CHAPTER 459: CHAPTER 408: MOTHER AND SON REUNION

The news of Shang Wuyou’s return shocked the entire Thousand Mechanism Pavilion.

The disciples reported layer by layer, and the news finally reached the Pavilion Master’s Wife.

The Pavilion Master’s Wife was busy selecting wedding attire for her eldest daughter.

The wedding was set for the twenty-sixth day, and it was already the thirteenth of March today, leaving only about ten days to prepare. There was still much to be done.

Wedding attire was the utmost priority.

For the Heavenly Destiny Phoenix, born for this moment, her attire must be the most breathtaking.

"Didn’t I give instructions that no person or matter is allowed to disturb me?"

Xiao Rong’er caressed the phoenix coronet and crimson wedding robes on the table and said, "Add some gold thread here."

"Yes."

The embroiderer jotted it down.

The young maid outside the door didn’t know whether to speak or remain silent, and she kept sending pleading glances toward the senior maid next to Xiao Rong’er.

The senior maid subtly shook her head, signaling not to disturb the mistress.

But the young maid was too anxious to hold back.

The senior maid glanced at the mistress conversing with the embroiderer, then quietly walked to the door and whispered to the young maid, "The mistress is occupied with the eldest lady’s wedding preparations. If you disturb her mood now, do you value your life?"

The young maid spoke urgently, "The Young Master has returned!"

"What?"

The senior maid’s face suddenly changed.

The young maid was almost in tears: "Sister Hong Xiu, please don’t let the mistress punish me. I didn’t mean to disturb her, but I... but I..."

Hong Xiu silenced her with a gesture and motioned for her to leave.

The young maid turned her sadness into joy, thanked her repeatedly, and left the courtyard.

Hong Xiu approached Xiao Rong’er.

Xiao Rong’er pointed out several more areas she was dissatisfied with, and the embroiderer noted them all.

"Mistress."

Hong Xiu spoke gently, "The Young Master has returned."

Hsss—

Xiao Rong’er’s nails, dyed crimson, tore through the pristine wedding attire.

The embroiderer and the few maids in the room gasped in unison.

Except for Hong Xiu, who had long accompanied Xiao Rong’er.

Hong Xiu kept calm and lowered her eyes, silently awaiting the mistress’s command.

Xiao Rong’er’s gaze fell on the torn wedding attire. She offered the embroiderer an apologetic smile: "Oh dear, look how excited I’ve gotten—I ripped apart Liuying’s wedding robes."

The embroiderer felt that what she had sensed a moment ago wasn’t excitement.

It must have been her imagination.

Her own son arriving in the Imperial City—how could a mother not be excited?

"Has the Third Mistress’s health improved?"

Since the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion moved into the Imperial City, both the eldest and the second ladies had moved with it, except for the Young Master and the Third Mistress.

It was said that the Third Mistress was ill and unfit for travel and was staying in Lingshan to recuperate.

The Young Master had also stayed in Lingshan to accompany her.

Xiao Rong’er’s face overflowed with maternal affection: "I hope it’s true. Changle, oh that child, has always been frailer than her two sisters since she was young. She’s been my most worrying daughter."

The embroiderer quickly chimed in with a laugh: "Oh yes, you love the Third Mistress most, always talking about making clothes for her while preparing the eldest lady’s wedding attire."

How auspicious, the dragon-phoenix twins. Why had she just assumed that the Pavilion Master’s Wife might not adore her own son?

What a sin, what a sin.

Xiao Rong’er spoke warmly: "This piece of wedding attire doesn’t need any more alterations. I will still pay the silver for it; as for the others, I’ll inspect them tomorrow."

The embroiderer reminded her: "The eldest lady’s wedding is approaching; I’m afraid..."

Xiao Rong’er smiled: "Liuying is the elder sister; she’ll understand. Even if the wedding attire isn’t perfect, we can’t let her younger brother be slighted."

The embroiderer praised her profusely: "The bond between the siblings is truly deep."

Xiao Rong’er gave a command: "Hong Xiu, escort the embroiderer back to the embroidery hall."

"Yes, Mistress."

"This humble servant will take her leave."

The two left the Biting Courtyard.

Xiao Rong’er faced the copper mirror, removed the most conspicuous gold hairpin from her hair, and handed it to the maid beside her.

The maid silently placed it into the jewelry box.

"Mother!"

Shang Wuyou appeared at the door, nervous yet excited.

Xiao Rong’er turned around with a look of overwhelming shock. When she saw him, her eyes immediately reddened, and tears glimmered within them: "My child..."

Shang Wuyou gazed at the tears brimming in her eyes, and the anxiety he carried throughout his journey slowly subsided.

What had he been doubting?

Was he really willing to believe a stranger’s words rather than trust the mother who had raised him for years?

Xiao Rong’er beckoned to him, holding back her tears: "Come closer, let Mother take a good look at you!"

Shang Wuyou felt a lump in his throat.

He stepped into the room with difficulty, approached Xiao Rong’er, and his eyes reddened bit by bit as well: "Mother."

Xiao Rong’er raised her trembling hand and touched his face: "You’ve lost weight... Have you endured a lot of hardship... Did those people torture you..."

Shang Wuyou opened his mouth as if to speak, but stopped himself.

After his capture by Chen Long and Yu Zichuan, apart from occasional incidents with the Miao King, the others didn’t truly give him a hard time.

As for torture, it wasn’t even worth mentioning.

"Why aren’t you saying anything?"

Xiao Rong’er said with a look full of distress, "Alright, Mother won’t ask anymore. It’s enough that you’ve returned!"

"No, Mother, I..."

Shang Wuyou had prepared countless grievances to voice on his way back, but at this moment, he found himself unable to express them.

He said, "Mother, I’m fine; you don’t need to worry. And how are you? Father and my sisters—are they well? I heard the Eldest Sister is marrying into the Crown Prince Mansion. Is it true?"

"During the time you and Changle were absent, the whole family was restless and couldn’t eat or sleep in peace. How could we be ’well’ in any sense of the word? If it weren’t for Your Majesty’s decree granting the marriage, which we couldn’t refuse, neither your father nor I would be distracted by organizing your sister’s wedding in times as precarious as these. You already know, your father and I treasure both you and Changle the most."

Indeed, Father and Mother treasure himself and his younger sister most.

From childhood to now, there hadn’t been a single thing he and his younger sister wanted that Father and Mother wouldn’t provide.

Occasionally, his second sister would quarrel with the two of them, but their parents always sided with him and the younger sister.

Xiao Rong’er added, "By the way, where is Changle? Did she come back with you?"

Shang Wuyou said shamefully, "Only I returned."

Xiao Rong’er was startled and tightly grasped Shang Wuyou’s hand: "Is Changle still in those people’s hands?"

Shang Wuyou initially intended to say they wouldn’t harm Changle, but somehow, the words changed upon reaching his lips: "Yes."

Xiao Rong’er frowned and asked, "Who are they?"

"Shang Wuyou, if the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion questions you, just say you were taken by Chen Long."

Meng Qianqian’s words flashed inexplicably in Shang Wuyou’s mind, making him furrow his brow.

"Wuyou, Wuyou."

Xiao Rong’er gently patted the back of his hand.

Shang Wuyou snapped out of his daze, hesitated momentarily, and then said, "It was Chen Long, one of the Twelve Guards under Chu Grand Marshal. He also has another identity—as the son of General Shang, Shang Xu."

"Him?"

A shadow flickered in Xiao Rong’er’s eyes, and then she looked at Shang Wuyou with deep concern. "Did he say anything nonsensical in front of you?"

Shang Wuyou asked, "What does Mother mean?"

Xiao Rong’er released his hand, turned, and began selecting fruit from the table: "Your father and I have always respected the Shang Family. Back then, when your great-uncle colluded with the Loulan King to massacre the Shang clan, we arrived too late. We thought the Shang Family had perished entirely, yet Shang Xu survived and became one of Chu Grand Marshal’s Twelve Guards."

She picked the largest and reddest tribute fruit, "The Shang Family has a descendant; it’s indeed cause for celebration."