Lady Hou is reborn and, by pampering her illegitimate son, reclaims her life of wealth and privilege

Wei Fenghui cursed himself inwardly, wishing he could slap himself hard, feeling ashamed of his unreasonable behavior.

Back in the study of Wuyang Garden, Wei Fenghui's gaze fell on the desk, where Jiang Huaiyu had bestowed upon him a few days earlier the set of exquisite writing implements.

He has treasured this set of treasures and has not yet been willing to use it.

At this moment, a warm feeling welled up in his heart, and at the same time, some new plans quietly sprouted in his mind.

……

The next morning.

Jiang Huaiyu then led Cuiying through the solemn gates of the government office and, together with Manager Zhang, began the complicated process of transferring ownership of the shop. The transfer of funds and the signing of contracts proceeded in an orderly manner.

Nevertheless, Jiang Huaiyu still felt a sense of unease.

Although she had owned the shop in her past life, she knew nothing of the twists and turns that had occurred there, or how the brothel owner had sold it. She couldn't help but worry whether her involvement would bring unpredictable consequences to her future destiny.

With this uneasy feeling, Jiang Huaiyu returned to the Marquis's residence. As soon as she stepped into Moyou Hall, she saw Wei Fengyun with tears in his eyes, coming to pay his respects.

"Feng Yun, what exactly happened?"

Wei Fengyun's long eyelashes were adorned with glistening tears, making him look pitiful.

“Mother, we have no money left in the house. You have pawned all your dowry.”

Jiang Huaiyu smiled faintly, gently pulled Wei Fengyun into her arms, and playfully scolded him:

"You're already a teenager, yet you're so fragile, bursting into tears at the drop of a hat. What kind of person are you?"

She then realized her overindulgence and gently released Wei Fengyun.

“My child, you have reached the age of twenty. In our Western Wei, men are considered established at eighteen and can marry at twenty. You can no longer act like a child and cry when you encounter difficulties. A mere lack of money is just a small setback in life. Your mother can open a shop and make a living on her own. Temporary difficulties can always be overcome.”

The current Wei Fengyun still retains some of his childlike innocence and is not as unrestrained as he was in his previous life. He also listens to Jiang Huaiyu's teachings quite well. He wipes away his tears and says in a slightly hoarse voice, "Mother, your son wants to join the army."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huaiyu felt a sharp pang in her heart. Although she had always hoped that Wei Fengyun could grow into a real man, she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache when he personally expressed his desire to join the army.

Why did you choose to join the military?

"After joining the army, not only will you receive a generous salary from the imperial court, but you will also have the opportunity to achieve great military exploits and gain real power. At that time, your household will be well-fed, and those who are used to currying favor and kicking someone when they are down will no longer dare to underestimate us."

This was the first time in Jiang Huaiyu's life that she had heard Wei Fengyun say these words. A wave of sorrow washed over her, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

"The path to military service is fraught with hardship, far exceeding the arduous training you endured in martial arts. The rules and regulations in the military are extremely strict, and any negligence will result in punishment. Can you really withstand the toil and exhaustion, coupled with the loss of freedom?"

Wei Fengyun's eyes were sharp and his tone was firm: "I can handle it. I am determined to become the backbone of the family, to bring honor to my mother, and to make her happy."

"Alright, then let Steward Zheng accompany you to the Military Command to register."

News of victory recently arrived from the border, the fighting has temporarily ceased, and the main force has returned in triumph, setting up camp on the outskirts of the capital to recuperate.

In times of war, every civilian household was required to send one person to serve in the army. However, in today's peacetime, not just anyone can easily join the military. To wear a uniform, one must pass rigorous examinations.

Wei Fengyun had practiced martial arts since childhood and possessed superb skills, so he naturally passed the basic skills test with ease.

That afternoon, Steward Zheng accompanied Wei Fengyun to the Military Command.

The assessment consists of three parts. The first part is a strength test.

With his profound skills, Wei Fengyun easily lifted a 500-pound stone block with one hand and received a first-class evaluation.

The next item is the speed test.

Wei Fengyun was agile and incredibly fast, earning him a first-class award as well.

The last item is a live-fire exercise.

He randomly selected a weapon and engaged in a fierce duel with a ninth-rank captain.

Wei Fengyun had been studying martial arts diligently under the tutelage of a renowned martial arts master since childhood. He learned unfathomable and unparalleled martial arts. Ordinary soldiers would be no match for him, like infants fighting against strong men.

In just a few exchanges, he was able to defeat those brave captains, who bowed their heads in defeat.

In the final martial arts examination, he achieved first-class honors with his unparalleled martial arts skills, and was promoted to first-class soldier, receiving high praise.

However, to advance further and become a rank-holding officer, military prowess alone is not enough; one must also establish outstanding military achievements.

But in this peaceful era, with no war to be found, it was undoubtedly as difficult as climbing to heaven to achieve military merit.

That very day, Steward Zheng relayed the joyous news to Jiang Huaiyu. Jiang Huaiyu had long known her son possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, but she hadn't expected such remarkable performance. She felt both pride and secret relief that there was no war at the moment; otherwise, her son would have been in grave danger. Having just lost her husband, she truly did not wish to endure the pain of losing her son as well.

"Madam, if you wish to quickly elevate the Crown Prince's official rank, you might consider having him join the Sword-Binding Division. In peacetime, the chances of making meritorious contributions in the army are slim, while the Sword-Binding Division reports directly to the Emperor and is responsible for supervising all officials in the country. If the Crown Prince can join the Sword-Binding Division, our Marquis's Mansion will have a reliable ally in the future."

Steward Zheng followed the Marquis in his campaigns across the frontier, and later loyally served his wife, his affection for the Marquis's mansion running as deep as a mountain. Seeing the Marquis's mansion gradually declining, he became worried and resolved to contribute to its prosperity.

Jiang Huaiyu had naturally heard of the Fujian Division, the emperor's personal army, which wielded immense power and posed less of a risk compared to the frontier.

"However, the threshold for joining the Sword Subduing Division is probably not low."

Steward Zheng replied confidently, "Madam, there is no need to worry. The young master has already achieved the honor of a first-class soldier. In addition, the Marquis fought alongside Commander Gao of the Fujian Division before his death, and they were like brothers. This matter should not be difficult."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huaiyu's expression turned angry, and an indescribable sense of loss welled up inside him.

She was completely unaware of this—her husband had a deep and devoted friendship with that Master Gao, a friendship that transcended life and death, and yet Steward Zheng knew all about it. She couldn't help but sigh at how little she knew about her deceased husband.

"Then, when shall we lead the Crown Prince there?" she asked.

“The young master must have exhausted himself participating in the military assessment today. Perhaps we should let him rest for a day and proceed tomorrow,” Steward Zheng replied politely, his tone revealing his concern for the young master.

"Yes, you've been working very hard lately. Go and rest," Jiang Huaiyu said softly, her eyes filled with gratitude.