Chapter 38: Do You Have Someone You Like? I’ll Grant You a Marriage

Zhu Wuhuan used the excuse of having dreamed to tell her family what had happened in history.

From Song Anqiao falsely claiming she was pregnant, leaving with the divorce letter—
To three days later when the Zhu family was massacred—
To the Great General Zhu returning triumphant only to cough blood and die—
To when the Emperor ordered the Zhu family to be buried with honor, Song Anqiao suddenly appeared saying she had already borne a Zhu heir hidden away in a nunnery—
And finally to Feng Changye refusing to let her use a bastard to inherit the Zhu family’s glory, exposing her lies, and making her the scorn of the entire capital…

At this point, Zhu Wuhuan stopped.

It was enough to tell them this much now; no need to reveal more. If later she had no choice but to tell them something else, she could simply claim again that she had such a strange dream.

After listening, the Zhu family was in tears.

“This dream must be real—otherwise how would Wuhuan, living in the palace, know that Anqiao told only us in the hall that she was pregnant?”

Madam Dowager Zhu pressed a kerchief to her lips, choking with sobs.

“This dream must be true… Your father could never betray the nation—he will surely return triumphant!”

Zhu Xuanyuan and Zhu Chunjun also wiped their tears. They too were willing to believe the dream.

They believed their father would return safely!

And since the Zhu family had escaped extermination, their father would no longer cough blood and die—he would come home covered in glory, adding further to the Zhu family’s honor!

As she soothed her weeping mother, Zhu Wuhuan said, “Mother, Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law, Fourth Brother—after this dream, I can no longer accept this Second Sister-in-law. In my heart, she is unworthy of the Zhu family.”

Pausing, she added, “But I am now a married woman. If I forcefully demand that you never accept her again, I fear that when you see her pitiful later, you’ll think me too cold and heartless.”

Madam Dowager Zhu quickly clasped her hand. “Wuhuan, don’t say that. You will forever be the Zhu family’s daughter, forever one of us!”

Zhu Wuhuan hugged her mother and smiled. “Mother, I didn’t mean that to sound distant.”

She looked around at everyone and continued,

“I mean—I’m married away and not at home year-round. All I see are Song Anqiao’s loathsome flaws. I don’t see any good in her. So I can easily cut her off from my family in my heart.

“But you are different. You lived under the same roof with her for two years. Perhaps in your hearts, she’s still a good person.

“She made this mistake—maybe you’ll remember her past and give her another chance.

“If I alone were to demand you never accept her, I fear you’d feel uncomfortable.”

She smiled. “So I choose to tell you what I dreamed. Whether you wish to accept her is up to you.”

The Zhu family silently nodded, none of them speaking.

In Wuhuan’s dream, Song Anqiao’s actions were indeed disgusting… but not so heinous as to be unforgivable. Truly galling, yet hard to condemn completely.

Seeing their expressions, Zhu Wuhuan added,

“But let me be clear—whether or not you accept her, when she shamelessly tries to return, I will summon an imperial physician to expose her false pregnancy on the spot.”

Her eyes went cold.

“When the Zhu family faced doom, she chose to leave—that’s her right. But to look her dying in-laws in the eye and calmly lie like that, that is too much!”

“Since she dared lie, don’t blame me for tearing her mask away!”

No one objected.

Even Madam Dowager Zhu, merciful as she was, said nothing.

She had suspected Song Anqiao lied back then. But with the family already facing extermination, who cared about a daughter-in-law’s petty scheming?

But now the Zhu family had survived.

And in Wuhuan’s dream, Song Anqiao had done even worse things. Then a lesson was deserved!

Otherwise, would people think the Zhu family could be trifled with?

After sitting with them a while longer, Zhu Wuhuan rose to leave.

“The Emperor is waiting at Grand Academician Chen’s residence. Mother, Brother, Sister-in-law—I must go.”

She hugged her mother, smiled at her brother and sister-in-law, then turned to gently pat her fourth brother’s head.

“Chunjun, you’re already thirteen. After your birthday in September, you’ll be fourteen. Do you have a girl you like? I’ll arrange a marriage for you—”

“No!”

Zhu Chunjun flushed bright red and shook his head quickly.

Zhu Wuhuan teased, “Truly none, or just too shy to admit?”

He shook even harder. “Truly none! None! None!”

Three denials—so it must be true.

Zhu Wuhuan let him off. “All right then. But if you like someone in the future, you must tell Third Sister. If the Empress herself arranges it, your sweetheart will have immense honor, understand?”

Blushing, Zhu Chunjun nodded helplessly. “I understand, Third Sister…”

Just then, little brother Chengying came running in, arms wrapping around Wuhuan’s waist, laughing as he nuzzled her.

“Third Sister! Fourth Brother has no sweetheart, but I do! Give me a marriage!”

Zhu Wuhuan stared at the six-year-old in astonishment. “Who do you like?”

He answered eagerly, “Chen Xiaoyuan! The little girl next door! She’s so round-faced and cute. Every time I climb the wall to steal their jujubes, she stomps and points at me, wailing nonsense! Last time she carried a bamboo pole to poke me down, but instead she fell flat on her back—so funny!”

“…” Zhu Wuhuan was speechless at the little one, pinching his cheek. “Wait until you’re as big as Fourth Brother before you talk!”

She turned to Zhu Chunjun. “Fourth Brother, you’re not doing well. Our just-weaned little brother already has a sweetheart, and you still don’t?”

Zhu Chunjun, looking at his proud six-year-old brother and the others laughing, covered his face and pleaded, “Third Sister, stop—if you go on, I’ll jump in a well!”

Everyone burst out laughing.

When Zhu Wuhuan prepared to leave, the whole family escorted her to the gates of the General’s Manor.

At the entrance, Zhu Wuhuan looked back at her mother and sister-in-law.

Taking their hands, she smiled. “While that annoying person isn’t here, tomorrow I’ll send good cloth and fine jewelry back. Mother, Sister-in-law—keep them. Don’t give any to that annoying one.”

Madam Dowager Zhu laughed, tapping her nose. “You mischievous girl!”

The Empress treating her sisters-in-law so warmly made Chen Yulan feel comforted. Smiling, she bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Whatever you send, I will keep for myself.”