It had been three days since Yun Qing became aware of the rumours regarding Yuxi's being unfilial spread outside. His eyes were cold as he instructed Guo Xun. "Go and check who leaked the news out." In all probability, the news was leaked by someone in his residence.
As a result, beyond Yun Qing's expectation, this matter was actually said by Yuxi herself. Yun Qing was a bit confused about why Yuxi had to spread this matter.
Huo Changqing knew about it, though. "Good things stay indoors while bad things will go far away. Your wife is worried that this matter will come from the capital and spread to the northwest in the future, so she has to let out the news herself." This way, it would at least develop in an advantageous direction for her. If it came from the capital, no one knew how much exaggeration was added to the original news. Regarding this, Huo Changqing truly admired Yuxi's decisiveness.
Recalling all the things Yuxi had told him, Yun Qing's expression turned gloomy. "I didn't expect that she had suffered so much before." It was a wonder that Yuxi managed to live a good life despite having a grandmother and father who loathed her so much.
Huo Changqing was not a curious person. When he listened to Yun Qing's words, he gave him some advice, "Since you know that she had a bad time before, you should be good to her in the future and never let her down." He also hoped that Yun Qing would live peacefully and harmoniously with his family. Han Yuxi was very intelligent and had gone through a lot of things. If you didn't concentrate your thoughts and efforts on such a woman, she would not lend her hand even if she didn't become hostile towards you.
Yun Qing felt that Huo Changqing's words were strange, but he respected him very much. Thus, he didn't think much of it and vowed, "Don't worry, Uncle Huo. I will treat her well and won't let her down."
Yuxi, the subject of their conversation, was throwing up so much that she could hardly spit out bile.
Zijin said gloomily, "Madam was fine a few days ago. So why does she vomit so much right now?" Except for the water Yuxi drank, she had vomited everything she ate.
Mama Xi replied, "So this child hasn't spoken to anyone yet." Mama Xi felt that Yuxi's current big reaction must have something to do with her wild mood swings these past few days. However, it was hard for her to say it out loud. After all, Madam had suffered so much at that time. If she had been nonchalant, she would have been criticised!
Da Nainai walked into the room at that moment. When she saw Yuxi throw up, her small face became ashen. Da Nainai Fu was also a mother of two. Seeing Yuxi's current situation, she immediately asked, "Why did you vomit so badly?" She hadn't vomited this much even when she was pregnant with her two children.
Zijin brought a glass of water over.
Yuxi rinsed her mouth and answered Da Nainai Fu's question. "I don't know what happened, but I've been throwing up since yesterday, and I can't stop." She vomited so much that her whole body felt sick.
Da Nainai Fu said, "I guess you'll have a son. I heard a pregnant woman will have a very strong reaction when she has a son. And you look just like this." Da Nainai Fu had given birth to two daughters.
Yuxi shook her head. "It is not possible. The intensity of one's morning sickness is mainly related to one's body constitution, not whether one's child will be a boy or a girl." She didn't dare say that she would have a son. If her child turned out to be a daughter, she would be laughed at in the future; and before the baby was born, she couldn't say whether the child would be a boy or a girl.
After hearing this, Da Nainai Fu laughed and said, "Won't those who don't know believe that you're a physician? Especially when you start to bring up facts one after another."
Yuxi smiled as she explained, "I read a few medical books before, so I know about some of them. Oh, by the way, I heard that Fu Dage was also injured. How is he? Is he okay?"
Da Nainai Fu shook her head and said with a smile, "He's fine. He has just some minor injuries. But yesterday, he gave me a hard time, saying that you stewed ginseng chicken soup for Yun Qing, while he didn't get to eat even a single chicken feather, as if I was being harsh on him." Fu Tianlei was just a little envious of Yun Qing, a cold guy, but his wife was still so nice to him. So, this led to him grumbling to his wife.
Yuxi couldn't help laughing when she heard this. "It was just that I saw him bleed out too much, that I thought of cooking him something to replenish his blood and build up his strength. I didn't expect you would receive a complaint about this. I'm so sorry, Saozi."
Da Nainai Fu waved her hand as she said, "It's just a joke. But Dimei, I came here to ask you about something. Rumours going around saying your Great Old Lady left her last words, forbidding you to observe mourning for her? What is this about?" If the Han family abandoned Han Yuxi, Yun Qing would have one less support, and this was a matter of vital interest. The Fu family was also on the same front as Yun Qing, so they were naturally concerned when they heard this rumour. [+]
The smile on Yuxi's face immediately disappeared, and she sighed as she repeated what she told Er Nainai Zhao. Once she was done, she said, "I still don't understand why my Grandmother left such last words. My Dage said in his letter that she was seriously sick and confused and didn't know what she was saying. But outsiders don't know about this. When they hear this kind of thing, they must have thought how unfilial I am, right? My Grandmother hated me so much that she wouldn't even let me observe mourning for her."
When Da Nainai Fu heard this, she comforted Yuxi, "Don't worry too much about it. At least your family is clear about it. Whether you are filial piety or not is not something that can be determined by a single sentence forbidding you from observing mourning." As long as Duke Han was on Yuxi's side, they had nothing to worry about.
Yuxi let out a bitter smile. "No one realises how my Mother had worked her head off for the family over the years, but in the end, she has to bear the reputation of being disobedient towards an elder for me. For Saozi's information, my Mother was so filial to my Grandmother, much more than a biological daughter should be, but the results......" Yuxi really felt that it was not worth it. Let alone a person, even a stone, would warm up after being treated devotedly for more than 20 years. The Old Lady was genuinely heartless. Just because Qiu Shu did not see, hear and obey her words these recent years, she decided to wholeheartedly support Wen Shi. How could such behaviour not turn people's hearts cold? At the same time, Yuxi also felt a little guilty. Even without writing a letter home, she knew the pressure that her mother was carrying must be much greater than her.
How generous this person must have been for having the idea to be filial to someone else's mother more than a biological daughter should be. Da Nainai Fu, who listened to these words from Yuxi, was somewhat moved as she said, "Since this is the case, then there is no need for you to be sad. When people get old, especially those in poor health, their temper tends to become eccentric."
Yuxi felt that Da Nainai Fu's words carried an implicit meaning. "What does that mean?"
Da Nainai Fu said, "This is not a secret. I have a clan aunt. When she was young, how she conducted herself in society was faultless, and no one in the clan did not praise her for it. She treated her two sons like she was holding a bowl of water levelled. Ultimately, when she got older, she saw that her younger son had made money and was wealthy. She always wanted her younger son to help the older one. Not only did she want her younger son to give a generous amount of silver for retirement each year, but she also wanted him to support several of her nephews in their studies. Finally, she even asked him to prepare a profitable store for his older brother. When her younger son was unwilling to do so, she cried. After knowing that her crying act was useless, she went to see the clan elder and made a very ugly scene. Originally, the relationship between mother-son and brothers could be considered harmonious. Still, in the end, they became estranged from each other."
Yuxi sympathised with Da Nainai Fu's clan brother. If his mother had always been partial, at least he wouldn't have any expectations of her and would not end up disappointed. However, his mother only became biassed when she got older. How depressing it must have been for him! Yuxi asked with great interest. "Now, what happened to them?"
Da Nainai Fu answered, "My clan brother, in a fit of anger, transferred all his businesses in Xinping City and then took his wife and children to Jiangnan to join the Yue family."
Yuxi commented, "This can also be considered a clean ending."
Da Nainai Fu shook her head and sighed. "It would have been better if it had been a clean ending. After her youngest son left, my clan aunt began to regret not being able to see her younger son anymore. She kept asking her older son to go to Jiangnan to bring him back. When he was unwilling to do so, she threw a tantrum." Her clan aunt right now had become a distasteful existence.
Yuxi felt that she had seen too little of this world. This earth was actually full of strange and bizarre things! What was even odder was that after hearing this story, she didn't throw up after eating a bowl of noodles. Even after she ate a bowl of goat's milk and egg custard in the evening, she still didn't vomit. Her morning sickness was weird. It was baffling that it came and went just like that. Please read this chapter at xinshou blogspot com.
Zijin began to tease. "If I knew that telling stories would help, I would have told Madam some interesting stories yesterday."
Mama Xi hurriedly stopped Zijin by rebuking her, "We can't talk nonsense about this kind of thing." After that, she lowered her voice as she spoke to Yuxi, "Madam, you have to stabilise your mood these days." She was sure that the morning sickness was affected by Yuxi's emotions. If Yuxi was in a bad mood, she would vomit. If she was in a good mood, she wouldn't.
Yuxi nodded her head. "I will."
Han Jianye rushed back to the capital and arrived three days before the Great Old Lady's burial. Because he was on the road day and night, the gatekeeper couldn't even recognise him because his face was full of wind and frost, and his beard was unshaven. However, Han Jianye's voice was still familiar to the gatekeeper, so he let Han Jianye in.
Influenced by Yuxi's previous words, once Han Jianye arrived at the State Residence, he didn't go to Xiuchun Courtyard to see Lu Xiu first; instead, he went to Changle Courtyard to find Qiu Shi.
Qiu Shi was playing with her two grandchildren when she suddenly looked at the doorway, reacting to her intuition. And at that very moment, Han Jianye walked in from outside. Seeing the figure in the entryway, Qiu Shi instantly exclaimed, "Mama Li, can you take a look? Is Jianye back?" Qiu Shi thought her vision had gone blurred.
Mama Li responded, "Old Lady, Second Master has indeed returned."
Han Jianye took three steps into the inner courtyard, knelt in front of Qiu Shi, and called out, "Mother, this son has returned." He felt that his mother had aged a lot after being away from the capital for over a year.
Qiu Shi choked up as she expressed, "It's good that you're back." After saying that, she pointed to the two children and said, "This is Lil Boy Shun, and this is Lil Boy An. Lil Boy Shun, this is your father. Call him father." Lil Boy An had just learned to speak, and his enunciation was still unclear, so one should not expect him to call Han Jianye father. While Lil Boy Shun was very unfamiliar with the sudden appearance of his father. He could only hug Qiu Shi's legs, not daring to greet Han Jianye.
Han Jianye was not sad but only scolded him. "Brat, don't you even remember your father? Has Father doted on you for nothing?"
When Qiu Shi heard this, she scolded him back. "What are you scolding the child for? The child is forgetful. You left when he was only three years old. He hasn't seen you for more than a year, so, normally, he does not remember you."
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi