Chapter 100

There is a straight spruce tree in the Anguo Mansion, planted in the courtyard of Lady Wen.

It is said that it was planted by the first wife of the Duke of Anguo herself, and it has a history of nearly a hundred years. Spruce is native to Shaanxi and is not a variety native to the capital. It is cold-resistant and shade-tolerant, so it is not easy to grow it in the land of the capital.

But this spruce tree is growing very lushly. Its leaves are lush and green, and its trunk is tall and straight. But at this moment, its slender stems are drooping slightly, as if foreshadowing something.

When Jiashan and Zhan Yue entered the Anguo Mansion, all the people in the Anguo Mansion were already waiting in the courtyard of Old Lady Wen.

Not only was the room full of people, there was almost no room to stand.

When he saw Jiashan and the other man coming in, Duke Anguo's brows furrowed, and the first thing that appeared on his face was a look of surprise.

Jiashan caught this emotion at the first moment. She looked around at the people around her and saw that Zhang was also slightly stunned. Jiashan couldn't help but understand.

A sneer flashed through her eyes - upon hearing that the old lady was seriously ill, she was afraid that Duke Anguo had never thought of informing Zhan Yue, and the person who went to the palace to find the eunuch would not be sent by Duke Anguo.

If so, who could it be?

First, she suppressed her curiosity. Jiashan's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her long and handsome eyes were slightly raised, looking majestic. Her face was as white as snow, and she smiled casually.

Jiashan's lips twitched: "I heard that the old lady was seriously ill, so I came to visit her with my husband."

"With so many people waiting here, it seems to be real." Jiashan said softly, and she held Zhan Yue's hand tightly, "Come on, I'll go in with you to see grandma."

Duke Anguo did not say anything, but Zhang smiled lightly, her voice a little sharp: "The old lady has always loved the fourth master the most, and always wanted him to get all the good things first. Unfortunately, the fourth master was the last one to arrive. If the old lady knew, I wonder if she would blame herself for loving the wrong person."

Zhan Yue's eyes were cold and sharp, like the chill of spring, as he swept over her coldly. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Jia Shan smiled first.

Her eyes were as cold as ice, and she said calmly, "The prince consort followed me into the palace today to attend the family banquet of the emperor, so he is late. From what I heard from the wife of the prince, it seems that she feels that the emperor gave the banquet at an inappropriate time today, and delayed the prince consort's return home?"

Jiashan was the most eloquent person. Even Zhang and Didu had to admit defeat to him many times, not to mention the poorly eloquent Zhang.

Zhang was stunned for a moment, and quickly refuted: "I, I said this before."

"Since you don't have anything, shut up." Jiashan's mind was still on Old Lady Wen. He had no intention of arguing with Zhang and just scolded her coldly.

The young men of the Duke of Anguo's mansion were all there, but Zhang was humiliated by someone like this, and her face immediately turned ugly. But Jiashan was a princess after all, and the status of the two was very different. Zhang tightened her sleeves and stopped arguing with Jiashan. Instead, she said sarcastically, "After all, he is the consort of the emperor, and he has the princess's support, so he doesn't care about seniority or inferiority."

Jiashan didn't want to bother with her, but Zhang came rushing over to get scolded.

Unable to bear it any longer, she turned her head and looked at Zhang, with a chill like winter snow in her eyes.

Jiashan's eyes were filled with sadness. She tilted her head, revealing a small part of her proud and beautiful swan neck. She said, "Originally, your son could have a princess to support him."

"But maybe it's because he has a gossipy mother like you," Jiashan said lightly. She paused and then said, "So, he lost this opportunity."

After saying this, Jiashan no longer paid attention to Zhang, but took Zhan Yue's hand and went straight to Wen Lao Taijun's inner room.

They walked quickly, so they didn't see Zhang's face which turned ashen with anger after hearing these words, Zhan Shaoying's face which turned pale, and Qi's lips which were bent in disdain but quickly flattened.

Unlike the noisy outer courtyard, the inner room of Lady Wen was very quiet.

The smell of herbs filled the room.

When Jiashan and Zhanyue came in, Mother Sheng was standing by the bed, talking softly with Old Lady Wen. When they heard their footsteps, their conversation suddenly stopped.

Mother Sheng stood up, bowed respectfully to Jiashan, and then quickly moved a chair to the bedside and asked Jiashan to sit down first.

Due to her long-term illness, Old Lady Wen was only wearing a plain undershirt. Facing the dim light, Jiashan discovered that her complexion was indeed not as good as before.

Originally, Wen Lao Taijun was like a sharp sword, even if it was not unsheathed, it could still subdue some evil spirits. Unfortunately, the sword will eventually rust.

Over time, it inevitably loses its sharpness and luster.

The same goes for Old Lady Wen; her decline is something that everyone can see.

This is probably one of the reasons why Zhang is so fearless now?

After being bedridden for a long time, Mrs. Wen's face and body had become noticeably thinner, and even her eyes had unconsciously lost their spirit.

Seeing Zhan Yue, she relaxed her brows and smiled faintly: "Yan Qing is back."

"Yes." Zhan Yue walked quickly to the bed and sat on the seat where Sheng's mother had just sat.

He lowered his head slightly, no longer as majestic as he was outside just now, and his cold and stern attitude had been put down.

Zhan Yue said lightly, "My grandson is unfilial and came back late."

Hearing the old lady's smile, she raised her hand and touched Zhan Yue's head weakly without saying a word.

Mother Sheng, on the other hand, had a gloomy expression. She glanced at the outer room intentionally or unintentionally, and raised her voice as if deliberately asking, "Who dares to say that Fourth Master is unfilial? These days, you have been guarding the old lady's bed every time. Those who say you are unfilial, what have they done? Have they done even half of what Fourth Master did?"

Mother Sheng's words were obviously to tell Zhan Yue that everything Zhang said just now was heard by Old Lady Wen.

Zhan Yue did not take the opportunity to complain. His eyes were calm and deep, like a blue ocean.

He just stared at Old Lady Wen quietly, as if he had understood that the person in front of him would be the one he would see less and less.

At this time, the old lady's face looked pale and weak.

She was silent for a moment, pulled out her wrinkled hand from her sleeve, and gently stroked Zhan Yue's palm. She held on to her body and said quietly, "I have wronged you again."

Zhan Yue held Old Lady Wen's hand tightly, speaking slowly and gently, "If you really feel that your grandson has been wronged, get well soon and support him."

Old Lady Wen smiled noncommittally and said, "You are talking nonsense again."

"Everyone's life has a destiny," said Wen Lao Taijun calmly, without any sadness on her face, "Grandma has lived for nearly seventy years, which is well worth it."

"What's more," she tilted her head and looked at Jiashan who was sitting on the chair with a smile, her face slightly relieved, "Now, you also have someone who can hold hands with you and look at the mountains and rivers together."

The old lady's expression was much gentler, and the corners of her dry lips barely pulled out a curve. She said: "The princess is a good wife."

Jiashan didn't want to disturb the tender moment between the two, but when he heard that the old lady was still looking at him, he could only say, "Grandma, you are flattering."

The old lady Wen used one of her hands to touch Jiashan's hand. She said, "I have been a very influential person in my life."

“But there are still many things I regret.”

"Now that I think about it, what makes me most happy is the union of you two." Old Lady Wen spoke in an unhurried, rarely gentle tone.

She sighed imperceptibly: "What a pity! I originally wanted to see this child born, but now it seems that I won't be able to wait until that day."

Zhan Yue tightly pursed his lips. After hearing this, he held Old Lady Wen's hand tightly, and his eyes finally turned red uncontrollably.

Jiashan also felt unhappy.

Although she and Wen Lao Taijun did not have a great relationship as grandparents, she had always been kind to her since she married Zhan Yue. When she was pregnant, Wen Lao Taijun even visited the princess's mansion in person and brought her many supplements and rare things.

Jiashan could tell that they were all things that Mrs. Wen had collected over the years.

In the Anguo Mansion, Old Lady Wen is the most sober person, but also perhaps the most confused.

Old Lady Wen smiled and asked, "Have you chosen a name?"

Jiashan replied, "When I entered the palace, my father said that he would take it."

"It is an honor for the Zhan family to be given a name by His Majesty." Old Lady Wen stared at Jiashan's belly and said with a frank smile, "If you don't mind, how about I give him a nickname?"

Jiashan said hurriedly: "Of course I don't mind."

"If we follow the genealogy of the Anguo Mansion, his generation should be named Shao and Wang." Old Lady Wen thought seriously, her expression was very peaceful, her eyes were dark, and she seemed to have regained some spirit. She smiled and said, "If it's a boy, he'll be named Shaoxuan, with the character Wang being Xuan. If it's a girl, she'll be named Cao and the character Xuan."

"How is it?" There was a gleam in Old Lady Wen's eyes. She looked at the two of them expectantly, a bit like a child seeking praise.

"Broad and vast is called Zhixuan," Zhan Yue said, "It's a good name."

The old lady smiled, with a warm and loving look on her face: "As long as you like it."

Jiashan quickly followed up, saying, "'Xuan' is a good word, it means Grandmother Lao."

Wen Lao Taijun's expression became more and more kind.

Mother Sheng beside her brought some water to her and waited for Old Lady Wen to drink it. Old Lady Wen seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. After calming down, she held back her smile and said to Zhan Yue, "I have something to say to the princess alone."

"Is it convenient?"

At this time, Zhan Yue would naturally respond to Old Lady Wen's requests.

He stood up without saying a word, but was reluctant to lift his feet. He stood by the bed for a while, his eyes following Old Lady Wen.

Only after Wen Lao Taijun cheered up and said with a smile, "How come you also have such a mother-in-law sometimes?" did Zhan Yue leave silently.

As soon as he left, Old Lady Wen's expression changed.

She covered her mouth and coughed a few times, and then returned to her sickly and old state, as if someone had just forced her to breathe, and now that the breath was out, her body suddenly became like a dried-up embroidery ball, and her cheeks collapsed.

Old Lady Wen slowly leaned back, her whole body resting on the bed. She paused for a moment, then said weakly, "The Anguo Mansion is so lucky to have the princess marry."

Jiashan pursed her lips, knowing that what she was about to say would be completely inappropriate, but after hesitating for a moment, she smiled calmly and said, "Grandma."

Jiashan looked at Old Lady Wen quietly and said seriously, "I am marrying Yanqing, not the Duke of Anguo's Mansion."

"I am willing to marry him because I like him as a person," Jiashan said kindly.