FBC -Chapter 300 The Dilemma of Family Affection

Gu Ha saw Zhao Luoxuan being escorted in by a bustling crowd and joyfully went forward to greet her.

“My heavens! I thought the messenger’s news was just to cheer me up, but you really came back?”

She looked at General Qi’s parents following behind. They hurriedly stepped forward to bow. “Your Highness, we pay our respects to the Princess Consort.”

Gu Ha personally helped them up. “Please, rise. You’ve returned as well?”

Zhao Luoxuan explained for them: “My parents feel more comfortable living in Daliang, so I just brought them back with me.”

Gu Ha glanced at Zhao Luoxuan but didn’t ask further, instead smiling: “Perfect timing. I recently ordered some repairs done to General Qi’s residence. Would your parents like to see it first?”

Madam Qi quickly bent in thanks: “Thank you, Princess Consort. Then we’ll go have a look first. Luoxuan, where do you wish to stay?”

She looked toward Zhao Luoxuan.

“Mother, Father, I’ll stay with my sister for one night and return home tomorrow.”

“Very well.”

Gu Ha had Qi’s parents sent back to their residence.

Zhao Luoxuan immediately reverted to her youthful, radiant self, linking arms with Gu Ha and eager: “Quick, take me to see the little ones! I’ve been wanting to see them for so long.”

“Let’s go.” Gu Ha smiled and led her inside.

Entering the old lady’s courtyard, the household greeted Zhao Luoxuan and Gu Ha with bows and laughter.

Mu Chen and Mu Xi were being helped to walk by two wet nurses, and even their steps showed their personalities.

Mu Xi walked elegantly, taking careful little square steps. He had to plant one foot firmly before moving the next.

Mu Chen, on the other hand, was restless, moving her feet quickly. Without the nurse’s partial support, she would have fallen.

Both children noticed Zhao Luoxuan simultaneously, lifting their small heads adorned with tiger hats, looking puzzled.

Mu Xi was the first to react, smiling broadly: “Aunt… Auntie…”

Mu Chen remained in a daze, then, twisting her tiny body with surprising strength, the nurse had to catch her to prevent her from falling.

The little girl kicked her short legs and pointed with both hands in another direction.

“Yuan Yuan wants to go turn that way.”

Wang Lanyi, seeing her granddaughter attempting to walk and the nurse not understanding, quickly came over to support her under the arms so she could continue.

Mu Xi obediently walked over, grabbing Zhao Luoxuan’s outstretched hand, then freed his other arm from the nurse and reached for Zhao Luoxuan as well.

“Auntie, hug!”

Zhao Luoxuan was delighted and quickly crouched down, carefully picking him up: “Wow, Tuan Tuan is so cute!”

Unexpectedly, Mu Xi grabbed Zhao Luoxuan’s face with his tiny hands and planted a kiss.

Zhao Luoxuan’s eyes widened.

“Aunt… Auntie… beautiful.”

The little  boy’s large eyes were like a clear spring, pure and untainted, reflecting the world’s most innocent beauty.

“Little Tuan Tuan, is Auntie beautiful?”

Mu Xi smiled brightly, nodding his head like a pecking chicken.

Gu Ha covered her face.

The old lady laughed heartily: “Tuan Tuan is usually so well-behaved, but seeing a beauty makes him change completely.”

Gu Ha frowned: “Quickly put him down; he’ll cling to Luoxuan soon enough.”

The nurse hurriedly carried the little boy away.

Zhao Luoxuan laughed: “Looks like Mu Xi will be very popular with girls in the future.”

“Yeah, right,” Gu Ha rolled her eyes at Mu Xi. “I thought he would be calm and steady.”

Suddenly, little Mu Chen, who had previously turned the other way, returned—now holding a small sword.

With the nurse’s help, she stumbled forward, swinging the sword.

Zhao Luoxuan quickly crouched to receive her, but Gu Ha grabbed one of Mu Chen’s arms and lifted the little girl off the ground.

“Don’t let her hurt you; she’s strong for her size.”

Mu Chen was unwilling to comply, waving the sword and babbling incoherently; with careful listening, one could hear her calling “Auntie.”

“She’s showing you her most treasured possession,” Gu Ha said with a knowing smile.

Zhao Luoxuan went over and carefully took the small sword, still clumsily waving about.

Gently coaxing: “Yuan Yuan wants to show Auntie your sword?”

Little Mu Chen nodded vigorously, tilting her small, plump head and giggling.

Zhao Luoxuan played along, examining the sword carefully: “Wow, Yuan Yuan’s sword is amazing! You’re really amazing.”

Excited by the praise, Mu Chen waved her arms and legs joyfully.

The whole room was filled with laughter.

Zhao Luoxuan played with them until lunchtime, after which Gu Ha pulled her back to her own courtyard.

Along the way, Zhao Luoxuan didn’t speak, staring blankly as if lost in thought.

Gu Ha glanced at her: “You… are you crying?”

Zhao Luoxuan snapped back, hastily wiping her damp eyes and smiling: “No, I’m just touched by your family’s warmth.”

Gu Ha felt a twinge of sadness.

Though Zhao Luoxuan was a favored daughter of heaven, she was now alone, married off to Dali alone.

And it was a marriage without love. One could imagine how difficult her life was.

Zhao Luoxuan shook her head to cast away her sadness and whispered: “Sister, I have something important to discuss with you and your husband.”

…

After hearing Zhao Luoxuan, Mu Junyan and Gu Ha exchanged a glance.

They naturally realized something serious might happen.

They also knew what Wang Heng had been up to over the past year.

But as long as Duan Yu was not involved, the other small states and tribes couldn’t cause trouble.

The Yuan family army wouldn’t abandon the northern border to fight the Mu family army from afar.

Moreover, the north had never been free of warfare.

“Luoxuan, you don’t need to worry,” Gu Ha said, understanding the purpose of Zhao Luoxuan’s visit, offering comfort.

Zhao Luoxuan’s eyes reddened: “Brother-in-law, is what’s happening in Bianjing true? Really? Mother actually allied with the Yuan family against the Mu army?”

She had already taken Gu Ha as her own sister and addressed Mu Junyan directly as brother-in-law.

Gu Ha looked at Mu Junyan, signaling him.

Zhao Luoxuan, though stronger after the past year, would naturally feel torn and pained knowing her blood relatives disregarded her completely and chose to oppose their own people stationed in Daliang.

Mu Junyan ignored Gu Ha’s signal and nodded: “It’s true.”

Zhao Luoxuan’s tears fell instantly, her heart in agony: “Why? Didn’t she send me to Dali to marry for peace between the two countries? I fulfilled her wish and married voluntarily. The Crown Prince is about to become Emperor. Why would she raise the sword against us?”

“Has she forgotten how you helped the Crown Prince secure his position? Forgotten how you did everything to protect him? How can she be so ungrateful!”

She couldn’t face the fact that her own mother had done something even her father wouldn’t dare.

Her mother came from a noble family, elegant and dignified, yet why did she stir up war, ignoring the safety of her people?

How was she any different from the Jiang clan?

Gu Ha shot Mu Junyan a look, then hugged Zhao Luoxuan, gently comforting her: “Perhaps a treacherous minister deceived your mother. Maybe it wasn’t her own idea.”

Zhao Luoxuan, tearful, looked at her: “Really? Mother was deceived?”

Gu Ha could only say: “Perhaps.”

Zhao Luoxuan: “Then I must go back to the court and see her. I want to ask her myself if she truly intends this!”

“Your Highness, Princess, Miss Yuan requests to see you,” a servant announced.

“Yuan Jieying?” Gu Ha glanced at Mu Junyan.

“Let her in.”

Zhao Luoxuan’s eyes burned with anger.

The Jiang family is gone, now the Yuan family appears. Why can’t they, like the Mu army, avoid bloodshed?

Yuan Jieying had been living in Juzhou.

Previously, she had helped Zhao Luoxuan and Gu Ha establish academies, orphanages, and care homes. Later, Zhao Luoxuan married off, and Gu Ha was busy giving birth. These places were left under her management.

Only the Virtuous Consort of the Yuan family knew she was alive and even sent money.

Yet for unknown reasons, Yuan Jieying returned all the money and ceased all correspondence with the Virtuous Consort.