tallest building

Chapter 192 Huangquan Road

Madam Zhou has also been ill these days. After what happened with Cao Hongyu, she was still holding a grudge.

After all, he was an elderly person, and he only felt headache and heaviness in his body. Although he consulted a doctor and got a prescription, the illness did not go away so quickly.

Although Liu Cuiyi would come over to check on things every now and then, she only looked around and no longer served him as she used to, without taking off her clothes.

Madam Zhou knew that she was using her pregnancy as a pretext; in reality, she was no longer as virtuous and docile as before.

Thinking of this, she sighed deeply. Who told her son to be so disappointing?
He neglects his duties every day and is now infatuated with a concubine, so he doesn't even bother to visit himself.

"What time is it? Why haven't you lit the lamps yet?" Madam Zhou asked.

"It's a cloudy day today, so it's not time to light the lanterns yet," the maidservant quickly replied. "Does Madam feel cold?"

“Adding another charcoal brazier would be helpful, since it’s freezing cold in February but not in the water,” Mrs. Zhou said. “I feel a bit lighter, but my mouth feels tasteless. Can someone go to the kitchen and tell them I’d like some stewed pickled vegetables and ham, but with less ham and no broth?”

An old woman agreed and went off. At this time, a light drizzle had begun to fall outside; this was the first rain of spring!
Just as the braised ham with pickled vegetables was served, Madam Zhou's maid, Yu Mama, rushed in in a panic.

"Madam, something terrible has happened! Someone from Concubine Zheng's courtyard just came and said that the eldest young master has suddenly lost consciousness!"

Mrs. Zhou dropped her chopsticks on the ground, momentarily breathless, and unable to speak.

The maids and servants beside her quickly patted her back to help her catch her breath.

"What's going on? Quickly, fetch a doctor!" Madam Zhou exclaimed anxiously. "Bring me that little hussy surnamed Zheng!"

As she spoke, Liu Cuiyi slowly entered the room and said to Madam Zhou, "I just went to Aunt Zheng's room to check on him. The eldest young master is still conscious. I've already sent someone to fetch a doctor, so Madam, please don't worry too much."

Madam Zhou was furious and scolded her: "I've been sick these past few days and haven't had time to deal with those vixens. Are you dead too?!"

"Madam, you're blaming me for saying that. You know the young master's temperament; how can I control him?" Liu Cuiyi said aggrievedly.

"Pah, don't pretend with me. If you hadn't bought him that little hussy, would those other guys have gotten so jealous?" Madam Zhou pounded the bed and cursed, "You idiot! If anything happens to my son, you'll be the one widowed!"

Liu Cuiyi lowered her head and remained silent.

Aunt Zheng cautiously shuffled in: "Madam, Eldest Madam, the eldest young master hasn't been feeling well these days, so I was thinking of having him rest in my room so I could take good care of him. Who would have thought that he'd been so weak these past few days and wouldn't recover in time? And to make matters worse, the eldest young master insisted on drinking alcohol at dinner, and he fainted after just one cup."

"Take these words to court! You vixens, you seduced my son and ruined his health, how could I forgive any of you?!" Madam Zhou cried and cursed, "Go outside and kneel on shards of porcelain!"

As she spoke, she asked someone to help her to see her son, and Liu Cuiyi naturally followed.

Zhou Jingsan lay on the bed, wearing only his undergarments. His face was sallow, his eyes were sunken, and he was surrounded by an aura of death.

Madam Zhou threw herself on him and wailed, “My son! I’ve wasted my life’s love on you! How could you have ruined yourself like this? I’ve only been away from you for a few days!”

Although Zhou Jingsan had woken up from his coma, he couldn't even lift his hand.

“That wine…that wine…” he said weakly, “There was something in that wine…I’m doomed…Mother, please take good care of yourself…” When the doctor was finally summoned, he took his pulse briefly and shook his head, saying, “It’s not that I want to say anything discouraging, but your young master is now terminally ill, and even a miracle worker can’t save him.”

Madam Zhou was still not giving up, so she consulted two more doctors, who all gave the same diagnosis.

Zhou Jingsan passed away in the middle of the night, not yet thirty years old.

Knowing she couldn't escape punishment, Aunt Zheng untied her skirt and hanged herself.

Aunt Sun, who had always been at odds with her, was naturally feeling guilty. They had all done the things Aunt Zheng had done, but Aunt Zheng had just been the unluckiest.

Aunt Sun then tried to escape in the chaos of the night, but was caught by the lady's maid and brought before Madam Zhou.

Madam Zhou was already grieving the early death of her son, and seeing this scene only fueled her anger. She said, "Give every single one of these little sluts a good beating! Every single one of them who has served the young master! Take them out and sell them off first thing tomorrow morning!"

After dealing with these concubines, he turned around and saw Liu Cuiyi, and his resentment was even more intense: "You little whore! Don't think I don't know, you'll be responsible for my son's death!"
I heard that he came home angry on the fifth day of the lunar new year, and then you bought that girl and brought her home. What exactly are you planning?!

"You may all leave now!" Liu Cuiyi glanced at the servants present. "I have something to say to Madam."

After the servants had all left, Liu Cuiyi asked Madam Zhou, "I wonder what Madam intends to do with me?"

"How should I deal with you? In my opinion, what Hongyu said before was true! You were feeling guilty, afraid that my son would beat you to death, so you came up with a delaying tactic, but you didn't expect to cause my son's death! How can I forgive you?!"

"Madam, have you thought this through before you speak?" Liu Cuiyi was completely unfazed by her threats. "Now that the eldest young master is dead, do you really want to fight me to the death? In my opinion, you should pray that the baby in my belly is a son. Otherwise, the Zhou family's title will be stripped due to the lack of a son, you won't be able to live in this house, and you'll lose your fiefdom and the annual tribute from the court. I still have my maternal home to return to, but what about you?"

A single sentence reminded Madam Zhou that, according to the imperial law, noble families without heirs would indeed have their titles stripped and would not be allowed to adopt children.

She stared blankly at Liu Cuiyi's stomach, unable to utter a single word.

"Madam, even if what Cao Hongyu said is true, so what? You've spread our family scandal. Although my reputation is ruined, does that make the Zhou family look good?"
You've lived a life of comfort and happiness, but you can't end up old without a son or any inheritance, can you?

The doctor who took my pulse had already said that I was most likely having a boy. As long as the child is born safely, the Zhou family's title will still be preserved.

To be honest, I still have tens of thousands of taels of silver on hand. Even if it's just for show, I won't let you suffer or become poor.

Madam Zhou looked at Liu Cuiyi as if she had never known her before. She never dreamed that one day Liu Cuiyi would speak to her in such a tone.

She wanted to unleash a torrent of curses, using every foul language imaginable, just like she always did.

Yet I felt utterly powerless, a powerlessness that emanated from the depths of my heart.

It's that kind of exhaustion where the tide has turned and there's nothing that can be done.

Although her son's body was still warm, he was ultimately a dead man, and she could not rely on him.

The only hope was Liu Cuiyi's pregnancy.

Did she have a choice?