After Transmigration, Her Whole Family Are Villains

Lu Jiuzhang was the youngest child in his family.

His father was the most powerful Prime Minister in the court.

By the time it came to raising his youngest son, Minister Lu actually had little time for personal education, and the family spoiled him.

Though forced to study, due to his upbringing, he didn't fully grasp the principles of proper conduct.

He didn't follow others in visiting brothels - as a top-tier official's son, he looked down on such places. In truth, he was rather naive about matters between men and women. When you have everything, nothing seems precious.

But after seeing Immortal Liu once, he fell deeply in love, spending money like water, stealing countless treasures from home just to see her once more.

Like a top donor in a livestream channel, he threw around gifts as if money were mere symbols, having never earned money himself, he had no concept of its value and didn't cherish it, casually giving away millions worth of gifts.

Any single gift he gave away could support a common family for life.

When leaving prison, he heard the court officials say that if they could recover the embezzled money, if Minister Lu's corrupt gains could be returned, it might reduce some of the punishment, as many treasures had mysteriously disappeared during the house confiscation.

Lu Jiuzhang felt he had brought disaster upon his father.

He actually hadn't had many ways to waste money normally, as others often fought to treat him, and the only place he truly squandered money was with Immortal Liu.

He had indeed given her countless treasures.

He had already admired Immortal Liu, and had secretly had people follow her several times, which was how he knew her whereabouts, though he dared not impose upon such a beauty.

He never imagined this would now become his lifeline.

These days he had heard news that the Chu Heir was about to marry Immortal Liu.

His heart was filled with bitterness.

He knelt down.

Knelt in the middle of the street.

The young man was actually quite shy.

But in the winter cold his face was flushed red - it looked more like the chill than shame.

He wanted to ask Immortal Liu to return those gifts, since she was going to marry the Chu Heir and would surely live in comfort, unlike him who had fallen to become a prisoner.

He believed Immortal Liu was different from his other fair-weather friends.

Immortal Liu's eyes were different - she was noble and elegant, and had never demanded anything from him. Everything was given voluntarily, insisting on giving.

Indeed when he stopped her carriage, not only did Immortal Liu not get angry, she even gave him some silver.

This gave Lu Jiuzhang hope.

He knelt before her carriage.

Immortal Liu lifted the curtain.

Just like when he first saw her - beautiful as an immortal, untouched by mortal dust, radiating light, making hearts race at the sight of her.

But he was unworthy.

He wasn't worthy of Immortal Liu.

The moment he saw Immortal Liu's face, Lu Jiuzhang suddenly decided to give up asking for the return of his gifts. He suddenly realized that even if he got these gifts back, he couldn't save his father anyway.

Let them be, let them be part of Miss Qingqing's dowry.

When he said he wanted to personally thank her, he only said with reddened eyes: "Miss Qingqing, could you return just one jade pendant I gave you before - the one that's round outside and square inside, with the characters 'Jiuzhang' carved on it."

Jiang Wan had given him money out of pity in the first place.

When he said he wanted to thank her, she was prepared to listen, but didn't expect him to ask for something back, instantly feeling disgusted.

She had received so many gifts, how could she remember where this jade pendant was?

Besides, asking for given gifts back was too shameful.

Jiang Wan felt very awkward.

What started as an act of kindness had turned into an uncomfortable situation.

She was about to get married and naturally didn't want any entanglements.

She refused righteously: "Young Master Lu, we've known each other for some time, and seeing you in difficulty, I gave you a hundred taels of silver. Though not much, it was sincere. I didn't expect you to be so greedy and presumptuous. I'm afraid I cannot comply with your request. Please leave."

Lu Jiuzhang looked utterly incredulous.

Before coming, he had planned to ask for all the gifts back, to redeem his father.

Upon seeing Immortal Liu, he had automatically given up on that.

He only asked for one jade pendant.

It wasn't even the most valuable among the gifts - in terms of worth, it was probably one of the more ordinary pieces, worth at most a thousand taels of silver.

But it was given to him by his father, and he wanted to keep it as a memento.

That was all.

Yet he was scolded for it.

People around pointed and whispered.

Even carriages stopped nearby to watch the scene.

Lu Jiuzhang felt it was unbelievable.

Immortal Liu still looked divine, incomparably beautiful. Today she wore pure white, appearing even more pristine and noble, yet who could have imagined she would speak such cold words.

He was only asking for less than one percent of what he had given her.

Lu Jiuzhang broke down.

He hadn't broken down when his parents went to prison.

He hadn't broken down when relatives and friends turned him away.

Because he felt he deserved it.

He hadn't done many good deeds in his life.

But with Immortal Liu, even just a moment ago, he had been thinking of letting those gifts be her wedding presents, only wanting this one jade pendant back.

He had done many wrong things and been quite foolish, but his feelings for Immortal Liu had been pure and sincere. Despite giving so many gifts, he had never even held her hand or spoken an improper word.

He broke down.

The young man kneeling on the cold ground, in this moment, completely shattered.

He didn't want anything else.

He had even given up on saving his father.

He just wanted to keep one memento.

Truly.

He blessed her in his heart.

He hoped that from now on she wouldn't have to show her face in public, could become the Young Master's Wife, and live happily and peacefully.

He didn't want to cause trouble.

Even in these adverse circumstances, he still tried to learn to love and bless others, because even a tiny bit of kindness felt especially precious to him.

Then he encountered the same malice as before.

He couldn't accept that Immortal Liu was just like everyone else.

He suddenly pulled out a knife and lunged at Immortal Liu.

...

The earth shook and mountains trembled.

The ground was moving.

...

The spectating commoners all panicked and ran about.

In a carriage parked nearby sat Official He Chen, who was out on business.

He happened to watch this scene unfold.

He usually wasn't one for watching such spectacles.

For some unknown reason, seeing the wretched youngest son of the Lu family stopping the carriage, he was inexplicably compelled to stay and watch.

Even seeing the Lu family's spoiled son shivering in the winter cold, stopping the carriage, receiving a small reward, kneeling to give thanks and then going mad - He Chen somehow felt a strange empathy.

He felt he must be going crazy himself.

He quickly shook his head - impossible, how could he, a proper scholar who had risen through the imperial examinations, empathize with the Lu family's brainless playboy?

Then he unexpectedly saw that playboy's desperate eyes turn red as he violently attacked, the change coming too quickly, followed by the sight of him nearly being beaten to death by Immortal Liu's guards, when suddenly the earth began to shake.

The street split open.

It was too dramatic.

The Lu family's youngest son barely escaped death, running towards his direction.

He Chen didn't know what possessed him, but he actually let the Lu boy into his carriage...

The earth was shaking, they had to run.

The carriage galloped away...

Who knows where they were heading.

He Chen felt like the earthquake was chasing his carriage, it was terrifying.

So from now on, he would never casually watch such scenes again - watching could be deadly.

Looking at the Lu family's youngest son who had escaped into his carriage and now lay unconscious and barely breathing, He Chen felt quite disgusted - how could there be such a useless playboy, with his entire family facing destruction, still obsessing over Immortal Liu, what was wrong with his head...

Thank goodness he himself was a proper scholar, thank goodness, thank goodness.

...