Reborn in the Three Kingdoms: Da Qiao Doesn't Want to Be a Widow Anymore

Chapter 321 News of Death
Qiao Wei and the others rushed to Qiao's mother's bedside. Qiao's mother was gripping the blanket tightly with both hands, her whole body was convulsing, and she was constantly foaming at the mouth.

To prevent her from accidentally biting herself during the convulsions, the maid stuffed a strip of cloth into her mouth.

Dr. Zhang applied acupuncture to several important acupoints, but Qiao's mother's condition still showed no improvement.

Qiao Rong held Qiao Wei's hand, her face full of confusion and helplessness, "Sister..."

It's true that both Qiao Rong and Qiao Wei harbor resentment towards their mother, but ultimately, blood ties and family affection are undeniable.

Qiao's mother's condition suddenly worsened without warning. In fact, when Qiao Wei came to pay his respects in the afternoon, he felt that Qiao's mother's condition had improved somewhat and that she was able to say a few words intermittently.

A short while later, a heavy sigh was heard, and the figure on the bed fell silent.

Dr. Zhang emerged from behind the curtain, shook his head at Qiao Wei, and looked deeply sorrowful.

Without needing to say more, Qiao Wei knew the result. She suddenly felt as if all the strength in her body had been drained away, and her legs went weak, almost causing her to lose her footing.

She didn't want to cry, but for some reason, the back of her hand gradually became wet.

The maids lifted the curtain, and Qiao Rui, the heir of the family, was the first to kneel down, kowtowing and wailing, "Mother... Mother!"

The cries were mournful, like the mournful cry of a cuckoo weeping blood.

After confirming everything, Qiao Rong almost collapsed to the ground, opening her mouth several times but unable to utter a sound, only tears streaming down her face like a flood.

After a long pause, a sound finally escaped his throat: "Sister...Sister, what should we do?"

Qiao Wei held Qiao Rong tightly, letting her cry in his arms.

White mourning banners fluttered throughout the Qiao residence, adding to the oppressive and somber atmosphere under the gloomy rain.

Qiao Rong's health had not fully recovered when her mother suddenly passed away, adding another blow to her. She fainted twice while kneeling at the funeral, and later became so ill that she could not even get out of bed.

Fortunately, Sun Quan was present and was able to keep the situation under control. The Qiao family also sent people to help with the arrangements, which allowed the funeral to be handled smoothly.

The rain had not yet washed away the bloodstains in the courtyard. When Qiao Rong woke up, the people serving her were trembling with fear and dared not say a word.

They didn't even dare to make a loud sound when they breathed.

Qiao Rong was puzzled, and Xiao Yue gave a hesitant explanation.

As soon as the funeral ended, Qiao Wei immediately tied up several "loyal and cautious" men, intending to lock them up for a few days and then send them to a labor camp to perform hard labor.

Sun Quan, however, ordered Yourou to gag the man and kill him with military sticks in the courtyard.

"Why?"

Although Qiao Rong did not understand Sun Quan's actions, Qiao Wei did not stop her, which must have been because there were important matters she did not know about.

“They gossip in the yard, ruining your reputation, so…”

Xiaoyue glanced at Qiao Rong, then stopped talking, and was thinking of a different way to put it.

Qiao Rong continued on her own, "It is said that I was divorced by the Zhou family because I did not uphold the virtues of a wife, and even my child is not of the Zhou family bloodline, so I was sent back to my mother's family along with her."

Xiaoyue quickly retorted, "These people don't know the truth at all; they're just talking nonsense in the courtyard and slandering other people's innocence."

According to her wishes, they should have been beaten to death long ago. The eldest son was indecisive and did not punish them severely, but only fined them a month's wages, which emboldened those old women to become even bolder and to constantly hurl filth and vulgarities.

Fortunately, the Marquis and his mansion are there to support me. Qiao Rong has already figured out the cause and effect, "So, those words reached Mother's ears, which is why she was so angry and upset..."

Finally, he passed away.

The lord and his sister ordered the servants to be beaten to death in order to protect her reputation.

Qiao Rong felt a sharp pain in her heart and curled up as if an invisible hand had gripped her heart and was twisting it violently.

The pain was so intense it was hard to breathe.

She hunched over and pressed her hand tightly against her chest, her knuckles turning white from the force, but she still couldn't stop the pain.

She felt like she couldn't breathe, large beads of cold sweat dripped from her forehead, her vision blurred, and her ears were ringing.

Qiao Wei rushed over and held her younger sister in her arms. Doctor Zhang quickly administered acupuncture, which gradually calmed her pain. "Rong'er?"

"Sister, it's all because of me..."

Zhou Yu may have had some genuine feelings for her, but no matter how much, it was insignificant compared to his future prospects and ambitions.

The matriarch of the household was strict, and the clan had strict rules. Most people were wise to protect themselves and would not embarrass the matriarch for the sake of a concubine.

As Qiao Wei once said, being a concubine means entrusting one's life and fortune to the mistress. Gu Shi is harsh, and Zhou Yu cannot be both physically and mentally at ease, so there will be endless suffering.

She listened to some of his advice at the time and originally intended to give up on the idea and settle down to marry Yuan Yao.

But when the Zhou family's betrothal gifts arrived, and she thought of how Zhou Yu, though not exactly righteous, was willing to go to great lengths, she couldn't help but fall for him again.

For a fleeting moment, she felt fortunate that her mother was materialistic and short-sighted, so that she wouldn't have to explain to her older sister because of her mother's wishes.

It's laughable how selfish she is; in less than two years, she has already suffered the very hardships her older sister had described.

Her departure from the Zhou family even caused her mother's death.

A deep sense of regret lingered in her heart. If she had listened to her elder sister back then, would things be different today?

With red eyes, Qiao Wei embraced her. "Rong'er, don't cry over the chains of the past. No matter how bad the past was, the future is what matters. Whether it's the Zhou family or your mother's affairs, it's not your responsibility alone. The cause and effect of the world are determined by fate."

If we really want to talk about it, Zhou Yu's insistence on taking her in, his mother's strong will, Gu Jia's harshness, and Qiao Rui's failure to properly secure the fences of their home, all of which gave others an opportunity to take advantage of them, are all contributing factors.

But in life, how can one always get what they want?
Qiao Wei is not a saint, nor is Qiao Rong.

They can only struggle to find the best way to live in this world.

Whether the final result is the right choice or the wrong choice, no one can predict.

Whether there are regrets or remorse, in the future all that will remain is a handful of yellow earth.

Qiao Rong hugged Qiao Wei and burst into tears. Qiao Wei had never seen Qiao Rong in such pain before. Her screams seemed to be vomiting out her heart and lungs.

When she was completely exhausted, Qiao Wei held her and lay down, wiping away her last tear. "Now that you've cried, you'll be an adult tomorrow."

However, as soon as Qiao Wei stepped out of Qiao Rong's room, her legs gave way and she fell straight into Sun Quan's arms.

Sun Quan looked at her as she pretended to be strong and gently coaxed Qiao Rong, his eyes filled with heartache.

Qiao Wei's lips twitched slightly, her expression a mixture of crying and laughing. After a long while, she could only utter one sentence: "Zhongmou, I have no home again."