Married the Princess First, Fell in Love Later - Chapter 4

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in the sixteenth year of Dongning, the Wen General’s residence was brightly decorated with lanterns. Old Madam Wen was overwhelmed with joy; had the monarch not forbidden extravagant displays during wartime, she would undoubtedly have decorated the entire ten-mile-long street.

The reason for her immense delight was that the Wen family finally had a male heir. Some time ago, she had received a letter from her son at the border fortress, which included the name and birth date of her eldest grandson. She had immediately written a reply and sent it back with a messenger to her son.

A few days later, when Wen Changsheng received his mother’s reply, his brow furrowed.

Hua Qiuyu was propped up against the wall, sitting halfway on the bed covered with thick quilts, holding the newborn Wen Chenxu in her arms. Seeing the smile gradually fade from Wen Changsheng’s face, Hua Qiuyu asked with concern, “Changsheng, what is wrong? Is Mother making another unreasonable demand?”

Wen Changsheng did not hide it: “It is indeed very unreasonable. In the letter, Mother says that the border is dangerous and that we should entrust someone to send Xu’er home so that she, the grandmother, can raise him.”

Upon hearing this, Hua Qiuyu subconsciously shifted her body, adopting a defensive posture, as if to say: No one is going to take my child away.

Seeing his wife’s worried expression, Wen Changsheng felt a pang of heartache. He crumpled the letter into a ball, tossed it onto the floor, and sat down on the edge of the bed. He pulled his wife and child into his arms and promised, “Qiuyu, rest assured, I will absolutely not hand Xu’er over to my mother to raise. I know about your agreement with Mother—I know you promised her that if Xu’er were not a boy, I would be allowed to take a concubine. But I love only you in this life; the idea of Mother wanting me to take a concubine is nothing but a pipe dream! The fact that Xu’er is a girl, other than the two of us and the three midwives, no one else will ever know!”

Hua Qiuyu’s eyes turned red and glistened with tears. She believed in her husband, and she believed in herself; she would definitely be able to raise their Xu’er into an outstanding female general.

Five years passed in a flash. The Western and Northern kingdoms finally ceased their desperate resistance, and the monarchs of the three nations signed another truce agreement, agreeing to coexist peacefully.

The day after the agreement was signed, the gates of the Dongning border fortress were thrown wide open. The Third Princess and the Fourth Princess, dressed in red bridal robes, were placed in the moving carriages like puppets being manipulated.

Little Wen Chenxu was held in her mother’s arms, her eyes fixed on the festive procession as it headed out of the city. This time, the fortress gates would not be closed again. Learning that they would no longer have to endure the ravages of war, the people’s faces overflowed with happiness.

Only Hua Qiuyu felt a mix of joy and sorrow.

“Mother, we don’t have to fight anymore, why are you unhappy?” Little Wen Chenxu was confused; the world of adults was too complex for her.

“The common people rejoice because there is no more war, but no one thinks that their peace was exchanged for the marriage of two princesses. They are people, not objects. Yet, simply because they were born into the imperial family, they have no right to pursue their own happiness. Although Xiliang and Beiyan dare not fight us anymore, they have thousands of ways to bully and torment our country’s noble princesses. It is a pity for those two princesses, sigh…”

While Hua Qiuyu spoke, she kept her eyes on the gorgeously decorated, festive carriages. She wondered when that bright, blood-red color would appear on the princesses, staining their white undergarments, and finally burning away their vitality. She also wondered whether, in the distant future, the princesses would return home in body, or if only their spirits would return.

Wen Chenxu was infected by her mother’s sorrow; her lips drooped, and her eyes revealed displeasure.

“Mother, when I grow up, I will definitely not let any princess of our country go to another country for marriage! I want to be just like Mother, becoming a powerful female—”

Just as little Wen Chenxu said the word “female,” she was glared at by Hua Qiuyu. Hua Qiuyu’s expression was fierce, as if to say: How many times have I told you? Why can’t you learn?

Warned by that look, little Wen Chenxu immediately realized she had almost made a grave mistake and quickly clamped her mouth shut. She did not understand why her parents always dressed her in men’s clothing and why they lied to others, saying she was a boy.

It was not until the war ended, the princesses were married off, and she returned to the General’s residence with her parents, meeting the grandmother she had never seen before, that she finally understood the painstaking efforts of her parents.

The cold wind was biting, yet even in such harsh weather, many people stood outside the General’s residence. Leading them was Old Madam Wen, who wore a thick cotton robe and leaned on a cane, looking forward with eager anticipation. Today was the day her son and eldest grandson were returning home; she had waited for this for so long, and she was determined to see her wonderful son and wonderful grandson the very first moment they arrived.

Beside Old Madam Wen stood her granddaughters. The eldest granddaughter, Wen Zhaojun, and the third, Wen Xin, stood quietly. Even though their small faces were flushed red by the wind, they did not make a sound, nor did they blink much, looking like two wax figures. The second granddaughter, Wen Shengjun, was the exact opposite; while her sisters were as still as virgins, she was as quick as a rabbit.

Wen Shengjun looked left and right, muttering under her breath, “Why haven’t they arrived yet? I’m about to freeze to death!” She rubbed her hands, trying to warm them, and then cupped her ears and face, wanting to warm those up too; she could not stay still for a moment.

“Giddy up…” The sound of the carriage driver approached. The hearts of the Wen family rose to their throats. They did not know if the carriage would stop at their gate or pass by.

With a “whoa,” the carriage slowly came to a halt.

Once it was steady, the driver prepared to bring over a ladder, but the carriage curtain was pulled aside, and Wen Changsheng’s smiling face appeared before the family. He leaped down, then turned around, extending his arms, ready to help his wife and child off the carriage. Hua Qiuyu appeared right after, with a small child hiding behind her legs.

“Father!” “Changsheng!” “Father!”

Seeing Wen Changsheng, Wen Shengjun and Old Madam Wen were extremely excited. Even the statue-like Wen Zhaojun and Wen Xin could not help but exclaim. Hearing the calls of the mother and daughters he had not seen for years, Wen Changsheng’s eyes turned red. Having intended to protect his wife and child as they stepped down, he turned instead toward his mother and daughters.

Hua Qiuyu was not a pretentious or petty person. She understood well Wen Changsheng’s longing for his mother and daughters, because the longing in her own heart was no less than his. Therefore, she did not need Wen Changsheng to help her off the carriage. She picked up Wen Chenxu and jumped off the carriage in one motion.

“Mother!”

After Hua Qiuyu appeared, Wen Changsheng immediately became secondary. Originally, his mother and daughters were surrounding him, but now only Old Madam Wen was still showering him with concern—his daughters had all run to Hua Qiuyu’s side.

The young ladies of the Wen family all had reddened eyes. Hua Qiuyu set down little Wen Chenxu and opened her arms; her daughters rushed into her embrace. Tears gushed like a spring from their eyes, and the women of the Wen family wept bitterly.

Hua Qiuyu blamed herself: “Azhao, Asheng, Axin, Mother has let you down. It is my fault for letting you grow up on your own!” Six years had passed. She still remembered that when she left, her Azhao was just a little girl who loved to cling to her, but now, that little girl who loved to cuddle had grown into a young woman. She felt guilty toward Azhao, and even guiltier toward Asheng. Two years ago, because Asheng missed her, she had snuck out of the house and almost been caught and sold by human traffickers; it was only because of her father, mother, and brothers helping that they were able to bring Asheng back. Her Asheng had fallen ill that year, but she had not been there to care for her. And then there was her Axin—when she left, Axin was only a five-year-old toddler. Without her care, how had Axin grown up? Her guilt was like the surging river, endless. On the way home, she had already made a decision: now that she was home, she would definitely make it up to her daughters properly.

Wen Chenxu stood obediently to the side, watching her mother and sisters weeping, making no sound, and not disturbing their reunion. She was so well-behaved that her parents were each occupied with their own reunions, leaving her to watch with longing eyes.

“Changsheng, where is my wonderful grandson!” The first person to remember Wen Chenxu’s existence was not her parents or her sisters, but her grandmother.

“Right there. Xu’er, come quickly, let your grandmother get a good look at you,” Wen Changsheng said, gesturing to Wen Chenxu.

Being called, Wen Chenxu felt quite anxious; she feared her grandmother might not like her. She walked slowly toward her grandmother. When she saw her grandmother’s kind face, she let out a sigh of relief. Her grandmother, she thought, must like her, right?

“Blessings to Grandmother, your grandson offers you greetings.”

Wen Chenxu’s voice was soft and sweet, which Old Madam Wen found absolutely delightful. Supported by Wen Changsheng, the Old Madam reached out her hand—the one not holding the cane—and gently stroked Wen Chenxu’s small face, her eyes filled with heartache.

The Old Madam turned her head to look at Wen Changsheng, reprimanding him sternly: “Wen Changsheng, it is all your fault! You refused to listen to me and send my wonderful grandson home for me to raise. Look at all of you, you’ve raised my wonderful grandson to be so thin—there isn’t even a shred of fat on his face!”

Wen Changsheng was reprimanded and dared not refute a single word. On the battlefield, he was a majestic general, but back home, he didn’t dare to breathe too loudly. Whether it was his wife and daughters, or his mother, their status in the house was higher than his.

In front of the servants, Hua Qiuyu thought to save face for her mother-in-law, so she remained silent. However, Hua Qiuyu might have wanted to give her mother-in-law face, but Wen Shengjun was determined not to. She had never liked her patriarchal grandmother, and every time she caught an opportunity, she wouldn’t let it pass. This time was no different; the opportunity had come, and there was no way she would let it go. She didn’t care if her grandmother would lose face in front of the servants. Besides, her parents were back, so she had plenty of courage.

Wen Shengjun took the liberty of teasing her grandmother: “Grandmother, we were all raised by you, why haven’t we ever seen ourselves looking that plump? Especially big sister—she looks like she’d blow away in a gust of wind. She isn’t even as sturdy as Er Ya from the butcher shop. Er Ya is two years younger than big sister; anyone who didn’t know would think Er Ya was the older one!”

“You—you little monkey! If it weren’t for my big grandson coming home today, I’d have to give you a beating!” Old Madam Wen was enraged by Wen Shengjun’s mockery and picked up her cane as if to strike her, but seeing Wen Chenxu’s terrified expression, she put the cane back down.

Old Madam Wen returned to her kind demeanor. She looked at Wen Chenxu and said softly: “Good grandson, come, let’s go home!”