Chapter 476: Chapter 475: Making Her Proud
Fresh blood splattered onto the autumn fragrance-colored golden python silk cushion, glaring and vivid.
Mu Lianxiao couldn’t bother lying down; he quickly sat up, his eyes reddened as he gently patted Mrs. Zhou’s back.
He had seen enough bloodshed, not just the enemy’s; even the bloody wounds on his own body wouldn’t make him frown. But this mouthful of blood from Mrs. Zhou seemed to carve out Mu Lianxiao’s heart, liver, and lungs.
Du Yunluo called for Nanny Su.
Nanny Su came in, her face pale. Without asking much, she hurried out to find a doctor.
Du Yunluo poured a cup of hot tea, assisted Mrs. Zhou with rinsing her mouth, wiped the bloodstains from her lips, and helped her lie down.
Mrs. Zhou’s eyes were misty and wide open. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat, burning, and she couldn’t utter a single word.
Seeing Mrs. Zhou so agitated that she vomited blood, Du Yunluo felt distressed too.
She suddenly remembered the past.
When she awoke from a faint, Mrs. Zhou once said that she saw her own reflection in Du Yunluo.
But at this moment, in Du Yunluo’s eyes, a Mrs. Zhou overwhelmed with sorrow, anger, and various emotions, whose pain was indescribable, wasn’t she the same as her, when learning the truth in her later years?
They were not mother and daughter by blood, but Du Yunluo could deeply understand Mrs. Zhou’s feelings.
Having lost her husband for many years, she always believed he died in battle, never doubting for a moment until the truth was revealed. All emotions crashed over her in waves and overwhelmed her defenses.
Mrs. Zhou’s chest was heavy; she waved her hand at Mu Lianxiao with tears, signaling him to lie down and not worry about her.
Mu Lianxiao’s throat was bitter. Even at the point of vomiting blood, Mrs. Zhou’s main concern was his health.
Not wanting to see Mrs. Zhou suffer while still being worried about him, Mu Lianxiao obediently lay back down.
Du Yunluo didn’t let the people outside come in to serve, took a handkerchief and wiped the bloodstains from the cushion.
She could only wipe away a layer; the blood had seeped through, and the entire piece would need to be replaced later.
The doctor arrived quickly.
Seeing Mrs. Zhou had vomited a large mouthful of blood, the doctor was very cautious, carefully checking her pulse, prescribing nourishing remedies, and repeatedly urging that Mrs. Zhou should not exert herself.
Nanny Su sent the doctor away, instructed someone to prepare and boil the medicine, and came in to ask, "Madam, why did you start vomiting blood again for no apparent reason?"
Du Yunluo was taken aback, and Mu Lianxiao frowned deeply. What did "again" mean?
Mrs. Zhou disagreed, glanced at Nanny Su weakly, and said, "Old matters, why bring them up again to make these two worry unnecessarily."
Seeing Mrs. Zhou unwilling to elaborate, Mu Lianxiao turned to look at Nanny Su.
Nanny Su, having spoken out, felt it wasn’t proper to hide things this way, said, "Madam had been overworked, and had been vomiting blood sporadically for a month. The Old Madam let the second madam take over household duties so madam could rest.
After a few years of recuperation, her health never returned to what it was when she was a newlywed, but it stabilized at least.
Princely Heir, madam never told you because she didn’t want you to worry."
Hearing this, Du Yunluo understood.
Mrs. Zhou, in the first two years after Mu Yuance’s death, managed the household alone, damaging her health, which led to her period of recuperation later.
However, such incidents of vomiting blood indicate deep-rooted issues, not something that could be completely cured with a few years of rest. Mrs. Zhou hadn’t vomited blood in these past years, but the news just now had been too overwhelming for her, causing her to vomit blood.
But, about Mrs. Zhou’s initial illness...
Mu Lianxiao thought the same and asked Mrs. Zhou about it.
Mrs. Zhou shook her head: "Back then, many doctors were consulted, and the Old Madam even found a way to invite an Imperial Physician, all said it was caused by overwork."
Du Yunluo pursed her lips; she didn’t fully believe it.
Imperial Doctor Xing’s words still echoed in her ears. Such situations involving the disputes among the women of the Marquis Mansion’s inner courtyard—how many doctors would dare to wade into such troubled waters?
Even if they were Imperial Physicians, they would likely choose to protect themselves.
It’s a pity that Imperial Doctor Xing’s leg was crippled; otherwise, he could have been invited to the capital to examine Mrs. Zhou, putting everyone’s mind at ease.
Mrs. Zhou patted Mu Lianxiao’s hand, catching her breath, and smiled as she spoke to them: "I know my own body best. Although this spitting of blood seems terrifying, it’s better than keeping this feeling suffocated inside.
We know this matter in our hearts; there’s no need to let the Old Madam catch wind of it.
The Old Madam is old; I’m afraid she won’t be able to bear it.
Lian Xiao, I know you hate him; I also hate him. For such a deep vendetta as murdering my husband, I wish for nothing more than the knife to go in white and come out red.
However, you are the Princely Heir; you’re about to inherit the title soon. The Dingyuan Marquis Mansion weighs heavily on you; you can’t let revenge take down the whole mansion and you with it.
If that happens, the Old Marquis and your father won’t rest easy in their graves."
Mu Lianxiao nodded in agreement.
Mrs. Zhou was tired, leaning on the pillow, not speaking for a long time.
Just as she had said herself, after spitting out that blood, her heart wasn’t so suffocated. But when she closed her eyes, recalling Mu Yuance’s look and smile, her heart ached in waves.
Having grown up together and being married for decades, Mrs. Zhou thought she knew everything about Mu Yuance. But in the end, the most crucial thing had been hidden from her for nine years.
The truth about Mu Yuance’s death in battle—she had only glimpsed part of it nine years later.
If not for Mu Liankang’s return and Mu Lianxiao’s accumulated battle merits, Mrs. Zhou might never have known the answer in her lifetime.
But Mrs. Zhou couldn’t blame Mu Tang.
Mu Tang’s choice was understandable, the path a loyal old servant of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion would inevitably take.
Back then at the Northern Border, with someone completely loyal to Mu Yuanmou, Mu Liankang would have been long dead.
Having no choice, Mu Tang kept his silence upon returning to the capital, to protect the entire Mu Family.
Mu Yuanmou’s schemes, resulting in the deaths of Mu Shi Yuan, Mu Yuance, and Mu Yuanming on the battlefield, would be enough to charge him with treason deserving annihilation of his clan.
It wasn’t just Dingyuan Marquis Mansion—all related by blood or marriage within nine clans wouldn’t escape.
Even if Mu Lianxiao was under sixteen years old at the time, the Holy Emperor might have executed him in his rage. Even if a life was spared, a three-thousand-mile exile or enslavement with the female family members in official families was a lifelong disgrace, with no hope for elevation.
Mrs. Zhou could allow Mu Lianxiao to fight to the death against the Dazi on the battlefield, but she couldn’t accept her son becoming a servant or slave.
Mu Tang’s silence at least gave the main family time to breathe, allowing Mu Lianxiao the chance to grow up.
Whether Mu Lianxiao could seize that chance, attain any achievements under the scrutiny and plotting from the second branch, was akin to Mu Liankang left in the snowy grounds of the Northern Border—all was up to fate.
Fortunately, her son was quite capable.
"You have to enter the palace to meet the Holy Emperor tomorrow, right?" Mrs. Zhou softly asked Mu Lianxiao, "You have a back injury; take care of yourself and don’t overstrain."
Mu Lianxiao nodded.
Entering the palace is not like staying at home; even with unhealed injuries, one can’t enter the palace lying down.
Mrs. Zhou gave a few more instructions and told them to return to Shaohui Garden first, to change the clothes stained with blood, and then attend the feast at Baijie Hall in the evening.