Mi esposa se sube al muro

Capítulo 59

As soon as Emperor Renzong left, the lower-ranking concubines immediately surrounded Xu Shirong, inquiring about the events that had just transpired. Xu Shirong gave only a few vague replies before heading to Consort Yang's Huarong Palace. Empress Guo watched from afar, her expression cold and disdainful. Consort Li also glanced at Xu Shirong before turning away.

Xu Shirong followed Consort Yang back to her palace. She had a palace maid bring water boiled with Atractylodes lancea and Acorus calamus. After carefully washing her hands, the two had just sat down when a physician, dressed as a royal physician, arrived with a maidservant accompanying Consort Yang. He thought Consort Yang was unwell and was about to get up to make way, but Consort Yang pressed her hand down, smiling, "Sister-in-law, I noticed you seemed dizzy earlier, and your complexion looked somewhat weak. Taking advantage of the palace, I had the imperial physician come to examine your pulse. If you are truly weak, it would be best to prescribe a tonic as soon as possible. Physician Fang is most skilled at treating this."

Although Xu Shirong felt it was unnecessary, the imperial physician was already sitting on the embroidered stool in front of her, and she could not refuse, so she had to extend her hand and ask him to take her pulse.

Physician Fang placed two fingers together on her wrist pulse, then withdrew his hand after a moment, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, please do not worry. This lady shows no abnormalities; it is a sign of pregnancy."

Upon hearing this, Consort Yang was overjoyed and looked at the imperial physician, her voice trembling, "Physician Fang, are you sure? Perhaps you could examine me again?"

Upon hearing this, Physician Fang smiled, examined the pulse again, and affirmed, "A slippery pulse with a beady pulse is undoubtedly a sign of pregnancy, approximately two months along."

Consort Yang suddenly stood up, clasped her hands together and bowed to the sky, repeatedly saying, "This is wonderful. This is wonderful..." She then urged the imperial physician to prescribe medicine to stabilize the pregnancy and replenish her vital energy.

Upon hearing this, Xu Shirong was stunned and speechless for a long time. Lately, she had only felt slightly less energetic than before, and although her period was late, she had always attributed it to physical weakness due to irregularities, never considering anything more. Besides, she had always thought of Yang Huan as a mischievous child and couldn't imagine him as a father. Now, hearing that she was pregnant, and already over two months along, she realized that she had already conceived before leaving Qingmen County. A mix of emotions welled up within her—joy mixed with a strange feeling she couldn't quite explain. She sat there silently, forgetting even to retract her hand after taking her pulse.

Consort Yang generously rewarded the imperial physician before sending him away. Seeing that Consort Xu was still somewhat dazed, she assumed she was worried about the affairs of the Xu and Yang families and smiled as she comforted her, "Sister-in-law, are you still worried about that retirement matter? I have always intended to reconcile the two families, and now that I know you are pregnant, what is there to worry about? Tomorrow, when I send you back from the palace, I will send someone to inform my mother. Even if she is confused, she would never push her own grandson away. Besides, you have helped me so much today. If my mother knew, would she treat you any less than a Bodhisattva?" As she spoke, she bent down and whispered in her ear, "Just now, someone secretly reported that the Emperor has ordered the palace gates closed, not allowing anyone to leave, and has summoned the eunuchs from each palace to the Inner Court in turn, even those in the Emperor's residence. I wonder what he is investigating..."

Xu Shirong looked up and saw Consort Yang smiling, her eyes sparkling. Although Consort Yang hadn't inquired about her, Xu Shirong assumed she knew this action was related to her conversation with Emperor Renzong. She smiled slightly and said nothing more. That night, she stayed at Huarong Palace. Consort Yang treated her with utmost care and attentiveness. The next day, however, news arrived that a eunuch serving Empress Guo had been inexplicably ordered to be killed by the Emperor. Empress Guo had sought the Emperor's sympathy but was instead reprimanded for her lack of virtue and placed under house arrest. A strict order was issued forbidding anyone in the palace from mentioning the previous day's events, with anyone found guilty to be executed. A climate of fear and unease gripped the palace. Only Consort Yang received a generous reward from the Emperor, a gesture of appeasement for the previous day's events. For a time, the concubines in Huarong Palace came and went in a constant stream, all coming to offer their congratulations. Even Consort Li sent gifts, which Consort Yang naturally returned one by one.

The next day, Xu Shirong was sent back to the Xu family in an imperial carriage. Madam Xu, having heard from Hanlin Xu the previous day that her daughter had been kept in the palace overnight without further ado, had been feeling uneasy. Finally, upon her daughter's return, she immediately grabbed her arm and pressed her for details about her time in the palace, what had happened, and so on. Xu Shirong gave only casual, insincere answers. She was pondering whether to tell her daughter about her pregnancy, and as she hesitated, a maidservant came to announce that the Grand Commandant's residence had sent more people, who were waiting outside. This time, not only was Young Master Yang present, but the Grand Commandant's wife had also come in person.

Madam Xu suddenly stood up and said, "So they've gotten addicted to banging on doors. Not satisfied with their sons, they've even moved their old mothers here! I'm going out to see what they're up to!" With that, she stormed off angrily, and Xu Shirong's repeated calls from behind went unheard.

Chapter Seventy-Three

When Madam Xu arrived at the main gate, she ordered the gatekeeper to open it. Sure enough, she saw several carriages parked at the gate, and Madam Jiang and Yang Huan were waiting there, both with smiles on their faces. Madam Xu was a little confused and stared at the two of them suspiciously.

Seeing the gate open, Yang Huan immediately craned his neck to look inside. Not seeing the person he wanted to see, he was slightly disappointed. Then he thought, why would she greet a guest at the outer hall gate? He suppressed his urge, though his heart ached like a cat's claws, wishing he could see her immediately. Seeing Madam Xu staring at him with displeasure, just as she was about to speak, Madam Jiang smiled and asked, "How is my mother-in-law's health?"

Madam Xu was even more puzzled. But as the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face, and since Madam Jiang was like this, she couldn't make a scene. She just snorted coldly and said, "Madam Yang, you're exaggerating. These days, there's no such thing as a mother-in-law."

Jiang choked, a surge of anger rising within her. She thought to herself, "If it weren't for my own grandson, I wouldn't have come even if you invited me." Just then, she heard her son cough beside her. Remembering his earlier instructions, she forced a smile and said, "I've come today to discuss something, something you're probably already aware of, my dear mother-in-law. How can we speak while standing here at the door?"

Seeing her appearance, Madam Xu didn't think she was there to cause trouble. Although she didn't know much about the matter the woman was talking about, she was afraid that if word got out that she was blocking someone at the gate, she would be laughed at. So she snorted and reluctantly let her into the main hall.

Yang Huan entered the hall but did not sit down. He bowed deeply to Madam Xu before anxiously asking, "Mother-in-law, where is my beloved wife?"

Madam Xu was displeased upon hearing this and ignored her with a stern face. Seeing that she was ignoring him, Yang Huan also ignored her and stepped inside, but was grabbed by the sleeve and said, "How rude of you! How can you barge into someone else's house like that?"

Yang Huan turned around and said, "Where did this 'other family' come from? A son-in-law is like half a son, and you, mother-in-law, are practically my own mother, aren't you? I've come to take my beloved wife and child away!"

Madam Xu was still not quite understanding what was happening, and simply stopped her, saying, "If you keep mentioning your beloved daughter and child, I'll have you thrown out..." She suddenly stopped and exclaimed in surprise, "What did you just say? My child?"

Yang Huan nodded with a grin and said, "I've come to pick up my beloved wife and child. The imperial physician diagnosed her with pregnancy yesterday. She was already pregnant when she was in Qingmen County, and we only found out now."

Madam Xu froze, her hands sliding down Yang Huan's sleeves and falling limply to her sides, her eyes fixed straight ahead. Yang Huan ignored her and strode towards the inner hall. The servants of the Xu household, who had witnessed him swagger out of his mistress's courtyard through the main gate that morning, dared not stop him now, letting him pass through. Just as he turned the corner of the inner hall's covered walkway, he nearly bumped into Xu Shirong, who was coming out at the same time. Yang Huan reacted quickly and caught her.

Xu Shirong was startled. When she saw it was Yang Huan, she was about to scold him for his recklessness when Yang Huan hurriedly asked, "Jiaoniang, I heard from the palace this morning that you've been diagnosed with pregnancy. Is that true?"

Seeing that he was staring at her intently, his expression a mixture of joy and nervousness, Xu Shirong felt a surge of warmth in her heart. The initial awkwardness and discomfort she felt upon suddenly learning of her pregnancy vanished instantly, and she nodded slightly with a smile.

Yang Huan stood there dumbfounded, motionless. Xu Shirong poked his chest, and he burst into laughter. He suddenly picked her up and spun her around twice before shouting, "I'm going to be a dad! I'm really going to be a dad!"

Seeing how happy he was, Xu Shirong let him carry her, even though there were several old women and maids watching. But when she saw him turn around and head towards the front hall, she hurriedly said, "Put me down. I can walk by myself."

Yang Huan refused and hugged her even tighter, saying, "No, you're so precious now. What if you get hurt? I'll carry you to safety."

Seeing that the old women and maids were all covering their mouths and laughing, Xu Shirong felt a little embarrassed, her face flushing. She refused to let him continue his antics, and after much pleading, she finally got him to let her down, though he still held her hand tightly. Knowing he was always shameless and reckless, she had no choice but to let him be.

Yang Huan, holding Jiao Niang's hand, kept glancing at her profile. Suddenly, his mind wandered, imagining the scene of his future child calling him "Dad," and he was overjoyed. But when they cautiously reached the front hall, they were immediately dumbfounded. There, Jiang Shi and Madam Xu were arguing fiercely again, with Liu Shi and He Shi coming over to try and mediate. Zhen Niang, however, sided with her mother-in-law, occasionally interjecting with a comment.

It turned out that Madam Xu had just realized what those words meant, and she was struck dumb. She no longer had the mind to stop Yang Huan from returning. She felt weak in the legs and was helped to a chair by a maid. She couldn't say a word for a long time.

Seeing that her eyes were fixed blankly, Madam Jiang felt a little better. She cleared her throat and said with a smile, "Mother-in-law, I haven't made a mistake in calling you mother-in-law, have I? Since my Yang family's grandson's bloodline was planted in your daughter's womb, it should be considered a twist of fate. Let's just let bygones be bygones. It's only right and proper for me to take my Yang family's bloodline back. I don't think you'll object, will you?"

Her words, however inappropriate, reached Madam Xu's ears. Madam Xu, who was also intolerant of dissent, was immediately enraged and sneered, "You've chosen the wrong title for 'mother-in-law.' Let me be clear: my daughter is no longer a member of your Yang family, and the child in her womb has nothing to do with your family. My family will handle it properly. You'd better give up your wishful thinking!"

Before arriving, Jiang had been repeatedly instructed by her son to speak politely and welcome her daughter-in-law back. While she outwardly agreed, she harbored some resentment. She thought to herself that the Xu family knew her daughter was pregnant; the die was cast, so why wouldn't they obediently return her? This thought unconsciously surfaced in her speech. Hearing Madam Xu's stubbornness, she refused to concede, and the two began arguing again. To make matters worse, Zhenniang chimed in, and Liu and He were powerless to stop them.

Seeing the two arguing fiercely again, Yang Huan and Xu Shirong exchanged a glance. Yang Huan cursed his mother inwardly for being so unreasonable, but said nothing more. He leaned close to Xu Shirong's ear and said, "Let them have their fun, let them argue to their hearts' content. We'll go first." Seeing Xu Shirong still hesitant, he took her hand without further ado and led her out of the Xu residence. He carefully helped her into the carriage, instructing Xiao Die and another maid who were already waiting inside to attend to her. He then mounted his horse and rode towards Zheng Gate.

Meanwhile, back at the Xu residence, Madam Xu and Madam Jiang were entangled in a complicated situation when a maidservant came over and said, "Madam, just now, the young lady was helped out of the gate by Young Master Yang and got into a carriage. The family saw it but didn't dare to stop her; they just asked me to inform you."

Madam Xu, as if waking from a dream, paused, leaving Jiang behind, and hurried towards the gate. Upon reaching the gate, she found her daughter nowhere to be seen. Asking the gatekeeper, she learned she had been gone for a while, and she stamped her feet repeatedly in anger. Jiang, feeling she had the upper hand, said smugly, "I've already submitted a withdrawal petition to the government office. You should do the same, mother-in-law. Let's be as close as we used to be, like all the good in-laws." Without another word, she left, got into her carriage, and drove away. Madam Xu, her face flushed and paled with rage, saw almost the entire household gathered at the gate, craning their necks to watch the spectacle. She dispersed with a string of curses, and was then helped back to her room by her wives. As she walked, she pondered, cursing Yang Huan a thousand times over in her heart. Ultimately, however, she couldn't overcome the child already in her daughter's womb, and could only let out a long sigh.

Yang Huan was thoroughly humiliated by Madam Xu, but he remained completely oblivious. Upon arriving at the Grand Commandant's residence, he escorted Xu Shirong to the former west courtyard as if she were a precious treasure, which had long been cleaned and refurbished. After settling in, Xiao Die and the other maids in the mansion, being sensible, withdrew without him having to say anything, and even remembered to close the door behind them.

Seeing that the others had acted normally on the surface but their eyes revealed a hint of ambiguous smiles, Xu Shirong scolded, "I've never seen anyone like you, always making a fool of themselves!"

Seeing her sitting there, her face as beautiful as a peony shrouded in mist and a peach blossom moistened by rain, Yang Huan was filled with love. He immediately wrapped his arms around her waist, buried his face in her belly and gently rubbed it a few times before saying, "Jiaoniang, when I have my two children, I will treat them extremely well. I will never treat them like my father treated me, scaring me into a silly goose."

Xu Shirong laughed when she heard what he said was funny, and said, "You've never been a good student since you were little, but now you're blaming it all on your father. Besides, no matter how I look at you, I don't see any trace of you being a simpleton. On the contrary, you're very clever and quick to steal chickens and dogs without any instruction."

Yang Huan chuckled dryly. Although she scolded him, he felt sweeter than honey in his heart. He loved her so much that he hugged her and lay down on the couch, while he lay down next to her. He racked his brains to chatter and make her happy. Just then, he heard a knock on the door and someone say, "The old lady is here."

Yang Huan leaped off the couch, and Xu Shirong exclaimed in surprise, quickly sitting up and saying, "I should have gone to pay my respects first when I returned. I completely forgot about this etiquette." She sat on the edge of the couch, bending down to put on her shoes, but Yang Huan stopped her, squatting down in front of her and carefully putting them on for her before they went outside together. They hadn't gone two steps when the door creaked open, and they saw Old Madam Yang being helped in by several maids.

Xu Shirong hurriedly stepped forward to bow, but was stopped by the old lady, who smiled and said, "This old woman has lived for over sixty years, and now I can finally see my great-grandchildren. I am truly blessed. Please sit down and don't move around, or you might hurt yourself." As she spoke, she pressed Xu Shirong down to sit. She then kept asking Xu Shirong if she had a good appetite and if she had any acid reflux.

Since arriving here, Xu Shirong knew that this old lady didn't particularly like the former beauty, and since she had no intention of deliberately ingratiating herself, she had only been going through the motions of polite greetings. Seeing how kind the old lady was to her now, she assumed it was all because of the Yang family blood in the old lady's womb, so she perked up and responded to everything.

The old lady sat for a while, instructing the servants to take good care of her, and then scolded Yang Huan, telling him not to be naughty again, before being helped back home. Just as she sat down, she saw Madam Jiang approach and casually asked her a few questions about her past at the Xu family.

In front of her, Madam Jiang dared not mention that she had argued with Madam Xu again. She only gave a few vague answers, but she could not escape the old lady's eyes. She asked a few more questions, and Madam Jiang could not resist. She had no choice but to briefly mention what had just happened.

The old lady, somewhat displeased, said, "Although you haven't mentioned it to me before, I know you resent Rui'er for treating you poorly. It's not that I'm biased towards my son; now it seems it's not entirely his fault. This morning, the Imperial Concubine sent a message, not only announcing good news but also mentioning that Jiao Niang had really helped her a great deal yesterday. However, it's inconvenient for her to tell us the details now, but she told the whole family to remember it well. Although I don't know how she helped, Jiao Niang helped her, which means she helped our Yang family as well. Go and bring her back. Even if her mother is wicked, you should at least put up with it for the sake of the family and give Jiao Niang some face in front of her family. Now you're so ignorant, only knowing how to be quick-witted. People who don't know better will think that my entire Yang family is ungrateful!"