ROHYX Chapter 654 : Momo Has Arrived (2)

Momo Quan who has arrived in the Yu City began to advise Yuxi on her problems

Looking at Momo Quan, who had just washed up, Yuxi felt deeply emotional. Momo had aged significantly since Yuxi had left the capital.

Momo Quan came in and glanced at the two maids beside Yuxi: Hongdou and Hongqi. Although she didn't know them personally, she could guess their identities based on what Mama Qu had said.

Seeing this, Yuxi said, "Hongdou, Hongqi, you may leave now. I'll call you if I need anything." Hongdou and Hongqi had also been running errands recently.

Upon hearing this, Hongdou and Hongqi exchanged a glance, then finally gave a curtsey and quietly withdrew.

Momo Quan waited until the two maids had left before speaking. "Mama Qu has told me everything about you. For both mother and child to be safe is truly a special favour from Heaven." Given the circumstances, their safety was indeed a blessing from Heaven.

Yuxi said, "My body is still weak; the physician said it will take five years to fully recover." As she spoke, a trace of melancholy appeared in her eyes.

How could Momo Quan not know what Yuxi was thinking? "You're still young. Even in five years' time, you'll only be twenty-five. There's no need to get anxious about having children."

Yuxi gave a bitter smile. It was easy to say, but hard to do. Changing the subject, she asked,  "Momo, why didn't you inform me that you were coming? That way, I could have sent someone to pick you up!" Yuxi had always wanted Momo Quan to come, but knowing that Momo preferred a peaceful life, she had never mentioned it.

Momo Quan replied, "I left the capital in the tenth month last year, and was originally planning to go to Jiangnan. But on the way, I heard that, enraged by the assassination attempt on you, Yun Qing had revolted in a fit of fury. I couldn't rest easy, so after settling Dahuan and the others, I came over."

It would be a lie to say that Yuxi hadn't been suspicious when Momo Quan suddenly appeared. Now, hearing Momo's explanation, she felt deeply ashamed.

Having raised Yuxi herself, how could Momo Quan not understand her thoughts? Of course, Yuxi hadn't been trying to hide it either. Momo Quan wasn't angry but said, "It's good to cherish old bonds, but your status now is no longer the same as before. You must act with extra caution. Even with those close to you, you must be vigilant." For Yuxi, these past few years had been step-by-step frightening, and now she was finally about to push aside the clouds and fog¹. If she were to be harmed at this moment, it truly wouldn't be worth it.

Seeing that Momo Quan wasn't blaming her, Yuxi felt slightly relieved. "Momo, are your days in the capital city not going well? Otherwise, why would you think of going to Jiangnan?"

Momo Quan didn't hide anything from Yuxi. "I know your temper well. After being plotted against time and again, there's no way you would keep enduring it. It's just that the opportunity hasn't arisen until now. Around the middle of last year, an old friend of mine sent me a letter inviting me to Jiangnan. I thought Jiangnan was a land of fish and rice², so even in times of war, people wouldn't go hungry. That's why I planned to settle there." Yuxi would rather be the fish that died struggling until the net broke³ than be completely unable to fight back. Yun Qing was the Commander-in-Chief of the Northwest and held military power. Given Yuxi's character, it was inconceivable that she would allow people to continue harming her. However, Momo Quan hadn't expected Yun Qing to rebel so soon; she thought it would be another year or two.

Yuxi's throat felt dry. "Momo, I'm sorry."

Momo Quan smiled and comforted her. "This isn't your fault, so what's there to apologise for? I'd considered coming to Yu City to find you before, but Dahuan is shy and absolutely refused to come here." What kind of place was Yu City? Even people with normal courage wouldn't be willing to come, let alone someone timid.

Yuxi's eyes stung as she let out, "But Momo, you still came."

Momo Quan looked at her with loving affection and replied, "As long as you're well, it wouldn't matter if I didn't come. But after all the suffering you've endured, if I didn't come, I wouldn't be at peace for the rest of my life." Living as a farmer for the past few years had made Momo Quan much gentler than before.

"Mom, Mom…" Zaozao's loud voice echoed from outside.

Hearing the resounding voice, Momo Quan smiled and said, "I haven't seen the two little girls yet. Bring them in and let me have a look."

When Zaozao entered and saw a stranger in the room, she was extremely surprised, her eyes darting around nonstop.

Momo Quan smiled. "This child is much livelier than you were." Momo Quan recalled that, when she first met Yuxi, she hadn't seemed like a child at all, but more like a little adult.

A smile appeared on Yuxi's face as she remarked, "She's just too mischievous, like a little boy. I'm really worried about what to do with her when she grows up."

Momo Quan didn't mind at all and took Zaozao from Zeng Shi's arms. Once she held her, she realised how heavy Zaozao was. "What's there to worry about? Once she learns proper manners, she'll be fine."

Yuxi waved her hand to dismiss Zeng Shi, leaving only the two of them alone in the room again. Then she said, "I've already agreed to let Huo Changqing train Zaozao in martial arts once she turns three."

Momo Quan noticed that Yuxi's face showed no trace of joy and immediately sensed that there was more to the story. "Why did he make you agree to let Zaozao train in martial arts?"

Yuxi didn't go into detail and simply replied, "Huo Changqing said that, since I don't have a son, he wants to train Zaozao so she can take over from Yun Qing."

Hearing this reply, Momo Quan asked, "Is it because of this matter that you feel uneasy?"

Yuxi neither nodded nor shook her head.

Instead of scolding Yuxi, Momo Quan merely said, "He's Yun Qing's elder, which makes him your elder too. Even if he was wrong about this, you shouldn't address him by his first name. Or did I teach you so poorly that you've completely forgotten all the manners you learned?"

Yuxi's face instantly flushed red.

Momo Quan continued calmly, "Yuxi, I've told you that no matter when or where, you must always be true to your heart. Think carefully about your actions—have you actually done so?" Seeing Yuxi looking at her, Momo Quan continued, "You should think this through yourself."

Zaozao climbed down from Momo Quan's lap and crawled onto the soft couch into Yuxi's arms. Hugging Yuxi, she softly called, "Mom…"

Seeing such a young child already knowing how to protect her mother filled Momo Quan with satisfaction. From the small, one can infer the big⁴; this child would surely grow up to be a filial daughter.

After a while, seeing that Yuxi was still lost in thought, Momo Quan asked, "Have you heard of Zhang Shi, the wife of the Duke of Dingguo's Shizi⁵, when you were in the capital?"

Yuxi's mind was in a whirl, and she was unable to sort out her thoughts. After hearing Momo Quan's question, she took a moment to respond. "I've heard of her. Zhang Shi is the eldest di⁶ daughter of the former Minister of Personnel." When Yuxi left the capital, Zhang Shi was still the principal eldest daughter-in-law at the Duke's residence, with three mothers-in-law above her.

Momo Quan said, "Yes, the Duke of Dingguo's Shizi⁵ and Zhang Shi used to be a deeply affectionate couple. The only flaw in their otherwise perfect marriage was that after five years of marriage, they only had one daughter. The Lady of Dingguo wanted to arrange a concubine for her son, the Shizi⁵. Zhang Shi refused and caused quite a scene over it. Unfortunately, the concubine was still brought into the household in the end. After which, Zhang Shi divorced the Shizi⁵."

Upon hearing this, Yuxi remarked, "In the end, it's just that the man wasn't firm enough." All that talk of marital affection was nothing but a facade.

Momo Quan shook her head helplessly. "Yuxi, you've fallen into a mental trap." Marital affection was the easiest way to cloud one's mind.

Yuxi didn't quite understand, so she asked, "Momo, what are you talking about?"

Momo Quan replied, "Huo Changqing wants Zaozao to learn martial arts and inherit Yun Qing's legacy, which is a good thing in itself. But why are you so resistant, even harbouring resentment?"

Yuxi's face showed anger. "What do they mean I can't bear a son? It's just that I can't for now, it doesn't mean I won't be able to in the future."

Momo Quan explained, "Zhang Shi, the Lady Shizi⁵ of Dingguo, is also an exceptionally clever woman. Given her abilities, she could easily have discarded the mother and kept the child as her own while ignoring the concubine, yet she insisted on divorce. People in the capital say she's jealous and foolish. What do you think?"

Yuxi finally understood what Momo Quan had meant. "Because Zhang Shi didn't want to share her husband with other women." Without affection, the number of concubines a husband took wouldn't matter. However, once feelings were involved and her heart was at stake, she could no longer tolerate her husband having other women. Otherwise, she'd rather be shattered jade than an intact tile⁷.

Momo Quan sighed. "Once one becomes entangled in marital affection, even the smartest person becomes foolish." The person before her was a clear example of this. She continued, "Rather than saying you resent Huo Changqing, it's more accurate to say you're afraid Yun Qing will take a concubine to continue his family line." This clearly showed how deeply Yuxi felt about Yun Qing.

Yuxi's heart trembled. After a moment, she smiled bitterly. "Momo, you're right. I am afraid." She was afraid that Yun Qing would become like Fu Tianlei and that their marital affection would one day disappear.

Momo Quan said, "This kind of thing mainly depends on Yun Qing. If he wants to take concubines, you won't be able to stop him, so worrying about it is pointless." Seeing Yuxi's expression had darkened and become uncertain, Momo Quan added, "If you can't bear the thought of him hugging women from the left and right⁸, you could follow Zhang Shi's example and divorce him. With your abilities, you can live well wherever you go. But for now, just live your days properly. Don't fill your mind with wild imaginations and end up with your household in turmoil." Of course, this was only meant to comfort Yuxi. Given Yun Qing's current status, it wouldn't be easy to divorce him even if she wanted to.

After a while, Yuxi smiled and said, "Momo, you're right. I've fallen into a mental trap." Worrying over things that hadn't even happened yet was entirely self-inflicted suffering. If she allowed suspicion and distrust to create rifts between herself and Yun Qing before he even took a concubine, someone would surely exploit this loophole. By then, it would be too late to cry over it.

If Yun Qing really did take concubines in the future, they would simply part ways. Had she not married Yun Qing, she would not have been targeted for assassination time and again, nor would she have lived in constant fear these past years. Once divorced from Yun Qing, she could finally enjoy a few peaceful days.

Momo Quan was very pleased. "It's good that you've figured it out. No matter the situation, trust is always the most important thing, especially between husband and wife." As before, despite her doubts, Yuxi still trusted Momo Quan and talked to her privately in her bedroom. This made Momo Quan feel very gratified.

Yuxi nodded. "Thank you, Momo. If it weren't for you, I really would have gotten stuck in an ox horn tip⁹."

Momo Quan smiled and said, "I only gave you a small nudge. Ultimately, it's up to you to figure things out for yourself." Some women get stuck in this way of thinking and never recover, but fortunately, Yuxi wasn't one of them.

Though it was just a small nudge, Yuxi had no one else around her who could offer this kind of guidance. Thinking of this, Yuxi looked at Momo Quan expectantly and requested, "Momo, will you stay by my side this time, please?" If Momo Quan agreed, she would have someone to discuss things with in the future.

Momo Quan nodded. "All right."

When Yuxi saw that Momo Quan was willing to stay, her face blossomed into a radiant smile. "Good, as long as Momo is willing to stay, that's all that matters."

Little Zaozao, who had been quiet all along, couldn't help but giggle cheerfully when she saw Yuxi smiling. In response, Yuxi hugged her and gave her two affectionate kisses.

Footnotes Full List

1. The idiom "拨开云雾 (bō kāi yún wù)" literally means "to push aside the clouds and fog," signifying the nearing of clarity, success, or an end to difficulties.
2. 鱼米之乡 (yú mǐ zhī xiāng) — "land of fish and rice," referring to a fertile and abundant region.
3. 鱼死网破 (yú sǐ wǎng pò) — literally "the fish dies, the net breaks," meaning a life-or-death struggle where both sides suffer.
4. This idiom, 以小窥大 (yǐ xiǎo kuī dà), means to understand or gain insight into something large or complex by examining a small part or detail of it. It's about seeing the whole picture or a broader truth through a specific, often minor, example.
5. 世子 shìzǐ: heir of a noble house
6. 嫡 dí: born from a formal wife
7. 玉碎不为瓦全 (yù suì bù wèi wǎ quán) — "Rather be shattered jade than an intact tile," meaning preferring to die with dignity than to live in disgrace or compromise one's principles.
8. 左拥右抱 (zuǒ yōng yòu bào) — "hugging from the left and right," referring to a man surrounded by women (concubines).
9. 钻了牛角尖 (zuān le niú jiǎo jiān) — "got stuck in an ox horn tip," meaning to become fixated on an issue and unable to think clearly.

---

❮❮⚊⚋ ⌘ ⓉⓄⒸ ⌘ ⚋⚊❯❯