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Chapter 522 An adopted son is, after all, an adopted son.

Three days later, carriages and horses were all prepared in front of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, forming a grand procession.

The autumn sky was exceptionally high and clear, and the golden sunlight spilled into the courtyard, casting a warm glow on the bluestone path.

Amidst the laughter and cheers, the most excited of all was little Qingchen, who had just learned to walk.

She was dressed in a festive red jacket, looking like a chubby little lucky doll. Supported by her wet nurse and maid on either side, she wobbled around the courtyard on her short legs.

With each step she took, she burst into laughter, her clear, crisp sound like silver bells.

Meanwhile, Xuan-ge'er was having a blast.

He had already changed into a neat riding and archery outfit, and although he was young, he looked quite dashing in it.

He was like a free-spirited colt, chasing a fluttering leaf around in the spacious courtyard.

He was shouting and yelling as if he were already a young general galloping across the battlefield.

"Brother Xuan, slow down, be careful not to fall!" Chu Ruohan stood under the eaves, smiling as she gave him a word of advice.

"I know, Mother!" Xuan-ge'er replied from afar, but his feet didn't stop at all, as happy as a bird that was about to take flight.

The entire courtyard was filled with vibrant life and the joyful laughter of children.

Only one person stood quietly under the shade of the trees by the colonnade, completely out of place in the bustling scene.

Meizi lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the excited Xuan-ge'er not far away, her expression inscrutable.

Wang Shuo's vicious words at the Gu family banquet, "a bastard with no father or mother," were like a poisoned thorn, piercing her heart.

For the past two days, I've been experiencing constant pain.

She could never forget the tearful eyes in Aunt Li's eyes when she entrusted the young master to her.

That was the instruction, "Meizi, I can't count on you for the rest of my life, you must watch him grow up carefully."

She once thought that once he entered the Duke's mansion, with the Duke and his wife protecting him, the young master would be able to live a peaceful life.

But now it seems how fragile this stability is.

The Duchess treats the young master as her own son, showering him with affection—this is something everyone in the manor can see. But… what if…?

If the Duchess gives birth to her own legitimate son, how will Xuan-ge'er cope?

Will he still have a real place to stand in this Duke Zhenguo's mansion?

An adopted son is, after all, an adopted son.

Will this love be diminished by the arrival of their own flesh and blood?

At that time, will the young master's status become even more awkward?

These thoughts, like venomous snakes, coiled around her mind, making it hard for her to breathe.

"plum?"

Chu Ruohan's voice came from behind her, startling Mei Zi.

She snapped back to her senses, turned around hastily, and bowed respectfully: "Madam."

Chu Ruohan looked her over and noticed that her face was a little pale, so she asked gently, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? If you are, you can stay and rest. You don't need to come with me."

"No, no." Meizi quickly shook her head, lowering her head even further. "This servant was just happy for the young master because he was having so much fun."

She dared not let the lady see the treasonous thoughts in her heart.

Chu Ruohan didn't think much of it, assuming that she was just worried about Xuan Ge'er, so she smiled and said, "It's rare for this child to come out and have some fun, so he should be allowed to enjoy himself. You should also keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't wander off."

"Yes, slaves obey."

Mei Zi agreed and walked quickly toward Xuan Ge'er, but her back view always carried a lingering heaviness.

The carriage slowly came to a stop, and the slight jolt of the wheels rolling over the grass disappeared.

Outside the carriage, the sounds of commotion could be faintly heard through the thick walls: the neighing of horses, the commands of soldiers, the clanging of metal armor...

The carriage curtain was lifted by a large, well-defined hand, and Gu Junze's deep voice rang out: "We've arrived."

Chu Ruohan helped him down from the carriage, and a breeze carrying the fragrance of grass and trees blew in her face, ruffling the stray hairs at her temples.

My eyes suddenly opened up.

The vast royal hunting grounds stretch as far as the eye can see, with rolling hills in the distance and hundreds of tents scattered like stars, their flags fluttering nearby.

At the very center, the enormous, bright yellow imperial tent gleamed in the sunlight, showcasing the supreme imperial power.

"Wow!"

Xuan-ge jumped down from another carriage, tilting his little face up with wide, round eyes.

"Mom! So many people! So many tents! It's even bigger than our house!"

He excitedly tugged at Chu Ruohan's sleeve, pointing with his little finger to rows of neat military tents in the distance, and the imposing Imperial Guards riding tall horses.

Lu Ge'er, on the other hand, appeared much more composed, his gaze quickly sweeping across the entire camp.

What he saw was not a lively scene, but a rigid hierarchy and an invisible order.

The location of each tent and the route of each patrolling soldier exuded an undeniable authority.

This is what power looks like.

His hand tightened unconsciously.

The camp of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was located in a prominent position not far from the imperial tent, and the servants had already quickly set up several large tents.

Chu Ruohan calmly instructed, "Light the heater in the children's tents first. The wind is strong in the mountains, so be careful not to catch a cold."

“Yes, Madam,” the head housekeeper bowed in response.

Little Qingchen was held in her wet nurse's arms, full of curiosity about everything around her. Her big, dark eyes kept looking around, her little hands were waving, and she was making "ya ya" sounds.

As soon as the family settled in, women from other residences came to inquire about their well-being.

"Greetings, Duchess."

The visitor was the lady of the Duke of England's mansion, accompanied by her eldest son, who was about seven or eight years old.

Chu Ruohan smiled and nodded: "Madam Ying, are you well?"

The two ladies exchanged polite but distant greetings, yet their gazes involuntarily fell upon each other's children.

Mrs. Ying glanced at Xuan Ge'er, who was curiously examining her son, and smiled politely.

"This must be the young master of your household, right? He's quite clever and adorable."

These words may seem ordinary, but to a discerning listener, they always seem to lack something.

She didn't refer to him as "eldest son," but only vaguely called him "young master."

Chu Ruohan's smile remained unchanged as she reached out and pulled Xuan-ge'er close to her, the gesture natural and intimate.

"Yes, this is my son, Jingxuan."

Her voice was clear and gentle, yet carried an undeniable power.

"Brother Xuan greets Madam Ying and Brother Ying."

Xuan-ge'er obediently cupped his hands in greeting: "Xuan-ge'er greets Madam Ying and my brother."

Mrs. Ying's son, with his chin held high and bearing the arrogance typical of scions of noble families, merely nodded slightly in return.

Meizi, standing not far away, took in the whole scene.

She looked at the riding and archery uniform worn by the young master of the Ying family, which was embroidered with a qilin pattern in gold thread.

Looking at her young master again, the string of unease in her heart was plucked once more.

The lady is protecting the young master, but can this protection withstand all such scrutiny and comparison, whether overt or covert?

A young eunuch dressed in the robes of a palace attendant walked briskly over, followed by several guards.

"This servant greets the Duke and Duchess of Zhenguo." The little eunuch bowed and said in a high-pitched voice, "His Majesty has prepared a banquet in the imperial tent and summoned the Duke to discuss matters."

Upon hearing this, Gu Junze nodded to Chu Ruohan.

"I'll go over there." He reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind his wife's ear, his voice lowering.

"You're here with the children. There are many people and suspicious eyes in the camp. Have the guards keep a close eye on things. If anything happens, send someone to find me immediately."

Chu Ruohan looked up at him, her eyes filled with complete trust: "Go ahead, I'll take care of things here."

Gu Junze then turned around and followed the little eunuch toward the imperial tent.