CHAPTER 1536: CHAPTER 1536 SICK

Five days later, Zhulan accepted Lady Tao’s invitation to visit Huguo Temple. Lady Tao was praying for blessings for Wong Wei and her unborn child, and coincidentally, Xue Han also wanted to see Rongchuan. So, they all headed to Huguo Temple together.

Zhulan wasn’t going alone; she was accompanied by several daughters-in-law. Yu Yi wanted to join as well, and eventually, most of the women in the household decided to go.

There hadn’t been the first snow yet, and the steps up the mountain path were still easy to tread. Zhulan had gone outside frequently throughout the year and had built up her stamina. This time, instead of relying on her eldest daughter-in-law for support, she managed to climb the steps on her own.

The group stopped to rest for a moment. Looking at the people climbing the steps down below, Zhulan said, "If it snows, I wouldn’t dare attempt these steps."

Lady Tao remarked, "The monks will sweep them clear."

"Even if they sweep the steps, they’ll still be slippery. If someone happens to lose their balance and tumble down, they’d either be dead or crippled."

Lady Tao wasn’t afraid; her devotion wouldn’t be hindered by winter. With great earnestness, she said, "Come, let’s first offer our incense, and then proceed to pray to Buddha."

Zhulan spoke to her granddaughter, "You don’t need to follow us later."

Xue Han nodded at the sisters-in-law, then led her group to meet the monk who had been waiting to guide them to the courtyard where Prince Qin resided.

Lady Li was present because, as the eldest daughter-in-law, she followed her mother-in-law wherever she went.

Lady Zhao attended to pray for a peace charm for her newly born grandson. She couldn’t leave the capital, so she did her best to send blessings to Zhangzhou Province, where her daughter had safely delivered her child. Her daughter had now given birth to two sons—Lady Zhao had been fervently praying, relieved that her daughter didn’t follow in her footsteps by bearing two daughters first.

Su Xuan prayed for good marital prospects for her children, hoping they would find favorable matches.

Yu Yi, along with her sister, prayed for the safety of their parents who were far away in Qiizhou Province. Yu Die was there purely to join in the fun, while Yu Wen had been reluctantly dragged along.

Two hours later, Zhulan emerged from the temple slightly before Lady Tao, who was still deep in discussion. Zhulan took the opportunity to wander around.

After walking a short distance, she encountered Yao Yao, who was standing next to a monk. Zhulan’s group was large; although they moved quietly, their footsteps inevitably made noises.

Yao Yao turned her head with a smile. "Madam."

Zhulan glanced at the monk. This must be Yao Yao’s biological brother. "You’ve come to visit your brother?"

Yao Yao nodded. "Yes, Mr. Hou said this winter might be particularly cold. With the season almost upon us, I brought winter clothes and blankets. Madam, are you here to pray?"

"Yes," Zhulan replied. "I won’t hold you up any longer. I’ll go rest at the pavilion ahead."

Yao Yao smiled and nodded, but her heart was somewhat distracted. She knew Madam wouldn’t report anything, but she still felt uneasy. Over the years, Fourth Grandpa continued to dislike her. If it weren’t for the children, she wouldn’t have been able to remain Mrs. Hou.

Zhulan had walked but a few steps when she heard the sound of a child’s laughter behind her. She couldn’t resist turning to look. How striking the resemblance was! This child was thin and frail, yet his bright eyes shone with spirit. This must have been the little boy from back then—the one who had narrowly survived.

Turning back around, Zhulan could still hear the child’s laughter. Though his body was weak, he lived freely and happily.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Lady Zhao and the others found their way over. Zhulan asked, "Did you all finish your prayers?"

Lady Zhao responded cheerfully, "Mother, I also prayed for a peace charm for you and Father."

Zhulan accepted the charm warmly. "How thoughtful."

Su Xuan sighed inwardly; her second sister-in-law was always the most meticulous one. Meanwhile, she felt frustrated—her prayers for her daughter and son hadn’t yielded favorable results.

Lady Tao soon returned, and as the hour grew late, the group prepared to head back to the city.

On the way back, a horseman galloped past, catching Yu Wen’s eye as she leaned against the window.

Yu Die frowned. "Who does he think he is, riding at such speed near the capital? Doesn’t he know it’s forbidden?"

Yu Wen replied, "The rider just now was Ning Ming. He must have urgent matters at home."

Yu Die thought of the situation with the Yu family. "Could something have happened?"

Yu Yi interjected, "Enough with the wild guesses."

Yu Die fell silent. It wasn’t appropriate to speculate too much outside.

The next day, after the morning court session concluded, Elder Wen’s face was grim. He had painstakingly planned for his eldest grandson to return home, but the Emperor announced that the young man’s abilities were highly promising and worthy of more responsibility, even suggesting increased farming operations next year. Elder Wen felt as though a lump of blood was stuck in his throat.

With a dark expression, Elder Wen hurried to catch up with Zhou Shuren. "One should forgive and forget. Do you understand that, Marquis Zhou?"

Zhou Shuren had anticipated that the old man would suspect him of meddling. Smiling faintly, he replied, "Elder Wen, you’d do better to examine your own actions. Honestly, I must admit I quite admire your grandson—I didn’t expect him to accomplish the task at all."

He paused before continuing, "I can only say your grandson exceeded all expectations. Far too impressive."

Elder Wen gazed deeply at Zhou Shuren. He had figured out the Emperor’s intentions but was unwilling to admit it. With a wave of his sleeve, he stormed off.

Zhou Shuren wasn’t bothered in the least; after all, he hadn’t fallen victim to the Emperor’s schemes this time. He even felt cheerful enough to hum a tune.

Wong Ju caught up shortly thereafter. "The Wen Family doesn’t think you’re the one behind it, do they?"

"I’ve already clarified. What’s the matter?"

Wong Ju indeed had business. "The officials from various provinces are undergoing evaluations, and the Wang family has voiced their support for Zhao Bo. I recall Zhao Bo is acquainted with you."

Zhou Shuren paused mid-step. "The Wang family is backing Zhao Bo?"

"Yes. My information is reliable, so I wanted to ask you if you knew anything."

Zhou Shuren hadn’t spoken to Wong Ju about Zhao Bo before, but he took the chance today. "I’ve already severed ties with the Zhao family. From now on, we are strangers."

"Good to hear; I feared they might drag you into their mess."

Zhou Shuren mused that Zhao Bo had sided with the Wang family—he wondered whether he’d regret it someday.

Lowering his voice, Wong Ju added discreetly, "Have you heard? Concubine Hui is ill."

"Your sources are quite accurate."

Wong Ju scoffed. "It’s not my sources; obviously someone deliberately spread the news."

Zhou Shuren didn’t respond, continuing to walk with his hands behind his back. Internally, he was pondering the Emperor’s motives. He wouldn’t allow Concubine Hui to raise two sons. In the imperial court, no concubine besides the Empress was allowed to maintain such an advantage—it upset the balance. Zhou Shuren wondered who might have orchestrated Concubine Hui’s illness.

Back at the Zhou residence, Zhulan greeted Lin Qing. "Haven’t seen you in a few days. Why do you seem thinner?"

Lin Qing glanced at her fingertips, still marked with needle pricks. "I’ve been eating lighter recently. I’ll recover soon."

Zhulan didn’t probe further, assuming the young woman was controlling her diet to maintain her figure. "Yu Die and the others are waiting for you. I’ve asked Qing Xue to take you over."

Lin Qing stood up. "Thank you, Madam."

After Lin Qing left, Zhulan smiled and shook her head. Ming Rui, as her fiancé, wasn’t proactive in the slightest. Every time, it was Yu Die who invited Lin Qing over—it was commendable how much the girl fancied Ming Rui.

Meanwhile, in the second wife’s quarters, Yu Die was delighted to see her future sister-in-law. She reached out to grab the young woman’s hand but froze upon hearing Lin Qing gasp. Looking down, Yu Die exclaimed, "Why do your hands have so many needle marks?"

Lin Qing felt embarrassed. "I’ve been embroidering a screen lately. Sometimes, I lose focus and accidentally prick myself."

Yu Die immediately connected the dots, her eyes sparkling. "A birthday gift for my brother?"

Lin Qing’s face turned even redder, and she quickly withdrew her hand. Her silence was as good as an admission.

Yu Die couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her future sister-in-law. "You’re far too considerate. Wait, I’ll make sure to give my brother a good talking-to."

Lin Qing hurried to stop her. "Please don’t. Ming Rui is quite busy."

Yu Die shook her head, convinced that her future sister-in-law had fallen too deeply under her brother’s spell!