Chapter 37: Compromise

Qingyang came to the palace every day.

Today was no exception, and the Empress Dowager refused her request for an audience.

How long had it been now? The Empress Dowager had never gone this long without seeing her. Even if she were truly angry, they were the only ones left in this palace, relying on each other for survival; how could she not realize that Qingyang would be worried?

Therefore, Qingyang did not believe for a second the nonsense that the Empress Dowager was ill and did not want to see anyone.

She looked at the subordinates of Chu Ling surrounding the area and nearly ground her teeth to dust.

That treacherous scoundrel—now that her younger brother, the Emperor, had died by his venomous hands, she and the Empress Dowager were the only thorns left in his side in the entire Great Qi.

Her naive nephew still worshipped and respected his uncle as a hero; it was truly laughable.

Yet, Qingyang was helpless.

What could she do against that man? The only person she could turn to was Jiang Wu, but Jiang Wu had been so busy these past few days that she was nowhere to be found.

"Princess, please return," the matron urged once again.

Qingyang was determined not to leave today.

"Matron, is my mother truly so angry with me that she refuses to see me?" she asked, her voice filled with sorrow.

The matron seemed to hesitate for a moment before smiling. "Princess, what are you saying? The Empress Dowager is simply ill and fears passing the sickness to you."

Qingyang could not possibly believe this.

She took two steps back.

"When parents are ill, their children should naturally serve them by their bedside. I beg you, Matron, to report my presence once more." As she spoke, she knelt heavily on the ground with a thud. "If my mother remains adamant about not seeing me today, I shall stay here and kneel!"

"Oh dear! Princess, you really mustn't..."

The matron tried to persuade her for a long time, but Qingyang remained unmoved, so the woman had no choice but to return inside the palace hall.

Qingyang glanced around at the stern and silent palace.

She did not think she would get in just by doing this, but if she knelt here long enough, it would eventually draw the attention of the court and rally those who might speak for her.

Besides that, what else could she do?

The Empress Dowager's fate was uncertain, her sister-in-law had no affection for the Empress Dowager or the late Emperor, and her young nephew, the current Emperor, had never been close to her, his aunt.

Qingyang could no longer think of anything else to do.

She did not know how long she had been kneeling before a pair of long boots appeared in front of her.

It was at that moment that Qingyang’s composure shattered.

She looked up, her eyes bloodshot, and lunged from the ground. She drew the dagger she had prepared and stabbed it straight at him.

If... she thought, if something truly happened to her mother, she would drag Chu Ling down to hell with her.

Regrettably, the man watched her coldly, not even furrowing his brow.

Just as the dagger reached a finger's distance from him, a figure darted out from nowhere. A sharp palm strike landed heavily on her shoulder, sending Qingyang flying backward until she crashed to the ground.

There was not a trace of warmth in Chu Ling's eyes.

Or rather, they were icy.

Qingyang knew he was blaming her—blaming her for speaking too much to Jiang Wu five years ago, causing his grand ambitions to fall through.

"What is the Princess doing?"

Qingyang lay disheveled on the ground. Why? Why was it that even though she was a princess, this man dared to look down on her with such condescension?

That treacherous villain!

"Chu Ling," she shrieked like a madwoman, "what have you done to my mother?"

"The Princess’s question is quite strange." Chu Ling’s tone remained perfectly level, as it always was; only Jiang Wu could stir ripples in his calm. "Since you have such filial piety, then come inside and see the Empress Dowager."

Qingyang froze.

She had not expected Chu Ling to agree so readily. Was it a trap? She could not worry about that now; seizing the opportunity, she rushed into the hall.

This time, no one stopped her.

The moment she saw her mother alive, she wept with joy. In her peripheral vision, she saw Chu Ling entering behind her.

At that moment, she suddenly understood everything.

Indeed, before she left the palace, the man wore the same calm, indifferent expression, yet he spoke the most terrifying words.

"Princess, which people in the court have you been associating with? Why don't you make a list?"

Only then did she realize that what she had lost was not just the strength to embrace her mother, but the strength to oppose Chu Ling.

He had intentionally let her suffer in anxiety all this time just for this final blow, to deliver this most direct threat.

Jiang Wu, what kind of man are you sharing a bed with?

***

After Chu Ling returned to his mansion, his servants told him that his wife and daughter had gone to the Duke's residence.

They also said that Master Sun requested an audience, claiming everything was prepared.

The man remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Tell him... to wait a little longer."

When he was left alone, he stood quietly for a long while.

His hand seemed to still hold the residual warmth of her hand when she had turned and squeezed his back.

Jiang Wu’s softening was too obvious. She seemed to be considering compromise, tending toward... accepting her fate. If that was the case, it wasn't so bad, was it?

"Recall Chuyi."

"Yes."

***

When Jiang Wu came out of the Old Duchess's room, she saw Chu Chan and Zhang Xiu, who had also come to visit the mother.

They hadn't seen each other in some time, and Chu Chan looked even more haggard than before.

Was it because of Chu Yan?

Then, remembering that Chu Jisheng was actually Zhang Xiu’s child, she sighed; the entanglement between these siblings-in-law was truly endless.

Jiang Wu’s gaze lingered on Zhang Xiu’s face for a moment. Looking closely, did he really... look a little like Chu Jisheng?

To be honest, in Jiang Wu’s opinion, she had no respect for Zhang Xiu. Beyond his face, he was useless—indecisive, arrogant, and trapped between an inferiority complex and wounded pride.

She didn't know how he had managed to make those two fight to the death over him.

"Madam Chu." Arrogant as he was, upon seeing Jiang Wu, he still had to address her with polite respect.

Chu Chan, however, merely snorted and looked away.

"Madam Chu, I heard that Princess Ruyue is staying at your mansion." He seemed to have struggled for a long time before finally asking, "She has always been close with the Old Duchess. Now that the Old Duchess is ill, she should be informed."

Close? Thinking of the scene when the mother and daughter met, it didn't look like they were close at all.

However, hearing this, Jiang Wu felt the urge to frown.

Zhang Xiu’s intentions were glaringly obvious. It was fortunate that Chu Yan was staying at her mansion; otherwise, this man would have already been at her door blocking her path.

Before Jiang Wu could even speak, Chu Chan could no longer hold back: "What? Are you disappointed because you didn't see her? You only came here for that wretched girl, didn't you?"

Seeing that the two were about to argue, Jiang Wu took her leave immediately.

In any case, she never involved herself in their petty squabbles.

Coincidentally, Nianyin had finished packing and was brought over by a servant. She wanted to pay her respects to her aunt, but Jiang Wu grabbed her and pulled her away.

"Oh, don't go over there; be careful not to get caught in the crossfire."

Nianyin looked back and saw her aunt and uncle truly arguing, so she turned her gaze away.

"Are we going home now?"

"Yes." Jiang Wu, thinking she might be reluctant, added, "We can come back tomorrow. Your grandmother is ill, and you should spend more time with her; she dotes on you quite a bit."

Nianyin nodded but then asked, "Mother, did Grandmother give you a hard time?"

"No. Oh, you little ungrateful thing, your grandmother dotes on you for nothing! If she heard you ask that, she’d be heartbroken."

As they talked, they walked out of the mansion.

Someone was waiting at the entrance.

It was Chu Ling.

He stood beside the stone lion outside the Duke's residence. His tall, lean frame and his aura of natural authority made him a fitting companion to the majestic stone lion.

Jiang Wu glanced at Nianyin and saw a faint smile on her daughter’s face.

That was true, she thought; besides their parents, perhaps only children in this world truly hoped for their family to be reunited.

As they paused, the man actually stepped toward them.

"Father." As he approached, Nianyin greeted him.

Chu Ling nodded slightly.

The daughter held one of her mother’s arms, and Chu Ling naturally took the other side of Jiang Wu.

"How is Mother?"

The tone in which Chu Ling asked this held no discernible emotion.

"She seems quite ill." Even though Jiang Wu replied, he only responded blandly, as if it were merely a topic he had found to discuss with her.

Two carriages were waiting at the entrance. Nianyin climbed into the first one, and as soon as she did, Jiang Wu heard Chu Ye’s voice from inside.

Ah Ye was here too? She was happily about to board the carriage when Chu Ling stopped her. "We will take the other one."

"Why?" she asked, displeased.

"We shall take the one behind."

Jiang Wu didn't want to. Why spend time with this sour face when she could be with her children?

However, Nianyin poked her head out of the carriage. "Mother, there’s no room."

Chu Ye also agreed from inside.

They were sparing no effort to provide opportunities for their parents.

Chu Ling had been standing to the side listening to their conversation, a faint smile hidden in his eyes. But suddenly, he keenly sensed a gaze.

A gaze full of hatred.

Chu Ling’s expression did not change, but his peripheral vision caught a familiar figure.

Mo Mingzhu.

The young girl’s eyes, burning with hatred, were fixed straight on them—on this happy, harmonious family.

Chu Ling could feel that it was a different kind of hatred than before, and this difference alerted him.

He placed his hand on Jiang Wu’s shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

Permitting Mo Mingzhu to get close to Jiang Wu had been based on the premise that she knew nothing.

But now, the girl, who had previously only dared to harbor what she thought was a secret greed while acting with caution, was now revealing undisguised possessiveness and longing.

Heh.

"Let’s just take one carriage," he said, his hand tightening slightly as he kept his gaze on that side. "After all, we are a family; we can squeeze in."

The way he said that was truly strange, and the way he emphasized "family" made it feel somewhat ambiguous.

Jiang Wu’s body was actually a bit stiff, especially after entering the carriage and Chu Ling pulled her closer, saying it was to avoid crowding the children.

The brother and sister both showed shy yet relieved expressions. Without a doubt, they were happy. Happy to see their parents’ harmonious relationship.

Although Jiang Wu used the excuse of watching the children to maintain some distance, she did not brush away Chu Ling’s hand.

It was fine like this, she thought. Since she had decided to continue living in this household, she had to try to accept it.

Accept Chu Ling, and accept a complete family.

As for the girl who had been standing there as the carriage slowly pulled away, she did not see her.

She did not see her biting her lip until it bled, whispering a single word—"Mother"—from the depths of her throat.