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Chu Lingxuan read through it and said, “The message is quite clear, especially the last sentence, which should be ‘do not go north.'”
Chen Feng added, “The Monk also mentioned that Master Wuzhi instructed him to deliver a message, stating that there are two matters mentioned here.”
Chu Lingxuan questioned, “Two matters? Are they two disasters, or are two matters leading to one disaster?”
After analyzing for a while, they concluded that the literal meaning was to avoid going north on a clear day towards the end of the year, which seemed too broad.
As they pondered, they were interrupted by the laughter of the little girl and Abbess Liao Chen and the chirping of the Golden Swallow outside the window. Chu Lingxuan observed Chen Feng’s swollen belly and serious expression, and advised, “You shouldn’t overthink this now. Let’s leave it and discuss it with Grandfather and Father, and Third Uncle when we get back home.”
Agreeing, Chen Feng nodded, feeling exhausted. She rested on the bed as Chu Lingxuan left the room.
Chen Feng slept until dinner when she was awakened by Hong Fei.
In the evening, the Golden Swallow played with Chu Hanyan until she fell asleep before flying into the woods. It wanted to enjoy some time outside before returning to the space before midnight.
Tired from the day, Chen Feng fell asleep as soon as she lay down. In the middle of the night, feeling a slight itch in her palm, she woke up to find the Golden Swallow had entered the space. Deciding not to follow, she needed to rest for an early start the next day, considering the tiring sedan chair journey.
At the crack of dawn the next day, Chen Feng, Chu Lingxuan, and Mama Song carrying Chu Hanyan set off again.
Abbess Liao Chen accompanied them to the outside of the temple, reluctant to part ways.
Before mounting his horse, Chu Lingxuan held Abbess Liao Chen and said, “Mother, it won’t be long now. When Ninth Prince ascends, I will find a way to have you return to a secular life.”
Tears welled up in Abbess Liao Chen’s eyes as she shook her head. Returning to a secular life was no easy task.
In the Emperor’s eyes, even if a husband and son sacrificed their lives for the royal family, it was expected, however, allowing a wife and mother to become a nun was a different matter. When the Ninth Prince truly gained power, would the Emperor assist his own daughter, let alone help this outsider?
She tried hard but couldn’t forget her late husband, her son, and grandchildren.
In the late afternoon, Chu Lingxuan’s group returned to the General’s mansion. Chen Feng went straight to the main courtyard to rest, while Chu Lingxuan went to the front courtyard to find the old Marquis.
Chu Hanyan cried with red eyes upon waking to find herself in a carriage without the Golden Swallow by her side. Mama Song informed her that early in the morning, the Golden Swallow had flown south with a flock of swallows.
Upon hearing that the Golden Swallow had flown south, Li Xuan and Dabao both cried. Although they knew this day would come every year, they felt disappointed that the Golden Swallow didn’t spend enough time playing with them this year.
Moved to tears in the space, the Golden Swallow vowed to spend more time playing with Dabao, sister Yan, and Little Xuan next year.
Three days later, the Marquis of Chu, along with the Third Master of the Chu family and Chu Lingzhi, visited the General’s mansion to inquire about the old Marquis’s health.
For safety reasons, the two pillars of the Chu family would not depart simultaneously. One would travel by land, and the other by water. The Marquis of Chu arrived first, followed by the Third Master and his son.
In the evening, despite her pregnant belly, Chen Feng cooked several signature dishes. After dinner, the patriarchs of the Chu family, along with Chu Lingxuan and Chen Feng, gathered in the study for a meeting.
They reviewed the letter from Master Wuzhi again, discussing late into the night and reaching a preliminary consensus.
They speculated that since Master Wuzhi specifically wrote ” sow” it likely indicated a severe snow disaster. The snow calamity would end towards the end of January or February, ruling out snowfall in March. The first event likely concluded by the end of January.
Regarding the two matters, one might be related to the snow disaster. They couldn’t discern the Master’s intent and its connection to the looming disaster for the Chu family, necessitating further contemplation and adaptability.
The second matter, “avoid heading north”, was crucial to the Chu family’s survival. They decided that Dabao should avoid traveling north of Dingzhou, while the Chu brothers should steer clear of areas north of the capital. Dabao could comply, but the Chu brothers faced challenges. Especially the Third Master, overseeing the northern troops, who might need to venture to the northern frontier. They agreed to avoid it if possible and use a miraculous medicine given by Master Wuzhi if necessary.
In terms of timing, the most likely scenario is the period after the snow disaster when the weather improves, possibly towards the end of the year.
Chen Feng handed the miraculous medicine to the Third Master of the Chu family. If any of the brothers were to head north in the capital, they should carry this medicine. She kept this medicine specifically for Dabao.
Considering her previous speculations about the Second Prince’s reincarnation, Chen Feng felt even more concerned for the Third Master, sensing trouble ahead. With this miraculous medicine, she hoped he could avert any danger.
She also worried about how the Third Master’s wife would cope if anything happened to him. If she fell ill, the Chu family would lose the support of the Empress Dowager, making their future even more challenging. Chen Feng truly cared for the Third Master’s wife and wished to extend her vibrant life.
The following day, the Third Master hurried back to the capital, leaving his son Chu Lingzhi behind to pay respects to the old Marquis. The Marquis of Chu went directly to the Lingyin Temple, intending to stay there for a month, reciting scriptures and observing a vegetarian diet to pray for blessings for the Dachun Dynasty. Chen Feng found it amusing how adept the Marquis was at finding excuses to spend time away, wondering if he might meet Abbess Liao Chen during that month.
Chu Lingxuan mentioned that he’d been busy lately and couldn’t come home often at night. Chen Feng suspected this might be related to the Ninth Prince’s medical treatment at the Lingyin Temple.
Chu Lingzhi moved to the Chaohua Courtyard, attending classes with Dabao every day in the front courtyard.
Chen Feng had a special fondness for this boy – resilient, down-to-earth, and devoid of the arrogance typical of children from noble families. Not only did he get along well with Dabao and Hanyan, but he also had a strong bond with Chen Lu. Sometimes, he would accompany Lu to play at Chen Shi’s house and enjoyed playing with Chen Tang. At just seven years old, Chu Lingzhi was truly cherished by his mother. Chen Feng couldn’t imagine leaving such a young child elsewhere.
One of Chen Feng’s major concerns was that Mrs. Wang fell ill upon hearing about Wang Cheng being hidden.
Later, Chen Feng sent a letter specifically to Mrs. Wang, reassuring her that her uncle was safe and had only angered the wrong people, hence being protected by Chu Lingxuan. Once the issue was resolved, they would resume their normal lives. Despite this, Mrs. Wang remained troubled and continued with her medicinal soups.
Chen Feng considered inviting Mrs. Wang to stay in Dingzhou to benefit from good medical care and receive emotional support from her.
However, with the ongoing autumn harvest and her numerous fields and stores keeping her occupied, Mrs. Wang suggested waiting until after the harvest to come to the Dingzhou with Chen Ming.