Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1597: Chapter 1597: The Big and Small Ones in Meng’s Dream_1

Madam Tu realized what she meant and nodded eagerly, ”You’re right, I also shouldn’t have rashly gone to see that Ao Qi. Knowing that Tu Ying is all right is comforting enough for me.”

As she spoke, tears fell again, only this time they were tears of excitement.

Once she calmed down, she asked, ”Is Young Master Ao Qi looking for Tu Ying to repay a favor?”

Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but smile, ”It’s not just that. Speaking of which, I have some connections with the Ao Family. Knowing Ao Qi’s personality, he truly cares for Tu Ying.”

Madam Tu grew even more curious, ”I’ll have to take a secret look at that lad sometime, to see if he’s worthy of my Tu Ying.”

Lin Ping’er patted her hand and said, ”Now you can relax a bit, too. Children and grandchildren have their own luck—Tu Ying will probably return soon.”

That afternoon, Bai Ruozhu went to diagnose and treat Tu Bai, and she mentioned Tu Ying’s situation. Tu Bai’s eyes brightened a bit, and the despondency and guilt in them diminished.

Bai Ruozhu didn’t dare to start treating Tu Bai immediately, given his condition, and could only first administer medicine to regulate him; otherwise, his body might not withstand the treatment.

As evening approached, Jiang Yichun returned home to see Tu Bai. Since the two were not very close and Tu Bai had become unusually quiet, their meeting became awkward after just a few words.

Bai Ruozhu felt somewhat embarrassed and had to change the subject, ”Achun, how are things in the palace?”

Jiang Yichun did not avoid discussing it in front of Tu Bai and said straightforwardly, ”Concubine Lv died in jail. The Imperial Medical Hospital said she went insane, and the coroner’s investigation concluded she died of a natural onset of the ailment. However, it was found that she wasn’t aligned with Prince Duan; she was simply instigated by her maidservant. She wasn’t a real traitor, but the Emperor’s stance has always been to punish severely, so her father and brothers were all stripped of their posts and exiled.”

Bai Ruozhu, who disliked the ancient practice of collective punishment, commented with some emotion, ”Her father and brothers probably weren’t involved in this. They were just unlucky.”

Suddenly, Tu Bai spoke up, ”I don’t know what crime Concubine Lv committed, but whatever it was that angered the Emperor must have been serious. Not sentencing her entire family to be executed was merciful of His Majesty. Back in the Former Emperor’s time, the confiscation of properties was all too common.”

People in ancient times placed great importance on families and clans, something that Bai Ruozhu, as a modern person, couldn’t fully comprehend.

Seeing Tu Bai willing to talk, Jiang Yichun briefly explained Concubine Lv’s offenses. Tu Bai nodded and remarked, ”The Emperor indeed has been merciful.”

Bai Ruozhu felt the gap between her thoughts and those of ancient people and felt somewhat stifled. She returned to her room early to rest.

In the night, Bai Ruozhu felt surrounded by clouds and mists, as if she was in some valley. She looked around but found no one.

She walked forward step by step, drawn by something ahead.

As she walked, she glimpsed two vague figures, one big and one small, and called out loudly, ”Who’s there?”

The figures did not answer, and she quickened her pace. The mist thinned out a bit, and she finally saw the two figures clearly—it was the beautiful Xu and... a small baby!

The baby wore a bellyband and was adorably plump, but Bai Ruozhu couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl.

The beautiful Xu held the chubby hand of the little baby and nodded with a smile to Bai Ruozhu, then turned around and left with the baby.

”Consort Xu, where are you going?” Bai Ruozhu asked, then immediately felt foolish for asking. She was dead, where could she go? If not the Underworld, then to be reincarnated.

”Is that child yours? Did you come to me with nothing to say?” Bai Ruozhu believed in the notion of dream messages and hastily followed, trying to ask more, but unfortunately, the two figures, one tall and one short, were getting further and further away from her, and despite her efforts, she couldn’t catch up.

”Consort Xu, wait!” Bai Ruozhu shouted, waking up from the dream in alarm, and Jiang Yichun, who was beside her, also woke up and quickly embraced her, saying, ”You had a nightmare, right? It’s alright, it’s alright.”

He gently patted her back, softly comforting her.

With tearful eyes, Bai Ruozhu grabbed his arm, her face stricken with panic, ”I dreamed that Consort Xu was waving goodbye to me, and she had a child with her, it must be the baby from her belly. Lady Lv didn’t lie—Consort Xu must have been pregnant before she died!”

Jiang Yichun held her tightly and said, ”She has already left, you should put this matter to rest.”

”Yes, why can’t I let go? The Emperor has let go; what am I holding on to?” Perhaps it was her morning temper; Bai Ruozhu suddenly flew into a rage.

”I will never understand the people of your time. If you don’t like someone, don’t take in so many concubines. Since you’ve shared a bed, why be so heartless? And this concept of guilt by association, executing a whole family because of one person’s mistake, killing a whole family for one person’s crime, isn’t that innocent blood spilled?”

Jiang Yichun did not expect her to be so angry, and suddenly leaned close to her ear, saying, ”Let’s go to your place, I have something to tell you.”

Bai Ruozhu was stunned, momentarily forgetting her anger, and simply pulled him along as she moved into the Space with a thought.

”Speak, what is it?” she asked, still not over her anger.

”I went to confront the Emperor, asking him if he doesn’t feel that he was too heartless towards Consort Xu?” Jiang Yichun said.

At this, Bai Ruozhu was completely stunned. She looked at his serious face, her heart filled with a jumble of emotions. She herself didn’t dare to recklessly question the Emperor, afraid of provoking His Majesty’s wrath, but wasn’t he aware of the seriousness?

Yet because of her displeasure, he had actually confronted the Emperor. It would be false for her to say she wasn’t touched, but she also couldn’t help feeling a bit guilty.

Was she being too willful?

”The Emperor said he didn’t lay a hand on Consort Xu that night. Lady Le had been through risky pregnancies several times, and he didn’t want to touch another woman at that time. He just used some drugs to create illusions, making Consort Xu believe he had been with her,” Jiang Yichun said, his face tense, his expression very solemn, ”Do you understand what this means?”

Bai Ruozhu’s mouth was agape in shock for a long time, ”Then, how did Consort Xu conceive? Was it before or after the so-called Imperial bedchamber visit?”

”No one knows how long she had been pregnant, and the Emperor also doesn’t wish to delve into it. Otherwise, it would lead to more complications. Concerning the family of Consort Xu...” Jiang Yichun stopped speaking there.

Bai Ruozhu already understood; no matter whose child Consort Xu was carrying, as long as it wasn’t the Emperor’s, it was enough to warrant the execution of her entire family. Even if she hadn’t been unfaithful, she was still a victim of a plot, but a woman of the Emperor carrying another man’s child, could only meet one end—death.

After a long while, Bai Ruozhu regained her composure, ”Is the Emperor really not going to pursue this matter further?”

Jiang Yichun scoffed, ”To put it unpleasantly, why would he bother investigating someone he doesn’t care about? I’ve known him since we were children, I’m aware of his temperament; the only person who truly matters to him now is Lady Le.”

”It is rare for an emperor to be so devoted to one person. I will not mention this matter again,” Bai Ruozhu bowed her head, realizing that when it came to the Emperor wearing the green hat, she would never bring it up again, not if it killed her.