Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

139. The Guiding Drug

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Xiao Yi scowled at Xiao Jin, “You and Childe Cao’s betrothal are made by the elders in the family, don’t act like this and break their hearts. Childe Cao is more educated than you, he can help you with your articles, you are going to attend imperial examinations in fall after all. I don’t expect you to be grateful for me, but how can you slander me so?”

Xiao Jin was choked, he stammered that he could ask for help from his teacher.

“Do you really think your teacher can be as dedicated as your future wife?” with that Xiao Yi handed Xiao Jin a copy of The Analects of Confucius annotated by Scholar Zhan, “I borrowed this book from prince Xing, you go study and read it intensively, feel free to consult Childe Cao for difficult paragraphs, he will marry into our family soon anyway.”

Xiao Jin looked so embarrassed, he wished he could withdraw the room right away. Cao Le, however, was grateful for this opportunity to spend more time with his future husband, he took the book and walked towards Xiao Jin, ready to share his insights.

Cao Mo winked at Xiao Yi, ‘Good job, Yi!’

Xiao Jin pushed Cao Le away with impatience, “Mind you own business, don’t come to my home uninvited.”

Cao Le felt so embarrassed that he had to murmur, “I’m here to see Cao Mo.”

“That’s not your excuse!”

Cao Mo chimed in, “Why are we all standing, come take a seat, I will check on our lunch, let’s visit grandmother after lunch.”

“Stop putting on an act in front of me!” Xiao Jin sneered and he walked towards the door.

Xiao Yi stopped him, “At least stay for lunch.”

Xiao Jin couldn’t take it anymore, he raved, “Xiao Yi, how dare you, an invalid, order me around! The title of Shizi is yours, so you think you are above me! No! I will see father now and I want to live independently too!”

Xiao Yi was dumbfounded, he couldn’t believe his brother could be so shameless.

Cao Mo burst into laughter, “I will give you a gold ingot if father gives you permission.”

Xiao Jin snorted, “Don’t expect that I will be afraid of you now that you are riding on the empress’s coattails. Your brother will marry me soon, I will punish him if you husband dares to bully me!”

Cao Le trembled with rage, he couldn’t believe Xiao Jin treated him like this, he felt so sorry for himself. In a towering rage, Cao Le stormed out, he couldn’t even be bothered to visit Dowager Xiao and leave a good impression.

Xiao Jin didn’t stop Cao Le from leaving, neither did he wanted to stay and see the PDA, he stormed out as well. He told his servants to ignore Magnolia House’s invitations.

Cao Mo laughed so hard while Xiao Yi observed that he should be gloating this much because he had offended Xiao Jin and Cao Le both.

“I don’t care. If Cao Le still has some sense, he should change his mind on this betrothal. No one can save him if he still insists on marrying your brother. Buddha have mercy!”

“You become more wise after you made a trip to Mercy Temple.”

“It’s only natural that I become wiser after I burned incense to worship Buddha so sincerely. I just don’t want Cao Le to suffer for the rest of his life, he is after all my brother!” Cao Mo looked quite pleased with himself.

Xiao Yi pinched Cao Mo on his cheek, “You little monkey!”

Cao Mo was in such a good mood after this farce, his appetite was better too, he kept pestering Xiao Yi to take him out for some fun.

Xiao Yi didn’t promise him anything for there were still many eyes on Cao Mo now.

A servant came rushing in and reported that Dowager Xiao was dying after the two had lunch.

… …

Everyone was allready in Cunxi Hall when Cao Mo and Xiao Yi arrived.

The room was so gloomy, and Xiao Yi was worried that he wouldn’t be able to attend the imperial examinations if Dowager Xiao died.

Cao Mo squeezed Xiao Yi’s hand, “Your grandmother is a tough old lady, she will survive this.”

Dowager Xiao had fainted for a while and Imperial Physician Zhang was writing a prescription for her in the study after he had practised acupuncture on her.

Imperial Physician Zhang said he needed a rhino horn as the guiding drug, rhino horns were not that uncommon in big families like theirs, but as luck would have it, they couldn’t find one in their treasury at the moment.

Xiao Yugui rebuked Lady Lu, “We used to have so many of those things lying around, but now we can’t find one when we need it the most! You are quite a madam!”

Lady Lu felt so wronged, but she dared not to talk back.

Xiao Jin chimed in, “I just saw Childe Cao wearing a rhino horn, it looked like an antique as well, it will make a perfect guiding drug.”

Xiao Yugui frowned and said to Lady Lu, “You and Jin go send betrothal gifts to Cao Le and pick a wedding day with his family, he is betrothed to Jin anyway, and bring the rhino horn back with you, saving the old madam is the number one priority.”

Xiao Jin and Lady Lu dared not to disobey Xiao Yugui no matter how reluctant they were feeling.

Soon Imperial Physician finished the prescription, the whole family were waiting for the rhino horn.

Xiao Jin came back home with the rhino horn and his bleeding hand caught Xiao Yugui’s attention.

“Stupid Cao Le gave me the cold shoulder when I was there, he said he didn’t want to marry me.” Xiao Jin said angrily, “He didn’t care for my reputation at all! I don’t like how coy he was, why didn’t he tell us earlier that he didn’t want to marry me!”

“So you just grabbed this rhino horn?” Xiao Yugui’s face turned livid, he couldn’t believe his son just did this, he could see how the Imperial Censors impeached him on this the next day.

“I told him to undo his belt because I need that rhino horn pendant, he started to call me names… so I slapped him, and he scratched me on my hand!” Xiao Jin said indignantly.

Cao Mo suppressed the laughter, he could imagine how Cao Le looked now.

Xiao Yugui knew it wasn’t a good timing to rebuke Xiao Jin, so he said to Xiao Yi, “You pay a visit to them and tell Officer Cao that this is pretty rushed, and we will make this up after your grandmother is cured, I will pay a visit to them as well.”

Xiao Yi took a glance at Cao Moand made sure Cao Mo had no problem in doing it before he agreed to do it.

… …

Officer Cao was surprised to see Xiao Yi and Cao Mo at their gate.

“Where’s my brother?” Cao Mo gloated.

“He is sulking in his room.” Officer Cao looked pretty down as well, the betrothal gifts sent by Xiao Jin was nowhere near as rich as Cao Mo’s back then.