Poisonous Peasant 'Concubine' Ch 56 - Hyacinth in Bloom

Chapter 56 — Searching for Their Sons Through the Night — Part 2

“I didn’t know. Jingwei said it was after your consent that the children were adopted under their name. Please, I beg you, save my daughter.”

Seeing his daughter’s pain intensifying, her face turning an unnatural purplish-red from the suffocating strangulation, Shopkeeper Zhao’s eyes filled with tears. His voice was hoarse with desperation. In Datong Town, he was considered a man of some stature, yet today he found himself begging for help due to his son-in-law’s recklessness. In his heart, his dissatisfaction with his son-in-law only grew.

Seeing that Shopkeeper Zhao truly seemed unaware of the situation, Ling Jingxuan raised an eyebrow. After a moment of silence, he pulled two dark-brown pills from his robes. “Dissolve them in warm water and drink. They’ll take effect immediately.”

Ling Jingxuan had changed his mind. He no longer wanted Ling Jingwei’s life. He wanted him to suffer—a fate worse than death.

“Quick! Hurry, bring water, quickly!”

Receiving the pills, Shopkeeper Zhao shouted urgently, and his stunned assistants scrambled to prepare the water. Ling Jingxuan stood coldly observing them. As one of the assistants picked up Ling Jingwei and placed the pills in his mouth, Ling Jingxuan subtly grasped his hand, which had been forced open. His fingers lightly pressed against the pulse and, after a moment, a sinister look appeared in his eyes. This was getting more interesting by the second.

“Wuwu… Father…”

About fifteen minutes later, Ling Zhao-shi, who had just regained some strength, suddenly threw herself into her father’s arms, crying out loud. The woman in her twenties wept like a child, exhausted and trembling uncontrollably. It was clear how terrified she was. Shopkeeper Zhao, who had no son, had only this one daughter, and seeing her in such a state broke his heart. He hugged her tightly, his voice filled with sorrow.

“Shh, it’s okay, it’s okay.”

“Father? I—”

When Ling Jingwei finally regained consciousness, he looked at his wife and then at his father-in-law, whose face was filled with pity. He opened his mouth but said nothing, a cold shiver running down his spine. He knew what others didn’t—what had really happened. The reason he had married Shopkeeper Zhao’s daughter was because he had schemed to ruin her innocence, forcing the shopkeeper to give his daughter to him. To the outside world, it was a story of him winning her heart through his ability.

Over the years, no matter how hard he tried to please his father-in-law, the man had never liked him. If it weren’t for the fact that his wife had been barren for many years, and out of a sense of guilt for his daughter’s plight, the shopkeeper would likely have treated him no better than one of the servants. Now, because of the children, things had almost gone so far that his life was at risk. He feared his father-in-law would despise him even more.

No, he absolutely could not lose everything he had now. The Zhao family’s wealth had to be his.

“Don’t call me that! I don’t have a son-in-law as vile as you! Who the hell gave you the guts to commit kidnapping?!”

When he finally spoke, Shopkeeper Zhao immediately erupted, his eyes glaring at Ling Jingwei as though he wished to burn a hole through him. Of course, it wasn’t all out of anger. He was also wary because Ling Jingxuan, that plague-like figure, is still in the room. The man wasn’t a fool—he knew that after witnessing Ling Jingxuan’s ruthless methods, this was far from over. Whether for his daughter or his shop, he had to cut ties with this mess right now.

In simple terms, for the sake of his daughter and himself, Shopkeeper Zhao had already abandoned his son-in-law.

“Father, wasn’t I doing this for the family? If it weren’t for Suhua being unable to conceive for years, would I have thought about adopting children?”

Ling Jingwei was quick-witted. He saw what his father-in-law was trying to do and immediately scrambled toward him, hoping to placate him. At this moment, he absolutely could not afford to lose his father-in-law’s support. As for Ling Jingxuan, he had already forgotten about him.

“So, now this is our fault?” Shopkeeper Zhao shot a scornful look at the ever-composed Ling Jingxuan and snapped, “I told you two years ago, if you wanted children, you could divorce Suhua and marry someone else. You refused, but now you’re involved in this illegal kidnapping and want to put the blame on us?”

Reluctantly glancing at Ling Jingxuan, who seemed unbothered, Shopkeeper Zhao’s voice grew stern. He couldn’t allow his daughter to face another brush with death. That young man looked harmless enough, but his decisiveness and cruelty were terrifying. Just thinking about how his daughter had almost died moments ago filled him with dread. If he had been any later, what would have happened? He couldn’t bear to think about it. At his age, the thought of losing a child was unbearable, and he couldn’t endure that kind of loss.

“Father, after marrying Suhua, we’ve always been respectful and loving toward each other. Why would I divorce her just because of the children? Besides, didn’t you agree to the adoption earlier?”

“Adoption? You call that adoption? You’re kidnapping!”

“I just brought the children here first. I’ll go speak to Jingxuan tomorrow at the latest.”

“You—”

The two of them ignored Ling Jingxuan and the others in the room, as well as the servants present, and began to argue fiercely. Shopkeeper Zhao desperately tried to distance himself from the kidnapping incident, but Ling Jingwei was determined to tie him to it, neither side willing to give way. This turn of events provided quite an entertaining spectacle for Ling Jingxuan and his companions.

“Since you speak so confidently, why did the children’s father come knocking on your door?”

During the argument, Shopkeeper Zhao suddenly pointed at Ling Jingxuan and shouted. Everyone’s attention shifted to him in an instant. Ling Jingwei froze, then remembered Ling Jingxuan’s presence. His body stiffened as he turned mechanically to face Ling Jingxuan. Upon meeting those eyes—half-smiling, half-mocking—fear quickly flickered across Ling Jingwei’s face.

“Jing… Jingxuan, I really just wanted to bring the children over to show Father and Suhua, there’s no other intention, really.”

He stood up, glancing at Ling Jingxuan, and reluctantly spoke, his words stumbling out.

“Mhm, and then?” Ling Jingxuan responded, his voice calm as he leaned against the shelf, arms crossed, his eyes narrowed. No one could guess what he was thinking.

Ling Jingwei hesitated, his gaze flicking nervously between Ling Jingxuan and the others. “These years haven’t been easy for you. If it weren’t for Second Uncle and Second Aunt helping, those two children would have starved by now. You wouldn’t want them to keep suffering, right? Although I’m not capable of much, I can afford to support them. I can send them to a private school or invite a tutor to teach them at home. When they grow up, they’ll have a future, won’t they?”

The more Ling Jingwei spoke, the more confident he became, unaware of the cold sneer forming on Ling Jingxuan’s lips. So, he thought he was helping them?

Slap!

Before he could finish, the sound of a slap echoed through the room, the force of it making everyone freeze. Ling Jingwei’s self-satisfied expression was met with Ling Jingxuan’s mocking laugh.

“Not bad for a young shopkeeper. Your tongue’s quite smooth. Ling Jingwei, do you think I overestimate you or underestimate myself? Do you really think you’re worthy to be their foster father? Today, even if the entire town of Datong belonged to you, you still wouldn’t have the right to be involved with my children.”

Even if his guess about Yan Shengrui’s identity was wrong—that he wasn’t the great general of the Qing Dynasty—just with his own abilities, no one in the future would surpass him. Ling Jingwei thought he could adopt his children? He wouldn’t even have the chance in his next life.

“You? If you don’t want to, that’s fine. But we’re cousins by blood. If I acted recklessly, let’s just pretend today didn’t happen.”

Enraged, Ling Jingwei tried to backpedal, then recalled the brutal and terrifying way Ling Jingxuan had acted earlier. With his face still flushed, he tried to soften his tone and reconcile.

“Tsk tsk… I thought you were a bit clever earlier, but now you seem as foolish as a pig. Ling Jingwei, do you really think you still get to call the shots here? If you don’t explain yourself clearly today, I promise you won’t see tomorrow’s sun.”

Ling Jingxuan clicked his tongue and suddenly opened his cold phoenix eyes, his gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce the air. Ling Jingwei instinctively took several steps back, his body frozen like stone, his heart gripped by fear.

“Don’t be afraid. As long as you honestly tell me who was involved in this, and sign a statement, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

At least, not for now.

“N-no one, I swear! I just brought the children over to play. What’s wrong with that? Isn’t it normal for a cousin to bring his nephew over to his house to play?” Ling Jingwei stammered, his voice shaky.

He was afraid, but he wasn’t completely losing his reason. Bringing the children over to play was one thing, but kidnapping was another. If he admitted to the latter, he’d face legal consequences. His father-in-law had made it clear he didn’t want to get involved, and Ling Jingwei refused to admit to any kidnapping.

“Bring them over to play? As the father, I wasn’t informed of this? Didn’t your scholar master teach you that before you touch someone else’s belongings, you need their permission? Or do you think I’m a three-year-old who can be easily fooled with a few words? Since that’s how you see it, I hear the county magistrate is in Datong town right now. Should we go ask him to settle this matter for us?”

If Ling Jingwei thought he could brush this off, then Ling Jingxuan had truly wasted his time. He hadn’t wanted to kill him earlier, but it seemed now that he’d have to make him pay for daring to touch his children.

“No, no!”

At those words, Ling Jingwei screamed in fear, panic seizing him. His body shook uncontrollably. Ling Jingxuan’s face twisted into a raw sneer. Was this the kind of courage it took to provoke him?

Ling Jingpeng and Zhao Dalong, holding the children tightly, had said nothing since the beginning. Though shocked by Ling Jingxuan’s ruthless methods, they were also filled with anger at Ling Jingwei’s despicable actions. As they watched Ling Jingwei retreat step by step, the frustration in their hearts began to dissipate. On the other hand, Shopkeeper Zhao shook his head in disbelief. Their standards weren’t on the same level at all. If Ling Jingwei didn’t recognize this soon, he’d end up being completely destroyed by Ling Jingxuan.

“One last chance. Speak!” Ling Jingxuan’s voice turned harsh again, his previously restrained bloodlust now spilling out, making his face appear even colder.

“I… you promise you won’t report this to the authorities?” Ling Jingwei trembled once more, realizing he had no more options.

“I promise you.” Ling Jingxuan replied coldly. If he thought the authorities were the only threat, he was gravely mistaken.

“Good. I’ll speak.”

Closing his eyes, Ling Jingwei took a deep, heavy breath. Clenching his fists tightly, he spoke without any other option, “After seeing how clever and adorable the two children were yesterday, my resolve to adopt them grew even stronger. So, I had someone send a message asking my mother to come to town. I told her my intentions and hoped she could help mediate the situation. But who would have thought… this morning, she sent word back to me, saying that you had changed a lot after waking up. She implied, with every word, that you were eager to sever ties with us. There was absolutely no way you’d agree to let me adopt the children. Because of this, I hurried back to discuss it with my parents. Originally, we planned to go directly to you, but then we ran into the children on the way, and then…?”

At the end of his sentence, Ling Jingwei couldn’t finish. It wasn’t because his conscience was bothering him, but because the darker the soul, the more afraid it was of the light. The more it feared the exposure of the evil deeds done in the shadows. At this moment, he couldn’t bear to think about how his father-in-law and wife would view him, or the consequences he would face.

“Ling Jingwei, now that it’s come to this, you still think you can deceive me? Do you really think I wouldn’t dare to kill you?”

Just as everyone thought the matter was nearing its end, Ling Jingxuan suddenly grabbed the collar of the man, pulling him close. Each word he spoke was cold, like ice.

“I’ve said everything I needed to say. What else do you want?”

Instinctively avoiding his piercing gaze, Ling Jingwei stammered, but the sneer in Ling Jingxuan’s eyes was unmistakable. “If this was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, how could the children have been drugged and remain unconscious to this very moment? With just you and your parents involved, how could it have gone unnoticed?”

No one knew how furious and terrified he was when he first learned of the little ones’ disappearance. Anyone involved in this matter wouldn’t escape his wrath. This debt of blood, he would repay.

“I—I’ll tell you everything.”

Seeing Ling Jingxuan raise his left hand again, Ling Jingwei, afraid of being poisoned as before, finally lost all resolve. Trembling, he confessed, “My mother made it clear that you are no longer the Ling Jingxuan we could manipulate. You would never agree to adopt a child for me, so… so I hired two ruffians from Datong Town, bought some sleeping powder, and secretly snuck into Lingjia Village, planning to take the children when they were alone. I thought it would be difficult, but… but I got lucky. The opportunity came that afternoon, and I…”

“You didn’t hesitate to drug them and abduct them, did you?”

Bang!

Before he could finish, Ling Jingxuan’s cold voice cut him off, and with a swift motion, he threw him to the ground. Ling Jingwei’s body hit the floor instinctively, and despite his efforts to get up, once he met Ling Jingxuan’s gaze, it felt like his body had been frozen in place. He couldn’t move, paralyzed with fear. Ling Jingxuan towered over him, looking down with disdain.

“Who were those ruffians? Do your parents know about this? Who else was involved?”

“Wang Er and Zeng Da, my mother knew, but she tried to stop me. Really, Jingxuan, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me.”

At that moment, Ling Jingwei’s mental defenses finally crumbled. The slow, agonizing feeling of his flesh being torn apart was far more excruciating than the poison he had taken earlier. He was scared… truly scared.

“Hmph, now you’re afraid? Where were you when this started?”

Ling Jingxuan sneered, turning sharply on his heel. He gave a brief nod to Ling Jingpeng and Zhao Dalong, who had been waiting nearby. Just as everyone thought they were leaving and the matter was over, Ling Jingxuan suddenly turned back.

“Shopkeeper Zhao, since you’re sensible, let me give you a parting gift. Ling Jingwei was born with a cold constitution, and he will never be a father in this lifetime.”

“What?!”

With that, the three men stormed out. Behind them, Shopkeeper Zhao’s enraged shout almost tore the roof off. Before getting onto the ox cart, Ling Jingxuan took the child from Zhao Dalong and coldly looked back at the open door of the general store. His eyes were filled with an eerie chill. To truly ruin someone, it wasn’t always necessary to take their life. This was just the beginning. Neither Ling Jingwei nor the Ling family’s first branch would escape his wrath.

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Translator: LazyHermitGal