The Paranoid Male Lead’s "White Moonlight" Has Reborn - Chapter 21

Han Jiangmu watched as Jiang Chaoyun gazed at him with a terrified expression. He raised an eyebrow slightly and asked in a low voice, “Does the Young Master not want them to die?”

Jiang Chaoyun held his breath. After a long while, he said with a tremble, “Kill… Murder is against the law.”

Han Jiangmu replied, “If done in secret, it is not against the law.”

Jiang Chaoyun was choked up. After a moment, he said, “No.”

Han Jiangmu looked at his expression and said in a deep tone, “If Young Master is worried they will threaten the status of yourself and the Madam in the future, killing them is the best method.”

Jiang Chaoyun thought back to the final moments of his previous life. The relationship between his parents had seemingly dropped to a freezing point. Was it because Jiang Lin-shi had discovered that Jiang Zuoling was keeping a mistress outside?

Yes, that was the only possibility.

However, women in this world were already miserable enough; most of the time, they could not control their own destinies. To turn the butcher’s knife toward them at such a time would be far too cruel. Furthermore, being a mistress was a life devoid of dignity or a future; no ordinary woman would find joy in it.

The one who had done wrong was his father, Jiang Zuoling.

Jiang Chaoyun felt deeply disappointed. He even felt a bit unsure of how to face Jiang Zuoling.

Seeing him lost in thought, Han Jiangmu did not press him. After a long while, he heard Jiang Chaoyun speak: “Do you think I should tell Mother?”

Jiang Chaoyun didn’t know why, but perhaps because Han Jiangmu had been constantly by his side, he had developed a degree of reliance on him. In this moment, he reached out to Han Jiangmu for help almost instinctively.

Han Jiangmu asked, “What are Young Master’s thoughts?” His tone was no longer as cold as before, but rather somewhat gentle.

Jiang Chaoyun unconsciously gripped a jade-colored teacup. Because he gripped it too hard, his knuckles protruded slightly. “…I should tell her, but if she finds out, won’t she be very heartbroken?”

Han Jiangmu said, “For a mother, the most important thing is always the child, not the husband. If Young Master stands on the Madam’s side, the Madam will be pleased, not heartbroken.”

Hearing this, Jiang Chaoyun felt it made sense; his mother had always cared for him deeply.

However, truly facing Jiang Lin-shi, he found himself unable to speak.

Jiang Lin-shi arrived just as Han Jiangmu had left—the interval between them was less than half a stick of incense. Knowing Jiang Chaoyun as she did, she could tell at a glance from his reddened eyes and worried expression that he had something on his mind.

She didn’t ask directly, but instead said, “You went out for a stroll today; how did you feel?”

Jiang Chaoyun said softly, “It was fine. The shopkeepers were all very kind to me.”

Jiang Lin-shi replied, “You are their young master; it is only right they are kind to you. If they were unkind, I would have to deal with them.”

Though she said this, she didn’t truly believe Jiang Chaoyun’s health could sustain the Jiang family business. In the future, this vast estate might truly fall into the hands of other branches of the family. It was a helpless situation, but she didn’t mind. Jiang Zuoling could live for several more decades, and at the very least, she could protect her son during that time.

Years ago, she had thought of having another child so they could care for Jiang Chaoyun when they grew up. But her health wouldn’t allow it. She had even thought of letting Jiang Zuoling take a concubine so she could raise the child as her own. But that was just a thought. If she did so, would Jiang Chaoyun overthink? Would he feel his mother disliked his weak body, or that another child was stealing her affection? It was a problem with no solution.

While Jiang Lin-shi was lost in thought, Jiang Chaoyun suddenly asked, “Mother, my uncles all have several concubines. Why doesn’t Father have any?”

Jiang Lin-shi was stunned for a moment before answering, “Because I don’t allow it.”

“Why not?”

“If your father took concubines and had other sons and daughters, and he went to see them often, would you be happy?”

Jiang Chaoyun thought for a bit and asked, “Is it only because of that?”

Jiang Lin-shi laughed. “What else could it be?”

“Is it not because Mother loves Father and doesn’t want to share him with anyone else?”

Jiang Lin-shi paused. Because she came from a prominent family and was pampered by her parents, her personality had been very arrogant; even her biological brother couldn’t stand her. Jiang Zuoling, however, had been infinitely tolerant of her. After they married, her temperament didn’t soften; instead, it became even more willful. She made Jiang Zuoling swear a series of poisonous oaths that he wouldn’t take concubines or have other women—that he would only have her.

She had set a pile of rules for him. Looking back now, she found it hard to believe, yet Jiang Zuoling had agreed to all of them. Although she now knew he had been in desperate need of the Lin family’s influence back then and would have agreed to anything, she still had to marvel at his endurance.

To this day, Jiang Zuoling had indeed fulfilled those vows. But her heart no longer felt any ripples. She understood that all his kindness to her was built on the foundation that her family could help him.

Did he love her? Jiang Lin-shi felt he probably did, but the glory of his family was more important than her—more important than her and his son. His ambition had swollen; he was no longer satisfied with being a mere merchant. He wanted to be a royal merchant, to enter the imperial court, and to gain more power.

Jiang Lin-shi had long been disappointed in him. Now, her only expectation was that he be a qualified father. As for “love,” there was none left.

She snapped back to the present and smiled slightly. “There is that reason as well.”

Jiang Chaoyun’s heart tightened; he felt even more that he should speak out. He stammered, “Mother, while I was out playing today, I saw a child who looked very much like Father.”

Jiang Lin-shi froze. Seeing her expression, Jiang Chaoyun knew she didn’t know. His voice became even smaller. “He looks about sixty to seventy percent like Father. Father might… be keeping a mistress outside.”

He felt a wave of anxiety and panic from being an informant, causing his cheeks to flush slightly and his gaze to flicker.

Jiang Lin-shi suddenly looked at him seriously. Under her gaze, Jiang Chaoyun became nervous. “I-I’m telling the truth. If Mother doesn’t believe me, you can go see for yourself.”

Jiang Lin-shi felt a bit lost. Looking into his eyes, she saw only worry for her, not any sadness for himself. She paused before asking, “If this is true, will you be afraid?”

“Afraid of what?”

“Afraid your father won’t like you, and will like the ‘wild seed’ outside instead.”

Jiang Chaoyun was stunned. He hadn’t considered that. Upon learning this, all he thought of was that his father had betrayed his mother. He usually acted as if he were staying chaste for her, but privately he had another woman and child; this was simply wrong.

He shouldn’t hide it from Jiang Lin-shi. So, even if it was bad for Jiang Zuoling, he spoke up. Compared to his father, he cared more about his mother’s feelings. She loved him so much; if even he, her son, hid it from her, that would be far too much.

“I didn’t think that way,” Jiang Chaoyun said, showing a touch of maturity. “Mother, I am seventeen years old this year. You have always been the one taking care of me. Compared to Father, I like Mother much more. If Father stopped liking me because of another child… I might be sad, but I still have Mother. So while I’d be sad, I wouldn’t take it to heart too much. Look, Father also likes Cousin Yulong very much, and while I feel uncomfortable hearing about it sometimes, I don’t let it get to me. As long as Mother doesn’t favor Yulong over me, it’s fine.”

Mentioning Jiang Yulong, he paused. “Yulong always likes to say what Father has sent him. Hearing it makes me feel uneasy. I thought it was because I was too petty, but thinking carefully now, if Mother were to favor him and neglect me, I would be very heartbroken. But with Father, I’m not that upset.”

He decisively reached a conclusion: “Because I like Mother more.”

Jiang Lin-shi was stunned. After a long while, she confirmed, “Do you truly feel that way?”

Through this process of self-persuasion, the shame and tension from being an informant mostly vanished. He whispered, “Your son is speaking from the heart.”

Her eyes suddenly reddened. She turned her head slightly to hide her emotion and forced back the tears. She said gently, “Mother knows. Rest well and don’t think too much. I will handle this matter.”

Although Jiang Chaoyun felt some pity for that mistress, he didn’t want to interfere with his mother’s decision, because she was the one who had been wronged. However, given her personality, he thought she would at most send the pair away and wouldn’t harm them. If that were the case, it would be better for the woman to find another husband later than to be his father’s mistress.

Having resolved this, Jiang Chaoyun felt much lighter.

However, over the following days, everything was calm on his mother’s end, as if the matter of the mistress hadn’t caused a single ripple. He thought she had settled it secretly and sent Mao’er to check the place he had seen them, but the answer was negative. The pair was still there.

That afternoon, Bixin came to report that Jiang Zuoling wanted to see him. Feeling guilty again, he quickly had Bixin lie and say he was still sleeping. Jiang Zuoling was thus turned away, but he didn’t think much of it. His son’s health was poor and he slept often; he was merely making a routine visit, much like inspecting the shops every day.

Jiang Chaoyun’s room had a heavy smell of medicine. Jiang Zuoling didn’t like it; every time he smelled it, he felt bitterness in his throat and acidity in his stomach. But he had to pretend to be fine, which was exhausting. Consequently, he didn’t truly enjoy visiting. Now that he didn’t have to enter, he actually felt relieved and had someone push his wheelchair back.

However, as soon as he returned to his own courtyard, he saw it was brightly lit. Over a dozen servants stood at the door, their expressions nervous and hesitant. Seeing Jiang Zuoling return, the head servant said quickly, “Master, the Madam is waiting for you inside.”

Jiang Zuoling didn’t think much of it. But upon entering, he felt something was wrong. Jiang Lin-shi sat in the seat of honor, flanked by several tall, imposing men.

The leader was her biological brother, Lin Rui, the current Zhechong Commandant. He commanded 1,200 soldiers and was a fourth-rank official in the capital. The men behind him were strangers to Jiang Zuoling, but seeing they were young and looked similar to Lin Rui, he guessed they were his sons.

Recognizing Lin Rui, Jiang Zuoling immediately broke into a smile and called out warmly, “Brother-in-law! Your presence today truly makes my humble home shine!”

However, he felt something was faintly amiss. Because of his broken leg, he hadn’t left the house. Today he had gone to Yulong’s study to have him play chess with him. Logically, if such a distinguished guest as Lin Rui had arrived, it was impossible for him not to have heard anything.

While he was thinking this in a daze, Lin Rui’s powerful voice thundered like a lightning strike: “Jiang Zuoling, do you realize your fault!?”