Chapter 102 - Well Then ◇

◎ The bed is soiled. ◎

Yet, she didn't turn over.

The elder matriarch immediately sensed something amiss upon seeing this. She sat down and gently patted her granddaughter-in-law's back with a loving coax, "What's the matter? Did Hua'er offend you?"

Mrs. Chen added, "Lian'er, speak your mind. If Hua'er has done anything wrong, Mother will scold him right away."

The three children also chimed in angrily, "Don't be afraid, sister. We'll help you talk to Big Brother!"

The twins even added, "Even though we can't beat Big Brother now, we'll team up to defeat him when we grow older!"

Both the elder matriarch and Mrs. Chen expected their granddaughter-in-law to pour out her grievances.

However, she whispered gloomily instead, "He's alive? He's really still alive?"

"Grandmother, Mother... Am I not dreaming?"

The matriarch and Mrs. Chen both felt a pang of distress as they reassured her, "Of course he's alive, you silly child. Yesterday, you thought it was all a dream and even fainted. Now that you've woken up, you still can't believe it?"

After several breaths of silence, Yu Lian turned over, and it was then that Lady Elder and Mrs. Chen noticed the redness in her eyes, indicating that she had been crying.

Both of them immediately exclaimed, "What has happened to Hua'er?"

Yu Lian smiled gently through her reddened eyes, "As long as he's alive, that's all that matters..." She then proceeded to defend the one she loved, "He hasn't provoked me, he's doing just fine."

The matriarch was sharp and easily understood her granddaughter-in-law's thoughts. "Are you upset that Hua'er hid things from you, causing you pain?"

"Yes, I am." She gave a bitter smile, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. "These past few years, I've been striving to provide the best life for Grandmother, Father and Mother, and my three younger siblings. It was because I worried about my h...husband, who left us early, and that you all would be without care. Now it seems I was just being overly sentimental. Grandmother, Mother, have I been foolish these past few years?"

The matriarch's nose stung, and tears welled up in her eyes. Mrs. Chen also teared up as she tried to comfort her daughter-in-law. "Oh, no, no."

"Xian'er, don't say such things. How could you be foolish? If anyone is foolish, it's that good-for-nothing Hua'er. He's the real fool, the biggest fool in the world, neglecting the best wife in all the land to go and rebel. I think he's grown too bold, his conscience is gone, and he's become wildly uncontrollable!"

The matriarch also felt a surge of anger when recalling the incident. That boy had kept the whole family in the dark, especially his wife, making her suffer greatly. She took a deep breath. "Hua'er made a mistake, and Grandmother will make sure he comes to you with a penitential gesture!"

Yu Lian paused, instead comforting her grandmother. "Don't be angry, please."

She spoke softly, "Actually, I'm more upset that he put himself in danger."

"How dangerous rebellion is, even I, as a woman, understand the risks involved. Yet... he did it without a word, putting himself at risk without considering me. It's clear he never thought of me."

"All these years... I've been mistaken about his feelings. Tomorrow, I'll pack my things and leave. With the capital fallen, I don't know what's become of my parents. As an un filial daughter, I should return to see them."

"If they're safe, I'll find a nunnery to shave my head and live out the rest of my days in solitude."

Having already been a wife, leaving would mean a divorce. Given her deep love for her husband, how could she remarry? Naturally, she would become a nun, spending her life alone.

Closing her eyes, Yu Lian's words tugged at the old lady's heartstrings, causing her to sigh and gently wipe away the tears at the corners of Yu Lian's eyes.

The three children had been sent away earlier. Hearing her daughter-in-law's despairing words, Mrs. Chen was eager to defend her son. However, the old lady shook her head, stopping her.

The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it.

She knew her granddaughter-in-law's character well - impeccable morals and an admirable personality. But precisely because of her strong sense of pride and self-respect, she found it impossible to accept her husband's deception. Now, she feared the danger he had exposed himself to during the rebellion. Perhaps there was also a touch of embarrassment about her emotional outburst yesterday when she mistakenly thought she saw Hua'er in public, adding to her frustration.

Amidst all these circumstances, Hua'er could forget about earning any favor from Yu Lian anytime soon.

Yu Lian's declaration of leaving the next day filled the old lady with anxiety, fearing that her granddaughter-in-law might actually leave without hesitation, given her strong personality and capability.

Promptly, the old lady rushed out to find her grandson and mend the situation.

Unexpectedly, upon opening the door, she saw the three children eavesdropping outside, with the eldest grandchild standing idly by. She gave her grandson a sharp glance. "Did you hear that?"

The man nodded silently.

Infuriated, she lectured him, "Since you heard it, why haven't you gone in to comfort your wife? Even if Grandmother understands your predicament, you must also consider things from Yu Lian's perspective. Ever since you left four years ago, she has been heartbroken. In these years, she has dedicated herself to our family and often worried about you. Where do you place her suffering and affection? Have you ever felt a hint of guilt?"

The man was speechless. He had just assumed that Yu Lian's stubborn nature prevented her from showing vulnerability or expressing her joy in front of him. Now he realized how excessive his behavior had been.

If she truly believed he deserved death, why would she abandon all wealth and status to marry him on the day of his execution? Why would she devote herself to widowhood at her prime, honoring a deceased man, and tirelessly care for his family?

Yet, with red-rimmed eyes, she repeated the humiliating words she'd spoken to him in prison: "I told you before, people like you should have died sooner rather than later, so as not to burden others."

Now she speaks through teary eyes and flushed cheeks in a huff, but back then, when she was in prison, did she not have her reasons? Did she not also force herself not to cry?

If there were ulterior motives behind her actions, why would she not avoid mentioning the harsh words that once humiliated him repeatedly?

Contemplating this, the man suddenly felt an urge to rush in and ask her what she truly meant!

...

He pressed his thin lips together. Pushed from behind by the old lady, he stepped into the room.

The door was shut forcefully, and a bowl of warm porridge was thrust into his hand.

The man sighed and entered the room, unknowingly quickening his pace slightly.

Yu Lian had her back turned and, not seeing anyone, assumed it was her grandmother and pouted in a muffled voice, "Grandmother, don't try to console me."

"I feel so ridiculous," she said, her nasal tone growing heavier.

The man sat down, holding the porridge in one hand and gently patting her back with the other. His demeanor seemed calm, but his actions were awkward, as he tried to soothe her, "Don't be angry anymore."

He repeated himself thrice.

The slender back beneath his hand suddenly stiffened. She abruptly turned over. The action was so sudden that the man was caught off guard, causing the porridge in his hand to spill all over himself and the bed.

"How did you...?" His words were cut short as the warm porridge splattered onto her neck and one side of her face.

Yu Lian let out a startled cry.

The man hastily placed the bowl on the table, threw the quilt to the ground, and lifted the woman, who was only clad in a white linen robe, horizontally in his arms. He gazed at her face, asking, "Are you alright?"

Yu Lian stared blankly back at him, shaking her head.

The man placed her on his lap, settling himself comfortably. Gently, he brushed over her cheek that had been grazed by the hot rice porridge. Although the porridge had cooled down to a tepid temperature suitable for consumption, it was still warm enough to leave a red mark on Yu Lian's naturally delicate skin.

He wiped the remaining rice grains from her face and his gaze drifted down to her fair neck.

A few stray grains had settled behind her ear and on her neck. His movement paused slightly before he casually caressed those spots, his palm gliding over her smooth skin. Her neck was so thin that the faint blue veins beneath were visible... He abruptly released her, as if jolted by an electric shock, and softly said, "It's clean now. I'll ask someone to prepare another bowl."

With her eyes lowered, Yu Lian felt an intense itch on her neck, and her ears burned with a blush. She looked away, avoiding the man's gaze, "I'm not hungry."

With a soft rumble, her stomach grumbled, indicating she was indeed hungry after having slept through an entire day and night. The man chuckled softly, "Angry or not, you still need to eat."

The person in his arms remained silent, so the man continued explaining, "I know you're upset with me."

"The Emperor was wary of me and wanted me dead. I had no choice but to fake my death to escape. Concealing it from you was wrong of me; I never expected you to react this way."

Despite humiliating him in prison and canceling the engagement...

He paused for a moment before continuing, "However, I had my reasons for doing so. If I didn't, I would never find peace or happiness in my life."

Under the man's calm voice, Yu Lian gradually forgot that she was being held intimately in his embrace. His strong arms secured her firmly on his lap, and she listened intently.

"I must avenge this grudge, it's the reason I live."

"Whatever you feel I owe you, I will bring it to you."

His words were concise, not delving into too much detail for fear of alarming her. He gently stroked her long hair, his eyes as deep and vast as the starry ocean, filled with remorse, "For causing you distress, fear, and worry, I apologize."

Was that an apology?

His profound eyes gazed at her intently and gently, and for an instant, she believed that Hua Ji saw no one but her in his gaze...

She blinked rapidly and turned her head slightly. "Let go of me, I can walk on my own." Her cheeks flushed; it's not as if her legs were injured.

"You're not wearing silk stockings."

Yu Lian looked down at her feet and realized that, due to the heat, she had kicked off her socks while under the covers. She wiggled her toes, feeling awkward, and said, "Then please put me back in bed."

"The bed is dirty," the man stated matter-of-factly.

"..."

Lady Mei arrives with a freshly brewed nourishing soup, intended for Yu Lian. Upon entering, she spots the Crown Prince cradling Lian'er in his embrace, their intimacy evident...

She hastily set down her bowl, covered her mouth with laughter, and scampered out.

Yu Lian: "..."

The aftermath of this incident led the entire household to believe that the two were now on good terms. Yu Lian emerged, dressed in her finery, and the gazes she received from Mrs. Chen and others carried an approving yet teasing quality, characteristic of elders who had observed such matters.

Yu Lian: "..."

In the afternoon, Mrs. Chen unexpectedly rushed to Yu Lian, prostrating herself before her. "Empress, I beg of you, save my son, save my husband."

Pageboy: What a delightful wife to hold! May our love last an eternity!