The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 629 - 592: Why Can’t I Be a Heroine? (Part 2)
After sending off Yun Shisan, Xu Jia got up to go to Furong Courtyard to see Mrs. Xu.
Beside Mrs. Xu was a stack of account books. She did not look at them, her eyes closed, as a maid gently massaged her from behind.
After Xu Jia came in, she didn’t make a sound, exchanged a glance with the maid, gesturing for her to leave, and then stood behind Mrs. Xu to continue the massage.
Mrs. Xu praised, "The strength is good, much improved from before."
"If mother feels comfortable, how about I give you a massage every day?"
Hearing Xu Jia’s voice, Mrs. Xu quickly turned her head and saw her daughter’s smiling face.
"Jia’er, why are you here?" Mrs. Xu glanced at her, "Don’t even announce yourself, like a thief."
"Why pay so much attention to etiquette at home?" Xu Jia continued her actions as she spoke, deliberately asking, "Or does mother already consider me an outsider?"
Mrs. Xu chuckled slightly, "If I considered you an outsider, would I have let you come back home so comfortably after ending your marriage?"
"Indeed." Xu Jia agreed, "That means father and mother still care about me."
Mrs. Xu hummed, "This sudden attentiveness from you isn’t without reason; tell me."
"I have something I’d like to give to mother." Xu Jia said, taking out the string of beads Yun Shisan had just given her from her sleeve, and waved it in front of Mrs. Xu.
Mrs. Xu looked carefully, "What kind of jade is this? The color looks quite flashy, and the beads are small; they don’t seem suitable for me, better you keep them."
"This is made from Phoenix Blood Jade."
Xu Jia dared not mention that she had transformed the Jade Pendant from her grandmother into a bead string, saying only: "I asked the Divine Doctor; he said wearing it on the wrist not only wards off evil and ensures safety but also benefits the body. Wearing it does no harm, so take it, please."
Xu Jia moved to the side of the couch and personally helped Mrs. Xu to put it on her wrist.
Mrs. Xu eyed her, "How many Divine Doctors are there? What you encountered was a charlatan, wasn’t it?"
"What does it matter if it’s a Divine Doctor or a charlatan, so long as he didn’t swindle my money."
The mother and daughter chatted idly for a while, then Xu Jia suddenly said, "Mother, shall we bring Aunt Chang back? What do you think?"
Mrs. Xu was still admiring the bracelet on her wrist and asked casually, "Why think of Aunt Chang now?"
Xu Jia said, "She has been outside long enough, her health should have recovered, and Aunt Chang is close to you. With her back, you’d have someone to talk to."
"That’s true, but I’m afraid she might fall ill again upon her return." Mrs. Xu’s eyes were filled with worry.
Xu Jia smiled, "The New Year is approaching; it’s time for our family to reunite."
"Ah, indeed." Mrs. Xu nodded and immediately called in the head maid, instructing her, "Take a few people and go to the outlying estate to bring Aunt Chang back for the New Year."
After the head maid retreated, Mrs. Xu contentedly held Xu Jia’s hand, "My Jia’er has grown up, so meticulous in everything she does."
At the same time, she felt a pang of sorrow.
Previously, she had spent all day at home immersed in the martial arts field, ignoring everything else. After a month’s marriage, she transformed entirely, testament to the severe constraints imposed on her.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Xu couldn’t help but regret, "It’s all my fault; I shouldn’t have agreed to the marriage with the Tang Family, which ended up causing you such harm."
Though the marriage was to fulfill the grandmother’s wish to see her granddaughter wed before her time was up, Xu Jia didn’t blame her family, as her opinion was sought initially.
Perhaps because she was born into a military family and practiced martial arts, Xu Jia naturally had an indescribable fondness for scholars.
In her past life, when the Tang Family proposed, she had never seen Tang Yuan, only knowing he was a newly minted third-place scholar, thus held some hope for the match.
Then reality dealt her a brutal blow.
Reborn, she could not resist marrying into the Tang Family, and her only choice was to find a way to escape that cage, making the end of the marriage a relief for her.
Reflecting on this, Xu Jia sighed, "Mother, it’s truly not your fault; it’s just that he and I lack marital fate. Besides, aren’t I doing well now?"
Ending a marriage like this was quite common in Great Chu, and although it was surprising that Xu Jia and Tang Yuan ended their marriage just a month after their wedding, the talk faded from the public eye soon after.
Mrs. Xu held somewhat traditional views, "You’re still a young lady after all; you must marry eventually. Ah, back then I..."
"Mother, there you go again."
Xu Jia was a bit helpless, "Who says I must get married? As a daughter from a military family, I also wish to don armor and defend the nation on the battlefield like father, to protect the peace and happiness of the people; that would not make my years of hard training in vain!"
Mrs. Xu poked her forehead, "Listen to yourself, what nonsense is this? It’s ridiculous for girls to go to the battlefield!"
"Even Hua Mulan could take her father’s place in the army; why can’t I be a heroine of the time?"
"Is that the same thing?"
"Why not?" Xu Jia seriously debated with her mother, "Our family is a military family, but my brother only knows a smattering of martial skills; he’d be doing well to protect himself. You can’t expect him to carry on father’s legacy, right? I’m different from brother; I’ve been learning martial arts from father since I was young, and my foundation is solid. I dare not boast, but I can certainly fight five adversaries at once."
Mrs. Xu had heard enough to understand; her daughter was telling her in a roundabout way that she didn’t plan to remarry in this lifetime, making her feel both saddened and helpless, "My heart, how much grievance did you suffer at the Tang Family to become like this?"
Xu Jia leaned into Mrs. Xu’s arms, "Mother, I really am fine. The daughters of the Xu Family don’t have to rely on men to get by. One day, I will prove it to you with my abilities."
Mrs. Xu gently caressed her hair, "I don’t ask you to perform any earth-shattering feats, just that you stay well, and that’s enough."
——
Aunt Chang returned to the manor the next day, wearing a brocade coat, with a fur cloak draped over her shoulders, and holding a hand-warmer.
Immediately after entering the manor, she went to Furong Courtyard to pay respects to Mrs. Xu.
Mrs. Xu quickly stepped forward to support her, "Among sisters, no need to be so formal, come on up."
Aunt Chang removed the hood from her head and lifted her gaze to Mrs. Xu, "It’s been so cold lately; has madam been well?"
"Good, good, everything is well with me."
Seeing her, Mrs. Xu’s face had more smiles.
Aunt Chang had planned to ask about Aunt Cao and Aunt Huo but decided to hold back, instead sitting down to have tea with Mrs. Xu.
During their chat, Mrs. Xu inquired about her situation at the outlying estate, and Aunt Chang answered everything, saying she had mostly recovered over the years.
Mrs. Xu said, "Since you’ve almost recovered, why not stay this time without going back?"
"That’s exactly what I intend," Aunt Chang nodded.
Leaving Furong Courtyard, Aunt Chang went to see Xu Jia.
Xu Jia was sitting by the Waterside Pavilion feeding fish, and upon seeing Aunt Chang approaching from afar, she curved her lips, "You’ve been recuperating for so long; is your health better now?"
"Thank you for your concern, young lady. I’ve recovered about seventy to eighty percent."
Xu Jia smiled and invited her to sit, "Just returned, why don’t you rest in your room before coming to visit me?"
Aunt Chang was straightforward, "I heard that two new concubines have been added to the manor, granted by the Emperor?"
"Yes." Xu Jia nodded, "The Emperor thought our household had few descendants, so when my father was acclaimed victorious and made a marquis, he bestowed those beauties."
Aunt Chang lowered her lashes, choosing not to respond.
"It doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen them; living under the same roof, you’ll run into them soon enough."
"It seems they’ve been causing problems for Madame, otherwise you wouldn’t have been so eager to bring me back." Aunt Chang said, lifting her eyes after listening to Xu Jia.
Utc understanding Xu Jia’s unspoken words that those two new concubines were causing trouble, Aunt Chang immediately recognized, being summoned surely served a purpose.
It was never commendable for the official wife to oppress the concubines, especially since they were conferred by the Emperor himself. As the main wife, Mrs. Xu had to show tolerance and magnanimity unless they committed a serious crime; otherwise, it would be rumor-worthy injustice.
Though Xu Jia could have dealt with it, she had no standing.
Even though she was the daughter who returned after ending her marriage, and her parents cherished and spoiled her, she was still a guest in this house to some degree and should not interfere with family affairs.
Only Aunt Chang could openly confront those two.
"""
