The Eldest Daughter-in-Law [Reborn] - Chapter 39

Wang Shuhuai was the backbone of the second branch. Once something happened to him, the second branch would never be able to make a comeback. Jiang was crying, the Second Master was depressed, Wang Shukuang and Wang Shutong were quiet, and the others were wiping their tears, none of them knew what to do.

Xie Yunchu quietly withdrew and returned to Ninghe Hall. The lights silently broke through the night, forming a dragon that shuttled through the majestic Duke’s Mansion. Willows swayed, phoenix tails grew densely, and an exceptionally slender man held a young child in his arms and stood by a peony to play. The man pointed at the sparkling water and said something to the child. The child half-peeked out of his arms, staring at the shimmering water with eyes wide open.

Perhaps he sensed Xie Yunchu’s footsteps, and the man turned his head towards her with a deep and long gaze. He was wearing a sky-blue gown embroidered with silver bamboo patterns, which was neither new nor old. It was unknown if she had sewn it herself some time ago. The gentle wind lifted the hem of his gown, and he looked like a banished celestial being who had ascended to heaven.

He looked extremely stern and gentle, but she could sense his strong aura and his calmness. She used to blame him for not showing his emotions, but now she was glad that he was responsible. At least in all the ups and downs over the years, she had never seen him show any fear or violence. He was always calm and steady, as if he had everything under control.

Xie Yunchu did not regret saving her brother, but she also did not want her husband to fall into trouble. When she came to Wang Shuhuai, her eyes unconsciously turned red. Wang Shuhuai had already handed the child over to the wet nurse, and now only the couple were left in the pavilion by the lake.

Wang Shuhuai looked at his gentle and dignified wife, her beautiful face turned a little paler and full of anxiety, but she still cared about him as always. 

“Don’t be afraid, I know what to do.” The deep, mellow voice was pleasant to the ears.

“The people of Western Chu are brutal and cruel. You must not take them lightly. Second Young Master, think of a way to avoid fighting with them.” Xie Yunchu witnessed Wang Shuhuai’s rise from a weak scholar to the Prime Minister of the dynasty. He was very scheming and he definitely had a way to make the other party retreat without a fight.

Wang Shuhuai looked extremely calm. “Madam, he is no match for me in a duel, and I won’t necessarily lose in a duel.”

If it were someone else, Wang Shuhuai would not say such blunt words. He was really worried that Xie Yunchu would be frightened. She was gentle and weak in nature, and he didn’t want her to get sick from being frightened.

Xie Yunchu looked at her husband with a smile in her eyes. She wondered, “You don’t seem unhappy?”

Wang Shuhuai raised his eyes slightly, his face hidden in the flickering light, “About what? About the Princess publicly acknowledging my status as the eldest grandson?”

That was not only an announcement to the world that the first branch had taken over the magpie’s nest, but also a warning to the third branch. Even though they were the Eldest Princess ‘s sons, the first branch of the Duke’s Mansion was the second branch, and his eldest grandson was Wang Shuhuai. This was the orthodox bloodline that could not be desecrated.

In addition, he had a deeper plan. Xie Yunchu was speechless as she watched her husband’s confident look on his face.

Suddenly, the crying sound of Sister Ke was heard in the distance. The couple walked back at the same time. When they reached the fork in the road, to the left was Chunjing Hall and to the right was the study. The atmosphere was obviously good. Xie Yunchu did not invite Wang Shuhuai, and Wang Shuhuai did not stop either.

The next morning, the Imperial Decree officially reached the Duke’s Mansion. Wang Shuhuai received the decree and went to the palace to express his gratitude. The matter was done and the second branch had no room for resistance. Jiang said she was sick and could not get up and everyone else was worried.

Prince Jing’an of Western Chu and the Duke were old rivals. Prince Jing’an proposed that the Duke accompany him on this trip to Dajin, and the Duke readily agreed. Not only that, the Duke was very patient and remained calm no matter how Prince Jing’an provoked him.

The court officials could not sit still. The ministers of various departments valued talents and were worried that a genius like Wang Shuhuai would be defeated by the people of Western Chu.

They went to the Duke to make him find a way to stop the two men from fighting. However, the Duke just waved his hand calmly, saying, “A real man should be able to stand tall and proud, so why should he fear death?”

Wang Shuhuai also went to the Ministry of Revenue as usual every day, doing what he was supposed to do. The grandfather and grandson were calm and composed, which made others secretly anxious.

In a blink of an eye, it was the first day of May. The Duke did not return home, and Wang Shuhuai forgot the agreement with Xie Yunchu. Xie Yunchu didn’t care either. With the competition approaching, the couple did not take this missed opportunity seriously.

Compared with Wang Shuhuai, Xie Yunchu was more worried about her brother’s sudden return home. She sent people to watch the city gate and Xie Mansion for several days in a row. After making sure that Xie Yunyou would not return before Wang Shuhuai’s birthday, Xie Yunchu felt completely relieved.

On the second day of May, the Wang family put on their formal robes and headed for the palace before dawn. On the way, Jiang rode with the Second Master, while Xie Yunchu and her two sisters-in-law took a carriage.

Xu Shiwei was sleepy and dozed off on the side. Dou Keling was looking at Xie Yunchu’s outfit. She had a bun with five phoenixes facing the sun and a jade hairpin in it. She had a thin jacket made of red fragrant cloud gauze and a pink flowered skirt. Her bulging chest and face could be described as “flashy”. Dou Keling was very envious.

“Second sister-in-law is really well dressed today, but I wonder if you will be criticized by the Second Young Master later?” 

Wang Shuhuai was very strict with rules and didn’t like to be in the limelight, which was known to everyone in the mansion. In the past, Xie Yunchu always bound her chest, and Dou Keling, as a sister-in-law, knew it.

Xie Yunchu didn’t even look at her as she said, “What does it matter whether he likes it or not, as long as I like it.” Besides, wasn’t Wang Shuhuai in the limelight?

She shook her folding fan and looked like she didn’t want to say any more to Dou Keling, which made Dou Keling feel disappointed.

The Princess Mansion was not far from the Imperial Palace, and they arrived there in two quarters of an hour. With the badges given by the Eldest Princess , the people from the Princess Mansion led the way into the palace, followed by a continuous stream of famous officials from the capital. Although it was Wang Shuhuai’s coming-of-age ceremony, it was also a confrontation between the two countries, with a very important significance. All the prominent people in the capital wanted to come in and join in the fun.