The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 0557 Behind A Pitiful Person, There Must Be His Hateful Deeds

The sky was a dazzling blue, with the sun hanging like a ball of fire. Even the clouds seemed to have been melted by the sun, disappearing without a trace. The ground was so hot that it seemed to be steaming.

A carriage slowly made its way along the official road. Yuxi took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from her forehead. ”This weather could really kill someone.” Because she was pregnant, the carriage was moving very slowly. It was already noon, and they hadnʼt even reached Yu City yet.

Mama Lan lifted the curtain and looked out. ”We should reach Yu City in half a shichen at the most.” She was also suffering from the heat. As for Zaozao, she was listless, showing none of her usual liveliness.

When they returned to the Yun Residence, Yuxi was drenched, as if she had been caught in a heavy downpour. So, the first thing she did on her return was to take a bath. Of course, Yuxi didnʼt dare take a hot bath, so she used lukewarm water instead. After the bath, Yuxi felt utterly relaxed. She said to Zijin, ”I will never do this again.” If she had known earlier, she wouldnʼt have gone back and forth to the estate like this.

Zijin laughed and said, ”Madam, even I havenʼt mentioned the heat, and youʼre already complaining.” She was riding a horse, braving the scorching sun on the road.

Yuxi smiled and said, ”Where do you and I resemble each other? Being pregnant makes me very sensitive to the heat.” At other times, she wouldnʼt be this delicate.

Speaking of pregnancy, Yuxi looked at Zijin and wondered, ”Youʼve been married for half a year now, your health is fine, and you and Yuzhi are very loving, so why is there no news of a child yet?” Zijin was healthy, and she and Yuzhi were very affectionate; logically, they should have had a child by now.

Zijin replied, ”Thereʼs been too much going on lately. Iʼll wait until things settle down before thinking about having children.” Although she didnʼt know what Yuxi was planning, she instinctively felt that something big was about to happen and that now was not the right time to have a child. If she got pregnant, she couldnʼt stay close and protect Yuxi.

Yuxi was slightly surprised; she hadnʼt expected this to be the reason. But thinking about what was about to happen, she didnʼt push Zijin to have children at this time. Instead, she asked, ”Does Yu Zhi have any objections?”

Zijin smiled and shook her head. ”No. Master even said that both Yu Zhi and I are still young. It might be better to wait a few years until weʼre more mature before having children.” Master Yang said this not because he didnʼt want to hold his grand disciple but because he knew that Yuxi was about to make a big move soon. If Zijin had a child, she wouldnʼt have time to look after it, and there was a good chance the child would end up with him. While Master Yang was fond of Zaozao, his affection was limited to teasing her; he couldnʼt handle the responsibility of looking after her. He could not take care of her for even one day.

Yuxi smiled and said, ”As long as Yu Zhi doesnʼt mind.” Next year, Zijin would only be twenty, and having a child at that age wouldnʼt be considered late.

Looking at Yuxiʼs belly, Zijin hesitated momentarily before saying, ”Madam, Master thinks this baby will probably be another girl.” This ʼanotherʼ was somewhat harsh, but Zijin felt it was important to prepare Yuxi mentally. Otherwise, if Yuxi continued to hope for a son and ended up with another daughter, sheʼd be disappointed.

Yuxi was a little surprised and asked, ”Master Yang knows about this too?” She only knew that Master Yangʼs ointments were excellent, but she hadnʼt expected him to be able to tell whether the baby was a boy or a girl. After all, she was just over three months pregnant, and even the Imperial Physician and the midwife couldnʼt tell for sure.

Zijin said, ”Master says this child is quite delicate, and girls are usually more delicate.” If it were a boy who was this fragile, that would be troublesome.

Yuxi seemed thoughtful.

Seeing this, Zijin cautiously said, ”Madam, donʼt worry. Even if this one is a girl, the next will be a little boy.” She knew that Yuxi had always hoped for a son. Of course, Mama Lan and Mama Qu always talked about how they hoped Madam would soon have a son.

Yuxi smiled and stated, ”I love both sons and daughters.” Then, after a pause, she added, ”Yun Qing also feels the same way.”

Zijin breathed a sigh of relief. ”Then itʼs good to hear.”

Yuxi gently touched her belly and said, ”I donʼt mind having a daughter as long as sheʼs not as mischievous as Zaozao.” With Huo Changqing spoiling her and Yun Qing doting on her, even if Yuxi wanted to be a strict mother, the chances of turning Zaozao into a refined lady were slim.

Zijin said, ”This child is already so delicate at three months. She will be like you, a dignified and gentle lady.”

Yuxi smiled. ”Letʼs hope so!”

Yun Qing had gone to the military camp and didnʼt return until dark. At that time, Yuxi was resting on the soft couch. When she heard the steady, firm footsteps, she immediately opened her eyes.

Seeing that she was awake, Yun Qing apologised, ”Did I wake you?” He had tried to walk quietly but still ended up disturbing her.

Yuxi smiled and replied, ”Iʼve slept all afternoon. Iʼm well rested now. You havenʼt eaten yet, have you?” Seeing Yun Qing nod, Yuxi quickly asked someone to ask Mama Bai to cook. Usually, the dishes would be prepared and left to be served when Yun Qing returned, but Yuxi didnʼt like that. Since they had the means, she preferred the food to be freshly cooked.

Shiliu immediately brought water for Yun Qing to wash his face. As soon as he finished, Mama Qu brought a bowl of ʼThree Bean Soup 📹ʼ. This soup was made from mung beans, red beans, and barley, and it had the effects of clearing heat, reducing water retention, reducing inflammation, and detoxifying the body. Of course, Yuxi could only drink the naturally cooled version; she couldnʼt have the iced one, nor could she drink too much. However, Yun Qing had no such concerns, and after drinking a bowl of chilled Three Bean Soup, he felt his pores open up. This situation made him think how much better life was when his wife was at home—his quality of life had improved significantly.

It wasnʼt just Yun Qing who felt this way; Xu Daniu shared the same sentiment. While enjoying his chilled Three Bean Soup, Xu Daniu said, ”Itʼs best when Madam is at the residence.” When she wasnʼt around, not only did they not get chilled Three Bean Soup, they didnʼt even have regular Mung Bean Soup.

Xu Wu laughed. ”You should tell that to the General.” Xu Wu accompanied Yuxi to the estate, while Xu Daniu stayed behind at the Yun residence.

Everything was ready—dinner and side dishes were already in place—so there was no need to find anything else. Mama Bai had quickly prepared three dishes: one meat and two vegetables, which she personally served at the table.

Yun Qing had a big appetite. He ate three bowls of rice and polished off both plates of dishes. Yuxi could only shake her head. She had always told Yun Qing only to eat until he was 70% full, but his habit from the military was hard to break. No matter how much she said it, it made no difference. Eventually, she gave up on saying anything.

When Yun Qing put down his chopsticks, Yuxi suggested, ”Letʼs go for a walk in the courtyard.” A walk after dinner would help with digestion.

Yun Qing smiled and said, ”Sure!”

On summer nights, the stars were exceptionally bright. There was no need to light lanterns as the path was clearly visible. However, to be on the safe side, a maid walked ahead, holding a bright lantern to light the way. Yun Qing supported Yuxi as they strolled.

Before reaching the vegetable garden, Xu Wu rushed over and said to Yun Qing, ”General, General Fu is looking for you. He seemed anxious, so it must be something urgent.”

Yuxi, ever considerate, urged, ”You should go and see whatʼs going on. Iʼll head back with Zijin.” Fu Tianlei was known for his fearless fighting and unwavering loyalty to Yun Qing, but he was overly indulgent with his family. For Fu Qingluo to have such a temperament, Fu Tianlei bore an undeniable responsibility.

After Yun Qing left, Zijin remarked, ”I hope itʼs nothing to do with the northern barbarians. After last yearʼs war, I really donʼt want to see another battle.”

Yuxi smiled and said, ”It wonʼt be. Fu Tianleiʼs visit this time must be about a family matter.” If there were any movement from the northern barbarians, it wouldnʼt be Fu Tianlei delivering the news.

As Yuxi had expected, Fu Tianlei had indeed come for a family matter. This time, Chen Shiʼs pregnancy had been quite hasty, and the foetus was very unstable. She had almost miscarried several times, and now she could only lie in bed, too afraid to get up.

When Yun Qing heard that Fu Tianlei wanted to borrow Mama Lan, he frowned. Fu Tianlei smiled bitterly as he said, ”Ah Qing, you know as well as I do that Chen Shiʼs pregnancy has been difficult. I have no choice; otherwise, I wouldnʼt have come to ask for this favour.” He heard from Chen Shi how good Mama Lan was at taking care of people, and she even begged him for half a day, so he reluctantly came to ask.

Yun Qing replied, ”Itʼs not that Iʼm unwilling, but Mama Lan is good at caring for children, not pregnant women. Even if you borrow her, she wonʼt be much help.” The mama who was skilled at taking care of pregnant women, Mama Xi, had already passed away.

Fu Tianlei didnʼt think Yun Qing would find an excuse to refuse him, so he said, ”Even if sheʼs not helpful, just let her come with me anyway.” If Mama Lan honestly couldnʼt care for pregnant women, Chen Shi would at least feel reassured and stop making a fuss. In truth, he felt guilty towards Chen Shi. If Fu Tianlei hadnʼt taken a concubine, Chen Shi wouldnʼt have been in such a hurry to get pregnant and wouldnʼt have suffered so much. Even though he knew that this request was a bit much, he still hardened his scalp to ask.

Yun Qing responded, ”Then Iʼll go inform Yuxi.” Mama Lan worked under Yuxi, so borrowing her would require Yuxiʼs approval.

Yuxi wasnʼt too keen on letting Mama Lan go, saying, ”Zaozao canʼt do without Mama Lan. Otherwise, she wonʼt be able to sleep well at night.” Zaozao always slept with Mama Lan and was used to it. If she didnʼt see Mama Lan at night, she would cry non-stop. Of course, that wasnʼt the real reason. The real reason was that Yuxi didnʼt want to get involved with Chen Shi. Chen Shiʼs difficult pregnancy was entirely her own doing. Not to be pessimistic, but given Chen Shiʼs current health condition, it would be very difficult for her to give birth safely, and even if she did, the child probably wouldnʼt be in good health. Chen Shiʼs actions were irresponsible to herself and her child. If a child were born unhealthy, it would live a life of misery.

Yun Qing said, ”Tianlei has come to ask me personally, and I canʼt refuse him this favour. Just let Mama Lan go there for a visit, but she must be back by nightfall.” It wasnʼt an impossible request; it was just borrowing someone for a bit.

With Yun Qing making such a case, Yuxi knew she couldnʼt refuse without making things awkward for him. Reluctantly, she said, ”I can let Mama Lan go, but if she canʼt return tonight and Zaozao starts crying, youʼll have to be the one to calm her down.” It wasnʼt that easy to be the good guy.

Yun Qing nodded. ”Alright.”

Thinking about how the child Chen Shi was carrying might be unhealthy when born, Yuxi added, ”This time, Iʼll agree out of respect for your relationship with Fu Tianlei. But there canʼt be a next time.” If this child survived and turned out to be a girl, Chen Shi probably wouldnʼt pay much attention to her. But if it was a boy, Chen Shi might want to borrow Mama Lan again to care for her son, which would be never-ending.

Hearing Yuxiʼs concern, Yun Qing shook his head. ”By then, Mama Lan will have to take care of our children; she wonʼt have time to care for theirs.”

Yuxi, still uneasy, said, ”You better tell that to Fu Tianlei right now so he wonʼt be in a position to ask again later.”

Yun Qing nodded. ”Iʼll talk to him.” He felt that Yuxi was overthinking.

Before Mama Lan went to the Fu household, she gave Yun Qing a long list of things to remember. At that time, Mama Qu was also listening nearby, while Yuxi, feeling tired from her pregnancy, didnʼt pay attention—after all, she wasnʼt the one taking care of Zaozao.

After listening to all the instructions, Yun Qing felt a little dizzy and said, ”Isnʼt it just putting the baby to sleep and then getting up in the middle of the night to feed it?” He assumed that Zaozao was still like before: after being fed, she would sleep, and if she woke up hungry in the middle of the night, she would be fed again, take care of her needs, and then go back to sleep until morning.

Mama Lan was momentarily speechless and said, ”General, Young Miss was only a few months old then; she didnʼt understand anything!” A tiny baby would just eat and sleep, of course. But now it was different. Zaozao had so much energy that if it hadnʼt been for Shaoyaoʼs help, Mama Lan would have had a hard time taking care of her alone.

After hearing this, Yun Qing had a bad feeling.

Yuxi gave Yun Qing a little nudge and said, ”Zaozao hasnʼt fallen asleep yet. You should go and keep her company!” Although Yun Qing loved Zaozao, he was always so busy that he rarely had time to spend with her.

When Yun Qing entered the bedroom, Yuxi told Mama Qu, ”That Chen Shi really dares to make such a request.” Chen Shi was a mother herself, so she must have known that a caregiver caring for a child couldnʼt be replaced easily. Still, she made such an unreasonable request, obviously betting that Yun Qing wouldnʼt refuse Fu Tianlei.

Mama Qu, who thought more deeply than Yuxi, expressed, ”Madam, itʼs good that the General and General Fu are so close, but with someone like Chen Shi causing trouble, their relationship is bound to become strained over time.” Since Chen Shi had already made such a move, she probably wouldnʼt let Mama Lan return so easily. But Zaozao couldnʼt do without Mama Lan, and there would definitely be conflicts when the time came. In Mama Quʼs opinion, they should never have agreed to such an unreasonable request in the first place. If thereʼs a first time, there will be a second.

The good thing about older people was that they saw things more clearly.

Yuxi said, ”That wonʼt happen. Mama Lan will only stay for one night at most; sheʼll be back tomorrow.” Mama Lan was no fool and wouldnʼt devote herself to looking after Chen Shi. To be fair, Chen Shi probably had no choice but to make such a request.

Mama Qu countered, ”Madam, you canʼt just let Chen Shi get away with being so obnoxious.” With someone as selfish as Chen Shi, there was no need to be overly considerate.

Yuxi replied, ”Letʼs just wait and see.”

Mama Qu, who had been by Yuxiʼs side for several years, understood her personality well. ”I know you feel some pity for Chen Shi and have become softened. But Madam, as the saying goes, ʼbehind a pitiful person, there must be his hateful deeds.ʼ”

Yuxi replied like she had said before, ”Iʼll let it go this time. But if it happens again, I wonʼt be lenient with her.”