Chapter 002: Dreaming

However, the current Xu Momo is no longer the authoritative matron who used to command with an iron fist in her room, which left Shen Changle utterly astonished at this scene

"Miss, Miss." Little did she know that her consciousness was becoming increasingly blurred, until she opened her eyes and saw the woman in front of her, dressed in a stone blue garment and wearing only a silver hairpin, truly it was Shun Gu.

When Shun Gu saw her suddenly exclaiming that she was hungry, she immediately said, "I will go and get some food for you, Miss."

They not only kidnapped her, but also captured the Empress Dowager. Yes, it was the King of Wu who rebelled, but he claimed he wanted the Emperor to surrender without a fight. Shen Changle couldn't help but want to laugh; the Emperor treated her well, but it was merely superficial. How could someone so noble as he surrender for her?

Yet even so, she still did not want to die

Regarding her childhood memories, Shen Changle can no longer recall them clearly. Yet, she is unaware that the dreams are so vividly real; could it be that these memories have always been hidden within her mind

Moreover, she quickly became pregnant again, and with her own child on the way, she naturally became even less attentive to the three children.

At this moment, in the main courtyard, Lin, who was already quite large with child, was impatiently sipping tea. This was her first pregnancy, and naturally, she was very anxious. Moreover, when she went to offer incense earlier, she secretly asked a doctor to take her pulse, who said that this child would be a son

Shun Gu went to fetch some snacks, and Shen Changle felt thirsty again, so she called a maid to come in and pour her some water. However, just as the teacup was brought to her lips, she took a sip and found it too hot, causing her to immediately spit it out, along with the cup in her hand, which fell to the ground and burned her hand painfully.

When she saw Aunt Shun, did that mean she was really dead? But why wasn't it her mother who came to fetch her? Or was it that she arrived too late, and her mother had already crossed the Naihe Bridge

"Sister, accompany me," Shen Changle began to speak, but as soon as she opened her mouth, the sweet and tender tone made her laugh at herself. It turned out that her voice had been so charming when she was a child.

As soon as the maid outside heard the noise, she hurried into the room and, seeing the tea stains on the young lady's hands, angrily exclaimed: "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and bring the burn ointment."

Old Madam Xu was not concerned, smiled slightly, and turned to leave again

Lin did not speak, merely placing the teacup on the table. The day was growing increasingly hot, and coupled with her pregnancy, she dared not keep too much ice in the room; she was so hot that she was on the verge of developing heat rash.

Xu Momo was the stewardess in her household, originally meant to accompany her on her wedding day. However, her fiancé had not yet come to marry her when he tragically fell from his horse and died. Therefore, she could not bear to see Xu Momo, at such an advanced age, still toiling for her, and thus sent her to a retirement home.

"What is going on with that little hoof of Lu Wu? Why hasn't it returned for so long?" Another voice sounded, and this voice was even more familiar to Shen Changle; it was Xu Momo.

Upon hearing that her husband had returned, Lin immediately stood up from her chair and exclaimed in surprise, "Why has the master returned so suddenly? Where has he been at this hour?"

Shen Changle nodded

When Shen Lingcheng entered wearing a deep blue plain satin robe, Shen Changle looked up and stared at him intently. It turned out that her father, in his youth, was so handsome and tall.

At this moment, her consciousness finally became somewhat clearer, yet she could not open her eyes no matter what. Shen Changle felt anxious and was pondering what exactly was happening to her.

"Is it possible that she is ill, or could it be that I intentionally harmed her?" After hearing Zhang Momo's concerns, Lin said with a snort, sounding quite displeased

The Emperor has arrived

She gazed longingly at the door, fully aware that the Emperor would not come, yet still hoping that he might, until she heard a sound from outside

"Madam, Miss San's illness has not yet improved. What shall we do?" said Zhang Mama beside her, with a worried expression.

Before marrying in, she was convinced that she would treat these three children as her own. However, after marrying in, it was completely different. Not to mention the two young masters, just this little girl, who is barely a toddler, looks at her with eyes that are neither eyes nor eyebrows that are eyebrows.

Just as she had finished changing her clothes, she heard a commotion outside. Before she could gather her thoughts, a group of guards clad in armor and wielding swords burst in.

Seeing that she seemed a bit dazed, Shun Gu asked, "Miss, are you very hungry? If not, shall I have someone bring you some snacks?"

Later, the sudden death of the fiancé seemed to further confirm this point

The vibrant and splendid garments, along with the exquisite jewelry, made her heart leap with joy at the thought of the lively Lantern Festival. For many years, she had been living in dullness, having not experienced such exuberance for quite some time.

Old Madam Zhang was about to respond when a young maid rushed in. As soon as she entered the room, she quickly said: "Madam, the Duke has returned."

"Why hasn't the doctor arrived yet? My poor girl." A middle-aged woman's voice echoed in her ears, sounding as if it belonged to her aunt.

Feeling distressed, I quickly comforted my aunt

Shen Changle stared intently at the back of her hand, while her aunt handed her a handkerchief to wipe it, and continued to breathe heavily.

She had no fortune in matters of marriage; not to mention having children, she had never even lost her virginity. However, later on, when she returned to the Duke Wei's residence, Shen Jin would often bring her children back, such lovely and beautiful children that truly made one envious

When leaving, Granny Xu held her hand and cried for a long time. However, Shen Changle did not particularly like Granny Xu, as she would often inadvertently mention that her mother had died giving birth to her, which made Shen Changle always feel like an ill-fated person

When Shen Lingcheng entered, Shen Changle was struggling to get up, and no matter how much her aunt tried to persuade her, she could not be stopped. As a result, they heard the Duke's voice announcing his return, and with that, even Shen Changle sat up in bed obediently.

Lin hurriedly called over a maid to help her with her grooming, and then felt that her outfit was a bit too plain, so she ordered someone to bring her a set of bright clothing.

At this moment, however, Shen Changle could not help but feel a sense of panic in her heart. Why does it hurt so much? Why is the sensation of pain in the dream so real? She reached out and pinched her own cheek, pinching it too hard, letting out a yelp of "ouch".

She reached out to take Shun Gu's hand, but to her surprise, what came into view was a chubby little hand, white and tender. This dream was truly vivid; she placed her own hand in front of her eyes

Upon hearing this, Lin was so enraged that he threw down the bronze mirror he was holding.

She would have been fine not saying anything, but upon being asked, Shen Changle immediately felt a hollow sensation in her stomach. With her other chubby little hand, she rubbed her belly, thinking to herself that this dream was truly realistic, as she could even feel hunger so vividly.

Seeing his daughter staring at him in such a daze, Shen Lingcheng bent down, gently stroked her nose, and affectionately asked, "My little Chang Le, what is the matter? Do you not recognize your father anymore?"

Seeing that she was getting angry, Granny Zhang did not dare to say much. However, with the old lady and the master about to return, what would happen if the third young lady's illness had not yet improved by then

Shen Changle smiled, was she dreaming? When she was five years old, her cousin Shun was beaten by her stepmother Lin for stealing something from the house and was then driven out. In fact, she had always felt that Shun was wronged, but she was too young, and how could the elders in the family believe her words

Recently, a letter was sent from the Shen family ancestral home in Yongnian County, stating that the second matriarch's health was not very good. Although the letter did not explicitly mention it, everyone understood that it likely indicated the second matriarch's time was drawing near. Furthermore, since the passing of the old duke, the matriarch had not returned to Yongnian County, so this time she was determined to go back and see her elder sister-in-law. The duke, concerned that in such hot weather the servants might be negligent in their care, decided to accompany her personally. Additionally, since the old duke's death, the matriarch had not returned to Yongnian County, so this time she was determined to go back and see her elder sister-in-law. The duke, fearing that in such hot weather the servants might be negligent in their care, decided to accompany her personally.

She smiled at Aunt Shun, and seeing her so well-behaved, Aunt Shun felt a pang of heartache, nearly bringing her to tears.

"Alright, you go get some food first, the young lady is hungry." After hearing her exaggerated words, Gu responded somewhat coldly.

In the boundless darkness, Shen Changle felt utterly dazed. She wanted to open her eyes, but no matter what, she could not.

Little did she know that after putting on her makeup and changing into a new outfit, the Duke had not yet arrived. She then ordered someone to check again. It was only at this moment that she learned that Shen Lingcheng had returned and headed straight to Shanyue Residence.

This dream feels too real

Yet in this moment, Shen Changle was utterly astonished.

After a long time, she finally looked up and said, "It hurts so much"

However, before she got married, her aunt, whether through indirect hints or direct advice, spoke only of the three children left by her cousin, the Zhang family.

She was about to feel joy, but suddenly a sharp pain struck her heart. She looked down to see an arrow lodged in her chest, its tip already embedded in her body

What is wrong with her? She always thinks of those people from the past, and even in her dreams, she only remembers things from before. But why doesn't she dream of her father and her brothers?

You should go take a look in that yard again Lin said after a moment of thought

Shen Changle listened to his words, and for some reason, tears suddenly fell down her face

Although she is merely a concubine, given her own family background, even the position of a concubine to the Duke of Wei is beyond her reach. If she were not the direct cousin of Zhang, the legitimate wife of Shen Lingcheng, even if Shen Lingcheng himself took a liking to her, the Zhang family would not necessarily agree.

When she grew up and wanted to find Shun Gu again, she sent someone to inquire, only to learn that her son had passed away in the second year after she was expelled. It was said that he fell ill and could not afford treatment. After that, she went mad and eventually accidentally fell into the lake and drowned

Shen Changle heard someone crying in her ear, but what were they crying about? Could it be because she had died?

She worked hard to dream of her father. In the past, she always felt that her father favored Shen Jin more than her, which made her feel jealous. However, she was not the type to be good at acting cute or seeking favor, so she could only watch silently and envy quietly

Xu Momo, who had been outside, entered the room and, upon seeing Shen Changle awake, joyfully clasped her hands together and said: "Thank heaven and earth, our young lady has finally woken up"

"Miss, are you hungry?" Shun Gu probably realized that she had lost her composure, quickly wiped away her tears, and asked softly

This time, the third branch also returned, and the Lin family heard that it was to adopt the children of the ancestral home. The third branch has not had a single child to date, and the elderly matriarch has long been unable to wait.

The small hands before her are chubby, with several fat rolls on the back due to the excess flesh. She is unaware that she was once so chubby as a child. Could it be that she has truly dreamt of her childhood?

It is precisely because of this cousin relationship that her aunt was willing to allow her to marry in.

After her widowhood, her brother unconditionally brought her back to the Duke of Wei's residence. When she went to pay her respects to her father, he looked at her for a long time and softly said: Since you have returned, you may settle down with peace of mind, for I am here.

At that moment, she finally understood that her father's affection for her was no less than that of Shen Jin.

Upon thinking of this, Lin touched her own belly again, lamenting that no matter what, she must give birth to a son in order to establish her position in this family

There are people shouting around, yes, there are indeed people shouting

Upon hearing about this matter, I felt even more restless and couldn't help but express my annoyance: "What is going on? It's just a minor illness, yet it has dragged on for so long?"

Thus, she nodded

Subsequent scenes flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern. The Emperor said he would take her out of the palace to see the lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first month, so she was trying on the clothes she would wear when leaving the palace tomorrow

***

No, that's not right. She clearly remembers that Granny Xu had always been nagging in front of her, saying how good her relationship with Aunt Shun was. And after Aunt Shun left, she repeatedly urged her to take good care of her. But why, as she looks at it now, does it seem that Aunt Shun never thought highly of Granny Xu at all

"Miss." The maid beside her was startled and exclaimed

Having arrived at the second gate, she is now coming over. The young maid has come to deliver good news; although her voice is somewhat loud, at this moment, even Mother Zhang is beaming with joy and has no time to pursue any inquiries.