Chapter 42 The Light That Rebels Across Time, the Gray That Follows the Rules

“What a pity.” Madam Dou narrowed her eyes. “He died before I could act, supposedly murdered by his son. Alas, I had intended to be a chivalrous knight, slaying countless guards, rushing to my enemy, listing his crimes, and killing him with a single blow. Afterwards, I would escape unscathed, disfigure myself, commit suicide, and go down in history…”

Changsun Qingjing exclaimed "Wow!" in approval, wondering what kind of confidant and deep affection could make this strong-willed lady willing to repay such kindness with the loyalty of a national hero.

"It's a pity that I no longer have the chance to take revenge on my enemies," Madam Dou said with a self-deprecating smile. "This is not a story of swift retribution. To you young people, it's somewhat disappointing."

Changsun Qingjing had to admit that this story, in which he had planned for half his life only to have his enemy murdered by his own son, had a sense of absurdity, comicality, and regrettable frustration. Compared to the Right Valiant Guard General's past exploits of dominating the grasslands, killing two birds with one stone, and manipulating both Khans at will, this story was restrained and lacked dramatic twists and turns, which was truly regrettable.

But who exactly was this person that Lady Tang hated so much that she wanted to tear him apart and devour his flesh, and why was she hated so continuously for over thirty years?

Changsun Qingjing's mind went down a dead end for a moment.

As Li Shimin gazed into the distance, his eyes seemed to be lit by a cluster of flames.

“Father, it’s Father!” he shouted, pointing into the distance.

The boy genuinely believed that his mother and he still received his father's wholehearted love. His father had only been momentarily confused, blinded by the concubine's tears and the allure of poison, and had even considered bestowing upon the Wan siblings an excessively generous treatment. However, his deep love for his mother still led him to choose her without hesitation.

Li Shimin did not hide his joy at seeing his father, who was exactly the same as before.

Of the two approaching side-by-side in the distance, the older man in the purple robe with missing lapels was Li Yuan. The younger man in black robes accompanying him was none other than Changsun Qingjing, who was overjoyed.

Madam Dou bowed slightly in her sedan chair, showing little surprise at her husband's arrival.

Those vibrant, youthful, and unconventional lights lingered in her eyes for a short time before vanishing in a sudden gust of cold wind, replaced by a rigid, mature, and rule-abiding gray.

Madam Dou trembled involuntarily, and her hat fell off the brim by an inch.

Changsun Qingjing suddenly recalled that since leaving the Duke's mansion, Madam Dou had talked to her about her teenage years, her parents, her close friends, her eccentric hobbies, her children, and even her enemies.

In these times—whether carefree, resentful, ambitious, or depressed—there was no place for the husband.

This is inevitably a bit awkward.

"Brother can't carry you anymore, you naughty lynx." Changsun Wuji gently patted his sister's shoulder. "How did you get all those bruises on your face?"

“I made a bet with Vidyaraja. I took the herb of immortality from the cliff, and he went to Jinyang Palace to fetch the jade dragon for me.”

"She actually gave me a three-year deadline, which is quite a generous amount of time," Li Shimin said with a smile, exchanging bows with Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji smiled helplessly and bowed to Madam Dou with the salutation of a nephew: "My mother received your letter and incense yesterday. My younger sister Qingjing is well taken care of by you, and my mother is very relieved. She asked me to tell you when I visit you that Qingjing is young and may sometimes be impolite. Please remember to discipline her strictly."

After saying this, he took out a letter from his mother, Madam Gao, from his bosom and presented it to her.

That concludes today's Cuju game. Li Yuan and his wife instructed all their servants to pack their belongings and return to their villa.

Li Shimin, Changsun Wuji, and Changsun Qingjing walked at the front of the crowd, followed closely by young servants leading horses and carrying loads. Seemingly deliberately avoiding their son, bride, and her brother, the Duke and Duchess of Tang intentionally lagged far behind. Li Shimin couldn't tell if his parents were simply walking side-by-side or if they had already reconciled.

He would occasionally peek through the crowd, observing his parents' every word and action.

Changsun Qingjing held Changsun Wuji's hand tightly, reluctant to let go: "Is everyone alright? Did Mother cry secretly after I left? Who is taking care of Grandmother now? How is Aunt's health? When are you getting married?"

When the topic turned to the young master Gao, whom Changsun Qingjing impersonated when she was disguised as a man, the three of them burst out laughing in unison.

"Did you tell him the truth?" Changsun Qingjing asked. "Will he be surprised when he finds out that Young Master Gao was originally a woman?"

“No, I told Mr. Mu that as soon as his uncle left, Young Master Gao went to Longmen to become an apprentice. He mistakenly thought you had joined Wang Tong's school and even asked if you had brought extra retainers to escort you, as Longmen is not peaceful. Unless Guanyinbi allows it, I will keep this a secret.” Changsun Wuji answered earnestly, “Mr. Mu is still waiting for Young Master Gao to return from his studies at Longmen and have a drink with him! How could I bear to reveal the truth and hurt his sincere heart…”

Changsun Qingjing listened intently, lost in thought, and muttered to himself, "It's a pity that Young Master Gao has a few important family matters to attend to recently, and I'm afraid he will have to disappoint Mr. Mu's kind intentions..."

The brother and sister couldn't help but look at Li Shimin, who rarely uttered a word and was mostly silent. His eyes were sunken, and the usual cheerful and open-minded light in them had dimmed, replaced by restlessness and unease.

Li Shimin would occasionally turn back to check if his parents had made up as they usually did after arguments. He certainly hoped his father would back down first, but he also didn't want his mother to be too stubborn.

"Vitiha, you don't look well," Changsun Wuji said with concern.

“He has been taking care of his mother without sleep or rest; his mother kept it a secret from him to ensure our marriage went smoothly; he felt guilty and tried his best to make up for it,” Changsun Qingjing answered on behalf of her husband.

"I heard about Lady Tang's illness from the Duke of Tang along the way. I was asked by my mother to visit Lady Dou in person, and I happened to meet the Duke on the way. He was very worried and wanted to use some 'Chilige techniques', but he was afraid that his wife would be disgusted, so he felt at a loss for what to do."

"Wuji, please tell Madam Gao that Guanyinbi is doing very well. Our whole family has no complaints. My mother especially loves her; the two of them only regret not meeting her sooner. The doctor also advised our whole family to do things in a way that pleases my mother and goes along with her. Guanyinbi's care arrangements have particularly pleased my mother. She has been in even better spirits these past two days. I only hope that Heaven will also be moved by Guanyinbi's sincerity."

Changsun Qingjing was somewhat surprised by her husband's words. She thought he was trying to avoid troubling Madam Dou, and even felt that today's trip was purely due to Changsun Qingjing's instigation.

In the instant she leaped from the cliff, she truly felt Li Shimin's anger towards his willful and eccentric wife. Her often uncontrollable self-destructive behavior was intolerable to Li Shimin. He had only refrained from acting out of consideration for Lady Dou. Now it seemed that Changsun Qingjing herself had been narrow-minded and made wild guesses.

Changsun Wuji could only sigh and lower his head. After walking for a while, he suddenly reminded him, "Should we invite Lu Taiyi to perform divination for the lady? As a Duke, it would be inconvenient for him to refuse..." He suggested with his head down, seemingly also harboring some anxiety about his own confidence.

"No need," Li Shimin and his wife, Changsun Qingjing, replied in unison.

Changsun Wuji suddenly looked up, revealing a "what do you mean?" expression.

“Zhang Chou Taiyi is too frank…” Changsun Qingjing was full of concerns.

“I’m afraid his words will be too hurtful, and my mother will be even more unable to bear it,” Li Shimin replied.

The group returned to the villa, where Madam Dou reluctantly stayed in the hall with Li Yuan and chatted with Changsun Wuji for the time it takes to drink three cups of tea.

Changsun Qingjing felt that Madam Dou's actions were purely out of respect for Madam Gao and affection for her as her new wife, and she did not want Gao and Changsun's relatives to have any doubts about whether her married life was fulfilling.

Feeling sorry for her, Changsun Qingjing took the initiative to remind Madam Dou to go back to her room to rest.

"Young Master Changsun, when you return, please remember to tell your mother, Madam Gao, that I am satisfied with this young lady in every way. There is only one thing that displeases me." Everyone could hear the satisfaction in Madam Dou's voice as she feigned anger, so they listened attentively with smiles.

Madam Dou bowed and said, "She has only been married into the Li family for a few days, but she is becoming more and more like Vidyadhara. She always likes to impose restrictions on my mother and is unreasonable. Wuji, you be the judge!"

“Alright, I will definitely tell my mother,” Changsun Wuji said with a cupped hand and a smile.

Li Shimin cried out in protest, "Heaven is my witness, I did not utter a single word of reproach for my mother going out today."

Everyone advised Madam Dou to accept the constraints of this "unreasonable" young lady. Madam Dou no longer insisted on proper hospitality, accepted her daughter-in-law's greetings, and was helped back to her bedroom to rest by Changsun Qingjing and another robust maid.

Changsun Qingjing desperately hoped that the series of miraculous omens that followed the divination today, and Lady Dou's improved spirits, were not mere illusions. He hoped they were not fleeting moments, nor a rainbow flowing down a stream, but a future that could be sustained over time.

Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief after his wife returned to her room to rest, thus avoiding an awkward situation in front of his eldest grandson and his sister.

Ever since his second son told him to choose between Lady Dou and Lady Wan, the Duke of Tang felt uneasy about immediately bowing his head and meeting with this mother and son, whom he saw as spoiled and arrogant.

After sending Wan Xuandao away, he lingered in Daxing Prefecture for a day, feeling quite uneasy. Unfortunately, he received another letter from Wan's wife in Hedong, requesting that she come to Daxing to serve his mistress. He had initially thought that having another gentle and obsequious woman besides his bright and intelligent principal wife would be a great blessing, but Wan's letter, eager to curry favor in Daxing, ruined his usual image of a gentle and charming young lady, and filled him with disgust.

After much hesitation, the indecisive Duke of Tang still chose to return to his virtuous wife and beloved son.

He hasn't made the right choices many times in his life, and this was one of them.

Author's Note: Five people, each with their own secrets.

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