Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

156. It Turns out to be Auntie Lu

Translator: Sissy That Walk

It was drizzling on the day Xiao Yi finished the first exam, Cao Mo arrived early at the examination compound to wait for Xiao Yi.

“Shizi Madam, it’s still early, why not wait for Shizi in the tea house?” Old Lu didn’t have the heart to see Cao Mo get rained on.

“I’m all right, I will be fidgeting in the tea house anyways, I’m better off waiting for him right here — Achoo!” Cao Mo wiped his nose, “Any updates from the Ministry of Punishments?”

“Officer Fang is sick, some sort of fever, no one is taking the case over yet, it seems all right for now. I heard Officer Cao has been exploiting his network for Cao Le, should I talk to Officer Cao?”

“Leave him alone, Prince Ning now has his eye on Cao Le, no officer dares to let him go this easily. Just keep an eye on Cao Le, hopefully he will learn something from this, if he continues to slander me, I’d rather spend money on locking him up forever.”

The gate opened as Cao Mo finished talking to Old Lu, Xiao Yi walked out, looking rather groggy.

Cao Mo dashed towards Xiao Yi and supported him, “Yi, how are you feeling?”

Xiao Yi looked so pale, he hugged Cao Mo and smiled, “I’m all right, just sleepy.”

“Old Lu, carry Shizi to the carrriage!”

Old Lu had already took the hamper in Xiao Yi’s hand and was ready to carry Xiao Yi before Cao Mo said anything.

Cao Mo was distressed as he saw how exhausted Xiao Yi was, “Yi, let’s forget about the following exam, we won’t starve even though you don’t pursue a political career.”

Xiao Yi grabbed Cao Mo’s hand, “That’s silly talking, Lady Lu will gloat over my failure if I quit, I can’t bear the thought of her laughing at you and bullying you because of my failure. I’m fine, all I need is some sleep, don’t worry.”

“You don’t have to do so much for me, I… …”

Xiao Yi had fallen asleep before Cao Mo could finish his sentence, Xiao Yi must be utterly exhausted.

Cao Mo took off his cloak and tucked Xiao Yi in, he stroked Xiao Yi’s face and felt so sad as he saw Xiao Yi’s face become even thinner within a few days.

“Old Lu, not so fast, the jolting will wake Shizi up.”

“Yes, Madam!”

… …

At the gate of Marquis Valour’s Manor.

Old Lu asked a few pages to carry Xiao Yi back to Magnolia House on a stool like Cao Mo had instructed him. Cao Mo only asked Mohua to stay in the house for fear that other servants might wake Xiao Yi up.

As luck would have it, Yan showed up at Magnolia House, and she insisted that Lady Lu asked her to send some stuff to Xiao Yi in person.

Cao Mo flared up as he heard that, he cursed Lady Lu in his heart, ‘Everyone in the manor knows how the servants have carried Xiao Yi back home, you just have to wake him up knowing how exhausted he is!’

Cao Mo dashed to the door and roared, “Kick her out of my house, how dare she to disturb Shizi’s rest!”

Yan lifted her chest, “I’m pregnant with Second Young Master’s baby now, Shizi Madam, do you want to hurt my unborn baby?”

Cao Mo sneered, “Do you think it’s you or Qiushuang who has stayed in the manor longer? Lady Lu didn’t even blink when she sold Qiushuang to the human traffickers, mind you Qiushuang got pregnant earlier than you. Men, just kick her out, no servant in this manor can threaten me, especially the ones who think they are better after they got pregnant! Spread my word, don’t bother to come to my house!”

“You think you can just act recklessly because you have some title, you barren rooster! You are a greedy person just like your older brother, you are also part of this candle scandal, aren’t you? You will have your karma!” Yan kept swearing while she fled the scene.

Cao Mo pointed at Yan’s retiring figure, how he wished to sell Yan to the human traffickers!

Yan’s parents worked in the country estates, she swore to stand out after she was selected to serve on Xiao Jin, she had been seducing Xiao Jin unscrupulously ever since. Xiao Jin fell for that happily, the two had illicit intercourse before Cao Le married Xiao Jin.

Cao Le had been fawning on Lady Lu to keep his position as the Second Young Madam, otherwise his life would be harder thanks to Yan. Yan hoped Cao Le would be locked up forever and Yan now was offending Cao Mo gladly, she thought Cao Mo would shift the blame to Cao Le.

Luckily Cao Mo had seen through her, Cao Mo just blamed his brother for slandering him and endangering the whole family, Cao Mo didn’t really want Cao Le to die.

Cao Mo walked back to his room in a huff, then it occurred to him how come Yan shouted out the candle scandal in front of so many people, this was no small matter, even Xiao Jin dared not to make an uproar about that matter, how come Yan dared to do that… …

There was only one possibility, Yan knew the inside information, otherwise no way would a maid like her dare to make a scene.

Cao Mo summoned the shadow guard, “Go to Yan and find out whether Lady Lu is involved in this candle scandal.”

Soon the shadow guard came back, “The girl has confessed.”

“So soon?” Cao Mo found it too good to be true.

The shadow guard replied calmly, “I just said I will disfigure her face if she lies to me, then she spills it out.”

Cao Mo stroked his face and muttered, “Does she care about her face that much?”

“It was Auntie Lu who had given Yan one hundred taels of silver to bribe the employee in Childe Cao’s shop, she asked the employee to mix the questionable candles into the good ones, after that the employee ran away with the money.” the shadow guard reported.

Cao Mo stamped his foot with indignation, “I knew it, young and naive as Xiao Jin is, he won’t make such a stupid mistake. Cheating in imperial examinations is a capital crime, the family will suffer for generations. If Yi is caught cheating, our entire clan is doomed, no way will Lady Lu allow that to happen. Humph, it turned out to be Auntie Lu! stupid girl is courting death, let Lady Lu handle it, I’m sure Lady Lu is more anxious to deal with that girl than me.”

“Yes, Madam!”

… …

In Osmanthus House.

An anonymous letter showed up by Lady Lu’s window, it revealed what the shadow guard had found out, the letter even pointed out that Xiao Jin was going to attend the imperial examinations in autumn and Xiao Jin would be implicated if she just let this go.

Lady Lu was taken aback as she read the letter, this was a daunting task!