Chapter 4

After the incident at the city gate, no further mishaps occurred, and they arrived smoothly at the Yang family residence.

From the moment the Yang family’s gate came into view, Yang Wen Xu rolled out of the carriage and crawled on his knees all the way to the doorstep—this was the filial duty expected of a son. If his grief wasn’t pious enough, he would be scorned by others.

Yang Wen Xu was a filial son, and Lu Lanyi was, by extension, a filial daughter-in-law. In principle, she should have accompanied him. Unfortunately, her body had barely held up until now, and she was at the end of her strength. As soon as Cui Cui frantically helped her down, she fainted.

This drew a chorus of admiration from the neighbors who had come out to watch the spectacle.

“Truly the Hanlin Academician’s Wife, so devoted to filial piety…”

“Madam Yang has such a daughter-in-law—she’s lived a worthwhile life.”

“Look at the Hanlin Academician’s Wife’s face, pale as paper. It can’t be faked—this is genuine filial devotion.”

Amidst the praise, Lu Lanyi was carried into the second courtyard prepared for them and remained unconscious until dusk, when she was finally roused by the cacophony of music and chanting outside.

Cui Cui, who had been keeping vigil by her bedside, noticed her open her eyes and sprang up: “Madam, you’re finally awake. Are you hungry? Aunt Zhou came to see you earlier, but since you were still unconscious, she left. She said she’d instructed the kitchen to prepare vegetable and mushroom congee for you—something light and easy to digest. Should I fetch a bowl for you?”

Lu Lanyi gave a slight nod.

Her mind was still somewhat foggy, but her stomach did feel empty.

Cui Cui hurried off and soon returned. The congee was soft and refreshing, the mushrooms adding a savory richness. Without realizing it, Lu Lanyi finished the entire bowl with Cui Cui’s help.

Cui Cui was delighted: “Would you like more, Madam? I’ll go get another serving.”

Lu Lanyi shook her head. As someone long afflicted by illness, her stomach was delicate. Managing to eat this much in one sitting was already an achievement.

“Have you eaten yet? Go and have your meal.”

Cui Cui nodded, then shook her head: “I didn’t have a proper meal. Aunt Zhou gave me a plate of pastries, and I had them with tea. I’m not hungry now and don’t feel like eating more. Let me stay and chat with you, Madam.”

Lu Lanyi let her be and said no more.

Cui Cui leaned in closer, her tone a mix of mystery and curiosity: “Madam, this Aunt Zhou is really something. She wasn’t around when we left for the capital. She’s only been here two years, but it’s like she runs the Yang household now. Whenever I need something or have a request, she’s the one who handles it. And I’ve noticed no one else objects—they all follow her orders.”

Lu Lanyi smiled faintly: “That’s good, isn’t it?”

“I don’t think so,” Cui Cui bit her lip and lowered her voice further. “While you were unconscious, Ling Zi told me she overheard people gossiping—Aunt Zhou apparently came from… that kind of place.”

Lanyi already knew but played along: “What kind of place?”

“You know… the unclean kind,” Cui Cui pouted. “Master Yang really has no sense. Even if he wanted a concubine, he shouldn’t have brought a courtesan into the household and let her manage things.”

The words felt familiar.

In her past life, Yang Wen Xu had said the same thing. It had led to a fierce argument with Master Yang on their very first day back.

“Cui Cui-jie,” Ling Zi suddenly rushed in, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and excitement, “the young master and the master are fighting—it’s really heated!”

Cui Cui instinctively stood up, glanced at Lu Lanyi, then hesitated and sat back down.

“Help me up. Let’s go take a look.” Lanyi suddenly felt a spark of interest.

The same event, viewed from a different perspective—she wanted to see how it would unfold differently.

Both Cui Cui and Ling Zi were eager to witness it, so they unanimously agreed and worked together to help Lanyi up. After a quick touch-up, they supported her as they made their way to the third courtyard at the back.

“Who I take as a concubine is none of your business! Since when does a son meddle in his father’s affairs? And you call yourself a scholar of the sages! I’ve toiled my whole life to raise you into a jinshi, and now I deserve some enjoyment. You’re never home—Mei Hong has been serving me in your stead, fulfilling your filial duties. You should be thanking her—”

Before Lu Lanyi and the others even reached the main hall’s entrance, they heard the thunderous tirade from inside.

“Father!” Yang Wen Xu interrupted angrily. “A servant reported to me that Mother was driven to her death by this concubine. That’s why I came to question her. Why are you dragging in irrelevant matters?”

Cui Cui and Ling Zi’s mouths fell open in shock.

This was new information they hadn’t been aware of.

Lanyi, however, wasn’t surprised. She slowly surveyed the scene in the hall: her father-in-law, Master Yang, sat imposingly in the seat of honor, brows furrowed in anger; his concubine, Aunt Zhou, nearly twenty years his junior, stood beside him in full mourning attire—her beauty striking, her expression fearful. She clutched Master Yang’s sleeve with one hand while dabbing her tears with a handkerchief in the other. Yang Wen Xu stood alone with his back to the door, his rigid posture betraying his fury, though Lanyi couldn’t see his face.

“Which servant dared spread such lies? Bring them here, and I’ll break their legs with household discipline!” Master Yang declared righteously. “Wen Xu, you know your mother’s health had been failing for years—just like your wife, always sickly. Mei Hong has treated her like an elder sister since joining this household, humbling herself at every turn. How could she have provoked her? If anything, your mother was the narrow-minded one, always brooding over things. I tried to counsel her, but she wouldn’t listen—even picked fights with me. If anyone was at risk of being angered to death, it was me, thanks to her temper!”

From Lu Lanyi’s vantage point, she clearly saw Yang Wen Xu clench his fists as his father spoke.

Master Yang, emboldened by his son’s silence, mistook it for speechlessness and pressed on: “Look at now—with your mother gone, isn’t the household relying on Mei Hong to manage everything? Your wife fainted before even stepping through the door, yet Mei Hong still found time to order the kitchen to prepare congee for her when she woke up. Ask your wife yourself—isn’t that true? Doesn’t Mei Hong handle things thoughtfully?”

He had spotted Lanyi and dragged her into the conversation.

Yang Wen Xu turned around.

Lanyi ignored him and, supported by Cui Cui, gave a slight curtsy. “The maids told me it was Aunt Zhou who ordered the congee.”

She merely stated the facts, but Aunt Zhou’s eyes brightened at her words, and Master Yang smirked triumphantly. “You hear that? I didn’t make this up! Your wife can barely stand without support—she’s in no state to do anything. She should rest. Let Mei Hong continue managing the household, and stop making a scene here.”

“She’s just a concubine!” Yang Wen Xu’s voice was icy. “It’s absurd to let her oversee household affairs.”

“What’s wrong with a concubine?” Master Yang glared. “A concubine is still half an elder to you—you can’t show disrespect. And don’t think I don’t know—that Jiang Shi in your household has been meddling in affairs too. Back when we were still at home, your mother was always favoring that distant cousin of hers. Now that you’ve gone to the capital and become an official, she must be even more pleased with herself. How is it that your concubine can be unruly, but your father’s concubine can’t?”

Yang Wen Xu suppressed his anger. “That’s because Lan Yi is in poor health. And I haven’t indulged her either.”

“You haven’t indulged her? You just keep letting her have one child after another.” Master Yang sneered, rolling his eyes. “With each child, your father-in-law’s face darkens another shade when he sees me. His own daughter can’t bear children, yet he dares to look at me with disdain. I asked him where to find cheap, good land to save up for your brother, and he wouldn’t even tell me, just claimed he didn’t know.”

Yang Wen Xu fell silent for a moment.

He thought he must have misheard. “…What brother?”

He was clearly an only child.

Master Yang chuckled. “In Mei Hong’s belly. Just passed three months. The physician can’t tell the gender yet, but Mei Hong’s been craving sour things lately—I’m sure it’s a son.”

Yang Wen Xu staggered at his laughter.

Outside the door, Lu Lanyi swayed as if she might collapse.

“Madam!” Cui Cui quickly steadied her.

“I’m fine.” Lu Lanyi shook her head slightly. She was struggling to hold back laughter—she had heard about Aunt Zhou’s pregnancy even as a ghost, but it wasn’t as amusing then as it was now.

This trip wasn’t wasted.

Her appetite had even returned—she felt she could eat another bowl of porridge when she got back.

“What’s with these expressions?” Master Yang frowned. “Aren’t you happy about a new brother? You look like someone just—”

He barely stopped himself from saying the next two words, remembering just in time that his eldest son’s birth mother had indeed passed.

Her coffin still lay in the front hall, awaiting burial.

He swallowed his words and redirected his complaint. “Your mother was the same. When she found out Mei Hong was pregnant, instead of comforting her, she made a scene—even threatened to pack up and go to the capital to find you. Only her poor health stopped her. Back when Jiang Shi was carrying Big Brother, she lectured your wife endlessly, telling her not to be jealous, praising Jiang Shi for her contribution. But when it came to her, none of that mattered—she practically wanted to devour Mei Hong alive. I say she wasn’t as virtuous as your wife.”

Yang Wen Xu clenched his jaw. “Father, Mother is gone!”

Why speak ill of the dead?

He forced down his fury, but for some reason, he couldn’t help glancing back at Lan Yi.

Lan Yi kept her head lowered, her expression unreadable. Her frail frame looked as if a gust of wind could blow her away.

His anger eased slightly, and he softened his tone. “You must be tired from the journey. Go rest for a while.”

Lan Yi still didn’t raise her head. “Father-in-law hasn’t finished speaking.”

Master Yang heard her and stroked his beard approvingly. “See? Your wife is far more filial than you. You heard some nonsense and insisted your mother died from Mei Hong’s provocation—but with your wife’s health, couldn’t you say Jiang Shi provoked her too?”

“In any case, adding to the family is a good thing. The year you entered the capital, your father-in-law remarried, and that new wife also bore him a little son—he treasures the child like nothing else. Now it’s our family’s turn, and you should be even happier. You’re alone in the official circles; having a little brother to help you will make your career path smoother in the future—”

“Master,” Aunt Zhou finally spoke up, interjecting softly with a fair point, “the one in my belly is still so small, how could he possibly help the young master with anything?”

“Then let Wen Xu help him!” Master Yang declared resolutely. “Wen Xu is the eldest; it’s his duty to support his younger siblings. We’re all one family—”

“Master, Young Master.”

A maid hurriedly ran in: “Someone has come to the front courtyard to deliver a condolence gift, claiming to be sent by Prince Yi. Steward Yang doesn’t dare receive them and asks the master and young master to go over at once.”

“…” Master Yang finally stopped his reverie, stunned. “P-Prince Yi?!”

Though they lived in the same city, the residence of a prince was an unattainably lofty place for him, and there had never been any interaction before.

Lu Lanyi, leaning on Cui Cui, slowly turned to walk out.

This was what she had truly been waiting for. Having heard it, there was no need to stay any longer.

Last time, Yang Wen Xu had also connected with Prince Yi’s Residence in this manner. Even though she had disrupted Yang Wen Xu’s promotion this time, causing them to return early, this matter remained unchanged—only the timeline had been adjusted.

It seemed fate was already decided. Going against the heavens was always difficult.

“Madam.”

Cui Cui’s focus wasn’t on this. As she walked alongside her, she eagerly poured out the words she had been holding back. “So Aunt Zhou is pregnant, no wonder she has such a big face in the household now.”

“Young Master isn’t happy,” Ling Zi chimed in. “He hasn’t been treating Madam well either.”

A brother still in the womb wouldn’t be of any help now, but in the future, his prospects and marriage would inevitably require their care. Though Ling Zi was young, she understood this logic.

As dusk fell, the music from the front courtyard, which had gradually quieted, suddenly swelled—naturally, to welcome the envoy from Prince Yi’s Residence.

Listening to the music, Lu Lanyi smiled. “It’s not bad at all. It’s a joyous occasion.”

Author’s Note:

Rushing to meet the recommended word count, double update today—but just for today (whispers).