Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 483 - 474

Chapter 483: 474

Before Chen Afu could finish, Dabao burst into tears. "Mother, are you saying all this because you no longer want me? Is it because they think I’m a burden and they won’t let you be my mother? Mother, you promised to always hold on to me, so why are you trying to push me away as soon as we arrive in the Capital City?"

Marquis Chu entered and said, "Your Highness, you are not a burden at all. On the contrary, you are of great nobility. Eight years ago, I had Guard Wang leave you in a small grove and watched Mrs. Wang take you away..."

Shiyi immediately broke down in tears, interrupting Marquis Chu, and cried in Chen Afu’s arms, "Mother, the Chus won’t let you have me, I’ll stop being father’s adopted son and only be your child. I-I’ll return to grandma’s house in Dingzhou, they surely want me there... "

Chen Afu held him and gently patted his back. "Dabao, I can’t bear to let you go, either. But there is a mother longing for her son every day, her eyes full of expectation, hoping for the day her son could return and reunite with her. She was told her son was dead when he was born and taken away, and she cried herself nearly blind. The father had no other choice for the sake of protecting the child. He was the one who asked Guard Wang to leave you in the grove on the west side of Xiangluo Village. That child is you..."

Seeing Shiyi calming down, Marquis Chu began to tell him his true identity, knowing that Shiyi was precocious and different from other eight-year-old children, he vaguely explained the cause and effect.

Shiyi couldn’t believe he turned out to be a prince, the half-brother of the crown prince. He was sent out of the palace for fear of being harmed by the second Prince.

Comforted by Chen Afu, Shiyi’s emotions had started to calm down. He poked his head up from Chen Afu to see his "father", "grandfather", and "Third Grandmother" also entered the room, all looking at him with solemn expressions. Two eunuchs, holding feather dusters, stood respectfully in the room.

Though it was his first time seeing eunuchs, Chu Lingzhi had told him what they looked like.

So, it seemed that what "Mother" and "Grandfather" said was true, not misleading him. Tears welled up in his eyes again, and he buried his head in Chen Afu’s arms, "Mother, your son doesn’t want to leave you."

These were his innermost feelings. Even knowing it was unrealistic, he still said it.

Chen Afu wiped away his tears again, holding back her own, and whispered in his ear, "Little Highness, you can’t call me ’mother’ anymore, it will bring me trouble..." She knew it was cruel to say such a thing, but in order for Shiyi to accept his new identity as soon as possible, she said it anyway.

Hearing Chen Afu’s words, Shiyi felt both heartbroken and lost. He cried out but held himself back from calling her ’Mother’ in public.

Marquis Chu spoke again, "Your Highness, the Emperor, the Virtuous Consort, and the Crown Prince are all waiting in the Imperial Palace for your return."

As though he hadn’t heard, Shiyi remained sitting on Chen Afu’s lap, hugging her neck tightly.

Chu Lingxuan also tried to console him, "Your Highness, the Imperial Palace is not far from our mansion, less than half an hour’s ride. In the future, when you miss us, you can visit the mansion and we can also visit you in the palace."

Listening to these words somewhat relieved Dabao.

The two eunuchs also bowed and said, "Your Highness, please."

It occurred to Shiyi to say, "I want to see my younger siblings and bid them farewell."

Fearing that his siblings would cause a stir, they’d been dismissed earlier.

Chu Lingxuan laughed, "Your Highness, don’t you know your sister’s character? I fear she would cry and make it hard for you."

Shiyi wiped his tears and said, "Tell her not to be upset, I’ll come to see you all in a couple of days." Then he added, "And Zhui Feng, Sasa, Chang Chang, Duan Duan, Qi Qi, and Hui Hui, I will also come to see them."

Chu Lingxuan chuckled, "Your mother and I have discussed it. We will let Zhui Feng’s family go into the palace with you first. Then, the other animals will take turns visiting you in the palace."

Shiyi edged his lips into a small smile and nodded.

On the way, he clutched Chen Afu’s hand tightly. Biting his lip, he tried to hold back his tears. Everyone accompanied him to the second gate, where Chen Afu and the Third Madame had to stop and could go no further.

Shiyi knelt down to bow deeply to Chen Afu, crying out, "Thank you for taking great care of me, mother." And then he bowed twice more, "These are for Grandma and Grandpa, thank you for raising me." He then stood up, wiped away his tears, and walked away.

Watching the small figure of Shiyi disappear, Chen Afu began to cry.

Third Madame consoled, "Don’t be too upset, Xuan’er. If you miss Shiyi, you can visit him in the palace since you’ll be in the Capital City for a while and when he gets his title and establishes his own mansion, it will be easier to see him."

Chen Afu returned to the Bamboo Pavilion. Her younger sons had already gone to sleep in the east wing, only Ms. Chu restlessly sat on the bed in the east room.

Seeing her mother’s eyes filled with tears, Ms. Chu hurried over and tugged her sleeve, "Mother, what’s happened to my brother? Where is he? Why haven’t I seen him yet?"

Indeed, Ms. Chu had grown smarter.

Chen Afu led Ms. Chu to sit down on the bed, embraced her, and said, "Dabao has found his biological parents, he has gone back to his home. From now on, Yan’er, you can’t call him brother, instead, you have to call him - His Highness. Because he is the Emperor’s son."

Upon hearing the first half of Chen Afu’s words, Ms. Chu went into a fit of tears, not hearing the second half. Chen Afu tried to console her, but she wouldn’t stop crying. Chen Afu had no choice but to hold her and gently pat her back.

Qi Qi and Hui Hui, who were beside the bed, began to cry along with Ms. Chu when they heard Dabao was leaving, mimicking his voice.

Ms. Chu caught her breath, thinking it was Dabao who had returned. Her tear-filled eyes lit up at the hope, only to be disappointed when she realized it was just them. Then she pursed her lips and began to cry again.

Tired from crying, Ms. Chu gradually fell asleep.

Chen Afu gently placed her on the bed and tucked her in. She took Qi Qi and Hui Hui one each in hand and brought them to the west room, warning, "No more making a fuss. Dabao will come to visit you, and you will be able to play in the palace."

The two little ones finally shut up.

She then went to the bathroom to bathe. Sitting in the large wooden barrel, the warm water and rising steam did nothing to soothe her. She remembered a little boy squatting down to wash and dry her feet, helping her undress and tuck her in bed. When leaving the house, he smeared soot on her face, worried that others would covet her beauty and bring trouble. The helpless look in the little boy’s eyes when villagers talked about him being a wild child, picked up by the ’idiot’, was still vivid in her mind as she sat...