Chapter 179: "Elder Sister Killed Our Child..."
Wen Yu did not expose it, only a faint smile lingering in her eyes as she said, "No need."
Zhao Bai, feeling somewhat uneasy under Wen Yu's gaze, couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
Wen Yu withdrew her gaze and looked out the window. The steam from the clear tea on the table rose slowly, half-obscuring her face as she replied, "If it were only for him, I could have taken him with me the day I left the Northern Border. But he still has many generals under his command. If I were to abduct him, what would become of his subordinates under Wei Qishan? I will personally demand him from Wei Qishan."
Back then, she was the one who forced him to leave, and now it was her turn to invite him back in this manner.
She would make sure the world knew that he was upright and honorable.
Zhao Bai nodded and said, "This servant understands."
Jiang Yichu leaned against the pillar of the covered corridor, a lake-green cloak draped over her shoulders, staring blankly at the peony garden outside.
This garden was built when her morning sickness was severe, and she couldn't keep anything down. Pei Song kept hovering around her, so she deliberately made things difficult for him by saying she wanted to see peonies. In a frenzy, he had it constructed.
The winter was bitterly cold, and her body was weak. The physician said she must not be exposed to the wind, so she stayed cooped up in her room every day, growing thinner by the day.
When Pei Song first saw her like this, he ordered the covered corridor to be sealed off, with wind-blocking curtains hung on all four sides. He also had the underfloor heating channels dug directly beneath the corridor, with charcoal burning twenty-four hours a day, eventually making the entire corridor as warm as indoors, allowing her to go out for walks whenever she pleased to lift her spirits.
After she expressed her desire to see a garden full of peonies, he sealed off half the courtyard outside the southern corridor, building walls on three sides and adding glazed tiles to the roof along the corridor's eaves. He also had underfloor heating channels dug beneath the courtyard.
In less than half a month, the various peonies transplanted into this makeshift greenhouse-like garden were forced into bloom by the gardeners using every method possible.
Jiang Yichu naturally knew that this had caused dissatisfaction among many of Pei Song's officials and generals. Once, when Pei Song was with her, the elderly man he valued most, named Gongsun, came looking for him. The man glared at her with extreme hostility, almost kneeling on the spot to beg Pei Song to have her executed.
Pei Song seemed unwilling to let the old man have too much contact with her and soon left with him to discuss matters elsewhere.
Jiang Yichu didn't care about any of this.
Sometimes, she couldn't tell whether it was Pei Song or herself who was truly mad.
She was just waiting, growing more exhausted and numb day by day, for someone to bring her an end.
She couldn't take her own life—she still had A Yin.
But living in this body that felt as if it were rotting inside and out was truly exhausting.
Jiang Yichu had always been listless. Just as she was about to fall asleep leaning against the pillar, an argument broke out at the other end of the corridor.
She opened her drowsy eyes and asked the maids attending to her, "What's going on?"
The servants around her had been replaced batch after batch. She hadn't even memorized the names of the newest group sent to her.
One of the maids hesitated before replying, "It's Lady Zheng. She also wishes to come to the corridor to enjoy the flowers."
This covered corridor was located in the main courtyard, which was also the largest in the entire estate.
With the current state of the war being unfavorable, Lady Zheng's father was highly valued by Pei Song, so her status had risen accordingly.
Among Pei Song's many concubines, she was the only one, like Jiang Yichu, who was pregnant.On days when Jiang Yichu didn't venture out, Lady Zheng would often come to admire the winter peonies. Today, by coincidence, the two had ended up in the same place.
The servants tasked with caring for Jiang Yichu, though under Pei Song's orders to prioritize her in all matters, dared not completely offend Lady Zheng, who was currently at the height of her influence.
After listening to the argument at the end of the covered corridor for a while, Jiang Yichu suddenly spoke with weary indifference, "We are both ladies favored by the master. How can we show favoritism? Let Lady Zheng come over. This garden is spacious enough—it can surely accommodate one more person."
The maid naturally didn't dare to make such a decision on her own. After curtseying to Jiang Yichu, she left another maid to continue watching over her and went to the other end of the corridor, seemingly to report to the matron who was blocking Lady Zheng's way.
The matron in the dark blue robe, upon hearing the maid's whisper, glanced toward Jiang Yichu, who was leaning against the "beauty's rest" rail—appearing to admire the peonies in the garden or perhaps already dozing off—her expression grave and uncertain.
Lady Zheng, clad in a pomegranate-red brocade dress with a cloak made of fiery red velvet, grew increasingly irritated as the stern-faced matron before her showed no sign of stepping aside. She lifted her chin haughtily and declared, "This corridor and garden were built by the master for those of us who are with child, to make strolls more convenient. Does only Lady Jiang have the right to be here, while I do not? Would you servants dare repeat those words in front of the master, Elder Gongsun, or my father?"
Her father was currently highly favored, which gave her the confidence to speak so boldly.
After weighing the pros and cons, the matron finally stepped aside, bowing her head slightly, and said, "Please calm your anger, Lady Zheng."
Seeing her compliance, Lady Zheng snorted coldly and strode into the corridor with her entourage of servants in tow, her demeanor full of arrogance.
Midway along the corridor, an opening led to stone steps that descended directly into the garden for flower viewing.
Jiang Yichu was seated on the "beauty's rest" near these steps, leaning against the railing with her eyes closed in a light doze, utterly exhausted.
When Lady Zheng approached and saw this, she interpreted it as Jiang Yichu deliberately ignoring her to cause embarrassment. Her gaze swept over Jiang Yichu's abdomen, deepening with a hint of mockery as she sneered, "Lady Jiang has such refined tastes."
Jiang Yichu opened her weary eyes and quietly observed Lady Zheng, who stood a few steps away, vibrant as a pomegranate blossom. After a moment, she replied, "Lady Zheng's spirits seem equally high."
Lady Zheng's critical eyes swept over Jiang Yichu's pale, plain face, and she remarked with feigned puzzlement, "Is this how you always present yourself when the master visits you?"
Surprisingly, Jiang Yichu remained patient today and did not retaliate against the insult. She merely said, "I am but a humble willow, indeed no match for Lady Zheng's natural beauty."
Lady Zheng's gaze grew even more peculiar, but upon reflection, she seemed to think Jiang Yichu had finally recognized the reality of her situation. As the former crown princess of Liang, Jiang Yichu's identity alone was enough to draw criticism—what could she possibly use to compete?
She chuckled derisively, "It's not too late for you to understand this, Lady Jiang, is it?"
Then, she half-raised her arm toward Jiang Yichu, her expression still haughty, and commanded, "Help me take a stroll in the garden."
This was a deliberate insult, treating Jiang Yichu as a servant.
The servants on both sides paled. The matron responsible for Jiang Yichu quickly interjected, "Our lady is frail. Let this humble servant assist you, madam."
The servants accompanying Lady Zheng also chimed in urgently, saying it was inappropriate.Lady Zheng cast a casual glance at them, as if unable to comprehend their anxiety. "What are you afraid of? Could Lady Jiang possibly harm me?"
The matron in charge of attending to Jiang Yichu attempted to speak again, but Jiang Yichu had already said, "There have been many misunderstandings between Lady Zheng and me. Now that she is willing to let bygones be bygones, how could I refuse?"
The matron's expression darkened. "Lady Jiang..."
Jiang Yichu gave her a cool glance. "Do you wish for Lady Zheng and me to remain estranged?"
The matron frowned deeply but, in Lady Zheng's presence, could only bow her head and say, "This humble servant wouldn't dare."
Lady Zheng seemed quite pleased with Jiang Yichu's compliance and sneered, "If only you had been this sensible earlier."
Jiang Yichu rose and took Lady Zheng's proffered arm, saying, "Thank you, Lady Zheng, for letting bygones be bygones."
The two began walking toward the stone steps.
The matron exchanged glances with several maids, who all followed closely behind the pair, ready to intervene should anything go amiss.
However, when they reached the steps, the two women paused instead of immediately descending.
Jiang Yichu said, "Among all flowers, the peony reigns supreme, and among peonies, the Yao Huang is king. I wonder which variety in this garden is your favorite, Lady Zheng."
Lady Zheng replied arrogantly, "The Yao Huang is too plain. I prefer the Wei Zi."
She then turned her gaze to Jiang Yichu. "And you, Lady Jiang, should not presume to call me 'Lady Zheng' so familiarly just because you are older. After all, advanced age and fading beauty are hardly advantages, are they?"
After delivering this sarcastic remark, she continued, "Now, help me pick a Wei Zi peony."
Jiang Yichu's face remained expressionless. In her eyes, which had long been numb and hollow from suffering, a flicker of struggle seemed to surface as she assisted Lady Zheng down the steps, but it was quickly swallowed again by pain and apathy.
In a voice so soft only she and Lady Zheng could hear, she whispered, "I'm sorry."
The matron had been vigilantly trailing them, her nerves taut as they conversed on the steps. When they finally began to descend, she hurried to follow.
But the accident happened in an instant.
Whether they missed a step or tripped over something, the two suddenly tumbled down the steps together.
"My lady!"
"Lady Jiang!"
Servants from both sides were terrified, and the garden erupted into chaos.
A sharp pain seized her abdomen, and every joint in her body ached from the impact. Jiang Yichu's ears rang, and the world spun before her eyes. Yet, with great effort, she turned to look at Lady Zheng, who had fallen beside her.
The other woman was also clutching her stomach in agony, but her eyes held a trace of astonishment as she looked back at Jiang Yichu.
Jiang Yichu's last conscious moment was fixed on that exchanged glance with Lady Zheng.
Sinking into the deepest darkness, she seemed to drift into a long, long dream.
On the swing in the Prince's estate, Wen Heng was pushing her, just as he used to, helping her soar into the air.
She laughed joyfully, feeling weightless as she swung higher and higher, calling out, "Heng Lang, push me even higher!"
The man pushing her, his refined face adorned with a gentle smile that seemed to embrace the world, obliged and pushed her even farther.
Soon after, a nanny brought her son, Jun'er, and said with a smile, "The young master hasn't seen you in so long, he's been crying and fussing terribly!"
Jiang Yichu reached out to take the child but instinctively felt that something was amiss.A faint yet piercing cry echoed in her ears: "Mother... Mother..."
"A Yin wants Mother..."
Jiang Yichu finally sensed something amiss. She looked at her husband: "Heng Lang, where is A Yin? I hear A Yin crying..."
Wen Heng gazed at her gently and silently for a moment before tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He spoke softly: "Yes, A Yin is still over there. Don’t worry about Jun’er, I’ll take good care of him. Go back now."
Go back?
Back where?
Jiang Yichu didn’t understand and wanted to call out to ask him more, but her consciousness grew hazy again.
She didn’t know what she was resisting, but in that moment, she was suddenly overwhelmed with sorrow. She watched as Wen Heng picked up Jun’er, his white robes flowing gracefully, and walked step by step toward their former residence, his back turned to her.
She tried to chase after him, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch. Desperate and hysterical, she cried out her husband’s name: "Wen Heng! Wen Heng!"
He had never dared to anger her before. Now that she was calling him by his full name, why wouldn’t he turn back to look at her one more time?
Her eyes stung with pain, and her throat burned.
Lying on the bed, the curtains permeated with the bitter scent of medicine, Jiang Yichu’s eyes were tightly shut. She murmured something with great effort, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes and slowly tracing paths toward her temples.
A Yin, not yet four years old, knelt by the bed, weeping uncontrollably. Her eyes were swollen like walnuts as she clutched Jiang Yichu’s arm, shaking it helplessly and continuing to cry hoarsely: "Mother..."
Still trapped in her daze, Jiang Yichu seemed to break free from some invisible restraint. Her throat, rough and strained, finally managed to utter that name: "Wen Heng..."
Her long lashes fluttered, and after days of remaining shut, her eyes slowly cracked open into a narrow slit.
A Yin had been crying for so long that, overwhelmed by emotion and struggling to breathe, her throat emitted sobs like a young animal’s mournful wail. Her small, thin body trembled incessantly.
"A Yin..."
Seeing her daughter in such a state, Jiang Yichu’s eyes instantly reddened. She reached out to touch her daughter’s face but noticed Pei Song sitting on a stool behind A Yin.
He looked more disheveled than she had ever seen him before. The stubble on his chin, untouched for who knows how long, formed a patch of light blue shadow. His hair was meticulously combed, but his eyes were red from prolonged sleeplessness.
Meeting Jiang Yichu’s gaze, he smiled nonchalantly: "I thought you were really going to abandon this little bastard and go looking for that good-for-nothing Wen Heng."
Jiang Yichu’s hand, resting outside the bed, instinctively moved to shield A Yin. Though illness had left her gaunt and frail, her eyes remained full of wariness as she looked at Pei Song.
Seeing her reaction, Pei Song continued to smile, but the ferocity and crimson hue in his eyes deepened. He whispered: "Elder Sister killed our child."
Jiang Yichu seemed momentarily stunned by this answer, then a trace of relief flickered in her eyes.
This reaction only further enraged Pei Song, though the smile on his face grew even brighter. He gently stroked her cheek with the back of his knuckles and said leisurely: "I never realized Elder Sister harbored such cruelty toward me. Not only did you kill my child, but you also tried to make Consort Zheng miscarry and drive a wedge between me and her father, didn’t you?"His knuckles landed on her jawline, then he grasped her chin, staring at her sickly pale face as he asked with a mix of sarcasm and intimacy: "But does Elder Sister know that you were the one being set up?"
Under Jiang Yichu’s wary and startled gaze, he sneered: "Consort Zheng became pregnant through an affair. Of course she knew she couldn’t let this child be born. Now that her father is highly favored by me, it’s the perfect opportunity to get rid of that child."
"Using you as a scapegoat not only prevents you from bearing a child in the future that could threaten her, but also shifts all blame onto you. Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone?"
Jiang Yichu’s pupils dilated slightly, her lips nearly as pale as her face, remaining silent.
Pei Song released his grip on her chin and instead loosely clasped the nape of A Yin, who was crouched by the bedside. Though he practiced martial arts year-round and his frame wasn’t burly—appearing even slender among martial generals—his calloused hand made the child’s neck seem incredibly fragile when he held it.
A suppressed madness simmered in his eyes as he spoke with feigned confusion: "Hasn’t Elder Sister always doted on this little bastard? How could you be so cruel to our own child?"
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