She glanced at Madam Wen, who nodded. Only then did Aunt Wen of the Wen family stop being polite, and said with a cheerful laugh.
"Alright, we'll do as the young servant said."
The address "young servant" made them feel much closer. The Wen family of three sat in Yunhai Courtyard for a while before being led by a servant to Yanlexuan.
This place had been arranged by Madam Wen in advance, and it was very similar to the furnishings in her home when she was in Shuzhou. Especially the incense burner on the bright window table, it was made in Shuzhou and was Aunt Wen's favorite scent.
The moment she entered and smelled that scent, the bumps and hardships of the journey vanished.
"You truly know your mother's heart. I haven't smelled this scent all the way, and it's made me miss it terribly. I don't know why, but smelling it makes me feel as comfortable as being home."
"Mother..."
Madam Wen's eyes welled up with tears as she called out. If her belly weren't so big, she would have immediately thrown herself into Aunt Wen's embrace to relieve her longing.
"Yunniang..."
She hadn't heard this childhood nickname since entering the capital.
In the past, her mother always called her Yunniang, Yunniang. But now she was addressed as "young madam" or "sister-in-law."
This single call made her feel as if she had returned to her childhood, to the days when she could hide in her mother's arms and act spoiled.
Zhu Jin, standing beside her, also wiped away tears. "It's good that Madam is here. Young Madam has missed you all terribly. If it weren't for the baby, she would have cried herself into a puddle."
Hearing this, Aunt Wen quickly patted her back to calm her down and said kindly.
"Don't get too excited, be careful not to disturb the fetus. Your belly looks quite big, so the baby must be large too. You'll likely have a difficult time during childbirth."
After speaking, she gently placed her hand on Madam Wen's belly. Perhaps sensing the familial affection, the baby inside suddenly kicked. Madam Wen felt a sharp pain, but her mood was exceptionally good.
"Mother, look, she recognizes you."
"Yes, my little darling grandchild. When you are born, Grandmother will bring all the prepared gifts for you to play with to your heart's content."
Madam Wen found it strange. What could a tiny infant play with?
Aunt Wen smiled. "You don't know, Shuzhou has developed so well these past few years, with merchants flocking there. So, there are all sorts of novel and ingenious toys. I've also brought some special mechanical toys for the children. When he's older, he'll be able to play with them."
She then pointed to a large wooden chest. Madam Wen couldn't help but laugh and cry. She had thought it contained their clothes and luggage, but she never expected them to bring so many things for their grandchildren.
They truly had them in their hearts at all times.
Thinking of this, Madam Wen had something she wanted to discuss with Aunt Wen privately. So, she asked Zhu Jin to take her younger siblings to her own rooms to see if anything was missing. Brother Hui bowed respectfully before leaving. However, Sister Meng was more lively and eagerly rushed out the door.
Aunt Wen knew she wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk, so she said to the mammy beside her.
"Mammy Ge, you go and tidy up the courtyard. We'll be staying here for some time. Once it's all sorted, it will be more comfortable to live in."
Mammy Ge received the order, knowing that mother and daughter wanted to talk. She smiled kindly and led the other maids out. Before leaving, she closed the door and stood guard near the entrance.
This way, she wouldn't overhear the mistress's conversation, and she could also arrange for the servants to start unpacking their luggage. Everything was orderly.
"Yunniang, what do you want to say?"
Madam Wen hesitated, which made Aunt Wen anxious. "Just say whatever you want to say, don't be afraid."
Hearing her mother's encouragement, Madam Wen finally told Aunt Wen about Concubine Linlang and her experiences in the Feng family over the years.
Before, when her mother wasn't around, she could hide many things. But now that she was here, she couldn't keep them secret.
Rather than have her hear about it from others, Madam Wen preferred to tell her herself.
After listening, Aunt Wen fell silent for a long time. When she looked at Madam Wen again, her heart was filled with pain and guilt.
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have agreed to this marriage back then. Sending you so far away. If you weren't so resilient and hadn't been protected by that third young lady, I might not even be seeing you now."
As she spoke, she began to cry, her voice not loud, but filled with deep sorrow.
"Mother... don't worry. Daughter can speak of it calmly now, which means it's in the past. Your son-in-law treats me very well now, and he treats Yunhe the same. He even brought you from Shuzhou to look after me during childbirth. He's also trying to atone for his mistakes."
"Hmph, atone for his mistakes? Did he say that himself? My good daughter was almost driven to death by the women in his household. My good grandson was suppressed by others, unable to hold his head up. His transgressions are immense. You can forgive him because your heart is with him, but I cannot. If I had known you were living such a life, I would have made you divorce him, even if it meant sacrificing our Wen family's reputation!"
"Mother..."
"Mother-in-law..."
Before Madam Wen could say anything, she heard Feng Jinxu's voice from outside.
There was no need to guess; he had returned early today. He probably received a message from his family, which was why he came so quickly.
"Good, good. We were just talking about him, and he shows up. I'd like to see if he thinks our Wen family has no one. How dare he bully you like this!"
As she spoke, her tone shifted from sorrow to fierce protectiveness. Staring at Feng Jinxu, who strode in, anyone could see the displeasure in her eyes.
Madam Wen looked at Feng Jinxu with some concern, feeling that she shouldn't have listened to her husband and told her mother these things so early.
Her mother's opinion of him was now very high, and she didn't know if he could handle it.
Feng Jinxu looked at Madam Wen for a moment. Seeing her nod, he understood.
He then performed a respectful kowtow to his mother-in-law and did not get up.
Madam Wen felt a pang of sympathy and wanted to help him up, but her mother stopped her.
She said to Madam Wen, "Sit properly and don't interrupt."
Her mother had never been a stern person. This expression today was something Madam Wen had never seen before, so she was momentarily stunned.
Feng Jinxu, however, remained calm, as if he had been prepared for this.
"Mother-in-law, your son-in-law deeply understands that all past events are my fault. I doted on my concubines and neglected my wife, I mistreated my legitimate son, and I allowed my concubines to act as they pleased in the inner courtyard. This almost harmed them, mother and son. All past transgressions have been committed. Your son-in-law does not seek to defend himself. If Mother-in-law cannot quell her anger and wishes to hit or scold me, please do so. Your son-in-law will bear it all."
"Oh, to hit and scold an official of the imperial court, this old woman may not have the ability. However, Feng Jinxu, let me ask you, what promises did you make when you came to propose? You said you admired Yunniang and would never regret it, which is why I reluctantly agreed to let her marry so far away. But how have you treated her? If it weren't for the third young lady, perhaps all I would see today is her grave!"