He was extremely tall and burly. As he stormed in with glaring eyes, it seemed as if the ground trembled with each step he took.
Liang Hong walked up to Shen Yuning and Bai Miaomiao. After bowing to Shen Yuning, he pulled Bai Miaomiao behind him, brandished the scimitar in his hand, and bared his teeth at everyone. "I, Liang Hong, never passed any proper military examinations to become a general. I've always been willing to serve our country. But if anyone dares to bully my wife and child, I'll be the first one to object!"
Bai Miaomiao let out a soft cry and quickly grabbed his hand. "This is the princess's villa, and there are only female guests. Don't act recklessly."
Despite his imposing stature, Liang Hong was very obedient to Bai Miaomiao. He quickly put down his scimitar and flashed her a smile. "Miaomiao, don't be afraid. Just now, the princess said that our marriage is legitimate. They have no right to look down on you. If you're scared, just come with me. From now on, I won't attend any of these banquets."
He was not only strong - built but also had a voice like a bell. Even when he whispered tenderly like this, those nearby could hear every word clearly.
Many noble ladies and young misses present had once hoped to marry into General Liang's mansion. General Liang had rejected them straightforwardly at that time, leading them to suspect that he had some hidden illness.
Who would have thought that just half a year later, General Liang would marry a concubine who had been divorced from the main family for less than three months?
They looked down on concubines and, even more so, on women who didn't observe chastity. Naturally, they looked down on Bai Miaomiao.
However, these noble ladies were experts at being two - faced. Seeing the fierce General Liang standing up for his wife and the Regent Princess coming out to support the general's wife, they held back their thoughts, no matter what they felt in their hearts.
Bai Miaomiao quickly soothed Liang Hong and finally managed to persuade him to leave.
Seeing Shen Yuning squinting at their retreating figures, Xue Yuxin sighed. "This General Liang is truly a devoted man."
Shen Yuning tilted her head and thought for a while, then whispered to her sister, "Sister, look. General Liang is so strong, while Lady Bai is so delicate. If a strong wind were to blow right now and lift Lady Bai up, and General Liang just reached out and grabbed her, wouldn't it be like flying a kite?"
Xue Yuxin couldn't believe that her sister's head was filled with such strange thoughts. She just rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Come on. If a strong wind blows, you'll be the first one to be blown away. With your regent husband not around, you won't even be able to be that kite."
She was too lazy to pay attention to her sister and turned around to head back to the pavilion.
Shen Yuning quickly chased after her. Her mind was still filled with the stark contrast in the statures of General Liang and Lady Bai. She covered her mouth and snickered, then whispered to her mother and sister. "Do you think Xue Yujiao will vomit blood out of anger when she finds out that Lady Bai became a general's wife after leaving the Xue family?"
Xue Yuxin glanced at her. "It's rare for you to have such a malicious sense of humor. But she probably won't know, and she probably won't vomit blood out of anger."
Shen Yuning asked in confusion, "Why?"
Lady Shao explained, "Since Yu Xi left the Xue family, your second uncle has changed completely. He scolds your second aunt and Xue Yujiao at home every day, causing quite a stir. Later, your second aunt fell ill. Her maid has come to the marquess's mansion several times to borrow money for medical treatment."
Shen Yuning's eyes widened. "Borrow money for medical treatment? Are they so poor that they can't even afford medical expenses?"
Lady Shao sighed. "Not long ago, some hooligan claiming to be a hero from the jianghu tricked Xue Yujiao away. Before leaving, Xue Yujiao stole all the valuable items in the house and many deeds for estates and shops. Now, the remaining properties of the second branch are probably even less than those of an ordinary gentry."
Ordinary gentry lived in the countryside and had relatively low expenses. However, the second - branch family lived in the capital. Although it wasn't the best area, it was still decent, and their expenses were quite high.
Lady Shao continued, "I sent someone to check. I heard that all the remaining properties of the second branch are now in your second uncle's hands. As you know, he likes to indulge in pleasure all day long. He's not the type to save money..."
Seeing that she was getting off - topic, Shen Yuning quickly asked, "Since they still have money, why don't they use it to treat second aunt's illness?"
Lady Shao paused for a moment and sighed. "Your second aunt is probably not going to make it. The doctor said that her illness was caused by long - term depression. It's an incurable disease. He advised her to enjoy good food and drinks and spend the rest of her days comfortably."
Shen Yuning sat there in a daze. Lady Xiao had been her mother for the first fifteen years of her life. Although they weren't very close, Lady Xiao had held and kissed her and called her a darling. Now, things had changed so much that she was about to lose her?
Lady Shao kept muttering about how heartless Xue Yuxuan was. After all, they had been married for decades. He just ignored her and rarely even gave her a hot meal.
Later, it was the marquess who stepped in, scolded his younger brother, and gave some money. Only then did Lady Xiao's life become a bit easier.
Shen Yuning felt heavy - hearted. During Xue Yujiao's eight years in the Xue family, Lady Xiao might have been the only one who truly loved and doted on her. How could she be so heartless as to abandon Lady Xiao and run away with the money for her own pleasure?
Now that Lady Xiao was critically ill, if Xue Yujiao suffered in the future and wanted to come back, who would whole - heartedly accept her like eight years ago?
A few days later, when Shen Yuning finished work, she saw Lady Xiao's maid waiting by the side of the Ministry of Justice. When the maid saw her, she quickly stepped forward and bowed.
"Princess, Your Highness... The mistress... she's not going to make it. She..."
Bi Huan, who had been slapped dozens of times by this maid and almost thrown into the mass grave, still harbored hatred. She immediately blocked the maid and coldly asked, "Your mistress is dying. What does it matter to the princess? She disowned the princess a long time ago. Now that she's dying, she remembers the princess? Does she expect the princess to go back and fulfill filial piety?"
The maid was in tears. After being scolded by Bi Huan, she didn't retort. She knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. "Your Highness, the mistress is really at the end of her life. Her heart is only filled with thoughts of Your Highness. This servant..."
Bi Huan spat again. "Nonsense! Your mistress only had eyes for your young miss, right? Now that your young miss has run away and can't be found, you've lost your senses and want the princess to take her place?"
The maid quickly shook her head. "No, Your Highness. The mistress truly only had you in her heart. She was muttering incoherently and kept calling your maiden name. She... she even sang that lullaby from when you were a child..."
The stars in the sky are shining bright,
The sparrows in the tree are singing their song,
My Yuning, my dear...
The maid sang through her sobs. The tune was off, and it was hard to make out the words.
The voice seemed to come from a very far - away place.
My Yuning, grow up quickly,
When the moon is full, mother will make you pancakes,
When the moon is crescent, mother will make you pastries...
Shen Yuning subconsciously took a step forward.
Bi Huan quickly blocked her. "Your Highness, Your Highness. What kind of people are they? They might be trying to deceive you!"
The maid gasped for breath between sobs. "This servant wouldn't dare to deceive Your Highness. Every word I've said is true!"
Shen Yuning gently pushed Bi Huan aside, forced a smile that was uglier than crying, and a tear rolled down from the corner of her eye.
She still went to see Lady Xiao.
Lady Xiao's face was terribly thin, and her eyes were deeply sunken. When she was young, she had been a beauty, and there had been many suitors.
Later, she had chosen the amorous Xue Yuxuan. And then...
Shen Yuning's steps were a bit unsteady. She took a step forward, and Lady Xiao reached out her hand. She grabbed it tightly.
Lady Xiao looked at her, and a bit of color seemed to return to her face. She smiled. "My Yuning..."
Shen Yuning couldn't hold back her tears any longer. This was the mother she had called for fifteen years, the mother she had loved and hated. When she was most confused, her mother had heartlessly driven her away, and after she came back, her mother had repeatedly trampled on her.
However, even so, in her dreams, there was always her mother's warm embrace and the soft lullaby.
Lady Xiao was having a hard time speaking. She slowly wiped away Shen Yuning's tears and slowly said, "Yuning, don't cry... It's all mother's fault... If mother could do it all over again... mother would definitely..."
Shen Yuning was sobbing uncontrollably. She held Lady Xiao's hand and shook her head desperately.
Lady Xiao smiled. "I know you're doing well now... Mother... mother can rest assured... Yuning, don't cry. Mother isn't going to suffer. Mother... is finally free..."
Shen Yuning couldn't hold back any longer and wailed loudly.
Lady Xiao took a deep breath, gathered some strength, and slowly said, "Yuning... Mother... will sing for you... okay?"
The stars in the sky are shining bright,
The sparrows in the tree are singing their song,
My Yuning, grow up quickly,
When the moon is full, mother will make you pancakes...
Her hand dropped.
Shen Yuning refused to let go. She sobbed and cried, shouting, "Mother, keep singing. Keep singing. Didn't you say you'd sing for Yuning every day? When the moon is crescent... mother will make you pastries..."
The inside and outside of the room were completely silent, except for Shen Yuning's sobs. Somewhere outside, the wind had started to blow. The wind made the window frames creak, as if responding to the cries inside the room.
Lady Xiao had lived a glorious life in the first half, accustomed to a life of luxury. But now, lying silently on the bed, her hair was in disarray, and her clothes were old. She no longer resembled the elegant and refined beauty she used to be.
There wasn't even a decent ornament left in her room.
Shen Yuning knelt in front of Lady Xiao for half an incense - burning time and cried for the same amount of time.
Lady Xiao's maid silently covered Lady Xiao with the quilt, then knelt in front of Shen Yuning. "Your Highness... During the days when the mistress was ill, she repented every day and prayed for Your Highness's good fortune. Now... Your Highness came to see her for the last time. The mistress's life is now complete. Please, Your Highness, take care of yourself and don't be overly sad."
She paused for a moment. "The mistress said that no matter whether Your Highness forgives her or comes to see her, she hopes that after she's gone, Your Highness won't come here again and won't interfere with anything here."
Shen Yuning said nothing. Lady Xiao had only seen things clearly at the end of her life. She had seen through Xue Yuxuan's true nature and Xue Yujiao's greed. That was why Lady Xiao didn't want her to come back. She was afraid that Shen Yuning would feel pity for Xue Yuxuan and his daughter because of a little bit of nostalgia.