Chapter 9 A Taboo

• With bright, sparkling eyes that showed no fear, she truly was as lovely as a fairy.
• Yang Mingrui glanced at her briefly, then looked away.
• My Xinru is different.
• A hint of warmth surged in Yang Mingrui's heart.
• "I feel sorry for Yuting. I will make it up for her. I will give her the Hot Spring Villa as compensation," Yang Mingrui said with a smile as he held her affectionately.
• "You should thank your father. There are over a hundred acres of land around the Hot Spring Villa, and our father is being very generous, all for you, little one," Zhang Ling said, causing Yang Mingrui to frown.
• He had only intended to give the hot spring villa.
• Zhang Ling had spoken, so he didn't object.
• But the villa was originally meant for Xinru, it seemed like he would need to find another gift.
• 'Whoa! This cursed father is loaded!'
• Yang Mingrui was dumbfounded for a moment, feeling a sudden warmth spreading over his body.
• His expression stiffened, his eyes widening as he glanced down at the baby in his arms, who grinned toothlessly.
• "Oh dear, she peed, she peed." Xu Jia rushed forward to take the baby away.
• Yang Mingrui's expression darkened, suppressing his irritation, yet unable to confront a newborn.
• Zhang Ling secretly suppressed a smile behind her hand.
• "My Lord, please go change your clothes," she said quietly.
• Once Yang Mingrui left, Zhang Ling gently patted Yang Yuting's bottom. "You little troublemaker."
• 'Serves him right, serves him right! He deserves it for not cherishing my beautiful mother!'
• After Yang Mingrui changed his clothes and left, Zhang Ling's brows furrowed in disappointment.
• "Go see where Lord Yang went," Zhang Ling instructed.
• Xu Jia obediently complied, and Jiang Ning, quick-witted as ever, promptly followed suit.
• Shortly after, they returned to report. "He went to Virtuous Hall." Virtuous Hall was where Old Madam Yang resided.
• "When Lord Yang left, he took Old Madam Yang's prayer beads. They say her mood was extremely good and she rewarded them to Lord Yang."
• Zhang Ling felt a weight settle in her heart. Sensing her distress, Jiang Ning advised, "Lord Yang must have intended to give the prayer beads to Master Taojian."
• In Marquess Yang's mansion, there was a taboo.
• Madam bore three sons and a daughter.
• Their eldest, Yang Taojian, was born bright and clever. For those years, Yang Mingrui seemed to have genuine affection for him.
• However, tragedy struck when he was nine years old. He fell into the water and became an imbecile.
• He was confined within the mansion, incapable of tending to his own needs. He became a silent source of anguish, a taboo, in the family's midst.
• Zhang Ling had once pleaded with Old Madam Yang for the beads, but she insisted the accident was Taojian's fate.
• For three days and nights, Zhang Ling knelt to plead, yet her pleas went unanswered.
• These beads were a gift from the abbot of the Protector Monastery, said to contain one thousand and eight pearls, each exceedingly precious.
• The Protector Monastery was a royal temple, universally respected throughout the capital. With the status of the Marquess Yang, how could they have obtained such a precious item from there?
• At that time, the old abbot took just one look at Old Madam Yang and said the house of Marquess Yang would have immense wealth and great opportunities in the future, with future generations blessed with merit.
• So, he gifted her the string of prayer beads.
• She cherished it dearly.
• But today, she gave it away.
• It weighed heavily on Zhang Ling's heart.
• That night, Hu Yue returned.