Shangguan Ke looked at the iron cage in front of him with a sense of speechlessness. Was this his real father? He felt more like an enemy.
What kind of biological father would lock his son in an iron cage like an animal?
He felt that he had arrived at the wrong time. If he had come a little earlier, he wouldn't be in such a passive situation. When he arrived, the original owner had already been locked up. Recalling his life, it was filled with humiliation and anger.
Back then, when Old Master Shangguan reached marriageable age, Old Madam Shangguan wanted to arrange a suitable marriage for him. The candidates she provided were all rejected by Old Master Shangguan, who privately arranged a marriage for him.
Old Madam Shangguan was somewhat upset, feeling that her husband did not respect her opinion. She dared not voice her displeasure, so she vented all her anger on the soon-to-be Mrs. Shangguan.
Poor Mrs. Shangguan knew nothing of this. She happily prepared her dowry, envisioning their future life. When she arrived at the Shangguan residence and the veil was lifted, her face flushed with shyness. The man was even stronger and more handsome than she had imagined. At that moment, Old Master Shangguan's expression turned somewhat grim. She thought they were unfamiliar with each other and he was not good with words. She believed that as long as she lived well with him, she could warm even an iceberg.
Ideals are full, reality is bony. From beginning to end, they treated each other with polite distance, without any extra words. Mrs. Shangguan assumed this was his personality and didn't dwell on it.
A month later, the Emperor issued an imperial decree, ordering him to guard the border. Before his departure, Old Madam Shangguan, under the guise of filial piety, kept Mrs. Shangguan behind.
At that time, Mrs. Shangguan wanted to accompany Old Master Shangguan. After all, she had just arrived at this home and felt a bit flustered seeing so many strangers. The couple had only been married for a short time, and living together in a small border town would help them foster their relationship.
So, she looked at Old Master Shangguan with a pleading gaze. Old Master Shangguan acted as if he hadn't seen it and calmly said, "Everything will be according to Mother's arrangements."
Mrs. Shangguan suppressed her tears. At that moment, she felt exceptionally wronged. In her heart, her husband was more important than anyone else, but clearly, he didn't think the same way. She had tried her best to be a good wife for the past month, wanting to be his capable helper, but he didn't appreciate it.
She could only watch him, clad in armor, leading a large contingent of troops, majestically exiting the gates of the capital.
Originally, she planned to dutifully serve the elders, manage the household affairs, wait for her husband's return, and then have a child to solidify her position in the mansion.
Unexpectedly, the next day, when she went to pay her respects to the old madam as usual, the usually kind old madam seemed like a different person. She made her stand in the cold wind for an hour. Mrs. Shangguan felt her bones were about to freeze and couldn't understand what was wrong with her mother-in-law today.
She wanted to leave, but seeing the servants watching her with covetous eyes nearby, her feet felt like lead, unable to move.
Finally, she received the old madam's summons and breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as she entered, she felt the welcoming warmth, which made her feel much more comfortable.
She walked forward slowly as usual and asked with concern, "Mother, what's wrong today? Are you not feeling well?"
"What? You're impatient just because I made you stand outside for a while? And you're cursing me?" The old madam slammed the table hard and looked at her sternly, shouting.
Mrs. Shangguan quickly stood up, her voice trembling, "I was just concerned about Mother's health."
Old Madam Shangguan's gaze scanned her up and down sharply, then she said nonchalantly, "I don't think you'd dare. My son keeping you in the capital is to be filial to me. From tomorrow onwards, you will come to pay your respects every morning and serve me my meals."
Mrs. Shangguan quickly nodded. She had learned how to serve elders their meals at her maiden home, so it wasn't a difficult task for her.
In fact, during the first meal, she had already noticed the old madam's eating habits. Thus, she ate quietly. Seeing that she was quite sensible, the old madam didn't taunt her further.
By the time Mrs. Shangguan was allowed to eat, the food had long gone cold, and some dishes even had a layer of oil congealed on top. It was not only unappetizing but even nauseating to look at.
Returning to her courtyard, Mrs. Shangguan felt almost exhausted. She lay on the bed and cried secretly, unable to understand what she had done wrong. Why was her husband so heartless as to abandon her here alone? The thought of facing such days every day filled her with dread.
This kind of life continued for about two months. When Mrs. Shangguan finished serving Old Madam Shangguan and was about to eat the leftovers, she spat out a mouthful of cold soup onto the floor.
Old Madam Shangguan's eyes widened, and she looked at her in disbelief, "What do you mean? Are you disgusted because it's my leftovers?"
Mrs. Shangguan wanted to defend herself, but before she could speak, she quickly covered her mouth and rushed to the nearby spittoon, vomiting uncontrollably.
Just as Old Madam Shangguan was about to scold her, the wet nurse beside her quickly approached and whispered a few words in her ear. Old Madam Shangguan's expression changed visibly at an alarming rate, and she immediately ordered someone to fetch a doctor.
Mrs. Shangguan was puzzled. She had expected a scolding, but instead, the other party brushed it off lightly. She wondered what scheme was brewing, and a headache began to form.
When she first arrived at the Shangguan residence, she thought Old Madam Shangguan was easy to get along with and intended to treat her like her own mother. But as soon as Old Master Shangguan left, she revealed her true colors. Mrs. Shangguan still didn't know what she had done to offend her.
Soon, the doctor arrived. He gestured for the bewildered Mrs. Shangguan to extend her hand. After taking her pulse for a while, he looked at Old Madam Shangguan with a delighted expression, "Congratulations, Old Madam, congratulations! The Shangguan family will have an heir."
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Shangguan immediately stood up, brimming with excitement, "Really?"
Seeing the doctor nod affirmatively, Old Madam Shangguan happily commanded, "Reward him, quick!"
The two of them, as if no one else were present, discussed her pregnancy and the precautions she needed to take. Old Madam Shangguan listened attentively; this was the first grandson of their Shangguan family, and he had to be treated well.
Mrs. Shangguan, shocked, covered her belly. No wonder she had been feeling unwell in her stomach lately; she hadn't realized a little life was growing inside her without her knowledge.
From then on, her treatment improved significantly. To ensure she gave birth to a healthy and intelligent grandson, Old Madam Shangguan stopped mistreating her. She allowed her to wake up naturally every morning, and good things were sent to her courtyard like flowing water.
Soon, after ten months of pregnancy, Shangguan Ke was born. As soon as the child landed, Old Madam Shangguan took the grandson to her own courtyard to raise him personally, while Mrs. Shangguan could only catch a glimpse of him from afar each day.
Her life became increasingly suffocating. If her maiden family had been more supportive, perhaps her situation would have been better. Unfortunately, her father had passed away from illness at a young age, and her family's fortune had declined. She constantly longed for her husband's swift return, so that mother and son could be reunited, and the old madam would have no reason to keep her son any longer.