Chapter 5: The Duke of Zhong is About to Die of Frustration

The blue veins that had just bulged on Lin Li's forehead were even more prominent now.

His face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.

"Has no one ever told you not to touch my antiques?"

"Sanniang said so, but... I only wanted to make Third Dad happy."

Yan Luo spoke with a soft tone, yet her words were righteous and solemn.

Lin Li was nearly driven to his feet by rage.

He smashed his porcelain vase, and she wanted to make him happy?

Yan Luo blinked her eyes. "Third Dad, please let me stay. In the future, when you smash things, I'll smash things too. If you tell me to go east, I won't go west. I'll follow your example and listen to you, okay?"

Standing by the wheelchair, she was not even as tall as Lin Li sitting in it.

Lin Li's expression was complicated.

This child... to put it nicely, she was well-behaved; to put it bluntly, she was stupid.

Was what he did a good deed? And she wanted to learn it? Is there no one to manage this!

Lin Li's gaze flickered toward the Third Madam.

The Third Madam snapped back to her senses. "Third Master, Yan Luo is at the age where she loves to learn and imitate. She will mimic whatever we do. But since we have adopted her, we should set a good example, don't you think?"

Lin Li's face was livid. He wanted to lose his temper, but he was afraid this little girl would actually follow suit.

His belly full of anger dissipated just like that, though it dissipated in a most inexplicable manner.

"I do not agree to adopt her. The Third Branch does not support idle people. I will find an opportunity to speak to Father later."

With that, Lin Li had a servant push him away, his face looking quite sour.

Yan Luo's watery eyes saw over a dozen lonely ghosts and wild spirits floating away following Lin Li.

Just now, they only dared to gather in the courtyard and didn't dare to follow him in, but seeing that Yan Luo didn't approach, they clung to Lin Li again.

With so many ghosts, Yan Luo's pink tongue quietly licked the corner of her lips.

So fragrant. She absolutely had to secure this "mobile dining table" that was Third Master!

Seeing the little one remaining silent, the Third Madam thought she was frightened.

"Yan Luo," she walked to the child's side to comfort her, "don't be afraid. Third Master is cold on the outside but soft on the inside. Stay here for now, and we will discuss the rest later."

If Lin Li managed to persuade the Duke of Zhong to send Yan Luo away, there was nothing she could do.

After the meal was finished, the Third Madam sent a maid to escort Yan Luo back to her own courtyard.

Once the Third Madam closed her doors, she sat quietly by the mirror.

Thinking of what had just happened, she couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Even Lin Li had moments like this!

The thought of him suppressing his rage and walking away in frustration made the Third Madam's laughter uncontrollable.

Perhaps their Third Branch truly lacked such a child to add a bit of interest.

Regardless of what others thought, the Third Madam wanted to treat Yan Luo well.

Thus, she called for her senior nanny and told her to find someone to make a few sets of new clothes for Yan Luo.

The next day.

The Third Madam sent word that Yan Luo did not need to pay her respects, and her three daily meals would be delivered to her courtyard by the small kitchen.

The Third Branch had no strict rules, so Yan Luo enjoyed the freedom.

In particular, the First Madam seemed to have forgotten to arrange a maid to serve her. The little maid the Third Madam left behind was named Chun Cao; she was efficient and quiet, which Yan Luo preferred.

Just after finishing breakfast, Chu Yue arrived.

She was dressed in exquisite garments, wearing gold and silver bracelets on her wrists and a gemstone necklace around her neck.

Even her hair was styled with intricately crafted dragonfly gold tassels.

Chu Yue had come specifically to show off, but she was somewhat surprised when she saw Yan Luo.

Her gaze repeatedly swept over Yan Luo's clean, fair face. "Third Master actually didn't hit you?"

Yan Luo guessed that in her past life, when Chu Yue was sent to the Third Branch, she had likely been injured by a teacup thrown by the Third Master.

"Third Dad and Sanniang treat me very well. Why would they hit me?"

"Treat you well? How is that possible!"

Chu Yue did not believe it, and her face darkened even further upon seeing the new clothes on Yan Luo.

"Who made these for you?"

"Sanniang."

Hearing this, Chu Yue was extremely surprised.

Because in her past life, she had lived with the Third Branch and knew the temperaments of the Third Madam and the Third Master well.

The Third Madam maintained an air of detached tranquility; even if the sky fell, she would only close her doors to tend to her flowers and plants.

After Chu Yue arrived in that life, the Third Madam had only offered a few symbolic words of comfort and never bothered with her again.

Why, in Yan Luo's case, was she making new clothes and arranging a little maid?

Intending to provoke Yan Luo, Chu Yue gritted her teeth and said, "Look at what I am wearing, then look at your clothes. By comparison, my life is much better than yours!"

"My parents value me greatly and prepare the best of everything for me. Even Eldest Brother gave me calligraphy exemplars, saying he wants to teach me how to practice writing."

Looking at Chu Yue's self-satisfied manner, Yan Luo revealed a tranquil smile.

At this moment, Chu Yue did not yet know that everything she received would require her to burn her own life and luck to repay.

The family of the First Branch was never easily satisfied; once they experienced the extraordinary blessings brought by the Koi Luck, they would greedily demand more and more.

Chu Yue wanted to boast more, but the First Madam had sent a maid to find her, so she had to depart in a hurry.

Yan Luo lived quietly for a few days.

Neither the Third Master nor the Third Madam came to see her, as if they had forgotten her existence.

The little one became familiar with Chun Cao, and as Chun Cao grew bolder, she would occasionally tell her about the happenings in the manor.

Thus, through Chun Cao, Yan Luo learned that Chu Yue had brought a great deal of good luck to the First Branch.

The First Master had purchased a rare sweat-blood horse and presented it to his superior; the First Madam had cured her long-standing migraine.

Even the Eldest Young Master, while walking on the street, had happened to save the elderly Prince Wang from a fall, earning him rewards and recognition.

With the First Branch riding a wave of great fortune, even the Duke of Zhong became more amiable toward them.

Yan Luo remained very calm while Chun Cao spoke of these things.

Because this was exactly what she had done for the First Branch in her previous life.

The little one had no time to worry about what the First Branch was doing; a very important event was about to occur.

Yan Luo remembered that in her past life, a few days after she was adopted, the Duke of Zhong had fallen while practicing martial arts in the back garden after a rainstorm, and the fall was quite severe.

She had once reminded the First Madam to help the Duke avoid this danger, but she was told not to make a sound.

The First Madam had intentionally delayed, causing the Duke's condition to worsen, eventually leading to his death after he was left half-paralyzed.

When the Duke of Zhong was alive, he had maintained neutrality and refused to participate in the struggle for the position of Crown Prince between the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince. After his death, the First Branch inherited the title and, along with the First Madam's maternal family, became part of the faction supporting the Crown Prince, directly driving away the Second and Third Branches.

In the morning, the sky outside the window remained gloomy after the rain.

Counting the days, the day the Duke of Zhong would fall was today.

Yan Luo knew that Chu Yue would, just like her in her past life, remind the First Madam, and the First Madam would make the same choice.

Since coming to the Third Branch, she rarely left her courtyard, but today she took the initiative to run out.

Furthermore, she was heading toward the direction of Lin Li's study.

Chun Cao was very gratified. "Miss finally knows how to compete for favor."

In the main room of the First Branch, the doors and windows were tightly shut. The dimness of the sky made the interior feel even more heavy.

Chu Yue sat uneasily in her chair, constantly glancing at the First Madam beside her.

The First Madam was dignified and composed, her fingers rolling prayer beads as she looked down at the scriptures in her hands, as calm as a Bodhisattva.

After an unknown amount of time, the First Madam's maid ran in, her tone hurried.

"First Madam, something has happened!"

Chu Yue stood up abruptly.

Did the Duke of Zhong fall?

(End of Chapter)