After Yu Shu fell asleep, Xue Rui left quietly. He boarded a sedan in the back street and returned to the Xue Mansion.
Hōtoku, who was chatting with a few servants at the second gate, saw them enter the courtyard. He hurriedly threw the half a handful of melon seeds in his hand back onto the plate, dusted his hands, and trotted forward. He took out the big fan at the back of his waist and fanned Xue Rui as he said with a shy face,
"Young Master, why did you come back in the middle of the afternoon? It's so sunny outside."
Xue Rui glanced at him. He didn't mind that he had come out to play instead of staying in the inner courtyard.
"Is grandfather back?"
As the personal servant of Xue Rui, Hōtoku was very popular among the servants of the Xue Residence. He loved to run around, so he knew all the big and small things that happened in the Minister's Residence even without going out.
Hōtoku even knew Xue Lingnan's whereabouts.
"Grand Scholar Song invited me to the Glazed Wind Restaurant to drink tea. He's not in the manor right now."
Xue Rui nodded and casually asked, "Did Doctor Zhou come to my mother's place today?"
Xue Lingnan had always discouraged Xue Rui from going to the West Courtyard, so while Madam Xue had been ill, he hadn't even gone to the rear courtyard to see her.
"Madam seems to be better these two days. I don't see Doctor Zhou visiting to check on her." Bao De carefully looked at Xue Rui's expression. When he saw that there was no one around, he moved closer to Xue Rui and said in a fawning tone,
"Master isn't in the mansion. Young Master, why don't you go see Madam? I'll keep watch for you."
"Meddlesome." Xue Rui patted the back of his head. His eyes were calm as if he was unmoved. He went straight through the east corridor and returned to his residence.
.....
An hour later, Xue Rui was standing outside the small courtyard next to the west courtyard's ancestral hall. He was wearing the pine green gown he had just changed into. His hair was neatly wrapped in a square scarf, revealing his handsome facial features. His refined appearance made the maid guarding the courtyard blush. When she came back to her senses, he had already entered the courtyard.
Madam Xue had lived by the side of the ancestral hall for ten-some years. The wutong tree in the courtyard had grown from a sapling to a height that surpassed the walls. Xue Rui still remembered that whenever he had the chance to visit his mother when he was a child, Madam Xue would bring him to the courtyard to water this tree, coaxing him that once the tree grew up, he would be able to see her every day.
Now, the tree had grown to the point where he had to look up at it. But his mother's promise had been broken three years ago.
He destroyed it with his own hands.
"Young master!" The maid, who was dozing off in the hall, was startled awake when she heard the sound of the curtain moving. She raised her head and saw that the person who came was Xue Rui. She exclaimed in surprise.
"Is Mother awake?"
"This … Young master, please wait a moment." The maid hurriedly tugged on her skirt and stood up, then quietly entered the inner room.
Xue Rui stood at the door, vaguely hearing voices from within. In a few moments, the maid retreated and pursed her lips into a smile.
"Young master, come in. Madam is awake."
Saying so, she walked to the door. "This servant will stand guard outside."
Xue Rui nodded and entered the room.
The room was not large. There was a bed, a couch, a dressing table, and a cabinet. It was so simple that it did not seem at all like the living quarters of the stately Madam of the first branch of the Xue Estate.
Madam Xue was sitting up on the couch, a thin blanket covering her knees. Her eyes were slightly open, unfocused as they gazed in the direction of the door. A faint smile hung on her sickly face as she slowly extended her hand.
"Rui 'er."
Xue Rui's steps paused. His gaze swept over her face and he inwardly sighed in relief. He then quickly walked to her side, tightly grasped her hand, and sat down next to her. A bright smile rose on his face, not caring that Madam Xue couldn't see it.
"Mother, your son has been busy with official business these past few days and was unable to visit Mother. I've missed Mother."
"It's not a problem. It's good that you were able to come." Madam Xue patted the back of his hand, then pinched his arm. Her brow slightly creased, she said,
"You've gotten thinner again. You've worked hard, but you still have to obediently eat your meals. Don't think that just because I can't see you, I don't know."
Xue Rui made a sound of assent, but he did not say that the last time he came to visit her, the weather had been cold and he had been wearing thick clothes. Now that the weather was hot and he had taken off his clothes, he naturally felt thinner.
Madam Xue was just like any other mother. She pulled him over and chattered for a while, mostly about Father Xue.
"… At the time, your father was the prefectural magistrate of Yiyang. He was also busy from day to night, as if there was no end to his work. In the first year, he lost a great deal of weight, but he was quite spirited. When he returned to the capital, he found it hard to sleep. Every day, he would go to the morning court at the five o 'clock hour and wake up at the four o' clock hour."
Xue Rui casually interrupted, "Father returned to the capital when I was two years old. Mother, did you hear about the matter of Yun Hua changing his son and Princess Luyue?"
Madam Xue tilted her head, closed her eyes, and thought back. "I did hear about it, but by the time we returned to the capital, those two had already passed away, so I had no chance to meet them."
That year, Xue Rui's father, Xue Zao, was still alive. The two of them were loving and harmonious, and Madam Xue's health had not yet collapsed. Old Minister Xue did not confine her to the West Court like he did now.
Counting the years, Xue Rui knew that his parents had never met Yun Hua, but he did not feel disappointed. Instead, he asked:
"Then, Mother, have you ever heard that this Yunhua Yi's son had a first wife in his hometown?"
Madam Xue did not seem to remember matters from ten-odd years ago. She frowned and thought for a long time, then forcefully grabbed Xue Rui's hand and said:
"Yes, when I was young, I faintly heard a few rumors. They said that this Yi Zi had once publicly defied His Majesty's decree and refused to become the Emperor's son-in-law. It was said that he already had a wife."
Xue Rui's spirits rose. He thought to himself that his mother's memory was very good when she was sober, so there was no way she would be mistaken. In that case, the story told by the storyteller in the teahouse was most likely true.
"Then what happened later? Why did he marry a princess?"
"Who knows? Perhaps he coveted royal power and riches, or perhaps he had a change of heart. Isn't there a saying in the books: even heroes have a weakness for the charms of a beautiful woman?"
Madam Xue smiled coldly. One could vaguely make out the elegance of her youth on her pale face, but she was blind, so she could not see just what sort of grace those eyes had held ten years ago.
Seeing the sadness on her face, Xue Rui did not dare to ask any more questions, afraid that he would bring up her sad past and cause her to fall into hysteria again. As a result, he changed the topic.
"Mother … your son has someone he admires."
Madam Xue froze, then joy and curiosity appeared on her face. Pushing his hand, she urged:
"When did this happen? Which family's young lady? Did she tell your grandfather to send someone to propose marriage?"
After living in seclusion for ten-some years, Madam Xue had long since lost the authority and self-awareness of a mother. She didn't even dare to think that she could make the decision on her son's marriage.
Xue Rui's eyes flashed as he lightly laughed. "She's from Yiyang, not a female teacher of disguise from a noble clan. Last year, she took the Dayan exam and is a famous female fortune-teller. She's intelligent and knows how to handle matters. She also has a younger brother at home, and she's the type of person who cares about the old and cherishes the young. I still haven't mentioned it to my grandfather, so I'll talk to Mother first. "
Hearing this, Madam Xue's face alternated between smiling and worried. "As a girl, it's best for her to be educated and reasonable. I don't have any ideas. If you find her suitable, tell your grandfather as soon as possible so that you don't miss out on a good marriage."
"En, your son is attentive."
Madam Xue patted the back of his hand and sighed. "Your father and I were husband and wife for several years, but in the end, we only have one child. Your father is gone, but even if I have one breath left, I still want to see you start a family and hold a grandson. Only then can I close my eyes in peace."
Hearing these words, Xue Rui's complexion darkened. He tightly pursed his lips and carefully grasped Madam Xue's ice-cold hand. Pressing it against his forehead, he softly said:
"It's your son who is unfilial."
Madam Xue seemed not to hear his words. Blinking her empty eyes, she continued to warmly smile at him.
As Xue Rui gazed at her, he felt his heart ache. Three years ago, she had gone crazy. When she awoke, she no longer remembered Jin Xun. All she knew was that he was her son, so she could not see Jin Xun, or else her illness would relapse.
He could still come here a few times a year, but Jin Xun had not been able to see his birth mother since three years ago.
This was a sin he had committed, but he didn't know whether or not he would be able to repay it while they were still alive.
By the time Yu Shu woke up, it was already dusk. She lay alone in the cool and ventilated courtyard. Opening her eyes several times, she still felt that it was somewhat unreal.
She had actually told Xue Rui everything in one breath.
Rubbing her swollen head, she sat up cross-legged and slowly recalled the details. Suddenly, she giggled.
"Ha, I've been vexed for several days for nothing. It's much easier to say it out loud."
She stretched and stepped on her shoes. Just as she got off the bed, Xiao Qing and Xiao Die, who had been guarding outside, heard the noise and entered.
"Miss, you've woken up. Drink some tea and wash your face."
Yu Shu felt refreshed. Returning to her room on the second floor, she changed out of her wrinkled clothes and asked:
"Did my eldest brother say that he would be back tonight?"
Xiao Qing squatted in front of her and smoothed out her belt, answering, "Young master said that he wouldn't be coming tonight. He told Miss to eat first before leaving."
Yu Shu was not a clingy person. Hearing these words, she was only disappointed for a moment before continuing to do what she had to do.
After dinner, Yu Shu returned home and asked the concierge. Knowing that He Fangzhi had come back early today, she remembered what she had promised Yu Xiaoxiu the day before, so she didn't even go back to the house and went straight to Zhao Hui's courtyard.
He Fangzhi and Zhao Hui were playing with their son in the room. Yu Shu came in and sat down. She hugged He Xiaochuan and mentioned that she wanted Yu Xiaoxiu to recognize them as his godparents.
The first to nod was He Fangzhi:
"I was going to mention this to you even if you didn't say it. You two siblings, one calls me father, and the other calls me uncle. Not to mention that it's hard to say, you've drifted apart for no reason."
Parents were biased. If Zhao Hui doted on Yu Shu more, then He Fangzhi undoubtedly liked to bring Yu Xiaoxiu more.
Zhao Hui hesitated and said, "It's a good thing, but have you asked your mother about this?"
"Of course I've asked before I came to tell my parents. Xiaoxiu is also happy to be your godson. My mother is not a good person. In the future, when Xiaoxiu grows up, there will be no elders to teach him. Even marriage will be difficult. My mother understands this."
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