First Phoenix Lady - Chapter 25

Nanny Zhong reported through the gauze curtain that Shi Yunqi had awakened.

The mother and daughter went to the East Wing Room.

Shi Yunqi struggled to get out of bed to pay his respects, but Tang Chujun pressed him down with one hand.

Shi Yunqi’s face flushed, and he said carefully, “Greetings, Mother.”

Tang Chujun’s hand rested on her son’s thin, bony shoulder, and grief overwhelmed her. Her carefully arranged makeup was once again in disarray, her eyes misted with tears. “My poor son, my child…”

Shi Yunqi was a little dazed.

Since the afternoon, he had felt something was off. He kept feeling that his mother looked at him in a strange way.

He later learned that his mother intended to choose one of the concubine-born sons to raise as her legitimate heir.

Deep down, he could not help but hope for it.

From childhood, he had never known what his mother’s embrace was like. All he knew was that Concubine Wen constantly admonished him, always reminding him of his status as a concubine-born son, reminding him that he was born lowly, and that in all things he should honor Young Master Xing above himself.

While living in the Rose Courtyard, even if he ate just one extra bite, Concubine Wen would beat him until his nose was bruised and his face swollen.

After he grew older, Concubine Wen stopped hitting his face, but instead would find ways to leave marks in places unseen by others.

All the concubine-born sons in the household called Madam “Mother,” but how he wished she truly were his real mother.

This gentle woman would, when no one else was around, secretly give him osmanthus cakes, preserved fruits, or soft, fragrant persimmon cakes.

Every delicious thing he had ever tasted was given to him by this woman.

She was the only ray of light in his otherwise dark world.

So, when his mother’s biological daughter, Shi Anxia, was found and brought back, and most people in the Marquis Mansion mocked her, bullied her, and laughed at her, he would quietly go to Shi Anxia and earnestly explain the mansion’s rules to her: what to pay attention to on certain occasions, what to avoid.

But he was already sixteen. His mother would not want a grown concubine-born son to become the legitimate heir.

He understood why she chose Shu. The child was young, did not recognize people, and would easily become close to his legitimate mother.

But what his mother did not know was that after a child had suffered too much, when warmth appeared, he would only want to hold on tighter, to draw nearer.

In fact, he too longed to be close to his mother.

But in the end, his dream was shattered.

So why was his mother crying so sadly? He could not understand.

Shi Anxia stood quietly to the side, looking at the handsome young man before her. He clearly ought to have had the brightest, most splendid life, yet on a cold morning, he died in a filthy ditch behind the brothel.

Rumor had it that he got into an argument in the brothel over a girl and was beaten to death by several men with a sack over his head.

It was also said that Concubine Wen was ashamed that he had brought disgrace to the Marquis Mansion and refused to claim his body.

At that time, Shi Anxia was already beset on all sides in the palace, with no time to spare. She sent word to her uncle to handle the aftermath for her.

Her uncle later replied that Shi Yunqi had not been beaten to death, but tortured and humiliated to death.

At that time, she still did not know Shi Yunqi was her own brother.

It was only after she became the most honored woman in the Northern Wing Kingdom that the granddaughter of the midwife who delivered her risked her life to reveal the secret.

Only then was she shocked, realizing that perhaps Shi Yunqi’s death was not so simple. But by then, Concubine Wen had long since died of the plague, and there was no one left to take revenge upon.

Whenever she thought of her brother’s tragic death, Shi Anxia’s breath would grow heavy. It was because she had neglected too many people and things in the past that she was left with eternal regret.

Fortunately, Heaven had not treated her harshly-she now had a chance to save her poor brother. Thinking this, she bowed to him gently. “Greetings, Brother.”

Shi Yunqi froze again, that strange feeling welling up in his heart once more.
In the past, Shi Anxia also called him “Brother Yunqi.”

But today was different.

That word “Brother” sounded especially pleasant, as if they truly belonged to the same family.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, his eyes stung and a lump formed in his throat.

He wasn’t worthy! Someone as lowly as him-how could he deserve such a good mother and sister?

Shi Yunqi lowered his head, not daring to meet their eyes. “Yunqi is useless. I failed to save Young Master Yunxing, and have failed to live up to Mother’s love.”

Everyone believed it was he who had saved Shi Anxia.

But only he knew the truth. The day he jumped into the water, he saw Shi Anxia and Wei Cailing both nearly swept away. Shi Anxia decisively shoved the drowning Wei Cailing toward him.

The one he actually rescued was Wei Cailing.

Was that why Mother treated him so…

At this moment, Tang Chujun was weeping as though her heart would break. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t get a single word out.

Seeing this, Shi Anxia stepped forward, met his eyes, her gaze warm and gentle. With just a few words, she tore open the truth that had been hidden for sixteen years. “Brother, back then, Concubine Wen swapped you and Shi Yunxing. You are my real brother, Mother’s legitimate son. Shi Yunxing was nothing but an impostor who stole your life.”

Something exploded in Shi Yunqi’s mind; his old and new wounds throbbed painfully. Eyes dazed and incredulous, he looked at Tang Chujun, then at Shi Anxia, and suddenly collapsed, losing consciousness.

When he woke again, he found himself lying in bed, the room empty and silent.

He moved slightly and pain threatened to tear him apart. He couldn’t help but let out a sharp hiss.

That one sound was enough to startle someone outside the door.

It was Tang Chujun, carrying a bowl of medicine as she entered. “Qi’er, you’re finally awake. Your high fever lasted two days; you frightened me terribly.”

“Mother…” Shi Yunqi stared blankly at the gentle woman before him, feeling as though he was still dreaming. “I dreamed… I dreamed…”

He trailed off, feeling ashamed. All because his mother had to choose a son and he feared not being chosen, he’d dreamed of being her real son.

Tang Chujun fought back tears, set the bowl on the bedside table, and gently laid a hand on her son’s forehead. “Qi’er, it wasn’t a dream. Everything your sister said is true. You are your mother’s own son.”

Shi Yunqi looked at her gentle face longingly, afraid that if he blinked, his mother would turn into that fierce, terrifying woman again.

He stared so intently that his vision blurred, tears sliding from the corners of his eyes.

Their eyes met, and Tang Chujun could hold back no longer-hot tears fell onto her son’s hand.

Her choked voice made the air all the more sorrowful. “Qi’er, I’m sorry.”

How could one apology ever make up for so many years of hurt?

She had failed her son, and her daughter too. She was not a good mother.

Suddenly, she remembered something her daughter had once said: “Mother, let’s live this life well with Brother.”

Let these past sixteen years be like a previous life. A mother must be strong. From this moment on, she would pull herself together and shield her children from the world.

Tang Chujun wiped away her tears, as if reborn, and began to feed her son medicine, spoonful by spoonful.

Shi Yunqi sat up, his voice hoarse and choked. “Mother, I can do it myself.”

Tang Chujun gave him a gentle look. “You’re injured. Be good and take your medicine.”

Shi Yunqi lowered his head and obediently drank from the spoon. His ears were flushed, and he couldn’t suppress a smile at the corners of his mouth. Yet his tears welled up again-at first he choked on a sob, then broke into uncontrollable sobs.