Chapter 11

Chapter 11

At Xie Yuheng’s declaration, Madam Lin stared at him in surprise.

As for his refusal to take a concubine, she supposed her son most likely still had feelings for Mingrou. The two of them had grown up together. Her son was aloof by nature, yet he had always been gentle with Mingrou. It was a pity things had turned out this way.

She merely sighed. “I don’t care what you’re thinking. I only want to hold a grandson in my arms as soon as possible.”

Xie Yuheng pursed his lips. On his way out, he instructed an attendant to send some medicinal tonics to Ji Hanyi.

He knew he should not have accused her the moment he arrived last night. In the end, he had blamed her unfairly. He planned to return early that evening and keep her company.

Only then did Xie Yuheng realize that he had been so busy lately, it had been a long time since he and Ji Hanyi had shared an evening meal.

As usual, Ji Hanyi went to greet her mother-in-law early that morning.

Seeing the lingering signs of illness on Ji Hanyi’s face, Madam Lin sighed and patted her hand. “You were quite ill this time. There’s no need to come tend to me for the next few days.

“I have maids and matrons looking after me, and Mingrou often comes to keep me company. You should focus on recovering first.

“Only when you’re well again can you conceive a child sooner.”

Ji Hanyi replied softly, “It is only right that I attend to you, Mother.”

Madam Lin could not help studying Ji Hanyi’s face. Although she looked a little unwell, her skin was as fair as snow and her lips were red. There was a soft gentleness to her alluring features, and her petite figure was graceful and shapely. With looks like hers, surely her son would not neglect her too badly. Madam Lin could not understand why she had yet to conceive.

Physicians, including imperial physicians, had examined her many times, but none had found anything wrong.

Madam Lin covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed again before telling Ji Hanyi to leave, lest she catch the illness all over again.

Ji Hanyi emerged from behind the curtain. As usual, she asked the matrons waiting outside a few questions about Madam Lin’s condition and reminded them of several important points concerning her meals before leaving.

As soon as she stepped outside, she happened to run into the Second Madam on her way in. The Second Madam looked Ji Hanyi over, smiled, and offered a few perfunctory words of concern before entering.

Ji Hanyi glanced back at the Second Madam’s eager figure, then turned away.

She knew that while her mother-in-law had been ill, all the household accounts and expenses had been handed over to the Second Madam to manage.

In her mother-in-law’s eyes, Ji Hanyi would always be an outsider. She would rather entrust the accounts to someone from the Second Branch than ever consider Ji Hanyi.

Yet whenever there was a banquet or reception to arrange, Ji Hanyi was expected to help organize every detail.

These thoughts merely passed through Ji Hanyi’s mind. She soon let them go. There was no end to grievances if one took issue with everything. In any case, none of it would have much to do with her for much longer.

After breakfast, Ji Hanyi ordered the servants at the front gate to prepare a carriage. Once she had tidied herself up, she headed out.

After she climbed into the carriage, the scenery beyond the curtain began to recede, flashing before her eyes like scenes in a revolving lantern. The tension in Ji Hanyi’s heart gradually eased, and she tightened her grip around the gilded bronze hand warmer in her hands.

When the gate attendants at the Gu Residence saw the Xie Family carriage, they froze for a moment before hurrying forward to lift the curtain and set down a footstool for Ji Hanyi.

One of them announced cheerfully, “The young cousin is back!”

Ji Hanyi smiled and nodded, lifting her skirts as she stepped down from the carriage.

By the time Ji Hanyi reached the main hall, only a scattered handful of people were inside, all of them juniors of the Gu Family. When they saw her, they gathered around to chat and ask how she had been faring with the Xie Family.

The Third Young Lady, Gu Yunxiang, said quietly to Ji Hanyi, “Grandmother fell ill a while ago and has only recently recovered. Now she’s worried about Third Brother as well. You should go see her later, Cousin.”

In this bitter winter, everyone seemed to have fallen ill, and now something had happened to Cousin Xun as well.

There was sorrow in Gu Yunxiang’s voice. Ji Hanyi only squeezed her hand. She had come precisely to speak to her maternal grandmother about Cousin Xun and to visit both her grandmother and her mother.

Gu Yan hurried in from outside. The moment he stepped over the threshold, he saw the delicate figure in smoky purple seated in a chair.

His palms immediately grew clammy. His hurried steps abruptly slowed, and he did not dare meet her eyes. All he could see was the emerald ornament swaying beside her ear. He opened his mouth, a thin sheen of sweat breaking out across his back as he nearly forgot how to speak.

“Cousin Yi.”

Ji Hanyi looked at Gu Yan. She had not seen him for quite some time, and at first glance, he seemed to have grown much taller. Handsome and upright, he looked far more mature now. He was no longer the Gu Yan she remembered, the boy who had always delighted in teasing her.

She looked up and smiled, her soft voice alighting like a feather. “Cousin Yan, have you been well lately?”

Gu Yan clenched his hands, his heart pounding like a drum, and quickly nodded. “Everything’s been fine.”

Yet as soon as the words left his mouth, his cheeks grew hot.

Just then, the First Madam of the Gu Family and the Second Madam entered from outside.

The Second Madam looked haggard, and her eyes were red. Clearly, she was still worried about her son.

The First Madam was as dignified as ever. She showed no particular pleasure at seeing Ji Hanyi, her expression cool and indifferent as she said, “Why didn’t you send word ahead before coming?”
Ji Hanyi rose with a smile. “I came in such haste that I failed to consider these things. It won’t happen again.”

As she spoke, she walked over to the little boy in her cousin-in-law’s arms beside her eldest aunt. Smiling at him, she placed a melon-seed crisp in his chubby hand. “I haven’t seen Young Master Lin for several months. He seems to have grown taller again.”

The moment Ji Hanyi finished speaking, silence fell.

No one responded.

Only Gu Yan, standing behind First Madam Xie, kept his gaze fixed on Ji Hanyi’s quiet, graceful figure. He wanted to say something, but stopped himself.

He wanted to speak up for Ji Hanyi, yet when his eyes fell upon the gentle smile beneath her beautiful brows, a rush of heat surged to his head. His heart began to pound, and his eyes reddened.

It felt as though a wad of cotton were lodged in his throat, refusing to move either up or down. All he could do was clench his hands.

Did they truly mean to cling to those grievances forever?

The only sound in the hall was Young Master Lin’s delighted giggling over the sweet he had received. A child barely over three knew nothing of what was happening.

Second Madam came toward Ji Hanyi, her eyes bloodshot. She seized Ji Hanyi’s wrist and demanded, “Have you told Yuheng about Xun’er?”

“Ask him to help Xun’er. The Gu Family will be grateful to him.”

“No matter how much silver he asks for, the Gu Family will pay it.”

As she spoke, Second Madam choked up and burst into tears. “Look at what has become of the Gu Family! Your father implicated both your uncles, and your second uncle is already dead. Now your cousin is in trouble too. How can you stand by and watch?”

“My Xun’er ranked among the best in every examination he took at the Imperial Academy. In just over a year, he would have had a bright future ahead of him. Can you really bear to watch those men from the Northern Pacification Office torture him to death?”

Her sharp nails dug into Ji Hanyi’s wrist. The pain was icy and bone-deep. All around her, pair after pair of eyes stared at her, pinning every hope on her.

Ji Hanyi could not utter a word. She could only reassure her in a gentle voice, “Cousin will be all right.”

Second Madam’s shrill voice bore down on her. Overcome with grief, the woman had nearly lost all reason. “How could he possibly be all right?! How can Xun’er withstand the torture instruments of the Pacification Office?”

“Every day you delay, my Xun’er suffers for another day.”

“If you cared at all, if you felt even the slightest guilt toward the Gu Family, you should have rescued your cousin sooner!”

Ji Hanyi closed her eyes. The burdens weighing on her heart had grown so heavy she could barely breathe.

She had always kept such emotions well hidden. Now, meeting her aunt’s red-rimmed eyes, she understood the woman’s grief and said quietly, “I am just as anxious about what happened to Cousin Xun. I will do everything I can, but anxiety alone cannot resolve this overnight. Let me see Grandmother first.”

Those nearby began urging Second Madam to calm down. Only after they had pleaded with her for some time did Lady Fang finally release Ji Hanyi’s wrist.

As Ji Hanyi stepped out of the main hall, she lowered her eyes to her wrist. The vivid red nail marks left her weak all over.

In truth, both her aunts had once treated her extremely well.

Everything had changed the year her father fell into trouble.

At the time, her father was already the Minister of War. During those two years, the Hu People repeatedly raided Liaoxi, and every general sent to defend the region suffered a crushing defeat. In less than a year, more than two hundred forts and strongholds were sacked.

Her father had recommended the Left Vice Minister of War at the time to serve as Military Commissioner, along with several generals he trusted. They should have won a decisive victory, but military pay and provisions failed to arrive from the rear in time. To make matters worse, a Vice Commissioner for Military Preparedness who was at odds with her father advanced recklessly in his hunger for glory. Under relentless pressure from every Grand Secretary in the capital, the army marched when it never should have, resulting in a disastrous defeat.

That defeat brought countless impeachments against her father, accusing him of forming factions for private gain, abusing his position to favor associates, and building a personal clique. The failure had not been his fault, yet he was thrown into prison and convicted of a grave crime, while the Ji Family’s estate and property were seized.

Her two uncles were implicated merely because her father had once recommended them for office and because they were his relatives. They were branded members of his faction, demoted, and sent to posts outside the capital.

Her second uncle even died at his post.

Afterward, everyone who had once been close to the Ji Family hurried to sever all ties, afraid they might be implicated as well.

Her maternal family was also plunged into chaos.

Although five years had passed, those events still felt as though they had happened only yesterday whenever she recalled them.

Overnight, even the bonds between kin had gone cold.

When she arrived at Ning’an Hall, an elderly servant woman was waiting by the courtyard gate. The moment she saw Ji Hanyi approaching, she hurried forward to welcome her and said anxiously, “Young Miss, you’ve finally come. The Old Madam heard that you had arrived at the residence and has been asking for you ever since. She sent this old servant to wait here for you.”

A shadow crossed Ji Hanyi’s eyes before she stepped into the outer hall.

Seeing Ji Hanyi arrive, a maid hurried over to lift the curtain and usher her into the inner room.

Old Madam Gu was reclining against the pillows on her daybed. As soon as she saw Ji Hanyi, she pushed herself upright and reached out a hand to her. “Girl Yi, you’ve come.”
Ji Hanyi hurried to the bedside and sat down, letting her grandmother clasp her hand tightly. She asked anxiously, “Are you feeling any better, Grandmother?”

Old Madam Gu smiled. “You needn’t worry about me. I’m fine.”

As she spoke, she studied Ji Hanyi’s face. Her fair complexion was nearly bloodless, exhaustion lingered in her eyes, and there was a faint sickly cast to her features. Old Madam Gu could not help asking with concern, “Are you ill too?”

Ji Hanyi shook her head and smiled. “I was just caught by the wind on my way in. I’ll be fine once I warm up.”

Old Madam Gu sighed. When she lowered her gaze, she noticed the red finger marks on Ji Hanyi’s wrist. Against her flawless, fair skin, they stood out starkly.

She looked up at Ji Hanyi with tenderness. “Did you go see your two aunts first?”

Ji Hanyi nodded. “Second Aunt is worried about Cousin Xun.”

Old Madam Gu heaved a heavy sigh. “The Jinyiwei are ruthless. Don’t blame your second aunt for being anxious.”

“The Gu Family has fallen into decline, and your uncle is still far away in a remote region. No one knows when he’ll be able to return.”

“Among the younger generation, only Young Master Yan and Young Master Xun have shown much promise. Now that something has happened to Young Master Xun, help him if you can.”

Old Madam Gu gazed tenderly at Ji Hanyi again. She reached out to smooth her hair, her aged fingers brushing Ji Hanyi’s smooth cheek as her eyes reddened. “Girl Yi, I know you’ve suffered too. You have no powerful maternal family to stand behind you, and after you married into the Xie Family, they didn’t treat you particularly well either.”

“Your two aunts have always harbored resentment. They blame your father for implicating both your uncles when he got into trouble back then, and they’ve come to resent you as well.”

“Don’t take any of it to heart. As for Young Master Xun, help if you can, but don’t damage your relationship with Yuheng or make your life in the Xie Family even harder.”

“I understand you. You’ve always kept your troubles to yourself. I’ll deal with your aunt, so don’t make things difficult for yourself.”

“Whether Young Master Xun gets out or not is up to fate. I only hope you can live well in the Xie Family.”

“Someone in the Gu Family ought to have a good life…”

Those words made Ji Hanyi lower her head as her eyes reddened. A tear finally spilled free and landed on the embroidered powder-blue hibiscus, blooming into a dark, damp stain.

She blinked and took a deep breath, but the sorrow came surging out. Leaning against Old Madam Gu’s shoulder, she opened her mouth to voice all her grievances, yet in the end, not a single word would come.

She wanted to tell her how miserable life had been in the Xie Family.

That she had no confidence she could save Cousin Xun.

That she and Xie Yuheng had long since become strangers. He had always loved someone else, and she had let her grandmother down by failing to be a good and dutiful wife in the Xie Family. She intended to divorce Xie Yuheng.

But saying all of it would only cause even more people pain.

A warm hand settled on her back, gently comforting her. Ji Hanyi blinked through her tears and said hoarsely, “I want to divorce Xie Yuheng.”

“Grandmother, would you blame me?”

Old Madam Gu froze. Seeing the tears in Ji Hanyi’s eyes, tears of heartache welled in her own. She drew Ji Hanyi into her arms and stroked her hair sorrowfully. “Girl Yi, you must have suffered terribly in the Xie Family.”

“How could I ever blame Girl Yi?”

She gently patted Ji Hanyi’s back. “If that child from the Xie Family treated you poorly, then it’s better to divorce him sooner.”

“Don’t be afraid of anything. I’ll stand behind you. At worst, you can simply come home. Don’t stay in the Xie Family and endure their mistreatment.”

Ji Hanyi’s eyes reddened, her voice soft and hoarse. “Xie Yuheng has never loved me. He won’t help me with Cousin Xun either.”

“I’ll have to find another way to save Cousin Xun.”

Old Madam Gu looked at Ji Hanyi’s tear-reddened eyes, filled with love and heartache. With tears in her own eyes, she wiped Ji Hanyi’s cheeks. “Poor child. You’ve suffered so much in the Xie Family, yet you’re still worrying about your cousin.”

“Girl Yi, put yourself first. I won’t blame you.”

“No one can blame you for what happened to Young Master Xun. Even if you can’t help him, it still won’t be your fault.”

“Don’t worry about your second aunt. I’ll deal with her. I won’t let her pin the blame on you.”

“Don’t tell your mother about the divorce yet. Her condition has worsened again. Wait a little while before you tell her.”

The emotions Ji Hanyi had suppressed for so long finally began to flow free. Looking at her grandmother’s silver hair, she could no longer stop her tears. She threw herself into her grandmother’s arms and choked out a soft, “Mm.”