"What did you say?!" Chu Huaishan flew into a rage, raising his hand to strike. Lady Jiang the Younger stopped him, asking frantically, "Lan'er, you're lying, aren't you? How could you possibly have... been intimate with Sixth Yan?"
Chu Ruolan was somewhat frightened by her father's furious expression, but thinking of being forced into marriage, she steeled herself and said, "It's true! On Cousin's wedding day, I drank some wine, he was drunk too, and so we... we just..."
Bang!
Chu Huaishan slammed his palm on the table, making the cups and teapot jump.
"Chu Zhong, fetch the family discipline rod! I'm going to beat this shameless, disgraceful daughter to death!!"
Lady Jiang the Younger cried out, "Master! Lan'er just had a momentary lapse in judgment, please spare her this once!"
"Spare her? My daughter, Chu Huaishan's daughter, engaging in secret meetings and illicit relations without a matchmaker, has utterly disgraced the Chu family! Move aside—" He pushed Lady Jiang the Younger away, grabbed the whip from Chu Zhong's hand, and lashed out.
Crack!
A sharp sound echoed through the rear courtyard. Chu Ruolan was struck and fell to the ground. Chu Huaishan roared, "Do you admit your wrongdoing?!"
She bit her lip and remained silent. Several more lashes followed, tearing her clothes and leaving bloody streaks.
Lady Jiang the Younger was terrified out of her wits. She sent someone to fetch the Eldest Miss while rushing forward to intervene.
For a moment, chaos reigned, with people stumbling and falling, the main hall in utter disarray.
The news reached the Bodhi Courtyard after Chu Ruoyan had already retired for the night.
She had exhausted herself from the trip to the Cao family, dealing with matters at the Hundred Insights Pavilion and even the palace, and had gone to bed upon returning.
Nanny Zhou heard the news, hesitated for a moment, but still went in and softly woke her: "Miss, something has happened with Third Miss..."
Chu Ruoyan forced her eyes open, threw on some clothes, and hurried over.
In Chu Ruolan's courtyard.
Upon entering, she saw shattered cups and dishes everywhere. Her third sister lay on the ground, barely breathing, and their father's hand, still clutching the whip, was dripping blood.
"Father, Aunt, how did things come to this?"
She exclaimed in surprise, bending down to help Ruolan up. Lady Jiang the Younger dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, weeping, "It's all because your third sister has been bewitched! She actually... actually fooled around with Yan Zhao at your cousin's wedding banquet..."
"What? That's impossible! Third Sister was with me the entire time at Cousin's wedding banquet, she didn't go anywhere else!"
Chu Huaishan jolted in shock. Lady Jiang the Younger stared dumbfounded for a moment before wailing, "Oh, my daughter, how could you be so foolish?"
It was clear the claim of intimacy was fabricated. Yet, even beaten to this state, she refused to explain...
She was dead set on marrying Yan Zhao!
Chu Ruoyan quickly handed Ruolan over to Nanny Zhou to tend her wounds, then stood up and walked to her father's side. "Father, actually, Sixth Brother Yan is not bad. He's brave and responsible, and plans to take the military examinations this year. Though he can't compare to Young Master Yan's official rank, he wins in his sincere devotion to Third Sister..."
"No!" Lady Jiang the Younger cut in before Chu Huaishan could speak. "Lan'er cannot marry a military officer. That's no way to live, it's jumping into a fire pit! Eldest Miss, you are in the same situation. Search your heart, since the Chief Councillor passed, have you had a single day of peace in your heart?"
Chu Ruoyan was left speechless, a trace of bitterness flashing in her eyes.
How could there be peace? Several times, waking from midnight dreams, she had dreamed that Yan Zheng did not return...
On battlefields of corpses and seas of blood, she searched desperately, but found nothing except handfuls of blood.
Each time she awoke drenched in sweat, she could only lie awake until dawn...
Lady Jiang the Younger said with a bitter smile, "See? You know it yourself, don't you? When a military man goes to the battlefield, the women left behind suffer the most. Lan'er's nature is lively and spirited, how could she possibly endure such hardship! Eldest Miss, it's not that I won't fulfill her wishes, but momentary infatuation ultimately cannot last a lifetime!"
Chu Ruoyan lowered her gaze, silent.
Yan Zheng had also told her that such things were common in the army camps. Some bereaved families waited only for a corpse to return; some had not even a corpse, just a spear left behind. Others, whose bonds were not deep enough, couldn't hold on—they either divorced or took lovers in secret. Very few found a happy ending.
But what could be done? The nation's gates must be guarded by someone.
In this world, someone always has to make the sacrifice.
She took a deep breath. "Aunt, Third Sister would rather ruin her reputation and endure a whipping than marry Yan Xiuan. With such determination, shouldn't you properly ask her what she truly wants?"
Lady Jiang the Younger fell silent, then shook her head despondently. "What good would asking do? The Master has already spoken before the Emperor, promising her to the Yan family..."
"Yan and Yan, though homophones, have different tones. An explanation could certainly be made." After saying this, Chu Ruoyan looked at her father again. "Father, you have always doted on us. You also know Third Sister has been spoiled and is most afraid of hardship and toil. Yet this time, for Sixth Brother Yan's sake, she has truly risked her life. If we truly force her to marry Yan Xiuan, who knows what might happen? Moreover, if she marries into the Yan family, I, as her elder sister, can also look after her somewhat..."
Chu Huaishan looked weary. After a long while, he nodded. "I understand. You may all leave now."
Back in the Bodhi Courtyard, Yulu ventured to ask, "Miss, do you think the Duke will betroth Third Miss to which family?"
Chu Ruoyan said, "Whichever family he chooses, it will be after Father's careful consideration. He won't harm Third Sister. It's this matter of the Emperor selecting consorts that troubles me..."
A flicker of hesitation passed between her brows. Nanny Zhou asked, "Does Miss feel something is amiss?"
Chu Ruoyan nodded. "It's normal for the Empress Dowager to abandon Consort Xue. After all, her son is dead, her brother has fallen, her maternal family offers no support—she simply cannot contend with Empress Pei. Selecting Third Sister is also normal, given the power of the Duke of Chu's household and the fact that she has a Chief Councillor as a brother-in-law. But the problem is, they should have guessed Father would not agree, and they should know Third Sister is already in marriage negotiations. Why still make the proposal? Just to spite me?"
Nanny Zhou pondered. "Could it be that the Empress Dowager simply didn't think of that layer and just wanted to find someone to counterbalance Her Majesty the Empress?"
Chu Ruoyan shook her head. "No, that can't be. The Empress Dowager might not have thought of it, but Roumin certainly would have. Yet, knowing this, she still proceeded... I truly cannot fathom it..."
Whenever she taxed her mind, sweat beaded on her forehead. Nanny Zhou hurriedly wiped it with a handkerchief. "Miss, if you can't fathom it, then don't. Right now, you are two people. No matter how important the matter, it is not as important as your health!"
Chu Ruoyan reached out and touched her abdomen, a bitter smile escaping her lips. "If only this child would stop tormenting me, making me vomit whatever I eat... That's right, invite Chief Physician Zhang to come take a look tomorrow."
Nanny Zhou assented. The next day, Chief Physician Zhang arrived.
After taking her pulse, he stroked his beard. "County Mistress, if the reactions from this pregnancy are severe, this old physician can prescribe a formula for you. Take bamboo shavings and reed rhizomes, boil them in water for a decoction, and consume purslane as a supplement. However..."
"However what?"
Chief Physician Zhang seemed to hesitate. "It's nothing. This old physician merely feels the pulse of County Mistress's pregnancy is rather... special. But the term is insufficient to make a rash judgment. In another two months, when the term is more advanced, it should be possible to confirm."
Chu Ruoyan was puzzled but didn't dwell on it.
She promptly had Nanny Zhou go prepare the medicine. After it was decocted and she took it, the morning sickness symptoms indeed eased considerably.
Just then, Yuetao from Lady Jiang the Younger's side came over and said, "Eldest Miss, the Yan family's Sixth Young Master has arrived. The Duke and Madam request your presence."
