Because the original body's biological mother died early, the household management naturally fell to the grandmother.
Jing Renyi was a military man and had paid little attention to this.
The real trouble was that the family of the second son was utterly greedy! That day, the grandmother had taken the original body to the mountains, found a secluded spot, and actually hardened her heart to put the original body to death!
The original body's second aunt had also taken part in this. The two of them collaborated—one pushed the person to the ground, and the other picked up a stone and smashed the skull!
The pitiful original body breathed her last right then, which happened to allow Jing Luoluo, who had been struck by a falling rock in a carriage, to take the original owner's place and live on.
At this thought, Jing Luoluo wore a grave expression. Signaling his cheap father to dismiss everyone in the courtyard, he weighed his words and said, "Father! If your son says that someone in this household wants to put your son to death, would you believe it?"
Jing Renyi's expression stiffened, a look of "as expected" crossing his face as he asked, "Does Luor know who did it?"
Actually, Jing Renyi had long harbored suspicions. Ever since his mother followed him to the Capital and his wife passed away prematurely, his young son had fallen ill every other day.
At first, he had believed his mother when she said the boy had a congenital condition from birth.
However, on one occasion when he returned to the estate early, he had inadvertently overheard his mother favoring his second younger brother, saying something about how this Duke's Estate would sooner or later belong to the second brother's family.
Back then, doubts had already arisen in his heart. Wasn't it his mother who forced him to go to the frontline as a conscript to die?
If she could throw away his life, it was not impossible for his own son to fall victim to a sinister plot!
Yet because he had to go out to suppress rebellions and was driven to his wits' end, he had no choice but to plead before the Emperor, who dispatched an elderly palace wet nurse to raise the child, allowing his son to grow up safe and sound.
Yet now his son had nearly lost his life, and this had happened on an outing with none other than his mother and second sister-in-law. It was simply impossible for him not to suspect them.
Seeing that his cheap father seemed to have known all along that someone wanted to harm him, Jing Luoluo broke out in a cold sweat: "Father? You knew someone in the house wanted to harm me? Then you still—?"
The rest of the words went unsaid, but their meaning was self-evident!
Jing Renyi closed his eyes for a moment. "Luor, there is much you do not understand. Our Emperor upholds the principles of benevolence and filial piety. Wanting to make your grandmother leave the estate is no easy task!"
Jing Luoluo asked in confusion, "Even if Grandmother and Second Aunt tried to smash my head in with a stone?"
At these words, Jing Renyi's expression turned visibly dark. They had actually become this bold and flagrant?!
Jing Renyi was burning with rage, wishing he could slaughter the entire second branch right then and there just to vent his fury.
It was one thing for them to cling to him like leeches all these years, sucking his blood, but they had actually targeted his only son as well!
With that, Jing Renyi seemed to have made up his mind. He took a deep breath, turned to comfort his son, and said, "Luor, rest well. Father will drive all those villains out for you!"
With these words, he swept back his robes and strode out the door. Lying on the bed, Jing Luoluo wondered to himself whether his cheap father could actually pull this off.
As soon as Jing Renyi stepped outside, he decisively summoned the steward. Although his aging mother had more than once tried to seize total control of the household, Jing Renyi knew her temperament all too well—how could he not know what she was plotting?
If he were truly to hand over the management of the household, this estate would probably be stripped down to the last penny!
The steward trotted all the way to the main courtyard, bewildered as to why the master was in such a rush. He bowed and asked, "Master? What are your orders?"
Jing Renyi's gaze was sharp. "Go! Move the Old Mistress and Second Master's family to the suburban estate. From now on, without permission, they are not to set foot in the Duke's Estate for even half a step!"
Upon hearing this, the steward looked at Lord Duke in shock. Casting aside the boundaries of status, he opened his mouth to dissuade him: "Lord Duke! I am afraid this is contrary to reason. If we truly do this, there will surely be no shortage of officials impeaching you in the imperial court!"
By now, Jing Renyi's mind was firmly set on driving that entire family away. Considering how hard it had been for him to have a son in his old age, with his wife already dead due to a plot by remnants of the previous dynasty, this precious son of his had now almost met a tragic end at their hands.
Every time he thought of this, Jing Renyi wished he could draw his sword right now and slaughter his second brother's entire family.
"It matters not. Tomorrow I shall personally report this to the Emperor. Remember, apart from letting them take a few sets of changes of clothing, not a single other thing is to be taken out of the Duke's Estate!
Hmph! Exactly how they entered the Duke's Estate is how they will get the hell out of here!"
Seeing this, the steward did not dare to say any more. Though he did not know the specifics of what had happened, he guessed it was inseparable from the young master.
For the master to fly into such a towering rage, could it be—could it be related to the young master's injuries from a few days ago?
At this thought, the steward cautiously backed out of the main courtyard, rallied a group of footmen and maidservants, and marched imposing toward the courtyard where the female quarters were located!
The mighty and imposing arrival of this crowd naturally alerted the mistresses in the inner courtyard.
Lady Fang, the second sister-in-law of Jing Renyi, was the first to react. Could it be that the little beast had woken up?!
Hurrying with hurried steps, Lady Fang ran to her mother-in-law's courtyard, drenched in sweat, and rushed straight into the small Buddhist Shrine.
Inside the Buddhist Shrine, Old Madam was kneeling on a round rush mat, twisting a string of expensive Buddhist prayer beads between her fingers, her eyes half-closed as she chanted Buddhist scriptures.
Looking so merciful, how could she possibly be someone who had hardened her heart to murder her own grandson?
As Lady Fang pushed the door open and rushed in, she was rebuked by the elderly matron beside Old Madam: "Audacious! The Old Madam is paying respects to the Buddha. Barging in so rashly, where are your manners!"
Not to mention that although the Old Madam was originally a rural woman, over the dozen or so years she had spent in the Capital, she had acquired the airs of a great noble household!
With countless maids and female servants at her side, and having usually treated this second daughter-in-law very well, Fang Cui had not been stopped along her way in!
"Mother-in-law, it is this daughter-in-law who lacks manners, but something terrible has happened!!" The moment she was scolded upon entering, Lady Fang hurriedly knelt down on the rush mat beside her mother-in-law.
Old Madam finally stopped the movement of her fingertips, her brows furrowed slightly as she said, "You ill-mannered thing, have you forgotten how to speak?"
Supported by the matron beside her, Old Madam stood up. Without paying any heed to Lady Fang, she walked by herself to the Eight Immortals table and sat down.
Taking the teacup handed to her, she took a few shallow sips before slowly asking, "What is the matter that has you in such a panic?"
Seeing Old Madam's attitude, Lady Fang relaxed a fraction in her heart. This deed was something Old Madam wanted done; as a daughter-in-law, she simply had to obey the mother-in-law's arrangements, so no blame could possibly fall on her!
"Mother-in-law! I saw Steward Zhang leading a large group of footmen and maidservants toward our inner courtyard. I am guessing—could it be that little beast?"
Having finished calling him "little beast," Lady Fang did not forget to look around, and only after confirming there were no outsiders in the room did she say, "If that little beast has woken up, doesn't that mean Eldest Brother will find out that you wanted to kill his son?"
At these words, Old Madam slammed the teacup in her hand heavily onto the floor, scalding hot tea splashing everywhere.
"What are you panicking for?!
Did you see Eldest Son come over with your own eyes? Or did that little beast point at your nose and say you were the one who smashed him with a stone?"
Lady Fang trembled uncontrollably. What did Mother-in-law mean by this?
"Mother-in-law? You cannot do this to me. I gave birth to a male heir for our family, plus two granddaughters! The children cannot be without a mother!"
Hearing the subtext in Old Madam's words, Lady Fang realized that if the matter came to light, she would be left to bear the responsibility all by herself!
Impatiently, Old Madam said, "Enough, enough. Things haven't reached that point yet. Get up and go back to your room to change your clothes. Look at you—do you still have a shred of dignity as a lady of a great household?"
Only then did Lady Fang set her mind at ease. She stood up, offered a bow, and prepared to return to her room.
Unexpectedly, the steward'3s voice rang out loudly from outside the courtyard.