Chapter 111 Yellow Lotus "My surname is Shen, and my given name is Li. We will definitely meet again..."
*
The mimosa tree is now lush with green leaves, and it is once again a time of prosperity.
Shen Linlang stood under the tree, gazing at it for an unknown amount of time. Her spirited face showed joy, emotion, and an indescribable sense of melancholy and longing.
I still remember the day I planted this tree. She and Yu Zhiheng had just gotten married, and they were deeply in love. They would hold hands and embrace under the flowers and the moon, and every day was filled with happiness and joy.
Hehuan, Hehuan, what they longed for was a lifetime of happiness together, a life of love and growing old together.
Today, the mimosa tree still flourishes, but she remains all alone.
Hearing footsteps, she slowly turned around. Seeing Shen Qinglu, she forced a smile, but her question carried a hint of disappointment: "Has he left?"
"He's gone, Second Brother went to see him off." Shen Qinglu stepped forward and took her arm. "Why didn't Mother see him?"
"I just feel uneasy." She brushed a strand of hair from Shen Qinglu's forehead. "When I think about the past few years, it feels like a dream. In the dream, I was blinded and immersed in a false harmony, thinking that my life was all smooth sailing. Only after waking up did I realize that it was all fake."
Thinking of what Xie Shi and Yu Qingxue had done, the evil things Yu Liuzhu had done to her, and the state of Yu Jingxian now, her heart felt like it was on fire.
Even though she still had feelings for Yu Zhiheng, it couldn't overcome the disappointment after her dream was shattered, and no matter how much she thought about it, she still didn't want to see him.
"Fortunately, I still have you and Erlang, otherwise I would be too upset."
While the mother and daughter were talking, Yu Jingliang returned with someone.
Fortunately, Shen Qinglu had given him a heads-up beforehand, so he wasn't too surprised to lose his composure when he heard the news of the arranged marriage. Now, seeing Shen Qinglu, all he could say was congratulations and his overflowing joy.
Seeing that he wasn't surprised at all, Shen Linlang became more attentive. "I'm still in a daze when Ali was suddenly betrothed to His Highness Prince Chen. I didn't expect you to be so calm. It seems you've really grown up and become much more sensible."
“I…” He had rarely been praised by Shen Linlang since he was a child, so he was a little uncomfortable. He scratched his head and chuckled, “I’m just too happy. I only thought that in this way I would become Ah Lin and Ah Ying’s elder. I haven’t thought about anything else yet.”
His explanation is reasonable.
Shen Linlang thought to herself, "So that's how it is." She wasn't too disappointed, and advised, "Commander Cheng is a princess now. You must not act as rudely or disrespectfully in front of her as before."
"Mother, I've got it." He replied, winking at Shen Qinglu.
Shen Qinglu smiled, as if in response to him.
Right under their mother's nose, the brother and sister were exchanging veiled threats and subtle accusations.
Shen Linlang was already lost in thought, completely unaware of what was happening.
"His Majesty's decision to bestow this marriage must have been made after much consideration. Firstly, His Highness Prince Chen is close to our Shen family. Secondly, our Shen family has troops at our disposal, and we not only have a good relationship with the Mu family, but also have in-laws like the Gu family."
At this point, she looked at Shen Qinglu with affection, "His Highness Prince Chen did not object, presumably because he has met you and has a good impression of you."
Shen Qinglu showed no shyness like an unmarried daughter discussing her marriage; instead, she remained calm, her thoughts entirely focused on matters beyond marriage.
With some people now out in the world, many things are on the table, and there's bound to be some turmoil in the capital. Although Prince Xin has been staying indoors lately, seemingly avoiding the limelight, he probably isn't really doing nothing behind the scenes.
Now, the Shen family is undoubtedly a member of Prince Chen's faction, clearly standing on the opposite side of Prince Xin's mansion. If Prince Xin really wants to take action, he certainly won't confront them directly at first, but will most likely take action from the side, and the most likely target will be the Shen family.
"Mother, the imperial decree for the marriage has been issued. Regardless of the reason, we should think about what to do next."
Shen Linlang misunderstood the meaning behind her words, but was also reminded of the situation. She hurriedly led Granny Yu to her storeroom to check the items in preparation for her dowry.
Seeing this, Yu Jingliang was both amused and exasperated. "Mother is too hasty. It's like she's in a rush to marry you off. The imperial decree has only just been issued, and the wedding date hasn't been set yet. Who knows when the wedding will take place..."
He suddenly exclaimed "Eh?" and looked at Shen Qinglu, lowering his voice, "Ali, has His Highness told you roughly when you two will get married?"
Shen Qinglu shook her head, looking in the direction of Changming Palace, a strange light flickering in her dark eyes. "It's good to prepare early."
They only agreed on the matter last night, and the imperial decree to grant them marriage arrived today. It's clear how anxious that person is, and the wedding day is certainly not far off.
Just as expected!
The next day, the palace's rewards, Mu Hanshi's betrothal gifts, and the Ministry of Rites' wedding ceremonies were all delivered.
The wedding date was set for five days from now, which was the nearest auspicious day for marriage.
In no time, not only the Shen family, but also the General's Mansion was busy. Gu Ruxu sent people to deliver a lot of things and also prepared a dowry with Shen Linlang.
Besides preparing a dowry, there's also the selection of people to accompany the bride.
When Shen Linlang and Shen Qinglu were discussing it, they suddenly thought of Mei Xiaomei.
Mei Xiaomei stayed at the Shen residence for so long, using the excuse that she had forgotten where her home was after being hit by a car. But ever since the Yu Liuzhu incident, Shen Linlang knew there was more to the story.
She didn't know what kind of relationship Shen Qinglu and Mei Xiaomei had, but she secretly thought that it would be all beneficial if her daughter had a highly skilled doctor by her side.
Shen Qinglu barely hesitated before saying that now that Yu Liuzhu's matter was settled, Yu Jingxian could just be kept in custody, and it was time to let Mei Xiaomei go home.
When Shen Linlang heard that Mei Xiaomei had an older brother and was from a respectable family, she didn't say anything more. She instructed Granny Yu to prepare many gifts as a way of thanking Mei Xiaomei.
Mei Xiaomei followed Shen Qinglu's instructions and immediately packed her things.
Shen Qinglu had Ma Er hitch up a carriage and personally escorted her home.
Ma Er drove the carriage with a beaming smile on his face. The reason was simple: he had been doing things for Shen Qinglu these past few days, and Shen Qinglu had recommended him to Shen Linlang, making him one of the candidates for the dowry.
The carriage drove into the horse market and turned into the alley behind the market. When it passed behind Huang's cloth shop, it saw someone faint by the roadside from a distance. When it got closer, Ma Er recognized the person and quickly turned around to report to his master through the curtain.
"Young lady, someone has fainted. It's Miss Huang."
Shen Qinglu lifted the curtain and immediately saw Huang Shi lying on the ground. She quickly asked Xia Chan and Mei Xiaomei to help her up.
Mei Xiaomei took Huang's pulse and then pinched her philtrum until she woke up.
Huang's eyes were somewhat unfocused, and she was clearly still a little confused. "What's wrong with me?"
“You fainted,” Shen Qinglu replied.
She recognized Shen Qinglu and was extremely grateful. "It was you who saved me again, Miss. I really don't know how to thank you enough. If you don't mind, please come in and have some tea."
The backyard was just like the one I saw last time. The two Podocarpus macrophyllus trees on the left and right were still lush and green, and the flowers, plants, birds and fish in the corner were still there. The birds were chirping and the fish were swimming back and forth in the tank.
Things have changed, but people are no longer the same, which inevitably makes some people sigh.
While brewing tea for them, Huang explained that she had servants around her, but they were all helping out at the cloth shop.
The aroma of tea is fragrant and pleasant.
After tasting it, Shen Qinglu praised it as excellent tea.
Huang was delighted and said that since she liked it, she should take some back with her. She naturally declined repeatedly, but Huang insisted on giving it to her. When she got up to pack the tea, she must have felt dizzy and her body swayed. She then used her hands to support herself on the table.
Xia Chan acted quickly and caught her.
“Miss Huang, you’re still feeling weak. Would you like to have a doctor take a look at you?” Shen Qinglu said.
Madam Huang shook her head and looked at Mei Xiaomei beside her. "The young lady beside you must be skilled in medicine. She examined me just now and knows that my blood and qi are severely depleted. It will take three to five years of proper recuperation for me to recover."
Shen Qinglu subconsciously looked at Mei Xiaomei, who nodded slightly.
She asked Mei Xiaomei, "Is there any way to help Miss Huang recover her health?"
Mei Xiaomei did not answer, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Huang gave a bitter smile. "I appreciate your kindness, young lady. This young lady is reluctant to speak, probably out of consideration for my reputation and unwilling to expose my shortcomings. There are no taboos in front of doctors, and I have nothing to hide. My body has been weak since childhood due to lack of food and clothing. In addition, I lost too much blood during the miscarriage, which damaged my womanhood. I am too severely depleted and will find it difficult to conceive again in this life."
She wore her hair in a girlish style, suggesting she had never been married. Her unusually pale complexion was not only due to a lack of sunlight but also to insufficient blood and energy.
When she spoke of her miscarriage, there was no shame or pain in her expression. Her tone was casual yet slightly detached, as if it were not a miscarriage that resulted in the loss of a child, but rather a common cold.
But for no apparent reason, Shen Qinglu sensed the sorrow in his voice.
"Having children is up to fate; as long as one is alive, that's enough."
"Don't you think I'm indecent, young lady?"
“I don’t know what Miss Huang has been through, but I can tell that you must have suffered a lot.” At this point, Shen Qinglu’s tone turned somber. “For many people in the world, just surviving is a struggle, so how can they care about anything else?”
Like my past self, I was only focused on surviving and never did things that I should have done at my age, such as making friends or dating.
"Judging from your words, young lady, you don't seem to mind me. Many people think that someone like me is too ashamed to live in this world and would be better off dead." Huang's face grew increasingly bitter, but a glimmer of light appeared in her eyes.
This person has an extremely strong will to survive, which is somewhat similar to my own.
Thinking this to herself, Shen Qinglu felt a sense of shared fate. "How could I despise you? You probably don't know that I was mentally impaired for many years and was ambushed and barely escaped death. Even after I recovered, I didn't dare to show it at first. To save my life, I had to continue pretending to be mentally impaired. You can probably guess some of the bitterness and struggle I went through. I don't care what others think of me, I just want to live!"
Huang looked at her, her eyes shining even more intensely.
She looked directly at him, neither dodging nor avoiding his gaze.
A sudden silence fell, broken only by the aroma of tea filling the room.
After a long pause, Madam Huang slowly spoke, “I was born into a large family, one of the most powerful and prosperous in the world. My father had many brothers, but he was neither the eldest nor a legitimate son. Yet he was determined to become the head of the family. To this end, he did not hesitate to rebel against his superiors. After his plan failed, he took his own life, and my mother, my aunt, my half-brothers and sisters, and I were expelled from the family.”
Although we were expelled from the clan, we were not freed and were strictly guarded by men sent by the head of the family. Those who guarded us were instructed by others to secretly harm us. My mother, aunts, brothers, and sisters died one after another, leaving only me.
To survive and improve my life, I had an affair with the guard and became pregnant. The child couldn't be kept, so I secretly had an abortion, nearly losing my life in the process. Fortunately, the new head of the household, upon learning the news, was furious that someone had betrayed me, but also pitied my destitute situation and gave me this shop, so I would have a place to live from now on.
A woman who cannot reproduce, even if she shares the same blood as her people, poses no threat to anyone's position. Perhaps the reason she survived was precisely because of her desperate, all-or-nothing gamble.
Such decisiveness was something Shen Qinglu admired.
"I never imagined you'd have had such a difficult life, even more so than me. It's truly admirable that you survived. This courtyard is nice; it's a quiet oasis amidst the hustle and bustle, which should be perfect for your recuperation."
"You actually admire me?" Madam Huang was very surprised. "When ordinary people hear about my story, they either feel sorry for me or look down on me. No one has ever expressed it like you, young lady."
"Perhaps our circumstances are different, but we have both suffered for many years and both just want to live. The beauty of this world, the spring blossoms and autumn harvests of all things, can only be seen by the living. They are relevant to us when we are alive; if we die, they will all be gone."
“You’re right, young lady. Only by living can this world be relevant to us.” Madam Huang let out a long sigh, as if she were expelling all the filth of her past life. “Hearing your words today, young lady, has truly been very comforting.”
She gestured for Xia Chan not to support her, then took a tin of tea and filled it halfway for Shen Qinglu.
Shen Qinglu did not refuse and accepted the gift.
As she was leaving, she saw her off at the gate of the courtyard. After Shen Qinglu got into the carriage, she seemed to be talking to herself, "My name is Lian. I hope I can see you again in the future."
"My surname is Shen, and my given name is Li. We will definitely meet again."
Shen Qinglu waved to her until the carriage turned a corner and she could no longer see her, then she lowered the curtain.
Xia Chan sighed, "What a tragic fate this Huang girl has! Her name is Huanglian (meaning 'coplasma'), she must have suffered so much."
Before she was sold into servitude, thanks to her parents' protection, she hadn't suffered much hardship despite being an ordinary citizen. After entering the Shen family mansion, because Madam Xie wasn't a mistress who mistreated her servants, and she was a head maid, her food, clothing, and daily necessities were almost no different from those of a young lady from an ordinary family, let alone experiencing any hardship.
For her, Huanglian's experience was an extraordinary tragedy.
“There are so many people suffering in this world, and many of them die from their suffering. It’s very lucky that someone like Huang Lian was able to turn her suffering into happiness,” Mei Xiaomei sighed softly.
The reason she held a different view was because her fate was not as good as Xia Chan's. Over the years, she and Mei Wu and her brother had depended on each other for survival. Although things seemed relatively stable for now, they must have suffered a lot in their early years.
As Shen Qinglu listened to their conversation, she slowly lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the half-eaten can of tea.
This tea is called Mengshan Shihua, a tribute tea from the palace. She had drunk it at the General's Mansion before and learned about its origin from Gu Ruxu. The tea at the General's Mansion came from His Majesty's bestowal.
She reviewed everything that had just happened, her eyes filled with darkness.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com