Chapter 144: Hatching Eggs Under the Quilt
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
At the Stabilizing Duke’s Manor, the house was brightly lit when Rong Che returned, weary from his journey.
“The Great General has returned!” a servant exclaimed, running hurriedly towards the back courtyard.
The Great General had guarded the borders for three years without setting foot in the capital. Everyone in the household, especially the Old Duke and Duchess, had been eagerly awaiting his return.
This was a joyous occasion—a chance for the staff to earn rewards.
Upon hearing of his return, the Old Duchess and Duke both lowered their heads, tears streaming down their faces.
“Home… Finally, he’s returned home safely,” they said emotionally.
“Quick, send someone to the palace to inform Her Majesty the Empress, so she doesn’t worry,” the silver-haired Old Duchess commanded urgently, dispatching a servant.
When Rong Che’s tall figure stepped through the gates, he knelt respectfully before the elders in the hall.
“Father, Mother, your son has returned,” he said solemnly.
The Old Duchess broke into tears. “It is good that you’re home. That’s all that matters—your safe return.”
“Che’er,” she added, wiping her tears, “now that you’re back in the capital, you won’t leave again, will you?”
The Old Duke, sitting calmly in the hall, looked on with an expression of warmth.
Rong Che replied, “The palace gates are already closed for the night. I will report to His Majesty tomorrow. As for my duties, serving Northern Zhao is my life’s ambition.”
“To shield the people of Northern Zhao from storms is my greatest honor.”
The Old Duke’s expression darkened. “Forget shielding Northern Zhao for a moment—how about shielding the Stabilizing Duke’s Manor first?”
“You’re over thirty years old now. Men your age are already becoming grandfathers, and yet you remain unmarried. What exactly are you planning?!”
“Are you trying to let the Rong family line end with you?!” The Old Duke’s anxiety had been keeping him awake at night.
“If you don’t marry soon, I won’t be able to rest in peace, even in death.”
The Old Duchess hesitated before motioning for everyone else to leave. Once alone, she spoke cautiously. “Son, is there something you’re not telling us? If there’s a health issue, I’ll find the best physician for you.”
Rong Che couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “Mother, there’s nothing wrong. I’m perfectly healthy.”
“Then…” The Old Duchess hesitated, lowering her voice.
“Do you… like men?”
“You’ve spent years in the army, surrounded by men. Could it be that…?” She began to cry again.
Rong Che leapt to his feet, utterly exasperated. “Mother, no! Absolutely not!”
The Old Duchess secretly sighed in relief. “If you have someone you care for, just let me know. I’ll humble myself to ask for their hand on your behalf.”
At this point, she wasn’t picky anymore. All she wanted was for her son to marry.
She was even willing to treat his spouse like royalty, even if it meant moving far away from the manor or returning to her ancestral home a thousand miles away. She’d even die, if that’s what it took.
“We even moved the ancestors’ graves to improve our family’s fortune, yet still, no marriage. It must be the name! ‘Che’ has three water radicals, and it’s an odd number. It must be the name. Should we change it?” She pondered aloud.
The Old Duke frowned. “Or is it because of that walnut tree in the courtyard?”
“There’s also a parasol tree in the garden. Could the trees be interfering with your marriage prospects?”
Rong Che chuckled helplessly. “Father, Mother, this has nothing to do with names, trees, or even feng shui.”
The Old Duchess waved him off. “Enough talk. You’ve marched thousands of miles—go rest.”
Rong Che, exhausted, didn’t argue further and retired to his chambers.
As soon as he left, the Old Duchess turned serious. “Quick, cut down the walnut and parasol trees in the courtyard!”
That night, the Stabilizing Duke’s Manor buzzed with the sound of axes as the trees were felled.
The Old Duke, meanwhile, entered the ancestral hall, his face somber. Standing before the ancestral tablets, the white-haired elder pointed accusingly.
“Have you not been watching over Che’er?”
“Can’t you pull some strings down there? If he doesn’t marry soon, I’ll dig up every one of you!”
The ancestors: ?!
While anxiety engulfed the Rong Family, the Lu Family was a picture of peace.
“Chao Chao, this is from Uncle Rong!” Lu Chao Chao excitedly held up a human skull, running towards Madam Xu.
Madam Xu turned pale with fright. “No! Take it away!”
Chao Chao pouted, disappointed. She thought the skull was rather beautiful.
Madam Xu composed herself. “Why is he here? And what did he say?”
Lu Yan Shu stepped forward, handing over a jade pendant. “He was concerned that you might suffer grievances after the divorce, so he brought a token from the Stabilizing Duke’s Manor. If trouble arises, you may seek his help.”
“Mother, do you know General Rong? Why have you never mentioned him before?”
Deng Zhi smiled mischievously, her eyes sparkling. “It’s well-known across the capital that the daughters of the Xu Family are virtuous and refined. Little did anyone know, when Madam was still unmarried, she had quite the playful streak!”
“She once disguised herself as a man and sneaked out of the house, befriending General Rong.”
“She even came close to becoming sworn brothers with him!”
“Later, for reasons unknown, General Rong began avoiding Madam as though he feared seeing her.”
“It must be said, at the time, General Rong didn’t know Madam was a woman. He always thought she was a brother!”
Madam Xu cast a stern glare at Deng Zhi, who playfully stuck out her tongue and fell silent.
Feeling slightly embarrassed in front of her children, Madam Xu explained softly, “Back then, I called him ‘Brother Rong,’ and he called me ‘Brother Yun.’”
“After that, he started avoiding me at every turn. Coincidentally, the Emperor summoned him urgently to the battlefield, and I never had the chance to reveal the truth.”
She paused, her gaze becoming distant, lost in the memory of an encounter where she had been waylaid by bandits during a trip to burn incense at a temple. It was Lu Yuan Ze who saved her, and from that moment on, her heart was irrevocably drawn to him.
“So all this time, he believed Mother was a man?” asked one of the children in disbelief.
Madam Xu nodded gently.
[Poor General Rong! He must have thought he’d fallen for a man!]
[Imagine—a proud man, drunkenly clutching his ancestral tablets, sobbing uncontrollably, apologizing to his forebears for developing feelings for his ‘brother!’]
[Every time he saw Mother, he was tormented by shame and confusion over his unnatural thoughts, too embarrassed to face her.]
[When the imperial summons came, he probably decided to confront her upon his return.]
[But who could have predicted…]
Lu Chao Chao internally lamented.
Who could have predicted that in the camp, he overheard tales of the Xu Family, learning that Grand Tutor Xu had three sons and one daughter. The youngest daughter, Miss Yun, was cherished and raised in opulence, only to tearfully insist on marrying into the Marquis Zhongyong’s Manor.
Miss Yun?
General Rong was thunderstruck.
He galloped day and night, riding three horses to death, risking the crime of defying orders just to sneak back to the capital.
When Madam Xu married, it was General Rong himself who escorted her bridal sedan.
Listening to Lu Chao Chao’s inner voice, Madam Xu froze, the teacup in her hand tilting precariously before spilling tea onto her lap. Startled, she hastily stood up. “I’ll go change my clothes,” she stammered, her mind in turmoil.
“Why’s Mother acting so strange?” whispered the young instigator.
Lu Yan Shu patted his sister’s head. “Mother has a lot on her mind. I think she has no intention of remarrying.”
“Oh,” replied Lu Chao Chao, drawing a deep breath and puffing her cheeks until they turned red. “Big Brother, my tummy’s sooo empty…”
“Can I have another drumstick?” The little one clutched her stomach dramatically.
Last time, she had eaten so much her stomach hurt, leading Madam Xu to enforce strict rules about late-night meals.
Lu Yan Shu’s eyelid twitched at her antics.
“Chao Chao, you’re still young. You need to eat less meat and heavy food. Do you remember how much pain you were in last time?”
He sighed deeply, pinching her chubby cheeks to let out her puffed breath.
Her round little belly inflated instantly.
Feeling aggrieved, Lu Chao Chao clasped her hands behind her back. Hidden in her grasp was an egg she had sneaked from the kitchen coop.
After coaxing her through her nighttime routine, Lu Yan Shu watched her scamper into bed, where she stealthily tucked the egg into her quilt, grinning with a conspiratorial air.
Lu Yan Shu let it slide; children had their little secrets.
Once he left, the maids standing outside the door kept their distance, while Lu Chao Chao cautiously retrieved the egg from her quilt.
“Eggie, Eggie… tonight, you’ll sleep with me.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll roast you.”
Snuggled in her warm bedding, she carefully nestled the egg into a corner.
[Roast egg, roast egg… crispy, golden roast egg…]
The little one smacked her lips in her sleep, her dreams filled with the fragrance of roasted eggs.
“Chirp, chirp, chirp…”
“Chirp, chirp, chirp…”
From beneath the quilt came the soft, innocent chirping of a newborn chick.