Chapter 333: Chapter 332: Heavy Burden

The door to the Li Family’s house was open. Zizhu stepped inside and quickly closed the door behind her.

Aunt Li, hearing the noise, peeked out from the kitchen with a spatula in her hand: "You’re back? Have a rest quickly; lunch will be ready soon."

Zizhu moved over quickly: "Mom, has Mr. Si gone to war?"

"He left about half a month ago, right? Why are you closing the door in broad daylight?" Aunt Li was just about to return to the kitchen when her gaze passed over Zizhu’s face. She frowned, "Big sister, haven’t you been resting well these days? Why do you look so pale? You seem to have lost weight."

Zizhu gave a forced smile: "It’s just that the weather’s been too hot."

Aunt Li found this reasonable and didn’t continue to ask.

Zizhu followed Aunt Li into the kitchen and tentatively asked: "Mom, is everything alright at the mansion recently?"

"Recently? It seems everything’s fine, why do you ask..." Aunt Li said while flipping the pan, "Oh, you must have heard about the incident on Zhongyuan Festival, right? It was very unsettling, bringing in a bunch of women to patrol at night. Oh, and the Zhao family next door hasn’t come back for quite some days; I heard the reward silver was substantial."

"Zhongyuan?" Zizhu murmured.

Aunt Li was talkative and spilled everything.

Zizhu stood there, stunned, hearing Lady An was gone. She trembled, and the bundle in her hand fell to the ground, raising a layer of dust.

Aunt Li hurriedly urged Zizhu outside: "Be careful, why are you so lost, go inside quickly, don’t make a mess here."

The bundle was stuffed back into her arms, and Zizhu stood woodenly in the courtyard, looking up at the glaring sun.

It was obviously just the beginning of August, and the sunlight was as hot as in mid-summer, yet Zizhu still felt cold all over.

She glanced subconsciously at the well in the courtyard.

Mu Lianyu went to the border, and Lady An was just gone like that, how could it be such a coincidence!

Surely, the sordid affair between them had been revealed.

The shadow that appeared on the night of Qixi, elusive, finally led everyone to Manhe Garden...

Rather than the result of her informing Jin Ling, it was more like Cangzhu’s ghost at work.

"It must be this way..." Zizhu shivered, "she must have come for revenge..."

Zizhu clutched the bundle in her arms tightly, trembling uncontrollably.

She had told the secret of the golden bracelet to Jin Ling, and now Mr. Si had left the capital, and Lady An was gone, it should have been over.

Just as Jin Ling promised her, the madam wouldn’t settle scores later.

She was safe.

But she didn’t feel the slightest bit relieved or comforted!

Zizhu sank to the ground in despair, sobbing.

She was scared, really scared, after all, it was a human life.

It was she who personally pushed Cangzhu into the well.

Cangzhu drowned, there was no blood, but Zizhu could always smell a bloody scent between her breaths, so strong she almost wanted to throw up.

She couldn’t eat every day, couldn’t sleep well; whenever she closed her eyes, all she saw was that well.

Zizhu didn’t even dare to approach the well anymore, for fear that if she leaned over and looked down, she would see Cangzhu’s figure floating there.

Dong dong——

Not too light, not too heavy, someone knocked on the door.

Aunt Li shouted for her, and Zizhu stood up shakily, going over to open a crack in the door.

It was Jin Ling who stood outside.

Seeing Zizhu’s tear-streaked face when she opened the door, Jin Ling was a bit surprised, but then she pressed her lips into a smile: "Is Aunt at home? Aunt Han from the street entrance invited Aunt to play Mahjong in the afternoon; I was passing by and just brought the message."

"Mom is cooking." Zizhu’s voice was muffled, and she opened the door a bit wider.

Jin Ling entered the Li Family house, exchanged words with Aunt Li, and was about to leave when her sleeve was tugged by Zizhu.

Lowering her eyes to look at Zizhu, Jin Ling sighed: "Why are you so haggard? And crying like this."

Zizhu moved her lips, wanting to force a smile but couldn’t manage it: "Sister-in-law, turns out human life is such a heavy thing..."

Jin Ling was stunned, and after a long while, she sighed: "Yes, it is indeed so heavy. Even if the mansion doesn’t pursue you, you still have to pay the price for Cangzhu’s death."

Zizhu’s shoulders trembled; she slowly let go of Jin Ling’s sleeve and squatted down, covering her face and wailing.

Jin Ling initially planned to leave, but seeing Zizhu in such a state, she squatted down again: "Remember, you have two paths, one is to pay with your life, the other is to live and reflect on your sin.

If you don’t want to be taken back by the mansion to pay with your life, hold back your tears.

Your current pain and fear are your penance for Cangzhu, until you repay them fully."

Zizhu’s sobbing stopped, and she looked up, eyes blurred with tears: "I understand."

Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Jiang Family came to deliver the childbirth bag.

Du Yunluo led people to welcome them at the drooping lotus gate.

Jiang Yunuan’s elder sister-in-law, Mrs. Jiang Deng, greeted Du Yunluo with a smile.

The group headed towards Baijie Hall.

Mrs. Jiang Deng tried to ingratiate herself with Du Yunluo with a smile, but Du Yunluo appeared indifferent, responding casually, showing little interest in deepening the relationship.

"After visiting Yunuan, I’ll go pay my respects to Aunt," Mrs. Jiang Deng said.

Du Yunluo glanced at her obliquely.

Mrs. Xu had already distanced herself from the Jiang Family... Du Yunluo remembered that Mrs. Xu had been extremely annoyed by her before.

Back when the Lian Family was in charge, Mrs. Jiang Deng could meet Mrs. Xu without any obstruction, until one time, Du Yunluo heard that Mrs. Xu had splashed a face basin of water on Mrs. Jiang Deng; only then did she realize how much Mrs. Xu disliked the Jiang Family.

Mrs. Xu was not an extreme person; her way of expressing displeasure towards Jiang Yunuan was simply by ignoring them, so it was clear Mrs. Jiang Deng must have said something unpleasant to drive her to act.

Du Yunluo didn’t want Mrs. Jiang Deng to bother Mrs. Xu, but thinking of the Lian Family, she gave a faint smile: "See your Second Sister-in-law first, then go."

Banqiao invited Mrs. Jiang Deng and Du Yunluo inside.

The previous incidents had hit Madam Wu hard, but she had weathered many storms, and after a month of rest, her spirits were not bad.

After paying respects to Madam Wu, Du Yunluo led Mrs. Jiang Deng to see Jiang Yunuan.

After exchanging greetings, Mrs. Jiang Deng took Jiang Yunuan to a side room to talk; Du Yunluo sat in the main hall, leisurely drinking tea.

"Is your younger sister-in-law in charge now?" Mrs. Jiang Deng asked in a low voice.

Jiang Yunuan stroked her belly and said, "This is grandmother’s arrangement; my mother-in-law is ill, and she is the legitimate eldest branch’s wife, so it’s only right for her to manage the house."

Mrs. Jiang Deng clicked her tongue, waving her hand: "That’s right, she’s the legitimate eldest, the Heir’s Wife. Even if she calls you sister-in-law, you can’t usurp her.

It’s just that, everyone in the mansion had hoped you’d have influence in the Marquis Mansion.

Previously, when your mother-in-law managed the house, we all thought you’d follow her lead in managing household affairs."

Jiang Yunuan’s face turned pale: "Sister-in-law, it’s best not to speak of such things again. If it spreads, it will only cause trouble."

"Fine, I won’t mention it, anyway, you are an understanding person." Mrs. Jiang Deng tapped Jiang Yunuan’s hand, "Let’s talk about your pregnancy; have you invited a midwife? Found a wet nurse?"

Jiang Yunuan answered one by one.

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