My chat group is full of female losers

Chapter 311 A Lament in a Dream (Part 3)

In a hazy state, the familiar feeling of falling came again.

Chu Lu suddenly woke up with a start, and then instantly realized that his previous worries were justified; the dream had come again.

However, this was the third time, and his previous two experiences had taught him that he couldn't escape this dream; he could only passively accept it. So he simply stopped resisting, adopting a "what's done is done" attitude, and prepared to see what this bizarre dream would have to show him this time.

He stared at the light that appeared ahead, waiting for the scene to unfold.

This time, it's still from the perspective of the doll Xie Mingshu.

At this moment, she was being stuffed into the sleeve pocket of an old garment by the fake Xie Mingshu, swaying along with her body.

She saw the fake Xie Mingshu get up before dawn and practice her stances and martial arts in the courtyard. She saw her move and move very skillfully. She saw her buried in her books, studying diligently, and sitting there for a whole day.

Moreover, this was not a passing fancy or a fleeting enthusiasm, but rather a daily, tireless effort, showing a determination to mold himself into a well-rounded and accomplished member of the Xie family.

If one hadn't witnessed her previous words and actions firsthand, the doll Xie Mingshu would almost have believed that she had truly reformed and wanted to be a good daughter.

But how is that possible?

The doll Xie Mingshu refused to believe that such an evil and cruel being would behave itself. She desperately wanted to understand what the fake Xie Mingshu was trying to do. What was her purpose in stealing her body and taking over her life?
Endless doubts and unease gnawed at her heart like venomous snakes. Finally, one night, when the fake Xie Mingshu finished a day of hard work and was about to go to bed, the doll Xie Mingshu couldn't hold back any longer.

She went to the bedside of the fake Xie Mingshu and questioned, "What do you want to do by stealing my body? What is your purpose?!"

The fake Xie Mingshu raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised that this little wooden puppet had only thought to ask this today. A playful smile appeared on her lips: "My purpose? It's actually very simple."

She paused, her tone as gentle as a compassionate whisper: "I just want your good mother to understand an irrefutable truth."

"Truth?" the doll Xie Mingshu asked in confusion, "What truth?"

"The most precious, strongest, and most beautiful relationship in this world," the fake Xie Mingshu's voice carried a hint of morbid intoxication, "is a pure mother-daughter relationship without any man interfering."

The doll Xie Mingshu was taken aback upon hearing this and asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

But the fake Xie Mingshu just looked at her and smiled without saying a word.

In that instant, the doll Xie Mingshu suddenly recalled countless scenes—the inexplicable hostility the fake Xie Mingshu showed towards her father Xie Chengyuan; her urging her mother to kill her father; her questioning her mother about who was more important to her, her father or herself…

A terrible thought struck her mind like a bolt from the blue!
"You're trying to drive a wedge between my parents!" she screamed. "You're trying to destroy my family! You monster! You madman!"

“No,” the fake Xie Mingshu’s smile grew even more delighted as she corrected, “I was teaching your mother, helping her understand the true truth. As for your home? Heh, it was all a lie, a disguised hell.”

"You're talking nonsense!" the doll Xie Mingshu roared angrily. "My home is not hell!"

"You're still shrouded in mist, so you don't understand anything." The fake Xie Mingshu's tone was full of pity and mockery, as if she were looking at a pitiful ant.

"I understand! I understand everything! You're a madman! A complete monster!" The puppet Xie Mingshu continued to yell, "You won't get away with this! Father and Mother have such a good and deep relationship, no matter what you do, you won't be able to ruin it!"

Upon hearing this, the fake Xie Mingshu's eyes gleamed with a cat-and-mouse-like light: "Really? That's not necessarily true. There's never been anything I couldn't do if I wanted to."

#####
Time passed, and the days went by in an eerie calm.

Until one evening, the sky suddenly changed.

One moment the sky was clear and blue, the next it was covered with dark clouds and a strong wind was blowing, making the grass, trees and branches in the courtyard rustle and howl like ghosts.

The private school in the front yard had ended early. The fake Xie Mingshu stood under the eaves, looking at the dark sky outside, her face showing a strange excitement, as if she was looking forward to something.

Holding the doll Xie Mingshu in her hand, she looked at her expression and felt puzzled, not understanding what she was excited about. But then she suddenly remembered the conversation from a few days ago, and a sense of unease welled up in her heart.

Before long, Madam Ling, holding an oil-paper umbrella, hurriedly walked out of the rain, clearly there to take her daughter back to the east courtyard.

"Shu'er, hurry, your mother is coming to take you back." Ling's voice was urgent.

Seeing this scene, the doll Xie Mingshu frowned almost imperceptibly. She felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen this scene somewhere before.

Madam Ling wanted to pick up the fake Xie Mingshu and walk quickly, but the fake Xie Mingshu nimbly avoided her hands and walked ahead on her own. Helpless, Madam Ling had no choice but to hurry up and catch up.

Back in the bedroom in the east courtyard, the rain outside was even heavier, with large raindrops pattering against the eaves.

"Why is the rain getting heavier?" Madam Ling asked worriedly, constantly looking out the window, clearly concerned about Xie Chengyuan who had not yet returned home. "Someone, go check ahead and see if Master's carriage has returned?"

The servants responded and left, repeating this several times, but the reply was always the same: Xie Chengyuan had still not returned. The sky was pitch black, and heavy, oppressive clouds made it hard to breathe. Occasionally, a pale, twisted flash of lightning would streak across the horizon, briefly illuminating the flowers and trees in the east courtyard ravaged by the storm.

"Boom——!"

A thunderclap suddenly exploded on the roof, so close that the deafening sound seemed to burst right next to one's ear. Ling was startled, her body trembling violently. Although she was terrified, her first instinct was to reach out and cover the fake Xie Mingshu's ears, softly comforting her, "Don't be afraid, my dear girl, your mother is here."

The fake Xie Mingshu looked up at her and mocked, "It's clearly you who's scared, your legs are trembling. I'm not scared at all. To me, this thunder sounds like some kind of celebratory drumming."

How could Madam Ling show weakness in front of her daughter? She forced herself to calm down and mustered her courage to say, "Mother is not afraid, Mother is very brave."

As soon as the words fell——

“Rumble——!!!”

Another deafening clap of thunder shook the heavens and earth, as if it would rip the roof off the entire east courtyard! Madam Ling could no longer contain herself and gasped in shock, her face instantly turning deathly pale. Finally, after the thunder subsided, she gasped for breath, still shaken, and looked up to see her daughter staring at her with a mocking gaze.

Feeling a little embarrassed, Madam Ling quickly cleared her throat, trying to preserve some maternal dignity in front of her daughter: "You, you see, your mother isn't afraid at all, your mother is perfectly fine! This little scene is nothing..."

As Xie Mingshu watched the entire process, the doll felt increasingly familiar, every detail seeming strangely familiar, yet she couldn't quite place where she had seen it before. The unease in her heart grew stronger and stronger, like a rising tide, almost overwhelming her.

Just then, a servant braved the heavy rain and ran in from outside, beaming with joy, and reported, "Mistress! Master is back!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Ling was overjoyed and immediately got up to go out and greet them.

As she hurried to the door and lifted the heavy curtain, she froze in shock.

Xie Chengyuan stood under the eaves, holding an umbrella in his hand, rain streaming down its surface. In his other hand, he was holding the hand of a rather thin boy. The boy looked a little older than the fake Xie Mingshu, about seven or eight years old.

The moment Xie Mingshu saw the little boy, her mind went blank.

She suddenly understood!

I understand why this day feels so familiar! I understand why the fake Xie Mingshu was so fearless and so eagerly awaiting the storm!

Today was that day!
How could she forget?! It was such an important day, a day that completely changed her life!
Today is the day Father brought home his illegitimate son.

The doll Xie Mingshu's small body trembled incessantly as countless memories surfaced in an instant.

That little boy is Xie Lingxiao! The current emperor who sat high on the dragon throne at the palace banquet, watching her dance with cold, mocking eyes! The prince who was lost and exiled, secretly brought back to the Xie family by his father under the pretense of being an illegitimate child!

She remembered it clearly: the beginning of all the tragedies in her previous life started from this moment! Her mother, unaware of the truth, began to resent her father, causing a rift in their relationship. And she, in turn, hated Xie Lingxiao, bullying and humiliating him even more relentlessly, ultimately bringing about utter destruction for the Xie family and for herself!
She turned her head sharply and looked at the fake Xie Mingshu.

Sure enough, the monster that had taken over her body had an undisguised, smug, and cruel smile on its face!
She finally understood the fake Xie Mingshu's purpose! This monster wanted to use Xie Lingxiao to sow discord between her parents!
"No! No!" the doll Xie Mingshu screamed frantically in her heart. She was frantic, desperately trying to break free from the fake Xie Mingshu's grip. She had to rush out, she had to tell her father and mother the truth, she had to prevent the tragedy from repeating itself! Even if she were burned alive as a demon, she wouldn't hesitate!

However, in the instant she struggled desperately, the fake Xie Mingshu's fingers tightened suddenly, and a strange numbness instantly spread throughout her small wooden puppet body. She was horrified to find that she had suddenly lost all her strength, and even moving her eyes had become extremely difficult.

The fake Xie Mingshu glanced down at her and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Be good, the show is about to begin. You're just a poor little puppet, just wait and watch the show, don't get involved in anything else."

On the other side, when Ling saw the unfamiliar boy beside Xie Chengyuan, the joy on her face quickly faded, replaced by astonishment. She hurried forward and asked in confusion, "Sir, what's going on? Why did you bring a child back? What's his name? Whose child is he? And what's his relationship with our family?"

Xie Chengyuan's expression was somewhat complicated. He avoided Ling Shi's gaze and said in a low voice, "This is a long story. It's raining heavily outside, let's go inside first. Don't rush, I'll explain it to you in detail later."

Madam Ling nodded, suppressing her doubts: "Alright. Master, go take a hot bath to get rid of the cold. It wouldn't be good if you fell ill."

Xie Chengyuan was torn. He could foresee what would happen next; he knew the upheaval that would ensue if he revealed the lie he had prepared long ago. But he had no other choice. He was now surrounded by enemies on all sides in the court.

If anyone learns that His Majesty still has offspring among the common people, they will surely rise up against him, bringing about his death. This secret must be kept at all costs! No matter the price!

When Xie Chengyuan led Xie Lingxiao to the inner room to wash up and change into clean clothes, the dining table was already filled with steaming hot food. Outside, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the wind and rain raged. Inside, due to the sudden change, a suffocating sense of oppression filled the air.

Xie Lingxiao was clearly starving; his eyes were fixed on the delicious food on the table, and he couldn't wait to start eating heartily.

Xie Chengyuan had no appetite. He looked at Madam Ling and said in a deep voice, "Madam, come with me to the inner room. I have something to say to you."

Ling's heart tightened, she nodded, and followed Xie Chengyuan into the inner room.

Upon entering the inner room, Madam Ling could no longer contain herself and asked anxiously, "Husband, what is it? What is that child...?"

Xie Chengyuan took a deep breath. Another bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky outside the window. He said, word by word, "He is... my illegitimate son."

"boom!"

A deafening clap of thunder roared, seemingly tearing the world apart. Yet, at this moment, Ling Shi's face showed no trace of fear of the thunder. She simply stared intently at Xie Chengyuan, her eyes filled with shock and rage.

"What did you say?" Her voice trembled slightly. "Say it again!"

Xie Chengyuan, his face full of remorse, pleaded, "Madam, I'm so sorry! But Lingxiao is a pitiful child. He has a tragic past, is all alone and destitute, and can only wander the streets. I only recently found him after going through great hardship..."

"Madam, I know you are the kindest person I know. You wouldn't want to harm an innocent child, would you? I'm begging you, please let him stay. Give him a place to shelter from the wind and rain, okay?"

Ling's mind was a complete mess; she couldn't hear a word Xie Chengyuan said. Only one thought was swirling wildly in her head—her husband of so many years had betrayed her!

This realization was like a red-hot branding iron, searing her heart with its heat!

Her eyes were red, and she clenched her teeth so tightly that each word seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth: "How could you do this to me? How could you do this to me!"

Seeing her resentful expression, Xie Chengyuan felt his heart breaking, as if he were being torn apart. But he couldn't tell her; he absolutely couldn't reveal the truth to her!
"Madam, I'm so sorry..."

He tried to hold Ling's hand, but Ling slapped it away hard!

"You've wronged me!" Madam Ling suppressed the tearing pain and overwhelming anger in her heart, keeping her voice extremely low so as not to disturb her daughter outside. "When you asked my father and brothers for my hand in marriage, how solemnly you swore! You said you would treat me like a precious jewel for the rest of your life, and that you would never have a second thought! Have you forgotten all of these words?!"

Xie Chengyuan lowered his head, speechless. He knew that whatever he said would be pale and powerless at this moment.

Seeing him like this, the last glimmer of hope in Ling's eyes was completely shattered. She let out a desperate sob, as if all her strength had been drained away, and she swayed precariously.

Xie Chengyuan closed his eyes, his face filled with painful struggle. Finally, he said in a hoarse voice, "Madam... you should rest well first. I'll sleep in the study tonight. I'll explain everything to you in detail tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he no longer had the courage to look at Ling's face, which was filled with despair and resentment, and he fled out of the door in a disheveled state.

#####
Outside, the doll Xie Mingshu listened to her mother's weeping inside the room and saw her father emerge from there looking utterly lost. She felt as if her heart was about to break.

At this moment, Xie Chengyuan saw the fake Xie Mingshu. He staggered up to her and said in a hoarse voice, "Shu'er, listen to what your father has to say..."

The doll Xie Mingshu looked at the fake Xie Mingshu with pleading eyes. She hoped that this monster would have a change of heart at this moment, even if it was just to say something ambiguous, so as to ease the tense conflict between her father and mother and prevent her family from falling apart.

However, the fake Xie Mingshu raised an eyebrow and said to Xie Chengyuan, "I heard everything."

She glanced at Xie Lingxiao and said, "You want a son, not me, so you brought him back. Isn't that right?"

The fake Xie Mingshu's eyes were filled with vengeful pleasure: "So you said I was your most important treasure, so you said that your father only had Shuer and would never have another child... Hmph, so that's all you are."

"No! That's not it! Shu'er!" Xie Chengyuan's face turned pale upon hearing this, and he hurriedly explained, "You will always be your father's most important and beloved treasure! Your father just..."

The fake Xie Mingshu continued her provocation relentlessly: "But what? Tell me! I want to see what kind of sweet talk you'll come up with to fool me this time. You hypocritical scoundrel. You selfish little man. Is it fun to play tricks on me like this?"

Xie Chengyuan was struck as if by a heavy blow, his body swaying violently. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't utter a single word. Finally, as if he could no longer bear the successive blows, he let out a painful groan, staggered around, and fled as if his life depended on it.

The doll Xie Mingshu watched her father's retreating figure, her heart aching as if it were being torn apart. She could no longer hold back, and screamed at the fake Xie Mingshu, "Do you have no heart at all?! Haven't your father and mother treated you well enough these past few days?! Even if you were truly heartless, they should have warmed your heart long ago! Why do you still treat them like this?! Why?!"

The fake Xie Mingshu merely glanced at her dismissively, a wicked smile playing on her lips: "This is just the beginning, and you're already this excited? Well, you're in for a rough time later on."

Upon hearing this, the doll Xie Mingshu felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. She stared at the fake Xie Mingshu in terror, her voice trembling as she demanded, "What else do you want to do?! What exactly do you want to do?!"

However, the fake Xie Mingshu only let out a cryptic chuckle and ignored her completely.

The next day, Xie Chengyuan didn't sleep a wink, and his face was frighteningly haggard. He tried several times to see Madam Ling, but was blocked by the tightly closed door. Helpless, he could only pin his hopes on his daughter, hoping that the fake Xie Mingshu could plead with Madam Ling to let her see him.

The fake Xie Mingshu naturally wouldn't help him.

Ling Shi locked herself in her bedroom, refusing to eat, drink, or speak. The servants called out to her several times from outside, but received no response, indicating that the situation was indeed dire. However, the fake Xie Mingshu seemed completely unconcerned, continuing to go to the family school in the front yard to study diligently as usual.

Two days passed like this.

On the morning of the third day, the door to Ling's bedroom was finally opened.

She came out, her face still pale and haggard, but her eyes were much calmer, as if she had figured something out. She first went to the fake Xie Mingshu's room, carefully instructing her to study hard and not to quarrel with her classmates, and then said softly, "Shu'er, Mother... needs to talk to your father."

The fake Xie Mingshu nodded and readily agreed. But after Madam Ling left, she immediately followed her silently, trailing her all the way to the outside of the study. There, she found a secluded corner and secretly listened to what was happening inside.

Inside the study, Xie Chengyuan immediately stood up from his seat upon seeing Madam Ling. Feeling guilty, he said with trepidation, "Madam, you have finally agreed to see me."

Ling's expression was unusually calm. She slowly said, "Husband, we have been married for many years, and you have always been very good to me. Even though we have been married for many years, I have not been able to give you a son, and you have never complained. It is precisely because of this that I am willing to suffer those grievances for you and take care of this family for you."

Xie Chengyuan said in a hoarse voice, "I know... it's all my fault. I've let my wife down. I broke my promise..."

Ling seemed not to hear him and continued, "I am a person who cannot tolerate even the slightest imperfection. Since you have broken your oath, I cannot pretend that nothing happened."

Upon hearing this, Xie Chengyuan panicked and rushed forward, saying urgently, "No! Madam, I..."

Ling raised her hand to stop him and continued, "You don't need to say anything, just let me finish. Although you've brought a child back from outside, I won't divorce you. Can you accept that?"

Xie Chengyuan's biggest fear was that Madam Ling would propose a divorce in a fit of anger. Hearing Madam Ling say she wouldn't divorce him, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, immediately settled. He quickly nodded and said, "Alright! Madam, I don't want a divorce either! We won't divorce!"

"Let me finish what I have to say." Madam Ling turned her head away, refusing to look at the joyful expression on Xie Chengyuan's face. "Although we are not divorced, our relationship is now completely severed. From now on, whatever you want to do is none of my business. I only want the position of the matriarch of the Xie family and everything that my daughter deserves."

Upon hearing this, Xie Chengyuan's heart, which had just settled back into place, sank to the bottom once again.

Before Madam Ling could finish speaking, she continued, “Now that you have a son, you might have other daughters in the future. So now, I’m going to make things clear to you. Your Xie family is not allowed to touch a single penny of my dowry; it’s all for my daughter. All the houses, land, and shops under your name will be transferred to Shu’er’s name!”

Xie Chengyuan hurriedly said, "I will not have any other children."

"Don't give me this nonsense!" Ling interrupted him sharply. "Just tell me, do you agree or not!"

Looking at Ling Shi's resolute face, Xie Chengyuan replied in a deep voice, "I agree. These are what Shu'er deserves."

"I can't believe your words anymore," Madam Ling said with a mocking smile. "I want you to sign a written agreement, in black and white, clear and unambiguous!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Chengyuan felt a heart-wrenching pain that made it hard to breathe. But he knew this was the punishment he deserved. He forced back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes, and as instructed, he fetched pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, and wrote down the agreement as Ling had requested.

Madam Ling took the document and carefully put it away. Her face remained expressionless: "I am unwilling to take care of the child that you brought back, sir. Please handle this matter yourself, sir."

Xie Chengyuan nodded and said, "Alright, Madam, I will personally explain this matter to Father and Mother. As for Lingxiao... I still want to send him to study at the family school in the front courtyard. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Ling let out a self-deprecating sneer: "Since you've already made your decision, why bother asking me this hypocritical question? Do you think you'd refuse to send him if I said no?"

Xie Chengyuan fell silent.

Seeing him like this, Ling's last shred of unrealistic hope shattered completely. She no longer wanted to see him and wearily turned to leave.

Outside the window, Xie Mingshu, the doll-like woman, listened to her parents' conversation and felt as if the sky had fallen. Her father's helplessness and bitterness, her mother's despair and resolute decision, were like two invisible hammers, slamming heavily into her heart. Her once warm and happy home was now shattered, never to return. Tears blurred her vision; everything that had once been clear had turned into a suffocating illusion.

The fake Xie Mingshu merely frowned slightly, seemingly still unsatisfied, as if the performance wasn't exciting enough. She turned silently, leaving the corner of the study and heading straight towards the school.

When Xie Mingshu returned home from school in the evening, she had just stepped into the east courtyard when she saw Madam Ling hurrying up to greet her. At this moment, Madam Ling even had a smile on her face.

She took the fake Xie Mingshu's hand, her voice tinged with the joy of showing off a treasure: "My dear girl, guess what wonderful thing your mother has managed to get for you today?"

The fake Xie Mingshu tilted her head and asked indifferently, "What is it?"

Ling's smile deepened as she carefully took out the written agreement Xie Chengyuan had personally drawn up from her sleeve. She unfolded the agreement and handed it to the fake Xie Mingshu, her tone tinged with a hint of self-satisfaction: "Shu'er, look, this is the agreement your father drew up. From now on, everything in the Xie family is yours! No one else can even dream of touching a single thing!"

She fully expected her daughter to be overjoyed upon seeing the document. However, the fake Xie Mingshu merely glanced at the document before shifting her gaze to Ling's face, a look that sent chills down Ling's spine.

She said, "You cried."

The smile on Ling's face froze instantly, and she subconsciously wanted to deny it: "Who said that? I didn't."

"I heard everything you said inside," the fake Xie Mingshu said casually, as if she were talking about a trivial matter.

Ling choked on her words, wanting to scold her daughter but unable to bring herself to do so. In the end, she could only offer a dry rebuke: "You child, how could you eavesdrop on adults' conversations?"

"I wanted to hear it, so I did." The fake Xie Mingshu said matter-of-factly.

Mrs. Ling was unwilling to discuss the matter with her daughter any further and tried to change the subject: "Adults sometimes disagree and have arguments...it's inevitable. You don't need to worry about such things, just focus on your studies."

As a mother, Ling always subconsciously wanted to protect her daughter under her wings, unwilling to let her suffer even a little bit of the world's hardships.

The fake Xie Mingshu looked straight at her and asked, "He makes you so sad, why don't you leave him?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Ling was completely stunned. She had never imagined that her daughter would ask such a question. Looking into the eyes of the fake Xie Mingshu, she was momentarily at a loss for words. She asked somewhat flusteredly, "Who taught you to say these things?"

"No one taught me," the fake Xie Mingshu said resolutely. "If anyone dares to make me this sad and upset, I will first stay far away from them, and then find a way to take revenge on them!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Ling was struck dumb. She hurriedly looked at her daughter, but there was no hint of joking on her little face. Such violent words coming from the mouth of a six-year-old child made Madam Ling subconsciously begin to reflect on whether she had done something wrong.

"Am I wrong?" Fake Xie Mingshu asked again when Ling Shi remained silent.

Madam Ling gave a bitter laugh, her voice tinged with helplessness: "Shu'er, you don't understand..."

A sly and malicious glint flashed in the eyes of the fake Xie Mingshu; she knew it was time to press her advantage.

She slightly raised her chin and said in a cruel tone, "No, I understand. He brought back a son from outside because I'm a daughter, right?"

These words were like a poisoned blade, piercing Ling's heart! She took a step back, staring incredulously at the fake Xie Mingshu, her voice trembling: "Shu'er, how could you... why..."

"Why would I know, is that it?" The fake Xie Mingshu sneered, approaching the Ling family member who was swaying in pain step by step, her voice clear and cruel, "Because of you."

"What?" Ling looked at her blankly.

"Because you haven't fulfilled your responsibilities as a mother!"

These words struck Ling like a bolt from the blue! She couldn't believe her ears, couldn't believe that such a vicious accusation could come from the mouth of her own daughter, whom she cherished as her own life! She could wrong anyone in the world, but she asked herself, she had given everything to this daughter and had never wronged her in the slightest!

Hearing this from within the sleeve of the fake Xie Mingshu, the doll Xie Mingshu trembled with rage. In her heart, she cursed, "You're talking nonsense! You heartless monster! You know best whether your mother treats you well or not! When has she ever failed in her duties as a mother?"

Ling's eyes were red-rimmed, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Never before had she felt so heartbroken and pierced to the bone.

Her voice choked with sobs, each word dripping with anguish: "I carried you for ten months, risking my life to give birth to you. For you, I could endure anything, I could do anything. Shuer, how could you speak of your own mother like that?"

In the end, Ling could no longer control her emotions. She covered her face with her hands, letting tears stream down her face, and let out a heart-wrenching sob.

Seeing Ling Shi on the verge of collapse, the fake Xie Mingshu's eyes gleamed with excitement. She knew she had finally succeeded in breaking down Ling Shi's defenses.

She stepped forward, her voice carrying a hint of seduction: "You can be free from being wronged."

Ling kept her head down and said despairingly, "Who in this world can escape being wronged?"

"You can," the fake Xie Mingshu said confidently. "You come from a noble family, the legitimate daughter of an aristocratic clan. If you want, you can live a hundred times, a thousand times better than you do now!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Ling gave a desolate smile and said, "It's easy to say, but how am I supposed to do it?"

“You can divorce him.” The fake Xie Mingshu looked into her eyes and said clearly, “I’m willing to go with you.”

"Impossible!" Without even thinking, Madam Ling shook her head instinctively. "The Xie family will never agree! They would never give you to me!"

The fake Xie Mingshu then asked, "So what do you plan to do?"

With her defenses broken, Madam Ling could no longer use the high-sounding reasons she had given her daughter before. She lowered her head, her voice tinged with weariness and resignation: "Since your father already has a son, he naturally doesn't need me to bear him any more children."

Whether he wants to take a concubine or keep a mistress in the future is none of my business. I will continue to fulfill my duties as the mistress of the Xie family, but I will not forgive him otherwise.

This was the best solution she could think of for herself and her daughter. She had hoped that this answer would at least slightly satisfy her daughter.

But Ling was disappointed.

After hearing this, the fake Xie Mingshu pondered it carefully, then suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. Her eyes were tinged with the red of a blood-stained blade, and her voice was filled with a hysterical, sickly tone: "This is the best method you came up with after crying for a day and a night? Hahaha, I'm dying of laughter."

The doll Xie Mingshu cried out in her heart, "What more do you want from Mother?! She's already suffered enough! The best solution is for you to tell Mother that Xie Lingxiao isn't Father's biological son at all! It's just a matter of saying a few words, why won't you grant her wish? What exactly do you want?!"

Meanwhile, the fake Xie Mingshu continued to relentlessly attack Ling's already wounded heart with her cold and sarcastic words: "In other words, you will still have to be as submissive and dutiful to your parents-in-law as before, and work hard to manage all the affairs of the household, continuing to play the role of the virtuous and kind mistress of the Xie family, working yourself to the bone?"

The fake Xie Mingshu concluded sarcastically, "That's really good. But what has Xie Chengyuan lost in all of this? He can now legitimately take concubines and keep mistresses, and openly raise sons."

He's out there having a good time, socializing and enjoying himself, while you're stuck at home taking care of everything and managing the household. So what if you don't love him anymore? Will he really be in pain? He's just putting on an act.

Ling was rendered speechless by her daughter's series of sharp words.

The fake Xie Mingshu looked at her distraught appearance, a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes. She stood up and was about to leave.

Seeing this, Madam Ling instinctively called out to her, "Shu'er, where are you going?"

Without turning her head, the fake Xie Mingshu said lazily, "I don't like being around idiots."

Madam Ling opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word. She could only watch helplessly as her daughter disappeared outside the door.

#####
In the following days, the fake Xie Mingshu made a special trip to the east courtyard where Xie Lingxiao lived to check on things.

Then she discovered that Xie Lingxiao's life was surprisingly comfortable. Although he dressed simply, he was clean enough, and he never lacked meals. After all, he was Xie Chengyuan's only son, so the servants naturally dared not offend him.

The fake Xie Mingshu naturally didn't like this situation.

So she secretly found a few stewardesses who had some influence in the east courtyard.

"Greetings, ladies." The fake Xie Mingshu sat casually on a stone bench in the courtyard, her legs crossed at will.

The old women exchanged glances, all wondering what tricks this six-year-old young lady was up to today.

"Greetings, Miss." The head maid, surnamed Wang, stepped forward and gave a perfunctory bow. "May I ask what brings you here today, Miss?"

The fake Xie Mingshu didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "It's nothing serious, I just wanted to ask a few nannies to help me take care of the new young master."

As she spoke, she smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

Upon hearing this, the old women were first taken aback, then couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. They were all seasoned veterans who had served the Xie household for many years; how could they not understand the young lady's implication? She was clearly telling them to mistreat and exploit the illegitimate son who had just been recognized by the master!

In her heart, Granny Wang thought this girl was truly jealous and vicious, but on the surface, she put on a pained and earnest expression and advised, "Oh dear, my young lady, you mustn't even think of such a thing! No matter what, that young master Lingxiao is still the master's flesh and blood, and now he's the only young master in our main branch. He's extremely precious! How could we servants dare to neglect him in the slightest? If we really mistreat him and the master finds out, we'll lose our heads!"

Another old woman, Zhang, quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, Miss, you're young and don't understand things. Don't listen to those gossipy servants. Young Master Lingxiao is your own brother. You must get along well with him so that he can help you when you grow up, right?"

They tried to talk to her one after another, hoping to fool her with a few words.

The fake Xie Mingshu's face turned cold, and she sneered, "I don't need your opinions on how I do things. Who do you think you are, daring to lecture me?"

As she spoke, a dazzling aura, like the sun, slowly rose behind her.

The old women had initially scoffed at the fake Xie Mingshu's cold laughter, but the next moment, they felt a strange chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads, and their hearts were filled with fear.

They immediately knelt down and cried out, "Young Miss, please calm down! We deserve to die! Young Miss, please calm down! We deserve to die!"

"So, will you do what I ask you to do?" the fake Xie Mingshu asked again.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes! We will handle things perfectly and will not dare to make any mistakes!" they agreed repeatedly.

At that moment, they seemed like completely different people.

They began to feel that obeying the young lady's orders to torment that illegitimate child of unknown origin was a perfectly natural thing to do. They felt there was no need for them to refuse.

Seeing their expressions, the fake Xie Mingshu finally smiled with satisfaction. She continued, "From now on, his meals will consist of just leftovers each day. As for clothes, give him the most worn and ill-fitting ones. As for lodging, the servants' quarters will suffice; there's no need to bother cleaning them anymore."

By the way, since he's staying at the Xie family's house, he can't just eat and drink for free. Make him responsible for cleaning the entire east courtyard's corridor floor every day. If he doesn't clean it properly…”

She paused, then revealed a cruel and malicious smile: "You shall make him lick it clean with his tongue. Remember, forget about letting him eat and sleep like a human being; I want him to know that here, any servant can bully him and do whatever he wants!"

"Yes! Yes! We understand! Please rest assured, Miss, we will definitely teach that bastard a lesson!" The old women kowtowed repeatedly, vying to express their loyalty.

The fake Xie Mingshu nodded in satisfaction and waved her hand: "Go."

"Yes, Miss!" The old women, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, retreated with profuse thanks.

After that, they immediately began to prepare to bully Xie Lingxiao.

They first replaced Xie Lingxiao's meals with rotten leftovers, and changed his clothes into tattered old clothes.

Then they started forcing him to do servant's work.

"Young Master Lingxiao!" Granny Wang said in a shrill voice, hands on her hips, "Our Xie family doesn't support idlers! Since you live here and eat the Xie family's food every day, you should repay the kindness and do some work for the manor!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Lingxiao suddenly raised his head, his face full of disbelief: "My father said that if I live here, I won't have to do these chores anymore, and someone will take care of me!"

"Pah! Your father?" Granny Wang spat disdainfully. "What do you think you are? You dare to call us 'father'? You bastard who popped out of who-knows-where? It's already a huge favor that you were allowed into the Xie family! You think you can eat and drink for free and be a proper master? Let me tell you, no way!"

Another servant stepped forward and said menacingly, "Enough with the nonsense! From today onwards, you're in charge of cleaning all the corridors in this east courtyard! If we see even the slightest bit of dirt, you'll regret it!"

"I won't do it!" Xie Lingxiao mustered his courage and shouted in protest, "You can't treat me like this! I'm going to tell my father!"

"Tell your father?" Granny Wang looked at the other servants as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world, and burst into a shrill laugh. "Do you think the master would punish us old folks who have served him for so many years for the sake of a bastard of unknown origin like you?"

As she spoke, a fierce glint flashed in her eyes, and she gave the two servants a wink: "It seems this brat is going to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! Teach him a lesson and make him understand the rules of the Xie family."

The two servants grinned maliciously and pounced on them like wolves.

"What are you doing?! Let me go! Let me go!" Xie Lingxiao screamed in terror, struggling desperately, but how could he, so thin, be a match for two adult men?
He was roughly pinned to the ground, fists raining down on him, the sounds of kicking, groans, and the servants' triumphant curses mingling together.

"You little bastard! How dare you talk back!"

"Beat him! Beat him to death! Let's see if he dares to disobey again!"

"Let me show you how many eyes Lord Horse has!"

The fake Xie Mingshu hid behind a nearby artificial hill, coldly observing everything. She could even clearly hear Xie Lingxiao's suppressed cries of pain, and the dull thud of bones hitting the ground. Her face was full of fascination, as if she were watching a magnificent drama.

The one-sided beating finally stopped when Xie Lingxiao could no longer endure it and began to beg for mercy.

Granny Wang stepped forward, kicked him with her toe in disgust, and sneered, "How about that? Now you know how powerful I am, right? Do you still dare to disobey me?"

Xie Lingxiao gritted his teeth, not daring to resist.

"Hmph! Wouldn't it have been better if you had done this earlier?" Granny Wang snorted with satisfaction, throwing a dirty, stiff rag and a chipped wooden bucket in front of him. "Get up and get to work right now! If the corridor in this east courtyard isn't clean by dark, you can forget about dinner!"

Xie Lingxiao struggled to get up from the ground, each movement aggravating his wounds and causing him to grimace in pain. He picked up the tattered cloth and silently headed towards the corridor.

Only after witnessing this scene did the fake Xie Mingshu leave, satisfied.

A few days later, the fake Xie Mingshu went to the private school in the front yard as usual.

During the journey, she ran into Xie Lingxiao.

At this moment, Xie Lingxiao was wearing an ill-fitting servant's robe, which was wide and loose, hanging loosely over his thin and emaciated body. Even more strangely, despite it being the sweltering summer heat, his coarse cloth robe was an autumn garment, thick and not breathable. The fake Xie Mingshu could even clearly see sweat constantly sliding down his thin, sunken cheeks, sticking a few strands of dry, yellow hair to his skin.

The fake Xie Mingshu smiled, knowing that this was once again the work of those servants.

She immediately understood that Xie Lingxiao's destination today must also be the private school in the front yard.

"Oh, isn't this our Xie family's eldest young master?" The fake Xie Mingshu stopped in surprise, blocking Xie Lingxiao's path, her tone full of undisguised sarcasm. "Why are you dressed like this? Are all the servants in the manor blind, daring to treat our future pillar of the family so harshly?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Lingxiao's deep-set eyes burned with humiliated anger, but he dared not look at the fake Xie Mingshu. He knew that he was just an illegitimate child and did not even have the right to be angry.

Seeing this, the fake Xie Mingshu laughed even more smugly. She circled Xie Lingxiao and clicked her tongue, saying, "But speaking of which, this outfit suits you quite well. A bastard of unknown origin should wear clothes like this."

After saying that, she didn't wait for Xie Lingxiao's reaction and walked straight past him, arriving at the school in the front yard ahead of him.

She naturally didn't intend to let Xie Lingxiao off so easily.

She first sought out the tutor responsible for teaching the boys their basic education. This tutor, surnamed Qian, was an elderly scholar over fifty. He was a close friend of the tutor Wang, who had been nearly beaten to death by the fake Xie Mingshu, and therefore harbored extreme disgust for the fake Xie Mingshu.

Upon seeing Teacher Qian, the imposter Xie Mingshu feigned innocence and said, "Greetings, Teacher. I've come today to tell you that my father's newly adopted older brother will be coming to the family school today. He's my father's only son, so please, Teacher, teach him well!"

Upon hearing this, Master Qian's face darkened. Hearing the fake Xie Mingshu so protective of Xie Lingxiao, he felt an intense disgust for the complete stranger, Xie Lingxiao.

Subsequently, the imposter Xie Mingshu subtly spread rumors among the children of the Xie family's collateral branches. She embellished the story, describing how Xie Lingxiao, despite being illiterate, could easily enter the Xie family school by virtue of his status as an illegitimate child. In contrast, she portrayed them, the collateral branch children who had painstakingly passed through layers of selection to gain the right to attend the school, as pitiful.

Initially, most of these young men were upright and honest, or they were able to recognize the situation and knew that Xie Lingxiao was now the only son of the eldest son's family, with Xie Chengyuan backing him up, and that they should not be offended easily.

However, under the unstoppable aura of the fake Xie Mingshu, their remaining rationality was quickly replaced by jealousy. They began to feel that Xie Lingxiao's existence was a tremendous insult to them, these diligent students! How could a bastard of unknown origin be allowed to sit in the same class as them?!

Having done all this, the fake Xie Mingshu revealed a satisfied smile and leisurely returned to her school.

When it was time to rest at noon, she made a special trip to the front yard to find out what was going on.

Sure enough, in just one morning, Xie Lingxiao's already thin face was covered with many new bruises. His lips were bruised and his eyes were slightly swollen, clearly indicating that he had been beaten quite a bit.

Seeing this, the fake Xie Mingshu was extremely pleased with herself.

The doll Xie Mingshu, hidden in her sleeve, saw everything clearly and felt a chill run through her body.

She couldn't stand it any longer. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, she jumped out and questioned, "What exactly do you want? You know perfectly well that he is the future emperor! The supreme ruler who holds the power of life and death over the world! Why are you still torturing him? Do you want the entire Xie clan to be hated by the new emperor?"

I'm begging you! I'm begging you, please! Don't let anyone bully him like this anymore!

However, the fake Xie Mingshu only let out a pleasant chuckle and said decisively, "No."

Upon hearing this, the doll Xie Mingshu's face was filled with despair. The tragic experiences of her previous life uncontrollably replayed before her eyes: her younger brother being taken away, and her mother's mournful cries.

The doll Xie Mingshu trembled.

Then she abandoned all dignity, knelt down, and sobbed, pleading, "Please. I'll do anything... just spare my family... please save my family... save them..."

Upon hearing this, the fake Xie Mingshu looked puzzled and tilted her head, asking, "What are you afraid of? Anyway, none of this will affect you."

Upon hearing this, the doll Xie Mingshu was struck dumb, as if by lightning. She stared blankly at the fake Xie Mingshu, finally realizing that she had been talking to a brick wall all along. The monster before her possessed absolutely no human emotions, no compassion whatsoever. She was selfish to the extreme, indifferent to the lives of others.

The doll Xie Mingshu's heart was instantly filled with endless anger and hatred!

She glared at the fake Xie Mingshu, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth: "Because I'm not a beast like you, because I don't only care about myself!"

The smile on the fake Xie Mingshu's face vanished instantly. She sneered, pulled a sharp knife from her sleeve, and plunged it viciously into the right eye of the doll Xie Mingshu!
"what!"

A heart-wrenching scream erupted from the doll Xie Mingshu's throat; the intense pain nearly made her faint.

The fake Xie Mingshu pulled out a small knife, looked at the tiny speck of wood clinging to the tip, and said arrogantly, "If you dare to talk to me like that again, I'll gouge out your other eye, understand?"

The doll Xie Mingshu couldn't speak; she rolled around on the ground in a sorry state, her throat filled with wails.

(End of this chapter)