"Luoming, you can go and attend to your business first."
Zhao Luoning stepped forward, her face ashen.
Seeing this, Zhao Luoming quickly took his leave and scurried away.
Ji Shisu looked at Zhao Luoning and could clearly sense that she was in a foul mood.
"Did my asking about that person upset you? If so, I won't ask anymore."
"It's not that I'm upset. It's my father who will be."
Ji Shisu asked tentatively, "May I ask why?"
He wasn't a curious cat. He just wanted to know everything about her, big or small.
Moreover, the person Zhao Luoming said must never be mentioned was Zhao Luoning's younger sister from the same birth.
Zhao Luoning looked up at Ji Shisu. "Do you really want to know why?"
"Yes."
"Then follow me."
Zhao Luoning led Ji Shisu over the tea - mountain to a secluded grove on the other side.
She pushed aside the grass, and there was actually a solitary tomb hidden inside.
"This is my younger sister, Zhao Luyu."
Seeing this, Ji Shisu felt extremely remorseful and quickly apologized.
"Luoning, I'm sorry. I..."
"It's okay. Luyu has been gone for a long time." Zhao Luoning started to pull out the weeds in front of Luyu's tomb.
Since she married into the Ji Mansion, she hadn't had the time to visit Luyu.
She never thought the grass would grow so tall.
Ji Shisu also squatted down to help.
Yu Chi was about to step forward to assist, but Cai Xue stopped him.
She knew that when the young lady was "visiting" Miss Luyu, she didn't want too many people to disturb.
"Luyu was also a young lady of the Zhao family. Why is she buried here without even a tombstone?"
"Because my father didn't like Luyu."
"No matter how much he disliked her, she was still his daughter. Shouldn't she be buried in the family's ancestral tomb? Is there some underlying issue? Can I help?"
Zhao Luoning shook her head. "No need. I don't want Luyu to be buried in the Zhao family's ancestral tomb. The Zhao family doesn't deserve her."
However, since Ji Shisu was sincerely willing to help Luyu return to the family clan, Zhao Luoning didn't mind telling him the past she was reluctant to recall.
"Luyu was my younger sister. My mother gave birth to triplets. She was the last one to be born and the youngest among us three.
When we were six years old, my father insisted on taking Chen Xiulian as a concubine. Grandfather didn't allow it. To take revenge on grandfather, my father drove my mother and us to a remote courtyard while grandfather was out on business. Coupled with the deliberate embezzlement by the servants arranged by Chen Xiulian, the five of us mother and children lived in great hardship.
My mother was in poor health. At that time, only my elder brother was old enough to do some work outside. My siblings and I tightened our belts to save money for mother's treatment. We often had nothing to eat after a meal. You may not believe it, but I sold candied haws, picked up leftovers, and even begged on the street when I was a child.
One day, Luyu and I didn't get any food after a whole day of begging. We were extremely hungry. Seeing that I was about to faint from hunger, Luyu stole a bun.
The bun - shop owner chased Luyu for several streets. Luyu was beaten and developed a high fever that night.
Later, Chen Xiulian instigated the bun - shop owner to come to my father and say that Luyu had stolen his bun. My father thought it was a disgrace and came to my mother that night to scold her and even wanted to expel Luyu from the family.
My mother was so angry that her old illness flared up and she fell into a coma. Luyu had a strong character. She knew that it was all Chen Xiulian's instigation. She lured Chen Xiulian to the back kitchen and set a fire, wanting to die with her.
As a result, Chen Xiulian was rescued and only suffered a minor injury, while Luyu died in the fire."
Zhao Luoning would never forget that fire.
For many years after Zhao Luyu's death, she often dreamed that Luyu was standing in the fire, calling for help.
"The fire burned for two days and two nights. Even grandfather, who was thousands of miles away, received the news and rushed back overnight. Chen Xiulian took advantage of the situation and said that if grandfather didn't allow her to enter the family, she would accuse Zhao Luyu of premeditated murder.
Grandfather had no choice but to compromise.
Grandfather came back, and my siblings and I returned to the Zhao Mansion. Later, Luojing helped grandfather manage the business and made the family business prosperous. Finally, we didn't have to worry about being driven out anymore.
But Luyu would never come back."
"Chen Xiulian is your step - mother, Zhao Luoyue's mother?"
Zhao Luoning nodded.
Chen Xiulian had committed far more evils than this.
What Ji Shisu didn't know was that there were actually two tombs in front of him. One was Luyu's, and the other was Luojing's.
Not only Luyu, but Luojing was also tortured to death by her.
But Zhao Luoning knew that she couldn't tell Ji Shisu about this.
If she did, her impersonation of Zhao Luojing would be exposed.
In the Zhao family, except for her mother and grandfather, no one knew that Zhao Luojing was actually Zhao Luoning.
So Zhao Luojing could only lie aggrievedly at the foot of this green mountain, accompanying Luyu as a wandering soul.
"Is Chen Xiulian the current second mistress of the Zhao family?" Ji Shisu asked.
"Luoning, do you want revenge?"
"Revenge?"
"Yes, revenge against Chen Xiulian."
Zhao Luoning laughed. "At this moment, shouldn't you be advising me to let go of my hatred and start anew?"
Her mother was like this. Every time, she would advise her to let go of the past and not trap herself.
How could she let go of the past?
Even if it meant destroying everything, she would drag Chen Xiulian to hell with her!
Ji Shisu felt sorry for Zhao Luoning's forced show of strength.
"Only a fool would advise others to be magnanimous. An eye for an eye. Why should one let it go?!"
Ji Shisu's words made Zhao Luoning feel quite satisfied.
She patted the grass on her hands and said,
"Ji Shisu, I didn't expect you to be quite interesting."
"Zhao Luoning, I'm serious. If you want revenge, I can help you."
When Ji Shisu heard that Zhao Luoning had been driven out by Chen Xiulian and even had to beg, he couldn't bear it anymore.
This woman deserved to be hacked to pieces.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Luoning waved her hand. "This is a debt between her and me. I want to settle it myself."
Only by killing the enemy with her own hands could she feel satisfied.
Only by making Chen Xiulian die by her own hands could she console the spirits of Luojing and Luyu in heaven!
Ji Shisu stared at Zhao Luoning. This was the first time he saw her, who always had a cold expression, gnashing her teeth with hatred on her face.
Ji Shisu really wanted to smooth the frown on her forehead and tell her that he could be her blade, her backing.
He could help her kill all her enemies and be her reliance.
Ji Shisu nodded. "Zhao Luoning, just go ahead. As long as you need me, I'll be there for you at any time."
Ji Shisu meant well, and Zhao Luoning didn't decline.
But in her heart, she was thinking: If I want to take revenge, it will be after I leave the Ji Mansion. By then, after you and I get divorced, you'll probably want to stay as far away from me as possible.
Humph, a man's words can never be trusted.
She'd better take revenge on her own.
On the other side, the door of Tianxiang Tower was knocked.
The madam yawned and came to open the door. When she saw the person, she was greatly surprised.
"Lianxiang, why are you back?"
Lianxiang took off her cloak and knelt in front of the madam with a thud.
"Mom, you must save me this time!"