"You!"
Old Madam Lu clutched her chest, seething with anger.
"Are you blaming our Lu family for making you a widow? For not letting you remarry? But if you hadn’t brought misfortune upon my son—"
Yun Wan cut her off sharply, "Mother, it was you who brought misfortune upon my husband!"
"What did you say?!" Old Madam Lu stared at her in disbelief.
Tears welled in Yun Wan’s eyes, her face etched with sorrow. "If you hadn’t neglected your health while carrying him, how could he have been born frail and sickly?"
"If not for that, how could he have passed away so young? Leaving me a widow too soon—when you think about it, his early death was all your fault..."
Overcome with grief, Yun Wan broke into sobs, her accusatory gaze fixed on the old woman.
"Mother, it was you who took my husband from me, tearing us apart and leaving us, mother and child, alone in this world..."
"Mother, if it were possible, I would beg you to return him to me—"
She pressed a hand to her chest, her face paling as if struck by unbearable heartache.
A maid hurried forward to support her. "Third Madam, are you all right?"
Sui cried out in alarm, "A-Niang!"
Old Madam Lu, who had been sitting rigidly upright, was startled by Yun Wan’s outburst. "You—you—absurd!"
She hadn’t even done anything yet!
Sui turned to her with tearful eyes. "Grandmother, A-Niang isn’t well. Could you please stop scolding her? If you must scold someone, scold me instead."
At the sight of him, Old Madam Lu’s stern expression softened instantly, her demeanor shifting entirely.
She beckoned to Sui warmly, "Come here, my dear grandson."
Sui stepped forward and bowed with the grace of a little gentleman, hands clasped in salute. "Your grandson greets you, Grandmother. May you enjoy fortune, longevity, and good health."
Old Madam Lu rose from her seat and pulled him close, her tone now gentle. "Good child, rise. How could this be your fault? I spoke too harshly just now. I wrongly blamed your mother."
She shot Yun Wan a sidelong glare, brushing off the earlier confrontation with a few dismissive words.
Knowing when to retreat, Yun Wan took a moment to steady her breathing before speaking again, her voice calm. "Mother, I came today for another matter—about Sui’s schooling."
"Sui is already four, and by traditional reckoning, five. Most children begin their education at three, learning to recite classics and compose poetry. Yet Sui hasn’t even set foot in a school."
Her eyes darkened as she recalled the reason.
Last year, when Sui turned three, Yun Wan had planned to enroll him in a reputable school near their home.
But misfortune struck—Old Madam Lu fell ill with a lingering chill, her old ailments flaring up. She became irritable, refusing medicine and shunning everyone… except Sui.
Of all her grandchildren, Old Madam Lu doted most on Sui, for he was the only bloodline left by Third Master Lu—her youngest son, who had passed away young due to illness.
During her sickness, the old woman insisted on seeing Sui daily, allowing only him to feed her medicine. She claimed that seeing him was like seeing her lost son again.
No one dared oppose her, and so Sui’s schooling was delayed.
Now, a year later, Old Madam Lu had long recovered. There was no excuse left for further delay.
Yun Wan wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and continued, "If we delay any longer, I fear it will hinder Sui’s future studies. That’s why I’ve come to discuss choosing a school for him."
Though she framed it as a discussion, Yun Wan was resolved—this year, her son would attend school and not fall behind his peers.
It was already the third month of spring. Soon, all the schools in the capital would hold their enrollment ceremonies, after which they would accept no new students. Sui’s education could wait no longer.
Yun Wan’s resolve was firm.
Old Madam Lu frowned, her lips tightening.
"Why the rush? Sui is only four. Many children don’t start until five, and commoners’ children often wait until seven or eight. How can you, as his mother, bear to put him through such hardship?"
She was clearly displeased with Yun Wan’s stance.
Bear it?
Of course she couldn’t. But compared to Old Madam Lu’s insistence on keeping Sui by her side—indulging him excessively while clinging to the memory of her son—Yun Wan would rather send him to school.
At least there, he could make friends, gain knowledge, and broaden his horizons instead of being confined to the inner household.
Ignoring the accusation, Yun Wan countered, "I know how much you cherish Sui, but he loves learning. Why not ask him what he wants?"
Her mother-in-law disliked her. No matter how eloquently Yun Wan argued, Old Madam Lu would suspect ulterior motives. Rather than waste words, it was better to let Sui speak for himself.
Fortunately, Old Madam Lu wasn’t entirely unreasonable. After a moment of hesitation, she looked down at Sui and asked, "Do you want to go to school, Sui?"
Out of sight, Yun Wan gave her son an encouraging glance.
Remembering his mother’s instructions, Sui stood up straight and nodded solemnly.
With the gravity of a child far beyond his years, he declared, "Grandmother, I want to go to school. I want to learn, make friends, and be like Elder Brother Changze."
Lu Changze was Sui’s cousin, the eldest son of the Lu family’s main branch by a concubine. Five years older than Sui, he was now a study companion to the Third Prince at the Hongwen Institute.
Recalling his mother’s words from the night before, Sui’s young mind raced. His wide, innocent eyes glistened as he gazed at Old Madam Lu.
"Didn’t you say my father loved learning from childhood? That he was brilliant, always praised by his teachers? That it was only his poor health that kept him from the imperial exams—a regret he carried to his grave?"
His small face crumpled with sorrow, his voice trembling with emotion. It was a heartbreaking sight.
Old Madam Lu’s expression softened, lost in memory.
Then Sui pressed his lips together, his expression resolute.
"Grandmother, I want to be like Father—to study, to learn the ways of a gentleman, the philosophies of life, the strategies of governance. I want to excel in my studies, earn my teachers’ praise, pass the imperial exams, serve the court, and bring honor to our family!"
His voice rang with conviction, his small frame radiating determination. His eyes burned with longing as he looked at Old Madam Lu.
"Grandmother, though I never met Father in this life… I want to fulfill his unfinished dreams."
Old Madam Lu’s heart ached. Tears pricked her eyes as she pulled Sui into a tight embrace, her face alight with pride.
"Yes, yes! You are truly a son of the Lu family, your father’s child! Such ambition! Just like him!"
"With a son like you, your father’s spirit can rest in peace."
Wiping her tears, she composed herself and turned to Yun Wan. "If it’s the child’s wish, how could I stand in his way?"
A flicker of mockery passed through Yun Wan’s eyes.
That wasn’t what you said earlier.
Old Madam Lu glanced at her sidelong with a raised brow. "Though Sui’s father is no longer here, you are still his mother. However, as a widow confined to the inner quarters, it would be improper for you to appear in public. I must discuss this with the Duke."
"He is Sui’s uncle, a high-ranking court official with meticulous judgment. It’s only fitting that he selects Sui’s school."
Most importantly, she recalled her eldest son mentioning not long ago that the Third Prince still lacked a study companion.
Such an excellent opportunity—she had no intention of letting it fall into someone else’s hands.
Yun Wan’s eyelid twitched, but this outcome was already better than she had anticipated. She nodded. "Mother speaks wisely. Then the matter of Sui’s schooling will trouble you and the Duke to arrange."
With most of her worries resolved, she lingered another quarter-hour until Old Madam Lu grew drowsy, then took Sui’s hand and left Cixin Hall.
As they passed through the covered walkway, a dark figure appeared in the distance, approaching them.
Yun Wan lowered her gaze and, holding Sui’s hand, turned onto a smaller path.
Walking along, Sui suddenly asked,
"Mother, do I look like Father?"
