Chapter 402 - 401: Something Unusual

Chapter 402: Chapter 401: Something Unusual

In Baijie Hall, Madam Wu was leaning against a golden python pillow, sipping a bowl of tea with the help of Banqiao.

The hot tea warmed her stomach, making her feel extremely comfortable. She exhaled slowly, feeling that all the dullness inside her body dissipated in an instant.

Lian Family sat accompanying her on the side. No matter how Madam Wu looked, her expression was piercing to Lian Family, yet she still maintained a smile.

In front of Madam Wu, Lian Family couldn’t show any other expression besides a smile.

The vitality outside the window caught Madam Wu’s eyes, and she saw Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Xu coming together.

"Ha," Madam Wu gestured towards the window, "those two sisters-in-law of yours really have ears in the wind. They must have gotten the news and come to congratulate."

Lian Family responded with a laugh, clenching her teeth hard behind Madam Wu.

Banqiao lifted the curtain, welcoming Mrs. Lu and Mrs. Xu inside.

Mrs. Xu’s expression was indifferent, but those familiar with her could see that she was in a good mood.

Mrs. Lu’s face was full of smiles, and she said softly, "Madam Wu, I heard Lian Xiao’s wife had a son?"

Madam Wu laughed heartily: "Yes, a son was born."

After expressing their congratulations, they paid respects to Lian Family.

Mrs. Xu sat down beside Madam Wu and said, "Madam Wu, has the son been named yet?"

"I’m still thinking. The legitimate eldest son of the legitimate eldest branch must have a blessed name," Madam Wu squinted her eyes.

Mrs. Xu lowered her eyes, took out a piece of golden lock from her sleeve: "You know, I consider Lian Xiao’s wife as my own daughter-in-law. This golden lock was given to me by my mother when she was alive, saying it should be given to my grandson in the future. Now that the grandson is born, when you send the news to Lindong, take the golden lock with you."

Mrs. Xu’s voice carried an unmistakable sadness yet was exceptionally sincere.

Madam Wu knew it was out of love and tapped her hand, saying, "When your eldest sister-in-law comes, you can hand it to her personally."

Mrs. Xu agreed.

Lian Family picked up a teacup, took a sip, pretending not to have heard.

Mrs. Lu, neither too close nor too far from others, upon hearing Mrs. Xu’s words, suddenly recalled what Mu Yuanjing had said before she died.

Why was it that Mu Liankang was absolutely forbidden to return, and if Mu Liankang were still around, who would Madam Wu marry Jiang Yunuan to?

Would it be as initially promised to Lian Family, or would there be changes?

A layer of cold sweat appeared on Mrs. Lu’s back, and her heart pounded.

Madam Wu, however, recalled the words that Mrs. Xu had spoken in the Buddhist hall that day. She said to Lian Family, "A son is good, but a daughter is also a treasure.

Yuanyou’s wife, I noticed that Lian Cheng’s wife’s complexion was a bit off just now. When you have some time, try to comfort her.

She’s still young, and she’ll surely have a son in the future. She shouldn’t develop a knot in her heart over this, causing a rift with Sister Niang.

She should focus on nourishing her health rather than crying."

Lian Family raised her head in astonishment, meeting Madam Wu’s deep and clear gaze. Lian Family’s breath caught, and she said, "Lian Cheng’s wife is meticulous; I’ll talk to her later."

Despite saying so, Lian Family felt a tempest in her heart.

Du Yunluo had given birth to a son, and Lian Family herself was suffocating. Not only did she have to put on a smiling face in front of Madam Wu and her sisters-in-law, but she also had nowhere to vent when away from others.

Talking to Mu Yuanmou about this matter again, wouldn’t that make her seem impatient and unable to hold her ground?

She could only endure and hold on, yet she was expected to turn around and comfort Jiang Yunuan. What kind of logic was that?

Then again, what was there to comfort!

When Jiang Yunuan gave birth to a daughter, did she say a single unsatisfactory word? Not a single one!

She delivered all the good things to Shangxin Courtyard just the same.

Even so, what was Jiang Yunuan crying for?

Lian Family took a deep breath; she herself wanted to cry.

Staying any longer in front of Madam Wu, Lian Family feared she wouldn’t be able to hold on, so she excused herself to check on Jiang Yunuan and Sister Niang at Shangxin Courtyard, and got up to leave.

Nanny Shan happened to be coming back from outside. Seeing Lian Family walking briskly from afar, she walked to the main room’s entrance and asked the maid keeping the door, "Why is the second madam walking so urgently?"

The maid shook her head: "I don’t know. However, there’s good news today. The Princely Heir sent a message saying Madam had a son. Madam Wu is very happy. The third and fourth madams are inside at the moment."

Nanny Shan’s face lit up with joy upon hearing this.

She had spent the whole day at Manhe Garden preparing for Mu Yuanjing’s hundred-day memorial. In the blink of an eye, that wilful madam had been gone for nearly a hundred days. Nanny Shan was always worried that Madam Wu would be depressed and affect her health. Now, with such uplifting news, she thought Madam Wu would surely recover.

Nanny Shan lifted the curtain and entered the house, offering her congratulations with a bow.

Madam Wu’s smile was warm as she handed the family letter to Nanny Shan: "Ah Dan, you should take a look too."

Nanny Shan, of course, followed Madam Wu’s lead and took it: "Then I’ll join in the joy as well."

The joy in the letter made Nanny Shan smile sincerely, yet she turned her thoughts to Lian Family’s hurried departure, and her heart sank again.

During the more than a year she attended to Mu Yuanjing, she heard all sorts of confusing and shocking malicious speculations, far more than what Madam Wu and Mrs. Lu heard on La Ba Day.

While she was pleased for the continuity of the legitimate eldest branch, Nanny Shan was also slightly worried.

Mu Yuanjing’s voice lingered in her ears, and she quickly glanced at Mrs. Lu.

In midair, the two of them met each other’s gaze and read an unusual emotion in the other’s eyes, which frightened them both.

Seizing a moment when Madam Wu was speaking with Mrs. Xu, Nanny Shan and Mrs. Lu quietly slipped out of the side room one after the other.

Standing in the bright room, with their voices lowered, Mrs. Lu smirked bitterly: "It’s not that I want to suspect them."

Nanny Shan understood. She didn’t want to doubt anyone either, but if Mu Yuanjing was right, it would be too cruel.

Too cruel for Madam Wu.

"Having a son makes all the difference," said Mrs. Lu.

Nanny Shan shook her head, recalling something Mu Yuanjing had said and told Mrs. Lu: "The madam asked me, what would happen if the Princely Heir was no more?"

Mrs. Lu’s eyelid twitched.

"Why would such...," halfway through the sentence, Mrs. Lu stopped herself.

On the battlefield, where weapons are merciless, even the most skilled wouldn’t dare to say they could return safely every time.

That’s the reality of war; it’s a gamble with life. Isn’t that how her husband, Mu Yuan’an, lives?

"If before, the legitimate eldest branch would have ended, but now, there’s an addition of a son." Mrs. Lu pondered aloud, thinking rapidly.

The legitimate eldest branch did add a son, but he is still too young.

To put it bluntly, anything could happen in the ten-plus years from birth to adulthood.

With Mrs. Zhou’s and Du Yunluo’s personal care, Mrs. Lu wasn’t worried that the child would be ill-raised, but...

But the Mu Family passes down martial prowess, not literary tradition.

If the son lacks a father to teach martial arts, he would be taught by Uncle Mu Liancheng.

Furthermore, even if the son becomes the Princely Heir, by the time he has a wife, children, and achievements, it would take too long.

People’s hearts can gradually swell over time.