Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 558 - 549: Let’s Go Back Together

Chapter 558: Chapter 549: Let’s Go Back Together

On the 12th day of the first lunar month, Chu Lingxuan, the Third Master, and Chu Lingwei returned. With them also came the old master and Ming.

The old master had returned to celebrate Shuangshuang’s one-month-old birthday.

Chu Lingxuan spoke with great sorrow, "My uncle and aunt-in-law went to Tang Garden, but no matter how much we pleaded, my mother refused to return to secular life."

Chen Afu also felt helpless upon hearing this. Everyone knew that Liao Chen didn’t sincerely want to be a Buddhist nun. She was just frustrated, wronged, and unwilling. To let her reside in the Buddhist monastery bearing her repressed grief alone was too heart-wrenching for her family. If she could truly find solace in Buddhism like Empress Dowager Shan, perhaps everyone except the old Marquis would have accepted it.

Regrettably, life doesn’t always go as planned. Despite her long-held wish to become a nun, Empress Dowager Shan, due to her status, had to continue living in the Imperial Palace for the sake of the Emperor. It remained to be seen whether she could fulfill her wish once the Emperor firmly established his reign.

Chen Afu advised, "We expected mother to react this way. Once the child grows a little older, we will try to persuade her again. As the saying goes, ’Gold can be cut open by a jeweler’s chisel.’ One day mother will change her mind."

Chu Lingxuan nodded sadly, "We have no other choice." He continued, "My father misses the child but doesn’t want to leave my mother alone at Yingxue Nunnery. He decided to stay in Fu Garden and visit Honglin Mountain every two or three days. Even if he can’t see my mother there, she will know that my father is nearby."

He then took out two small red sandalwood pendant necklaces, "These are gifts from my mother for Li and Zhu’er. She specifically asked Master Gui Ling for them. They’ve been soaked in herbal decoction which is beneficial for the children’s health."

On the 15th day of the first lunar month, it was Shuangshuang’s one-month-old birthday. In the early morning, her siblings were weighed. Li weighed ten jin, whereas Zhu’er weighed five and a half jin. Everybody was quite satisfied with their growth. Although Zhu’er was still lighter than many newborn babies, she was healthy, delightful, and much better than everyone had imagined.

On that day, the Chu family hosted a grand feast. Most of the imperial relatives and famous families in the capital city sent representatives to congratulate them. The old master, Chu Lingxuan, the Third Master, Chu Lingwei, and Chu Lingzhi entertained male guests in the Outer Court, while the Third Mistress hosted female guests in Lilac Hall with Chu Hua and Chu Hanyan.

Unexpectedly, Grand Princess Ronghe and Feng Miaohua also turned up.

Upon seeing Feng Miaohua, Chu Hanyan felt scared. The Third Mistress squeezed her hand and whispered, "They are here to curry our favor, show some prestige."

The little girl whispered back, "I don’t like them."

The Third Mistress chuckled, "If you don’t like them, simply ignore them. As our eldest daughter, even if you snub them, they will keep looking up to you."

Grand Princess Ronghe started making small talk with the Third Mistress. Ignoring her resentment, Feng Miaohua approached Chu Hanyan with a bright smile. Chu Hanyan didn’t return the smile and turned away to avoid her.

The Third Mistress chuckled at Chu Hanyan, "Look, Rong Jing, Ms. Zhu, and Ms. Yang all want to play with you. Why don’t you go over to them?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Hanyan turned and started playing with her little handkerchief.

Feng Miaohua was so upset her eyes turned red. She was about to curse when she heard Grand Princess Ronghe coughing. She swallowed her words.

Before lunch, Empress Dowager Shan and Empress Zhang sent imperial decrees. The Empress Dowager gifted the siblings two Yingluo Rings made of seven treasures, two strands of red musk beads, and two Jade Ruyis. The Empress gifted the siblings two golden Qilin statues and two jade lockets.

Given such imperial favor, everyone was green with envy.

After dinner, while the guests were watching the opera, Chen Afu took the two children back to the main room to rest. Chen Yuqing, Chen Aman, and Mrs. Mao were also invited to go to the side room to rest as all three were now expecting.

In mid-February, as the weather gradually warmed, the old master prepared to take Yu to the countryside again. Chen Afu prepared a lot of things for them, including more than twenty sets of clothes from inner to outer wear, and many daily necessities. Both the old master and old marquis didn’t have women to manage for them, so most of these things were prepared with Chen Afu’s help. The old master still had his third wife show their respects, but the old marquis was almost entirely reliant on Chen Afu.

Upon hearing that grandpa was going to take big brother to the countryside again to see grandpa, Yu’er couldn’t bear it and cried every day, "Big brother and second brother take turns going, but they won’t take Yu’er. How can they do this...sob, sob, sob..."

Chu Lingxuan, pitying his daughter, discussed with Chen Afu, "Look at how pitiful our daughter is crying, let her go, take more people with her. Moreover, her grandparents are there too."

Hearing that there was room for negotiation, Yu’er glanced at her mother with teary eyes and pursed her lips, begging, "Mama, Mama, Yu’er is pleading with you..."

Upon hearing this, Yu chipped in to plead for his sister, "Mama, let sister go, I will take care of her."

Chen Afu nodded in agreement after looking at Yu’er, who was a bit more robust than children of her age, but still said, "You can go, but you can’t stay for too long."

Upon hearing this, Yu’er and Yu cheered, and Ming started crying with a pout.

Chu Lingxuan, who was constantly being annoyed by a few naughty boys, had no patience for them. He scowled and reprimanded, "You’ve all had your turn to go and play. How can you dispute with your sister like this? If you continue to make a fuss, go to face the wall and reflect on your actions."

Fearing his father, Ming quickly shut up and sobbed quietly.

Chen Afu pulled Ming over, wiped his tears, and coaxed him for a while.

They planned to set off on February 20th. However, on the eve of their departure, Chu Lingxuan received a letter sent by Uncle Luo. The message said that Mrs. Luo was so saddened by the thought of her daughter that she planned to personally go to persuade Liao Chen and requested Chu Lingxuan to go to Tang Garden with her. They planned to set off in early March when the weather would be warmer.

Mrs. Luo, who was already sixty-seven years old and had been bedridden for over a decade, was actually planning to go there herself.

Chu Lingxuan felt both touched and heartbroken. He discussed with Chen Afu, "My grandmother wants to go to Tang Garden. Why don’t you go with the children? From the eldest to the youngest, with so many people persuading her, even if my mother is as hard-hearted as a stone, she would be moved." He added, "Not now, let’s wait. In early March, the weather will be warmer."

From the nearly seventy-year-old mother to the few-month-old grandson, this drastic move would surely be impossible for Liao Chen to resist. If even this couldn’t persuade her to return to secular life, then she truly had her heart set on Buddhism, and there would be no need to persuade her anymore.

Chen Afu nodded in agreement and began to prepare the children’s things again.

Chu Lingxuan went to discuss with the old master again, asking them to postpone their departure.

On February 25th, Chu Lingxuan was not at home that night. Chen Afu entered the other space with Li and Zhu’er, as Jin Yanzi was going out again at midnight that night.

Not just Jin Yanzi was thrilled, Jin Bei was too excited to contain herself. Jin Bei was a good sister. It wasn’t a migratory bird, but it stayed with Jin Bao for fear of its brother feeling lonely. It had never been out of the space alone.

When Jin Yanzi heard that mama and Daddy Chu would bring all the children back to Fu Garden, it was more delighted, chirping, "Mama, please bring stinky Dabao as well. Let’s all go back together, how great the reunion would be. Without him, something seems missing."