Chapter 206

Mama Shu saw the situation and dared not say more. She quickly scrambled to her feet and personally instructed a trusted young maid to find the page who had accompanied Yu Jingxiu to the yamen today.

After quite a while, the young maid returned, running over with a small page in a blue cap.

"Mother," the maid said breathlessly, "the one who went to the yamen with the eldest young master today was Duanyan, but Duanyan isn't here—they said he went out to handle some business for the young master. So I brought Chengxin, who serves by the young master's side..."

When you can't catch the louse, you catch the nit.

Since Madam had questions to ask, someone had to answer them, didn't they?

The young maid was quick-witted, and ordinarily this would have been fine, but at this moment Madam was looking for fault with the eldest young master—she could turn nothing into something...

Mama Shu couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

Meanwhile, Madam Yu had long since grown impatient waiting. She said coldly, "Well? Why can't I summon his people?"

Her personal maid broke out in a cold sweat and forced a smile: "Perhaps something delayed them. Let me go check!" She hurried out of the inner chamber in three quick steps and urged Mama Shu repeatedly.

Mama Shu had no choice but to bring Chengxin inside.

Chengxin kowtowed.

But Madam Yu's anger suddenly subsided. She said, "Since Duanyan isn't here, we'll wait until Duanyan returns to talk about it!"

Chengxin breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "I'll go wait at the main gate right away. The moment Duanyan returns, I'll tell him."

Madam Yu nodded and dismissed Chengxin.

Mama Shu knew that the more troubled Madam Yu was, the more composed she appeared. Worry crept across her brow.

Madam Yu noticed and curled her lip. "Don't worry. I've suddenly come to my senses. Here I am, frantic with worry, afraid he might slip up and ruin his reputation and future, while over there he's probably complaining that I don't know how to enjoy a good life and instead go around stirring up trouble for the two of them every day... So why should I put myself out for no thanks? If I get sick from anger, I'll have to hire a doctor and spend my own money on medicine. Better to go along with their wishes—let them do whatever they want." Her expression turned cold. "I'd like to see just what kind of life they think would be smooth and satisfying."

"Madam..." Mama Shu murmured, not knowing how to comfort her.

"Never mind," Madam Yu said with a self-deprecating laugh. "Let's not talk about that anymore." Then she brought up Concubine Wu. "...That wretch's heart now belongs only to Lady Fan. He may not listen to a word I say. Send two reliable matrons to serve in the rear chambers and keep an eye on Concubine Wu as well. After all, there's an equal chance of bearing a son or a daughter."

Concubine Wu was further along in her pregnancy than the young mistress. If both the young mistress and Concubine Wu gave birth to sons, then Concubine Wu's child would certainly be the eldest son—and that could not be allowed to stand. If the young mistress bore a daughter while Concubine Wu bore a son, who could guarantee the young mistress would have a son next time? Until then, Concubine Wu's son, as the only grandson of the Yu family, absolutely had to be protected... So before the child was born, Concubine Wu could not be allowed to suffer the slightest mishap.

That was how Madam Yu thought—but she feared the eldest young master might not think the same way...

Mama Shu understood.

Those two matrons would have to be quietly placed by Concubine Wu's side!

"I know what to do," she said in a low voice. "I'll quietly find two steady women."

Madam Yu nodded slightly.

And Yu Jingxiu, just as his mother had predicted, dismissed Chengxin when he came to deliver the message. Sitting at the head of Lady Fan's bed, he couldn't help but complain in a low voice: "Just because I left the yamen a bit early, she had to summon my page for questioning. I'm not fifteen or sixteen anymore. I've already placed first in the imperial examinations, I'm a Hanlin Academy expositor of the sixth rank serving in the Messenger Office. If word of this gets out, how am I supposed to hold my head up?"

Lady Fan had plenty of grievances against her mother-in-law as well, but she dared not show the slightest disrespect in front of Yu Jingxiu. She only offered a mild consolation: "Filial piety is the greatest of all virtues. And as they say, 'the old are like children'—husband, just treat it as humoring your mother."

"I suppose that's all I can do," Yu Jingxiu said with a helpless sigh.

Lady Fan tugged at his sleeve and asked curiously, "What exactly did you send Duanyan to do?"

Yu Jingxiu smiled. "Didn't you say yesterday you wanted to eat scrambled eggs with toon shoots? I heard that some flower farmers outside Fengtai use greenhouses to grow flowers, and there are toon trees that have sprouted. So I sent Duanyan to get some..."

"Husband!" Lady Fan was deeply moved, tears glistening in her eyes. But then her expression tightened. "What if Mother finds out? Will she scold you?"

Yu Jingxiu's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly before he smiled. "What's there to scold about? You're pregnant now, aren't you?" His voice grew lower, tinged with guilt. "It's all my fault. If only I had held out a little longer!" He gently placed his hand on Lady Fan's belly, which had not yet begun to show.

"How can this be your fault, husband?" Lady Fan said quickly. "It's my fault... If only I had shown signs sooner..." She choked up as she spoke. "Everything you've done for me over the years, I keep it all in my heart... It's my fault, I just don't have the fortune..."

"Don't cry, don't cry!" Yu Jingxiu wiped her tears away. "Be careful not to startle the child." He lowered his voice to assure her, "Don't worry, as long as I'm here, I won't let you or the child suffer any grievance!"

Lady Fan nodded and nestled into Yu Jingxiu's embrace.

In the past, she had appeared calm and composed, but in her heart, she had always been preoccupied with the matter of having a child... Placing a statue of Guanyin at her bedside, hiding a Taoist talisman under her pillow, choosing auspicious days for intimacy... No matter what she did, nothing happened—instead, her menstrual cycle became irregular... She understood some medicine and knew she was too tense. She knew she should relax, but the string in her heart seemed to have a mind of its own, staying taut...

Later, when Wu Shi entered the household, she suddenly felt a sense of despair.

Yu Jingxiu had apologized and begged for forgiveness, carefully watching her expressions as he went about his days.

She thought to herself that since she had already lost the chance for a child, she couldn't lose her husband as well... So she pulled herself together to deal with him, and who would have thought—she suddenly became pregnant...

Could this be fate?

Lady Fan bit her lip, her fingers gripping Yu Jingxiu's sleeve turning faintly white.

She said in a low voice, "When does Mother plan to go to Tanzhe Temple to fulfill her vow? I'd like to go with her..."

Yu Jingxiu was taken aback. "Can your body handle the journey?"

Lady Fan sat up straight and said with playful reproach, "Don't I just want to ask the Bodhisattva to protect me and my child?"

"Don't be upset, don't be upset!" Yu Jingxiu said quickly. "I'll speak to Mother about it shortly." As he spoke, he was already thinking about how to arrange Lady Fan's trip to offer incense. "I'll send a few attentive maidservants to accompany you..."

Lady Fan leaned against Yu Jingxiu's chest and smiled silently.

...

Fu Tingjun was smiling too.

"Where did you get these?" she asked, pointing at the tender green sprouts in the small bamboo basket. "It's only mid-February!"

Yuwei smiled and said, "Manager Ye sent them over. He said they're for Madam, the young ladies, and the young master to enjoy something fresh."

Fu Tingjun picked up a leaf and brought it to her nose to smell. "How fragrant!"

Youyou, who was sitting nearby, imitated her mother and picked up a leaf to smell. "How fragrant!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Fu Tingjun hugged Youyou. "Do you know what this is?"

Youyou shook her head. "No!" But her big, dark, sparkling eyes darted toward Mrs. Tong.

Mrs. Tong covered her mouth and chuckled. "This is a toon tree leaf. It can be stir-fried and eaten."

Ten-month-old Xige'er couldn't speak yet, but he could already understand. Upon hearing this, he immediately grabbed a handful and tried to stuff it into his mouth.

Fu Tingjun was quick-eyed and quick-handed, catching her son's little arm. "You little foodie! All you think about every day is eating!" She shook the toon sprouts from his hand back into the small bamboo basket.

Xige'er burst into loud wails.

Yuwei quickly picked him up and gently rocked him, defending him: "Being able to eat is a blessing. The young master is a fortunate person."

Fu Tingjun shook her head with a smile. "Go on, spoil him then!"

"Look at what Madam says," Yuwei said with a smile. "Isn't the young master still little? When he's older, he'll naturally understand things. It can hardly be called 'spoiling.'"

Perhaps because when Youyou was little, Yuwei's attention had been focused on finding Zuo Junjie, but by the time Xige'er was born, her wish had already been fulfilled. It was a time when she felt a void in her heart, and having an innocent child around, her attention naturally shifted to Xige'er. Compared to Youyou, Yuwei paid more attention to Xige'er.

Fu Tingjun didn't argue with her and instead asked about Manager Ye: "Hasn't he been doing business in the northeast these past few years? This is exactly the season for collecting furs and ginseng. How is it that he's in the capital? And with spare time to gather toon leaves and send them to us?"

"According to the young servant, Manager Ye has been promoted to head manager of the capital branch," Yuwei said with a smile. "The official handover will take place on the first day of the third month. These days he's staying in the capital to go over the accounts!"

"Oh!" Fu Tingjun said with a smile. "Then we'll need to prepare a gift to send over."

Datong Trading Company had several important branch stores, with the capital branch ranking first, followed by the Hangzhou and Guangdong branches. Manager Ye taking over the capital branch meant his status within Datong Trading Company had risen even higher.

"I was just about to discuss this matter with you, Madam," Yuwei said with a smile. "Although Manager Ye often sends us things, they're all ordinary yet seasonal items like toon leaves, following the etiquette of family friends. I think we might as well send a congratulatory gift according to custom, and then add a small ornament like a jade gourd or a jade pendant. What do you think?"

"That works!" Fu Tingjun said with a smile. "I recall I have a 'rising step by step' white mutton-fat jade pendant in my storeroom. Let's send that over!"

Yuwei smiled and acknowledged with a "Yes."

Yanqing announced from outside: "Madam, there's a man named He Xiulin here, saying he was entrusted by Ninth Master to deliver a letter to the residence."

He Xiulin...

That name sounds so familiar...

Fu Tingjun pondered for a moment, then had Yanqing bring in the letter. Glancing at the water clock, she said, "The Second Master still has two quarters of an hour before his lessons end. Go tell Manager Zheng to invite Master He to the southern parlor for tea..." Before she could finish the sentence, she let out an "Ouch!" and said, "I just remembered—He Xiulin, the Ganzhou Guard Assistant Commander, eldest son of He Wei, the Yulin Guard Commander—wasn't he in Ganzhou? How is he now with Ninth Master? And Ninth Master entrusted him to deliver a letter?" Then she hastily instructed Yanqing, "Quick, go fetch Zheng San at once. I have questions I want him to ask Master He."

Yanqing hurried off to summon Zheng San.