freenovelworld Chapter 410 Learning from Pain!
Chapter 410 Learning from Pain!
Lu Shaofeng lowered his head and pondered. His father actually had high hopes for him, but his mother was too dissatisfied with his wife, and his second brother's wife came from a wealthy family. Therefore, his mother wanted him to give up his inheritance rights.
What the father was considering was naturally the influence of his second brother's in-laws.
However, as the eldest son of the family, even if he relinquished some power, he would probably still be seen as a thorn in someone's side.
"Young Master Lu, please forgive my bluntness, but I have no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of your Lu family. However, some things can be compromised, while others are rightfully ours and should be defended with all our might. To put it bluntly, what do you think your concessions will bring you?"
Lu Shaofeng's whole body stiffened, his face darkened slightly, and his eyes, which were already somewhat deep, began to gleam with a cold light.
Yes, even if I back down, will my second brother think that I won't be an obstacle for him? Think about it, in the household, has my sister-in-law ever shown my wife the respect she would show to her elder sister-in-law?
Originally, he intended to marry his wife, firstly because they were mutually attracted, which would improve her life, and secondly, to preserve the reputation of the Lu family. But in the end, what did he give his wife?
Besides endless trouble, countless accusations and insults, what else had he given her?
Lu Shaofeng closed his eyes with a pang of heartache, took a deep breath, and then suddenly stood up and knelt down to pay homage to Mu Xin Nuan.
"What does Young Master Lu mean by this?" Mu Xin Nuan quickly stood up and reached out to help him up, but Duanmu Chu Ze grabbed her arm.
"Hearing Your Highness's words today, I feel as if I have been struck by lightning. So-called blind filial piety not only harms oneself but also others, and even worse, it can cause unrest in the family. I thought that by taking a step back, I would gain a brighter future, but today I realize that I was so wrong. Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness."
Duanmu Chuze didn't rush to wake him up. Instead, he asked coldly, "Since you know you're wrong, then I'll ask you, where did you go wrong?"
After a moment of silence, Lu Shaofeng finally said with deep remorse, "Your Highness, I have made three grave mistakes."
As he spoke, he glanced at his wife beside him, smiled slightly at her to indicate that he was alright, and continued, "His biggest mistake was that he should have blindly obeyed his mother's orders and forgotten the responsibilities and missions he bore. As the eldest son, what does it matter if his mother is dissatisfied? How can important family matters be decided entirely by a woman?"
Lu Shaofeng straightened his back and sighed softly, "My second mistake was that I thought my wife and I were deeply in love and were engaged. Even if my mother disliked her, once she entered the Lu family, she would be a member. But I was too naive. Faced with my mother's deliberate attempts to make things difficult and my younger siblings' disrespect, I only knew how to back down. In the eyes of outsiders, I might be a good brother and a good son, but I couldn't even protect my own woman. What's the point of talking about my reputation for talent and learning?"
"The third major mistake is that if taking a step back truly leads to a brighter future, then so be it. But sometimes, taking a step back leads to an abyss. Now, I understand that it was all due to my own foolishness and ignorance. I beg Your Highness to reprimand me. From this day forward, I will do my utmost to contribute my meager strength to the prosperity of Yan, so as not to fail my own learning, my father's years of teachings, or Your Highness and Your Highness's request today."
"Good!" Duanmu Chuze laughed, reaching out to pull Lu Shaofeng up and patting him on the shoulder. "A true man should act like this! You have such talent; it would be a waste if you didn't serve the court. Now that I've just arrived in Yanzhou, I still need to rely on promising young people like you for many things. Lu Shaofeng, I've made you my friend!"
friend?
Lu Shaofeng's expression changed slightly, showing a hint of unease. "Your Highness?"
"Alright, that's all for now. Ah Nuan, tonight I'm going to drink with Shao Feng until we drop!"
Mu Xin Nuan nodded in understanding, "Alright! You two chat first. Madam Lu, why don't you accompany me to the kitchen? You can also introduce me to some of the local snacks from Jiangnan. I've always wanted to go to Jiangnan, but I've never had the chance."
"Yes, princess."
The two left the bamboo grove to the two of them, letting them ramble on and on, laughing without end!
On this day, Duanmu Chuze made an exception and did not return to Qinghui Pavilion. Instead, he chatted with Lu Shaofeng in the garden until dark, when he had no choice but to let Lu Shaofeng go.
Duanmu Chuze drank quite a bit; although he wasn't drunk, he was a little dizzy.
"Ah Nuan, how can you be so adorable? You really surprised me! How did you know I had my eye on Lu Shaofeng all along? Your words were so clever! I'm completely impressed."
Mu Xin Nuan glared at him, "You're talking nonsense again!"
"Hmm?" Duanmu Chuze held up his index finger and waved it lightly in front of her eyes. "This isn't drunken talk! It's the truth! Anuan, you really are amazing. You've done me a great favor since you first arrived in Yanzhou!"
"What big favor? It's just finding you a helper. It's not that serious."
"Ah Nuan, do you know? This Lu family is the one that gives me the most headaches."
"I've heard that for several days in a row, ladies from prominent families have come to pay their respects, but the Lu family is not among them. Speaking of which, I'd like to ask you, does this Lu family really have some kind of special background?"
"Hmph! What kind of background could they possibly have? They just rely on the fact that one of their ancestors was an imperial tutor, and that the Lu family has a hereditary title. Now that I've arrived in Yan and officially taken over, who will inherit the Lu family's title in the future is entirely up to me!"
"A title? Could it be that Lady Lu is planning to have her second son inherit the title?"
Mu Xin Nuan was somewhat surprised. Although the Lu family's title was not high, only an earldom, it was still a hereditary title, which was rare in the entire Dayong Dynasty. This kind of hereditary succession would not reduce the title or the salary.
To put it bluntly, as long as the master of the Lu family doesn't commit any major mistakes, they will enjoy generations of prosperity.
However, as Duanmu Chuze said, the succession of this title is not something that a woman in the inner quarters can decide. Even Lord Lu himself cannot decide it! A memorial must be submitted to request imperial approval before the successor can be determined.
This Yan region is the fiefdom of the King of Yan, therefore, all affairs, large and small, within Yan will be decided by Duanmu Chuze himself. In other words, who in the Lu family will inherit the title will entirely depend on Duanmu Chuze's will!