Chapter 20: White Dove

◎ How does one deal with a teary-eyed person? ◎

"I am married to Hua Ji. These eight characters may seem light and effortless, but they carry a profound weight. Mother-in-law, since your granddaughter-in-law has no such intentions and her heart is solely devoted to Hua'er, why should I ask and risk hurting her feelings?"

The elder lady finally refrained from asking further.

When the commotion occurred in the courtyard earlier, it had awakened the matriarch. Upon inquiry, she shared the backstory between the Ru Yang Marquis's youngest son and his young wife. They learned that before marrying into the Hua family, the young wife had turned down an arranged marriage with the later Ru Yang Marquis, even risking elopement. However, when Li Xiang encountered the young wife again, he became infatuated, trying every means to persuade her, even promising not to take concubines. Despite this, the young wife remained steadfast, responding only with those eight characters.

Upon sharing these details with the matriarch, she fell into a long reverie, her expression a mix of emotions as if she had much to say but ultimately held back.

She had expected the matriarch, who felt deeply remorseful towards her granddaughter-in-law and wished for her happiness without being burdened by the Hua family, to at least inquire or advise her to consider her options more carefully. Surprisingly, she did not bring it up.

"The Prince has been blessed in his previous life to have a wife like the young wife. This old servant often wonders if, in their past lives, the young wife and the Prince were a blissfully happy pair of swans. Perhaps the heavens, seeing their harmonious existence in their previous lives, decided to test them in this lifetime. Once they overcome these challenges, they will be reunited in the next life. Please do not grieve, Lady. Take everything in stride, for life must go on."

Arriving at her in-laws' courtyard, Yu Lian saw her mother-in-law dressed in a plain outfit, sitting at a stone table in the yard. She was diligently embroidering patterns onto a blue silk robe. Her skilled hands crafted intricate designs, with meticulous stitches bringing the patterns to life.

Only half of the embroidery was completed, and Yu Lian stood there for a while without seeing her mother-in-law add another stitch. It seemed to be a piece that had been started earlier. The garment's vibrant colors suggested it was meant for someone younger, not a man of Father-in-Law's age.

Was this meant for her husband?

It wasn't until Yu Lian took a few steps closer and called out to her that the woman snapped back to reality, hastily wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

She managed a weak smile. "Lian'er, you've come over. Come, sit down."

After Yu Lian sat, the woman hurriedly turned to summon a servant to prepare tea.

This maid had come with her as part of her dowry, and her indenture was under Mrs. Chen's control, not the household's. She was attending to her master in the room and, upon hearing the call, rushed out, addressing Yu Lian as Young Lady from a distance.

Yu Lian nodded in acknowledgment.

This was their first direct encounter as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and Yu Lian felt at ease. In her previous life, she had interviewed countless candidates for her company, treating this meeting like just another mutual assessment, akin to interviewing a roommate.

Mrs. Chen, however, felt somewhat awkward. With red-rimmed eyes, she looked at Yu Lian and said, "Lian'er, it was Mother's fault. I apologize for neglecting you. At Hua'er's memorial, I didn't even realize you had entered. Later, I asked Aunt An to inquire, and that's when I learned about it."

Yu Lian reassured her, "Mother, you were deeply grieving, so it's understandable that you couldn't attend to other matters. There's no need to blame yourself."

With these words, Mrs. Chen seemed to have heaved a sigh of relief. She showed Yu Lian the dress in her hands. "There's still half a month until Hua'er's birthday. This was supposed to be the dress for her birthday banquet, but now she'll never wear it. I had almost finished sewing it; I wanted to complete it and burn it for Hua'er."

As she spoke, a tear dropped onto the fabric, creating a water stain. Mrs. Chen hurriedly tried to wipe it away, but only succeeded in making a mess. Her tears fell even more abundantly, and she accidentally pricked her finger, causing blood to drip.

Now Yu Lian understood why her grandmother often described her mother-in-law as emotionally fragile and scatterbrained. It was unclear how scatterbrained she was, but her tears certainly flowed easily. Since she sat down, she hadn't said much before the tears started falling like a bucketful, leaving outsiders to think Yu Lian had mistreated her.

Sighing, half amused and half exasperated, Yu Lian reached out to gently press against Mrs. Chen's hand, taking the dress from her. She carefully folded it and placed it in a sewing basket nearby. Just then, a servant brought tea, and Yu Lian asked her to fetch some ointment while she picked up a clean handkerchief to clean Mrs. Chen's hands.

Without drinking the tea herself, she handed it to Mrs. Chen to hold, so she wouldn't hiccup from crying too much.

Mrs. Chen obediently followed her daughter-in-law's instructions. When the servant rushed back with the ointment, Yu Lian applied it to Mrs. Chen's finger, warning her not to get it wet.

With red-rimmed eyes, Mrs. Chen watched her daughter-in-law tend to her injury. Her eyes welled up again, and two more tears rolled down her cheeks, landing on Yu Lian's wrist, warm and fresh.

Yu Lian: "..."

If she were dealing with a villain, Yu Lian would know how to retaliate. However, her experiences from her previous life didn't equip her with a solution for dealing with a weeping woman.

Mrs. Chen expressed her gratitude, "Aside from your father and Hua'er, no one has been this kind to me." Since both her husband and son were men with coarser sentiments, they had never personally attended to her wounds; it was always the maids and nursemaids who took care of such tasks.

As Hua'er grew older, she inexplicably continued to seek solitude from her mother. Her husband was preoccupied with official duties, and both he and her father were often too occupied to give her much attention. Although she felt content in her life, there were moments when she sensed an emptiness, a subtle loneliness. Her relationship with her mother-in-law was also distant; they found it challenging to connect on a deeper level.

If Yu Lian were aware of her mother-in-law's thoughts, she would have given a straightforward response: who would want to face a constant crybaby every day? She genuinely sympathized with Hua Ji and his son.

Yet, the thought of this teary-eyed girl becoming her mother-in-law, someone she would have to face every day, stole all smiles from her face.

After applying the soothing medicine, Yu Lian gently advised, "Your Highness is emotionally delicate. It's best not to be reminded of past sentiments by these objects. If this dress only brings you sorrow, then it's not a cherished possession. Your husband wouldn't want to see you weeping every day." With that, she instructed the servant to put it away for now.

Mrs. An gave Lady a glance, noticing her bowed head and lack of protest, so she put the item away.

Yu Lian followed up with a question, "How has Father been these past few days? I've been occupied with matters in the front courtyard and haven't had the chance to attend to this side. Mother, you've worked tirelessly."

Mrs. Chen wiped away her tears, stood up, and took Yu Lian by the hand to see her father in their chamber.

"Not at all, Mother knows nothing. I simply follow the physician's instructions. Most of the time, it's An Po who assists me; otherwise, with my clumsy hands, I wouldn't be able to do anything properly."

It was understandable for Yu Lian. Her mother-in-law had a delicate and frail appearance, prone to tears. Despite being close to forty, she still looked like a young woman in her twenties or thirties. In modern times, she would still be considered in the prime of her beauty and didn't show any signs of aging.

If she were not his mother-in-law, Yu Lian would have commented, "What a pure and innocent act."

She didn't seem capable of caring for an adult male weighing over a hundred pounds. Only a seasoned servant could assist her in such matters.

Upon entering the room, the air was thick with the scent of medicine. Yu Lian instructed the servant to open the windows for ventilation. Approaching the bed, she observed that her father-in-law had good looks, but his face lacked any sign of vitality. Even in a deep sleep, his brows remained tightly knitted.

Yu Lian gently touched his forehead, sensing a slight fever. Spotting a basin of water and a towel nearby, she wrung out the cloth and placed it on his brow.

Mrs. Chen explained, "He just took some medicine, which is quite potent. It's keeping him alive, but the doctor said that your father suffered some old wounds from his time on the battlefield. Although they seemed unproblematic, the trauma of recent events and Hua'er taking on everything caused him immense emotional distress, aggravating those old injuries. He's been having low fevers frequently lately. The doctor believes that your father has lost the will to live; he only wants to pass away. No amount of medicine can cure him now. They're just using it to prolong his life for a little while longer."

Yu Lian hadn't anticipated her father-in-law's condition to be so severe.

But upon reflection, it wasn't entirely unexpected.

His eldest son, Hua Ji, was the pride of his life. Father and son shared a close bond and a similar disposition, both excelling in their careers and interpersonal relations. He had already considered Hua Ji as his life's pride and accomplishment. Under such circumstances, with Hua Ji taking the blame to free the family from prison, how could he not be devastated?

One could even imagine the intense argument the two must have had before deciding who would bear the guilt, who would die, and who would carry on and save the family.

"Back when we were first imprisoned, the previous emperor was gravely ill, and the palace was in chaos. No formal charges were laid, only that we were confined in one cell. I heard Hua'er and your father argue for a long time. Eventually, your father said he had lived half his life, while Hua'er was still young with a long path ahead. He believed it should be him to die. But Hua'er disagreed, stating that the new emperor held a deep grudge against him. If only your father took the blame, the new emperor wouldn't acknowledge it, making their efforts futile. In the end, Hua'er seized the opportunity when your father was off guard, giving his confession. Your father, overwhelmed by pain, had no choice but to admit to the crime, watching helplessly as Hua'er was sent to the death row. Once the new emperor pronounced the sentence, everything became irreversible. Upon returning home, your father fell ill and never recovered."

Yu Lian sighed, saying, "A continuous low fever isn't good either. Besides, Father has been in a coma for so long that he can hardly eat anything. His body won't be able to withstand it much longer. Have you asked other doctors to take a look?"

Mrs. Chen smiled bitterly and shook her head. "There aren't many doctors willing to come to our house now. This doctor was willing to visit only because the Hu family had once done him a favor. As for the others, they're all too cautious and afraid of getting involved, so they dare neither come to our residence nor treat your father."

Yu Lian's desire to move out intensified. The East Yuan Marquis's mansion was too high-profile, and if they remained there, no doctor might ever dare to visit. If they left, they might be able to find a skilled physician to save her father's life.

However, a prolonged low fever would severely test the immune system, and with the added strain of a long-term coma and minimal food intake, the body would suffer even more.

After leaving her in-laws, Yu Lian strolled back to her courtyard, deep in thought beneath the bamboo grove.

At this point, summoning an imperial physician from the palace would be ideal. They were among the best doctors in the world, with extensive experience and access to abundant medicinal resources. Surely, they could save her father's life. But if even doctors from the common folk were avoiding the Hu family, how much more would the imperial physicians?

She shook her head and laughed bitterly.

Erya brought a cloak and draped it over her shoulders. "Madam, it's almost dark. Are you going to have dinner with the elderly matriarch today?"

Yu Lian shook her head. "Grandmother is not in good spirits. If I'm there, she'll keep trying to accommodate me and stay awake to talk to me. I don't want to disturb her. I don't have much of an appetite today, so just make me a bowl of plain noodle soup."

Erya nodded, "Madam, don't worry. My family's roots are in the northwest, so we're experts at making noodles. Just wait, I'll go make some for you right away."

These past few days, most of the servants had fled, leaving the main kitchen deserted. To avoid wasting firewood, each courtyard had its own small kitchen where they cooked their meals. Erya's culinary skills were inherited from her mother, Yi Po, and though not exquisite, her dishes tasted pleasantly fresh.

Upon hearing Erya's words, something flickered across Yu Lian's mind. But in that fleeting moment, her thoughts were preoccupied with the imperial physician, and she failed to grasp the fleeting notion.

A leaf suddenly drifted down from above, and Yu Lian caught it. She gazed at the green bamboo leaf for several breaths before scanning the treetops and rooftops, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

She sighed.

A breeze carried a slight chill, prompting her to wrap herself tighter in her cloak before turning back into the house.

A white dove soared away from the rooftop.