As the conversation continued, the Empress Dowager spoke, and Yanshu immediately became curious, asking, “From the aura of this lady, she doesn’t seem to be from a brothel, does she?”

The Empress Dowager replied, “She was originally from a noble family, but because her grandfather committed a crime, she was sold into the imperial palace as a court prostitute.”

Yanshu: “???”

A noblewoman turned into a court prostitute?

Hiss, this just got more complicated and bizarre!

At least three hundred thousand words of love and hate surged in her mind, and she couldn’t help but ask again, “So, General Wuan must have known this lady long before, right? Was that why he personally intervened to redeem her when she fell into hardship? But, logically, a court prostitute can’t just be redeemed casually, how did this Lady Shao end up in the general’s mansion?”

The series of questions made the Empress Dowager raise an eyebrow. She patiently responded, “What I know is that these two met in Liangzhou. General Wuan led his army to defeat the Xiongnu, and the court originally wanted to reward him with gold and silver. But he refused it all and only requested this woman. Later, with the Emperor’s permission, General Wuan brought her back to the capital. However, due to her background, General Wuan couldn’t marry her as a wife, and his elders strongly opposed it. In the end, she was only given the status of a concubine.”

“I see,” Yanshu nodded, unable to suppress her amazement, “So General Wuan preferred a beauty over wealth, he must be quite the romantic! But did General Wuan ever marry afterward?”

The Empress Dowager smiled and said, “If he had married, would she have come to beg me? First, this matter was known throughout the capital at the time, and with such a situation, no noble family would dare to marry their daughter to him. Secondly, it seems that General Wuan has no intention of marrying anyone else, which is why he has never had a formal wife.”

Yanshu nodded, her mind already picturing a devoted and passionate man.

From what she had seen earlier, Lady Shao, though of an older age now, still had delicate features. She must have been a beauty in her youth. A general and a beauty—this story was already imbued with romance and longing.

However, reality had its limitations. She thought for a moment and then asked, “Has Lady Shao given birth to children? If General Wuan has no other concubines, does this mean his children must all be considered illegitimate?”

The Empress Dowager nodded, “Yes, they have a son and a daughter, but they are indeed considered illegitimate. Because of this, Lady Shao is quite self-conscious and rarely appears in public. But she has done a good job educating her children. Her son, Han Xingcheng, managed to pass the military exam with his own abilities and is now working in the Liangzhou military camp. Despite his young age, he is not afraid of hardship and can be considered to have followed in his father’s footsteps. As for her daughter, there have been some difficulties in her marriage. It seems that she is about sixteen or seventeen and still hasn’t found a good family to marry into.”

Yanshu nodded thoughtfully, sympathizing with the situation.

After all, as the daughter of a concubine and with such a mother’s background, the noble families in the capital would naturally be cautious and hesitant.

She said, “But there’s no need to rush. If a family cares about such things, even if the girl were to marry into their household, it would not be a good match for her. It’s better to take the time to find someone who truly cares for her. It doesn’t matter what their background is, as long as their character is good.”

The Empress Dowager nodded, “That’s true. Let’s hope General Wuan survives. If not, this girl will not only have to mourn for three years but will also have her cousin take charge of the family. With her real brother out there, they might both suffer.”

“Hmm?” Yanshu was stunned and quickly asked, “Why would her cousin take charge?”

Even though General Wuan didn’t have a legitimate son, he had an illegitimate son. If he passed away, shouldn’t the inheritance go to the legitimate son?

The Empress Dowager sighed, “Because General Wuan never had a proper wife, and his only concubine had such a background. Several years ago, he adopted his nephew as his heir. So, in the future, it will be his nephew who inherits the family.”

What???

Yanshu froze, almost thinking she had heard wrong.

— General Wuan clearly had a son, but he adopted his nephew as the heir???

What kind of situation was this?

Did he really care so much about Lady Shao’s background?

Of course, it wasn’t something she could easily ask the Empress Dowager, especially since the Empress Dowager might not even know the full details.

Thus, when it came to critical moments, the system would have to step in to explain.

Upon hearing this, the system immediately responded, [Here’s the thing: back then, General Wuan, Han Gaochu, had a deep relationship with Lady Shao. He didn’t want to marry a legitimate wife. However, the old matriarch of the Wuan family, General Wuan’s mother, Madam Xing, despised Lady Shao’s background and thought that she, having once been a court prostitute, was unworthy. So she forced General Wuan to adopt his nephew, Han Xing’an, as the heir.]

Yanshu: “…”

So it was his mother’s doing?

But she was still puzzled, [But General Wuan really loved Lady Shao, didn’t he? Didn’t he ever think about resisting? After all, it’s his own son.]

The system replied, [In this world, filial piety comes before all else. You don’t know how difficult some old ladies can be. Back then, General Wuan’s mother, Madam Xing, even forced her son into submission by threatening to starve herself. Lady Shao didn’t want General Wuan to have such a reputation, so she also persuaded him to agree. The general was caught in the middle and had no choice but to give in. But because of this, his own son, Han Xingcheng, worked especially hard from a young age. He passed the military exam with flying colors and proved himself worthy. No one could say anything about that.]

Yanshu: [……]

It’s one thing that the son turned out to be capable, but this old lady was just ridiculous. She probably was already biased toward that grandson, Han Xing’an, and wanted him to take advantage of Uncle Han Xingcheng’s fortune.

The system replied, [Exactly. Speaking of which, this Han Xing’an, the adopted heir, is not very capable. He’s never been able to do much. And now, the reason Lady Shao came to the palace to beg the Empress Dowager is also related to him.]

Yanshu quickly asked, [How so?]

The system replied, [General Wuan has done great service for the court, so it wasn’t unusual for him to come to the palace to request a physician. But why has it been delayed until now? That’s because Han Xing’an has been hindering it. Normally, since Lady Shao comes from a humble background and her son is in Liangzhou, as the heir, Han Xing’an should have been the one to ask the Emperor for help. He agreed in front of others but never actually went to the Emperor. Instead, he told his people that the Emperor had refused, causing the general’s condition to worsen. If Lady Shao hadn’t been so worried about her husband and decided to come to the Empress Dowager for help, General Wuan’s family would have missed the physician’s aid.]

Yanshu: [??? Why would he do that? The Emperor wouldn’t refuse, would he?]

The system: [Can you guess why?]

Yanshu: [……]

The system seemed to have a low opinion of her intelligence, always making her guess!

The system: [Well, to be honest, I don’t think you’re very bright, especially with that pregnancy brain. I’m just trying to help you out.]

Yanshu: [……]

She actually dared say that!

Hmph, guess away. What’s so difficult about it?

[So, he didn’t want to call for a physician because he hoped his uncle’s illness would get worse and he would die sooner? Then he could inherit the family property?]

The system: [Exactly, but there’s more to it.]

Yanshu, ever vigilant, asked, [What else does he have in mind?]

The system: [Once General Wuan dies, he’ll join forces with the Han family and force Lady Shao to commit suicide and be buried with the general. They will pretend it’s a sacrifice of love for the general. No one will suspect it.]

What?!?

At this, Yanshu almost jumped up in shock, [He wants to kill his own uncle and harm Lady Shao?!]

This is the grandson that Madam Xing favors? This bastard wants to drain every last drop of blood, then kill people?

Yanshu realized the tragic and infuriating situation, but she quickly calmed down and thought that this wasn’t an impossible situation to deal with. 

After all, General Wuan had contributed greatly to the Great Liang, and though his beloved was of humble birth, if word of their current situation got out, the world would surely not tolerate it.

Since this lady had come to seek the Empress Dowager, it was likely that she was acquainted with her beforehand. From the Empress Dowager’s words earlier, a hint of sympathy could be detected.

Yanshu spoke again to the Empress Dowager, "General Wuan has been ill for so long, yet only now does his family seek the physician? Why didn’t his heir seek the Emperor’s help earlier? Why wait until now for Lady Shao to come to you? She seemed so self-deprecating earlier, it really made my heart ache."

The Empress Dowager furrowed her brows and nodded, “I, too, find it strange. From the looks of it, General Wuan’s illness seems quite serious. He’s a hero of the nation; we can’t let anything happen to him.”

Yanshu quickly nodded and said, “Could there be some hidden details in this matter? I’ll return and ask His Majesty, and if there’s any new information, I’ll report back to you.”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes lit up, pleased. [That’s good, at least this girl understands me.]

But she replied in a reserved tone, “His Majesty is busy with state affairs, please don’t trouble him. Take care of your health, too.”

Yanshu quickly agreed, then left the Cian Palace.

On the way back, she went over the situation in her mind with the system. When she returned to Ganlu Hall, she began writing her story.

She didn’t realize how much time had passed until the lamps were lit, and she hadn’t even had a proper dinner. Unable to watch her master go on, Rendan gently urged, "My lady, rest a little. You've been sitting for a long while; don’t overexert yourself."

Yanshu didn’t stop writing, only responding with a hum, "Almost done, don’t worry."

Just as she was finishing, the Emperor stepped into the hall.

Yuwen Lan, having overheard the conversation between Yanshu and her servant, didn’t even order a greeting, instead asking immediately, “What’s going on? You haven’t even had your dinner?”

Yanshu hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, today I heard something incredibly outrageous that must be exposed, or I won’t be able to rest easy."

What?

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall, including Yuwen Lan, became curious.

Especially Fu Hai, who urgently thought, What’s happened now? Your Majesty, don’t keep us in suspense—just say it!

Yanshu was about to share the story with everyone, but she directly addressed the Emperor, saying, "General Wuan has been seriously ill for over a month. Despite seeing many doctors, his condition hasn’t improved. His family wanted to bring him a physician from the palace, but his adopted son, Han Xing’an, kept blocking them. He even told his family that the Emperor had already been asked and refused. From my perspective, he’s just waiting for General Wuan to pass so he can inherit his estate. The audacity to slander the Emperor’s kindness toward his subjects is intolerable."

What?

The moment Yanshu finished speaking, the entire hall was stunned.

Yuwen Lan frowned and asked, "Is this true?"

Yanshu nodded firmly, "It is. Today, I personally saw Lady Shao, General Wuan’s concubine, come to the Empress Dowager, saying that General Wuan’s condition had worsened. She could not bear to wait any longer and begged the Empress Dowager for help. The Empress Dowager, moved by General Wuan’s past service, immediately sent for Imperial Physician Jiang. If that adopted son had truly requested it, would he not have received help sooner?”

Yuwen Lan immediately denied, “Of course not. If he had, why would I refuse?”

At this point, Fu Hai couldn’t hold back and said, "How could Han Xing’an do such a thing? General Wuan worked so hard for his family and even adopted him as his heir. His real son is still serving in Liangzhou!”

Hearing this, Yuwen Lan grew angry and ordered, “Fu Hai, tell the deputy commander of the Jinyiwei and the Minister of the Ministry of War to go to General Wuan’s house and get to the bottom of this. Imperial Physician Jiang must be instructed to do everything in his power. General Wuan has served the country with great merit, and we cannot let his loyalty be disrespected.”

Fu Hai immediately agreed and hurried out to convey the orders.

Yanshu, seeing this, finally felt reassured.

However, her story was still unfinished. She turned to Yuwen Lan and said, “Your Majesty, I still need to finish this story.” She sat back down and continued writing.

Yuwen Lan, observing this, gently persuaded her, “I’ve already ordered an investigation. Please rest for a while.”

But Yanshu replied, “It’s one thing for Your Majesty to investigate, but Han Xing’an’s actions are beyond reason. He must be condemned by all, and once I finish this story, I’ll have it sent out to the public tomorrow, so everyone can see his true nature.”

She couldn’t forget her duty to her loyal readers, especially her top fan who was eagerly waiting for her new work. She had to finish it before sending it to the Empress Dowager.

Yuwen Lan sighed, “... I knew it. It’s all for the Empress Dowager again.”

Yanshu didn’t respond, though. Instead, she heard Rendan enter with a bowl of congee and placed it in front of her.

"This is a soothing lily and longan congee, freshly made. At least have a bowl, my lady. You didn’t eat much earlier; you don’t want to go hungry later."

Yanshu didn’t look up from her writing and said, “Feed it to me.”

Rendan complied and began feeding her.

Yuwen Lan, who had been watching, suddenly stood up, gestured for Rendan to step back, and took the bowl. He sat beside her and began feeding her himself.

Surprisingly, Yanshu ate without hesitation, and even praised him, “Well done, you’re teachable.”

Yuwen Lan: “...”

This was the first time someone had said that to him.

Rendan quickly looked away, pretending not to notice.

Yuwen Lan continued to feed her, and after finishing the bowl, he put the bowl down, only to see Yanshu pouting.

Hmm?

What was that about?

He thought to himself. Could it be... a kiss?

But no, this was the first time she had taken the initiative to show affection.

His heart skipped a beat as he was about to move closer.

But then Yanshu frowned and said, “Why aren’t you wiping my mouth yet? My lips feel sticky and uncomfortable.”

Yuwen Lan: “???”

She wanted him to wipe her mouth?

Rendan quickly handed him a handkerchief.

Yuwen Lan sighed, took it, and wiped her mouth.

Once done, he raised his hand, and Rendan quickly stepped back.

The two of them were left alone in the hall.

Not long after, Yanshu spoke again, “Tea.”

After the sweet porridge, her mouth felt a little heavy.

Yuwen Lan immediately poured her a cup of tea.

Another two quarters of an hour passed, and finally, Yanshu set down her pen with a sigh, “Finished!”

Yuwen Lan also let out a breath, “Finally finished.”

But as soon as he spoke, Yanshu looked up at him in surprise, “Your Majesty, how are you here? Wasn’t Rendan just standing next to me?”

Yuwen Lan: “???”

After all this time serving her, she didn’t even know he was there?

The next day, Xiaoyao Gongzi’s new work was published again.

This unexpected surprise made readers rush to buy it, eager to read.

Upon reading, they found that this story was different from the others, focusing on a passionate romance.

The story began with the tragic tale of an unfortunate noble girl, whose family fell into disgrace due to her elders’ wrongdoings. She was reduced to a court prostitute and sent to the frontier.

Just as she was about to sink into despair, a young general appeared like a hero, exchanging his military merits for her freedom.

As they spent more time together, their feelings for each other grew into genuine love. However, due to the constraints of laws and society, they could not marry as a formal husband and wife.

In the end, the girl could only remain by the general’s side as a concubine.

At this point, the readers were led to believe that the couple would eventually be united, living happily ever after.

But then, the writer made a sharp turn in the plot and wrote:

Despite their love, the general’s elders could not accept their relationship. So, the general and the girl were once again forced to make a compromise, and the general adopted his nephew as his heir. Afterward, the general went to battle time and time again, earning countless merits for the country. Despite his injuries, he remained determined to stay with the woman he loved, shielding their relationship from the malicious gossip of the world.

But as the years went by, tragedy struck. The couple was threatened by the nephew, who had been adopted as the heir. In order to quickly inherit the general’s estate, the nephew obstructed the general’s medical treatment, hoping to hasten his death. Worse still, after the general’s death, the nephew planned to force the heroine to commit suicide, in order to remove the “family disgrace” and cover up his own crimes.

Upon reading this, the audience was enraged and immediately began asking about the identity of this malicious nephew.

Given the previous stir caused by General Wuan’s relationship with Lady Shao, it didn’t take much effort for the readers to guess who this villain might be.

Had it not been for the noble status of General Wuan’s family, the angry readers would have likely staged a protest similar to the one at Bamen Bookstore, throwing rotten vegetables in outrage.

Meanwhile, in the palace, the Emperor received a report from the deputy commander of the Jinyiwei and the Minister of the Ministry of War.

"Your Majesty," the officials reported, "We’ve confirmed that General Wuan has indeed been ill for over a month. Initially, it was just a cold, but it worsened due to old injuries in his lungs. Ordinary treatments didn’t work, and he has had a fever for several days. Lady Shao, his concubine, and their daughter repeatedly begged his heir, Han Xing’an, to seek a physician from the palace, but Han Xing’an repeatedly claimed that the Emperor had already refused, giving excuses."

"Only yesterday, Lady Shao couldn’t bear it any longer and personally went to the palace to seek the Empress Dowager’s permission. It was then that Imperial Physician Jiang was sent to General Wuan’s residence. He has now been attending to the general for a day and night. According to the physician, the general’s fever has subsided, and his condition is improving."

Hearing this, the Emperor’s face darkened, and he angrily exclaimed, “Scoundrel!”

“To dare disregard the life of his elder and slander me! Immediately arrest Han Xing’an!”

Hmph, such a person does not deserve the benefits he receives for his position in the military.

Once General Wuan recovers, I’ll ensure his heir is re-established.

 

TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - I'd really like to see how far Leon goes and how far we can increase the number of chapters. Thanks~!

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