Chapter 255: Chapter 237: How About Taking You to Meet the Former Eldest Princess? (3 Updates)
Lu Xingzhou gave a light hum, not saying much, but she could feel it, he was very pleased, pleased with the arrival of this child.
——
On the day Lu Yanqing was exiled, Lu Xingzhou and his wife waited outside the city gates to bid him farewell.
Seeing their son in shackles, Fanghua’s heart suddenly felt choked.
From a distance, Lu Yanqing saw his parents and suddenly stopped in his tracks, tightly pressing his lips together, his throat tight with pain.
Fanghua couldn’t wait for him to come over, directly going to meet him, reaching out to touch his thin and haggard face, "Yanqing, have you not been eating or sleeping well these past few days?"
Lu Yanqing shook his head, "I’m no longer having nightmares, I can sleep a bit more at night."
Seeing he was unwilling to look at her directly, Fanghua thought he might be carrying too much psychological burden, and didn’t force him, only advising, "When you get there, work hard. I’ve already spoken to your uncle; unless you make a mistake, people there won’t abuse you. As long as you endure, in thirty years, our family can reunite."
Lu Yanqing was silent for a while, then suddenly opened his mouth, "Mother, let me ask you a question, please answer me honestly."
"What question, just ask."
It was already the last meeting, so Fanghua had no reason not to agree.
Lu Yanqing glanced at Lu Xingzhou, who was negotiating with the government officer not far away, then turned his gaze to Fanghua, "Is what my aunt said that day true, am I not his biological son?"
Fanghua was taken aback, "Why did you think of asking this?"
"Just answer me, yes or no?"
Fanghua originally didn’t want to tell the truth, but facing her son’s eyes, she eventually compromised, "That’s right, he is not your biological father."
As she spoke, Fanghua looked at Lu Yanqing’s expression, afraid that he couldn’t bear it and would break down, she quickly added, "But he has always treated you as his own son."
"Indeed!" Lu Yanqing’s reaction was unexpected, he didn’t fly into a rage as before or shout loudly. His hands, confined in handcuffs, twisted uneasily, his tone filled with endless guilt and regret, "Obviously, I’m not his biological child, yet he willingly accompanied mother to leave the clan and return to Ningzhou to guard the miners’ souls for life because of me. Such paternal love is too deep and heavy, I fear I may never repay it in this life."
Fanghua softly said, "Everything he did for you was willing, never expecting any return. If there was anything, it was the hope that you could endure until the end. We will be waiting for you in Ningzhou."
Lu Yanqing lowered his eyelashes, "I committed an unforgivable crime, I’m ashamed to face my parents. Before leaving, I can only pray to the heavens that my parents will remain healthy and safe waiting for me to return. At that time, I will make up for all the filial piety I failed to fulfill in previous years."
Fanghua smiled through her tears, "Good child, mother believes you can surely do it."
Lu Yanqing said, "I won’t see father, but I hope mother can convey what I just said."
Saying this, he directly turned around, and as he walked, the chains on his ankles made a clattering metallic sound, exuding an indescribable sense of desolation.
Fanghua watched his gradually disappearing back, finally letting the tears she had been holding back fall.
Lu Xingzhou had been negotiating with the government officer responsible for escorting Lu Yanqing out of the city, aiming to ensure he wouldn’t be mistreated along the way.
When he turned back, he found that Lu Yanqing had already been escorted far away by another officer.
Lu Xingzhou guessed something, walked to Fanghua’s side, and looked at the solitary and cold figure, but spoke to Fanghua, "Does he not want to see me?"
"It’s not that he doesn’t want to, it’s that he’s too ashamed to face you." Fanghua said, "Just now he asked me if he’s your biological child, and I told him the truth."
Lu Xingzhou looked sideways at her.
Fanghua relayed everything Lu Yanqing said to Lu Xingzhou without missing a word.
Hearing this, Lu Xingzhou was silent for a moment, then said, "After this incident, it seems he has truly grown up, I hope in thirty years, he’ll return safely."
——
After sending off Lu Yanqing, the couple planned to return to the Princess Mansion to pack their belongings and then set off for Ningzhou.
As they walked back inside the city gates, they saw Song Wei standing not far away.
Upon seeing them, he came forward and called out, "Father-in-law, Mother-in-law."
"Third Son, when did you arrive?" Fanghua asked.
"I’ve been here for a while now." Song Wei replied, "I originally planned to see Yanqing off, but he doesn’t know my identity, and we’ve had some conflicts before, so it wasn’t appropriate to appear directly. I didn’t want to upset him before he left, so I didn’t get too close to you."
He asked again, "I saw him leaving very calmly. Is it because he reflected a lot on this matter?"
Fanghua nodded, "This case thoroughly awakened Yanqing, he repented a lot and also grew significantly."
Song Wei felt comforted, "In this case, thirty years of exile may not be a bad opportunity for him to be tempered."
With everyone gone, Fanghua felt stifled inside and didn’t want to discuss Yanqing anymore, so she tactfully changed the topic, "Third Son, how is Wanwan lately?"
"She is doing well." Song Wei replied.
"Could you arrange for us to meet once?" Lu Xingzhou suddenly spoke.
About to leave, if there was anything in the Capital he couldn’t let go of, it was this daughter who had never called him father.
Song Wei understood his father-in-law’s desire to see his daughter and nodded, "Arranging a meeting isn’t difficult, but I hope Father-in-law and Mother-in-law won’t suddenly reveal your identities to her then."
"Rest assured, we didn’t intend to reveal ourselves to Wanwan anyway, we just wanted to see her one last time before leaving."
Song Wei nodded, looking at Fanghua, "It will still be at the teahouse from last time. Father-in-law and Mother-in-law can go inside first to rest for a bit. I will bring Wanwan and Jinbao over soon."
"Alright."
——
Song Wei returned home, and today Wen Wan was on leave, practicing her calligraphy in the study.
Seeing him come in, Wen Wan smiled and waved him over, "Husband, come quickly and see if what I wrote today is good."
Song Wei walked to the writing desk, his gaze fixed on the delicate small script she wrote, and he smiled, "It’s slightly better than yesterday."
"How much is a slight improvement?" Wen Wan asked, raising her head, implying she wouldn’t stop until he gave an answer.
Song Wei smiled wryly, taking the brush from her hand, "Do you remember I told you that you look a lot like that Princess?"
"Of course, I remember." Wen Wan nodded eagerly, "That’s Lu Yanqing’s biological mother!"
"They’re leaving the Capital for Ningzhou today. I’ll take you to meet her, how about it?"
Wen Wan blinked, "Can we meet her?"
Song Wei gave her an assuring look, "As long as you want to go, you can meet her."
Wen Wan had absolute trust in her husband. Hearing that she could meet, she didn’t think much and nodded directly, "Okay, I’ll go see her."