MYUFPC CHAPTER 18
Some disputes never ends
After returning from Changchun Temple that day, Zhan Shaoying went straight to Zhang Shi's courtyard. For the first time in his life, he felt so defeated.
Was he really that unlikable?
Zhan Shaoying returned home in a dejected state.
Seeing her son looking lost and dispirited, Zhang Shi first had someone serve him tea, and then gently placed her hand on his forehead: "What's wrong? Are you sick? You've been feeling hot and cold lately, so you should pay attention to adding more clothes."
As she spoke, a cold glint flashed in Zhang Shi's eyes: "Could it be that Mo Ju hasn't been taking good care of you?"
Since the old Duke of Anguo had dismissed Zhan Shaoying's concubines, Zhang Shi had assigned a reliable maid from her own side to take care of Zhan Shaoying's daily life. Seeing her son's pale complexion, she immediately thought that it was because the maid hadn't been taking good care of him. If Zhan Shaoying had said yes, Zhang Shi would have immediately punished Mo Ju.
Zhan Shaoying replied listlessly, "No, it has nothing to do with Mo Ju."
He raised his head and glanced silently at the person beside Zhang Shi. Zhang Shi understood and gave a signal to Yingchun, who was beside her, to dismiss some of the little maids.
"Is it because you went to Changchun Temple today and your fourth uncle gave you a cold shoulder?" As soon as she mentioned Zhan Yue, Zhang Shi's expression turned unpleasant. She had almost never considered that the reason for Zhan Shaoying's defeat was that he had not been favored by the Eldest Princess.
In Zhang Shi's eyes, her son was taught by a famous teacher and was also handsome. He was perfect in every way and was definitely worthy of the Eldest Princess. In fact, although the Eldest Princess was of noble birth, her brother could not ascend the throne, and the title of Eldest Princess was only more prestigious in name.
But her son was different. Zhan Shaoying would inevitably inherit the title of Duke of Anguo. It was uncertain who was marrying above their status, Zhan Shaoying or Jiashan.
Zhan Shaoying murmured, "No."
He paused for a moment and suddenly looked at Zhang Shi. He asked softly, "Mother. Can I definitely marry the Eldest Princess in the future?"
Zhang Shi was stunned and exchanged a glance with Yingchun, who was attending to her. Zhang Shi smiled and said nonchalantly, "Why are you suddenly saying such foolish things?"
Thinking of Jiashan's indifferent gaze, Zhan Shaoying felt a surge of bitterness in his heart. He smiled bitterly and said, "When I went to Changchun Temple today, I was snubbed by the Princess."
"She seems to dislike me," Zhan Shaoying muttered.
Zhan Shaoying had grown up under his mother's care since the Old Madam Wen had taken Zhan Yue to raise when he was born. He had always been willing to listen to Zhang Shi. Whenever he encountered any problems, he would rather talk to his mother.
Now, discovering that Jiashan didn't have a good impression of him, he felt miserable, and the first person he thought of was Zhang Shi.
Seeing Zhan Shaoying looking downcast, Zhang Shi couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable. She stroked Zhan Shaoying's head and comforted him, "Ying'er is thinking too much."
"You are a young and promising man, the Eldest Princess won't dislike you." Zhang Shi said with a smile.
Zhan Shaoying's mood did not improve much because of these words. He looked at Zhang Shi with some unease, with a hint of competitiveness in his eyes: "Mother, do you think Fourth Uncle is more outstanding than me?"
Zhang Shi raised her chin slightly and whispered, "You are my child. In my heart, I naturally think you are the most outstanding. Even if your Fourth Uncle is now of higher rank, so what? The world most despises those who underestimate the young and poor. Who knows, maybe our Ying'er will surpass him in the future?"
Zhan Shaoying smiled dryly, and he said in a daze, "But the Eldest Princess is closer to Fourth Uncle than me."
"No matter what, I am indeed inferior to Fourth Uncle now." Zhan Shaoying's temperament was gentle, which was unlike Zhang Shi. He held his teacup with both hands, his mind wandering.
When Zhang Shi heard this, she immediately frowned.
She said confidently, "Shut up. How can you be so self-deprecating? I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you, not for you to tell me, 'You are inferior to your Fourth Uncle'."
Zhang Shi had only one son, Zhan Shaoying, and she had doted on him since he was young. Naturally, her desire for her son to succeed was even stronger than that of ordinary people.
Hearing him say that, Zhang Shi said angrily, "Just do your job well at the Ministry of Transmission and Communication. When your Fourth Uncle is old and you are still young and strong, you can bring up this matter again and make him angry."
Zhan Shaoying still couldn't lift his spirits.
Zhang Shi felt both helpless and angry. She urged, "You haven't had dinner yet, have you? I've asked Mo Ju to keep some food for you. Go and eat something. And relax. Your sister is coming back to her parents' home tomorrow, so as the eldest brother, don't make a fool of yourself in front of your brother-in-law."
Zhan Shaoying nodded and sat there blankly for a while before returning to his own courtyard.
After Zhan Shaoying left, Zhang Shi's gaze drifted into the air for a long time. After a while, she came back to her senses and turned to Yingchun and said, "A few days ago, I heard that the old madam was planning to arrange a marriage for the Fourth Master. Why hasn't there been any news lately?"
Yingchun guessed, "I'll go and inquire about it tomorrow."
"However..." Yingchun paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Since the incident with Fu yiniang, the people around the old madam have been very wary of us, I'm afraid it won't be that easy."
Zhang Shi gave her a cold glance, "If it were easy, what would I need you for?"
Yingchun lowered her head and replied meekly, "Yes."
Zhang Shi's eyes narrowed slightly, and Yingchun's earlier mention of "Fu yiniang" still caused Zhang Shi's chest to rise and fall slightly.
Her face flushed, and some extremely unpleasant memories that she had been trying to forget once again flooded her mind again with her endless train of thought.
When Zhang Shi had just married into the Duke Anguo's mansion, Zhan Yue was only three years old. He was the only son of the Duke Anguo and Fu Shiyu, and could be considered a late-in-life child, being thirteen years younger than Zhan Tai.
Although Fu Shiyu had married into the Duke's mansion as a concubine, she had previously come from a Marquis's family and had been betrothed to the Duke Anguo since childhood.
The Old Madam Wen already felt guilty about breaking off the engagement with the Fu family, so after Fu Shiyu entered the mansion, the Old Madam had always taken good care of her and Zhan Yue.
When Zhan Yue was four years old, Fu Shiyu's health had deteriorated greatly. There were too many dirty things in this grand mansion, and the Old Madam was afraid that four-year-old Zhan Yue would not be able to survive, so she took Zhan Yue to raise him while Fu Shiyu was ill.
At that time, Zhang Shi's mother-in-law, the legitimate wife of the Duke Anguo, Jia Shi, was still alive. Zhang Shi knew that Jia Shi and Fu Shiyu did not get along, and as a daughter-in-law, she naturally had to stand with her mother-in-law.
A year after marrying in, Zhang Shi became pregnant, while Fu Shiyu's health was deteriorating rapidly.
On a snowy night three months into Zhang Shi's pregnancy, Fu Shiyu reached the end of her life. The Duke Anguo was away on business and had not returned to the mansion, so the affairs of the Duke Anguo's mansion were almost entirely in the hands of Jia Shi and Zhang Shi.
Jia Shi went into the room to see Fu Shiyu, and Zhang Shi also got the news and came over. Zhang Shi was also accompanied by a nanny named Li, whom she had brought from her maternal home.
While carefully covering her stomach, Zhang Shi asked Li mama, "Does the Fourth Master know about this?"
Li mama glanced around and said softly, "The Fourth Master is still young, and I don't think Madam intends to let him know."
Zhang Shi was startled. She looked at Li mama, and Li mama gently shook her head, signaling her not to say anything.
As a newlywed daughter-in-law, although Zhang Shi knew that Jia Shi and Fu yiniang did not get along, she had never imagined that her mother-in-law would not even intend to let Fu Shiyu and Zhan Yue see each other for the last time.
Li Mama whispered, "Eldest Madam, you have to make clear your identity. Fourth Master is a concubine-born son, even if he has the Old Madam's support, he is not from the same lineage as us. Naturally, it depends on what Madam says, how will you handle it?"
"If the Old Madam and the Duke ask about it, you can also push the blame to Madam. Besides, you are now pregnant." Li Mama said.
Zhang Shi was still young at that time, and she had no clear idea of her own. She had always trusted Li Mama, so hearing her say this, she nodded helplessly.
She was pregnant and Fu Shiyu was seriously ill. She could not stay for long, and she only intended to take a glance and leave. Unexpectedly, when she went out of the room, she happened to bump into Zhan Yue who was running towards her.
Zhan Yue was wearing thick cotton clothes. Compared to other boys of the same age, he was a bit taller. He seemed to be running in a hurry, and he was still panting.
Seeing Zhang Shi and Li Mama, Zhan Yue called out "Eldest Sister-in-Law".
"Has Yiniang's condition worsened?" The four-year-old Zhan Yue was not as quite as he grew up. He was a polite child, and he would even smile at Zhang Shi and Li Mama. "Can I go in and see her?"
Zhang Shi and Li Mama exchanged glances. Li Mama stepped forward two steps and grabbed little Zhan Yue's arm tightly. "Fourth Master, you are worried for nothing. Fu yiniang is alright. It's dark now, Fourth Master. Did the Old Madam know you came here? If she can't see you when she wakes up at night, won't the Old Madam be worried?"
The night was dark, and little Zhan Yue's face was pale white, and his pupils were especially bright. He tilted his head, looked at Li Mama's hand holding him, and smiled carefully at Zhang Shi. He repeated, "Sister-in-Law, can I go in and see yiniang?"
Zhang Shi did not speak, only Li Mama said, "Why won't Fourth Master listen to my advise. I will take you to the Old Madam's place."
Little Zhan Yue pursed his lips. His eyes were wide open, staring straight at Zhang Shi. He asked stubbornly, "Is Sister-in-Law not letting me in?"
Zhang Shi finally spoke. She said gently, "What is Fourth Brother saying? I'm just afraid that Fu yiniang will pass on her illness to you."
"I'm not afraid." Zhan Yue's eyes were like a pool of stagnant water that could not be seen to the bottom. He said, "I want to go in and see her."
Little Zhan Yue tried to break free from Li Mama's grip, but as soon as he moved, Li Mama moved even more forcefully.
She grabbed Zhan Yue's arms with both hands and said with a fake smile, "Fourth Master, don't be stubborn. I will take you back to the Old Madam. Let's not worry the Old Madam."
Zhan Yue raised his eyes, his eyes filled with anger. He was small in stature, but his brain was very clear. He had already seen that Zhang Shi and Li Mama were deliberately not letting him into the room.
Just as Li Mama tried to scoop him up by the waist, Zhan Yue suddenly lowered his head and bit fiercely on Li Mama's knuckles of the right hand.
Only he himself knew how hard he had bitten.
Li Mama cried out in pain, and Zhang shi was so frightened by the blood around Zhan Yue's lips that she forgot all about Fu Shiyu's matter. Hurriedly, she called out for the maidservants.
By the time the maidservants arrived, Zhan Yue had already let go. His mouth was stained with blood, and his snow-white teeth were covered in bloody gore.
Li Mama's right hand was practically ruined. The knuckles on her hand was bitten so badly that the tendons were exposed.
At the same time, as if the heavens were cruel, news of Fu Shiyu's death came from the inner room. Just a moment ago, Fu Shiyu had passed away.
Upon hearing this news, Zhan Yue's face turned as pale as paper. Under the moonlight and the snow, his eyebrows were dark and his mouth was black due to deep red blood. He wiped the blood from the corner of his lips with his tender fingers. He looked gloomy, as if was a small demon from hell.
It was a scene that Zhang shi would never forget.
Surrounded by miles of ice and under the vast starry sky, he walked on tirelessly, yet he could never reach the end of this road.
Little Zhan Yue never got to see his mother one last time.
Before anyone could react, Zhan Yue suddenly stepped forward and pushed Zhang shi hard. There was unshoveled snow on the ground, and the people nearby couldn't reach her in time. Zhang shi stumbled and fell to the ground.
She couldn't understand how such a small four-year-old child could have so much strength.
And she didn't need to understand.
Because the next moment, the pain from her belly completely overwhelmed her.
On that restless night, Jia Shi lost her eldest grandson, Zhang shi lost her and Zhan Tai's first child, Li mama lost the ability to use her right hand, and Zhan Yue would never see his mother again.
It was a case of one thousand enemies and eight hundred self-inflicted wounds. No one could say who had gained the upper hand and who had suffered a loss.
More than a decade later, Jia Shi passed away. Zhan Yue excelled in the autumn examinations and was chosen by the emperor to become a member of the Jinwu Guards. Step by step, he rose to become the commander-in-chief of the Jinwu Guards, a position of great admiration.
However, Li mama's son was imprisoned for committing crimes.
Both Li mama and Zhang shi knew that Zhan Yue was behind these dark deeds. For the sake of her son, Li mama even begged Zhan Yue for mercy.
However, the young child who had once been so easily influenced by his emotions had, after years of forbearance, gradually become a deep and inscrutable general.
Many things no longer required his personal intervention. And like them, he would always remember that snowy night.
When Li mama finally managed to pull some strings and asked people to rescue her son, he was already ruined and lingered on for less than a year before leaving the mortal world.
He was Li mama's only son, and he had not even married or had children. Without this only bloodline, Li mama had lost her lifelong support.
It was said that she gradually went mad, calling out "My son" to anyone she met.
Zhang shi, out of old affection, took care of her for two or three years, but as days turned into years, Zhang shi lost contact with Li mama.
When Zhang shi had first married into the Duke's Mansion, she could never have imagined that Zhan Yue, a mere illegitimate son with no support, could rise to such a position.
Yet, the images of Zhan Yue's tiger-like eyes in the snow, the blood on his lips, the bruises on Li mama's hand, and the child she had lost......
These scenes often appeared in her nightmares, haunting Zhang shi for the rest of her life.
Zhang shi knew in her heart that some entanglements were irreconcilable, and could only be resolved with bloodshed.
Their relationship with Zhan Yue was precisely like that.
Now that Zhan Yue was at the peak of his power, only if Zhan Shaoying successfully married into the royal family and the princess safely gave birth to a child with the blood of both the Zhan family and the royal family, could the title of Duke Anguo be truly secured on her husband and son.
Only then could those nightmares be banished from her life.
Zhang shi looked into the distance, her sinister gaze deepening.
yiniang - Concubine.