Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Chapter 550: Chapter 556: The Only Way Out

Han Yu had taken Qi Luo under his wing with a purpose in mind, and he had promised her certain things. The current situation was related to those promises. Moreover, since he had been singularly focused on searching for someone before, there was a shortage of manpower on that front, so he had transferred Qi Luo there. However, he had not anticipated that her absence would lead to such an incident.

Su Wenyue was indeed exhausted. Han Yu carried her away from the child’s side, and before they reached their destination, she had fallen asleep in Han Yu’s arms. Han Yu looked at her with affection, but his face was etched with worry and complexity. His daughter-in-law couldn’t withstand any turmoil; otherwise, her health would break down. But as things stood now, there was no turning back from some matters.

In the past, he might have been somewhat greedy for power, or wished to achieve great things. Although the recent events hadn’t diminished his ambition, they paled in comparison to the importance of his daughter-in-law. For her, he would give up power and status without a second thought, as long as she was well. But now, the choice was no longer his to make. If he truly gave up his power, with what would he protect his wife and child? Some grudges had been sown too deep to undo. The only way out was to become stronger.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Whether he could act or not was not up to him anymore, but it was essential to communicate with his daughter-in-law beforehand to prepare her so that she wouldn’t worry too much and harm her health. However, he needed to hurry, as the situation in Yiyang Prefecture was growing more and more dire each day. The city’s fall was imminent, and he had to return to his rightful place according to the plan.

“This sleeping posture, she’s really like a little piggy.” Han Yu thought to himself as he walked. Having returned to the room arranged by the Feng family, he saw the sleeping figure in his arms snoring softly, with some suspicious marks near her mouth. A doting smile curled up at the corners of his mouth, saying, his heavy mood also lightened quite a bit. Seeing his daughter-in-law safe and sound, nothing else seemed to matter. Although the situation was tricky, he would handle it.

Thinking so, Han Yu gently placed her on the bed, had the servants bring water, and after washing and changing her clothes for her, he cleaned himself up and blew out the candle to rest.

With matters pressing on his mind, Han Yu got up early, thinking of discussing plans with his wife’s parents’ home. Moreover, since the Feng family and Marquis Beian and his son were also present, he needed to meet with them and get a feel for the situation to be fully informed.

“Take good care of madam. She went to bed late last night; don’t disturb her sleep, and let her wake up naturally. Have the kitchen keep the porridge warm, so madam can eat anytime when she wakes up,” Han Yu instructed softly. After tucking in his wife again, he then walked outside.

By the time Su Wenyue woke up, it was already noon. She looked around and saw no one by her side. Only after asking the servants did she learn that Han Yu had risen early and gone out, probably discussing something with her big brother and the others.

“Really, even if there are matters to discuss, it doesn’t have to be at this very moment. It’s not like he’s made of iron,” Su Wenyue mumbled in frustration, her face marked by concern. Although she knew Han Yu was robust, he hadn’t rested properly these past few days. They had finally reached a temporary safe haven at the Feng Family Manor, but Han Yu was still working himself to the bone.

Su Wenyue had a rough understanding of Liu Xiu’s attitude by now. She didn’t think much of Liu Xiu’s actions. It appeared that even an emperor, reputed for wisdom in her previous life, was only human after all. But upon reflection, it seemed only natural. As a ruler, Liu Xiu would make such choices when faced with a subordinate as powerful and potentially threatening as Han Yu.

But understanding aside, it still sat uneasily with her. She was especially discontented to see Han Yu tirelessly working despite prior grievances. While she knew her husband wasn’t a pushover and wouldn’t be as he appeared on the surface, part of Su Wenyue still felt unsettled. If only she had known, she wouldn’t have saved Liu Xiu. She had thought that, like in her previous life, Liu Xiu and Han Yu would remain a good emperor and minister pair, with Han Yu being deeply trusted as Liu Xiu’s most relied-upon subject. Yet, things had not turned out as expected.

Perhaps her rebirth was the reason. In this lifetime, Han Yu rose to prominence much earlier and achieved more than Liu Xiu, which might have sparked Liu Xiu’s jealousy. This time, Liu Xiu had merely refrained from calling Han Yu back, but who knew what could happen in the future if someone instigated trouble or a new situation arose? Liu Xiu might decide to get rid of Han Yu swiftly.

Now, Su Wenyue was beginning to understand that the matters of the world, as determined by fate, could go either way. For her, being reborn was a blessing from the heavens, giving her a new chance at life. However, for Han Yu, because of her changes, a series of events had shifted, leading to a crisis that, if not resolved, would endanger not just Han Yu but their entire family.

“What should we do, how can we resolve the current crisis?” Su Wenyue pondered, unintentionally voicing her thoughts.

“Madam, what did you say?” The servant girl asked carefully, not having heard Su Wenyue clearly due to her soft voice.

Realizing she had spoken her mind without intending to when the servant girl questioned her, Su Wenyue shook her head: “It’s nothing, help me get ready.”

Clearing her mind, Su Wenyue set aside her worries for the moment. Her rebirth had altered the original trajectory of events for the worse, but since the crisis wasn’t immediate, she could afford to ignore it temporarily. She’d plan to discuss with Han Yu later on about what steps to take next.

“Where are they? Please take me there.”

After tidying up and having eaten, Su Wenyue checked on her three children before heading towards where Han Yu was. She had many things she wanted to find out. It had been too late the night before to ask, but now was a good time to seek clarity, not to mention she needed to find out how her big brother and uncle managed to escape from Chang’an; she had been quite worried for them at the time.

Upon seeing Su Wenyue arriving, everyone in the study room who had been talking stopped and looked at her.

Han Yu watched his daughter-in-law, his expression, which had seemed cold, growing warmer. Su Wenyue was different; in front of others, even including her father-in-law and eldest brother-in-law, Han Yu always maintained a stern demeanor—a matter of habit.

“Daughter-in-law, you’ve come,” Han Yu called out to her. Just as he was about to go to her, he saw a figure flash by her, and someone got to her first.

Han Yu was somewhat unable to accept that someone snatched his daughter-in-law right in front of him. He stopped in his tracks and silently watched his brother-in-law’s excited demeanor. Although part of him was discontent, he ultimately held back.

Let it go, he thought; after what his wife had been through, considering his brother-in-law’s degree of adoration for his sister, his reaction was not unexpected. Han Yu decided not to take issue with his brother-in-law. In his heart, begrudgingly admitting that even if he wanted to, he couldn’t do much about it—if it were anyone else, he could have proudly reclaimed his wife, but this was his brother-in-law!