In the evening, Fu Tianlei returned home. It was the New Year, and since there were no urgent matters at the military camp, it wouldn't have been right for him not to spend the holiday at home.
The first thing Fu Tianlei did was to visit Chen Shi. When he saw her pale face and pregnant belly, his expression softened. "Did the child behave well today?"
Chen Shi gently stroked her belly and said, "The baby has behaved very well these days!" This child was her only hope, so she was always cautious.
Fu Tianlei nodded. "That's good." There was a time when they had endless things to talk about, but now there was nothing left to discuss except the child and household matters.
After some hesitation, Chen Shi said, "Husband, Father-in-law came by this morning and spoke to me." Old General Fu had urged her to persuade Fu Tianlei to swear allegiance to the Imperial Court instead of serving Yun Qing. Since he couldn't convince Fu Tianlei himself, he placed his hopes on Chen Shi. If their relationship had been as strong as it had been, she would have tried to persuade him. After all, there was no future in rebellion. But now that their marriage was in ruins, if it weren't for the child she was carrying, her husband probably wouldn't even set foot in the main courtyard. So she hesitated to bring up the matter.
Fu Tianlei's face showed a hint of irritation. "I know what I'm doing. Don't interfere—just focus on your pregnancy."
Chen Shi's eyes reddened. "Husband, Father-in-law is right. What good has rebellion ever brought? Please, for me and the child, think carefully about what he said."
Frustration welled up inside Fu Tianlei. "What do you know?" He wouldn't have chosen this path if he hadn't been left with no choice.
Tears streamed down Chen Shi's face. "Husband, I know you must have your reasons. But we are a family—we should face difficulties together." After eight years of marriage, she understood his character well. She suspected Yun Qing had something on him that forced him into this situation. Otherwise, her husband would never rebel willingly.
Fu Tianlei stood up. "Don't worry about outside affairs—just take care of yourself. I have other things to do. I'll visit you later if there's time." He told no one about Fu Qingluo's matter, including Old General Fu and Chen Shi.
Chen Shi wiped away her tears and turned to Mama He. "Tell me, what kind of leverage does Yun Qing have over my husband to make him so utterly devoted?"
Mama He shook her head. "Madam, listen to this servant's advice—just focus on your pregnancy and stay out of this."
Chen Shi didn't want to get involved either, but she couldn't help worrying. "But Father-in-law isn't wrong. How many rebellions have ever succeeded? Not only does the leader perish, but his family and clan will suffer as well."
Mama He scoffed. "Madam, I won't even talk about how the Old Master has treated you in the past. Just look at what he did today—if he had even a shred of conscience, he wouldn't have brought this up with you. What if the stress caused complications with your pregnancy? The consequences would be unimaginable." She loathed Old Master Fu. He was largely responsible for the rift between Madam and the General. Now, he had come to warn her of the risks of extermination if the General didn't submit to the Imperial Court while disregarding Madam's delicate condition. If Madam hadn't put her unborn child first, she might have been frightened into premature labour.
Chen Shi didn't like her father-in-law either, but fair was fair. "I truly am worried. Even if Yun Qing's rebellion succeeds, what will my husband gain from it?" The answer was clear—nothing at all.
Mama He voiced, "Madam, you think the General was forced to rebel because Yun Qing has leverage over him? But I don't think that's the case. No matter how serious the leverage, it wouldn't be enough to make the General commit treason." She paused momentarily, then lowered her voice and continued, "General Yun has sent back one million taels of silver to pay off all the arrears of military salaries owed by the Imperial Court. Not only that but the compensation for fallen soldiers that the Imperial Court has been withholding for years has also been distributed. Now, in Yu City, both soldiers and civilians alike are praising General Yun."
Being a soldier, especially in Yu City, was like having one's head tucked into one's belt1. Yet the Imperial Court not only withheld their wages but also refused to provide them with new weapons and equipment, showing complete disregard for their lives. After enduring this neglect for so long, the soldiers had already lost faith in the Imperial Court. That was why most of them followed Yun Qing into rebellion without hesitation—because they believed in him. They believed that once the rebellion succeeded, they would finally have a better life. Yun Qing's actions proved that their trust was not misplaced. When Yun Qing confiscated gold and silver, his priority was to distribute overdue wages and compensation.
This move also strengthened the resolve of those who had been hesitant. Whether they served the Imperial Court or Yun Qing, they were still risking their lives. Given the choice, why not follow Yun Qing? After all, he really cared about them and could offer them a future.
Chen Shi looked at Mama He and asked, "Do you also think Yun Qing will succeed in his rebellion?"
Mama He replied, "The soldiers of Yu City wholeheartedly support Yun Qing. If our General were to defect to the Imperial Court now, Madam, have you considered the consequences?" Her son was in the army, and when he came home yesterday, he excitedly told her that they had not only received their wages, but Yun Qing was also planning to provide all the soldiers with new weapons and equipment. Better weapons meant a higher chance of survival on the battlefield. As a mother, she naturally supported Yun Qing's side.
Seeing Chen Shi's hesitation, Mama He added, "Madam, stop worrying about this. Honestly, even if you did worry, it wouldn't change anything." Instead of worrying about things beyond her control, Madam should concentrate on taking care of herself and the child in her womb.
Chen Shi let out a long sigh. "You're right. There's nothing I can do about it. I should leave it to the General." Matters of war and politics were beyond her understanding, so it was better to stay out of them. For now, her priority was to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
---
That night, the New Year's Eve feast at the Yun residence was as lavish as the previous year's, showing no signs of restraint despite Yun Qing's absence.
Looking at the table filled with delicious dishes, Xu Daniu rubbed his hands together with a grin. "I was already satisfied just by thinking about having Mama Bai's lamb dumplings tonight."
Xu Wu chuckled. "Madam said everyone should have a joyful New Year." In previous years, they would have had wine for the feast, but given the current situation, alcohol was off the table. After dinner, there was still work to be done.
As Yuxi was still in confinement, her meals were kept light. But because she didn't breastfeed, her food was at least seasoned with salt. Yuxi recalled that when she gave birth to Zaozao, she had to go a whole month without salt because she was breastfeeding—no matter how good the food was, it was hard for her to enjoy it.
After dinner, Yuxi played with Zaozao. The child had an exceptionally good temperament—she never fussed about who held her and always smiled. Her laughter was infectious, lifting everyone's spirits. Sure enough, as soon as Yuxi teased her, Zaozao burst into giggles.
Just then, Mama Qu entered from outside and said, "Madam, the Old Master would like to see the Eldest Young Miss. He asked if I could bring her over."
Yuxi refused. "It's already late, and it's too cold outside. It wouldn't be good for the child to be taken out at night. Tell the Old Master I will have someone bring Zaozao over to see him in the morning." She was worried about how much Huo Changqing doted on Zaozao. It wasn't a problem now, but as the child grew older, excessive spoiling could make discipline difficult.
Mama Qu actually agreed with Yuxi. To take a baby out in this freezing weather was to risk her catching a cold, which would only cause everyone distress. "Understood, I'll inform the Old Master."
Huo Changqing was a little displeased. He felt that as long as the baby was wrapped properly, there was no real risk of her catching a cold. "Then bring her over in the morning."
When Xu Wu saw Huo Changqing's unhappy expression, he assumed Huo Changqing was worried about Yun Qing. "Yifu, don't worry. The General will be fine."
Huo Changqing glanced at Xu Wu and said, "Zaozao has rarely been brought to the front courtyard lately." These days, every time he wanted to see her, he had to ask someone to fetch her from the back courtyard. It wasn't like before when Han Shi would bring the child over on her own initiative.
Xu Wu didn't think much of it and replied, "With the General away, it's only natural that Madam keeps Zaozao in the back courtyard more often." Zaozao was everyone's little joy, and many people missed her. Even Xu Daniu often mentioned her. Xu Wu himself missed her too, but at least he could go to the back courtyard to see her once in a while.
Huo Changqing shook his head. "No, I have a feeling that I'll be seeing less and less of Zaozao from now on."
Xu Wu was momentarily stunned but then laughed. "Yifu, the General mentioned before that Madam plans to start Zaozao's education when she turns three. After that, she may have fewer opportunities to come to the front courtyard. But if you want to see her, you'll still be able to do so every day."
Huo Changqing didn't respond, but his expression darkened.
Sensing the change in Huo Changqing's mood, Xu Wu quickly changed the subject. "Yifu, about the General's letter to Madam—Mama Qu, she told me that it only contained six words: 'Everything is fine, don't worry.'"
Huo Changqing frowned. "Only six words?" Yun Qing also wrote to him, but his letter filled three pages. Of course, it was all about official matters—there wasn't a single personal word.
Xu Wu nodded. "Yes, only six words. Mama Qu told me personally, so there's no mistake. Yifu, you should have seen Madam's reaction—she was furious! Honestly, anyone would be upset. Madam's letter to the General was so thick it could barely fit in an envelope, yet he only replied with six words. The contrast is just too much! If I didn't know how much they love each other, I would think the General couldn't be bothered to write back."
Huo Changqing sighed. "He probably had too much to say and didn't know where to start, so he just wrote those six words."
Xu Wu laughed. "Even if he didn't know what to say, he could at least have asked about Madam's health or how Zaozao and Li-er were doing. But no, he didn't ask about any of them. The fact that Madam only sulked and didn't get angry showed her good temper." Or rather, it showed her patience and self-control.
Huo Changqing shook his head and fell silent. He could only sigh—Yun Qing was genuinely clueless when it came to such things.
Footnotes Full List
- This vivid imagery suggests that one's life is precariously close to being lost, as if one's head (symbolising one's life) is not securely fastened but loosely attached to one's belt, ready to fall at any moment. It's a metaphorical expression emphasising extreme danger and the constant risk of death.
Tags:
The Rebirth of Han Yuxi