Chapter 740: Chapter 702: Then Go Find Her Yourself (Second Update)

The old lady frowned slightly, "Child, why do you want to get involved in their matters?"

"Of course, if the old lady does not consider me as part of the family, naturally I have no right to interfere," Wen Wan added.

This was the daughter that the second son managed to save with great effort. Although the grand elder did not say it directly, he cherished her deeply. Even the Emperor often thought of her. How could she dare not treat her as family?

Thinking this, the old lady had no choice but to nod in agreement, "Alright, alright, what you say makes sense. Let’s go along with your suggestion and let Shu go to the family temple for a few days of peace."

Wen Wan returned to the Furong Courtyard and told Mrs. Xiao Liu that the old lady had agreed for her to go to the family temple.

Mrs. Xiao Liu was full of disbelief, "Really?"

"It’s true indeed." Wen Wan reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, "For now, rest well at home for a couple of days. Once you’re feeling better, you can set off. Otherwise, your body won’t manage."

Mrs. Xiao Liu thanked, "Thank you, Sister Wan."

...

Lu Yanbin soon heard the news of Mrs. Xiao Liu going to the family temple. His expression changed, and he rushed to the Furong Courtyard immediately, only to find Wen Wan still sitting near the couch, talking with Mrs. Xiao Liu.

Lu Yanbin slowed his steps, calling out, "Sister Wan."

Upon hearing a male voice, Wen Wan clearly felt Mrs. Xiao Liu in her arms tremble.

She had mentioned being afraid of Lu Yanbin before, but didn’t expect her fear to be this intense.

Wen Wan felt a wave of heartache and looked at Lu Yanbin with displeasure, "You still have the face to call me sister?"

Lu Yanbin replied awkwardly, "We are blood relatives. Even if you’re angry, this connection cannot simply be dismissed, right?"

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Mrs. Xiao Liu, his expression softening, "Shuyuan, are you feeling better? Is it still painful? Is there anything you’d particularly like to eat?"

It would have been better if he hadn’t spoken. As soon as he did, Mrs. Xiao Liu trembled even more violently.

Wen Wan was about to speak when Lu Yanbin continued, "The servants said you plan to go to the family temple. Is it... a joke?"

Mrs. Xiao Liu, twisting her hands anxiously, didn’t respond.

Wen Wan spoke up in reply, "It was I who suggested she go."

"Dear sister," Lu Yanbin said, full of conflict, "Shu has just miscarried. She should stay home to recuperate. The conditions at the family temple are harsh. If she goes there, she won’t eat or sleep well. What if she doesn’t recover well by then?"

Wen Wan sneered coldly, "Do you really think she can eat and sleep well if she stays at home?"

Lu Yanbin was left speechless. After a period of silence, he turned to Mrs. Xiao Liu again, "Shuyuan, what is your opinion?"

Mrs. Xiao Liu didn’t dare meet his gaze, lowered her eyes and stammered, "I... I want to go."

"Shuyuan..."

"Enough!" Wen Wan harshly interjected, "Where has such a good girl been driven by you? Go back and reflect well. Before Shuyuan goes to the family temple, you are not allowed to disturb her again."

"That’s not possible, sister," Lu Yanbin responded, "If I don’t come over, how can I take care of her?"

"Where were you all those years she needed your care?"

The sharp words once again left Lu Yanbin at a loss for words.

Looking at Mrs. Xiao Liu, who seemed about to cry from fear, his emotions churned within him. Before leaving, he said, "Shuyuan, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault."

Even after he left, Mrs. Xiao Liu still nestled in Wen Wan’s arms, not daring to sit upright.

——

Mrs. Xiao Liu was sent to the family temple.

Lu Yanqing sat in his room, his mind completely blank.

He recalled these few days after Wen Wan left; he went twice to the Furong Courtyard to see her. Each time as he was about to reach for her hand, she cried out in fear.

Mrs. Xiao Liu had cried in front of him before, but that was because of Su Dai. They had been arguing, and she cried because of the grievance.

But now, it was because of fear. Pure fear that had been cast by his violent actions in the past. As soon as he approached, she felt like he was going to hit her or force her to drink, making her so scared she curled up.

Each of her tears reminded Lu Yanbin of what he had done.

Remembering those acts of violence, recalling his own cruelty, made Lu Yanbin feel appalling.

He instructed the servant, "Prepare the horse."

Lingering inside him was a strong hunch that once she left, she would never come back.

He wants to personally go to the family monastery to have a look.

The servant hesitated, "Young Master, your back injury hasn’t healed yet." Then he said, "The Young Master has instructed you to handle household affairs, today’s matters are not yet finished, you probably can’t leave."

Lu Yanbin glared fiercely at the servant.

The servant closed his mouth but was unwilling to prepare the horse for him.

Lu Yanbin, regardless of the risk of being beaten half to death by his father again, went to the stable himself, led out the horse, and rode directly to the family monastery.

When he arrived, Jing’an informed him that the Young Madam had never been to the family monastery.

"How is that possible!" Lu Yanbin’s emotions were on the brink of collapse, his eyes were red, "She clearly reported to the old lady about coming here for recuperation, did you hide her or did she instruct you not to let me see her? It must be, move aside, I need to go in and find her!"

Jing’an reluctantly said, "Young Master, the Young Madam is really not here, if you don’t believe me, feel free to go inside and look."

Lu Yanbin dismounted, rushed inside, searched the courtyard thoroughly, not only was Mrs. Xiao Liu nowhere to be found, but even her two maids, Hong Xiang and Hong Ling, were absent.

There was no trace in the family monastery suggesting Mrs. Xiao Liu had been here; she was truly gone.

Realizing this was like a thunderclap for Lu Yanbin.

So that day when she said she would come to the family monastery, it wasn’t for recuperation, but with plans to leave the Lu Family and leave him forever?

Thinking this, Lu Yanbin tightened the reins fiercely, turned his horse towards the Duke Mansion.

Upon arrival, he asked the old lady where Mrs. Xiao Liu had gone.

The old lady replied with a stern expression, "You beat her till she had to go to the monastery for recuperation, and you still have the face to ask?"

Lu Yanbin dared not tell the old lady the truth, so he rushed to the Song Mansion to ask Wen Wan about Mrs. Xiao Liu’s whereabouts. Wen Wan drank her tea, replied leisurely, "Didn’t I tell her to go to the family monastery? I think she would have arrived there by now, why, do you want to see her?"

"No!"

He couldn’t conceal it before Wen Wan any longer, "Shuyuan didn’t go to the family monastery, she’s gone."

Wen Wan asked him, "What do you mean she’s gone?"

"I just went there." Lu Yanbin collapsed emotionally, "Jing’an told me Shuyuan wasn’t at the monastery, I went in and turned it upside down, really no one was there, dear Sister, please help me, you must find her."

Wen Wan’s eyes flickered slightly, "In this vast world, where should I go to find your wife?"

"I know your family has very capable Hidden Guards, if they intervene, we’ll surely find her quickly."

Wen Wan listened, her face turned cold, "You lost your wife, and now you’re asking others to help find her, what kind of logic is that?"

Lu Yanbin suddenly said, "Is she in your household?"

As he spoke, he became increasingly convinced of his idea, stood up intending to search, Yun Cai glared and wanted to block him.

Wen Wan said, "Let him go."

Yun Cai frowned, "Madam, our household has so many courtyards, letting him search all over, that would be too much."

Wen Wan appeared indifferent, "East and West courtyards, let him search, if he doesn’t find anyone, I will properly explain it to him."

Thus, Lu Yanbin really went searching, from the inner courtyard to the outer courtyard, from the East courtyard to the West courtyard, every garden, every nook and cranny wasn’t overlooked.

By the time he had searched the entire mansion, it was nightfall, Lu Yanbin’s back wound had become inflamed due to sweat and it hurt so much that he felt weak walking.

Stumbling back to Qingteng Residence, he knelt with a thud before Wen Wan, lips pale, "Dear Sister, I’m begging you, give her back to me."

Wen Wan asked him, "You searched for a day, did you find anything?"

Lu Yanbin clenched his fingers and shook his head.

"Then it means she’s not here," Wen Wan said.

"But she couldn’t have gone far," Lu Yanbin asserted, "She’s such a timid person, apart from coming to you for help, where else could she go?"

"Her fear is because you hurt her so deeply," Wen Wan countered, "How do you know she wouldn’t become braver after leaving you?"

Lu Yanbin couldn’t answer.

These days, he had been coldly treated by the old lady, whipped by Lu Pingzhou, ridiculed by Wen Wan, and now, with wounds all over his body, he flipped through such a vast Song Mansion today, his wounds hurt, he felt exhausted, yet he didn’t dare stop as the premonition of Mrs. Xiao Liu leaving him forever grew stronger.

Perhaps the saying was correct, some things, after a long time, you become accustomed to their presence, accustomed to their ordinary insignificance, like being used to having a fingernail on each finger, but if one day it’s pulled off, the pain is unbearable.

Concealing his emotions, Lu Yanbin said painfully, "I just want her back."

Wen Wan’s tone was unfeeling, "Then you should go find her yourself."