Repeatedly broken branches

Chapter 115 Wuchen

Winter.

With the Lunar New Year just a month away, shops of all sizes in the capital city have already hung up new red lanterns, creating a festive and joyous atmosphere.

Little Ran'er is already three months old. She is still chubby and fair-skinned, which is very endearing. Even the noblewomen who come to the palace to pay homage to her can't help but stop and play with her.

Her father was so handsome, so she naturally didn't want to be outdone. She tried to get as round as possible before her father returned to court, so that he would have to work his hands out.

Since becoming pregnant, Xiao Mu's embroidery skills have improved even more. She has also fallen in love with embroidery, always feeling that it can calm her mind and prevent her from thinking about those upsetting things.

Siwan likes Xiaoran very much, but she is almost five years old. Deng Yizhi has already enrolled her in a school outside the palace. He heard that she is doing very well and is always praised by her teacher.

Deng Yizhi bought a house outside the palace. Without even thinking about it, the reason was simply to bring Ye Wanwan and her son to the capital.

Although Xiao Mu was angry, she knew she had no right to interfere. Ye Wanwan was convicted by Yin Fu'an, not by Chaoyang Kingdom. Firstly, she was thinking of Siwan and her biological mother finally being reunited, and secondly, Deng Yizhi was lonely with no one to serve him. As long as Ye Wanwan behaved herself, she would let her be.

Yu Yanjing sent a letter home a few days ago, saying he would be back in less than a month. After winning several battles, the morale of the army was high, and they drove the Yin army back to the border.

Yin Wuchen was seriously injured and has been sent back to Jiuguang for treatment. Yin Fu'an's martial arts skills are not as good as Zhou Tingxi and Yu Yanjing, but he is a cunning strategist. After all, he has been the Grand Tutor for so many years. With him giving advice, we can barely hold on for a while.

That was the first time Yin Wuchen had returned to the capital city eleven years after leaving Jiuguang Kingdom at the age of ten, and the first time he had seen this familiar scene again. However, things had changed, and the beauty of the past was forever frozen in his memory.

My cousin Yin Fu'an was born to the first wife of the main wife, while I was born to a concubine of the second wife. I wasn't really a concubine. My mother was a maid who was given death after giving birth to me. At that time, I grew up with the second wife of the main wife. I wouldn't say I was loved, but at least I had enough to eat and wear.

He returned wounded and stayed in a side hall of Zhaohua Palace. When he came out of the mountains, time was too short to give him an official position. Now the palace servants still call him Young Master Yin.

Yin Wuchen only remembered that when he was ten years old, he went to the mountains to learn martial arts. No one from the Yin family saw him off except his sister-in-law. His sister-in-law had just married into the family. She was so beautiful. He didn't understand at the time, but as he grew older, his sister-in-law's face remained vivid in his mind. He became an unparalleled young swordsman in the martial arts world, while his sister-in-law, who used to have a bright smile and a radiant face, was now locked up in the palace and had no freedom.

For so many years, I've always wanted to see my sister-in-law again.

"Young Master Yin, you should stay in Zhaohua Palace and not go anywhere else. It's very close to Consort Xian's Songyue Pavilion. No outsiders are allowed to trespass into the inner palace without permission... Young Master Yin..." Before the palace servant could finish explaining, Yin Wuchen walked out of the gate of Zhaohua Palace.

It's so nice, the sunshine is wonderful today, but the air isn't as fresh as it is in the mountains.

He just said, "Which palace is my sister-in-law in?" Songyue Pavilion...

As they walked, they arrived at the outside of Songyue Pavilion. Unlike the other palaces, it was not lively here. It felt as intimate as the Cold Palace. Yin Wu looked up at the palace plaque for a long time. The thought that the person he had been thinking about day and night was inside made his heart beat faster.

"Who are you?" Si Liu opened the door to get some food for her master from the imperial kitchen, only to find a strange man standing outside, which almost startled her.

Yin Wuchen pursed his lips as he looked at her, his thoughts racing. This was the older sister who often brought him pastries when he was little, and she was his sister-in-law's dowry maid. Over the years, her appearance hadn't changed much.

But I just forgot the name.

"..."

"I'm talking to you, who are you?" Si Liu said impatiently.

"Yin Wuchen".

Si Liu frowned. "I don't know him." But then she suddenly remembered that his surname was Yin, so he must be a member of the royal family. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Yin Wuchen said calmly, "I would like to see my sister-in-law... Consort Xian."

“Our Lady does not tolerate outsiders, and besides, wait, you are… the one from ten years ago…”

Ten years ago, Xia Yunxu married into the Yin family. There was a chubby little boy in the family who would often run to their courtyard to play. They would always give him snacks. They never expected that he would grow up so big.

"Hmm, may I see Consort Xian?"

Si Liu said, "I don't know, but I can pass on the message."

Yin Wuchen watched Si Liu close the door, feeling a little disappointed. What if his sister-in-law refused to see him? He had been in the mountains for so long that he knew nothing about what was happening outside. It was only when his master came back from the mountains one day that he told him that the Chen Kingdom had changed dynasties and his cousin had become the emperor. He was overjoyed, and his sister-in-law was the empress.

However, his master said that the empress was not the emperor's first wife. Yin Wuchen cursed his cousin in his heart for a long time. What a heartless man! His sister-in-law had been with him since she was young. How could he not even give her the title of empress?

The door slowly opened, and a woman in plain clothes stared blankly at her. Her face was thin and haggard, and she didn't look like she was only twenty-eight years old. Was this the same person as the sister-in-law with a bright smile from ten years ago?

What on earth did she go through?

"Sister-in-law," he called softly.

Xia Yunxu smiled faintly, her voice as melodious and gentle as ever, "Wuchen has grown so much. Are your injuries better?"

The spirited and noble young man in front of me is actually the same chubby little boy from ten years ago.

Yin Wuchen felt a surge of warmth in his heart. This was the first person to care about his injuries after he was brought back. His sister-in-law was still as kind as ever.

"Yes, sister-in-law."

Xia Yunxu stared at him for a long time, and couldn't help but sigh at how fast time had passed. The chubby little boy who used to only eat snacks had now grown into a handsome and unparalleled young man.

Yin Wuchen's eyes flickered as he looked inside. He saw that the main hall was decorated like a Buddhist shrine. So his sister-in-law was dressed in plain clothes because she was worshipping Buddha. No wonder she smelled of sandalwood.

Sister-in-law, how are you?

Xia Yunxu smiled and said, "Very well, but Wuchen, please don't call me sister-in-law anymore. I am no longer the Emperor's legal wife. Please call me Consort Xian."

Yin Wuchen pursed his lips and said softly, "In Wuchen's heart, you will always be my sister-in-law."

At this moment, he suddenly longed to recover from his injuries quickly, return to the battlefield, and earn military merits to earn a favor from his cousin—the favor of bestowing the title of Empress upon his sister-in-law.

This belongs to her.

Xia Yunxu gave a bitter smile. Her face showed no emotion, and the light in her eyes had long since dimmed, leaving only sorrow that seemed ready to spill over at any moment.

Yin Wuchen never expected that the person who often appeared in his dreams would become like this. He felt no disgust, only heartache. His heart ached in waves. In his twenty-one years of life, this was the first time he had felt heartache when he saw the woman in front of him.

"Wuchen, would you like some pear blossom pastries? They're made with pear blossoms from summer. I remember you loved all kinds of pastries when you were little..."

"it is good."

A warm feeling welled up in his heart again. Over the years, only his master remembered what he liked to eat and would bring it to him when he went down the mountain. Over the years, Yin Fu'an had not written a single letter or visited him once. He just wanted to coax him down the mountain with a single sentence.

If it weren't for his sister-in-law's sake, he probably would never have agreed to Yin Fu'an's request. Now that he is seriously injured and his tendons are severed, he probably can't wield a sword anymore. Yin Fu'an has sent him back as a pawn.

Yin Wuchen looked around Xia Yunxu's palace for a long time. The colors here were elegant and the air was filled with a faint sandalwood fragrance. Even the tea table was piled with several Buddhist scriptures. It seemed that his sister-in-law had been accompanied by Buddhist lamps all these years.

"Here, eat up." Xia Yunxu brought over a plate of pear blossom pastries.

There are some pear blossom petals on top, making it look delicate and delicious. How many years has it been since I've had such exquisite food?

Although her master treated her well, he was still a man after all. He was content with just being able to eat his fill, without seeking anything fancy or elaborate.

Yin Wuchen picked up a pear blossom pastry and put it in his mouth. It melted in his mouth, leaving only a light sweetness and the fragrance of pear blossoms, along with some nuts.

"It's delicious. Did your sister-in-law make this herself?"

Xia Yunxu nodded slightly. "I made it when I had nothing else to do, but I didn't like eating it. It's good that you came." Her eyes were filled with laughter.

Yin Wuchen always felt that the way she looked at him was like looking at a child. So, in her eyes, he was still the chubby little boy who would ask her for snacks ten years ago?

A bittersweet feeling welled up inside me. They were uncle and aunt, but could they only ever be uncle and aunt?

But her cousin didn't like her or pity her. Otherwise, how could he have become so haggard at only twenty-eight years old?

Is she being neglected simply because she doesn't have children?

"Your Majesty, Consort Qing has arrived," Si Liu said from the side.

Xia Yunxu frowned slightly. Consort Qing? That's quite a rare guest. She never sets foot in her Songyue Pavilion, let alone comes to see her in private. This sudden visit must be suspicious.

Before she could go out to greet her, Consort Qing walked in on her own, accompanied by Xiao Cao.

"Greetings to Consort Qing."

Yin Wuchen put down the pastries in his hand and carefully examined the woman in front of him, sensing that she was up to no good.

"Who is he?" Consort Qing pointed at Yin Wuchen, her brows furrowed with anger. "The Emperor has just left, and you're already so impatient?"

"Who do you care who I am?" Yin Wuchen stood up and walked to Xia Yunxu's side, raising an eyebrow slightly. "A dirty person thinks dirty things."

The master was right. The more flamboyant a woman is dressed, the more vicious she is. She completely disregarded her sister-in-law's feelings and rushed in as if she wanted to devour someone. She must be a bad person.

Consort Qing's face turned pale with anger. Pointing at Yin Wuchen, she gritted her teeth and said, "How can you be so rude? I am a Consort. It's one thing for you not to bow to me, but to speak so disrespectfully?"

Yin Wuchen said with a half-smile, "I don't care what kind of damned imperial concubine you are. Even if the emperor comes, I will still treat you the same way."

"How dare you!" Consort Qing shouted.

Xia Yunxu tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Wuchen, don't be rude."

"Since my sister-in-law has spoken, I won't waste my breath arguing with you."

"Sister-in-law?" Consort Qing looked at him with amusement. "You're Yin Wuchen? What kind of sister-in-law is she? In terms of rank, I'm your sister-in-law!"

Yin Wuchen slowly said, "She is my cousin's first wife. They got married with a formal wedding ceremony. Who are you? Did you have any guests at your wedding? Were you wearing a bright red wedding dress? Or did my cousin give you a betrothal gift?"

"Wuchen," Xia Yunxu called his name, telling him to stop talking.

Consort Qing was slightly taken aback. She didn't have any of the things he mentioned, but so what? She was the only consort second only to the emperor, and Xia Yunxu still had to bow to her.

"What's the point of saying all this? She's not the empress yet, hahahahahahaha~"

Yin Wuchen glanced at her, his expression turning serious. He said in a teasing tone, "Well, you're not the Empress either! Sister-in-law, you followed my cousin for ten years. What were you doing then?"

"You..." Consort Qing was speechless with provocation.

Xia Yunxu looked at her and said in a humble voice, "Your Highness, Wuchen is ignorant, please don't hold it against him."

Yin Wuchen stood in front of Xia Yunxu and said in a calm voice, "Sister-in-law, you don't need to be afraid of her. When I return with my military merits, you will be the most honored woman in the entire harem."

Xia Yunxu's heart skipped a beat, because she saw a firmness in Yin Wuchen's eyes, a firmness she had never seen before.

Consort Qing found it amusing. Xia Yunxu was just like her, childless and from a less prestigious family. How could she be considered the most noble?

But the young man before them was not to be underestimated. Yin Wuchen, the man even the emperor feared, made one doubt the credibility of his words.

"Sister-in-law, I have to go back to the front line first."

Xia Yunxu frowned and asked, "Is your injury fully healed?"

"Hmm." Yin Wuchen jumped a few times in front of her. "I'm completely healed. I've practiced martial arts since I was a child, what's a little injury like this?"

"Wuchen has really grown up."

Yin Wuchen hated seeing that look in her eyes, because he always felt that he was still a child in front of her, and that look was clearly that of someone looking at a child!

"Sister-in-law," Yin Wuchen said, tugging at her sleeve and blinking, "wait for me to come back."

When I return, I'll use my military merits to exchange for a position as empress, okay?

He left, as if he had never returned. He only stayed in the palace for a few days, and no one knows the extent of his injuries.

Yin Wuchen's return to the border was undoubtedly a blow to Chaoyang Kingdom, because just when everyone thought they were about to win and return in triumph, this fearsome young general came back again.

Yu Yanjing shot him in the chest with an arrow, and if nothing unexpected happened, given the location of his heart, even if he didn't die, he should have been bedridden for several months. Now he's recovered to be full of energy, which is truly baffling.

"Your Majesty, Yin Wuchen's continuous attacks seem to be provoking us," Zhen Xun said calmly, though his eyes were already blazing with anger.

Yu Yanjing flipped through the military book in his hand. The book said that losing one's composure is the greatest encouragement to the enemy.

That's exactly what they're doing now. If they accept Yin Wuchen's provocation head-on, it would be a sign of impatience. They'll only think they've succeeded and become even more aggressive. Now that Chaoyang Kingdom has the upper hand, even if Yin's army provokes them again, their defeat is inevitable. If they're caught off guard and launched another siege, then it will be the same fate as Jiuguang Kingdom, which was destroyed.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhou Tingxi glanced at Zhen Xun, then looked at Wei Hao and Jiang Qi. They looked at each other, as if they knew what Yu Yanjing was thinking, and shut their mouths.

Yin Wuchen desperately needed the boost from military merits, unlike before when he was full of confidence and had made thorough plans. This time, he was too eager to succeed and didn't think things through.

My master said that one should never be impatient in anything.

Impetuous people cannot achieve great things.

But he couldn't help being restless. When he thought of his sister-in-law's situation in the palace, when he thought of Consort Qing's arrogant and domineering face, and when he thought of her sarcastic words, he wished he could raze the camp of Chaoyang Kingdom to the ground the next day.

He was determined to use his military achievements to secure his sister-in-law's position as empress.

The night was extremely cold. This place is located on the northernmost border of the Western Regions, and everyone has experienced the cold of the Western Regions.

Zhou Tingxi and Wei Hao sat around the campfire, drinking and warming themselves. Looking at the blazing fire in front of them, they couldn't help but think of the days they spent with their father in the desert when they were young. Those were wonderful times, and at least everyone who should be there was there.

Jiang Qi took a sip of wine, and her body warmed up from the inside out. She secretly glanced at Wei Hao, wondering if he was thinking about You right now.

"Jiang Qi, drink less." He suddenly looked at himself and said calmly.

She smiled slightly and said, "This wine isn't as good as the one brewed by Ah Chu's mother."

"You're thinking about him?" Wei Hao couldn't help but frown.

"No." Jiang Qi took another sip of his drink and said calmly, "Are you thinking about her?"

"What?" His face was full of doubt, because Jiang Qi rarely asked him these questions. Sometimes he even felt that Jiang Qi didn't care about these things at all.

It seems he was wrong.

Wei Hao gently shook his head, looking at the raging fire, and said, "I'm slowly letting go of her. She should be doing well now."

Jiang Qi didn't know what to feel. When she heard Wei Hao say he wanted to let go of You, she felt like she had another chance.

How could she do that? Wei Hao belongs to You, and always will be. Even if they are really together, their past relationship will never be erased.