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The neighbor recognized He Mingzhu and Lu Man and, noticing the resemblance between the young man and them, concluded that he was He Mingzhu’s son.
During a medical visit, the Physician and apprentice discussed and confirmed that the young man was indeed He Mingzhu’s son, and surprisingly, he was also the son of Lu Fangrong. He Mingzhu had discovered her pregnancy after being dismissed by her husband.
Upon hearing this news, Mrs. Ding was almost dumbfounded and hurried home to inform old Lady Lu.
Old Lady Lu had been scolding Lu Man for being disobedient and disrespectful. With her eldest son’s promotion hopes dashed and her second son leaving for war, her disappointment was evident. She was upset to hear about He Mingzhu’s son, expressing frustration at not bringing him home to acknowledge his heritage.
Reminded by Mrs. Ding about the agreement to have He Mingzhu’s first son adopted into the He family to carry on the family line, old lady Lu dismissed the idea, stating that the He family lineage was no more and insisted that the boy, being the legitimate first son of the second son, must return.
Lu Man entered the hall and helped He Mingzhu sit on the left side of the opium bed, while she sat on the right. He Cheng took a seat in the chair on the left and purposefully avoided eye contact with old lady Lu.
Old Lady Lu couldn’t help but notice He Cheng’s impressive demeanor and talents, realizing his potential surpassed that of her other grandsons even at a young age. She was pleased with his character and saw a promising future for him. Comparing him to Bao Qin’s children, she could see the clear difference in potential.
With a beaming smile, old Lady Lu addressed He Cheng warmly, “Good boy, do you know who your grandmother is? I am your legitimate grandmother.” She even shed a few tears of joy, saying, “It’s a blessing to have a legitimate grandson for my second son.”
He Cheng politely clasped his hands together and replied, “You must have mistaken me for someone else. My name is He Cheng, and my grandmother passed away over ten years ago.”
Old Lady Lu turned to He Mingzhu, outraged, “He Mingzhu, how dare you prevent my legitimate grandson from acknowledging his heritage! He is the legitimate first son of my second son! You…,” she stopped herself from insulting by changing her tone, “You are an unfaithful and unfilial woman!”
In the past, whenever old Lady Lu scolded He Mingzhu, she would obediently apologize, genuinely fearful of the fierce and domineering elderly lady.
However, due to the mistreatment of Lu Man by the Lu family, He Mingzhu now harbored resentment towards all members of the Lu family. Hearing the disgraceful words from the old lady, she trembled with anger. Overcoming her timidity with fury, she abandoned her usual gentle demeanor and raised her voice, saying, “How am I unfaithful and unfilial? I raised my son, taught him how to be a good person, educated him with morals, and he turned out excellently. But what about you? You took so much of my dowry, promised to treat Manman well, yet you only cared about money and conspired with Xiao Chen and Bao Qin to take over Renhe Hall that I left for Manman. Not only did you neglect that, but you also mistreated her, allowed that wicked woman to deliberately throw her into the mountains, ultimately forcing her to hang herself! She is your legitimate granddaughter, how could you be so heartless…”
She burst into tears as she spoke.
Old Lady Lu, taken aback by He Mingzhu’s uncharacteristic behavior, was momentarily stunned. When she regained her composure, she was overcome with anger, shouting, “How dare you! You unfaithful and unfilial woman, you have lost all sense of conscience. Not only are you a traitor’s descendant, but you are also a forsaken woman. How dare you speak to me this way and allow my innocent grandchild to inherit a traitor’s legacy.”
Lu Man coldly interjected, “If my mother is a forsaken woman, then she has no relation to the Lu family or you. She rightly denounced your greed for her dowry, the mistreatment of her daughter, and she is neither unfaithful nor unfilial.”
Seeing the icy glare from Lu Man, old lady Lu dared not assert her authority further.
Glancing at He Cheng and realizing her original purpose for being there, old Lady Lu softened her tone and addressed the still-tearful He Mingzhu, “I was negligent in the past, allowing Xiao Chen and Bao Qin to commit so many wrongdoings. After learning the truth, we have punished these two wicked women and avenged Man.” Her voice softened even further as she continued, “Mingzhu, I was hasty before. After divorcing you, I regretted it, and my second son holds a grudge against me. His marriage to Xiao Chen was due to my insistence on filial piety, not his choice. He always had you in his heart, and he left three days after the wedding. It was my mistake. If you blame anyone, blame me. Whether my second son can return or not, you are still my second daughter-in-law of the Lu family.”
The latter part of the old lady’s statement nearly made Lu Man want to vomit.
He Mingzhu, feeling disgusted, stopped crying and sarcastically retorted, “Old lady, how can you spout such lies? Even if Lu Fangrong had a shred of old affection, he wouldn’t have abandoned my daughter and left her to fend for herself miles away because of a servant girl. My poor daughter, how much suffering has she endured in the Lu family.”
Lu Man was highly satisfied with He Mingzhu’s response. Strong for her daughter, she harbored deep resentment towards the Lu family.
The old lady explained, “Second son was deceived by that vile Bao Qin. He always cherished Man. If you doubt my words, ask him when he returns. Moreover, Xiao Chen is dead, and Bao Qin has been sent away to the estate. There is no one left in the house to obstruct your vision.” With a touch of arrogance, she continued, “Let’s go, pack your things, and take Cheng. Let’s return home together. Tomorrow, we will have the eldest son take Cheng to the ancestral hall to acknowledge his heritage.” With that, she stood up.
He Mingzhu remained seated, shaking her head and said, “Cheng is a child of the He family. Before I married into the Lu family, it was agreed that the first male child born would bear the surname He and continue the lineage of the He family. Besides, he was born after I was divorced by the Lu family.”
The old lady coldly huffed, “My legitimate grandson of the Lu family would never pass on the family line to a traitor’s descendant! Furthermore, since there is no one left in the He family, what’s the point of inheriting anything?”
He Mingzhu was infuriated by the old lady’s deception and vulgarity, rendering her almost unable to speak.