Records of the Cattle and Horses of Chang'an

Chapter 311

These words sounded quite sincere. Thinking about the inner house, especially since Zhao Sheng was the elder brother, it would be inappropriate for him to interfere in his brother's room. Doctor Wu's expression eased a lot.

He glanced at Zhao Shu, who had almost collapsed after hearing that Liu Manqiang was fine. He couldn't help but get angry again, but since he was just an outsider, invited to see a doctor, he couldn't say much. He could only say, "Second Madam, you should be more careful about your illness. Don't see those unclean people."

For a doctor, these words were already quite excessive, but he had been treating Liu Manqiang for many years and had received countless rewards from her, so he had some feelings for her. However, this was all he could say.

Besides, he doesn't have to continue working in this line of work.

"Yes, yes, Doctor Wu is absolutely right."

Zhao Sheng didn't look angry at all. Instead, he put on an appearance of humbly accepting instruction: "I didn't know it before, but now that I know, I will naturally discipline myself."

"Well, let someone go back with me to get the medicine."

"Someone, send Doctor Wu!"

Zhao Sheng smiled as he watched the figures walk away. When he could no longer hear the footsteps, he suddenly turned around and kicked Zhao Shu hard. The smile on his face turned into rage in an instant.

This sudden kick caught Zhao Shu off guard and he fell directly to the ground. His heart skipped a beat and he instinctively hugged his head with both hands, curling up and begging for mercy: "Brother, I was wrong, I was wrong, don't hit me!"

Unfortunately, how could this little plea for mercy quench Zhao Sheng's rage? A barrage of silent and brutal kicks fell on Zhao Shu's head. The servants in the courtyard stared at their feet, wishing they could cover their ears.

After being kicked countless times, Zhao Shu no longer had the strength to hold his head. He weakly covered his face with his arms: "I'm wrong... I'm wrong... Brother... I... I was wrong..."

Zhao Sheng finally stopped panting, squatted down and pushed his hand away. A trace of heartache flashed in his eyes, but more of it was cruelty: "Second brother, if you can't manage Qian, then I will kill her myself. You can dote on your illegitimate son in your own room if you want, but if he dares to ruin our family's important affairs, he will be guarding the gate."

After all, he is my own blood. I can't bear to kill him with my own hands. Sending him to serve the country is a worthy death.

"no no..."

When Zhao Shu mentioned his son, he shuddered all over and kept shaking his head. His eyes were full of pleading, like an old dog beaten half to death. He crawled on the ground and grabbed the corner of Zhao Sheng's clothes and begged: "Zheng'er, Zheng'er can't bear that hardship. Zheng'er has been studying literature since he was young. He is a serious scholar. Brother, don't send him away. Don't worry, I will definitely take good care of him and Qian's family."

Zhao Zheng was his first son, a son he dared not have until seven years after Zhao Yue was born. Zhao Zheng was the child he had held the most, and the child he loved the most and cared for the most was also Zhao Zheng.

How could he bear to let his most beloved child go to such a hard job as guarding the border?

Brother, this is going to kill him!

"Brother, Qian, it's all Qian's fault. She was the one who caused this. It has nothing to do with me and Zheng'er, brother!" Zhao Shu, whose eyes had never turned red even when Liu Manqiang was dying, suddenly burst into tears and snot.

Zhao Sheng knew that his younger brother had always been extremely fond of his eldest illegitimate son. He had always felt guilty because he had not successfully forced Liu Manqiang to register Zhao Zheng as his legitimate son over the years.

"Scholars? Have you read so much that it's gone to waste?"

Zhao Sheng wanted to rip his brother's head open to see what was inside. "He allowed his biological mother, who was born a concubine, to bully his stepmother. Is this what he got from all these years of studying?"

He gnashed his teeth and said word by word, "A concubine should kneel in front of the wife!"

As a legitimate son, Zhao Sheng naturally hated illegitimate children. Concubines were just playthings, and if they dared to challenge their master, they would be beaten to death. His mother had been irritated by those concubines many times in the past.

"Brother..."

Zhao Shu hated it most when others mentioned that his Zheng'er was born out of wedlock, but the person in front of him was his brother who was born out of the same mother and was always strong. What could he do?

"Brother, Zheng'er doesn't know about this. It has nothing to do with him. If others hear what you said, it will ruin his future!"

"future?"

Zhao Sheng laughed in anger: "The legitimate son born to our legitimate daughter and Qinghe Cui is now serving as the Junior Minister of Justice in Chang'an City!"

He reached out and patted his foolish brother on the face. "I, your brother, have spent my whole life here, risking my life to save myself, yet I'm only a 6th-rank official. But your legitimate grandson, at only 22, is already a 4th-rank official, a junior official in the Dali Temple. Just imagine, if Yue'er knew how you treated her mother all these years, and how Qian bullied her mother, what future would your bastard have?"

It takes time to grow courage. In fact, when Zhao Yue first got married, they were not so excessive.

But Qinghe is far away, and the Cui family has strict rules. How could Zhao Yue abandon her family affairs and run back to her parents' home?

Every time Zhao Yue's people came to deliver holiday gifts, they were worried that Liu Manqiang would say something to complain to them.

Gradually, they discovered that in order not to worry her daughter who was married far away, Liu Manqiang always reported good news but not bad news. She always said that she was in good health and lived a comfortable life. That was why Qinghe didn't notice anything.

Zhao Shu naturally knew that his grandson was now very successful and was serving as Shaoqing in the Dali Temple.

But so what?

Cui Bianxu's surname is Cui, and his surname is Zhao!

Seeing the disdain on his face, Zhao Sheng felt helpless. He couldn't really beat his own brother to death, could he? How would he face his father and mother in the afterlife? Furthermore, if he hadn't been worried about his illegitimate son, the third son, marrying Liu, he wouldn't have wronged his own brother by marrying a woman who couldn't bear a son!

Zhao Shu has been surrounded by many beautiful women over the years, which has wasted a lot of money in the mansion. Isn't he feeling guilty about this and has never said a word to him?

But what happened today was really too much.

Zhao Shu was indignant. It was okay to indulge in wine and women, but it was absolutely unacceptable to delay serious matters.

He glanced around and saw that the servants were far away. Then he leaned over and spoke in a low voice: "Don't forget, our family has been planning for many years...If Liu Manqiang dies..."

The sadness and resentment on Zhao Shu's face disappeared instantly, replaced by panic and fear, as well as a hint of relief as if he had survived a disaster: "Brother, don't worry, no one will dare to step into Liu's courtyard from now on."