Chapter 191

Chapter 191

Word of the rebellion couldn't reach too many people, but Shen's father had to be told.

Because Shen's father was the type who wouldn't lift a finger unless there was something in it for him. If there weren't enough benefits, just because he was the son-in-law, he'd never follow orders wholeheartedly.

Telling Shen's father about the rebellion might scare him, might make him panic, but with the lure of huge rewards and the threat of dragging the nine clans down with him, the old man's choice was a no-brainer.

He couldn't risk it—couldn't risk betting that Emperor Taixuan was really that big-hearted.

Even if the emperor was truly forgiving and let the Shen family off the hook for his tip-off, he'd still get kicked out of office, no way around it.

Shen's father had stepped on plenty of toes climbing the ranks over the years. The moment he lost his post, the Shen family would be torn apart by predators.

So he had no choice but to climb aboard Han Zhang's sinking ship!

Shen's father was a sharp man, and he made his call without hesitation, but being strong-armed onto that ship still choked him.

Shen's mother, meanwhile, was blissfully clueless beside him, singing the praises of their wonderful son-in-law.

"Old man, come see this—Lan Ge'er's wet nurse secretly sent this letter! Every single thing in here lines up with what Lan Ge'er wrote us! Looks like Little Han really treats our Lan Ge'er the way he says he does—not a bit of fooling around."

"He stayed in Lan Ge'er's room with him the whole pregnancy, never went chasing after other women just 'cause we weren't around..."

"Unlike some people, who dragged me off to some backwater post and started taking concubines the second my folks were too far away to watch you!"

"My Lan Ge'er's got good taste—snagged himself a fine husband on the first try. Not like you—whatever you picked back then just made my Lan Ge'er suffer for nothing..."

Shen's mother sang Han Zhang's praises while taking digs at Shen's father.

She knew it wasn't nice and would tick the old man off, but she just couldn't help herself—who told him to be so far beneath their son-in-law?

Shen's father did puff up with indignation and couldn't help but snort: "Oh yes, your precious son-in-law is just wonderful—so wonderful he's one of a kind, nothing like us mere mortals. How could a lowly wretch like me even compare?"

Decides to rebel and just goes for it, rolling up his sleeves and charging in without even a word to his old father-in-law—reckless and boneheaded!

But Shen's mother, clueless about the real situation, couldn't understand why her husband was so worked up. Figuring he was just being petty, she rolled her eyes and said with disdain:

"Tsk, at your age, still getting jealous of your own son-in-law? Besides, you really can't compare—I'm just telling the truth. What, you did it, so now I can't even mention it?"

"Go on, shoo—I can't be bothered arguing with you, you old goat."

Shen's mother waved her hand like she was shooing a fly, then picked the letter back up like it was a treasure. Her eyes landed on a little portrait that came with the letter, and her face lit up in a big smile.

"Oh my, let me get a good look at my little grandson... Look, look at that little face—no wonder he's Lan Ge'er's boy, all chubby and fair, like one of those lucky baby dolls on New Year prints. Just precious!"

"The letter says his baby name is Xiao Tao'er? Good, good, what a fine name! Eating well is a blessing—a kid should be nice and chunky like this..."

"Lan Ge'er also said our little grandson is crazy smart—only a few months old and he already understands what grown-ups say. A real little prodigy, through and through..."

Shen's mother read the letter, saw that her son and little grandson were happy, and beamed with satisfaction.

Knowing her son was doing fine, she could finally relax.

Shen's father was still sore about Han Zhang strong-arming him, but he doted on his little grandson.

Looking at the chubby, bright-eyed kid in the portrait that came with the letter, his expression softened too.

"This kid takes after our Lan Ge'er—really good-looking."

As for the fact that the kid looked like Shen Qinglan but even more like Han Zhang—well, Shen's father conveniently pretended not to notice.

Finally, he smiled at his grandson's portrait and added: "And he looks like he's got good luck coming to him too..."

Even if the kid wasn't born lucky, he'd make luck for him!

With little Xiao Tao'er as the tie that bound them, Shen's father found comfort and hope, and his resistance to joining Han Zhang's rebellion faded fast.

In fact, deep down, he got even more gung-ho about it than Han Zhang.

After all, when it came to swallowing grievances, how could Han Zhang compare to him—a nobody from a poor family who'd spent decades climbing the official ladder, always scraping by in the cracks?

Shen Qinglan hadn't only written to his parents—he'd also remembered to send regards to Second Brother Shen, Eldest Sister Shen... and his dearest friend An Yongyan.

...

At the Jiang residence.

An Yongyan was reading Shen Qinglan's letter together with Jiang Wencheng, while also inventorying the several cartloads of specialty gifts sent from Yunyang.

An Yongyan looked at the letter, both delighted and helpless: "Even as a father now, Lan Ge'er is still the same carefree glutton as always. This thick letter—more than half of it is about his eating and having fun in Yunyang. Completely carefree, not worrying anyone at all."

Jiang Wencheng took the letter with a smile: "That Lan Ge'er can remain this way is precisely proof that Brother Han treats him exceptionally well and shields him completely. You should be relieved, not worried."

"That's true..." An Yongyan nodded with a smile, then couldn't help stroking his belly with a worried sigh: "Now even Lan Ge'er has a child, yet my belly still shows no sign. The medicinal soups the physician prescribed have soaked me through with the smell of herbs, and still nothing."

He and his husband had been married for three years, loving and harmonious—by all rights, he should have conceived long ago.

Unfortunately, he had been born prematurely as a child. Even raised with the utmost care, his constitution had been affected in matters of progeny, and to this day, there was still no news.

Thinking of children, An Yongyan couldn't help feeling despondent. He looked at his beloved with some sadness:

"Husband, I've thought it over—perhaps I should take a concubine for you? This body of mine, I fear... it's difficult."

"If this continues, not to mention your parents, even my own natal family will start voicing complaints, blaming me for holding you back and tarnishing the reputations of my other siblings."

He naturally didn't truly want to arrange a concubine for his husband, but such was the world—of the three unfilial acts, having no heir was the greatest. The pressure from all sides was simply overwhelming.

Jiang Wencheng's face filled with pain as he replied: "Speak no more of this! My husband, if you mention taking a concubine again, I will truly be angry."

"But..."

"No buts." Jiang Wencheng cut him off, his tone resolute. "I'll go speak with my legitimate mother and my birth mother—I'll say I have some hidden ailment that makes me unfit for heirs."

"If we have no children, so be it. I'm merely a concubine-born son; the burden of carrying on the family line was never meant to fall on my shoulders. What's wrong with us simply closing our doors and living our own quiet life?"

He tightened his grip, wrapping his husband's slightly cool hand in his own to comfort him: "An Ge'er, the bond we've shared since childhood—how could ordinary couples compare? How could there be room for an outsider between us?"

An Yongyan's eyes reddened instantly, and he choked out: "But I want to have a child with you—Lan Ge'er and I even agreed we'd become in-laws someday..."

"Then we'll find more physicians! Though the capital has many famous doctors, the world is vast—there must be others skilled in treating this condition elsewhere. I remember Brother Han knows medicine, and he's descended from a divine healer. Let's go to Yunyang and have Brother Han examine you!"

Jiang Wencheng said firmly. Though he didn't know if Han Zhang could help, he was the pillar of their little household and couldn't afford to show hesitation or weakness.

In truth, An Yongyan had considered seeking treatment from Han Zhang before.

But Han Zhang had previously made it clear that his life-restoring golden needle technique could only be performed a limited number of times, and such precious opportunities were firmly held in the imperial family's grasp.

Without the Emperor's explicit approval, none of the powerful families in the capital would dare to seek him out on their own.

As for why Shen Qinglan hadn't taken the initiative to ask Han Zhang for help?

It was because his difficulty conceiving was something he simply couldn't bear to reveal. Even if he had told him, the previous Shen Qinglan wouldn't have been able to help anyway, so he simply didn't mention it.

Now, as this idea came up, An Yongyan was both tempted and worried: "But what about His Majesty..."

"The medical expertise is Brother Han's, so it's naturally his call. At worst, we could just stay in Yanzhou for good and never come back to the capital. Trading that vague, uncertain future for a child of our own—in my book, that's worth more than anything."

Jiang Wencheng smiled with an easy, carefree air, pulling An Yongyan into his arms: "I've never been a man of great ambition anyway. In this world, nothing matters more to me than you and Mother."

"Actually, being posted outside the capital isn't so bad. Although Yunyang is remote, the folks there are simple and honest, and things are stable. Once we're there, the Emperor's far away, and we can shut our doors and live our own little life—much more comfortable and free."

Although his stepmother didn't make things hard for them as concubine-born children, living in that household with such a big family inevitably led to friction.

Especially since his mother was a concubine, she had to do the morning and evening rituals to serve the matriarch every day. Life wasn't exactly pleasant, and if he could use this chance to move his mother out of the household to enjoy her old age in comfort, it would kill two birds with one stone.

Listening to his beloved's plans for the future, An Yongyan's anxiety and hesitation suddenly settled. He buried his head in Jiang Wencheng's chest and nodded, his voice muffled:

"Mmm, I'll do whatever you say, husband."

"Don't be afraid. Your husband's got everything handled. Tomorrow, I'll go speak with Father about the transfer."

Jiang Wencheng patted his husband's back reassuringly, his smile soft and affectionate.

But the next day,

in his father's study, he couldn't smile anymore.

His father said gravely, "You can transfer to Yunyang Prefecture if you wish, but your mother, the concubine, cannot go with you. His Highness has some matters he needs you to handle..."

After hearing what his father had to say, Jiang Wencheng went deathly pale.

It took him a long while before he asked in a trembling voice, "Father, how... how can His Highness do such a thing? That's the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Yunyang Prefecture... If it truly comes to that, is there any way for me to survive?"

"Cheng'er... Your father doesn't want this either. But you must understand—from the day I became the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, the entire Jiang family has been bound to His Highness. We rise together and fall together... The Jiang family has no way back now."

His father closed his eyes, the furrows on his face seeming even deeper, his voice choked with suppressed sobs.

He patted his son's icy shoulder heavily, his tone carrying a faint promise so uncertain that even he couldn't believe it himself:

"In any case, when the time comes, your father will do his best to work things out for you."

"I understand, Father."

Jiang Wencheng said no more, his expression somewhat dejected, with a strong undercurrent of unwillingness.

He didn't want to die—if he died, what would happen to his mother and his husband?

After all, no matter how close a friend or blood relative might be, no one could truly protect his mother and husband the way he could as their son and husband.