The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 333

As ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍soon as Zong Jincheng stepped out, he saw the elders of various families gathered outside. Xu Wan waved at him, signaling that she was waiting for him.

"Mother," the little troublemaker quickly ran over.

"Where have you been?" Xu Wan asked with a smile. "Everyone else has returned with their game, so why are you empty-handed?"

Zong Jincheng protested, "I wasn’t empty-handed! I even hunted a fawn—He Zheng is carrying it for me."

"Good job," Xu Wan encouraged him before adding, "Madam Shen called everyone over to ask about the interesting things that happened during the hunt."

Zong Jincheng glanced at the figures in the distance, spotting He Zheng among them. Remembering an unresolved matter from earlier, he spoke up, "Mother, this morning, Minister He came to apologize to He Zheng. He sounded really sincere."

"What?" Xu Wan thought about Minister He’s stubborn nature and frowned skeptically. "Are you sure it was really him? He actually learned to lower his head? Impossible..."

Zong Jincheng huffed, "See? Even you think it’s unbelievable. It was him, but he wasn’t there willingly—Luo Jingfeng forced him to go."

Xu Wan clicked her tongue. "That makes sense. There’s always someone tougher. Minister He has always been afraid of Luo Jingfeng. Having him intervene was definitely effective."

The little troublemaker grumbled, "But isn’t this just deception? He wasn’t genuinely remorseful. He Zheng doesn’t know about this behind-the-scenes manipulation—he actually thinks Minister He sincerely apologized. My poor friend..."

Xu Wan pondered for a moment. "It’s not necessarily deception. Minister He strikes me as someone who knows the gravity of the situation. The reason he didn’t apologize before was because of his patriarchal mindset—he probably thought apologizing to his child would be like the sky falling."

Zong Jincheng rolled his eyes. "I don’t get it, and I don’t want to."

Xu Wan chuckled. "So what do you want to do? Tell He Zheng the truth?"

The little troublemaker nodded. "I don’t want him to be fooled by Minister He, but I’m also afraid that knowing the truth will hurt him even more. Mother, you didn’t see it—He Zheng was on the verge of tears this morning. But as soon as Minister He left, he visibly relaxed and was so happy. I... I don’t want to ruin that for him."

The young boy wavered, unsure of what to do.

Xu Wan didn’t rush to give him an answer. Instead, she asked, "Put yourself in his shoes. If you were He Zheng, would you want to know the truth?"

"Ah? Put myself in his shoes?" Zong Jincheng blinked in surprise.

He often used this method in debates but rarely applied it in real life. But now that his mother mentioned it... maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea.

"If I were He Zheng... If I knew the truth, I’d definitely be disappointed in Minister He. I’d stop hoping for reconciliation or that he’d ever change. But if I didn’t know, I’d remain in the dark, gradually forgiving my father over time. Then, the next time something like this happens, I’d be abandoned by him again... and that despair would shatter me."

The more he thought about it, the more horrified he became. He looked up in realization. "Mother, I know what to do now."

Xu Wan gently brushed his hair and said softly, "Now that you’ve figured it out, go and do it. Just be gentle with your words."

"Mm!" The little troublemaker nodded firmly before running off.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

As soon as Luo Ji returned, Madam Luo hurried over eagerly. "Ji'er, how did it go? How much game did you hunt today?"

"Forty-five," Luo Ji replied.

"What? That few?" Madam Luo’s face fell. "I told you your bow wasn’t good enough! Your father insisted on giving away that precious purpleheart bow, and I just don’t understand—how can an outsider’s child be more important than his own legitimate eldest son?"

Luo Ji paid little attention to his mother’s complaints and said casually, "It was just bad luck today. I took a path with fewer animals. Mother, my bow is fine—it didn’t affect my archery."

Madam Luo fretted, "You’re just too uncompetitive! If you were more assertive, your father wouldn’t overlook his own children. Ji'er, I’m not blaming you, but you have younger brothers below you. If they all act like you, will your father even remember we exist?"

Luo Ji replied calmly, "Father has his own considerations. Being too aggressive isn’t necessarily a good thing. Have you forgotten what happened to Luo Chen and his mother?"

Two years ago, Luo Chen had abused the family’s name outside, and their father had caught him red-handed. On the spot, he sold off Luo Chen’s concubine mother and threw Luo Chen into the military as a common soldier—he still hadn’t been brought back.

Madam Luo scoffed. "Your father has always favored wives over concubines. Those concubines just didn’t know their place and brought ruin upon themselves. I’m the legitimate wife—your father has even publicly supported me before. If I speak up, he’ll listen. That Zong family child is just an adopted son. He can’t favor him to this extent, or I won’t let this go—"

Before Luo Ji could dissuade her further, a figure suddenly appeared behind her. He quickly pulled her aside and bowed. "Father."

Madam Luo, bold behind closed doors, immediately trembled in fear. "L-Lord Duke..."

Luo Jingfeng’s expression was cold, his demeanor domineering. He said icily, "Oh? You think you can make decisions for me now?"

Madam Luo was terrified.

Luo Ji shielded her and said quietly, "Father, Mother was just venting to me. She meant no harm—please don’t misunderstand."

Luo Jingfeng snorted in warning. "Drop your foolish schemes. If you so much as lay a finger on him, don’t blame me for writing you a letter of divorce."

After Luo Jingfeng left, Luo Ji turned to comfort his mother. He had no idea who this Zong Jincheng was, but he knew his father had never spoken so harshly to his mother before. She must be devastated.

But to his surprise, she was... smiling?

Luo Ji: "......?"

"Mother? Are you... alright?" He worried she might be in shock.

Yet Madam Luo beamed. "He was explaining himself to me! He didn’t hide anything, and he doesn’t have a secret illegitimate child. I’m his only legitimate wife—there will never be anyone else!"

"?"

Luo Ji was baffled. "Mother, what are you talking about? I don’t understand. Didn’t he just threaten to divorce you?"

Madam Luo pinched him in frustration. "You fool! What kind of man is your father? He’s ruthless—if I really dared to touch his illegitimate child, wouldn’t he dispose of you and your brothers to make room for his new favorite? But he didn’t! He just warned me not to act recklessly. So if it’s not an illegitimate child, then I won’t interfere. If I don’t interfere, I won’t be divorced—meaning the threat was empty! And if there was no threat, wasn’t he just explaining things to me?"

Luo Ji: "???"

Madam Luo sighed. "Silly child, you just don’t get it."

Luo Ji: "......"

Mother, I really don’t want to understand you two.