Chapter 960 - 954: Mistaken Identity
Steward Zhou had never been particularly fond of the Fourth Son-in-law.
Now, knowing that the Fourth Son-in-law was stealing business from the Zhou Family, he was even more dissatisfied.
But no matter how displeased he was, he couldn’t just watch him walk into a fire pit.
If something really happened, wouldn’t Old Master Zhou try to save his son-in-law?
Wouldn’t the Heir’s wife of Marquis Beining rescue her brother-in-law?
To avoid causing trouble for the Zhou Family in the future, even if the son-in-law didn’t appreciate it, Housekeeper Zhou had to try to give advice.
Unfortunately, his earnest advice was seen as nagging by the Fourth Son-in-law, as overstepping his bounds, as not wanting to see the Wei Family’s business succeed.
A few words of disagreement were too many, and the Fourth Son-in-law quickly brushed him off and left.
Housekeeper Zhou had a headache.
He knew very well the nature of his son-in-law, how he would exploit any loophole and rise early for profit.
He also knew the temperament of Princess Consort Zhenbei, generous and kind, but intolerant of deceit.
The Fourth Son-in-law’s petty tricks were beneath him, let alone in the eyes of Princess Consort Zhenbei.
If he bumped into Princess Consort Zhenbei, he might be sold by her and still happily count the money for others.
Steward Zhou knew he couldn’t persuade the Fourth Son-in-law, but fortunately, Princess Consort Zhenbei would not stay long in Yu State, so he just had to keep a careful watch to ensure nothing happened.
After delivering the gift, Housekeeper Zhou didn’t stay for the feast; as a steward, it was fine not to stay.
The end of the feast at the Prefect’s Mansion coincided with the start of the flower lantern festival.
The Prefect’s wife, not very old, at thirty-five or thirty-six, went to enjoy the flower lanterns after the feast.
It was, after all, a festival held especially to celebrate her birthday, so how could she not gratify it?
She took out a set of her jewelry as a prize, attracting the talented and artistic young ladies of Yu State to compete.
With so many people at the flower lantern festival and Su Jin pregnant, Steward Zhou was really not at ease with her wandering through the lanterns, but he didn’t dare to stop her. He could only assign more people to guard her, ensuring she wasn’t bumped into.
Xingxing followed Su Jin closely, her task was simple: to prevent their pretend young master from catching anyone’s eye.
After being fancied twice, Xingxing had developed a psychological shadow.
Whenever a girl looked at Su Jin, Xingxing would be on high alert, determined to chop down any blossoming tree of romance.
After strolling for a while, feeling a bit tired, Steward Zhou said, "There’s a pavilion over there; you can rest for a while."
Su Jin took a step in that direction.
The pavilion was built by the river for resting.
But during the lively flower lantern festival, with everyone just passing by, no one stopped there, which is why Housekeeper Zhou suggested it.
Only, when they arrived, it was occupied, and by someone familiar.
It was the scholar who had copied the prescription for Su Jin earlier in the day.
Seeing Su Jin, the scholar said, "What a coincidence, meeting you again."
Su Jin also thought it was quite a coincidence.
After Su Jin entered the pavilion, the scholar sat opposite her, and Housekeeper Zhou stood behind Su Jin out of habit.
Zhou Family’s Servant said, "Uncle Zhou, won’t you sit and rest a while?"
Housekeeper Zhou shook his head, "I’m not tired."
He dared not sit on the same level as Princess Consort Zhenbei.
This scholar...
Never mind, ignorance is forgivable.
The scholar chatted idly with Su Jin, learning she was passing through Yu State, he laughed, "You’re quite lucky, my friend. This is the only year our Yu State holds a flower lantern festival on the Prefect’s wife’s birthday, and you happen to catch it."
Su Jin also felt quite lucky, "Isn’t there a flower lantern festival every year for the celebration?"
The scholar shook his head, "This year is the first, and we owe it to Princess Consort Zhenbei’s good fortune."
Su Jin, "...???"
The scholar continued, "For Princess Consort Zhenbei’s birthday, the Emperor held a flower lantern festival for her. Without the Emperor setting this precedent, how would Lord Prefect dare hold a flower lantern festival on the Prefect wife’s birthday?"
So that’s why.
She almost thought she’d encountered another corrupt official. Su Jin laughed, "Having a flower lantern festival to liven things up is nice."
As soon as Su Jin said this, she was quickly smacked in the face by reality.
The sound of fire running amok reached them.
Not far away, a blaze lit up the night like day.
At the flower lantern festival, lanterns abounded.
Cold winds blew lanterns together, the candles inside colliding and igniting them.
The lanterns were hung high; once alight, they set a chain reaction of burning lanterns.
As lanterns fell, the crowd erupted into chaos.
People pushed and shoved to get away, creating panic and confusion.
In the tumult, two maids escorted a madam, with two guards following at the rear.
With such a crowd, not even the throngs at the flower lantern festival could prevent getting jostled.
In the disorder, the maids and guards got separated.
The madam was bumped, staggering backward several steps, nearly falling.
"Duanduan!"
"Suisui!"
The madam called out frantically.
The maids heard her cries, "Madam, I’m here."
Not long after she called out, a man passed by and snatched the child she was holding.
Before she could react, the child was gone.
The maid screamed in fear, "The young master, he’s been taken!"
The guards struggled to get through to her.
In the distance, they could see the man’s head and hurried to pursue.
The young master, being the Li Family’s sole heir, if taken during a flower lantern outing, how could they ever explain this to the master?!
The two guards chased over rooftops.
Masked men dressed in black emerged from the shadows to obstruct them.
Amidst the bustling street, a fight broke out.
Su Jin sat in the pavilion, not in danger, but Steward Zhou worriedly suggested, "The flower lantern festival isn’t safe; better we return to the inn first."
Unsure what trouble had arisen, Su Jin also lost the mood to enjoy the lanterns, so she rose to leave.
They had walked quite far, and to return to the inn, they had to cross two streets.
...
Officials fanned out to search.
The man who had taken the child retreated upon seeing the officials.
After running for a while, he encountered another group of officials capturing people.
Injured during a skirmish, the man knew he’d be caught instantly carrying the child out like this.
Glancing around, he saw a bamboo basket and hid the child beneath it.
He looked at the wine jars stacked nearby.
Grabbing one, he staggered forward, pretending to be drunk, muttering, "Good wine, good wine..."
Posing as a drunkard, he drew no attention from the officials.
However, passing by them this way exposed him; a drunk without the smell of wine, but of blood instead, clearly suspicious.
As they passed, an official turned back and shouted, "Stop!"
Startled, the man flinched.
With a crash, the wine jar fell to the ground.
He bolted.
The officials gave chase relentlessly.
...
Underneath the bamboo basket, the boy cried in the darkness.
He pushed the basket aside and stood up.
He staggered out on shaky legs.
After a few steps, he turned back to retrieve the basket.
Emerging from the alley, with the bamboo basket in hand, he shuffled forward. Having cried for a while with no one noticing, he stopped crying, though his small shoulders continued to shudder, evoking pity.
Unable to lift the basket, he dragged it forward.
The tiny figure in the street stood out conspicuously.
From afar, Su Jin spotted him.
"Whose child is that?" she wondered aloud, looking around.
Upon seeing Su Jin, the child’s eyes lit up and, still sniffling, he called out, "Papa!"
Releasing his grip on the basket he’d dragged along, he dashed toward Su Jin.
Su Jin continued to look around.
But the child rushed over, throwing his arms around Su Jin, "Papa, you really came to find me."
Su Jin was taken aback.
Where did this child come from, randomly calling someone dad on the street?
Shining her lantern on Su Jin’s face, Xingxing said, "Little young master, have you mistaken someone?"
Not if, but surely mistaken.
Choosing a dad without looking at the face, how careless could one be?
The child clung to Su Jin’s leg, calling Papa incessantly.
Thus——
Su Jin acquired a new leg attachment.
Xingxing couldn’t pry him off.