TRBDM -Chapter 224 A Mother’s Enduring Love

“Yu’er, training in martial arts is extremely tough. If your brothers and sisters at the Marquis Residence knew, they would surely worry about you.”

At the mention of his family in the Marquis Residence, Xie Yu’s eyelashes trembled. He whispered earnestly: “Godmother, please don’t let them know.”

If they knew, it would only make them worry.

Someday, he might be sent far to the border, gone for three or five years without returning.

Rather than letting them worry, it was better to sever contact now, to put some distance between himself and everyone.

Over time, they would forget him.

Xie Yu had always thought this way.

That was why, when he arrived at the Princess’s residence, he hadn’t written a single letter to anyone at the Marquis Residence.

Not even to his third brother.

Whenever he felt lonely at night, missing everyone unbearably, he would go to the sand pit to practice his punches, exhausting himself until he collapsed from fatigue.

After surviving the hardest half month, he gradually began to recover.

Now, hearing Wei Zhaorong mention the Hou family, Xie Yu visibly sank.

He missed them terribly.

Wei Zhaorong could understand that a thirteen-year-old child, suddenly burdened with such responsibilities, would feel lost and helpless.

Xie Yu didn’t want anyone to know his situation, nor did he want them to worry, so Wei Zhaorong decided to respect his wishes.

“Don’t worry, your godmother won’t tell them.”

A weight lifted from Xie Yu’s heart, landing heavily, almost painfully. He forced a faint smile: “Thank you, Godmother.”

Wei Zhaorong sipped her tea, not in a rush to leave.

She went through everything, asking Xie Yu many questions in detail.

Xie Yu, rarely seeing Wei Zhaorong, was delighted to chat with her. He answered all her questions honestly, without hiding anything.

When he had been at the Marquis Residence, due to his status, he had never been this close to Wei Zhaorong.

But after a month apart, the barriers between them had vanished, and they spoke as freely as a biological mother and son.

Later, as dusk approached, Wei Zhaorong had to leave.

Before leaving, she patted Xie Yu on the shoulder: “Yu’er, walk the path you must take firmly. Don’t look back, don’t regret. Though we aren’t by your side, we will always support you from behind. Because… we are family.”

Her warm words instantly brought tears to Xie Yu’s eyes.

He fought to hold them back: “Thank you, Godmother. Please thank everyone for me.”

“Family doesn’t need thanks. Next time, I’ll come see you again.”

“Yes, I’ll wait for you.”

After Wei Zhaorong left, Xie Yu finally let the tears he had been holding back fall.

He lifted his head, took a deep breath, and wiped the corners of his eyes.

His mother had said that a man may bleed but must not cry. Today, he allowed himself two tears, no more.

He quickly regained control and returned to the archery field.

Chen San had already collected all the long arrows—one hundred in total.

Xie Yu stood steady, gripped his bow, drew the string, and shot arrow after arrow until he had fired all one hundred.

Two targets were completely destroyed before he finally put down the bow to rest.

“Princess, the Young Master is still practicing. It’s too hard on him; this old nanny’s heart aches,” Nanny Nai wiped at her eyes.

As his mother, Zhao Lingchen felt his pain more than anyone.

Yet, she was also harsher than anyone.

“The battlefield tolerates no mistakes. Only through tens of thousands of repetitions can one achieve commanding presence in battle. He is Fu Wei’s son, with Fu Wei’s blood running through him; he is destined for the battlefield. Feeling pity now would only push him into the fire.”

Zhao Lingchen’s words were cold, but her heart bled silently.

Night after night, as Xie Yu slept deeply, Zhao Lingchen would sit by his bedside, applying medicine to his hands over and over.

A string of shocking blood blisters made her heart ache with pain.

Xie Yu had never once complained in front of anyone.

The masters Zhao Lingchen had chosen for him were all extremely strict, with exceedingly high expectations.

In truth, if Xie Yu had shown weakness and acted a little spoiled toward Zhao Lingchen, Zhao Lingchen would have abandoned any principle without hesitation.

Yet Xie Yu never did that.

At first, when he struggled to complete his tasks, he would practice at night.

Later, when he gradually met the masters’ standards, he chose to refine himself even further, striving to do better and achieve perfection.

Zhao Lingchen felt both proud and heartbroken—her heart torn in two, repeatedly forged between molten lava and ice.

High self-discipline inevitably brought high rewards.

In just a month, Xie Yu’s body had developed a thin layer of muscle, much firmer than before he entered the Princess’s residence.

At the same time, his mind and perseverance had greatly improved.

The childishness in him gradually disappeared, replaced by budding determination and decisiveness.

Sometimes, Zhao Lingchen could see traces of Fu Wei in Xie Yu’s face.

She caressed his cheek, silently saying, “Yu’er, you’ve worked hard. You are the pride of both your father and me.”

Even in his sleep, Xie Yu seemed to sense it, rubbing his cheek against Zhao Lingchen’s palm.

At the Mingde Marquis Residence, When Wei Zhaorong’s carriage arrived, it happened to be dinnertime.

The entire household waited anxiously at the gate, and only when Wei Zhaorong stepped inside did their tense nerves finally relax.

Xie Chuan stepped forward to support her: “Mother, if you hadn’t come back soon, I would have gone out to look for you.”

Wei Zhaorong had not told them explicitly that she was going to the Princess’s residence, only saying she was visiting an old friend.

Now, with the succession struggle growing fiercer and the capital unsafe at every turn, her prolonged absence had left everyone inside the residence in fear for her safety.

Even Xie Lan had put aside his studies and waited with the others at the main gate.

Seeing a group of children on tiptoe, craning their necks in anticipation, brought joy to Wei Zhaorong’s heart.

“Sorry to have worried everyone,” she said.

Xie Chuan pretended to scold her: “Mother, you forbid us from leaving the residence, yet you go out yourself. Isn’t this like the magistrate being allowed to set fires, but the common people forbidden to light lamps?”

Wei Zhaorong raised an eyebrow at him: “Oh? Chuan’er, you know how to use idioms now? Making progress, huh? Been reading recently?”

Embarrassed at being praised, Xie Chuan scratched his head: “I’ve been reading… with Madam.”

Dou Shuyao was learning management skills at Ruixiang Courtyard and spent every day in the study.

Whenever Xie Chuan had free time, he went to accompany her.

He would casually pick up a book, but within less than half the time it took for an incense stick to burn, his eyelids would droop, and he’d fall asleep.

With the frequency he actually read, he never even made it past the first page.

The idiom he had just used was taught by Dou Shuyao.

Wei Zhaorong was keenly aware of his every action.

Yet she didn’t expose him: “Looks like reading is starting to pay off. Nanny Qi, send more books to Ruixiang Courtyard tomorrow, for the young master.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Xie Chuan let out a groan, only to be nudged by Dou Shuyao, and promptly shut his mouth.

In his heart, though, he was wailing: I hate reading the most!

The household laughed and chatted as they went to Anhe Courtyard for dinner.

During the meal, Wei Zhaorong didn’t mention seeing Xie Yu. Once everyone had finished and dispersed, she asked Xie Lan to stay behind.

“Mother, do you have something to tell me?”

“Yes. Today, I saw Yu’er at the Princess’s residence.”

Xie Lan’s eyes lit up: “Really? How is our fourth brother?”