Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!

Chapter 323: Chapter 323 Blame Me_1

Zhulan stood at the doorway, scrutinizing Yang Wuchun carefully. It had been over a year since she last saw him, and Wuchun had changed a lot. The old Wuchun used to have a smile on his face, but now he had become more and more imposing, and there was a chill of slaughter about him. Standing motionless in the courtyard, he seemed like a bloodied blade, and with his bloodshot eyes, he frightened Yu Lu into hiding in Lady Li’s embrace.

Lady Li also took a step back in fear, thinking to herself that it was no wonder he was like this, having come from the battlefield; his presence was indeed terrifying.

Yang Wuchun’s throat moved, and with red eyes, he knelt down, ”Aunt, Uncle.”

Zhulan’s eyes reddened instantly. Although she didn’t harbor any illusions, seeing Wuchun’s reaction made her tears fall uncontrollably. She had come to see the Yang family as her own kin. Having been here for so long, this was the first time she faced the death of a family member. With a hoarse voice, she asked, ”Is it Wu Dong or Wu He?”

Yang Wuchun’s voice was nasal, ”It’s Wu Dong. He died saving me. I have failed Grandfather’s entrustment, failed my parents.”

The one who died was his own younger brother, and the youngest at that. Wu Dong had not even married. He, the eldest brother, failed to protect his sibling; instead, his brother sacrificed his life to save him.

Zhulan wept sorrowfully. She still remembered that playful, smiling boy who joked with her when he left, ”Auntie, wait for me to return with military achievements, then you can bask in the glory too.”

Zhou Shuren felt a heaviness in his chest and stepped forward to lift Wuchun, ”Let’s go inside and talk.”

Wuchun wiped away his tears. He had risen in rank by stepping over his younger brother’s blood, ”Yes.”

Lady Li and Old Master Zhou were originally quite happy, but now both were stupefied. They had only focused on Wuchun’s promotion and wealth, never considering that a military general’s life is carved out through combat.

Lady Li said mournfully, ”No wonder Dad and Mom have been so down lately. They must have guessed it early on.”

Old Master Zhou recalled carefully. After their parents had seen Wuchun, they returned with heavy hearts. They had guessed it then. Old Master Zhou’s voice grew nasal, his throat hoarse. Wu Dong, who used to call him big cousin, was gone. Unable to hold back, he wept, ”How could he just be gone? How could a perfectly fine man just be gone like that!”

Lady Li too cried. It was only when Xue Han heard the crying that she came back to her senses, realizing that cousin Wu Dong truly was gone. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, sobbing quietly. Ming Teng and Yu Lu were young; Ming Teng knew what death meant, but could not fully comprehend it. Seeing his parents and grandmother crying, the little fellow also wept. Yu Lu cried along seeing her brother crying.

Ma Eryue hung his head low. What should have been a happy occasion now left him sighing inside. As a servant, he truly did not know how to offer comfort and could only stand there dumbly.

Inside the house, Zhulan wiped away her tears and asked, ”What about Wu He?”

Wuchun replied with deep sorrow, ”Wu He is injured, recovering at the Zheng family’s place. He should be better soon.”

Zhou Shuren did not want to sprinkle salt on Wuchun’s wounds. His own younger brother had died saving him, and Wuchun was the one in the most pain. Zhou Shuren moved his lips, but in the end, he did not ask.

Wuchun’s eyes reddened. He needed to speak out, or else he would go mad from the suppression, ”They were all under my command. We were ambushed. Wu Dong wasn’t supposed to die; it should have been me. He took a blade for me. I should have been the one to die. I have children; he wasn’t even married yet!”

He didn’t dare face his parents or confront his grandparents.

Zhulan and Zhou Shuren watched as Wuchun vented his remorse. They knew he had been bottling up these feelings inside. Having not spoken these words to anyone, he could no longer bear it upon seeing his family in the capital.

Zhulan stared into Wuchun’s eyes, which were bloodshot. Wuchun hadn’t rested properly since Wu Dong’s death. Out of everyone, Wuchun was suffering the most internally. The moment Wu Dong took the blade for him must have been etched into Wuchun’s mind, preventing him from daring to sleep.

Wuchun harshly slapped his own face. Zhulan wanted to move forward and stop him but paused, her hand mid-air. She and Zhou Shuren silently watched as Wuchun sank to the ground wailing, his cries filled with regret.

Wuchun cried for a long time until, gradually, he calmed down.

Zhou Shuren stepped forward and helped Wuchun up, ”The battlefield is merciless, and you can’t take all the responsibility upon yourself. When you decided to join the war for the Yang family, you were prepared for the worst. Wu Dong’s spirit in heaven wouldn’t want to see you living in regret forever. You must stay strong to honor Wu Dong.”

Wu Chun’s voice had completely gone hoarse, ”Uncle.”

He knew, he knew it all, he had forgotten that when Wu Dong died, he smiled at him and said how good it was that he could live.

Despite his younger brother’s usual joking behavior, the lad was well aware of everything; saving him was not only about familial bonds, but this young man was convinced that he was the hope of the Yang family.

Later on, even Wu He took a knife for him, but Wu He was blessed with a strong constitution and held on until reinforcements arrived. However, Wu He had also sustained serious injuries and had not participated in the last battle of Wu He. When he left the Northwest, Wu He had just begun to walk again.

Wu He knew of his inner turmoil and insisted on seeing him before his wounds had healed, saying that he and Wu Dong were willing to die for him.

Zhulan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her voice hoarse, ”Was Wu Dong’s body brought back?”

Wu Chun sniffled, ”I hired people to escort Wu Dong’s body back home. Initially, I wanted to go back too, but I couldn’t leave before the battle ended. Later, I entered the capital, and by my estimate, the body should have reached home by now.”

He didn’t have much silver on him and had borrowed a considerable amount from the Zheng family.

Despite the major battle at the border, there were many desperados willing to take on the task as long as they were paid handsomely. Escorting a body did not pose a danger to their lives, so as long as the silver was sufficient, they were eager to do the job.

Zhou Shuren patted Wu Chun on the back, ”You did very well.”

He understood the situation; with too many dead on the battlefield, some were incinerated on the spot. The better cases were collected and brought to the rear for burial. Only a few military generals with rank were individually transported back home.

That Wu Chun managed to bring Wu Dong’s body back from the battlefield and even hired someone to send the body home was commendable.

Zhulan was worried about their elderly parents, uncertain if they could bear the loss.

In Sun Village, Wu Dong’s body had already been interred, the elderly sending off the young as grief engulfed the Yang family.

Yang Dayong locked himself in a room for two days. Calling over his two sons, he looked at his eldest, whose hair had turned significantly white, closed his eyes briefly before opening them quickly, ”Eldest, you must be wondering why I specifically left Wu Dong and Wu He behind when the kids left.”

Yang Zhumu bowed his head, ”Father, there’s no need to speak of it. I’ve already guessed.”

Yang Zhulin said with teary eyes, ”Father, you did nothing wrong.”

Yang Dayong also felt the pain, ”Wu Dong and Wu He were good children. If you want to blame someone, blame me. They followed my orders, Wu Chun couldn’t die.”

Yang Zhumu choked up, his eldest son, ”Father, I understand. Wu Chun was also Wu Dong’s own brother. Wu Dong would be happy to save his brother; the son bears no grudges.”

Yang Zhulin echoed, ”The son bears no grudges too.”

Yang Dayong’s hands shook; he had been on the battlefield and knew that life wasn’t valued in war. He had long prepared himself for the loss of his three grandsons, thinking it fortunate if even one survived. Now, two had lived, he should be happy, but why did his heart feel so heavy with sorrow!

In the capital, Yang Wuchun had just calmed down and was about to discuss his contributions when Zhou Shuren’s elder brother entered, ”Father, Zheng Hong is here.”

Zhou Shuren said, ”Please, let him in.”