Happy Spring Every Year

November soon arrived, and during this period, the Lu Mansion remained peaceful.

The people sent to keep an eye on Lu Yunzheng and Gu Xizhi reported every day that they had not found any abnormal behavior from them.

However, Mrs. Zhao, who was by Mrs. Lu's side, went to the villa twice with a bundle in her arms to give silver to Lu Yunzheng and the others.

This made Shen Jiasui even more certain that Gu Xizhi must have received Madam Lu's approval that day at the Jokhang Temple, so he wrote another letter to remind Aunt Zhou.

Aunt Zhou wrote back to thank Shen Jiasui and asked her not to worry.

Shen Jiasui knew about Aunt Zhou's abilities, so he focused all his attention on the Anyang Marquis's Mansion.

November 9th.

Today is the third anniversary of the death of Crown Prince Xianhuai, and His Majesty has canceled the morning court session.

The court officials signed their names as needed and took up their duties as needed, but they could not help but sigh in secret that the emperor loved Prince Xianhuai so deeply that it was hard to let it go.

Now that the position of crown prince is vacant, they will ponder over every little thing in their minds hundreds of times.

You have to know that the emperor is only forty-five years old and in the prime of his life. Although the emperor's grandson is still young, he will naturally grow up in a few years.

If you think about it carefully, with the father-son relationship between His Majesty and Prince Xianhuai, maybe...

Thinking of this, everyone no longer dared to think too much. They just did their own work and then went home after work. With their wives and children by their side, and warm beds and beds, wouldn't that be happy?

----

Anyang Earl's Mansion, East Courtyard.

Anyang Bojiang Kaishuo was wearing a loose blue shirt, with one leg bent and pressed under his body, sitting in an awkward position. He was holding a cricket grass in his hand and teasing it with the cricket tube on the table.

Fugui, the servant, stood quietly beside him, apparently already accustomed to the dejected look of the Earl of Anyang.

"I heard that Madam returned home today?"

Anyang Bo suddenly spoke in a low voice with a sense of nonchalance.

Fugui was already drowsy, and was startled when he heard this, and nodded quickly.

"My Lord, the Madam returned home at the beginning of the afternoon, so she must be taking a nap now."

Upon hearing this, Anyang Bo snorted lightly, threw the cricket grass onto the table, and leaned lazily back in his chair.

"It's been ten days since we got back. I might as well pack up and move all her things to the Jokhang Temple to save her the trouble of running back and forth."

Fugui didn't dare to respond, and then he heard Anyang Bo ask, "Where's the young master? Why haven't I seen him come to pay his respects these past few days?"

Fugui glanced at the face of the Earl of Anyang and said truthfully, "Young Master...Young Master has been staying at Old Master Lin's place these days and has not returned home."

Upon hearing this, the Earl of Anyang sneered, "Well, well, he really thinks the Lin Mansion is his home. Don't go back, just don't go back at all!"

Anyang Bo sat there sulking for a while, then suddenly stood up and said, "Fugui, bring the silver!"

Upon hearing this, Fugui hurriedly advised: "Master, today is the anniversary of the death of Crown Prince Xianhuai. Although His Royal Highness has passed away for three years, the palace has not banned entertainment, but you should at least..."

"What are you talking about!"

Anyang Bo raised his hand and gave Fugui a loud slap.

"Master, am I such a tactless person? Madam has finally come back, go buy her some of her favorite cakes."

"Send it to the west courtyard later and tell them that everyone in the mansion has it, and it's not just for her."

As Anyang Bo said this, he strode out. Fugui saw him and hurriedly chased after him, shouting, "Master, please change your clothes!"

----

Anyang Marquis' Mansion, West Courtyard.

The wife of the Earl of Anyang sat on the edge of the couch with lifeless eyes, stroking the small dress on her knees over and over again.

This is the wing room in the west courtyard, where Jiang Xun has lived since he was born.

In a wealthy family like the Anyang Marquis's Mansion, young masters usually move to an independent courtyard when they are four years old and live with a wet nurse.

But Jiang Xun could not walk independently at the age of two, and had not yet spoken at the age of three. The Anyang Earl and his wife sought medical treatment for Jiang Xun everywhere, and finally even invited the imperial physician, but he was still diagnosed with "mental retardation".

From then on, Lady Anyang kept him in the wing room and took good care of him.

"Xun'er, damn Xun'er..."

The Lady of Anyang called out softly over and over again, pressing the little jacket, which had become worn and faded from being touched, against her cheek, tears streaming down her face.

She regretted it so much that her heart was broken.

When Xun'er was ten years old, the old lady in the mansion celebrated her birthday. As the mistress of the house, she was a little busy and entrusted Xun'er to the care of the servants.

But they took advantage of Xun'er's stupidity and didn't take her seriously at all. In order to find her, Xun'er ran to the banquet in front and was bullied by the children brought by other guests.

They laughed at Xun'er, pushed him, scared him with willow branches filled with insects, sang songs around him, said he was a nuisance, and threw pebbles at him.

Xun'er was frightened and pushed everyone away and ran away, hiding alone in a cave in the rockery in the back garden.

The servants were afraid of being punished, so they delayed reporting to her and chose to search privately.

When she came back after finishing her work, two hours had passed.

Her son Xun was hiding alone in a dark corner. He was so scared that he had a high fever and kept calling "Mom".

After three days of severe fever, her son died.

The one who woke up was not her Xun'er at all. She knew it, she knew it. As a mother, how could she not recognize her own child?

Over the past ten years, Lady Anyang has recalled that night countless times, even though every time she recalls it, it's like being tortured to death.

But she still couldn't help thinking, if only she had returned to the backyard earlier that day, if only she hadn't handed Xun'er over to the servants, if only she had kept Mother An.

It's all her fault.

The master had already said that she was weak and it was hard work to take care of Xun'er, so it would be the same to let her younger brother and sister-in-law take care of the banquet.

But she had suffered too much contempt because of Xun'er, and she was too eager to show her status in front of outsiders.

She wanted to tell others that even if she gave birth to a mentally retarded son, she was still the mistress of the Anyang Marquis's Mansion.

It was she who killed Xun'er.

She gave birth to Xun'er but never took good care of him. She even often resented him in her heart, blaming him for being born stupid and causing her to suffer from ridicule.

"Xun'er, Xun'er, it's my fault. I'm sorry..."

The wife of the Earl of Anyang buried her whole face in her jacket and sobbed.

She was too thin, and the blue shirt was loose on her. When she bent down, the bony ridges of her back were visible.

"As long as you can come back, Xun'er, as long as you can come back, mother is willing to do anything."

Having said this, Lady Anyang slowly raised her head, with a look of struggle and hesitation in her eyes.

But after looking at the wrinkled jacket on her knees, she reached into her arms and took out a smooth paulownia wood doll with black and red silk threads wrapped around it.

When Mother An heard the crying stop in the house, she stepped in and saw Lady Anyang clutching the doll in a daze, with a strange look suddenly flashing in her eyes.

The next moment, she looked worried and said gently, "Madam, the monk's words may not be credible. Please think twice!"