Chapter 111: Aura

Words : 1359 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: AuraThe Emperor found it somewhat unbelievable. He thought he had seen incorrectly and asked, "Does the Old Duke mean that we should let the matter of the Marquis Dongxiang’s horse theft go?" The Old Duke Chong blinked twice. Su Chong looked at Su Jin. He really didn’t expect the Old Duke Chong to be so accommodating. Unfortunately, his father was not as easy to deal with. Su Chong looked at the Old Duke Chong and said, "Once something is in my father’s hands, he won’t return it." The Emperor, "... ." Su Jin, "... ." Xie Jingchen, "... ." Never seen someone so relentless. The Old Duke Chong didn’t pursue it, so why add more words? Hmm. You thought it was just that one sentence? Then you were wrong. "Not only will he not return it, but he might even seize more," Su Chong said. "... ." Su Jin held her forehead. No wonder her older brother often got beaten. This remark was practically undermining his own father’s authority. Su Jin glanced at Xingxing. Xingxing’s face showed no reaction. Thinking Su Jin didn’t believe it, Xingxing said, "What Mr. Su said is true." Su Jin, "... ." "Even if it’s true, there’s no need to say it out loud, right?" Su Jin said, holding her forehead. "It’s nothing. Whatever the Marquis wants, regardless of whether Mr. Su says it or not, since Duke Chong’s Mansion is ill-prepared, the Marquis will seize it," Xingxing said. "... ." "And he will succeed, because the Marquis is just that capable." "... ." "Inform Duke Chong in advance, so when he’s robbed, he won’t have the face to complain, unable to guard his possessions is his own failing." "Madam also said that military power is always fought over. The military power in Duke Chong’s hands was also taken from others." "He can also take the Marquis’s possessions, if he’s capable." "Except for the Emperor, everyone who coveted what the Marquis had was killed by the Marquis," Xingxing said proudly. "... ." Eunuch Fu heard this. He glanced sideways. What did the Emperor covet of Marquis Dongxiang’s? The peaks of Qingyun Mountain? The entire world belongs to the Emperor. The Emperor did not hear this; he was most worried about the Old Duke Chong being angered. However, the Old Duke Chong showed no special reaction, only kept his eyes fixed on Su Chong. It made Su Chong very uncomfortable. Why stare at him? There was nothing dirty on his face. At this time, footsteps were heard outside. A maid helped a Madam enter the room. When Madam entered, she immediately saw Su Chong standing there, and her steps faltered. "Madam?" The maid called softly when she stopped. Madam steadied her thoughts and stepped forward. She passed by Duke Chong and bowed to the Emperor. The Emperor rose and helped her up, saying, "There’s no need for formality, sister-in-law." By calling her sister-in-law, without the formal address of "We," the Emperor showed his respect for this lady. This lady was the legitimate wife of the late eldest master of the Duke Chong’s Mansion, and the primary eldest daughter-in-law of the Old Duke Chong. The address of sister-in-law had its origins. Like Xie Jingchen, the Emperor had a group of good brothers in his youth. Among this group, the late eldest master of the Duke Chong’s Mansion was the eldest, just as Chu Shun and others called Xie Jingchen their eldest brother, and Su Jin their sister-in-law. Madam rose and said, "The Emperor honors affections, busy with state affairs, yet comes to visit the Old Duke." "Not having been able to cure the Old Duke, I feel guilty," the Emperor said. "With the Emperor’s concern, the Old Duke will surely recover." Madam looked at Su Chong and said, "I heard from the maid that just now Mr. Su sat by the bed, and the Old Duke raised his hand?" Su Chong vaguely understood why Su Yang was so frightened by this benevolent look that he needed sweet treats to calm down. Truly. Such a benevolent look, with a gentle tone, left him a bit startled too. This, the Emperor didn’t know, but he was delighted, "The Old Duke really can raise his hand?" The steward of Duke Chong’s Mansion replied, "It’s true, Your Majesty." "This is good news; summon the Imperial Physician to check the Duke’s pulse," the Emperor instructed. The Imperial Physician was waiting outside. The Old Duke Chong was seriously ill and had been vomiting blood from anger, so bringing the Imperial Physician was necessary. The Imperial Physician entered the room, took the Old Duke Chong’s pulse, and then reported to the Emperor, "The Old Duke might have been stimulated, and in excitement, was able to raise his hand." Madam looked towards Su Chong, eyes glistening with unshed tears, "I wonder how Mr. Su stimulated the Old Duke?" Su Chong looked bewildered. He didn’t stimulate the Old Duke Chong. "Is it that Mr. Su’s bandit aura was too strong, intoxicating the Old Duke Chong?" Xingxing couldn’t help but say. "... ." This explanation was too overwhelming. So overwhelming that Su Jin was speechless. Of course, these words weren’t Xingxing’s; she had heard them from Mrs. Tang. Once, Mrs. Tang had a headache and was lying in bed. The Marquis Dongxiang returned from plundering, sweaty, and went to see her, but Mrs. Tang held her nose and told him to go away. The Marquis Dongxiang then said, "Is your head not dizzy?" "With a bandit odor like yours, my dizziness was cured long ago," Mrs. Tang complained. The Marquis Dongxiang laughed and left. But Xingxing remembered these words. Bandit odor can cure ailments. Madam then said, "The Old Duke has sought famous doctors far and wide, without much effect. No matter how Mr. Su stimulated the Old Duke, we ask you to visit Duke Chong’s Mansion often to sit with the Old Duke." Su Chong, "... ." The words of the maid she actually took seriously. She just looked at him that way. So much so that Su Chong couldn’t bear to refuse her. "Then I’ll come to Duke Chong’s Mansion every so often," he said, glancing at Duke Chong. "Can I freely enter the gates of Duke Chong’s Mansion?" he asked. Duke Chong’s face turned slightly pale. The Old Duke Chong was his father. For his father’s good, how could he object? If impeached for being unfilial, the Emperor had already made him kneel for half a day. Seeing him still kneeling, the Emperor raised his hand and said, "You may rise." After kneeling for half a day, combined with his unhealed broken ribs, Duke Chong was weak and couldn’t rise, needing the steward to help him up. The Emperor sat for a while longer, and Eunuch Fu said, "Your Majesty, it’s getting late, time to return to the palace." The Emperor nodded and said, "Let’s return to the palace, I will visit the Old Duke another day." On leaving, Su Jin looked back. Pity, she found no opportunity to check the Old Duke Chong’s pulse. But as her gaze withdrew, she also noticed the reluctant look in the eyes of the Duchess of Chong’s Mansion. After leaving the courtyard, Su Jin asked Xie Jingchen, "When the eldest master of Duke Chong’s Mansion died on the battlefield, did he have no children?" "He had one son, a little older than me by six months," Xie Jingchen said. "Where is he then?" Su Jin asked. "He was murdered fifteen years ago," Xie Jingchen said regretfully. "Murdered?" Su Jin was shocked. "Fifteen years ago, after the Heir of Duke Chong died on the battlefield, the then heir’s wife, now the Duchess of Chong’s Mansion, took her young son to the Great Buddha Temple to pray for blessings. They encountered bandits in the rear mountain of the temple. She was stabbed, and after three days and nights of rescue, she survived. The young son was tied inside the carriage, which raced down the mountain and fell off a cliff. By the time they found him, only tattered clothes and some scattered bones remained," Xie Jingchen said. If the heir of Duke Chong’s Mansion were still alive. Today’s Duke Chong would be him.

Chapter 111: Aura

Comments (0)