Sometimes, even knowing certain words are lies, one can’t help but say them.
People can disguise their emotions, turning sadness into happiness, but it’s difficult to control emotions and truly transform sadness into joy.
Liking is liking, happiness is happiness.
However, when Chu Yu handed him the flower, he still felt that he would try his best to fulfill everything she said.
Watching Wei Yun accept the flower, Chu Yu felt a softness in her heart, and her voice became particularly gentle. “Don’t worry,” she said, “I and your other sisters-in-law will accompany you to bury Father-in-law and your brothers.”
Wei Yun lowered his eyes and nodded.
After setting the date for the burial, Liu Xueyang arrived home the next day. The Old Madam had difficulty walking and was unwilling to see off her children, so she didn’t return with Liu Xueyang.
On the night Liu Xueyang returned, the Wei mansion was once again filled with cries. Chu Yu tossed and turned, unable to sleep amidst the sounds of weeping.
After a long time, the crying finally ceased. Chu Yu let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes.
When she woke up the next day and went to the mourning hall, Chu Yu saw Wei Yun already waiting there.
Liu Xueyang had cried all night and wasn’t in good spirits. Wei Yun stayed by her side, comforting her gently. Nearby, Zhang Han and Wang Lan stood guard with red eyes, looking as if they had also been crying for a long time. They had always been close to Liu Xueyang and listened to her the most. Now that their mother-in-law had returned and cried all night, they naturally followed suit.
Seeing the state of these people, Chu Yu couldn’t help but feel a headache. She went forward, supported Liu Xueyang, called for a doctor, and asked hurriedly, “Mother-in-law, are you alright?”
“Ah, Yu…” Liu Xueyang, supported by Chu Yu, wiped her tears and stood up. “They’re all gone, leaving us widows and orphans. What are we going to do now?”
“Life must go on.” Chu Yu helped Liu Xueyang sit down and had someone bring a damp cloth for her to wipe her face. She comforted her, “There are still five young masters who haven’t grown up yet. They need a Mother-in-law to take care of them. The future is long, and Mother-in-law must take care of herself. Don’t add to Little Seven’s worries.”
Hearing Chu Yu’s words, Wei Yun looked up at her and let out a sigh of relief.
He had been listening to Liu Xueyang cry all night. At first, Liu Xueyang, Zhang Han, and Wang Lan had cried together, their heartrending sobs heard throughout the courtyard. He had come to comfort them, and it had gotten a bit better. Now that Chu Yu had arrived, Wei Yun unconsciously felt relieved, his heart settling down.
He didn’t notice this growing dependence, nor did he feel there was anything wrong with it.
After the women had settled for a while, the steward found Wei Yun to arrange the day’s schedule. Wei Yun nodded and gave instructions. When the time calculated by the master arrived, he had Chu Yu lead the people to kneel at the main gate.
The Wei family hadn’t notified others about the funeral, but when Chu Yu went out, she still saw many people standing at the gate.
Closest to the Wei mansion gate were the officials who usually associated with them, and further away were the common people who had come after hearing the news. For four generations, the Wei family had not only fought on the frontier but also been generous in charity, saving countless people in the capital.
Chu Yu looked up and scanned the crowd, seeing the leading figures: Grand Tutor Xie, the Princess Royal, Chu Jianchang…
Among this group, a middle-aged man in white clothes holding a folding fan quietly watched the funeral procession.
Chu Yu recognized him at a glance.
It was Emperor Chunde.
However, she didn’t look long, as if she didn’t recognize the monarch’s presence. She simply folded her hands in front of her, bowed slightly in that direction, and then turned to bow to the common people in another direction.
The young madams of the house led the young masters out one by one, standing beside Chu Yu and Liu Xueyang. Attendants placed kneeling mats under the Wei family members. Chu Yu and Liu Xueyang led the young madams to stand on either side, then heard a loud call: “Kneel—”
At this command, the Wei family members knelt respectfully, and the officials standing on both sides of the Wei mansion gate also lowered their heads. Someone among the common people started it, and gradually, people knelt. In an instant, a large portion of the long street was covered with kneeling people.
“Open the gates to receive the coffins—”
Another loud call and the Wei mansion gates creaked open, revealing the scene inside.
Wei Yun stood in front of the coffins, dressed in mourning clothes, his hair tied high with a white band. Behind him, seven coffins were arranged in four rows. He stood alone in front of the coffins, his posture straight. Though he was just a youth, he seemed capable of supporting the heavens and the earth.
“Recite the eulogy for the lords, a paper to recount their lives—”
The ritual official called out again. Wei Yun unfolded the long scroll in his hand, lowered his eyes, and began to recite the eulogy he had written over several days.
His voice was steady, somewhere between a youth and a young man, but the calmness and steadiness in it made people dare not regard him as just a youth.
His literary skills weren’t exceptional, but he quietly recounted the lives of the seven people behind him.
His father, his eldest brother, and his other brothers.
These seven people were born into a family that protected the country and died in wars protecting the country.
Even though they were branded with infamy, in the eyes of the clear-minded, it was still evident how clean these people were.
He recounted their lives, simply narrating the battles they had experienced, yet around him, sobbing sounds gradually arose. When he recounted some of their daily lives, the crying spread even further.
“On the twenty-seventh day of the seventh month, my eldest brother got married, but news of an urgent situation at the border arrived. Our whole family rushed to the border, fighting tirelessly for seven days and nights, repelling the enemy. That night, we held a feast. My brothers and I got drunk on the city wall, gazing at the stars.”
“I was young and didn’t understand life, so I asked my brothers what they wished for in life.”
“My eldest brother answered that he wished for peace in the world and clarity everywhere.”
“All my brothers agreed. I asked again, if peace was achieved, where would they go?”
“My brother laughed and answered, ‘In spring, watch the willows by the river. In winter, wait for snow with white hair. Share three cups of wine with friends, and sleep drunk in the spring wind pavilion. Rush to life and death on the battlefield, be most romantic in the capital. We’re just ordinary men, a warm family lamp in wind and rain is enough.'”
A warm family lamp in the wind and rain is enough.
When these words were spoken, the young madams could no longer hold back. Their suppressed, calm sorrow suddenly burst forth, intermingling with the cries of the surrounding common people. The entire long street was buried in the sound of weeping.
Chu Yu knelt numbly on the ground, her mind blank, somehow recalling the day of her wedding, those carefree and flamboyant Wei family youths.
Rush to life and death on the battlefield, be most romantic in the capital.
Chu Yu closed her eyes trembling, and under such emotions, felt something wet her eyes.
When Wei Yun finished reciting the eulogy, his voice had also become hoarse. But he didn’t cry. He placed the eulogy into the fire basin, and after it burned, he raised his hand and shouted: “Lift the coffins—”
That voice was loud and clear as if on the battlefield, a general shouting: “Charge!”
When the coffins left the ground, they made creaking sounds. Wei Yun held a long-burning lantern, leading the coffins out of the Wei family gate.
Then Chu Yu stood up, supporting Liu Xueyang who was crying heartbrokenly, leading her and the other young madams and young masters to follow behind the coffins.
Behind them were the Wei family’s guards and servants, forming a long procession that almost filled the entire street.
Wherever they passed, there were cries, shouts, and the clamor of people’s voices, scattered calls of “General Wei.”
“General Wei,” who knew who they were calling? For in those coffins lay all who were General Wei.
White paper money fluttered in the sky. Officials automatically followed behind the long procession, and the common people followed as well.
They left the capital, climbed over high mountains, and arrived at the Wei family cemetery.
Wei Yun’s leg injury had not yet healed, and the climbing motion caused him much pain. Yet his expression remained unchanged, as if nothing was wrong, leading people to the pre-dug gravesites. Following custom, he let the family members see their loved ones one last time before burying them in the yellow earth.
That last look was probably the most cruel moment. But throughout the entire process, Wei Yun maintained his calm and steadiness.
Everyone was crying and wailing. But he stood there, like a stabilizing anchor in the flood. No matter how high the waves or how fierce the storm, he stood firm.
If you couldn’t walk anymore, you could lean on him to rest; if you didn’t know where to go, you could look up to see his direction.
He was the pillar of the Wei family, the backbone of the Wei family.
A light rain fell, and people came and went around them. Wei Yun stood numbly in place, watching his family members sink one by one into the yellow earth.
Finally, it was Wei Jun’s turn to be buried.
Chu Yu stood beside him, watching Wei Jun’s coffin open.
The body had undergone special treatment. Except for the pale blue complexion, it didn’t look much different from when he was alive.
He lay in the coffin as if he had just fallen asleep, with a faint smile on his lips.
He had always been a gentle person, unconsciously smiling no matter when. So even when he wasn’t smiling, it felt like he was.
Chu Yu quietly looked at him, this husband she had only met once.
The first time she saw him, she promised him a lifetime.
The second time she saw him, he had already ended that lifetime.
She looked for a long time, wanting to remember him. This young man had ordinary, delicate features, nothing stunning about him. She feared that in the long future, she might forget him.
He was betrothed to her at nine years old, and for this engagement, he had waited for her to come of age, waited for her to grow up. All the other Wei family young masters had loved ones to remember them; he shouldn’t be without one.
She might not have loved him, but she wouldn’t neglect this wife’s responsibility. So her gaze fixed on his face, not moving away for a long time. After a while, Wei Yun finally couldn’t bear it anymore and said hoarsely, “Sister-in-law, it’s time to close the coffin.”
Chu Yu came back to her senses, and nodded, looking a bit dazed. After a long time, she slowly said, “Alright.”
Wei Yun instructed people to close the coffin. He and Chu Yu were the only people in the entire scene who could still maintain composure. They calmly saw off those people, and when everything was settled, led the crying people down the mountain.
When they reached the foot of the mountain, the crying gradually subsided. By the time they reached the family gate, the crying had finally stopped completely.
No one’s tears will last a lifetime for anyone; all wounds will eventually heal.
Those screaming, sobbing voices were like wounds exposed to the sunlight. They looked fierce and messy, but they also recovered the fastest and most simply. The most difficult are those wounds licked in the dark. They are hidden away, silently festering in the darkness, swelling repeatedly, not knowing when they will end.
It was already night when they returned home. The crowd dispersed, leaving only the Wei family members to return to the Wei mansion.
Everyone was exhausted. Chu Yu had the kitchen prepare dinner and had the whole family gather in the dining hall to eat.
Because so many people were suddenly gone, the dining hall seemed especially empty. Chu Yu left the seats of those who had passed away. After the banquet began, she poured wine for everyone.
“This is the daughter’s red wine my father buried for me, now aged fifteen years,” Chu Yu said as she stood up to pour the wine. She smiled and continued, “My father buried many when I was born. We drank them all on my wedding day, except for the two best jars. Today, they’re all for you.”
She returned to her seat and raised her cup, “Tonight, we’ll drink to our heart’s content. After this night, let the past be past.”
The unspoken words hung in the air: “You and I, each to our future.”
Though left unsaid, all the young madams present understood.
No one spoke for a moment. Then suddenly, Yao Jue stood up and shouted, “Drink! Once we finish, tomorrow will be a new day!”
With that, Yao Jue raised her cup, threw her head back, and downed it in one go. She roared, “Good wine!”
After Yao Jue’s lead, the atmosphere livened up. Everyone ate, drank, and played as if it were just an ordinary family gathering after their husbands had left for war. They pushed and teased each other, laughing at one another’s antics.
Wang Lan, being pregnant, couldn’t drink. She just watched with a smile. Yao Jue appeared the most spirited, but her alcohol tolerance was the poorest. Before long, she became drunk and started pulling people to play drinking games. Zhang Han was dragged along, and the two of them, drunk together, began spouting nonsense.
“Our Fourth Young Master, don’t look down on him for losing a finger. He’s amazing! He can nail a coin to a tree from a hundred paces away, through a hole no bigger than a copper coin!”
“Fourth Young Master… that’s nothing,” Zhang Han mumbled, hiccuping. “My husband, now that’s impressive. The first time I saw him was at the Lantern Festival. Someone was harassing me, and he, with just a folding fan in his hand, went ‘smack, smack, smack,'” Zhang Han waved her hand in the air for a while, then mumbled, “and sent more than a dozen armed men flying into the lake.”
Jiang Chun, who had been drinking, heard them praising their husbands and felt a bit unhappy. She quickly joined in and started praising her husband, “Our Second Young Master…”
Chu Yu and Xie Jiu, who had high alcohol tolerance, sat quietly to the side, listening.
In some aspects, Xie Jiu and Chu Yu share an inherent similarity. For instance, when it came to drinking, both Xie Jiu and Chu Yu drank slowly, sip by sip. As soon as they felt the slightest hint of intoxication, they would stop, rest for a while, and then continue.
Composed and calm, they never allowed themselves to lose composure.
However, on this night, as they drank elegantly, they lost that control. Xie Jiu’s face was flushed as she turned to look at Chu Yu, smiling as she said, “Sometimes I think we’re the same kind of person, but then I realize we’re not.”
“You,” she raised her hand, her jade-like fingertip pointing at Chu Yu’s heart, “your heart is still warm, still like a child’s.”
Chu Yu chuckled lightly, but replied, “You think you’re not?”
Xie Jiu didn’t respond. She suddenly turned to the maid behind her and said, “Bring the qin!”
“A’Ya used to love hearing me play the qin. You wouldn’t think it, coming from a military family like the Wei’s, but he was more refined than any young master from a noble family.”
As she spoke, Xie Jiu saw the qin being brought over by the maid. She straightened up and said, “Now, let me play for him one last time.”
With that, she walked to the center, took the qin from the maid’s hands, sat down on the ground, and after plucking the strings, began to play softly.
It was a folk tune, gentle and clear in melody, not recognizable as any particular piece. It was gentle and quiet, seeming to flow with the moonlight.
“Smoke signals light up nine provinces, the general carries his sword,
I hold a cup of apricot blossom wine, sending you off at the bridge…”
“The warm spring light of the third month, flowers adorn the city gate,
Ask the returning travelers, is the general’s name known…”
Chu Yu watched Xie Jiu quietly. When her qin music started, everyone fell silent. Before long, they all began to sing along.
They were all in the prime of their lives. As Chu Yu watched them singing this folk tune, she suddenly felt a heaviness in her heart. She picked up her wine and walked out, only to see Wei Yun sitting in the long corridor, quietly gazing at the moon.
The wine had made her feel a bit flushed. She walked over to Wei Yun, sat down beside him, and asked, “Why isn’t Little Seven asleep?”
Wei Yun had endured a long day with his injuries and was already exhausted, so Chu Yu had told him to go to sleep earlier.
However, she hadn’t expected him to be sitting outside all this time, not having left.
It had rained lightly in the afternoon, but the night was clear with a bright moon. The air was filled with the damp smell after rain, along with the freshness of the earth.
Wei Yun gazed quietly at the moon and said, “I used to hear these tunes often.”
Chu Yu remained silent, and Wei Yun continued, “I used to like them a lot. Every time I heard them, I felt like all my efforts had meaning. I don’t have as grand ambitions as my brothers. I just felt that the reason I wielded a spear on the battlefield was for these people at home. I wanted to see them happy every day, singing, dancing, pondering which rouge looked better.”
“But I don’t know why today,” Wei Yun gave a bitter smile, “hearing these tunes today, I feel…”
He paused, searching for the right words. Chu Yu took a sip of wine and slowly asked, “Feel what?”
“That I… ultimately failed to protect them.”
Wei Yun turned to look at Chu Yu, “Sister-in-law, am I too useless?”
Hearing this, Chu Yu tilted her head back and drained the wine from her bowl in one gulp. Then she stood up, pulled off the plain white ribbon from her hair, letting it fall loose, and then used the ribbon to tie all her hair back. She walked to the weapon rack in the courtyard.
She then swiftly took a long spear from the rack and ran her hand along it.
“When I was young, my mother always wanted me and my sister to learn dancing, playing the qin, writing, and singing those soft southern tunes. But I didn’t like any of it. I wasn’t good at anything, except for this spear in my hand.”
As she spoke, Chu Yu flicked the spear in her hand, holding it with one hand pointing to the ground, the other behind her back. She slowly raised her head, her gaze falling on Wei Yun. “Nothing else can please you, so allow me to dance for you.”
As soon as the words fell, the long spear thrust out, tracing a beautiful arc in the air.
Inside, the soft voices of women singing could be heard. Outside, the sharp sound of the spear cutting through the air.
The moonlight fell on her white figure, blending with the gentle melody. For a moment, Wei Yun felt as if he was in a beautiful dream.
In this dream, this girl was so resilient, so strong. Her long spear was like a swimming dragon, carrying a cold light no less fierce than any heroic youth of the world.
Maple leaves fell gently with her movements, becoming the only warm color under the moonlight. The fourteen-year-old Wei Yun stared at Chu Yu, his eyes unblinking.
He had never seen such a beautiful sight before. This beauty wasn’t just a simple scenic beauty; it seemed to carry a silent power, like a pair of hands, slowly lifting him when he was about to fall. His gaze remained fixed on the girl, listening to the song coming from behind.
“Spring views willow by the river, winter waits for snow-white heads.
Three cups of wine with friends, drunk and lying in the Spring Wind Tower.
Life and death on the battlefield, most romantic in Huajing…”
The girl’s eyes held a bright smile, her long spear tracing arcs of light through the night.
Finally, as the qin music slowly faded, the girl made a flip in the air, her long spear striking the ground forcefully. She knelt on one knee before him, raising her head.
Her bright eyes held a smile in the moonlight, showing a heroic spirit no less than any man’s.
Life and death on the battlefield are, the most romantic in Huajing.
How could these verses only be for the Wei family’s men? How could the girl before him not be the most romantic?
Wei Yun looked at her, listening as she spoke with a smile, “Wei Yun, I don’t need you to protect me. None of us need you to protect us.”
“You just need to be yourself, that’s enough. I’m here,” her voice grew gentler, “I’ll always be here.”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. He looked at the young woman kneeling before him, holding the long spear, a smile spreading across her jade-like face.
“Last time, you gave me a flower, in exchange for me being happier. This time you’ve given me this dance, what should I give you in return?”
Surprised by Wei Yun’s words, Chu Yu raised an eyebrow, “What can you give?”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. At the moment Chu Yu asked, a phrase flashed through his mind.
To receive such a dance, I’d willingly die in your service.
These words stopped at his lips. He silently looked at her for a long time, then smiled.
“I’m very happy.”
He spoke earnestly, “With you here, sister-in-law, I’m truly very happy.”
The moonlight was bright. Chu Yu tilted her head, with a childlike, clear smile, quietly looking at him.
That night, everyone celebrated for a long time before finally going to sleep.
It was as if all emotions were vented that night. Those feelings of love or pain all dissipated with the song and the night. Everyone knew that life had to move forward.
After a night of heavy drinking, when Chu Yu woke up the next day, it was already noon. After Chu Yu had washed up, it wasn’t long before Xie Jiu sent someone to announce her arrival and then walked in.
Chu Yu was eating when Xie Jiu came in, which surprised her a bit. “Why have you come so early?”
“It’s time,” Xie Jiu smiled, her smile carrying a hint of bitterness and reluctance, but also determination. She walked in and said, “I’ve come to ask for your help.”
“Go ahead,” Chu Yu, seeing her expression, had already guessed her intention. She had been expecting this conversation for a long time. That Xie Jiu had held on for so long was already beyond her expectations. So she didn’t refuse and invited Xie Jiu to sit down.
After Xie Jiu sat down, she took a sip of tea, hesitated for a moment, and finally pressed her lips together and said, “Now that the Fifth Young Master has been buried…”
She lowered her eyes, gripping her clothes tightly, “Little Seven has returned, and the Wei household has settled down. I’ve come to you… to ask for your help in requesting a divorce letter from Little Seven and Mother-in-law.”
“Why not ask yourself?” Chu Yu was a bit confused. Xie Jiu gave a bitter smile, “Compared to Little Seven, I’d rather face you to say these words.”
Chu Yu understood Xie Jiu’s difficulties. The world was already harsh towards women. If one didn’t marry into a powerful family, even returning to one’s maiden home might result in bullying. The lives of women like Xie Jiu were always full of calculations. What Xie Jiu had done for the Wei family was already more than most could give.
Chu Yu’s face remained calm as she nodded and comforted her, “This is for the best. You’re still young. With your talents and beauty, remarrying shouldn’t be difficult.”
The customs in Da Chu were relatively open-minded. People valued a woman’s talents and beauty. Although remarriage wasn’t as highly regarded as a first marriage, it wouldn’t face too much criticism. Xie Jiu didn’t speak. Seeing her silence, Chu Yu thought for a moment and asked, “Is there anything else you need?”
“You’re… determined to stay with the Wei family?” Xie Jiu hesitated, “You’re only fifteen now…”
“As you said, I’m only fifteen now,” Chu Yu smiled, her gaze falling on the tea leaves floating in her cup. “I don’t have anyone I like right now, and I don’t know what I’d do if I went back home. It’s better to stay with the Wei family. My situation is different from yours. My parents aren’t forcing me, and I don’t want to get married myself,” Chu Yu’s eyes were gentle, “It’s not about being noble or pure, it’s just a personal choice.”
Hearing this, Xie Jiu sighed, “It might seem a bit shameless to say, but if you’re staying with the Wei family, could I trouble you to look after Linghan…”
Wei Linghan was Xie Jiu’s child, only three years old now. Chu Yu quickly nodded, “Don’t worry about that. Staying here, I had already planned to take care of the young master. Even though you’re leaving, with the child here, this is still half your home,” Chu Yu smiled at her, “You can come visit me often, and see Linghan too.”
Hearing Chu Yu’s words, the heavy stone in Xie Jiu’s heart finally fell away. An immense gratitude welled up, leaving her momentarily at a loss. She looked up at Chu Yu, and after a long while, just as she was about to say something, Chu Yu blinked and interrupted her with a smile, “But let me be clear, all this comes with some compensation.”
“What compensation?”
Xie Jiu could see that Chu Yu was joking. Chu Yu thought for a moment, “The Fourth Young Madam plays the qin beautifully. When you have time, come and play a tune for me. That will be your payment.”
“Alright.” Ji Jiu nodded in agreement, “I’ll come.”
Seeing Ji Jiu relax, Chu Yu leaned back in her chair and asked, “Is it just you coming this time? Besides you, who else wants this divorce paper?”
“Except for Jiang Chun, everyone has asked me to come and have you relay the message to Xiao Qi.”
Chu Yu nodded and inquired further, “What about Wang Lan’s child?”
“She’ll give birth first, take care of the child until they’re two years old, and then leave the manor.”
This answer seemed to have been thought out beforehand. Ji Jiu explained, “It’s just that when the time comes, she feels it would be awkward to ask for the divorce paper alone, so she thought about doing it together with us now.”
Chu Yu acknowledged this. Wang Lan had always been indecisive; asking her to go alone to Wei Yun for a divorce paper was indeed not something she could do.
Chu Yu discussed the matter of staying or leaving with Ji Jiu for a while longer before Ji Jiu bid farewell to return and prepare to pack her things.
Before leaving, Ji Jiu suddenly remembered something and said to Chu Yu, “By the way, did you know your sister is discussing marriage with the Heir of the Song family?”
Hearing this, Chu Yu was slightly taken aback, but then nodded, “Now I know.”
Although she knew, she didn’t take it to heart. Whatever Chu Jin did seemed to have little to do with her now.
Seeing no reaction from Chu Yu, Ji Jiu understood that Chu Jin probably didn’t hold much importance to Chu Yu, so she turned and walked out.
As she left, her body seemed slightly hunched, suddenly appearing much older. Chu Yu silently watched her retreating figure without saying anything.
When it came to feelings for the Wei family, she certainly couldn’t compare to these young madams. They truly loved their husbands, but for Chu Yu, her feelings towards the Wei manor were perhaps more of respect and responsibility. So while they would need a long time to slowly heal their pain after leaving, Chu Yu could straighten herself out after one night of drinking, ready to face the long road ahead.
Chu Yu closed her eyes and composed herself.
Burying the seven deceased members of the Wei family was just the beginning of Wei Yun standing up again. The road ahead would only be more difficult, and she had to support Wei Yun along the way.
After resting for a while, Chu Yu had someone notify Liu Xueyang and Wei Yun and then went to Liu Xueyang’s room to meet them.
When Chu Yu arrived at Liu Xueyang’s room, Wei Yun was already there. Liu Xueyang’s expression wasn’t good; losing her husband and son had been too great a blow for her. Seeing Chu Yu enter, she listlessly asked, “Is there something?”
Chu Yu recounted Ji Jiu’s request in detail. Upon hearing Ji Jiu’s words, Liu Xueyang began to tear up. Wei Yun listened quietly without saying much. After Chu Yu finished speaking, Liu Xueyang finally said, “They… they…”
Speaking, she didn’t know who to blame, and after struggling for a while, she finally said, “It’s good that Jun’er married you.”
“The young madams are not that young anymore, unlike me. If they stay in the Wei family for a few more years, the road ahead will be even harder for them,” Chu Yu reasoned. “Mother-in-law put yourself in their shoes. What would you do if you were them?”
Hearing this, Liu Xueyang was taken aback. After a moment, she sighed, “How could I not understand this reasoning? It’s just that when I think about them being children of my Wei family, I just…”
She waved her hand, “Forget it, forget it. If they want it, give it to them. Forcing them to stay would only harm them and be of no use to the Wei family. Let it be so.”
As she spoke, Liu Xueyang called for someone to bring ink and paper, instructing Wei Yun to write the divorce papers. After Wei Yun finished writing, Liu Xueyang suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Chu Yu, “They’ve all made plans for themselves. What about you, A’Yu?”
“I’m still young,” Chu Yu smiled, “I don’t have any plans. I just want to accompany Young Uncle in rebuilding the Wei manor and help raise the five young masters a bit more before deciding. Mother’s health isn’t good, so someone needs to stay in the manor.”
“You…” Liu Xueyang wanted to say something but held back, finally saying, “Don’t worry, our Wei family won’t let you suffer any losses.”
Chu Yu nodded, took the divorce papers from Wei Yun’s hand, reviewed them one by one, and then said to Liu Xueyang and Wei Yun, “Then I’ll go deliver these to them now.”
Liu Xueyang nodded, looking somewhat fatigued.
After Chu Yu had walked away, Liu Xueyang sighed, “This A’Yu, she’s a foolish child. She’s already fifteen now. If she stays to help you rebuild the Marquis Manor, she’ll be over twenty by then. How could it be as easy to find a good husband then as it is now?”
Wei Yun said nothing, helping Liu Xueyang to the bed.
Liu Xueyang’s health wasn’t good to begin with, and this shock had weakened her further. She sat on the bed and said to Wei Yun, “Your sister-in-law’s kindness is not easy to come by. You must remember it well. She could have chosen not to stay, but she has stayed now. This is a favor.”
“I understand,” Wei Yun nodded, his eyes showing no trace of perfunctoriness. “I keep all of Sister-in-law’s kindness in my heart.”
“She’s not planning for herself, but we must plan for her. Losing her husband right after marriage, her life has been unfortunate. In the future, you must take good care of her and never be disrespectful or disobedient.”
“Your son understands.”
“You have more friends than us women. In the future, when you restore the Marquis manor, pay more attention to suitable talented young men outside, and keep an eye out for your sister-in-law and second sister-in-law. Family background isn’t important; with our Wei family supporting them, they won’t live too poorly. What’s important is that they have good character and know how to care for others.”
Hearing this, Wei Yun was stunned and didn’t answer for a moment. Liu Xueyang waited for a while, and not hearing a response, she turned and said, “Xiao Qi?”
“Mm,” Wei Yun, hearing her call, came back to his senses and hurriedly said, “I will pay more attention. If there are suitable candidates in the future, I will plan for my sisters-in-law.”
Liu Xueyang lay on the bed, nodded, and worry showed in her eyes, “If only my Jun’er… When it comes to caring for others, who could be better than the sons of our Wei family? A good girl like A’Yu… and A’Chun… Alas,” she sighed repeatedly, “What a pity…”
Hearing this, Wei Yun remained silent. It wasn’t until he had helped Liu Xueyang fall asleep that he walked out.
After leaving the room, Wei Yun still seemed a bit dazed. Wei Xia couldn’t help but ask, “What is the Seventh Young Master thinking about?”
“I’m thinking,” Wei Yun’s gaze fell into the distance, “What would the Wei family be like if Elder Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law left?”
Hearing this, Wei Xia sighed, “We understand what Young Master is saying. If the Young Madam and Second Young Madam leave, the manor would indeed be…”
Then Wei Xia added, “But we can’t keep them in the Wei manor forever. The Young Madam and Second Young Madam are still young, especially the Young Madam. In this world, it would be a pity if they couldn’t taste the sweetness of love.”
“What nonsense are you talking about,” Wei Qiu glared at him, “Don’t say such messy things to the Seventh Young Master.”
Wei Yun didn’t speak, listening to Wei Xia’s words, he felt a bit dazed.
It was fine for Jiang Chun who had a child, but Chu Yu couldn’t be kept, and shouldn’t be kept.
Not only could he not keep her, but he also had to think of ways to plan her future, to find a man worthy of her.
But now that she was remarrying, even though everyone knew she had never consummated her marriage, it wouldn’t be easy to find a man matching her character as a remarried woman.
He could only wait until he restored the Marquis of Zhenguo’s manor, and then see if he could use his power to secure a bright future for her.
Wei Yun’s mind was in a jumble, thinking of many things, while Wei Qiu and Wei Xia argued behind him.
Wei Yun was young, and the manor hadn’t assigned him special attendants yet. Now that Wei Jun was gone, Wei Xia and Wei Qiu were simply left to serve Wei Yun.
Wei Yun heard Wei Xia clamoring behind him: “Wei Qiu, you old fogey, don’t you think it’s cruel to let a young woman in the prime of her life remain a widow for life?”
“You…”
“Enough,” Wei Yun felt he had finally figured out a solution and said calmly, “In the current situation, even if my sisters-in-law remarry, they would only end up with mediocre men. Wait until I restore the marquis manor, then I’ll choose good matches for them.”
“When the time comes, whoever my sister-in-law likes, I’ll go and make that person propose.”
“What if they don’t come?” Wei Xia asked curiously. Hearing this, Wei Yun sneered, “It’s their choice whether they want the person or their life.”
Hearing this, Wei Xia was convinced, feeling it was an excellent plan.
Just as Wei Xia was about to say something more, the steward hurriedly walked in from the corridor outside. He came up to Wei Yun and said in a low voice, “Young Master, someone has come from the palace. His Majesty wants you to enter the palace for an audience.”
Hearing this, a cold light flashed in Wei Yun’s eyes. A moment later, he said to Wei Qiu, “Go bring the wheelchair over, and fetch me the fox fur and hand warmer.”
Wei Qiu responded and went back. Wei Yun quickly went to Chu Yu’s room and said coldly, “Sister-in-law, lend me some powder.”
“What for?”
Chu Yu walked out from the inner room and tossed the powder to Wei Yun. Wei Yun rushed to the mirror and started applying powder to his face, saying as he did so, “His Majesty has summoned me to the palace. It’s unlikely to be for anything good.”
Hearing this, Chu Yu became anxious and frowned, “If His Majesty wants you to go to the front lines, don’t rashly agree…”
“I understand.” Before Chu Yu could finish, Wei Yun had already finished applying the powder. He hadn’t applied it evenly, and Chu Yu sighed helplessly, walking up to him to help smooth it out.
Her hand was warm, and when it touched his cold face, he instinctively wanted to step back but forcibly stopped himself. He just held his breath, letting her smooth out the powder on his face.
Wei Yun’s skin was already fair, and now with the powder, he looked even more pale as paper in the night. Wei Qiu pushed the wheelchair over, bringing the fox fur. Wei Yun messed up a few strands of hair to fall by his ears, draped the fox fur over himself, hugged the hand warmer, and sat down in the wheelchair. In an instant, he transformed into a sickly young master. With a light cough, he looked as if he was about to ascend to heaven.
Chu Yu watched Wei Yun’s performance with mixed feelings. Wei Yun sat in the wheelchair, hugging the hand warmer, instantly getting into character. He coughed lightly twice, then said in a weak voice to Wei Qiu, “Let’s go.”