The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 0603 A Fortunate Woman

When Er Nainai Zhao was leaving, Mama Qu personally escorted her out.

When they reached the second gate, Mama Qu paused for a moment and then turned around to speak to Er Nainai Zhao: ” Er Nainai, with the General away on a military expedition, our Madam is now alone at home and may feel a bit lonely. If Er Nainai has some free time, please visit our Madam more often.”

Er Nainai Zhao smiled as she assured her, ”I will do that even without you asking.” She had nothing to do at home anyway, so it would be nice to come over and chat with Yuxi. Most importantly, her mother-in-law not only wouldnʼt mind her visiting the Yun mansion, but she would also be very supportive of it.

Mama Qu bowed slightly and said, ”Many thanks, Er Nainai.” In truth, she wasnʼt worried about Yuxi being bored—she was more concerned that Yuxi might insist on reading books again, which would be quite a struggle for her.

At that moment, Xu Daniu walked over and asked, ”Mama Qu, is Madam all right?” Not only did Yun Qingʼs household respect Yuxi, but the people of Yu City and even the soldiers held her in high regard.

Mama Qu smiled and replied, ”Donʼt worry, Madam is doing quite well.” She spoke with ease, partly because Yuxiʼs recovery was going well and partly because of Yuxiʼs optimistic attitude. Except for the night before Yun Qing left, when she had an emotional outburst, she had been in a good mood every day. This kind of attitude naturally influenced those around her, making everyone feel more at ease.

Xu Daniu laughed and exclaimed, ”Thatʼs good to hear, thatʼs good. Oh, right, Mama Qu, please tell Mama Bai that if she has time, can she make us some mutton dumplings? Everyone misses her cooking.” Because Yun Qing liked to eat them, Mama Baiʼs skill at making mutton dumplings had improved by leaps and bounds. These days, even the mutton dumplings at Fu Ji Restaurant couldnʼt compare with Mama Baiʼs.

Mama Qu chuckled and said, ”I bet itʼs not everyone whoʼs craving them—itʼs probably just you!” Since Yun Qing loved lamb dumplings, his men had also developed a taste for them.

Xu Daniu grinned. ”We all want them!”

In a good mood, Mama Qu replied, ”Iʼll tell Mama Bai later and have her make some for you all tomorrow.” Even though the General was leading his troops on an expedition, the atmosphere in the Yun residence remained unaffected. As long as Yuxi was fine, no one in the Yun household would feel anxious.

When Er Nainai Zhao returned to the Zhao family residence, she immediately went to see Madam Zhao. Smiling, she said, ”Mother, Yuxi is recovering very well. Sheʼll be fully healed in no time.”

Da Nainai Zhao was also in the room at the time. Hearing this, she was sceptical and questioned, ”A difficult childbirth on top of being stabbed by an assassin—if she didnʼt die, sheʼd at least be half dead. How could she recover so quickly?” Her words practically implied that Tu Shi was a fool who had been deceived by Yuxi.

Er Nainai Zhao looked displeased. She wasnʼt stupid—she could tell when someone was faking. Besides, people sometimes feigned illness, but she had never heard anyone pretending to be healthy when they were actually sick. Ignoring Da Nainai Zhao, she turned to Madam Zhao and explained, ”Mother, even when an assassin had injured Yuxi, the wound was on her shoulder blade and didnʼt affect any vital organs.”

Madam Zhao nodded and responded, ”That is indeed fortunate.” Han Yuxi was heavily pregnant at the time, and if she had been wounded somewhere vital, as her eldest daughter-in-law suggested, she might indeed have lost her life. But surprisingly, the wound was on her shoulder blade. Although it was painful, it was not life-threatening.

Da Nainai Zhao, however, looked upset and said, ”She may be lucky, but weʼre the ones who suffer. Treason is a crime that d*mns nine generations!” If it werenʼt for Han Yuxi, Yun Qing wouldnʼt have rebelled. If Yun Qing hadnʼt rebelled, her husband wouldnʼt have been forced to join him.

If the rebellion failed, not only would she die, but even her natal family would be implicated. Thinking about this, Da Nainai Zhao felt both irritated and anxious.

Madam Zhao looked at her eldest daughter-in-law with disappointment. She had also been terrified when she first learned of the situation—after all, treason wasnʼt childʼs play. If they failed, their entire family would be exterminated. Moreover, throughout history, very few rebels had met a good end. But at the time, they had no choice. To protect their family, her husband had chosen to follow Yun Qing. Clearly, Yun Qing didnʼt fully trust her husband, which was why he had taken their two sons with him. She was worried about them, but what could she do? Complaining wouldnʼt solve anything.

Da Nainai Zhao felt uneasy under her mother-in-lawʼs gaze and asked, ”Mother, am I wrong?” Yun Qing could throw his life away if he wanted to, but why drag their entire family down with him?

Madam Zhao, feeling weary, leaned against the table and said, ”You are not wrong. Our family has indeed been dragged down by Yun Qing. But do you have the ability to resist?” Seeing her daughter-in-lawʼs reddened eyes, she continued, ”Since we canʼt resist, we should try to think positively instead of sitting here full of resentment.” She didnʼt want to be caught up in this mess either; she just wanted to live her days peacefully. But what could she do? If they hadnʼt sided with Yun Qing, their family would have been executed before the Imperial Court even had the chance to convict them.

Da Nainai Zhaoʼs tears streamed down her face. ”Mother, Iʼm just scared. You donʼt know… every time I close my eyes, I…” She couldnʼt even finish her sentence.

Ever since her husband left with Yun Qing, she hadnʼt had a single restful night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw their entire family being dragged to prison, then one by one executed on the chopping block. Every time, she would wake up drenched in cold sweat.

In truth, her reaction was understandable. After all, ordinary people wouldnʼt even dare think about committing treason.

Madam Zhao was also scared, causing her to have nightmares every night. But when she woke up, she had to pretend that nothing was wrong. As the matriarch, she had to remain calm—if she panicked, the entire Zhao family would be thrown into chaos. At first, she wanted to scold Da Nainai Zhao, but when she saw how miserable she looked, she just sighed and said, ”You donʼt look well. Go back and rest.” There was no point in lecturing Da Nainai Zhao—she had to come to terms with it herself.

Da Nainai Zhao didnʼt want to leave, but since her mother-in-law had spoken, she had no choice but to comply. In the Zhao household, Madam Zhaoʼs word was the law.

Once Da Nainai Zhao had left, Madam Zhao turned to Qingmei and asked, ”Tell me honestly, is Madam Yun really all right?”

Tu Qingmei nodded, ”Mother, Iʼm not lying—Yuxi is indeed recovering well. However, this ordeal has taken a toll on her body, and it will take two to three years for her to regain her full health.”

Madam Zhao looked doubtful. ”Why would she tell you something like that?” A serious injury requiring years of recovery meant that she wouldnʼt be able to bear children for a while. Such personal matters were rarely shared with outsiders.

Tu Qingmei answered honestly, ”I asked her directly, and Yuxi didnʼt hide it from me. Mother, she was very calm about it, so I donʼt think she was lying.”

Madam Zhao didnʼt know what to say. Some things were too private to ask about. But since it had already happened, she simply reminded her, ”Be more mindful when you talk to Madam Yun in the future. Donʼt ask about everything.”

Tu Qingmei felt slightly embarrassed as she said, ”Mother, you know Iʼm not someone who can keep things to myself.” If she had something on her mind and couldnʼt ask about it, she would feel stifled.

Mama Gao, who was standing nearby, interjected, ”Madam, perhaps Madam Yun actually likes Er Nainaiʼs straightforward nature.” Madam Yun was highly perceptive; trying to outmanoeuvre her would be a lost cause.

Madam Zhao nodded, ”That makes sense.”

Tu Qingmei smiled and said, ”Itʼs also because Yuxi trusts me that she told me. By the way, Mother, I saw Liu-er today. The child is quite small and thin, but sheʼs being well looked after.”

Madam Zhao remarked, ”You could say that Madam Yun has been extremely fortunate.” In such terrible circumstances, not only had she survived, but she had managed to keep her child safe. If that wasnʼt good fortune, then what was?

Tu Qingmei couldnʼt help but sigh in agreement. ”Thatʼs true! Yuxi really is lucky.” To marry a man like Yun Qing—if that wasnʼt luck, then what was?

Madam Zhao advised, ”You should visit the Yun residence more often and maintain a good relationship with Madam Yun. It will be good for Hao-er and Ziyao in the future.” Aside from Yun Qingʼs deep affection for Han Yuxi, the womanʼs abilities and influence made it worthwhile to stay on good terms with her.

Tu Qingmei smiled, ”Mother, Yuxi and I are already like sisters.” She valued her friendship with Yuxi because of their compatible personalities, not for any personal gain.

Seeing her daughter-in-lawʼs sincerity, Madam Zhao felt reassured. ”Itʼs good that you think this way.” With her husband and eldest son already at odds with Yun Qing, they would need her younger daughter-in-law to help mend relations between the two families.

Back in her courtyard, Tu Qingmeiʼs maid, Xiao Cao, couldnʼt help but complain, ” Er Nainai, Da Nainai was too much. You did all this for the Zhao familyʼs sake, yet she actually said that to you.”

Tu Qingmei replied, ”Dasao is just scared.” Treason—who wouldnʼt be terrified of being involved with something like that? But no matter how scared you were, you had to suppress it. Having hysterical fits like her Dasao would only make her mother-in-law resent her.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Cao hesitantly asked, ” Er Nainai, I feel like Madam Yun isnʼt afraid at all. When she talks about the rebellion, she seems so calm!” She was so composed that even Xiao Cao found it unsettling.

Tu Qingmei, however, understood why and said, ”Yuxi is different from us. The Emperor wants her dead—whether she rebels or not, sheʼll die. If the rebellion succeeds, at least she has a chance to survive.”

Xiao Cao was puzzled and asked, ” Er Nainai, why would the Emperor target Madam Yun? Even if she were to die, General Yun would simply remarry. Would the Emperor kill General Yunʼs next wife as well?”

Tu Qingmei thought for a moment and replied, ”Maybe the Emperor thinks Yuxi is too formidable.” There had been plenty of assassinations before, but to target a woman specifically—this was the first time she had heard of such a thing.

Xiao Cao frowned, ”But no matter how capable she is, sheʼs still just a woman. Without General Yun to back her up, what could she possibly do to make the Emperor see her as a threat?”

Tu Qingmei shook her head, ”Who knows?” In truth, she thought the Emperor must have lost his mind. Even Xiao Cao understood that without Yun Qingʼs support, Yuxi wouldnʼt be a threat at all—how could the Emperor not see that?

After chatting for a while, Tu Qingmei began to feel tired, ”Iʼm going to take a nap. Donʼt wake me unless itʼs something important.” With that, she lay down to rest.