“I don’t want to live anymore! I don’t want to live anymore! Humiliating me like this – what joy is there in living? Don’t any of you stop me! The Earl doesn’t cherish me, so let me die!”

“Madam, Madam! Please don’t frighten this old servant!”

“Madam, please come down quickly!”

…

The bedroom was in complete chaos. The servants in the back quarters heard the commotion and were curious but dared not investigate, only suppressing the urge to gossip that churned in their hearts, planning to whisper about it secretly when off duty.

However, everyone was thinking: The Earl’s wife is really too troublesome. Fortunately the Earl has such a good temperament – if this were any other household, having such a disruptive daughter-in-law would surely result in divorce by now. It’s only because of the Earl’s wife’s good birth, having a cousin who became an imperial consort, that…

Just as everyone was thinking this, they suddenly heard voices approaching. They saw the Earl wearing an azure cloak, holding an oiled paper umbrella, walking slowly with his retinue.

His steps were steady, his appearance handsome and gentle, with every gesture exuding an air of noble dignity.

Such a handsome, wealthy, high-ranking Earl had actually married such a wife…

Everyone sighed inwardly.

“My lord.”

Everyone bowed.

Lu Heng smiled and nodded, signaling for them to rise.

He walked all the way to the front of the main residence and stopped. Bian Ruohan’s wails were piercingly shrill.

The servants outside were silent as cicadas, each hiding in the covered corridors, not daring to raise their heads.

The servants inside were still pleading one by one, “Madam, please cherish your good fortune! The Earl is only asking you to rest quietly in the mansion. It’s always raining outside, so going out wouldn’t be interesting anyway. Why can’t you understand the Earl’s feelings?”

“Yes, Madam, please come down quickly! This servant will kowtow to you!”

“I won’t! He simply still has that slutty woman in his heart, which is why he’s always looked down on me! In what way am I inferior to that bitch? Is my birth inferior to hers, or my appearance? She bullied me, and when I came home, not only did I get no comfort, but he confined me to vent anger for that slut! What joy is there in living such days! I don’t want to live anymore! I want to go to the underworld and complain to the King of Hell! I want the King of Hell to take that Qin bitch’s life!”

“Oh, this servant begs you, Madam!”

…

Lu Heng listened with great amusement. His household was now more lively than an opera house, and Bian Ruohan’s varied antics were more spectacular than any performer on stage.

After listening for a while, Lu Heng coughed once.

The room instantly fell silent.

“Madam, the Earl has returned! Please come down quickly! The Earl treats you so well – you can’t do this!”

“I don’t want to live anymore! I don’t want to live anymore! Mother, farewell forever! Your daughter was driven to death by that Qin bitch!”

There was a loud “clang” as a stool crashed to the floor inside.

Then all the servants were screaming, “Madam! Madam!”

Lu Heng placed his paper umbrella under the corridor. Without entering, he simply stood at the doorway with his arms crossed, neither lifting the door curtain nor saying a word.

He wanted to see whether Bian Ruohan could actually hang herself to death if he just didn’t go in.

Bian Ruohan had now kicked away the stool. Her wet nurse quickly caught her feet, while other maids grabbed her legs and lifted upward. She herself clutched the white silk with both hands, straining to stretch her neck upward, holding her breath until her eyes were about to roll back.

Her throat made “ho, ho” gasping sounds as she struggled in pain, but she was afraid that if her legs moved, the people below couldn’t hold her up.

What did Lu Heng mean? He had already coughed outside – why wasn’t he coming in?

Why wasn’t he coming in?

Bian Ruohan’s arms quickly lost strength, and her neck had no choice but to rest on the white silk. But the ones holding her up below were all weak women – the wet nurse and maids simply couldn’t support Bian Ruohan’s weight.

Soon she experienced what suffocation truly meant.

She desperately opened her mouth wide trying to breathe, but only after truly hanging herself did she realize that wanting to regret was too late. Even with people supporting her from below, continuing like this would still result in her death by hanging – it was just a matter of time.

In this moment, Bian Ruohan thought of many things. She even wondered if many of those who successfully committed suicide by hanging had regretted it immediately but simply couldn’t save themselves.

Tears fell uncontrollably from the discomfort, and her meticulously made-up face quickly became a mess, but the person at the door still wouldn’t come in.

Could she have heard wrong? Had Lu Heng not actually returned? Then she had kicked the stool too early.

Bian Ruohan’s thoughts wandered as she felt time drag on endlessly, until finally she heard the footsteps she’d been waiting for at the door.

Lu Heng lifted the curtain and entered, standing with his hands behind his back as he observed the chaos inside.

“What is all this?”

“My lord, my lord!” The wet nurse was practically squealing like a pig. “Quick, quick, save Madam! This servant, this servant can’t hold on much longer!”

Lu Heng stared at Bian Ruohan, whose tongue was hanging out and eyes nearly rolled back. He was tempted not to intervene, but with so many people watching, he couldn’t just let someone die suddenly.

He had no choice but to walk closer, drag over an embroidered stool to step on, and hold Bian Ruohan’s legs to get her down from above.

Bian Ruohan threw her arms around Lu Heng’s neck and burst into tears, “Why did you take so long to come back? Why did you take so long?”

Lu Heng placed her on the warm kang by the window and sneered coldly, “What’s this? Was Madam hanging herself for my benefit?”

“Hic…” Bian Ruohan choked and let out a long hiccup.

Lu Heng stepped back two paces in disgust. “You went to the prince’s mansion to cause trouble for no reason, and what did I say to you when you returned? I only asked you to rest at home. The rain outside isn’t light, and going out wouldn’t be interesting anyway. You could do needlework or play cards at home – what’s not satisfying about such days? Did I beat you or scold you?”

Bian Ruohan’s face was covered with snot and tears as she hung her head, sobbing and saying nothing.

Lu Heng continued, “You’ve been crying and making scenes nonstop these past few days. I didn’t want to blame you – you’re still young, so throw tantrums if you want. There will eventually come a time when you’re tired of it and don’t want to anymore. But today was too much – you nearly created a death! Tell me yourself, how have I wronged you? If you hang yourself to death, do you want the Emperor to think I’m dissatisfied with our marriage arrangement and that I killed you?”

Bian Ruohan sobbed even harder, “You just don’t like me! You just like that Qin bitch!”

Lu Heng said with a dark expression, “Is there any point in always making these baseless accusations? Did you catch me in bed with someone? Have I taken concubines since you entered the house? Or have I gone to pleasure houses?”

Bian Ruohan fell silent. Lu Heng indeed had no problems in this regard. Making a fuss about it would only show her own jealousy.

“I won’t blame you for attempting suicide today and nearly causing danger. You’re still young after all, with a child’s temperament.” Lu Heng looked at the maids and women nearby. “But these servants around you don’t know how to advise their mistress properly. They actually watched as you put your neck in the noose and kicked away the stool – they cannot go unpunished.”