Chapter 709: Chapter 258: Parting

Hearing this, Chen Wanqing smiled through her tears. "Mother, what are you saying? Jing is your son, after all..."

"He is my son, but I won’t show him any favoritism. This is no way to do things! He might be serving the country with absolute loyalty, but he’s leaving you and the child to live in constant fear every single day. He promised you a good life, but what happiness have you truly enjoyed since you’ve been with him?

"Child, a woman’s life is very short. I have tasted the bitterness of widowhood, and I cannot let you suffer through the same thing. Just listen to me; I will take charge of this matter for you. Even if Jing tries to argue with you about this in the future, I will back you up..."

Mrs. Zhao’s words were truly beyond everyone’s expectations.

She had always been a timid and cowardly person. Chen Wanqing originally thought that upon learning of Zhao Jing’s actions, she would definitely end up weeping endless tears and be at a complete loss. But she didn’t! At such a crucial moment, she stood up for herself.

It was as if she was so terrified of suffering that she refused to allow her beloved daughter-in-law to walk down the same old path she had taken. Therefore, she promised Chen Wanqing over and over again, "Don’t be afraid. I will shoulder everything for you..."

Over a month had passed since Zhao Jing left the Capital City. During this time, Chen Wanqing received five letters he had sent back.

The first letter arrived the day before Mrs. Zhao visited. In it, he described the scenery along the way and the things he saw and heard at the post stations. He wrote about a torrential downpour that left everyone drenched like drowned rats, and how the post station prepared thick ginger soup. They each drank two bowls, feeling as if they had been thoroughly marinated in the spicy broth.

The second letter was delivered eight days after his departure. He treated it like a travel journal, even drawing a few sketches for her on a whim. Within those pages, he carefully asked if she was feeling well lately and if the baby was being fussy. He also suggested that if she felt lonely, she could keep Zhaocai and Jinbao by her side, or have Xiang’er stay with her.

By the time the third letter arrived, the sweltering heat of summer had set in. Simply standing in the courtyard for a brief moment was enough to turn a person’s face purple from the sun.

Nowadays, Chen Wanqing only took walks in the courtyard during the early mornings and late evenings; the rest of the time, she stayed indoors. She had grown increasingly intolerant to the heat recently, but worried that having too many ice basins in her room might cause her to catch a cold, she strictly restrained herself.

The consequence of this restraint was that the moment she saw Zhao Jing’s handwriting, she couldn’t help but shed tears. Her heart ached for him, yet it also ached for herself, and she couldn’t resist clutching the letter as she wept in silence.

When Zhao Jing’s fourth letter arrived, he had already left Xinghuai Prefecture.

This time, he mentioned that Wanqing’s father, Chen Song, had resigned from his post as the Salt Transport Officer. He had volunteered to join the garrison and become a camp soldier. Chen Song took on the duty of escorting the envoys along their route, tasked with accompanying them to the next Prefecture.

Zhao Jing had originally assumed his father-in-law would turn back at that point, but he did not. Governor Sheng had struck some unknown agreement with the escorting imperial guards, allowing Chen Song to enter the Western Regions alongside them until his return journey.

Upon learning that her father had followed Zhao Jing to the Western Regions, Chen Wanqing sat in her room in a long, heavy silence. When Xu Suying came over, Wanqing showed her the letter. Xu Suying’s face showed no sign of surprise.

"When Jing was assigned the mission as an envoy to the Western Regions, I immediately wrote a letter to your father. He made up his mind right then and there to tag along. Don’t look at me like that. Your father is a stubborn man; once he sets his mind on something, do you really think I could change it?

"And don’t feel guilty towards your father. You are our daughter, and Jing is like a half-son to us. As parents, how can we be at peace if we don’t personally ensure your safety? Besides, this isn’t entirely for Jing’s sake.

"Your father is over forty years old. He has little formal schooling, and the few characters he recognizes were taught by me. He can read the court bulletins, but he can only read, not write, which severely limits his future prospects. If I were just an ordinary woman, your father wouldn’t feel any pressure. But your grandfather is a member of the Cabinet, and it looks like he’s going to be promoted to Grand Secretary soon. How do you think your father feels about that?

"He doesn’t want people saying he’s a freeloader living off his wife’s family, and he doesn’t want me to suffer a hard life with him. So, shouldn’t he take this chance to fight for something more while he still has the strength to move?

"This timing is simply perfect! Who knows, maybe your father will earn military merits? Just wait and see; your father and Jing won’t let us down."

When Zhao Jing’s fifth letter arrived, the Capital City was being battered by a torrential downpour.

That day, Chen Wanqing’s heart was racing frantically. A deep sense of unease settled in her chest, a lingering feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

By late afternoon, the rain had lessened, but it continued to drizzle sparsely. She was resting on her chaise lounge for a midday nap when, without any warning, her water suddenly broke.

The entire Xu family was thrown into a frenzy. Servants scrambled to fetch an Imperial Physician, boil water, and heat up the delivery room.

Supporting herself on her nanny’s arm, Chen Wanqing entered the delivery room. Enduring the waves of pain sweeping over her, she gazed absentmindedly out the window.

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