Chapter 513 - 512: Rouge (Little Rabbit’s Mother and He Shi Bi +)

Chapter 513: Chapter 512: Rouge (Little Rabbit’s Mother and He Shi Bi +)

The early morning of June had already become somewhat warm.

Fortunately, the wind was strong, and the Flower Hall had its windows open to let the breeze pass through from south to north, preventing it from becoming stifling.

Du Yunluo was listening to the stewardesses when a woman entered, her face pale.

Seeing everyone looking at her, the woman lowered her head, trembling, and said, "Madam, the porter at the front just received an obituary, the son-in-law has passed away."

Du Yunluo did not react immediately and raised her eyebrows, saying, "Who? Who is gone?"

"The son-in-law is gone, the young master of the Pingyang Marquis Mansion," the woman said.

The teacup in Du Yunluo’s hand almost spilled, and the room filled with gasps of shock and surprise.

"Healthy as he was, how could he be gone?" Du Yunluo pursued.

The woman shook her head and said, "The messenger didn’t explain in detail."

Du Yunluo pressed her brow.

Jin Shang in his previous life was short-lived, dying at the age of twenty-six, but that was two or three years later, when he fell down the high stairs of a temple trying to mediate a quarrel.

Du Yunluo had thought that in this life, Mu Lianhui dared to marry Jin Shang because she could stop him from getting involved in the mess of her brother-in-law’s family, but unexpectedly, Jin Shang still died.

And so suddenly, no one had anticipated it.

What exactly was it for? Surely, he wasn’t mediating a quarrel already, was he?

Du Yunluo instructed someone to investigate carefully and also to send messages everywhere, while she personally went to Baijie Hall.

In Baijie Hall, Madam Wu was teasing Brother Yan.

Every day when Du Yunluo went to the Flower Hall for discussions, she would send Brother Yan to Madam Wu. With him around, Madam Wu’s mood improved day by day.

"You’re back early today." Seeing Du Yunluo enter, Madam Wu said with a smile.

Du Yunluo lowered her eyes and bowed.

Seeing her without a smile, Madam Wu also withdrew her smile, tentatively asking, "Lian Xiao’s wife, what’s the matter?"

Du Yunluo whispered, "Grandmother, news just arrived from the Pingyang Marquis Mansion, the son-in-law has passed away."

Madam Wu’s eyes tightened suddenly, and she was stunned for a long while before asking in disbelief, "Gone? Do you mean Jin Shang?"

Du Yunluo solemnly nodded, "That’s the report, but the details of his passing are still unknown."

Madam Wu gasped and leaned back, and Du Yunluo quickly supported her, placing a pillow for Madam Wu.

"Healthy as he was, how could he be gone?" Madam Wu said incredulously, "He didn’t seem like a frail person, how could this be..."

Mrs. Zhou, having received the news, also arrived looking bewildered. Seeing Madam Wu resting with her eyes closed, she didn’t speak, only exchanged a look with Du Yunluo.

Du Yunluo nodded, and Mrs. Zhou sighed silently.

In the Fengyu Courtyard, Nanny Zhu stumbled upon hearing what the messenger woman said, almost falling.

She timidly glanced back at the main room.

With Jin Shang dead, Mu Lianhui became a widow overnight; how could she face this with the Lian Family?

The Lian Family member’s health had only slightly improved recently. If she knew her son-in-law died, she might suffocate and pass out.

Nanny Zhu was in deep worry but couldn’t hide the news, so she braced herself and entered the room.

Lian Family lay crooked on the couch, Zhu Shan gently fanning her with a palm fan.

"Madam," Nanny Zhu closed her eyes, lowered her head, and said, "News has come from the Pingyang Marquis Mansion that the son-in-law has passed away."

Zhu Shan’s wrist stiffened, and the fan fell on Lian Family.

Lian Family was oblivious, only staring wide-eyed at Nanny Zhu, asking, "Old Zhu, what do you mean?"

Nanny Zhu clenched her fists hard: "Madam, the son-in-law has passed away."

Lian Family felt a sharp pain in her chest, wanting to speak but feeling too choked up, leaving her vision dim.

Zhu Shan snapped back, quickly rubbing Lian Family’s chest, "Madam, madam, please don’t worry."

Lian Family panted for a while before slowly regaining herself, "I don’t believe it, how could this be with our Hui’er... Old Zhu, go find out the details!"

Her final words were sharp, piercing to the ear, shocking Nanny Zhu, who quickly nodded and turned to leave.

After a few moments, she returned and said, "Madam, the Marquis has returned to the mansion urgently to Baijie Hall, I reckon there is news."

On hearing this, Lian Family pushed herself up to sit, the rush causing another dizzy spell.

She paid no heed, urging Nanny Zhu to help her dress and comb her hair, then hurried to Baijie Hall.

Stumbling and staggering, Lian Family reached Madam Wu’s room, seeing the grim faces around her. She swallowed and asked, "Lian Xiao, what on earth happened?"

Mu Lianxiao cleared his throat, a trace of awkwardness on his face, but still recounted the gathered information.

Jin Shang had been poisoned, dying in Rouge Alley.

"Rouge Alley?" Lian Family cried out.

Rouge Alley was originally called Mao’er Eye Alley, backed by water, serene and quiet. There, some official families placed their mistresses. Somehow, the trend grew, leading to more placements. A decade ago, a scandal of a first wife confronting there became renowned via teahouse storytellers, and the term Rouge Alley spread. The townspeople now associated these words with the mistresses of officials.

Jin Shang also had a mistress in Rouge Alley, rumored to have been for over two years.

By counting the days, the mistress was already present when Mu Lianhui and Jin Shang were betrothed.

Whether Mu Lianhui knew of the mistress’s presence, Mu Lianxiao was unsure. The mistress was always well-behaved, with only a crone and a maid serving her in the courtyard, who kept to themselves, never showing themselves.

Last night, Jin Shang spent the night in Rouge Alley. Early today, when a young servant went to fetch him, the courtyard door was knocked repeatedly but didn’t open.

The young servant waited for a while, feeling uncertain, so he climbed over the wall.

Inside, no crone or maid was present. Jin Shang and the mistress were already lifeless.

Lian Family felt dizzy hearing this, her chest heaving, and the whole room seemed to spin in her head, leaving her extremely dizzy.

What had she heard?

Her son-in-law was poisoned to death in the mistress’s home, and the mistress was dead too.

Was it all murder?

"Has it been reported to the government? Who did this?" Lian Family asked trembling.

"The Pingyang Marquis doesn’t want it investigated, and the government has no choice," Mu Lianxiao said.

"Not investigating?" Lian Family sneered, extremely agitated, "Their family has no face to investigate! They died in Rouge Alley, and the entire Capital is laughing at them! What about Hui’er? What should my Hui’er do?"

No sooner had she spoken than someone announced, informing that Mu Lianhui’s carriage had entered the mansion.

Despite her unwell condition, Lian Family stood to greet her, but before standing tall, her vision blurred, and she collapsed.

Banqiao and Nanny Shan quickly helped Lian Family up, moving her back to the couch.

Lian Family lay weakly, sighing, "Hui’er, my Hui’er..."