Reborn of the Rightful

Upon hearing this, Madam Yun found it difficult to say anything further.

Old Madam Yun reclined there, lost in thought, then asked, "When did they say the Grand Dowager would return?"

The Grand Dowager referred to by Old Madam Yun was the birth mother of the Prince of Yanbei, Consort Dowager Yun. Consort Dowager Yun and the Old Princess Consort were at odds, having contended for decades. Although Consort Dowager Yun had given birth to a son who inherited the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, in terms of status, the Old Princess Consort always held a higher position than Consort Dowager Yun. Even with the Prince of Yanbei present, he could not openly favor his own birth mother.

Thus, Consort Dowager Yun was unwilling to stay in the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. She voluntarily chose to guard the late prince’s tomb, residing year-round in a separate estate, practicing vegetarianism and reciting Buddhist scriptures. Since the old prince’s passing, Consort Dowager Yun and the Old Princess Consort had maintained a relatively peaceful coexistence.

Madam Yun quickly replied, "The person who delivered supplies to the Grand Dowager last time said she would return before the end of this year."

Old Madam Yun uttered a noncommittal "Hmm" and fell silent again.

After a long pause, she waved her hand dismissively. "You may leave for now. I need to think this over further."

Madam Yun obediently withdrew.

After leaving Old Madam Yun’s courtyard, Madam Yun pondered for a moment and decided to visit Yun Qiuchen’s courtyard instead.

When Madam Yun arrived, Yun Qiuchen was in her study, copying a volume of Buddhist scriptures.

Yun Qiuchen stood before the writing desk, her right hand holding a brush with her wrist suspended, her head slightly bowed in concentration. A stretch of her snow-white neck was visible, and even without looking at her face, the grace and poise she exuded in her every movement were captivating.

Madam Yun sighed inwardly but did not disturb her. She stood to the side and waited until Yun Qiuchen had finished copying a small section before approaching. "Why are you copying scriptures again?"

Only then did Yun Qiuchen notice Madam Yun. She quickly set down her brush and stepped forward to greet her. "Mother, what brings you here?"

Yun Qiuchen instructed her maid to tidy the writing desk and personally assisted Madam Yun to sit on the heated brick bed in the adjacent room. She then explained, "The Grand Dowager mentioned earlier that she wanted someone to embroider a copy of the 'Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Fundamental Vows Sutra.' Since my handwriting is somewhat presentable, I took on the task."

Madam Yun looked at her daughter and sighed. "The Grand Dowager has always been fond of you. You must copy it carefully."

Yun Qiuchen smiled gently. "Naturally."

Madam Yun could not help but sigh again.

Yun Qiuchen personally took a cup of tea from her maid and presented it to Madam Yun. "Mother, why do you keep sighing?"

Madam Yun accepted the teacup, holding it in her hands for a while without drinking. "Chen'er, the Yanbei Prince's Mansion has proposed marriage to the Ren Family."

Yun Qiuchen nodded upon hearing this, her usually gentle and elegant face revealing no emotion. "I know, Daughter. I also heard that the Princess Consort personally visited Ren Yaoqi’s parents today."

"Chen'er, what are your thoughts on this?" Madam Yun probed, looking searchingly at her daughter. Yun Qiuchen was Madam Yun’s own child, and Madam Yun had always considered her obedient, sensible, and exceptionally intelligent—a source of great comfort. However, there were times when Madam Yun found her daughter somewhat inscrutable.

Yun Qiuchen pondered for a moment and was about to speak when her chief maid, Nanzhu, hurriedly lifted the curtain and entered. Seeing Madam Yun present, Nanzhu paused in surprise, her expression turning hesitant.First Madam Yun could tell at a glance from her expression that she had something to report, and her face involuntarily showed displeasure: "What matter is it that I cannot hear?"

Yun Qiuchen glanced at Nanzhu and said gently, "Mother is not an outsider. If there is something, just say it."

Only then did First Madam Yun's expression improve.

Nanzhu stepped forward and said, "Madam, Miss, news has come from the capital that the consort of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, Zhao Shi, is already with child."

Upon hearing this news, Yun Qiuchen's brows imperceptibly furrowed.

First Madam Yun, however, was startled: "What? The consort is pregnant? Why was no one aware of it before?"

At this point, First Madam Yun grew suspicious. Where did Nanzhu manage to gather such significant news? She had just come from Old Madam Yun's courtyard, and even there, no news had been received yet.

"Where did you hear this news?" First Madam Yun scrutinized Nanzhu with a frown.

Nanzhu lowered her head and remained silent.

Just as First Madam Yun was about to speak again, Yun Qiuchen interjected, "Mother, it was I who asked Nanzhu to keep an eye on news from the outer courtyard for me."

First Madam Yun suddenly remembered that Nanzhu's father and elder brother were both trusted aides of Eldest Master Yun. Although the Yun family, following ancestral teachings, could not enter the capital, a large clan like theirs always had its own sources of information. Nanzhu's father was responsible for organizing such information for Eldest Master Yun.

Once she understood this, First Madam Yun was alarmed. She had not expected Yun Qiuchen to be so bold as to extend her reach into the outer courtyard, even having her own people around her father.

"Chen'er! How dare you be so audacious! If Old Madam and your father were to find out..."

Yun Qiuchen was unconcerned and gently reassured First Madam Yun, "Mother, rest assured, your daughter will not let Grandmother and Father know."

Seeing First Madam Yun's clear disapproval, Yun Qiuchen sighed, "Mother, although we are merely women of the inner courtyard, do we not always act based on the trends of the outer courtyard? Your daughter is doing this only to avoid being too passive."

Looking at Yun Qiuchen's calm and composed expression, First Madam Yun could not help but feel deeply worried.

Last time, when Yun Qiuchen planted informants in Old Madam Yun's quarters, Old Madam Yun was extremely displeased and consequently neglected Yun Qiuchen for a long time. The Yun family doted on their daughters but would not allow them to interfere in the affairs of the outer courtyard. In Old Madam Yun's mind, no matter how clever and capable Yun Qiuchen was, she would eventually marry out.

"Chen'er, Mother knows you are clever and capable, but it is better to be obedient in front of your grandmother. With her temperament, she cannot tolerate anyone defying her. Your grandmother said that this marriage between the Yanbei Prince's Mansion and the Xianwang Residence is a political alliance, and our Yun family cannot stop it. Moreover, the heir left behind a posthumous child. If it turns out to be a boy, who will ultimately become the next Prince of Yanbei is truly uncertain. After all, no matter how capable Second Young Master Xiao is, his health condition is evident, and the Prince may not necessarily pass the title to him."After Yun Qiuchen listened to what First Madam Yun said, she slowly shook her head in the end: "Mother, you are mistaken. It has been so many days since the Crown Prince passed away, yet it is only now that news has spread that the Crown Princess is pregnant. What does this indicate? It shows that the imperial court has designs on this child, and both the Crown Princess and the child in her womb are under the control of the court. If the Crown Princess were to give birth in Yanbei Prince's Mansion, it would be one thing. But if she gives birth in the capital, the child's origins would become unclear. Do you think the Prince of Yanbei would allow a child of dubious origin to inherit the princely title?"

Yun Qiuchen thought to herself, besides, this child has not even been born yet. By the time he grows up, Xiao Jingxi's power and influence will already be firmly established. Moreover, whether the child can be safely born and raised to adulthood is far from certain.

Although Yun Qiuchen had rarely interacted directly with Xiao Jingxi, she knew he was no ordinary person. Others might not be aware, but Yun Qiuchen was well aware that during the Prince of Yanbei's absence from Yanbei, all affairs, big and small, were handled by Xiao Jingxi.

"But Second Young Master Xiao's health..."

Yun Qiuchen interrupted: "I have heard that since returning from the southern seas a few years ago, Second Young Master Xiao's health has gradually improved. Mother, the Yanbei of today is not the Yanbei of the past. The Prince of Yanbei does not necessarily have to be physically strong and capable of leading troops into battle."

"Chen'er, the marriage between Second Young Master Xiao and the Fifth Miss of the Ren Family is on the verge of being finalized."

"Isn't it still not finalized yet?" Yun Qiuchen's casual remark silenced all of First Madam Yun's words in her throat.

"What do you intend to do? Chen'er, this is no joking matter. If anything goes wrong, it would mean offending both Yanbei Prince's Mansion and the Prince of Hezhong simultaneously." First Madam Yun couldn't help but grow anxious.

Upon hearing this, Yun Qiuchen fell silent for a moment before finally smiling gently at First Madam Yun and saying, "Your daughter was merely speaking thoughtlessly. Mother, rest assured, I dare not act recklessly."

First Madam Yun looked at Yun Qiuchen's ever-obedient demeanor but could not feel at ease.

Yun Qiuchen, however, was unwilling to say more. After exchanging a few more idle words with First Madam Yun, she saw her off.

Not long after the Yun Family received the news of the Crown Princess's pregnancy, it spread throughout Yanbei. Almost everyone learned that the late Crown Prince had left behind a posthumous child. Soon after, people began speculating about who would ultimately inherit the position of Crown Prince, and attention toward Xiao Jingxi's marriage diminished considerably.

While the people of Yanbei were all concerned about the late Crown Prince's posthumous child, Ren Shimin's family encountered troublesome matters.

The Ren Family had come knocking again.

The day after the Princess Consort's previous visit, Yanbei Prince's Mansion withdrew the guards stationed outside the Ren Family's gate. Observant individuals immediately realized that the mansion's earlier deployment of guards around the Ren Family was less about venting anger over the Xianwang Residence incident and more about protecting Commandery Princess Jiayi's family from being implicated.

The Ren Family finally came to their senses and naturally regretted it immensely. The elderly couple of the Ren Family immediately sent someone to Yunyang City to find Ren Shimin, hoping to persuade him to return to the family fold and acknowledge his ancestors once more.

Although she had anticipated it, seeing the Ren Family react so swiftly and behave so inconsistently, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

The Ren Family had originally thought that taking back a son they had already driven out would be an easy matter, but they had underestimated Ren Shimin's stubborn temper.The person sent by the Ren Family was dismissed without even meeting Ren Shimin.

The Ren Family sent several more groups of people in succession, but the result was always "no meeting." In the end, Old Madam Ren had no choice but to take matters into her own hands, traveling by carriage to Yunyang City to see her son.

No matter what, Old Madam Ren was Ren Shimin's birth mother. Ren Shimin could not treat her with the same disregard as he did Ren Shizhong and the other members of the Ren Family, so Old Madam Ren ultimately entered the Ren Family's home.

Because the author is taking a flight tomorrow morning, tomorrow's update might be delayed until the evening o(∩_∩)o.