Chapter 55: Own Son

Chapter 55: Own Son

A single "Mother" and "Father" left no room for doubt.

Despite Pei Yuanxi's anticipation of this possibility, she was still utterly stunned. She was shielded by the young man, whose rebellious short hair caught her eye. Beyond his hair, she saw Gongye Chu's restrained expression and tightly pressed lips.

One was said to be her husband, the other her son.

Apart from astonishment, she had no time for any other emotions. The very fact that she had soul-transmigrated into a foreign world was already bizarre, let alone waking up from a decade of idiocy. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to experience such a scene.

It was clear that Gongye Chu understood what Shangxing was implying.

So, he had known from the beginning that she would become his wife and the biological mother of his son. Perhaps he hadn't believed it, or else he wouldn't have harbored murderous intentions toward her nor used her as bait.

At this thought, she felt she should shower him with scathing remarks, cursing him to the point of reincarnation. Yet, she did nothing of the sort, not even uttering a single gasp.

As she looked at him, he gazed down upon her. She surely didn't realize that despite her unchanging expression, her eyes were incredibly expressive.

He imagined that she must be cursing him in her heart.

Poor Shangxing realized his doom the moment he spoke those words. His youthful face appeared pitiful as he gazed at the enigmatic man before him.

"Dad... I..."

"Shut up!" Veins throbbed on Gongye Chu's forehead, marking the first time he felt the urge to beat someone up instead of killing them. That single utterance of "Dad" burned his ears, stirring unprecedented emotions.

Shangxing obediently closed his mouth but kept his arms protectively around Pei Yuanxi. "Don't kill her, I beg you."

Pei Yuanxi was stunned. She had been so focused on his use of "Mother" that she overlooked the meaning behind his words. Gongye Chu had come to kill her.

This wasn't the first time Gongye Chu had wanted her dead. She recalled the incident from the previous night when she was still puzzled about his murderous intent towards her.

Now, she understood the reason.

He was indeed a man obsessed with power and manipulation, one who wouldn't tolerate any weakness.

She gently pulled Shangxing's hand down. "If he truly wants to kill me, you won't be able to stop him."

Tears welled up in Shangxing's eyes. "I can stop him, I'll risk my life to do it. I just wish you both could think for a moment, about our family of three being happy and whole. What have I done wrong..."

Pei Yuanxi suddenly felt a pang of distress. If he was truly her son, how heartbroken would he be? Alone in an unfamiliar world, without a father's knowledge or a mother's care, he'd have to face his unknown parents all by himself.

Gongye Chu's face remained cold. "Move aside, I won't kill her."

"R-Really?" Shangxing choked on his words, seemingly unable to believe it.

Gongye Chu's expression darkened slightly. No one had ever dared to question his words before. He moved with incredible speed, so fast that Pei Yuanxi couldn't even see how he did it. She only felt a chill breeze pass by her, then Shangxing was lifted up like a small chick in his grip.

"I was wrong... I know I was wrong, Father!" Shangxing wailed, feeling deeply ashamed. Before he turned seven, his father often carried him this way. But after turning seven, he had never been treated like this again. In front of his mother, he was a well-behaved and obedient son. Being seen in such a pathetic state by his mother made him feel utterly humiliated. "I believe in Father, you're the person I love the most!"

He really did seem like a child at this moment.

Pei Yuanxi's heart tightened. "Your Excellency... let's talk this through peacefully."

Gongye Chu released Shangxing. "Leave first."

Shangxing glanced between his birth father and birth mother, not showing any hint of fear in his eyes. A mischievous grin spread across his face, suggesting that his earlier cries might have just been a performance.

He mouthed silently to Pei Yuanxi, "I love Mother the most."

Gongye Chu shot him a glance, and Shangxing instantly transformed into a pitiful figure. He stepped out of the room, glancing back repeatedly, then obediently crouched in a corner of the courtyard, gazing affectionately at the small wooden house where the pet resided.

The pet let out a low whimper and slowly slunk to his feet.

"Well-fed and sleek, you've been enjoying some fine treats lately, haven't you?" he stroked the pet's plump body. "You're still better off with my mother, always well-fed and well-rested."

The pet whined contentedly as it enjoyed the grooming, its eyes half-closed in bliss.

"Do you want to guess what my father will say to my mother?"

Of course, the pet couldn't speak, so it whimpered again.

He laughed heartily, his dimples deepening. "It doesn't matter what they talk about. I now have both a father and a mother. Unlike you, poor thing. Who is your father? Where is your mother?"

It was unfair to tease a dog this way, but the pet, alas, couldn't understand human language.

As Shangxing talked to himself, he merely sought a listener, someone who wouldn't divulge any secrets. The pet was the perfect companion, and their bond appeared intimate.

Gongye Chu and Pei Yuanxi had been silent for a while. By now, Pei Yuanxi had grown somewhat composed. Perhaps the situation seemed surreal to others, but to her, it was nothing out of the ordinary.

She didn't doubt Shangxing's words, but she was deeply skeptical about how she could possibly be married to Gongye Chu.

He asked, "Do you have anything to say?"

"I have nothing to say," she replied.

He seemed lost in thought. The emperor had said she was different from others, which was why she could remain so calm. The man in her dream, who had been both him and not him, had looked at her with a complicated gaze.

She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes resembling two small fans. This was a beautiful woman in the prime of her life. If he recalled correctly, she had just come of age.

Too young, he thought.

"You'd better keep what happened today to yourself and pretend it never happened."

"I can't," she lifted her head, her gaze resolute.

It was impossible for her to act as if nothing had happened, and no one else could do so either. In the past, when she merely knew she would marry him and become his wife, she could have pretended ignorance.

But after having a child, things were entirely different.

She didn't mind who she was marrying, his status, or whether they would be affectionate. But she couldn't ignore a child from the future who sought her out, especially since that child was her own flesh and blood.

She believed such an implausible story because she herself was a time traveler. Gongye Chu, with his intimidating aura, was surely not someone who believed in ghosts or gods. Why then did he believe?

"This matter is too bizarre. Yet, Lord actually believes it."

"I had a dream," Gongye Chu admitted without reservation.

She was startled. So that was the reason.

She wondered what kind of dream he had and if it was complete. From the way he treated her, it seemed he had only glimpses, otherwise, his demeanor would be different.

What an odd family of three – who would believe them?

"Does Lord still wish to kill me?" His purpose for coming here was to eliminate her. Was he treating her as good as dead by sharing so much?

Despite Gongye Chu's impeccable appearance, no one dared to meet his gaze directly. Yet, she not only looked him in the eye but also held her ground for a long while.

Recalling her foolish act when they first met, he narrowed his eyes, "If I wanted to kill you, could you escape?"

"There's no escape," she answered truthfully. "If Lord wishes to eliminate someone, who could resist? I understand that you have grand ambitions and aren't one to be bound by sentimental ties. It's impossible for me to act as if I've heard nothing, but I promise to keep this secret within myself."

At this moment, they were not husband and wife, nor could they even be considered acquaintances. She knew that if her existence truly posed a threat or hazard to him, he wouldn't hesitate to act ruthlessly.

A hint of admiration flashed in his eyes; indeed, she was a clever woman.

"And how do you plan on dealing with him?"

Here, 'him' referred to Shangxing.

"I... don't know."

She genuinely didn't know. The revelation of having a son was shocking enough, leaving her no time to formulate a plan. In fact, it was futile to think too much about it, as the entanglement of her past and present lives couldn't be easily unraveled by mere contemplation.

Gongye Chu's cold heart unexpectedly softened. Considering she was just a young maiden, her composure in such a situation was remarkable. How could she possibly manage everything on her own?

"It's best to forget, lest it brings unnecessary distress," he said.

She looked at him in surprise. Was he trying to counsel her?

He shot her a glance and left with his lips pursed. She heard Shangxing asking why he had come out so quickly, but he didn't seem to respond. Shangxing said he wanted to speak with her, and then silence fell outside.

Without a second thought, she dashed out the door, only to find the courtyard gate tightly shut, with no trace of their figures. Looking around, she was all alone, her shadow her sole companion. The night was cool as water, and she gathered her hair close, wrapping her arms around herself. Her heart began pounding wildly, its rhythm out of control.

In a small wooden shed in the corner, the pet dog, Xindian, lay comfortably inside. None of the servants in the yard knew what had transpired, and even she felt as if it had all been a ridiculous dream.

Inside Chengyou Palace, the halls were illuminated by bright lanterns.

From dawn until dusk, they had knelt without food or drink.

Empress Concubine Zeng was born a concubine's daughter and entered the palace as a low-ranking consort. Kneeling was an everyday occurrence for her. She remained motionless, and so did the others out of fear. Chen Yaozhi could endure it, having survived in the dark dungeons in her previous life.

However, it was a torment for Pei Yuanjun and Zeng Miaofu. One was once the legitimate daughter of a marquis household, the other the legitimate daughter of the Zeng family; neither had known hardship. Alternating between grimacing from pain and wincing from numbness, they lost all grace in their kneeling posture.

Zeng Miaofu felt incredibly wronged. Why did her aunt drag them into her conflict with the emperor? They had been summoned to the palace by their aunt, but who knew that she intended to take them as foster daughters? Even if she did, why show off in front of the emperor? Now, the emperor had misunderstood and taken Pei Yuanxi as his foster mother. Her aunt couldn't defy the emperor, so who was this kneeling for?

Her legs were numb, and every part of her body ached. She had never been punished or even scolded in her entire life. If her aunt wanted to kneel, that was one thing, but why not let them go?

Empress Concubine Zeng observed her niece's contorted face with a cold smile in the corner of her eye. As a concubine's daughter, she had been bullied by her legitimate older sister during her maiden days, and her own legitimate brothers had never treated her kindly.

If not for her relentless efforts to enter the palace and, by chance, become the sole Imperial Concubine of Tai Ling Palace, how could her esteemed elder brother have sought her favor? If she were not an Imperial Concubine, how would this niece be so obedient before her?

Power, indeed, is a wondrous thing.

Once tasted, one can never bear to part with it.

She was unwilling to kneel on the cold ground, enduring aching joints and muscles; one must endure hardships to rise above others. She wanted the world to know that even if, one day, Emperor was supplanted by Gongye Chu, she, as the Imperial Concubine, would have fulfilled her duties diligently. Gongye Chu, not wishing to bear the brunt of public condemnation, would surely treat her well.

Being granted the title of an Honored Lady or retiring from the palace with honor were both appealing options.

"If you can't bear this bit of hardship, what else do you aspire to achieve?"

At her reprimand, Zeng Miaofu ceased her antics. She felt immensely wronged; good fortune never came her way. When it came to taking in an adopted daughter, Auntie considered outsiders, yet when it was time to suffer, she was always the one chosen.

But Zeng Miaofu was no fool; she would not utter such words.

Pei Yuanjun's heart was filled with resentment. Among the three, one was the foster daughter of the Imperial Concubine, and the other was her niece. Why should an outsider like her be kneeling alongside them?

After scolding Zeng Miaofu, Empress Dowager Zeng cast a sideways glance at the palace maid who had just entered. This maid had come in and out several times, and each time she entered, she would subtly shake her head at Empress Dowager Zeng.

As the hours ticked by, Chengyou Palace seemed to have been left behind in the fading daylight.

"Aunt, it's almost curfew," a palace attendant whispered.

Zeng Miaofu's eyes lit up. Overnight stays were forbidden in the palace, so surely Aunt would let them leave before the curfew began.

Empress Dowager Zeng waved her hand, indicating for the servants to escort them out. After kneeling for so long, each of them ached with sore limbs, their postures far from elegant.

Zeng Miaofu turned back to see Empress Dowager Zeng still kneeling on the ground. She privately wondered if her aunt's influence wasn't as great as she'd imagined. Intentionally walking beside Pei Yuanjun, she left Chen Yaozhi trailing behind. In her view, today's events were all due to Chen Yaozhi. If her aunt hadn't insisted on adopting her as a daughter, none of this would have happened.

Chen Yaozhi lowered her head, gazing back at the brightly lit Chengyou Palace, disappointment and resentment welling up inside her. She had thought Empress Dowager Zeng was capable, but now saw her as powerless.

It seemed that if she wanted to surpass Pei Yuanxi, she'd have to find another way.

Outside the palace gates, her brother Chen Ling was waiting for her. His face was grim, but with representatives from both the Zeng and the Marquis households present, he restrained himself from expressing his anger.

Once they were inside the carriage, his brows furrowed and his eyes flashed with fury.

The more refined someone appeared, the more terrifying their anger could be. "You really know how to get me into trouble!"

"Brother, today's incident isn't my fault. It was due to the conflict between Empress Dowager and His Majesty; we were all caught in the crossfire," Chen Yaozhi defended herself, fearing that Chen Ling would send her back to Yuncang.

In the carriage, there was another person – Cheng Yu.

She was slightly displeased, believing that even if her brother intended to befriend someone, he shouldn't have been so careless. As an unmarried maiden, sharing a carriage with a man from outside her family was inappropriate.

"Yaozhi, don't be angry yet. This might not be a bad thing," Cheng Yu's soothing words improved Chen Ling's expression.

Her curiosity about Cheng Yu's identity grew. Given how her brother listened so obediently to this young master, he clearly wasn't an ordinary person. If only his appearance were better, he could potentially be a worthwhile acquaintance.

Cheng Yu smiled. "I haven't congratulated Miss on becoming Lady Zeng's adopted daughter."

"What's there to congratulate? Everyone knows that Empress Dowager Zeng is just a figurehead," Chen Ling dismissed it nonchalantly.

"Wen Zhi, don't underestimate those women in the palace. Even a lowly maid can serve a significant purpose, let alone a prestigious empress dowager. Miss Chen, by forging this connection, you'll naturally have a valid reason to enter and leave the palace in the future."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling fell into deep thought.

Chen Yaozhi secretly exhaled in relief. Regardless of who this Young Master Yu was, his ability to dissuade her brother from sending her away from the Eastern Capital City was a positive development for her.

In Cheng Yu's eyes, there was an unfathomable depth. "I've heard that His Majesty has also taken in an adoptive relative, finding himself a foster mother – none other than the second miss of the Pei family."

At the mention of this, Chen Yaozhi's heart filled with a thousand dislikes. "His Majesty is being reckless, and that's precisely why the Imperial Concubine Tai is angry."

"No matter how reckless he may be, he hasn't done anything to incur heavenly wrath or public resentment. It's just taking in an adoptive mother – not a major issue. You're Foster Daughter Tai, related to the second miss of the Pei family by a roundabout way. As a junior, you should take the initiative to show goodwill. That's how misunderstandings will eventually be reconciled."

Chen Yaozhi found it hard to believe that Young Master Yu was asking her to ingratiate herself with Pei Yuanxi, and as a junior at that. Who was this person? What gave him the right to make decisions for her?

What was even more unbelievable was that her elder brother actually agreed with his suggestion, urging her to take the initiative to seek reconciliation at the Marquis' residence.

"Big Brother!" she protested indignantly, "Our Chen family has always valued integrity. How can we engage in such fawning behavior?"

"Great accomplishments require the disregard of minor details. Your temporary sacrifice will not be forgotten, Sister," Chen Ling assured her.

"I won't go!" Chen Yaozhi declared coldly, lifting her chin slightly. She had her pride and her grounds to stand on; there was no way she would humbly offer herself to be ridiculed, especially not by someone like Pei Yuanxi.

Chen Ling was furious, feeling that his sister was more of a hindrance than a help. If it weren't for her offending Second Miss Pei, their Chen family wouldn't have attracted the emperor's unwanted attention.

Just as he was about to scold her, Cheng Yu intervened, "Young ladies value their reputation. If she doesn't wish to attend, then let it be."

"But..."

"Yun, don't put your sister in a difficult position," Cheng Yu interjected, catching Chen Yaozhi's attention with his words. She found herself increasingly curious about his identity and the subtle air of nobility he exuded. Her eyes flickered with a sudden idea.

Cheng Yu, on the other hand, slowly closed his eyes, appearing to be concentrating on gathering his energy and calming his mind. The image of another stunning face surfaced in his thoughts, someone who was adept at feigning ignorance.

It seemed that the second young lady of the Pei family, Yuanxi, held great significance to both Gongye Chu and the emperor. There must have been a purpose behind his suggestion for Chen Yaozhi to interact with Pei Yuanxi. However, upon further reflection, Cheng Yu doubted that this so-called talented young lady from the Chen family would be a match for Pei Yuanxi, let alone be of much assistance to him.

He had probed the courtyard of Marquis Xuanping's residence on several occasions, only to find its security as tight as an iron bucket. Those concealed bodyguards were certainly not part of the marquis's household; with his current strength, he was not yet capable of forcefully confronting them.

He licked his lips, relishing in the anticipation. The more challenging it was, the more intriguing the situation became.

Sooner or later... he would attain everything he desired.

---

Feeling the chill of the night, Pei Yuanxi seemed to be in a dream. Everything in her dream was surreal and unimaginable, and she could hardly believe that she now had a son out of nowhere.

A son about the same age as herself.

"Gongye Zhong?" she murmured. "Chong'er?"

"Aiya, Mother, are you calling me?" A youthful and handsome face peered over the wall, followed by a boy who gracefully flipped over to land in front of her. "I heard you call my name, so I came."

Not quite.

He had pleaded with his father, using every trick in the book until his father finally allowed him to come. He had so much he wanted to say to his mother. Having finally been reunited with her, even if she didn't fully accept him yet, he still yearned for more conversation with her.

"You..." Pei Yuanxi hesitated. "Has Lord Gongye done anything to you?"

"How... how could he? Mother, you don't know, but Father dotes on me the most." Shangxing felt a pang of sadness at this. The more his previous father had loved him, the more disappointed he was in his current one. "He raised me with his own hands. I'm the one he loves the most. How could he possibly hit me?"

Pei Yuanxi couldn't picture Gongye Chu as a nurturing father; her subconscious only recognized him as a son, not a husband. "You're called Gongye Zhong."

Shangxing's eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly. "I'm Gongye Zhong, as in reunion. My nickname is Chong'er, that's what Father calls me. Mother, you can call me Chong'er too."

When they first met, he had mentioned that his given name was simply 'Chong.' She recalled the tears in his eyes when he spoke of their reunion.

"Chong'er."

A dimple appeared on Shangxing's cheek again. "Mother, I'm so glad I found you. I've dreamed of being with you, of hearing you call my name."

He was genuinely overjoyed and longed to be by his mother's side.

Pei Yuanxi's heart swelled with a bittersweet sensation at his smile. "How old were you when you arrived?"

"I was almost ten."

He answered earnestly, like a well-behaved child responding to his parents. Across both his lifetimes, he was nearly fifteen, the same age as she was now. But she wasn't an ordinary fifteen-year-old girl; she had her previous life, making her, in reality, several decades old.

"Mother, Mother," he called repeatedly, brimming with unbridled joy.

Despite never having been a mother before, that inexplicable bond between parent and child touched her deeply. In a fleeting moment, she envisioned a young boy, not yet ten, lost in an unfamiliar world, undoubtedly frightened at first.

"Were you scared when you first came here?" she asked.

Upon hearing this, the tears Shangxing had been holding back finally trickled down his face. He nodded, then shook his head. "No, I wanted to meet you, Mother. And Father was with me..."

Though Father didn't know him, he was still his biological father.

Pei Yuanxi's heart ached slightly. How could a child under ten not be afraid? She wanted to comfort him but felt it would be too abrupt.

While she hesitated, Shangxing timidly took her hand. "Mother, I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" she asked.

Shangxing felt so guilty that he couldn't meet her eyes. Master Diviner Ye had told him not to intervene in Mother and Father's affairs, as he was afraid his presence might alter too much. That was why he hadn't acted when Mother was still in her foolish state.

Back then, he'd thought the fool wasn't Mother; rather, both she and he were souls who had reincarnated into these bodies later on. But later, he learned that Mother had always been the second daughter of the Pei family; she had merely been foolish for a decade.

"I didn't help Mother back then," he said.

Pei Yuanxi nearly shed tears at this. "How can you blame yourself? How could you have helped me when I didn't even know where I was? Did... Did I die very young?"

Shangxing nodded, sorrowful. "My birthday... is the day of your death."

So that was how it was.

She passed away far too soon.

"Mother, I won't let you go," the young lad's gaze was clear and resolute. "You will surely live to be a hundred years old."

Tears rushed out uncontrollably, leaving her with an indescribable mix of both pain and comfort. It was as if she had found support in the midst of a solitary journey, or like a drifting weed had finally found anchorage.

"I..."

"Are you finished?" A cold voice cut through from outside the courtyard.

Shangxing hastily replied, "Oh no, oh no, I'm coming right away."

As he spoke, he had already vaulted over the wall.

On the other side of the wall, she could hear their father-son conversation. One said, why are you hurrying me, I still have so much to talk to Mother about. The other responded, there's always time in the future, and we have an early court session tomorrow. Then she heard the son nagging, saying he didn't want to get up, wanted more sleep, and wasn't willing to attend the early court session. The father firmly refused, and the teenager's cries of pain, dissatisfaction, and coyness gradually faded into the distance.

She placed her hand over her heart, where the ache had dissipated, replaced by a strange and concealed emotion that was unfamiliar to her.

A family like theirs, with three members so uniquely intertwined, might be unparalleled in history, both past and future.

Remarkably absurd, fantastically bizarre.