Chapter 11: Unrequited Love

◎Finally, she entered the gates of the Hua residence.◎

At this very moment.

The East Yuan Marquis Manor was in chaos.

To be precise, it had been chaotic for half a month since the heir took all the blame and the entire family, from the oldest to the youngest, were released from prison. Since then, no one in the manor had had an easy time.

Despite the harsh conditions and perilous situation in prison, at least the entire family was together, offering each other support and comfort as they strategized. Now, Hua Ji was left alone in the dungeon awaiting execution, while they were living on borrowed time, powerless to do anything but watch him await his demise...

These past two weeks had been an excruciating torment for the Hua family. How could anyone sit idly at home, powerless to prevent their own son and grandson from meeting their end?

But the imperial edict could not be defied. The new emperor had ascended the throne, and the tide of power had shifted. No matter how powerful their family once was, defeat had reduced them to captives, fishes on the chopping block, awaiting their fate.

The room was dim, its windows shut, and the curtains drawn, exuding a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere. An old servant brought in a bowl of hot soup, urging, "You should at least have some nourishment. The heir wouldn't want to see you wear yourself out. Your guidance will be needed for the family's future."

She lifted the bed curtains, revealing an elderly lady with white hair, lying half on the bed with her brows lowered. "Have you arranged for someone to send wine and water to the execution site, to accompany Hua'er on his final journey?"

The old woman nodded, turning her face away to wipe her eyes discreetly.

"The gift has been sent, and the kitchen was asked to make the Prince's favorite Nine-Layer Cake. He loved the ones you made when he was younger, but he never dared to eat too much, always saying it wasn't appropriate for his position. You cared so much for the young prince that you'd personally cook a plate for him three or four times a month. He would then savor it slowly, making one plate last two or three days."

Upon hearing this, the old lady's heart ached. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "But my body is no longer strong enough. I can't bear any more blows at my age. Now that he's leaving, taking the blame for the entire household so that our family can survive and carry on the lineage, yet here I am, unable to even make him a bowl of Nine-Layer Cake. Yee-ma, I regret it!"

"Why didn't I stop them, both father and son, from joining that struggle for the throne? Why didn't I try harder to persuade them? That royal seat is like the deepest abyss, adorned with the glittering allure of power. Little did they know that beneath the throne lies a bottomless hell. Touch it, and you'll be crushed to pieces!"

The Yee-pow consoled her, "The Duke and the young prince were forced into that position. Everyone from the previous emperor to all the officials pushed them. Who could have allowed them to step back? Even if they had, the previous emperor and the new emperor would still have been suspicious and wouldn't have let them off easily. The Duke and the young prince were simply unfortunate and betrayed by villains. Old Lady, don't blame yourself too much."

The old lady sat up, straightening her sleeves. With the Yee-pow's help, she got out of bed.

She sat down and slowly sipped her hot soup, but after two or three sips, she put it down, unable to swallow. Her heart ached continuously. If not for her concern for the future of the entire household, she might not have been able to hold on until now. She would have collapsed long ago.

Seeing her condition, the Yee-pow asked, "Shall I ask the kitchen for some pickles to stimulate your appetite?"

The old lady shook her head. "Forget it, I won't eat today. Just thinking about Hua'er..."

She paused before asking, "How is my child?"

Reminded of the Marquis and his lady, the townswoman said, "After the Marquis was released from prison, he fell ill. He seemed to be recovering a bit these past couple of days, but when he heard that the Crown Prince was being escorted to the execution ground today, his condition worsened. They even had a physician visit this morning."

"I wonder about my good-for-nothing daughter-in-law? Has she shown any care for them?"

The village elder fell silent for a moment before shaking her head. "Lady has been weeping bitterly for half a month now. Today, she fainted from crying and hasn't regained consciousness yet."

The elderly lady: "...."

Recalling her daughter-in-law's behavior, she sighed. Drinking her warm soup, she realized that with her son fallen ill and her daughter-in-law being useless, who else could the entire household rely on? Even if she was weak, she had to hold on.

She instructed, "Have you prepared wine, fruit, snacks, and the dishes that the heir loves the most?"

The village elder replied, "Don't worry, everything is ready."

"Then, what about the heir's memorial tablet?"

"It's all arranged..."

The elderly lady stood up, leaning on her cane, then sat down again. She shook her head and said, "No, my legs and feet still can't support me. I feel a lump in my throat, and it's very uncomfortable. After noon, when it's a quarter past twelve, immediately set up an incense altar in the yard so the heir will know that he can have one last meal at home before he departs. I'll muster the strength to send my grandson off one more time."

She glanced outside and wiped her eyes.

At that moment, a servant boy rushed in from the courtyard to report, "Matriarch, someone is knocking on the main gate and shouting, saying that the Prince's Consort is here to be wed today. I'm confused about what's happening because you previously instructed us to close the doors and not receive guests. I dared not open the gate without your permission..."

The elderly lady paused. "The Prince's Consort?"

She pondered for a while but could not recall anything. Hua'er had clearly not been married yet...

Poor thing, he had always been alone, never having found a confidante or sired any children... Thinking of this, the old lady's heart ached again. Her handkerchief was drenched, yet it was insufficient to soothe her sadness.

Elder Servant Yi seemed to remember something and said, "Have you forgotten that the Prince had once betrothed himself to a fiancée? She was the third daughter of the Wei Duke's residence, an esteemed daughter from a noble family. Yu Sanlang holds the lowest official rank with no title to his name. Logically speaking, his daughter would not have been a suitable match for our Prince. It was only through the influence of the late Wei Duke that the old matriarch of the Wei Duke's residence convinced you to give your consent. The marriage was originally planned for this autumn, but unfortunately, it met with..."

The elderly lady narrowed her eyes and thought, "Didn't they annul this marriage?"

After the new emperor ascended the throne, her entire family was hastily thrown into prison overnight. When they were released, the Wei Duke's residence informed them that the marriage was called off, and the Prince was to be executed. Their family was also demoted to commoners, leaving them in disarray. Back then, she did not dwell on it, as such was the cold reality of life.

Elder Servant Yi continued, "Later, the sixth young miss of the Wei Duke's residence even added salt to the wound by visiting the Prince in prison to tell him that he deserved his current plight. I was furious when I heard about it."

The elderly lady sighed. "Don't believe every rumor you hear. The Criminal Ministry's prison is heavily guarded; not even a mosquito can escape, let alone the words and actions of those inside. If she could enter, leave, and have her words spread throughout the capital, there must be something fishy going on."

The servant called out again, "Matriarch, what should we do? Should we continue to ignore them by keeping the gates closed, or should we open them and let them in?"

The matriarch was weak and exhausted; she had already drained her energy, so how could she muster the strength to walk all the way to the main gate? She instructed the elderly woman, Yi Po, to take some people to investigate.

She exhorted, "If... it's truly Miss Sixth from Duke Wei's residence, you must persuade her to return home. With our current situation, we mustn't hold up this young lady."

Yi Po agreed and quickly set off for the entrance.

By now, East Yuan Marquis's mansion gates were surrounded by curious onlookers, their voices buzzing with discussion. Some were even indignant. They had knocked on the door, but it remained unopened—what did that imply?

To them, Miss Sixth of Duke Wei's residence, a woman of principle and loyalty, was willing to marry into the Hua family during these challenging times. The Hua family should be grateful and promptly open their doors to welcome her, not put on airs.

Yu Lian remained calm. She could guess that the Hua residence was likely in chaos, and given her sudden and impulsive arrival, their delayed response was understandable.

The servant unlocked the gate, and Yi Po stood inside, peering out. She saw a woman in a red wedding dress, cradling a rooster, standing quietly.

Startled, Yi Po asked, "Are you Miss Sixth from Duke Wei's residence?"

Yu Lian nodded, and before she could speak, the onlooking crowd couldn't contain themselves anymore. They chimed in, "Your young master is so fortunate. His betrothed, the Sixth Miss from the Wei Duke's residence, is deeply devoted to him. Today, when he's facing execution, she is willing to forsake her family and the Wei Duke's house to marry into your family and take care of his dependents. Such a compassionate and loyal woman, yet you still delay her entry? How disrespectful!"

In this age, loyalty and affection were highly esteemed values that no amount of wealth or power could purchase. Yu Lian's actions undoubtedly embodied, if not surpassed, everyone's understanding of these two principles. Never before had such a scenario been seen, not even in the most daring theatrical scripts.

"Would I, if I were you, promptly welcome her in. If your Hu family is wise, you'll treat your young master well through her and cherish her, lest you betray the Sixth Miss's intentions."

"The Sixth Miss has endured much hardship to be here. She knelt all the way to bid farewell to her elders at the Wei Duke's residence..."

"I've witnessed true devotion today. No theatrical performance can match the Sixth Miss's unwavering love. Now that your Hu family has been demoted to commoners, and your young master faces execution, even ordinary families might hesitate to give their daughters away, let alone the daughter of a duke."

"Sigh, the world's most challenging devotion..."

Faced with the whispers and pointing fingers of the townsfolk, Erye understood the situation to a large extent. The impact on her was profound, leaving her in a daze for a long while.

It was the crowing of a rooster that eventually brought her back to reality. Gazing at the wound on the woman's forehead, she realized it must be genuine, a sign of great determination and resolve. Only with such strength of heart could one be so harsh on themselves.

According to the townswoman's sentiments, she was eager to hasten and welcome Yu Lian into the house. However, just moments ago, the elder lady had given her a solemn reminder. She sighed, "Why must you do this to yourself?"

It was well-known that the Emperor detested both the crown prince and the Hu family. With her resolute decision to enter alone on the day of the prince's execution, associating herself with the Hu family, it was unlikely that the Wei Duke's residence would continue to shelter her. What would become of her in the future?

Yu Lian gazed at the entrance, wondering if her husband had often passed through this very door in his youth, full of exceptional talent and boundless ambition, dressed in fine clothes and riding high-spirited horses. Later, as he held great power and mingled with the elite, had he ever imagined that one day he would leave this door behind, never to return?

Her gaze grew distant as a tear shimmered at the corner of her eye before falling.

The depth of emotion in her eyes was heart-wrenching.

The townswoman found herself unable to persuade Yu Lian to leave.

How could she dare?

How could she bear to say those words?

Ultimately, under the critical gazes of the chattering crowd, she stepped forward personally, respectfully lifting the long hem of Yu Lian's dress. Looking at the vibrant red of the festive scene before her and the white pearl flower adorning her hair, the townswoman's voice trembled slightly, "I'm sorry for what you have to endure."

Saying that, he offered his assistance to help her inside. Yu Lian stood still, bowing respectfully to the citizens who had spoken up for her before turning around slowly.

The onlookers could only catch a glimpse of her magnificent crimson silhouette as she finally entered the magnificent manor.

Moments later, the door creaked shut.

They remained where they were, unwilling to depart for a long while.