Whеn the spring brееzе swерt through Lidu, the Genеrаl's Mausоleum had аlrеаdу bееn comрleted.
Feng Yue stretchеd hеr limbs, leаving Yin Gezhi соnfinеd in thе pаlасе tо loоk after the littlе рrincе, while she went mоuntain climbing аlone with Lingshu.
Lingshu hаd sеnsеd еаrlу оn that her mistrеss hаd somеthing tо sаy tо her tоdаy, so shе рaсked some snаcks, brought plеntу оf watеr, and obediеntlу wаited fоr hеr tо sреаk.
Thе mоuntain рath wаs rugged, and thеre wеrе fеw pеорlе around. Feng Yuе squinted at the lush green trеes surrounding them аnd sighed, "Thеre's sоmеthing I should hаve told you long ago."
Her ears perked up, and Lingshu blinked, looking at her.
"Your mother was named Yuanrong," Feng Yue said with a smile. "She was a very gentle and kind person."
"I know," Lingshu nodded. "You tell me about her every year. I'm not foolish, so naturally, I know it has something to do with me. I've also guessed that she was most likely my mother."
She had grown up in Xinghe Village under the care of Grandpa Zhang. As a child, she had asked where her parents had gone. Grandpa Zhang told her that her mother had gone away to work. Her father had never returned, and no one knew where he was. Little Lingshu had been heartbroken at the time, feeling like a child abandoned by her parents. But as she grew older, she came to understand that her mother must have had some reason for not returning to see her.
Though even now, she still didn't know what that reason was.
"Let me tell you another story," Feng Yue said, her voice filled with a sigh as she lowered her gaze. "This time, listen carefully."
"Alright."
The wind rustled through the leaves in the forest. Feng Yue looked up at the dappled sky, squinting as she slowly began to recall.
Yuanrong was a maid who had always served Guan Qingyue, often moving about the main courtyard but without any ambition to rise above her station. While other maids tried every means to attract Guan Qingmu's attention, she alone adhered to propriety, never overstepping her bounds.
By the age of fifteen, Guan Qingmu already possessed the bearing of a military family, earning the admiration of many young women. Numerous ladies who wished to marry into the Guan family as the second young master's wife went out of their way to flatter Guan Qingyue, hoping to get closer and become her sister-in-law. As a result, Guan Qingyue lived quite comfortably during that period, with pastries, clothes, and whatever else she desired readily available.
However, as more and more people disturbed her, Guan Qingyue grew annoyed. One day, she clung to Yuanrong's arm and said, "Why don't you just become my sister-in-law? That way, they won't bother me anymore."
Yuanrong flusteredly pulled her hand away, her face flushed red, even her neck tinged with pink. She stammered, "This servant's status is not suitable."
After all, Yuanrong had helped raise her, and Guan Qingyue was still young at the time, mischievous and clever. Seeing Yuanrong's expression, she immediately exclaimed, "So you like my second brother too!"
Hearing this, Yuanrong's face turned even redder. Naturally shy, she feared Guan Qingyue would tell the second young master about this, so she begged her not to make a fuss.
"If you want me to keep quiet, it's simple," said Guan Qingyue, who was only eleven at the time, patting her chest. "Then listen to me, and I'll help you win my second brother's favor!"
Yuanrong stamped her foot anxiously, unwilling to agree. But Guan Qingyue wouldn't relent, threatening to tell her second brother. Then, with a mischievous smile, she watched as Yuanrong, heeding her words, went to prepare soup, make pastries, and embroider handkerchiefs.For a period of time, whenever Guan Qingmu opened his door in the morning, he would always find various items placed at his doorstep. Sometimes it was a handkerchief embroidered with bamboo leaves, other times it was a stack of steaming hot pastries.
The mansion had already issued a ban, forbidding maids from disturbing him. So who else could be leaving things at his door? Without a second thought, Guan Qingmu directly brought Guan Qingyue over to question her.
Guan Qingyue grinned cheekily and said, "Second Brother has been training very hard lately, and I feel sorry for you, so I sent you these things."
She sent them? Guan Qingmu shook his head. He pulled out the exquisitely embroidered bamboo leaf handkerchief and said, "Now embroider another one for me. The requirement isn’t high—just embroider an identical leaf."
Guan Qingyue: "..."
Yuancong was so embarrassed she had nowhere to hide, standing to the side with her head bowed, not daring to utter a single word. Just as her eyes were darting around nervously, she saw the Second Young Master stand up, his robe swaying slightly as he said lightly, "The pigeon soup this morning was very delicious."
She was stunned for a moment, and then a wave of joy bubbled up from the depths of her heart and blossomed! Yuancong cautiously looked up and saw Guan Qingmu looking at her. He smiled gently.
At that time, Guan Qingyue couldn’t understand why a single expression from Second Brother could make Yuancong so happy. Looking back now, Yuancong must have felt her heart overflowing with happiness, so much so that she felt like she could fly.
The person she secretly liked enjoyed the pigeon soup she had made. What could make a foolish woman who only knew how to make pigeon soup happier than that?
Nothing! So from then on, Yuancong no longer needed Guan Qingyue’s encouragement. She often sent things to Guan Qingmu on her own. It could be said that in that year, Yuancong almost became Guan Qingmu’s maid.
In noble families, if a young man was not yet married by the age of sixteen, he would have a concubine maid to teach him about intimate matters. Yuancong knelt before Guan Qingyue and earnestly pleaded with her for three days.
"Sister," the young Guan Qingyue didn’t understand much else, but she was well aware of the family’s rules. She disapproved of Yuancong’s decision: "The status of a concubine maid is too low. Even if you have children, you won’t be allowed into the Guan family registry. Why not wait a little longer?"
"I can’t wait any longer," Yuancong smiled bitterly. "I’ve never had a chance. Now that I have such an opportunity, it’s already very good. If you can help me, Yuancong would die without regret."
Guan Qingyue fell silent. Three days later, unable to withstand Yuancong’s persistence, she finally went to beg her father to let Yuancong become Second Brother’s teaching maid.
However, that night, Second Brother shut her out of his room.
"My heart belongs to someone else," he said. "I don’t want to delay your marriage."
Yuancong, dressed in thin clothing, knelt outside the door, her body trembling slightly. Guan Qingyue couldn’t bear it and wrapped her in a cloak, helping her back to her room.
She witnessed it all. She saw how happily Yuancong dressed up, preparing to serve Second Brother. She also saw how disheveled she returned to her room, not coming out for days.
Second Brother was in a bad mood during that time, often getting drunk. Guan Qingyue was busy with her training and didn’t pay much attention to the two of them, thinking they were simply not meant to be. Later, when Yuancong said she wanted to return home to get married, the mansion allowed her to leave. Guan Qingyue couldn’t bear to part with her, so even while pregnant, she continued to care for her. After giving birth, Yuancong returned directly to the mansion and stayed by her side all along.Guan Qingyue had always believed that Yuancong might have harbored regrets in her heart, after all, she never got to stay with the person she loved so deeply. In the end, Second Brother married Sister Linghe, and the two shared a deep bond.
However, after Yuancong died in her place, Guan Qingyue awoke from her coma clutching a letter.
"Lingshu of Xinghe Village is of the Guan family bloodline. Please treat him well, Master."
This single sentence left Guan Qingyue pondering for a long time without understanding.
How many things had happened in the past that she didn’t know about? If Yuancong gave birth to a child of Guan blood, whose child could it possibly be?
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