Tang Ning's voice was soft, almost as if she were speaking in a low whisper, blending with the night. But to Lu Yin, her words felt like a thunderclap, making him freeze in place. He stared blankly at her, lifting his head in shock. "Father and mother?"
Tang Ning replied, "Yes. Back then, it was Prince Cheng who took you away from the Lu family. Later, when the scandal with Guo Shi was exposed, the Lu family didn't protest. Since they didn't object, your parents must be from the Lu family as well."
"You were originally of Lu family blood. You were innocently sent to Prince Cheng's manor, and your parents lost their beloved son. You were separated from them for many years. All of this was the fault of Prince Cheng and Guo Shi. You are the victims, and the Lu family owes you."
"Now, the truth is clear. But instead of trying to make amends, the Lu family has sent you back to your parents' side, allowing their people to humiliate you. Don't they fear your parents will come and expose everything?"
Tang Ning's tone grew a little harsh, and her frown revealed her anger.
Lu Yin, who had been in a daze, now found clarity as her words struck him like lightning. His mind began to sharpen, and his gaze grew darker.
That's right, he had been taken by force by Guo Shi and Prince Cheng. If it hadn't been for them, he should have been with his parents, living a life of joy under their care. Even if he wasn't the heir of Prince Cheng, his family background would still be noble as a son of a prestigious family.
When His Majesty sent him back to the Lu family, if they had doubts about his identity, they could have expelled him from the family. But they never said a word about making him leave. Instead, they treated him with verbal abuse and constant humiliation, yet never questioned his status as a member of the Lu family.
Since they acknowledged his identity and accepted him as part of the Lu family, how could they not know he was innocent?
The mistake wasn't his; it was the fault of the first wife of the Lu family and her affair. It was the Lu family's negligence that had separated him from his biological parents for so many years. Why, then, should the Lu family blame him?
Since he returned to the Lu family, they never mentioned his biological parents. They never thought about compensating him. Even when they placed him in a desolate courtyard and allowed him to be bullied, they never once suggested returning him to his parents.
The Lu family may have ignored it, but what about his biological parents? The outside world had been buzzing with the news of Guo Shi and Prince Cheng "stealing" a child. Surely, they knew nothing about it?
As Lu Yin's thoughts deepened, his face grew colder.
Was it possible that his parents didn't know? Or were they being blackmailed by someone? Or... were they not even from the Lu family?
What if the child stolen by the Lu family's first wife wasn't one of their own? What if she had taken a child from another family? The Lu family, fearing the scandal of Guo Shi, was too afraid of further tarnishing their name. So, even though they knew the child sent to Prince Cheng's manor wasn't a Lu family member, they silently accepted him as one of their own.
If he wasn't a Lu family member, they wouldn't care about his life or death. It was clear that the Lu family, by treating him this way, had no intention of protecting him.
"Yin-ge, what's wrong?" Tang Ning asked, her voice filled with concern as she noticed the changes in his expression.
Lu Yin, lost in his thoughts, didn't respond. Tang Ning, noticing his distracted state, lightly touched his shoulder.
He snapped back to reality at her gentle call.
"Yin-ge, don't be sad," Tang Ning said softly. "If you're really afraid, stay here in Jiyun Alley tonight. If Lu family comes tomorrow, they can curse me a few times. I've gotten used to it."
"You've been badly hurt. Let me call a doctor for you. Hang Li, help Master Yin inside."
Although Hang Li was confused by Tang Ning's sudden change in attitude towards Lu Yin, he quickly followed the instructions and reached out to support Lu Yin.
But before Hang Li could get close, Lu Yin suddenly stepped back.
"Master Yin?" Hang Li asked, puzzled.
Tang Ning was also a little confused. "Yin-ge, what's wrong?"
Lu Yin gripped his hands tightly, staring at Tang Ning's concerned face. His expression grew somber.
He had come here today because he couldn't bear the torture of the Lu family and had hoped to seek refuge with Tang Ning and his mother. When he sneaked out, he had only wanted to stay in Jiyun Alley, to avoid the Lu family's reach.
But what Tang Ning had said earlier was right. He was of Lu family blood, and though she could be kind enough to keep him for now, tomorrow when the Lu family came looking for him, he would still have to return. No one could stop that.
When the Lu family found out he had run away, they would be even less tolerant of him. Lu Chongyuan and the others were shrewd, and if they found out, they would not hesitate to get rid of him.
Moreover, he had suffered greatly during this time, having been accustomed to the face of those who had once flattered him and called him "Young Master" but now looked down on him.
Tang Ning was the only one who still showed him kindness, the only one who hadn't abandoned him. But if she truly kept him, it would only bring her trouble. The Lu family would surely seize any opportunity to malign her reputation, especially if the emperor got involved.
"If I stay here, I'll bring harm to you, Tang Ning," he said, his voice low but resolute.
She looked at him, perplexed. "But you said the Lu family will kill you."
"They don't dare!" Lu Yin's face darkened as his eyes glinted with determination. "Before, I was foolish and forgot who the real debtor was. But not anymore."
The Lu family owed him.
He had never owed the Lu family anything.
The wind began to rise around them, carrying with it a slight moisture, and Lu Yin became lost in his thoughts again.
If he could find evidence to prove that the Lu family had covered up Guo Shi's affair, that he wasn’t truly of Lu blood...
Then everything the Lu family had done to him would fall back on them. For every cruelty they had inflicted on him, they would face the same amount of scorn and pity.
If he could prove his innocence to the world, showing that the Lu family was shameless and that he had been wronged all these years, he could finally rid himself of the shadow of Prince Cheng's manor.
He would no longer have to carry the sins of Prince Cheng's house and could start fresh.
The thought of being free from the past and no longer having to bear the weight of Prince Cheng's mistakes filled Lu Yin with a sense of hope and excitement.
"Thank you, Tang Ning," Lu Yin said, his voice full of gratitude.
Tang Ning was puzzled. "Yin-ge? What's the matter?"
She seemed to wonder why he suddenly thanked her.
Lu Yin looked at her and felt an overwhelming sense of appreciation. She was kind, pure, and gentle. Why had he once thought so poorly of his cousin, when she was far more compassionate than that woman from the Song family?
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You can read ahead to chapterr 470 (100+ extra chapters) here
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