She pointed at Madam Yin’s belly: “I mean, if possible, you could ask an imperial physician to help improve your health. Maybe you could still have a son.”

Madam Yin had injured herself when giving birth to Ye Yayin and had shown no signs of pregnancy for over a decade. The Yin family had always worried for her, and in all these years, the two families had interacted with little confidence, always feeling that Madam Yin had failed to give the Ye family more descendants, letting down the Ye family.

Now that Ye Yaming had become successful, with even the Prefect personally coming to offer congratulations because of her, Madam Lu, while happy for her niece, thought of her sister-in-law.

Madam Yin looked at Madam Lu speechlessly: “How could a son-in-law request an imperial physician to help his mother-in-law improve her health to have a son? Sister-in-law, are you joking?”

Only then did Madam Lu realize her words were too abrupt.

Fortunately, she knew the Ye family had many servants with various thoughts, and some words, when passed around, would change in meaning, so she had spoken these private words to Madam Yin away from the maids and servants.

Her face reddened, and she quickly said: “I didn’t think it through. Please don’t be offended, sister. I’ve just been thinking about this matter for so long that I’ve become obsessed.”

As she spoke, she lightly slapped her mouth.

Madam Yin’s eyes reddened, and she grabbed Madam Lu’s hand: “Sister, I know you mean well.”

In previous years, Old Lady Yin and Madam Lu had accompanied her in seeking medical advice and remedies. Now her mother had passed away, and only her sister-in-law cared for her and thought of her welfare.

Seeing that she wasn’t blaming her, Madam Lu said: “Well, let’s not talk about requesting an imperial physician, as they probably aren’t easy to mobilize. Perhaps there are good doctors in the capital who could be introduced. We won’t mention having a son either. Yaming is filial to her mother and wants to invite a doctor to improve her mother’s health—surely no one would say anything about that?”

Madam Yin remained silent, pondering.

Seeing this, Madam Lu quickly said: “It’s just a suggestion. Discuss it with your husband.”

The two chatted idly for a while longer before Madam Lu took her leave.

The Ye family was marrying off a daughter, hosting only a lunch banquet; the Xie family would host the evening banquet.

Most of the guests at the Ye residence left after the midday wedding feast. Some who lived far away would depart the next day, so the Ye family had to accompany guests for the evening meal. Ye Hongsheng didn’t return to his courtyard until nightfall.

Ye Hongsheng didn’t like to drink, but at banquets, it was inevitable to have a few cups. Madam Yin had someone prepare a sobering soup for him; she also personally brought him clothes and asked him to bathe.

Ye Hongsheng sensed something unusual in her mood and asked after his bath: “Did something happen today?”

Madam Yin shook her head.

She bit her lip, but eventually told him about inviting a doctor from the capital to improve her health.

Ye Hongsheng stared at her: “Who told you this?”

Before Ye Yayin turned ten, Madam Yin had sought medical advice everywhere, taking countless medicines, but her belly had shown no movement.

Whether it was because he had expressed that he didn’t care about having a son and wouldn’t take a concubine, or because she had finally given up hope, the pervasive smell of medicine in their courtyard had finally disappeared.

Now that Madam Yin was bringing up the old topic again, and after receiving guests, Ye Hongsheng could guess without thinking that someone must have said something to her.

The concern from her natal family had always been something Madam Yin took pride in. And since the couple had always been honest with each other, Madam Yin didn’t conceal anything and recounted her conversation with Madam Lu.

After hearing her out, Ye Hongsheng asked her a question: “If Yaming sacrifices her dignity by having her fiancé invite a famous doctor from the capital to help you improve your health so you can have a son, what about sixteen years later?”

The leap in logic was so great that Madam Yin didn’t immediately react, asking blankly: “What do you mean?”

“People say, ‘The protruding rafter is the first to rot.’ Yaming, as a girl, should have been carefree like Qing’er and Yin’er, only needing to play the zither and embroider at home, waiting until she comes of age for us to select a good husband for her to marry. With a substantial dowry and her business acumen, she would certainly live very well for the rest of her life.”

“So why doesn’t she enjoy such a comfortable life, but instead steps forward to shoulder the Ye family’s burden? Didn’t Yaming feel hurt by Xiu’er’s words from the first branch yesterday? When Madam Tao’s sour remarks reach Yaming’s ears, doesn’t she feel pressure? She’s a good girl who travels thousands of miles to Huizhou and Minzhou. Why does she work so hard?”

These questions left Madam Yin speechless.

She recalled the words Ye Yaming had said to her two years ago after falling ill and coming down from the mountain.

After a long silence, she finally said: “It’s for me.”

“Yes, it’s for you,” Ye Hongsheng looked into Madam Yin’s eyes. “It’s because you didn’t have a son, and she doesn’t want you to suffer grievances in the family. She wants you to hold your head high, so she works tirelessly, bearing burdens she shouldn’t bear, and has achieved her current status.”

“Have you thought about this: if you have a son, when he comes of age, should the six-tenths of the Ye family’s second branch’s property be inherited by your son or given to Yaming? What virtue or ability would your son have to deserve it? If it goes to Yaming, would your son willingly accept that? In the end, who would you help? As a mother, having such thoughts when your daughter has gained benefits for you, does that do justice to everything your daughter has sacrificed for you?”

Madam Yin stared blankly at her husband, her eyes gradually reddening, tears falling drop by drop onto her cheeks.

“I—I didn’t think that far,” she stammered.

“It’s not that you didn’t think, but that you didn’t want to think,” disappointment filled Ye Hongsheng’s eyes.

In the past, Madam Yin had always felt that her natal family was poor, that she had no money, and that she hadn’t given birth to a son. She would constantly worry about various things, and though she cared for her daughter, it was not enough to the extent that she, as a mother, didn’t understand her daughter.

When Ye Hongsheng discovered that his eldest daughter was so intelligent and capable, while disappointed in Madam Yin, he was more self-reproachful. Because he had been engrossed in tea-making and hadn’t properly cared for his daughter, he couldn’t reproach his wife more.

Since then, he would often summon the elderly female servants from Ye Yaming and Ye Yayin’s courtyards to inquire about his daughters’ daily routines, meals, activities, and moods. He would also have people prepare a bowl of soup for his daughters or make new clothes to show a father’s care.

The more he learned, the more he felt for his eldest daughter’s hardships. So, this man who never contended was willing to stand up for his daughter, to argue with his father and elder brother, to fight for his daughter’s interests.

And when Ye Yaming made changes for Madam Yin, becoming like a son to the second branch, supporting it, what had Madam Yin done for her? She still wallowed in self-pity, distressed about not having a son; even when Ye Yaming brought her glory, Madam Yin wasn’t seen to care more for her daughter.

Honestly, Ye Hongsheng was disappointed.

Undeniably, Madam Yin loved her husband and daughters, but she loved herself more.

This was also understandable. His elder sister-in-law and fourth sister-in-law didn’t necessarily love their children above all else. His elder brother and fourth brother were even more so. Thus, Ye Hongsheng ultimately chose to be tolerant of Madam Yin.

He comforted himself, thinking that at least Madam Yin was sensible and didn’t cause trouble. She would listen to his advice and hadn’t held Yaming back.

But today’s talk about having a son left him utterly disappointed.