Chapter 37: Mother, I Dreamed of What Will Happen in the Future

“Little sister, I didn’t earn any merit—why would His Majesty suddenly promote me to Cavalry General?”

As the one being promoted, Zhu Longyuan’s face was flushed with excitement. “Was it you who asked His Majesty for this, little sister?”

With everyone looking at her in excitement, Zhu Wuhuan nodded, then shook her head.

“In a way yes, and also no.”

If she hadn’t helped Feng Changye confine the Prince of Jin, Feng Changye wouldn’t have been in the mood to reward the Zhu family.

If she hadn’t mentioned Song Anqiao before the Emperor, Feng Changye wouldn’t have found the opportunity to promote Second Brother.

But—

If the Zhu family weren’t a house of loyal martyrs, even if the Emperor wanted to reward her, at most he would have given her some jewelry and small trinkets, certainly not bestowed promotion upon her natal family.

She smiled and said, “Second Brother’s promotion today is because the Zhu family has a good family tradition, and also because you’re capable. You were born with great strength, so His Majesty views you differently.”

Hearing this, Zhu Longyuan broke into a simple, honest grin.

“So my natural strength has already reached His Majesty’s ears?” He scratched his head. “Then I must perform well on this bandit-suppression mission and not let His Majesty down!”

Zhu Xuanyuan patted his shoulder, smiling with satisfaction. “Have courage, but also strategy. When you go, listen closely to Lord Chen’s arrangements. He’s a rare superior who is patient with new soldiers. Ask him whenever you don’t understand something. Do as he says; don’t act rashly out of brute courage and ruin Lord Chen’s greater plans.”

Zhu Longyuan nodded dutifully.

His eldest brother had been in the military camp for years and had run missions several times. The elder knew more than he did. With Father absent, he should listen to his big brother.

Besides, if he had any virtue, it was that he was honest.

Zhu Wuhuan smiled at her second brother. “Second Brother, go pack your things. You leave tomorrow morning. It’s so rushed that you might not have time to prepare later.”

Zhu Longyuan answered and ran off, beaming.

Just as he reached the outer courtyard, he suddenly remembered something and came running back.

“Little sister, when you first came in, did you see your second sister-in-law?”

The fingers holding Zhu Wuhuan’s teacup paused.

She looked up and asked with a casual smile, “What is it—Second Brother, are you thinking of bringing her back?”

He scratched his head. “Yes. Look at your little nephew—at six months old, a child can’t be apart from his mother. Since our Zhu family no longer faces extinction, it’s time to bring her back.”

Puffing up proudly, he added, “Besides, I’ve been promoted—she doesn’t know yet. I want to make her happy too!”

Zhu Wuhuan’s eyes flickered. She smiled. “Second Brother, have you forgotten? Second Sister-in-law’s father is the Minister of War. Your appointment has to go through the Ministry of War’s procedures—Second Sister-in-law will soon find out.”

Zhu Longyuan blinked. “That’s true!”

Zhu Wuhuan continued, “Second Brother, you’re going to suppress bandits now—who in our family wouldn’t worry? Second Sister-in-law will worry too. She’s also pregnant; if she frets over you day and night, what good will that do for her or the child in her belly? It’s better to let her stay with her parents at her maiden home for a while. Go fetch her back after you return.”

Zhu Longyuan faintly felt something was off in her words, but he couldn’t put his finger on it for the moment.

Glancing sideways and seeing that Madam Dowager Zhu, Big Brother, and Sister-in-law said nothing against it, he cheerfully agreed.

“If no one objects, then let’s leave it at that for now!”

He said happily, “When I return from my mission, I’ll fetch her home in grand style!”

With that, he ran off full of enthusiasm.

Watching his figure disappear from sight, Zhu Wuhuan withdrew her gaze and sent away her six-year-old younger brother Chengying, who had been playing nearby. “Take Jun’an out to the courtyard to play, all right?”

“Okay, Third Sister!”

Zhu Chengying nodded obediently, scooped up little Jun’an—who was standing on tiptoe trying to grab the cakes on the table—and dashed out. “Let’s go! The grown-ups are going to talk serious business. We two little brats are annoying—let’s scram and play!”

Zhu Wuhuan couldn’t help laughing at little Chengying’s cuteness.

Shaking her head, she turned back to the adults.

“Song Anqiao cannot return to the Zhu household. Mother, Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Fourth Brother—why do you think His Majesty suddenly promoted Second Brother and sent him far away to Jingyan Mountain to suppress bandits?”

She looked at everyone and said solemnly, “Because the Emperor himself witnessed how Song Anqiao couldn’t wait to leave the Zhu family. He said such a woman isn’t worthy of Second Brother, so he decided to send Second Brother away for a while and let Mother and me handle the matter of Song Anqiao during this time.”

Hearing this, they all started in surprise.

Zhu Xuanyuan and his wife looked at each other—so that’s why Second Brother was promoted?

Zhu Chunjun was also stunned. Gaining an office but losing a wife—was that good or bad for Second Brother?

Madam Dowager Zhu reacted most strongly, pressing a hand to her chest and speaking in a low voice.

“How could this be? We were the ones who gave Anqiao a letter of release so she could return home to avoid calamity. She didn’t ask to leave herself—how can the Emperor refuse to let Second Son keep his wife over such a small matter?”

Glancing sideways at Chen Yulan, the old lady went on,

“Even if we compare her with Yulan, who stood by us and thus makes Anqiao look too cold for having accepted the release—this still isn’t a sin that warrants divorcing a wife. Anqiao doesn’t deserve such a fate!”

Zhu Xuanyuan and Chen Yulan nodded together.

“Second Sister-in-law and Second Brother get along very well, and they have a child. Second Brother won’t agree to a divorce. He’d rather give up being a Cavalry General than separate from his wife.”

Zhu Chunjun nodded as well; he too felt that although Second Sister-in-law was a bit annoying, she didn’t deserve this.

Zhu Wuhuan looked at the four of them and sighed.

She knew it—without understanding the shameless and disgusting things Song Anqiao would do later in history, they wouldn’t feel she was unfit to be the Zhu family’s daughter-in-law.

Of course, she suspected that even if the Zhu family learned of those things, they might still forgive her.

Because Song Anqiao had lived with them for two years—feelings had formed. If she made mistakes in a moment of confusion, they would give her a chance to correct them rather than strike her down with one blow.

They were not like her—an outsider looking in.

She had no feelings for Song Anqiao. From the start, Song Anqiao in her eyes was that repulsive woman recorded in history.

Therefore she could calmly help the Zhu family get rid of this unreliable daughter-in-law.

But seeing their reaction now, she couldn’t help questioning herself—

Was she removing an unpleasant woman for her own sake, or removing Song Anqiao for the Zhu family’s sake?

The Zhu family clearly did not want to lose this daughter-in-law. For an outsider like her to make a unilateral decision based on her own likes and dislikes—was that meddling too much?

After all, the ones who would live with Song Anqiao were they, not her.

Rubbing her brow, Zhu Wuhuan decided to hint at what would happen in the future and let them choose for themselves whether to accept Song Anqiao.

“Mother, last night I had a dream—I dreamed of things that will happen in the future…”