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Xiao Yao looked at the children’s serious expressions and naturally felt a sense of comfort.
Hearing the noise, the children raised their heads and, upon seeing Xiao Yao in the main hall, they all dropped what they were doing and rushed over, calling out, "Mother!"
"Ah, you all must be tired, right? Come over for some snacks," Xiao Yao waved her hand.
Upon hearing there were snacks, the children ran even faster and soon gathered in the main hall. Yun Zhu and Yun Bi took out the snacks one by one and placed them on the table, allowing the children to help themselves.
At this moment, Xiao Yao carefully examined He Ziyao from head to toe before gently patting his head and saying, "You've gotten darker and thinner; it must be tough at the border?"
"Yes," He Ziyao nodded honestly. "But the soldiers at the border are all very good, and it's much more comfortable than in the capital."
That was certainly true. Xiao Yao nodded, "It seems you've learned quite a bit this time."
"Yes," He Ziyao agreed wholeheartedly. "Being on the battlefield is almost completely different from what I saw in Military Strategy; there are many unexpected situations."
"That's right. Anything in books is just one method. As the saying goes, 'What is learned from paper is always shallow; true understanding comes from practice.' How do you feel about leading troops into battle?" Xiao Yao teased him.
He Ziyao smiled broadly, scratching the back of his head as he said, "This time I was just learning by following Father; I didn't actually lead troops into battle. But I really like the feeling of being on the battlefield, truly." He emphasized this with a firm nod.
It seemed this child genuinely enjoyed being on the battlefield; he should be a promising candidate for the future. Xiao Yao nodded, "Alright, as long as you like it. Then I'll talk to your father and have him teach you more regularly. If there's another expedition in the future, you can assist your father."
"Okay, thank you, Mother!" He Ziyao's eyes lit up upon hearing Xiao Yao's words. Xiao Yao was also pleased.
She then chatted with a few other children for a moment before getting up to leave.
Upon returning to the Central Courtyard, He Yu had already risen and was sitting on the couch reading a book.
Xiao Yao returned. He reached out and pulled his Daughter-in-law over, asking, "Did you go to see the children?"
"Yes, I went to check on Zi Yao since I saw you hadn't gotten up yet. That child really seems to enjoy fighting," Xiao Yao said as he climbed onto the bed. "What do you think?"
"From the experiences of these past two years, he is indeed a good seedling. I plan to cultivate him well so that he can take the martial examination in the future and serve as a right-hand man to He Ziyi. That would be great," He Yu pondered.
Xiao Yao smiled and asked, "So who do you plan to have as the main and who as the assistant?"
"That will depend on their abilities," He Yu replied with a natural expression. "The Zhong Family is also part of the Military Aristocracy. Zi Yao has talent and is willing to endure hardships. As for He Ziyi, he has grown up in the manor and hasn't experienced much; it's hard to say how he will turn out in the future. In a few years, we can throw him onto the battlefield to gain some experience."
Seeing that her husband had no bias in his words, Xiao Yao had no objections. After all, going to battle meant risking one's life with real weapons; in such situations, it was natural for those capable to step up without any official airs.
He Yu felt quite relieved that Xiao Yao had no objections regarding this matter. His statement indicated his stance; if Xiao Yao disagreed with Zi Yao being stronger than He Ziyi and having He Ziyi serve as Zi Yao's assistant, he would have to consider separating the two brothers and perhaps send He Ziyi to the Imperial Forest Army for a living.
However, since Xiao Yao had no objections and even supported his thoughts, He Yu felt at ease and would now observe whether He Ziyi was suitable for this role.
After sitting quietly for a while, Xiao Yao suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, there's something I forgot to tell you."
"What is it?"
Xiao Yao asked everyone else to leave before telling He Yu about Cheng Yuezhu's situation.
He Yu showed a hint of surprise but quickly returned to normal. "Actually, it doesn't need to be that complicated. Just say Cheng Yuezhu fell seriously ill and was sent to the countryside for recuperation; after a while, she just dies there. It would be more troublesome if she stayed in the manor."
"Yes, you really think things through," Xiao Yao clapped and laughed.
He Yu smiled slightly and thought for a moment before saying, "However, after all these years, she actually wants to leave the manor; I find that quite surprising."
"I think..." Xiao Yao whispered her guess into He Yu's ear.
He Yu was immediately even more surprised, "Are you sure?"
"Pretty much," Xiao Yao wrinkled her nose, "There has to be a catalyst, right? I was also seriously ill at that time!"
Thinking about it made sense, but since it was someone else's matter... He Yu wrapped his arms around Xiao Yao and said with a smile, "Well, it's not our place to meddle in other people's affairs."
"True, everyone has their own fate, and we can't control it anyway," Xiao Yao replied with a smile.
The two discussed for a while longer, and the matter was considered settled for now, no longer to be mentioned.
Meanwhile, Cheng Yuezhu paced around the room when she heard a maid come in and say, "Madam, Miss Yun Yue from the princess's side has come to deliver a message asking you to go to the Central Courtyard."
Cheng Yuezhu's heart immediately raced. She forced herself to calm down, took a deep breath, and tried to steady her emotions. "Alright, I'll go right away."
"Yes," the maid replied and went out to convey the message.
Cheng Yuezhu looked at her attire in the bronze mirror, ensuring there was nothing inappropriate. She took another deep breath, clenched her fists, and told herself, "It must be good news! Yes, it definitely is!" With that, she lifted her skirt and headed towards the Central Courtyard.
The Central Courtyard was separated from the back courtyard by a garden, but the difference in environment between the front and back was significant. The East Back Courtyard was indeed well-kept; however, since it was filled with children—specifically boys—the flowers and plants had all been trampled by those little rascals. In recent years as the children grew older, the back courtyard began to take shape.
The West Back Courtyard was different; everyone knew it housed an uncherished Consort. Although Xiao Yao did not neglect this lady in terms of daily life, over the years both the prince and princess had shown little concern for her. Especially the prince seemed to have completely forgotten about her existence in the back courtyard. Naturally, the servants treated her according to their perceptions of her status.
The grass on the wall had grown past ankle height; they sent a handyman to tidy it up.
When Cheng Yuezhu arrived at the Central Courtyard, she was naturally filled with amazement at the sight before her: neatly arranged lawns of various shapes and sizes adorned with flowers that bloomed differently throughout the seasons. The house itself was bright and clean, with glazed tiles reflecting vibrant colors under the sunlight.
Thinking of the days she spent in the residence, she quietly clenched the hand hidden in her sleeve. She no longer wanted to live this kind of life, absolutely not, even if it meant not being the Consort of the Prince. She wanted to live a life that belonged to her.
When she reached the entrance of the Central Courtyard, Yun Yue was already waiting there. Upon seeing Cheng Yuezhu approach, she respectfully bowed, saying, "This servant greets Madam Cheng."
"Please rise, Miss," Cheng Yuezhu naturally knew that this Yun Yue was Xiao Yao's trusted aide and did not dare to accept such a greeting.
Yun Yue also slightly bowed before standing up obediently and smiling at Cheng Yuezhu. "Madam, please follow me."
"Alright, thank you for leading the way."
Upon entering the courtyard, Cheng Yuezhu realized that it was much larger than she had imagined. However, she did not dare to look around and followed Yun Yue closely without glancing sideways. After walking a short distance, they arrived at the entrance of a room that appeared to be a Flower Hall specifically for receiving guests.
Yun Yue led Cheng Yuezhu inside, helped her take a seat, and called for a maid to pour tea for her. Only then did she smile and say, "Please wait a moment, Madam; the Princess will be here shortly."
"Oh no," Cheng Yuezhu immediately stood up with a look of panic. "It is my duty to wait for the Princess; I should be doing this. You are too polite, Miss."
Yun Yue simply smiled at Cheng Yuezhu without saying anything further and gently stepped out.
Once Yun Yue left, Cheng Yuezhu finally breathed a sigh of relief. She picked up the teacup and noticed that it was not the fruit tea that the Princess usually liked to drink, which struck her as somewhat strange.
At that moment, Xiao Yao walked in. Seeing her staring blankly at the teacup, she smiled and said, "This is Junshan Silver Needle that I specially had prepared for you."
Startled by Xiao Yao's voice, Cheng Yuezhu nearly knocked over the teacup in her hands. She hurriedly set it down properly, turned around, and immediately bowed her head in greeting. "This servant greets the Princess."
"Get up, get up," Xiao Yao said as she sat in the main seat and waved her hand. "It's fine; I'm not someone very difficult to please. You don't need to be so frightened."
Cheng Yuezhu smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to say next.
Fortunately, Xiao Yao did not intend to waste words on this issue. She let Cheng Yuezhu sit comfortably and, while the maidens were serving tea, smiled and said, "I noticed you didn't touch that fruit tea yesterday, so I figured you didn't like it. That's why I specifically had it changed today. How is it? Are you used to it?"
"I'm used to it, very used to it," Cheng Yuezhu nodded vigorously. For some reason, her demeanor reminded Xiao Yao of her own past self, which made her feel a bit nostalgic.
Once the maidservants had served the tea, Xiao Yao dismissed everyone else and said to Cheng Yuezhu, "Yesterday, I already discussed your thoughts with the prince."
What did the prince say? Cheng Yuezhu leaned forward eagerly. Although she didn't speak, her expectant gaze clearly conveyed her meaning. Xiao Yao didn't drag it out; she paused for a moment and continued, "The prince has no objections."
"Really?!" Cheng Yuezhu's heart leaped with joy. "The prince really thinks this way?"
"Yes, why would I lie to you?" Xiao Yao said with a smile. "If you're not in the mansion, it's also beneficial for me. There's no need for me to deceive you."
"Thank you, thank you!" Cheng Yuezhu looked so excited that she seemed on the verge of tears.
Xiao Yao continued, "At the end of this month, I will take you to a village in the Beijing suburbs under the pretext of your worsening condition for you to recuperate. At that time, you'll be free to leave. To avoid complications, it's best if you change your name and start anew in a different place. Are you willing?"
"I am willing! Very willing!" Cheng Yuezhu thought to herself that changing her name and identity was the best thing ever; she never liked her current identity anyway. Changing her name was exactly what she wanted.
Seeing that Cheng Yuezhu agreed without hesitation, Xiao Yao smiled and asked, "After leaving the mansion, have you thought about where you want to go? How do you plan to live?"
"Well..." This time Cheng Yuezhu couldn't answer. She really hadn't thought about what she wanted to do; she only hoped that once she left Xuanping Prince's Mansion, she would find a place to stay and manage to survive. She hadn't considered much beyond that.
Noticing Cheng Yuezhu's expression, Xiao Yao sighed and said, "In this vast world, surely there will be a place for you? Is that what you're thinking?"
Cheng Yuezhu's expression changed slightly before she honestly admitted, "Yes."
"But you also know that in Dafeng, a woman going out alone faces many dangers. Have you thought about that?"
Cheng Yuezhu pressed her lips together and remained silent. Xiao Yao continued, "You rushed out of the mansion like this, and in a few days, you might really just lie somewhere without a sound. Do you believe it?"
Threatened by Xiao Yao, Cheng Yuezhu trembled her lips; she couldn't help but believe those words. She asked with a quivering voice, "Then, what should I do..."
"We're not stopping you from leaving," Xiao Yao said slowly. "But as a single woman out there, both the prince and I are indeed worried. Although you are the prince's concubine, we should be at odds, yet I don't want to bear the responsibility of your life just because you left the mansion."
I also don't want to die outside for no reason, Cheng Yuezhu thought sadly.
Seeing Cheng Yuezhu's expression, Xiao Yao changed her tone and continued, "So, yesterday I discussed this with the prince. It’s not easy for a weak woman like you to step out of Xuanping Prince's Mansion. How about this: would you be willing to go to Jiangnan?"
"Jiangnan?" Cheng Yuezhu asked in return.
"Yes, go to Jiangnan, change your identity, change your name, and start anew. My Xiao Family has business in Jiangnan. My father is getting old, and my elder brother can’t manage all the details alone. Would you be willing to help me look after the business for a while?" Xiao Yao said with a smile.
Cheng Yuezhu stared at Xiao Yao in disbelief. "You... I... you actually..."
"Because I believe in you," before Cheng Yuezhu could finish her sentence, Xiao Yao took a sip of tea and continued, "Since you have the courage to propose leaving the prince's mansion, you surely don’t want to walk down the same old path again. So I trust your character; after all, life is lived by people themselves. How it turns out is also a choice of one’s own. I believe you wouldn’t want to leave one cage only to enter another." Xiao Yao looked at Cheng Yuezhu, whose mouth was agape in surprise, and spoke with certainty. (To be continued)
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