Chapter 34: A Day of Reunion, Full of Joy and Sorrow

After the flood, Kaifeng was in ruins. Across the entire Henan region, as many as twelve thousand households were affected. The flood cared nothing for nobles or commoners alike; it swept everything in its path. Whether the land was barren or fertile, whether the harvest had been good or bad, or whether people had worked hard or not, thousands of acres of farmland were submerged. The nobles were furious, the commoners wailed in despair, and officials at all levels were overwhelmed. As for the struggles among those in higher positions, they remained hidden from outsiders.

After the Zhang family moved back to their old home, Zhang Zhuo, the only son left at home, went out to gather information while also overseeing the masons in repairing the buildings and directing the servants in discarding unusable items. Lady Sun, unlike before, was no longer indifferent to affairs. She spent her days with Lady Feng and Lady Dongfang, helping the stewards keep records, manage financial transactions, and calculate losses. Though extremely busy, she felt reassured.

That day, she stood inside the main gate with her two sisters-in-law, staring at the end of the winding stone path, her handkerchief already crumpled from repeated wringing. Though she had long known her son was safe, she hadn’t found the time to visit Daxiangguo Temple since his return. With Lady Feng and Lady Dongfang also staying indoors out of caution, she had to suppress her longing. Now, thinking that her son, who had never left her side before, had been away for nearly a month, her face showed deep anxiety.

Just then, a maid from the household rushed over like the wind from the end of the path. Before she even got close, she exclaimed joyfully, “They’re here! The masters and mistresses have all returned!”

Hearing this, Lady Sun perked up and stepped forward quickly, only to realize no one was beside her. Turning back, she saw that her two sisters-in-law hadn’t moved either. Upon closer inspection, she noticed tears in Lady Feng’s eyes and Lady Dongfang’s pale face. She inwardly sneered, feeling even more empathy for Lady Feng’s situation.

If anything had happened to her son before, her sister-in-law would have lost only a daughter, but she had lost her only son!

“Sister-in-law, it’s good that they’re back. No matter what, let’s talk about it later,” she said, then nodded at the young maid beside Lady Feng and ordered firmly, “Chunmo, help your mistress later.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, hurried footsteps came from over there. Lady Sun quickly turned her head and saw a group of maids and servants leading several people toward her. Zhang Yue, standing in the middle, was smiling at her directly. In that instant, she felt the world spin around her, and her once strong legs suddenly went weak. If not for Pearl, the older maid beside her, holding her firmly, she would have almost lost her balance.

Zhang Yue had thought he would have to greet a whole bunch of people first—his mother, aunts, etc.—but before he could say anything, Lady Sun knelt down and pulled him into her arms, giving him the same suffocatingly warm embrace he had experienced when he was reborn. He had gradually gotten used to being a child and to his parents’ affectionate care, but seeing Lady Sun’s tears flow freely now, he also became anxious. He quickly took the handkerchief from his mother and gently wiped away her tears.

“Mother, stop crying. Am I not fine?”

Lady Sun grabbed Zhang Yue’s hand holding the handkerchief, tears welling in her eyes, though her heart was filled with joy. After sniffing hard, she eagerly asked a series of questions—whether he was doing well at Daxiangguo Temple, if he had suffered any mistreatment or bullying, if he had encountered thieves or been frightened, and so on.

Zhang Yue didn’t dare reveal what he had seen and heard outside, nor did he mention any close calls. Instead, he chose to speak in a light and cheerful tone, as if his trip to Daxiangguo Temple wasn’t for refuge but for a leisurely outing.

As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Zhang Chao, Zhang Qi, Zhang Jiu, and Zhang Qing, who were receiving the same treatment. Then he noticed Lady Luo and Zhang Yi standing aside, completely ignored. The mother and daughter seemed cautious to the same extreme, but in Zhang Yi’s fearful gaze, he could faintly see endless envy and longing.

The joyful reunion lasted for a while, with all three mothers in tears—even Lady Dongfang, who had only been separated from her two sons for a few days. When she saw Zhang Yue walk up calmly and heard him call out to his second aunt, she froze momentarily before stammering, “Brother Yue, about what happened before…”

As soon as she spoke, Feng Shi beside her cut in coldly, “Second sister-in-law, the children have been in fear and worry outside for so long. Why bring this up now? The old lady is waiting for them in the main house. We can discuss it properly later if there’s anything to discuss. Third sister-in-law, let’s go.” Without even glancing at Dong Fang Shi’s drastically changed expression, she took Zhang Jiu by one hand and Zhang Qing by the other, turning and walking away on her own.

Sun Shi and Dong Fang Shi had never gotten along, and now she resented her even more for abandoning her children at a critical moment. She didn’t bother pretending and pulled Zhang Yue along as well. After being dragged out a few steps by his mother, Zhang Yue turned back to look at Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi. Seeing the two brothers staring at him, he gave a slight nod.

Although he wasn’t a saint and greatly disliked Dong Fang Shi’s behavior in such a crisis, he couldn’t bear to take it out on Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi. After all, he didn’t dislike these two impulsive yet straightforward cousins.

As they walked, he suddenly remembered the day when he and Qiu Hen and Hu Bo rushed out of the room and headed to the main house, worried about what had happened to Hong Luan and Bi Yao. So, seeing no one around, he asked softly, “Mother, are those two… the concubines… still okay?”

Sun Shi, who was in high spirits after reuniting with her son, was looking at Qiu Hen and Hu Bo beside her. Hearing her son’s question, her expression darkened instantly.

“Why mention those two! As soon as the old lady returned home, they came running, crying and wailing, saying how miserable and helpless they had been at home, as if it were I who abandoned them! The old lady was upset. If they weren’t the British Duke’s people, she might have had them sent away for their lack of sense. I heard they went back to their rooms first to pack their belongings, wandering around the house like headless flies, causing quite a spectacle!”

She paused for a moment before saying cheerfully, “I think none of them are easy to deal with. You, Yue, are truly lucky. Qiu Hen is nice, but she’s too gullible and easily manipulated. Hu Bo’s moderate temperament, on the other hand, is just right.”

Zhang Yue truly agreed with his mother’s view. But looking at Hu Bo, he noticed she remained as quiet and reserved as ever, which piqued his curiosity about her past. However, as the main house came into sight in the distance, he set those thoughts aside.

Now… it was time to gather his strength and go inside.