The Sage suddenly summoned him for a lecture. Fearing his wife, Cui Shi, would learn of his potential demotion and worry, he specifically asked Zhan Yun to relay a message to Gongsun Xian Sheng. Gongsun Xian Sheng was a man of steady conduct and would surely put his wife at ease.
However, despite all his calculations, he ended up causing her premature labor.
"Before Gongsun Xian Sheng arrived, the Old Madam sent a young maid to shriek that the Duke was involved in treason. Madam was suddenly startled, and she had to stabilize the inner family members, which led to this..."
As Qin Momo explained, Yu Ze Yan understood what had happened with the Old Madam and felt even more guilty.
He sat beside Cui Shi, holding her hand with one and cradling the newborn Sixth Young Master with the other.
Qin Momo directed several maids to tidy the room and scrub the floor clean. The recent rain had made it damp, and fearing Cui Shi would feel cold, she brought in a charcoal brazier.
Once everything was cleaned, Qin Momo had Rong Momo bring Yu Ming Yue in.
With the Duke and the young lady accompanying Madam, perhaps Madam would recover faster.
The room was extremely quiet. In the afternoon, a light rain began to fall outside. The innocent young master lay in the cradle beside his mother, sleeping soundly, completely unaware of how difficult it had been for him to enter this world.
It wasn't until dusk that Cui Shi slowly regained consciousness. The usually healthy and plump beauty seemed to have had all her vitality drained away, appearing terribly gaunt.
"Mother!"
"Man Man,"
Yu Ming Yue leaned by Cui Shi's bedside, resting her head on Cui Shi's pillow, her face touching her mother's.
"Good girl, Mother is fine."
Yu Ming Yue held back her tears and nodded. Yu Ze Yan, holding Cui Shi's hand, couldn't help but his eyes reddened.
During Cui Shi's unconsciousness, he had already investigated everything.
He had previously thought his mother merely had a personality clash with Cui Shi, but he never imagined she would resort to such despicable means, cruelly intending to take her life.
He didn't know how long it would be before he could return to the capital. If he left his mother in the Duke's mansion, he feared there would be no peace within the household.
He decided. His journey to Ji Zhou would pass by the Yu family's ancestral home. It was perfect to escort his mother back along the way, allowing her to enjoy her twilight years in her hometown.
"Duke," Cui Shi's lips trembled, but she lacked the strength to say more.
"I know, I'm fine. Focus on recovering your health first," Yu Ze Yan squeezed his wife's hand.
Cui Shi nodded. Her spirit was clearly weak, and after speaking only a few words, she fell asleep again.
Nan Xing had instructed that Cui Shi could not eat anything yet, so she used a cotton swab dipped in water to moisten her lips slightly.
Yu Liu Lang had been exceptionally well-behaved since birth. The wet nurse gave him water twice before feeding him milk. The little fellow ate his fill and then slept, not causing any fuss at all.
Yu Ming Yue also wanted to stay by Cui Shi's side, but being young and lacking energy, Yu Ze Yan had someone escort her back.
"Miss, my brother is back," Chi Hua finally dared to report.
Li Fu had actually returned in the afternoon, but at that time, Madam was unconscious, and the atmosphere in Qing Feng Yuan was somber. She naturally didn't dare to disturb Miss with such a minor matter.
"Where is your brother now?" Yu Ming Yue asked.
"He's waiting in the outer courtyard." Her brother feared being summoned by Miss and dared not go far.
"Let him in." Yu Ming Yue's eyes held a complex mixture of emotions.
"Your servant greets Miss. I have not failed my mission; I have succeeded."
Although Yu Si Ye was a Tong Pan in Yuzhou, he was extremely arrogant and disrespectful to his superiors. Yuzhou's water conservancy and grain transportation were in disarray, and the common people complained bitterly.
The local officials turned a blind eye to his actions, and Fourth Master often acted as if he were the family of the Seventh Prince's Consort, committing many acts of oppressing the people.
On his way back, Li Fu had already heard about Miss's broken engagement with the Seventh Prince. As he spoke of the latter part, his voice grew softer and softer.