"Madam Su, Miss Tong, please wait here for now. Once we have the situation under control, I'll have Sichen invite you inside."
Su Zhouyue nodded. "Understood. Rest assured, Your Highness. I often comforted people back in the military camps. I certainly won't make any mistakes."
Xue Lin glanced at Tong Aning, who immediately said, "I won't make any mistakes either."
A faint smile appeared on Xue Lin's face. "I trust you both."
With that, Xue Lin led his men inside.
Tong Aning was dumbfounded. Clutching Su Zhouyue's arm, she said, "Mother, did I see that right? His Highness actually smiled?"
"Yes."
Even Su Zhouyue had never seen this heir smile before. Only when he smiled did he show the spirited vigor unique to his age.
Tong Aning leaned against Su Zhouyue's shoulder and murmured, "Then why doesn't he smile more often? He looks so bitter all over."
Su Zhouyue found that amusing. Who described someone as bitter all over? But on second thought, her daughter wasn't wrong. Prince Yong and his consort had both passed away, and the truth behind their deaths had never been uncovered. Living in a world without his parents, how could Xue Lin not be bitter?
"It'll get better," Su Zhouyue said.
"Mother, Fourth Sister." Tong Fengye came running over eagerly. When Su Zhouyue looked at him, he pretended to casually kick a pebble by the roadside.
"What is it?" Su Zhouyue asked.
"You and my sister both have things to do. What am I supposed to do?" Tong Fengye asked.
Su Zhouyue shot him a glance. "I told you not to come along."
When Su Zhouyue and Tong Aning had left early that morning and reached the carriage, Tong Fengye had already been inside.
"Wasn't I doing it to protect you and my sister?" Tong Fengye muttered.
Su Zhouyue raised her hand. Tong Fengye's eyes widened, and he darted backward. "You're hitting me for that too?"
"Come here," Su Zhouyue said sternly.
Tong Fengye reluctantly approached. Su Zhouyue stroked his head and said with gratification, "Our Fengye really has grown up. You even know to protect your mother and sister now."
Tong Fengye scratched his head sheepishly. "It's what I should do as your son."
[Third Brother looks just like Big Yellow outside our gates.]
Tong Fengye: ...
He let out a howl. "Who are you calling a dog, Tong Aning!"
"Third Brother, I didn't say anything," Tong Aning said innocently.
"You..."
Sichen came out and said respectfully, "Madam Su, Miss Tong, Young Master Tong, His Highness invites you inside."
"All right," Su Zhouyue said.
As they walked, she instructed Tong Fengye, "Those ladies have had a fright. They might not want to see any men, so follow your sister and me at a distance."
Tong Fengye nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, Mother."
When Su Zhouyue and the others arrived, the physician had just come out. Xue Lin had considered every detail; even the physician he had invited was a woman.
She knew what Su Zhouyue and Tong Aning had come to do. Shaking her head, she said, "It still feels too cruel."
"It isn't cruel. Being kept in the dark for a lifetime is cruel. Only by knowing the truth can they turn the page on this."
There was a touch of martial vigor in Su Zhouyue's voice. The physician looked over and, for some reason, found herself awed by this lady. She nodded involuntarily, feeling that the lady was right.
[Mother is right.]
[What if someone uses this to threaten them later? Better to settle everything now.]
Su Zhouyue led Tong Aning inside, while Tong Fengye waited outside the room.
Before they entered, Xue Lin said, "There are eleven ladies in total. They're all inside."
"All right," Su Zhouyue said. "Rest assured, Your Highness."
After they went inside, Xue Lin had Yuan Xiu brought over under guard. Pressing his lips together, he asked, "Where did you bury your elder brother?"
"You're so capable, Your Highness. Keep guessing."
Xue Lin gave Sichen a look.
Sichen stepped forward and seized Yuan Xiu by the collar. "Don't trouble yourself over that. Even if we have to turn Quiet Heart Temple upside down today, we'll find your elder brother's remains and let him rest in peace. As for you, you'll have no peace while you're alive, and don't expect an easy time after you die either."
When Sichen released him, Yuan Xiu fell onto his backside. He suddenly covered his face with both hands and began sobbing. "It's all my fault, all my fault. Elder Brother, I've wronged you!"
Sichen spat. "Only sorry now? What were you doing before?"
Xue Lin watched coldly. "Take him to identify the location. General Dingyuan's Residence is still waiting for us to bring the remains back."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Inside the room.
Before leaving, the physician had lit calming incense, so the ladies looked relatively composed.
Hearing the sound, they all raised their heads to look at the newcomers. When they saw Su Zhouyue and Tong Aning, their curled-up bodies relaxed slightly.
The ladies thought they were victims too. One lady with disheveled hair could not stop tears from streaming down her face. "Heavens, heavens! They wouldn't even spare an unmarried girl."
Tong Aning raised her hand and gently wiped away the lady's tears, softly comforting her. "Don't cry."
Her hand was soft and her voice sweet, making the lady want to cry even more. Remembering her daughter at home, she gritted her teeth. "If they hadn't insisted on having a son, why would I have suffered this calamity!"
"Exactly," Su Zhouyue said.
Her voice rang out firmly, and all the ladies looked toward her.
Su Zhouyue's expression was resolute. "They were the ones who did wrong. What does it have to do with us? We manage every matter in our households, great and small. Even outside, we could carve out a place for ourselves. We're so capable. Why should we remain trapped here?"
Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances. They could not believe they truly were so good.
[Mother is right. The lady I just comforted-half a year ago, her husband was falsely accused and imprisoned. She went alone to beat the drum of appeal and knelt outside the hall for half an hour before securing a retrial for her husband's case.]
[And this lady encountered mountain bandits on the road. She took up a sword and refused to give an inch, protecting the old servant who had followed her for so many years.]
[Not to mention those who always distribute porridge, who remember how hard life is for the servants and give them extra money at New Year...]
Without realizing it, Tong Aning's eyes reddened.
These were all such good people, yet the Buddha had not protected them!
Listening to Tong Aning's inner voice, everyone gradually stood up.
Su Zhouyue said clearly, "There's no need to be afraid. Those people have already been arrested by Jingzhao Prefecture. The Heir of Prince Yong is personally overseeing the investigation. They won't be able to stir up any more storms."
"Yes, yes, that's right," someone murmured.
Su Zhouyue continued, "Now, take whatever you can find nearby."
While they were looking, Tong Aning asked, "Mother, what are you going to do?"
Su Zhouyue's gaze turned cold. "Take revenge."
She stroked her daughter's little face and said gently, "After what they did, what does it matter if we give them a beating?"
More importantly, she understood. She had struggled through life in the army herself. Back then, foreign enemies had watched like tigers eyeing their prey. Every city they occupied suffered burning, slaughter, and plunder; there was no evil they would not commit.
And every time her side recaptured a city, they had to comfort its people.
Su Zhouyue knew full well that unless these ladies vented the resentment in their hearts, this shadow would follow them for the rest of their lives.
When they woke from dreams at midnight, wouldn't they feel less afraid, knowing that their past selves, who had taken up clubs, were there to help them?
Su Zhouyue led them outside.
Though dressed in hair ornaments and skirts, she radiated martial vigor, like a general leading the charge on a battlefield. "Beat them," she said.
The ladies all rushed forward and rained blows on the monks.
"You old bald donkeys! Why aren't you fighting back now?"
Satisfaction filled the ladies' hearts. At the edge of the sky, a new sun was slowly rising, its light spilling across their faces.
Xue Lin arranged for them to be taken home and promised that what had happened at Quiet Heart Temple would never be revealed.
Everyone glanced at Su Zhouyue.
Su Zhouyue nodded gently. "Go home first. After bathing, rest well and eat well."
The ladies were escorted away.
"Thank you for your trouble, Madam Su," Xue Lin said.
Su Zhouyue smiled. "I enjoy doing these things."
Tong Fengye rushed over. "Mother, you were practically glowing just now."
"Of course I was."
With her hands on her hips, Su Zhouyue chatted with Tong Aning and Tong Fengye. Back on the battlefield, her eyesight had been excellent. She could even see at night, and she was keenly perceptive, often going out to scout the way.
At the time, both their side and the enemy had called Su Zhouyue the North Star that guided the way.
[Waaah, Mother is amazing.]
Su Zhouyue grew even prouder.
Once their conversation had mostly wound down, Su Zhouyue asked, "Your Highness, have you found the remains of the eldest son of General Dingyuan's Residence?"
Xue Lin nodded. "They were in the courtyard out back."
"What about Yuan Xiu?"
"He's gone mad," Sichen said. "The moment he saw his elder brother's remains, he went mad. Serves him right."
Su Zhouyue sighed deeply. "Hopefully, once the eldest young master returns home, Yashi's illness will improve."
Xue Lin still had to stay and handle the aftermath, so Su Zhouyue took Tong Aning and Tong Fengye home first.
Inside the carriage.
Tong Fengye could not sit still. Su Zhouyue scolded him, "Tong Fengye, are there nails under your backside?"
Tong Fengye: "..."
"Mother, I just find it so strange."
"What's so strange?"
Resting her chin in her hands, Tong Aning said, "Yuan Xiu drove his sister-in-law mad, and now he's gone mad himself. It's like, like..."
Tong Fengye finished for her. "Like Heaven had it ordained all along."
Su Zhouyue laughed and took both their hands. "That's why we should do more good deeds."
Tong Aning and Tong Fengye wholeheartedly agreed.
On the third day of the sixth month, Marquis Ningyuan's Residence married off a daughter.
Feng Jingruo held Tong Aning's hand and said happily, "I've been waiting for you."
Tong Aning looked at her. Feng Jingruo had always been beautiful, but with her makeup on, her beauty was beyond compare.
Under the gaze of such a beautiful Feng Jingruo, Tong Aning felt she could hardly breathe.
"Miss Tong, what's wrong?" Feng Jingruo asked in puzzlement.
"You're too beautiful," Tong Aning said.
Feng Jingruo paused and exchanged a glance with her maid. The maid covered her mouth and giggled, and she laughed along.
Tong Aning suddenly remembered that since Feng Jingruo was getting married, she ought to offer some auspicious words.
Her eyes curved into crescents. "You'll definitely be happy, the kind where you grow old together."
Feng Jingruo laughed, the jeweled ornaments on her head swaying. She blinked. "May your auspicious words come true."
Tong Aning nodded.
"Miss, it's time to put on your veil."
The wedding matron brought over the red veil and covered Feng Jingruo's head. Tong Aning followed Feng Jingruo outside. Festive joy filled every corner of Marquis Ningyuan's Residence. Even Yang Rong looked like a loving mother today.
Holding Feng Jingruo's hand, she instructed her, "Once you're there, live harmoniously with your husband and be filial to your parents-in-law..."
After a moment's thought, Yang Rong added quietly, "Don't go poisoning people at the drop of a hat."
Feng Jingruo wanted to laugh. It seemed that poisoning really had terrified her stepmother.
"I understand," Feng Jingruo said softly.
Even after Feng Jingruo had gone far away, Yang Rong was still watching. Feng Ying was puzzled. "Mother, are you really that reluctant to part with Eldest Sister?"
"What do you think I'm looking at?" Yang Rong asked.
"What else could it be?" Feng Ying said. "My eldest sister, of course."
With a smile that did not reach her eyes, Yang Rong seized his ear. "I'm looking at Feng Chu and Feng Jingruo's bright future, and the fact that you, a lump of rotten mud that can't be plastered onto a wall, will end up beneath their feet."
Feng Ying: "..."
Was Mother sure she wasn't using this as an excuse to vent?
"Sister, I'll carry you."
Feng Chu carried Feng Jingruo steadily on his back.
Feng Jingruo instructed him, "Now that I'm getting married, I won't be able to look after you all the time. You must be extra careful. Feng Ying is a fool, but his mother is clever. I'll find a way to deal with Mother's dowry. Just take good care of yourself."
Feng Chu remained silent. Feng Jingruo reached out and pinched his ear. "Did you understand?"
Feng Chu felt like crying. When their mother had still been alive, he had often played with Feng Jingruo. Whenever he misbehaved, she would pinch his ear just like this.
Now their mother was gone, and his sister was getting married too.
"I understand," Feng Chu said. "Just enjoy your life with Brother-in-law."
Feng Jingruo laughed. "Shall I ask your brother-in-law to let me bring you along?"
Feng Chu: "..."
After she boarded the bridal sedan, Feng Chu stood where he was, looking utterly bereft.
Tong Fengye patted his shoulder. "Oh? Crying?"
Feng Chu raised his sleeve and wiped his face. "I am not."
"Cry if you want. I won't laugh at you."
Though Tong Fengye was comforting him, seeing him like this still annoyed Feng Chu.
He shot back, "Just wait until your sister gets married. You'll have plenty to cry about."
Tong Fengye grew agitated. "Bullshit! Aning is staying at home for the rest of her life."
"Then are you going to bring in a live-in husband?"
"So what if we do? I'm not just bringing in a husband for Fourth Sister. I'm bringing one in for Second Sister too. And once An'an grows up, I'll bring in..."
"Your Highness." Tong Aning walked up to Xue Lin and asked with a smile, "What brings you here?"