Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 720: Theft

Gu Jin’an was somewhat worried, and privately said to Gu Jinli, "There must be someone in the Lu Family line who ranks higher than Master Hu, and I suspect that person wants to keep Xia Gu safe."

After all, despite being sinister and vicious, Xia Gu is renowned throughout Great Chu as a Madman; his act of submitting a blank script during the Imperial Examination and publically slapping the face of Great Chu’s first Emperor could be boasted about for a lifetime, and even recorded in history books.

Gu Jinli, however, disagreed, "It’s best for Master Hu to be on our side, otherwise the Lu Family line will regret sending Xia Gu to tutor Brother Cheng."

Poisoning, anonymous denunciation, even if it can’t completely wipe out the Lu Family, it is enough to deprive them of any chance to strike back at Great Chu.

Don’t think she wouldn’t dare to do so; the Lu Family didn’t care for her mother, and her family owes nothing to the Lu Family, nor do they have any affection towards them.

Gu Jin’an said, "I understand what you mean, but this matter needs to be well planned so as not to involve our family in the affairs of the Lu Family."

...

After Dongzhi, it got dark early, and now the sky was dark even before dusk.

The mournful northern wind blew like the wailing of evil spirits, and as Xia Gu lay on the bed covered with thick furs, he tilted his head to look at the courtyard and noticed that the familiar Early Plum and stone blue lamps had disappeared. He hurriedly called, "Someone..."

Chun’er was in the room attending to him and quickly responded when she heard him, "Old Master, what do you need?"

Old Thief Xia was truly fated to live; the Lu Family Head, to keep him alive, sent Second Young Master and Third Master with a reclusive famed physician to extend his life, otherwise, the old thief would have been long dead.

"Where are the Early Plum and the stone blue lamps... They were part of the courtyard scenery I had ordered, cough cough cough..." Xia Gu could not finish his sentence and started coughing.

Damn Gu Jinli, that cheap girl! What kind of fierce poison did she administer to him that even Elder Jin couldn’t detect?

And Elder Jin said that although he could help him extend his life, it would take at least ten years to completely remove the poison... Hahaha, ten years! He, Xia Gu, was already over fifty years old; could he really survive another ten years?

But he had to endure; he was Great Chu’s first Madman, the man who had publicly mocked Emperor Jingwu, he would surely be protected by God to reach another pinnacle.

While Chun’er tucked the thick fur blankets around Xia Gu, she replied, "Master, you have forgotten that in Jiuyue, you had already sent Early Plum and the stone blue lamps to the Xia Mansion in Qingfu Town."

At that time, Old Thief Xia invited the Zhan cousins to the Xia Mansion in Qingfu Town, fearing that the Zhan cousins would dislike the courtyard scenery, so he had many winter plants and ornamental stones from Xia Residence outside Jinling Prefecture transported there.

Xia Gu had forgotten about this, and he prided himself on his excellent memory, now hearing Chun’er’s words, he felt she was mocking him for being so old that even his memory was failing. He grabbed a medicine bowl nearby and smashed it towards Chun’er with a bang.

Luckily, Chun’er ducked quickly, otherwise, her head would have been split open.

"Master, please calm your anger. If I have done anything wrong, please punish me, but I implore you not to get angry and hurt yourself," said Chun’er, terrified, immediately kneeling on the ground to admit her fault, but in her heart, she cursed Xia Gu thoroughly.

Old wretch, he actually tried to kill her. Don’t push her; if pushed to the limit, she would die with him!

Now, Chun’er deeply regretted it; had she known earlier, she would have killed Xia Gu while he was critically ill from poisoning, riding in the mule cart to Xia Residence in Jinling.

Now, not only had Second Young Master and Third Master come, fearing Xia Gu couldn’t withstand and might die in Jinling, but they also brought his official wife and eldest son. With the entire family bustling about, finding another opportunity to kill Xia Gu had become difficult.

Xia Er, having just finished his meal, came back and saw Chun’er kneeling before the bed, with a broken medicine bowl at her feet, and hurriedly asked, "Father, what’s wrong? Did Chun’er not serve well enough?"

Xia Gu, after hearing this, glared furiously and pointed at Xia Er, saying, "Rebel, what did you call this wretched slave? Chun’er? Speak, have you done something unspeakable with this wretched slave? Cough, cough, cough!"

Xia Gu was coughing so hard it seemed his lungs were going to come out, yet he continued to scold.

Xia Er was shocked; he had merely asked casually, could his father really think he had an affair with Chun’er? Although Chun’er was beautiful, he would never steal his father’s woman.

Chun’er was also very shocked. Has Xia Gu gone mad? Second Young Master came all this way, even bringing a famous doctor to save his life, and yet he suspects him like this.

What kind of father is this? Is he really my biological father?

Xia Er hurriedly knelt down and said, "Father, your son was presumptuous. Please, be magnanimous and do not hold it against your son. Focus on recuperating."

Fearing he might suffocate and die from anger, Xia Gu took the opportunity while Xia Er was speaking to swallow a packet of medicine powder and drank half a cup of hot water. Regaining his strength, he started scolding again, "Bah, you wolf pup, always acting! Don’t think I don’t know, are you all just waiting for me to die so you can inherit the Xia family?"

"The Xia family was taken by me. If not for me, everything of the Xia family would have been snatched away by your second uncle’s family. Would you still have such good days?"

Chun’er secretly glanced at Xia Gu and saw his face fierce like a demon, her heart trembling with fear. Has the Old Thief really gone mad? To scold his son like this when he is seriously ill, maybe he doesn’t want to live anymore.

But to Xia Er, it seemed like he was used to it, letting Xia Gu scold and hit him; after all, it wasn’t the first time Xia Gu had scolded him and his brothers like this.

In Xia Er’s memory, Xia Gu had always treated them like this in private, and even if occasionally someone witnessed it, he would painfully say: "Children are unruly, they won’t become capable without teaching."

Then the scholar who witnessed his beating would say: "A strict father raises capable sons."

But ever since Xia Gu was poisoned, he began to fear for his loss, his temperament worsened, and for some reason, he was very afraid that his three sons might take the chance to kill him and take over everything. Thus this scolding was particularly excessive, even furiously asking, "Rebel, tell me, are you planning to commit patricide and seize the property?"

Upon hearing this, Chun’er didn’t dare stay any longer and quickly knelt and backed away.

Unfortunately, Xia Gu, with his sharp eyes, saw her leaving and angrily said, "Wretched slave, you are also duplicitous... Second Young Master, call the Protector and drag this wretched slave out and give her ten heavy beatings."

He was afraid of harming Chun’er too much as she might not be able to serve him the next day; after all, Chun’er, being beautiful and obedient, attended to him very well, performing many tasks that the official wife would not do.

"Considering you have served me for some time, this time just give her five heavy beatings. Perform your duties well afterward."

"Yes, Chun’er thanks Old Master for his great mercy." Chun’er at this moment wished she could devour his flesh, yet her indenture was still held by Xia Gu, undiscovered by her. She couldn’t afford to break off relations with Xia Gu.

Chun’er went herself to receive the punishment from the Protector.

The captain of the Protector was a young man in his twenties; his family had served as Protectors for the Xia family for three generations and had thus been given the Xia surname.

Xia Lin felt pity for Chun’er; he only lightly hit her five times before letting her go.

However, Chun’er still went back to her room with tears, washed up and dressed, then sat on the bed to wait.

Not knowing how long she had waited after everyone in Xia Mansion fell asleep, she heard the sound of a knife prying open the wooden window.

Chun’er’s lips curled into a smile, yet she started sobbing... during the days Xia Gu was in Qingfu Town, she and Xia Lin often had a secret affair.