Seeing that they were outmatched, the enemy leader ordered a retreat in all directions without lingering to fight. Though Zhu Changle loved battle, she wasn't fond of killing. She showed no intention of pursuing them, instead sheathing her sword and walking towards the damaged carriage, observing it silently.
"That blade struck deep and left a big gash. The horse probably won't make it," Dingding said as he went over to check if the carriage was still usable. He wanted to comfort his friend but found only curses coming to mind, so he held his tongue, considering he was now part of the Zhu family.
"Let her walk," Zhu Changle said, looking towards Little Bottle Cap, who was a woman who had just given birth.
"Isn't it just one broken carriage? We're not far from the relay station, only about ten miles."
"..." Zhu Changle was tempted but only tempted. She despised having such a troublesome person in the family, but family discord was something she wanted even less. Even if she didn't pursue the matter, getting past her mother wouldn't be easy.
Inside the carriage, Zhu Changning was also losing his temper. "If Changle hadn't been here, do you know what could have happened?"
"I didn't expect it to happen like this. Anan has been so good these past few days, barely making a sound. I had no idea he would suddenly cry so loudly," Madam Xu said, holding the child with a pitiful expression as she spoke softly. "I did consider using the medicine, but I didn't know what kind of drug it was, what effect it would have, or if it might harm him. I hesitated and moved too slowly. Anan is our first child, and I was afraid something might happen to him. As a mother, was I wrong?"
Zhu Changning was at a loss for words, his anger dissipating. In his heart, he too didn't fully trust the medicine. He believed his little sister wouldn't harm family members, but he had reservations about something unknown and unfamiliar.
Madam Xu lowered her head to nuzzle her son's face. She knew she wasn't alone anymore; her husband would stand by her side.
"Everyone, get out," Zhu Maonian's voice rang out, devoid of any discernible emotion. Madam Xu's heart tightened, and she immediately looked up at her husband.
Zhu Changning also felt tense, but this was unavoidable. Taking a deep breath, he was the first to exit the carriage.
Madam Xu hurriedly followed, keeping her head down and not daring to look at anyone as she walked behind her husband.
Looking at the couple, Zhu Maonian sighed inwardly, unsure whether he felt more disappointed or angry.
"Changning, come here."
"Yes, Father." Zhu Changning responded, but as he stepped forward, he found his sleeve being tugged. He turned back to look at Madam Xu, who was biting her lower lip as she gazed at him.
"I didn't realize I had become such a fearsome mother-in-law that my daughter-in-law is so afraid of me," Lady Zhang said, her words neither light nor heavy, but weighty enough to sink into Madam Xu's heart, causing her to hold the child even tighter. She replied softly, "Mother has always been extremely good to me."
"Mother..."
Lady Zhang raised the corner of her lips, interrupting her son's words. "Does Changning think I'm going to eat his wife?"
"Son would never think that," Zhu Changning dared not anger his mother further and immediately walked towards his father and brother. Something occurred to him, and he glanced around, finding Changle lying on their grandmother's lap not far away. He couldn't see her expression, but she was probably... pouting, as she often did.
Lady Zhang was also looking in that direction. The child who always loved to laugh and jump around wasn't smiling now. How hurt she must be, not being trusted by her family! Looking around, she noticed that Dingding and the others were nowhere to be seen, clearly giving them space to deal with family matters.
"Does Hanmei feel wronged?" Lady Zhang asked.
Madam Xu's heart began to race, and she unconsciously held the child tighter. The baby, probably uncomfortable, started to cry.
"Lady Li, take the child away."
Lady Li stepped forward to take the baby, but Madam Xu instinctively took a step back. Realizing her mistake, she looked up and met her mother-in-law's meaningful gaze.
"The child, the child is probably hungry. I'll have Lady Qin take him to be fed."
Without the child as a buffer, the tension between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law became even more palpable.
Madam Xu kept her head down and carefully replied, "As a member of the Zhu family, I naturally share in both fortune and misfortune. I have never felt wronged."
"You share in the Zhu family's hardships?"
Xu Hanmei considered the implications of these words and nodded.
"You're willing to face hardships with your husband's family when they fall on hard times, yet not a single person in the family sees your sacrifice. Instead, we all side with your sister-in-law. Are we ganging up to bully you?"
Madam Xu was startled, as these words struck at her innermost thoughts. This was indeed how she felt.
But she didn't dare admit it, shaking her head repeatedly. "I don't think that way at all."
Lady Zhang spoke in a calm tone, "You were born and raised in a noble family in the Capital City, as was I. What you've learned, I've learned too. What you understand, I understand as well. When we arranged the marriage with the Xu family, it was after careful consideration. At the time, I thought that although you had some education, you weren't like the daughters of some families who loved to show off. You seemed capable of staying calm and steady, which is exactly what the Zhu family needed in a daughter-in-law. Do you think you've remained steady? Since the Zhu family fell on hard times until now, ask yourself, have you remained steady?"
"It's my fault."
"This isn't just a fault, it's stupidity," Lady Zhang said bluntly, with a severity that Xu Hanmei had never experienced in her two years of marriage into the Zhu family. "What are you trying to do? Make Changning and Changle turn against each other? Or cause discord in the entire Zhu family?"
Madam Xu panicked, lifting her skirt to kneel down. "I never had such intentions."
"You didn't intend to, but that's exactly what you're doing. Always trying to outdo Changle in everything. Why don't you try competing with her in swordsmanship?"
"Mother, I didn't..."
"None of us are blind, Xu Hanmei." The use of her full name made Madam Xu even more anxious. She secretly glanced towards her husband, silently pleading for him to speak up for her.
Zhu Changning did indeed move to do so, but Zhu Maonian stopped him. "Your mother will handle matters of the inner household. Father asks you, why didn't you give Anan the medicine earlier when you knew of Changle's plan? Was it because you didn't want to use it, or did Madam Xu object?"
Zhu Changning explained for himself and his wife, "I was planning to use it when Anan started to stir. Madam Xu... she said he would fall asleep if we patted him. I thought it had worked before, so I didn't insist."
Zhu Changwang understood. It seemed that neither of them fully trusted Changle's medicine. If they hadn't harbored doubts, they wouldn't have hesitated to use it even as the child was about to cry out.
Zhu Maonian was about to say something, but Zhu Changwang waved his fan to stop him. "It's useless. Unless we wake him up with facts, no words will penetrate his heart."
"Brother, I know that we, as husband and wife, have made a grave mistake today. Hanmei also knows she was wrong. You see, no serious consequences have occurred. Please forgive us this once," Zhu Changning said, looking at Madam Xu who was crying on the ground, his eyes full of sympathy. "She may have done poorly, but she endured the journey with a big belly, taking utmost care of our child. I can't disregard all her good deeds because of this incident."
Zhu Changwang thought for a moment and found he had no rebuttal. Despite her many faults, it was true that Madam Xu had endured the journey, true that she had given birth in such harsh conditions. In Changning's eyes, these were all Madam Xu's merits. And as a brother who didn't know how long he had left to live, he hoped Changning would remember these good points, wishing for the couple to remain loving and harmonious, so that even when he was gone one day, the family would remain peaceful.
