away cruelly!

Cuiping laughed bitterly at the sky. "You committed countless atrocities for revenge, so much that even Heaven couldn’t bear to watch. That’s why you’re left with no bloodline!"

But why?

Why did her son have to pay for Liang Zhen’s sins?

Liang Zhen’s mind was in turmoil. He turned to Nanli, tears streaming down his face. "Why didn’t I listen to you? Why didn’t I..."

Nanli’s expression remained indifferent. Fated to doom his wife and child and meet a tragic end, this was Liang Zhen’s destiny.

After what felt like an eternity, Liang Zhen’s demeanor suddenly changed. With a gentle smile, he approached the boy, speaking softly, "Son, what would you like to eat? I’ll have the kitchen prepare it for you."

When the boy didn’t respond, he continued, "Want to go out and play? No, you can’t. Last time you went out, you were so mischievous that you almost got lost, and it nearly stopped my heart."

The onlookers exchanged confused glances. Had Liang Zhen gone mad from the shock?

Cuiping’s anger only intensified. She pushed Liang Zhen aside. "You have no right to be near him. Get away!"

The boy’s body was a gruesome sight, with barely any intact flesh and exposed bones. Used to hard labor, Cuiping effortlessly lifted the boy’s mangled corpse onto her back.

Instead of feeling repulsed, the crowd only pitied the mother and son.

Liang Zhen tried to follow, murmuring, "Son! My son!"

The Black Armor Guard naturally restrained him. Though he had lost his sanity, he still had to pay for his crimes.

Nanli, meanwhile, headed to the free clinic to prepare antidotes for the Gu poison.

Chu Shuo, fearing a shortage of medicinal herbs, immediately inquired about the required ingredients and purchased them from various pharmacies to ensure their delivery.

He had been at home reconciling accounts when the disaster struck and missed the chaos. However, with ghostly flames attacking the mansion, both his father and elder brother had returned. Seeing the calamity outside, they led the household soldiers to assist.

Some claimed that while the fourth son took up arms to rescue the citizens, the second son hid at home, bringing disgrace to the Chu family.

Feeling disheartened, Chu Shuo said, "Sixth Sister, it seems I’m truly useless. Maybe I should start learning martial arts too?"