Chapter 43

Chapter 43

◎Combined Chapters◎

The ongoing disputes between Elder Madame Xu and her daughter-in-law, Madame Ji, did not dampen the enthusiasm with which Madame Ji and the entire Zheng family welcomed the Prince of Huaiyin and Huiyin. Even though Prince Wei had previously defeated the imperial army and Lü Wei and He Guoguo had taken control of Qingzhou, it did not change Zheng Fang's high regard for Li Cheng.

In his view, when Li Cheng led his troops to capture Xuzhou years ago, he had managed to hold onto it firmly, and the people of Xuzhou were very supportive of him. On the other hand, Xie Jiuyi, who had taken Qingzhou, was driven out. It was clear that if Li Cheng had been the one to take Qingzhou, the Crown Prince would not have been able to seize it.

Zheng Fang was now glad he hadn't gotten involved in Li Heng's affairs. Li Heng was still under Lü Wei's control, and even his favorite concubine had been executed. He was nothing more than a puppet. No matter how much he wanted to fight, his daughter wasn't capable of helping him. There was nothing in her belly, so what could supporting Li Heng achieve?

For now, it was better to remain neutral, avoiding any losses while gathering strength for a future counterattack.

Seeing Madame Ji's red-rimmed eyes, Zheng Fang understood her emotions. He set aside his favorite concubine and came over to comfort her. "We'll see our daughter soon. The scouts just reported that they've reached Bailipo."

"Lord, I understand," Madame Ji said. Her gratitude towards Zheng Fang exceeded her love for him. After all, he had protected her and her children when they were vulnerable, and their current status was due to this man standing before her. This was why she tolerated Elder Madame Xu.

Zheng Fang saw that Madame Ji had calmed down and sighed in relief. "Don't be too sad. It wouldn't be good if the Prince of Huaiyin saw you like this."

"Yes, Mother said she isn't feeling well today, so she won't be coming. I'll send a table of food and wine to her later," Madame Ji said.

Zheng Fang knew why his mother was upset, but taking his daughter back from the palace was a poor decision. If the Crown Prince ascended the throne, their daughter might at least become a consort. If the Crown Prince failed, they could make other plans. Since the Crown Prince hadn't mistreated De Yin, there was no reason to bring her back.

But he didn't dare to confront his mother directly. After all, she was his own mother. He could only pretend not to know.

Both husband and wife had their own calculations. The only one who was truly happy was Zheng Wuheng. He was still anxious to ride out to meet them, but Madame Ji said, "You're about to get married. Don't be so reckless. Your brother has already gone to meet them. Don't mess up your hair."

Xin Shi added, "Yes, little uncle, it's very windy outside. It's better to wait here."

Zheng Wuheng clung to Madame Ji, restless. Seeing his son, Zheng Fang felt joy. He only had this one son, Zheng Wuheng, so he wasn't a strict father. Instead, he doted on his youngest son quite a bit.

Compared to the indulgent father, Madame Ji was very strict with her son. Zheng Wuheng was obedient, though sometimes he slacked off. Still, he trained hard and was proficient in martial arts and tactics.

After a while, the scout reported back, "Lord, Lady, our young miss and her husband have arrived at the gate."

Only then did Madame Ji go out with Zheng Fang to welcome them.

Huiyin hadn't expected both her parents to come out. This was Li Cheng's first time visiting his in-laws' home in Jizhou. Even though he was a prince, he still felt like an anxious son-in-law. But outwardly, he maintained a calm and composed demeanor.

Huiyin wasn't as restrained. As soon as she saw Zheng Fang and Madame Ji, she rushed forward. "Father, Mother," she called, and then greeted her sister-in-law Xin Shi with a "Sister-in-law."

Before she could continue her introduction, she saw Zheng Fang and his wife bowing to Li Cheng. As a prince, Li Cheng's status was higher than theirs.

After the formal greeting, Li Cheng smiled at Huiyin. "Just now, I performed the national ceremony. Now, let me perform the family ceremony. Your son-in-law pays his respects to you, Father-in-law and Mother-in-law."

In truth, Li Cheng was also observing the Zheng family. Zheng Fang was tall, about seven feet, as tall as him. Though he was no longer young, his nose was straight like a jade pillar, and his mouth was red like cinnabar, making him very handsome. Dressed in a brocade robe with both civil and military sleeves, he looked dignified yet elegant, completely different from the Zheng Fang Li Cheng had imagined.

Looking at his mother-in-law, Madame Ji, like Huiyin, she was tall and strong, even slimmer, appearing capable and sharp.

Li Cheng also noticed that Zheng Fang and his wife were observing him. Madame Ji was particularly emotional. In her heart, her daughter was the best in the world, and there weren't many who could match her. In this chaotic world, a man's handsomeness didn't matter much. What was important was whether he could protect her.

Seeing this son-in-law, Li Cheng, dressed in a black python robe with golden clouds embroidered on the cuffs and a reddish-orange belt with inlaid beautiful jade, his black hair tied up with a hollow-carved gold crown, he looked both godly and unapproachable. The more Madame Ji looked, the happier she became. Her son-in-law not only doted on her daughter but also looked extraordinarily handsome and strong, not just a pretty face. The smile on her face deepened.

Looking at her daughter, who had been a young girl when she married, she was now a woman. Her bright forehead was exposed, and her hair was styled in a lily bun, making her look even more like a peach blossom with autumn water eyes. After such a long journey, she wasn't haggard at all but instead looked radiant. Madame Ji felt reassured.

"Prince, we have prepared a feast for you and the princess. Please sit and join us for a family reunion meal," Madame Ji said with a smile.

Li Cheng, of course, was humble. "Everything is at the discretion of the in-laws."

Zheng Wuheng was eager and impatient, wanting to talk to his sister and brother-in-law, but also looking at his brother holding his little nephew. He wished he had eight eyes to take everything in. Pei Shuo handed the baby to Zheng Fang, who weighed him in his hands. "This child is so well-proportioned. He must be over a year old."

Walking ahead, Huiyin turned around and smiled. "Father, what are you saying? Our Jing'er isn't one year old yet. But he's really healthy. He's already twenty pounds at just four months old."

Seeing that Zheng Fang was holding the baby, Madame Ji hurried over, looking very worried. "My lord, you should give the baby to the wet nurse. A man's hands are too rough; we wouldn't want to injure the baby's skin."

Huiyin hadn't had a chance to talk to Madame Ji since returning, and seeing how Madame Ji's eyes never left Jing'er, she felt a little jealous.

Laughing and chatting, they entered the house. Madame Ji had Li Cheng and Huiyin sit at the head of the table, while she and her husband sat below them. Opposite them sat Pei Shuo, his wife, and Zheng Wuheng.

Once everyone was seated, they heard Li Cheng talk about the journey. "We disguised ourselves when we came from Qingzhou to avoid unnecessary trouble. The adults could handle it, but Jing'er had diarrhea for a few days before he got better."

Huiyin felt that Li Cheng wasn't giving himself enough credit, so she added, "Actually, it was all thanks to the prince's arrangements along the way. When Jing'er fell ill, he immediately arranged a house for Jing'er to recover. We even encountered bandits, but we escaped unharmed. If it weren't for me, neither he nor the child would have gone through all that."

"Don't say that. I should have come to visit my in-laws sooner," Li Cheng said, feeling a bit embarrassed. Although he had indeed returned to satisfy his wife's homesickness, he didn't want to discuss such personal matters in public.

Both Zheng Fang and Madame Ji could see Li Cheng's shyness, and they were quite pleased. Zheng Fang even said, "It's the greatest joy for the Zheng family that the prince has accompanied the princess back to her parents' home. My son was previously in Xuzhou under your care, and I'm deeply grateful, Your Highness."

"Please, father-in-law, it's what I should do," Li Cheng replied with a smile.

When they heard that the banquet was ready, Huiyin and Li Cheng joined the others in the dining hall for the meal. Huiyin felt like she was back in her element, having not eaten home-cooked food for so long. Madame Ji helped her daughter by putting food on her plate. "This is your favorite fried shrimp. Have more."

"Mother, I will," Huiyin replied.

When she was at home in Jizhou, Huiyin rarely ate fried food. It wasn't that she didn't like it, but it was easy to get heaty, and as a young lady, she had to be mindful of her appearance.

Madame Ji loved watching her daughter eat and immediately served her another bowl of noodle soup. Meanwhile, Zheng Fang also spoke up, "Why serve this noodle soup? It's not appropriate for the Princess to eat this."

"Father, I like these. And is there any steamed cabbage rolls? I've been craving that dish," Huiyin said coquettishly.

"Bring that dish immediately," Zheng Fang urged the servants.

Parents show their love through endless feeding, especially Madame Ji and Zheng Fang. With Huiyin away from home, they felt as if they had lost their backbone.

Normally, such a grand banquet would be very formal, with the rule of "no talking while eating," and the Zheng family had always been like that. But seeing Huiyin so happy, Zheng Fang, who wasn't from a noble family, relaxed. He even used a small knife to cut roasted lamb and beef for Li Cheng and Huiyin.

Huiyin was worried that Li Cheng might think they were too informal, so she whispered, "My parents haven't seen me in a long time, so they're like this. It's not because they're treating you like an outsider."

"I understand. You don't need to explain," Li Cheng replied. He didn't find anything wrong with it and could see that his wife was very pampered at home.

"Are any of the dishes not to your taste? I'll talk to my mother. We have a chef who can cook southern dishes. We'll eat together then," Huiyin said with a smile.

Li Cheng nodded inwardly.

Pei Shuo had also been observing his younger sister and brother-in-law. Seeing the two whispering, it was clear they were very intimate in private. This young prince seemed far more genuine than the Crown Prince. He truly treated his sister well, traveling all this way to accompany her back for the visit, taking care of her the entire time, and having no concubines or secondary wives—even I would find that hard to do.

"Your Highness, I'd like to propose a toast to you. Our northern wine is strong. If you can't handle it, you can switch to the jade dew wine," Pei Shuo raised his cup.

Li Cheng laughed heartily. "Why not? I've been wanting to try this 'burning knife' wine."

The two of them, being of similar age, quickly became like brothers over drinks. Even Zheng Wuheng liked to join them, but Madame Ji wouldn't let him drink too much.

After the banquet, Li Cheng and Huiyin returned to freshen up. They also checked out the courtyard where they were now staying. It was a small, well-prepared courtyard by their family, very spacious. The front of the courtyard was filled with all kinds of flowers. Two cranes were drinking water, and a peacock was displaying its feathers. Not to mention the exquisite furniture inside, everything was of the highest quality.

Huiyin supported Li Cheng's arm as they sat down. "You drank so much; aren't you afraid it'll burn your heart? Now that you've bathed, you should rest properly. You've been exhausted from this journey; you need to take a break."

She had planned to have a private chat with her mother. When she was still at her parents' home, the two of them had endless things to talk about. Now that they were far apart and sending letters was inconvenient, she definitely needed to go.

But Li Cheng held her hand and said, "Can you stay and sleep with me?"

"I'll be back soon. I haven't had a private conversation with my mother since I came back. I have to go," Huiyin replied with a smile. Li Cheng seemed a little reluctant, but Huiyin understood. Since traveling from Jiangnan to Jizhou, the couple had been inseparable, spending every moment together. Now that they were separated, even if just for a short while, they both felt a little unaccustomed to it.

In our own home, Huiyin naturally wanted to spend time with her family. She said, "Tomorrow, we'll go to Brother's house for a meal, and Father will take you to inspect the border. There are many things to do, so go to sleep."

She covered Li Cheng's eyes with her hand, and he felt a warm sensation, which lulled him to sleep instantly.

Madame Ji hadn't slept either. Seeing her daughter come over, she patted the empty space on the bed. Huiyin quickly took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, nestling together with her mother like they used to.

"Has the prince gone to sleep?" Madame Ji asked. Being a wife was different from being a daughter. As a daughter, one could be more carefree, but as a wife, one had to take care of one's husband first.

Huiyin nodded. "He's already asleep and didn't want me to leave. We're usually apart, so it's been hard to be together these days, which is why he was reluctant to let me go."

Hearing this, Madame Ji reminisced about her own wedding days with Pei Ye. He knew she loved the beef buns from the street corner, so he, a young master from a prominent family, queued up to buy them for her. He was anxious when she gave birth to Shuo'er, but that didn't stop him from caring for other women later.

However, she didn't want to mention this in front of her daughter. The early years of marriage were the happiest, and if she said something that caused misunderstanding between her daughter and son-in-law, what good would it do? Besides, even if Pei Ye was like that, there were still good men in the world.

Thus, Madame Ji teased, "He couldn't bear to part with you, which shows how strong your relationship is."

"Let's not talk about us. How are you, Mother? I heard my younger brother is getting married?" Huiyin asked in rapid succession.

Madame Ji smiled and said, "Hold on, let me answer one by one. I'm doing well, but your sister has been causing a fuss about wanting to come home. Your grandmother wants your father to fetch her, but both your father and I don't want to. Even the Crown Princess can't visit her parents' home freely, let alone a secondary consort like a Liangdi."

Huiyin agreed, "That's true. In my previous life, after becoming a Liangdi, I was mostly summoned by my family. Even as Empress Dowager, I couldn't casually return to my parents' home."

So, she was a bit speechless, "How could Grandmother make such an unreasonable request? Why is she suddenly so insistent on coming home?" In her previous life, after Li Cheng passed away, her sister didn't make a fuss about going home, but now she was.

Madame Ji sighed, "It's because a concubine in the Eastern Palace was beaten to death by Lü Wei after she became pregnant, and even her brother was implicated. Your sister witnessed her death and was frightened, thinking the Eastern Palace was a dangerous place. She chose to marry into it, and it's not like a regular family where she can just come back."

Madame Ji thought that if it were her own daughter, she would have done everything to protect her, but Huiyin wasn't her daughter. Zheng Fang turned a blind eye, so how could she interfere in such matters?

"A concubine beaten to death by Lü Wei? Was she from the Dong family? I think I heard about her from Tong Niangzi before." Huiyin was surprised that such a thing had happened, which didn't occur in her previous life.

Madame Ji nodded, "She was a concubine named Dong, originally a palace maid and one of Empress He's attendants. The Crown Prince didn't favor her much, but she was fortunate to be pregnant with the Eastern Palace's child, only to meet such an end. Actually, what does this have to do with your sister? Your father is the Grand Commander of Jizhou and a marquis; how could Lü Wei dare to clash with him now?"

Huiyin thought that in her previous life, although her father eliminated Lü Wei, his situation didn't improve much, and he had to follow the Crown Prince, only to realize later that the Crown Prince wanted to betray him.

But this Huiyin went to great lengths to change her marriage, yet she was so timid and hadn't discovered that the Crown Prince was giving them contraceptive medicine.

If I were in her position, I would need to have a child to persuade Zheng Fang. Otherwise, what leverage did she have?

"Mother, the main reason we came back this time with the prince is to visit family, but we also need to go to the palace to celebrate the Emperor's birthday. Otherwise, as the prince, who oversees the navy, he can't easily leave his post." Huiyin explained their purpose.

Madame Ji asked in a low voice, "Your father already knows about that. We'll go to the palace together. But there's one thing, I heard you and Zheng Fang delayed your wedding by more than ten days? Does he have any other women?"

Huiyin shook her head, "I'm not sure about his past, but he told me he didn't. However, he was quite skilled on our first night, not like a novice."

"And after you married, how has he been with you?"

"Even if he's injured, we sleep together. You know what? His grandmother didn't treat me well and tried to punish me, refusing to let me manage the household. When he returned, he sold all his grandmother's people and gave the money to me to manage." Huiyin said with a hint of sweetness.

Madame Ji was about to say something more when Huiyin continued, "When I was giving birth to Jing'er, he stayed by my side in the delivery room, holding me from behind and comforting me. At that moment, I was deeply moved. No matter what happens in the future, at least he's truly good to me. He has no parents, and his grandmother is quite muddled, but he's very good to me."

"You're defending him before I even say anything!" Madame Ji instructed, "I know he's good to you, so don't worry. I can see he's a fine man. As a member of the royal family, he's truly remarkable. But as a woman, you mustn't completely rely on a man."

Huiyin smiled, "Don't worry, Mother, I have a sense of proportion."

Madame Ji touched her daughter's hair and couldn't help but say, "When you came back today, I almost didn't recognize you. You look so good, like a peach blossom. I knew your life must be going well, and most importantly, giving birth to Jing'er is the best thing."

Back then, Madame Ji could still remarry with Pei Shuo, and even if she couldn't, when her son grew up, she would have someone to rely on. In these uncertain times, even a strong woman without family support or a son would be vulnerable.

"How are you and Father?" Huiyin asked, concerned about Madame Ji.

Madame Ji smiled. "Your father comes to see me a few times a month. He still consults me on important matters. Even those concubines, even the difficult ones, don't dare to say anything in front of me. I'm not afraid of them."

Madame Ji had a fighting spirit. Her gratitude towards Zheng Fang outweighed her love, and she didn't have a strong sense of possession. As long as they didn't go too far, she wouldn't care. Moreover, some of those concubines were former singers or dancers, born into poor families. In these turbulent times, they were like duckweed, very good at reading the room. They knew clearly who was in charge in the household.

"That's good. In the future, your daughter will also support you," Huiyin smiled.

Madame Ji lowered her eyes. "There's also your grandmother. I know her well. She might think your sister wasn't worthy of her son-in-law. But let's not talk about this. Since you're back, we'll choose an auspicious day. When the time comes around for your brother's wedding, you'll be able to meet your future sister-in-law."

Huiyin naturally agreed but frowned. "Mother, why the rush? Brother is only eighteen."

"That's already considered late. In our family, with all the battles, once your brother is married, people will start treating him as an adult. Also, if anything unexpected happens, it's good to leave behind a descendant." Madame Ji, born in the military, was more open about life and death than ordinary people.

Huiyin naturally asked about her brother's fiancée. "I've only heard from Lady Tong that Miss Cui is known for her virtue and grace. I don't know the details."

When mentioning her future daughter-in-law, Madame Ji couldn't help but say, "She's pretty but not seductive. She doesn't have the same beauty as you and your brother. However, her personality is very gentle, with a natural aura of gentleness. Although she's the youngest daughter in her family, she doesn't act coquettishly or throw tantrums. She's broad-minded. Your brother, who can be rash and headstrong, was immediately smitten with her."

"So it was my brother who fell for her. That reassures me. By the way, Princess Wu's family is related to the Cui family. When the time comes, I can visit his uncle's house with the prince." Huiyin relaxed.

The mother and daughter chatted about family matters for a while. Huiyin yawned and prepared to go back. Since she was home, she could talk to her mother for a long time.

Madame Ji had someone bring a lantern to escort her. "It's pitch black outside. Be careful."

"Mother, please don't see me off. I'll be careful. Besides, it's not cold, and there's no snow. Don't worry." Huiyin insisted on preventing Madame Ji from seeing her off.

As she left her mother's main room, she felt the moon was bright and the stars sparse. She was a bit emotional. In this lifetime, her sister was so timid. She couldn't help but wonder how Li Heng would cope with such a timid sister.

Just as she was thinking, she walked out of the courtyard and saw someone standing there with a lantern. The lantern light cast a glow on his blue brocade sleeve, and when she looked up at his jade-like face, his eyes, which had been vacant, suddenly filled with joy. In the dim light, Huiyin could see a warm, golden light in his eyes.

"Husband, why are you here?" Huiyin had assumed he was already asleep.

She wondered if he had come to confess something, or perhaps it was for her safety, or even out of reluctance to part.

To her surprise, Li Heng looked puzzled. "I wasn’t thinking. I just found myself walking here."

Huiyin laughed. "You have a sharp face but a slow heart. Couldn't you just say you missed me?"