Chapter 25: Moving Out ◇

◎Cries for Help from a Sister-in-Law◎

"Mother, you've been through so much these days. I'm an ungrateful son, unable to lend a hand and instead causing you worry..."

As Hua Zhan spoke, he was suddenly seized by a fit of coughing. The old lady hurriedly patted his back, her eyes welling up with tears. Her son was a renowned military strategist, skilled in martial arts, and once hailed as a war god by the people. In his prime, he was robust and healthy. Yet, within just a month, his condition had deteriorated rapidly. Now, his face was pale, devoid of any vitality. Could there still be hope for his recovery?

At this thought, the old lady shed secret tears, quickly wiping them away, not wanting her son to see.

Yu Lian brought over a cup of warm water, which the old lady promptly took to help her son drink.

After he had somewhat recovered, the old lady's face lit up with a loving smile. She held Yu Lian's hand and introduced her to her son, "This is your daughter-in-law, Yu Lian, our Hua'er's wife. She's an excellent child."

Hua Zhan nodded, "Madam has mentioned you before." He looked at Yu Lian and managed a weak smile, "These past few days, thank you for taking care of your grandmother and mother. Father hasn't given you a meeting gift yet, please don't hold it against me."

With that, he reached for an amulet on the bedside table, "This was Hua'er's favorite jade pendant. He always wore it close to his heart."

Yu Lian extended her hand to receive it, "Thank you, Father. I will keep it safe."

Hua Zhan looked at his mother with guilt, "Mother, I'm afraid my body won't hold on much longer. Please take Mrs. Chen, my wife, and our three children with you. Leave me behind, there's no need to worry about me."

The old lady glared at her son in anger, "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Who will take care of you if we leave you here? In a few days, the authorities will come to seize the house. Where will you live and how will you eat?"

"Mother, I was wrong, so very wrong from the beginning. I shouldn't have involved Hua'er in those matters, and I should never have let him shoulder it alone. He's still so young, he's the greatest pride of my life..."

"Enough, enough! Don't mention Hua'er again. It's in the past. As his father, you should understand the sacrifice he made. You can't act on emotion. With Hua Ji gone, if you abandon us too, who will help our family of widows and orphans?"

"Mother, I am Hua'er's father, the head of this household. I was supposed to guide the family, develop our ancestors' legacy, and protect our son. Instead, I not only lost Hua'er but also squandered our ancestral wealth. I am overwhelmed with regret and pain, I have no face to live on, no face to see Father."

The elderly lady observed her son's despairing expression and felt a pang of sorrow. She consoled him, "Although Hua'er is gone, we still have Yu Lian. Yu Lian entered our family for Hua'er and is now about to endure hardships alongside us. As a father, can't you gather your strength and move forward?"

The man lowered his eyes in guilt, refraining from voicing his thoughts of despair.

The atmosphere turned somber as the mother and son both immersed themselves in sorrow. Seeing this, Yu Lian sat beside her grandmother and spoke up, "Father, it's fortunate that you woke up today. Grandmother and I just discussed our plan to relocate the entire family back to our ancestral hometown. What do you think?"

Hua Zhan looked towards the elderly lady.

Recalling her granddaughter-in-law's joy at the mention of returning to their rural roots, the elderly lady smiled and said, "Indeed, that's what we've decided. We were just about to discuss it with you when your wife mentioned that Yan'er and Xing'er had disappeared. They were lured away by the young prince from the neighboring dukedom to play pranks. Look how even that powerless old Duke dare to humiliate our Hua Estate like this. It seems the situation in the capital is not favorable."

"You and Hua'er have offended many in the past. They're all waiting in line to push us down when we're in trouble. You should be aware of that."

Seeing her son's silence, the elder lady continued, "Are you still attached to the power and influence in the capital, hoping to rise again and reluctant to leave? Son, if you had been less competitive, you wouldn't have ended up like this. You've even corrupted Hua'er."

Hua Zhan gave a bitter smile. "It's my fault, Mother. With Hua'er gone, what else is there for me to hold onto? Who would inherit power and influence? Yan'er and Xing'er are still young, and their minds are far from being as mature as their eldest brother's. If they can live well and carry on our family's bloodline, I have no other desires."

"Very well, let's do as you say. But the journey will be long, and with me being an invalid, it'll cause much inconvenience if I come along."

Yu Lian said, "Father, if we're leaving, we should all go together. If my husband were here, he wouldn't want to see you so pessimistic. Besides, when we return home and need to interact with the village chief, there will be matters requiring your presence as the head of the family. Otherwise, others might take advantage of us, an orphaned family with widows and the elderly."

"Father, we need you."

Upon hearing this, Hua Zhan's brows knitted tightly together. He knew that no matter how much he suffered, he had to persevere. Otherwise, with no adult males in the family, their sudden return to their hometown and dealings with the authorities or fellow villagers would likely lead to disrespect and even make it difficult for them to establish themselves.

He eventually nodded and even took the initiative to ask for food and medicine.

The old lady's wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened with relief as she held her granddaughter-in-law's hand, nodding in approval continuously.

Mrs. Chen hurriedly fetched the warm meat porridge that had been prepared earlier from the kitchen and attended to him while he ate. After he had consumed half, she helped him take a bowl of medicine, and he soon drifted off to sleep.

The matriarch had taken her granddaughter-in-law's hand early in the morning and called the twins over for a scolding. She even ordered someone to hold them down while she personally administered a sound spanking on their bottoms, causing the boys to wail incessantly. At first, they cried out for their parents, but as they were not in their grandmother's courtyard, their cries were futile. Their eyes then landed on their eldest sister-in-law, and they began to call out for her help.

Yu Lian watched with a smile. When the matriarch seemed to have vented enough anger and grown tired, Yu Lian pretended to intervene, allowing the matriarch to gracefully cease her punishment. The twins, with runny noses and tears still streaming down their faces, glared at their grandmother, hiding behind their eldest sister-in-law and tugging at her clothes, "Wicked grandmother, wicked grandmother!"

The matriarch turned around and sat down, smiling warmly, "Even if I'm a wicked grandmother, I had to spank you today. Your elder brother is in trouble, and the household has been in chaos these days. Yet, you two continue to cause mischief? I've forbidden you from sneaking out to play, yet you didn't listen. You deserved to be bullied."

"If I let you off easily today, they might dare to abduct you and sell you to child snatchers tomorrow."

The twins, with swollen noses and tear-stained faces, looked terrified. Yu Lian moistened a handkerchief and wiped their faces clean.

Seeing their eldest sister-in-law's kindness and gentleness, the twins felt a sense of warmth and trust towards her. They no longer called her grandmother wicked, instead, they asked Yu Lian, "Sister-in-law, is what grandmother said true? Is Little Fatty really that bad?"

After wiping the boys' faces clean, Yu Lian smiled and replied, "Grandmother is quite right. Little Fatty wouldn't dare, but there's also Big Fatty and Second Fatty, plenty of people waiting to bully our family, especially you two who are so young and vulnerable."

The twins' faces flushed red, "We're not small! We're men!"

Yu Lian responded, "If you're truly men, you shouldn't be wandering around and playing recklessly. You need to stand tall and strong, protecting this family in place of your elder brother, do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, the twins nodded in agreement, thumping their chests and declaring, "We know martial arts!"

An Po came over to fetch them. The matriarch released the twins with a smile and said to her granddaughter-in-law, "Those two rascals don't even have the basic skills; their kung fu is mere child's play. They'd complain about being tired just from standing still or doing horse stance for a while. They always try to find shortcuts. Back then, with Hua Ji around, your father-in-law didn't have high expectations for the boys. He and Hua Ji spoiled them rotten, letting them run wild like mischievous monkeys, causing trouble everywhere they went. Their studies suffered, and they didn't learn any martial arts. They were incompetent in every way."

Thinking of her eldest grandson, Hua Ji, she couldn't help but sigh softly, "They can't compare to Hua'er."

"Hua'er has always been very resourceful. His talent is one thing, but more importantly, he never needed guidance or discipline from elders. He had his own mind from a young age, knowing exactly what he should do without needing anyone else's interference. If we had left these two boys unchecked like Hua'er, they would have turned out spoiled instead."

"Let's not dwell on that. Lian, start preparing today. Pack everything you'll need for our trip back home. Don't forget anything. Tomorrow, Yi Po will accompany you to go shopping for face powder, cosmetics, clothes, and fabrics. Once we're in the countryside, it'll be much harder to find such items, and even if we do, the quality won't match that of the capital."

She looked at Yu Lian lovingly, "Don't worry about our situation. Do your best to make yourself comfortable, and it will bring me joy and comfort."

Yu Lian nestled her head against the matriarch's shoulder, "Grandmother, you haven't heard my past reputation. I was terrible, arrogant, and indulgent. I fought with more than a dozen sisters in the Wei Duke's residence every day. I never backed down. Do you really need to worry about me?"

The matriarch laughed heartily, "That's what you call terrible? A good-for-nothing little troublemaker!"

Despite this, Yu Lian didn't buy much. First, the family was embarking on a long journey, and carrying too many things would be inconvenient. Second, having seen so many fine things in her previous life, she wasn't tempted by ancient cosmetics or fabrics. She only bought a few jars of face cream and medicinal ointments, along with menstrual pads. Additionally, she purchased two sets of fine cotton clothing and two bolts of cotton fabric for undergarments, as these were not readily available outside.

She reminded herself that she wasn't a native of this ancient world, and the original host's sewing skills were lacking. Her mother-in-law, however, was skilled. Yu Lian planned to ask her mother-in-law to sew a couple of ready-made clothes for her.

This was solely for her own use. Counting her grandmother, her mother-in-law, her twin aunts, and her younger stepsister, she had also purchased some essential items for them.

Yi Po still found it insufficient. She was accustomed to the extravagant spending of the East Yuan Marquis household and felt that this amount was too little, potentially causing discomfort to them. Yu Lian explained, "The journey is long, and carrying too many possessions may draw unwanted attention. If we attract bandits, it could lead to trouble."

"Young Lady makes a valid point…" Yi Po looked distressed. "There's something I'd like to consult with you about."

Yu Lian replied, "Please go ahead and tell me."

Yi Po sighed. "You know that I've served Madam Elder for most of my life. She's merciful and allowed my husband to register as a free citizen with our son ten years ago. Thanks to the grace of our masters, we've managed to save some money over the years. Two years ago, we purchased a plot of fertile land and a house in the outskirts of the capital. The house is tiny, with a leaky roof, but my husband has been repairing it slowly. It's almost fixed. Dazhuang recently got engaged, and we planned to have the bride move in by the end of the year, while he finds a small business to support the family."

She smiled sheepishly. "I understand that you come from an esteemed background and would likely not value these humble assets and simple plans. However, they represent what my husband and I have worked hard for our entire lives. With Dazhuang getting married and having children, our family will finally have a place to settle down, and we'll have fulfilled our duty to our ancestors. If Dazhuang manages the business well, our future will be secure. Madam Elder once said that after Dazhuang gets married, she'll let me retire and return home to enjoy my grandchildren. Now… with Young Lady and the family moving back to our ancestral village, which is far from the capital, I don't know what to do."

Yu Lian understood Yi Po's dilemma. On one hand, there was her master, Madam Elder; on the other, her own family. She and her husband had saved all their lives to establish a modest livelihood, looking forward to a comfortable retirement when their son got married and started a family.

Now, faced with this situation, Yi Po was torn and uncertain.

It was only natural for her to feel this way.

Yi Po was undoubtedly attached to her husband and son, who were already registered as free citizens with a small property. It was impossible for them to return to the countryside. Besides, she was no longer young. If she followed her master back to the village, returning to the capital would be challenging.

Yi Po's face was filled with guilt. "Our household is in crisis now, and Madam is not in good health. It's precisely the time when we need help, yet I had such thoughts. Indeed, indeed..."

Yu Lian didn't respond hastily. She said, "Grandmother is a reasonable person. Since the journey to the mountains is long and arduous, it requires careful consideration. Yi Po, just ask Grandmother for her decision."

The next day, the old madam indeed mentioned Yi Po's matter. She said calmly, "I didn't plan on letting them go anyway. In fact, I don't intend to take any servants with me from the mansion. When the time comes, I'll return their indenture contracts and let them be free. We've been master and servant, but all things must come to an end."

She handed several boat tickets to Yu Lian. "Once we leave the capital, taking a boat through the outer canal will be much faster. At Salt State, we'll switch to a carriage. These boat tickets are for a merchant ship that's also heading to Salt State. They depart early the day after tomorrow. We'll follow them. Once there, we'll inquire about other merchant caravans and switch to another one."

"The journey is long, and it may take more than ten days or even a month or two if the weather is bad. It'll be tough, so Lian'er, you must be prepared."

Yu Lian nodded. She was unfamiliar with the maps and transportation here, so she could only rely on her elders. Lowering her head to count the tickets, she exclaimed, "Why are there only eight?

"Our mansion has two concubines, right? Shouldn't there be nine tickets?"

The old madam shook her head. "My silly child, do you really think both concubines will come with us? Not everyone is as foolish as you, willing to endure hardships knowing full well the dangers. The moment they heard we're leaving the capital to return to our ancestral village, they were terrified."

Yu Lian pondered and said, "Since Concubine Wen has Guo'er, she should follow us. So, it's Concubine Mei who doesn't want to come?"

To her surprise, the old madam shook her head again. "You misunderstand. Concubine Mei came from the Palace Music Bureau and was bestowed by the late emperor. She has a humble background and is an orphan with no support. She has no choice but to follow us. Concubine Wen is the daughter of the acting mayor of Jingzhao Prefecture. That old man has already sent several letters urging her to leave the Hu family, fearing that our association might attract the emperor's attention. Now that we're moving, Concubine Wen packed her belongings last night and came to bid me farewell. Even the divorce letter your father wrote for her is ready."

"Father actually signed the agreement for her?"

"Indeed. This Concubine Wen was eager to leave in a hurry. Mrs. Chen mentioned that she even woke your father up. Given his disinterest in emotional bonds and current state of disillusionment, he agreed without any hesitation."

Yu Lian didn't anticipate that among the two concubines, the one with a child, Concubine Wen, would be the one to stay.

"Does Concubine Wen have a place to go?"

"That old dog, the Governor of Jingzhao, has already found her a new home. She's not too old, so she'll become the second wife of a Clerk-Captain serving under her father."

"Yet, to aspire for a comfortable life in the future would be nothing but a pipe dream. That Shihu Canjun official is already a man in his fifties, with grandchildren of his own. She would merely be a decorative figure in his life. As a stepmother, she would have to take on the role of a grandmother as well, and there would be no shortage of hardships to endure."

Let's not talk about her anymore. Have you packed everything, Lian'er? We'll be leaving in two days. Have you sent someone to inform your parents at the residence of the Wei Duke?

Yu Lian lowered her head, "When the time comes to leave, just have Erya come to my door and deliver a letter for me. Meeting in person would only add to the sorrow of our parting."

"Well then, but my dear Lian'er, you must ponder this carefully. You have barely a month before your wedding. If you stay in the capital, your parents are just a stone's throw away. Should you miss them, you can send a messenger to deliver letters or even arrange visits. Your parents could also come to see you. But once we return to our ancestral countryside, it will be a journey of tens of thousands of miles away from here. It may become exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to come back. Grandmother is afraid that you might regret your decision. You're still young and may not have considered all the implications. As time passes, it might be too late for regrets. So, Grandmother urges you to give this matter another thorough thought over the next two days before informing me of your decision."

Yu Lian understood that the elderly matron's intentions were genuinely for her own good; she spoke from the perspective of a seasoned elder who had witnessed the passing of many years and sincerely pondered over what was best for Yu Lian. However, the fact remained that Yu Lian was not native to this world; if she had been born into this era or was an indigenous inhabitant, perhaps she might have hesitated. But she was not.

From the very beginning, her plan was to find a secure haven in this unfamiliar era, whether it be amidst the bustling capital city or in a remote countryside. The location mattered little to her, as long as she could escape the intricate circumstances of her previous life, lead a peaceful existence, and avoid both marriage entanglements and the cutthroat intrigues of the ancient palace hierarchy.

Now, the Huafu has provided her a footing in society. She has successfully integrated into this prominent family and fulfilled several of her desired conditions - no internal power struggles within the household, and no need to face a stranger as her husband. This is more than satisfactory.

Yu Lian was content, but in response to the old madam's concern, she replied, "Grandmother, I understand, and you may rest assured."

Having packed away her belongings, she then had to deal with those items she couldn't take with her. Previously, she had sold off a portion of her possessions; this time, there were even more odds and ends. Yu Lian carefully assessed their value and believed they could fetch a decent sum. Therefore, she didn't simply discard them but called for someone to collect them, earning herself a small fortune in the process.

Li Xiang came again, persistently inquiring whether Yu Lian had gone to view the property yet. "I hear that you've been packing your belongings and even summoned people to collect sundries. Are you preparing to move? But where would you be moving to without having even seen the house?"

Yu Lian didn't mention leaving by boat the next morning; instead, she said, "Young Master Li, born into nobility and with the support of a concubine, your future prospects are boundless..." A breeze blew, causing peach blossoms to fall from the tree. She reached out to catch a petal, gently blowing it to the ground. "Do you see? I'm like this flower, born on this tree, falling onto this soil. My life is fixed here, unchangeable and unalterable."

Li Xiang, whose enthusiasm had been abruptly dashed, sneered. "Is Hua Ji that towering tree in your heart?"

"The tree is dead, how can it provide nourishment for you? Are you planning to dedicate your life to guarding a deceased person?"

"You'll remain here, decaying like this dead tree in the mud! But I'm willing to save you, to carefully lift you up, plant you in my home, and tend to you with great care. Why can't you consider me?!"

Frustrated, he turned and ran away.

She also considered that if it had been earlier, before she left the Wei Duke's residence, she might have given this young man a chance. In these few days, she'd seen that although Li Xiang was a bit of a playboy, his nature wasn't bad. At the very least, he was innocent.

But there was no turning back once an arrow was loosed. Yu Lian always knew one principle: one must be content. Her current choice was what she had hoped for, evolving as expected. That was enough. Encountering other surprises and landscapes on this path wouldn't sway her into making new choices.

No matter how appealing they seemed.

On the day of their move, to avoid attracting a crowd and potential trouble, the family woke up at dawn.

Yu Lian sat with the elderly matriarch, summoning the servants around them. She returned their indenture contracts, which, by custom, they should buy back with silver. However, the kindhearted matriarch, grateful for their loyalty in not leaving the Hu household during this time, returned the contracts free of charge, preserving their bond.

The servants' eyes welled up with tears.

Wen Auntie hugged her daughter, Little Guo'er, weeping uncontrollably. She repeatedly urged Guo'er to be obedient, to marry a good husband, and never become a concubine. The thought of her daughter becoming a peasant girl, even a peasant concubine, stirred a deep sorrow within her, causing her to cry even harder.

The matriarch grew impatient. If she truly cherished her daughter, would she have let her go?

She urged her to leave promptly, lest she cause Guo'er any more sorrow.

Little Guo'er clung tightly to her aunt's leg, weeping pitifully. Though deeply saddened, she dared not cry out loud, instead sobbing softly as she begged her aunt to take her along, not to abandon her.

Wen Yi'e wiped away her tears, gazing at their large family and the servants loading belongings onto the rented carriage. With a bitter smile, she realized that wealth and prosperity could vanish like clouds turning into mud in an instant.

She gently pushed away her daughter's hand and, with a resolute turn, left.

Little Guo'er finally cried out loudly, standing there in a daze, watching her aunt's departing figure.

She even took a few steps, attempting to chase after her.

It was almost dawn, and time was running out. Yi Po prepared one last meal for her masters, a warm repast to strengthen their stomachs before they continued on their journey.