Chapter 8: The Su Family

On this day, the weather was clear and bright. The servants of the Su family had set out early—some to shop, others to wash clothes. A round arch bridge stretched over the babbling brook, and along the riverbanks, many people chatted and laughed, painting a lively picture of everyday life.

Murong Huan and Ashu's arrival quickly drew the attention of the servant women, especially Murong Huan. Though dressed simply in a white robe with a veil over his head, his tall figure, elegant bearing, and the graceful ease with which he moved gave him an aura like a jade-like stranger from the distant plains, compelling people to steal glances.

Curious, some asked who they were. Ashu cheerfully replied, “Of course, we belong to the Su family. We have returned home. Where is the matriarch? We want to see her!”

The Su family resided here, with many yards and roofs connected. Some of the scenery and arrangements were different from what she remembered. Naturally, when she had traveled with Second Young Master and his wife along with Ashuan, and was later sent to Taoyuan Village by the matriarch, she was still young, so it was understandable that some details were fuzzy.

Finally, they arrived at the main gate of the Su family mansion. Ashu happily went to knock, but to her surprise, the young servant who opened the door shouted, “Where did these beggars come from? Take your alms-seeking elsewhere!”

He tried to shut the door, but Ashu was quick to react, grabbing the servant’s shoulder.

“We are not beggars. Please inform the matriarch that the eldest lady of the second branch has returned!”

“What eldest lady of the second branch? The Su family has no second branch, nor any eldest lady. If you want to pretend to be from the Su family, at least come up with a decent reason.”

Ashu was stunned. How could the Su family have no second branch? What was Second Young Master then? Could it be that because he had died, everyone here simply forgot him?

While Ashu fretted, unsure what to do, Murong Huan approached the door and extended a wooden puppet through the crack, saying, “Inform the matriarch that the daughter of Su Minghe of the Su family’s second branch has returned.”

The servant stared wide-eyed at the lifelike puppet, and upon hearing Murong Huan’s words, was so frightened he slammed the door and fled.

“A death omen! A death omen is here!” he muttered anxiously, rushing to the steward’s quarters to report everything outside.

Upon hearing the name Su Minghe, the steward’s legs weakened, and his gaze grew cautious. He quickly relayed the visitors’ information to the matriarch.

At that moment, the Su family’s matriarch and the Third Madam were in the matriarch’s room, discussing preparations for the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month, their atmosphere warm and harmonious.

Suddenly, they heard that someone claiming to be the daughter of Second Young Master Su Minghe had arrived. The matriarch was so startled she dropped her fan; the Third Madam remained composed but could not conceal her surprise.

The matriarch, incredulous, asked repeatedly, “What did you say? Say it again. Who has come?”

“The daughter of Second Young Master!”

The steward felt sweat dripping from his forehead. The matriarch’s previously gentle and smiling face immediately stiffened; the elderly lady beside her tensed as well.

“That child was already…” The First Madam shuddered, “That child is crazy, a curse. She was the one who caused the death of her own father and mother. If she returns, she will only bring disaster to the Su family. How could she come back? Wasn’t she supposed to stay in that place and never come out?”

It had been eight years since a seven-year-old child was left alone in that remote village, without even a servant attending her—only a girl of similar age as companion.

Two young girls of seven or eight, unattended, without monthly allowances, food, or cloth—how could they have survived?

Impossible! She couldn’t have survived!

The matriarch’s hands trembled. Then the steward reminded her, “You once said that when Second Young Master’s daughter reached fifteen and came of age, she could be brought back to the clan…”

The matriarch did not forget this, but at the time she spoke those words, she never thought the girl would survive to return.

“Ah, Jia, why don’t you go out and see for yourself? See if the child resembles… Second Uncle?” suggested the Third Madam, Qiu Shi.

The matriarch seemed to regain her senses and nodded repeatedly. “Good, you go take a look first.”

The matriarch felt guilty toward this third daughter-in-law, Qiu Shi. She had originally favored Qiu Shi and arranged her marriage to her second son, Su Minghe, waiting only for him to receive his official post at the Secretariat before bringing Qiu Shi home. But unexpectedly, the second son, who had always performed well at the National Academy and was even compared to the famous scholar Wang Bo among the Four Talents, gave up his final chance to enter the Secretariat, saying that reading thousands of books was not as good as traveling thousands of miles, and went off wandering.

Two years later, he returned with a woman, declaring they were married. Qiu Shi was present, and the embarrassment of being publicly snubbed was immense. Being a woman herself, the Su matriarch deeply understood and sympathized with Qiu Shi’s grievances.

But that was not the worst.

The most infuriating part was that the woman Su Minghe brought back, though beautiful, was clearly several years older than him. When asked about her identity and background, Su Minghe refused to say, only claiming they were deeply in love and had married. They even had a marriage certificate and held a wedding outside without family consent. The event was witnessed by officials, and even her late husband, the Duke of Xing in the northern frontier, recognized it. The Su family could not deny this second daughter-in-law.

The Su family was originally a line of military generals, but this generation’s sons showed no such talent. The eldest son, Su Qing, only received the title of Duke of Wuyi through his father’s influence, and now served in a minor role managing carriages and fans.

Fortunately, the second son was talented academically. Many students gained admission to the National Academy through patronage, but Su Minghe earned his place by merit, eventually rising to become one of the academy’s top doctoral students.

They had thought the second son was the pride of the Su family—renowned for talent and charm, attracting many noble ladies eager to marry into the family as his wife. The matriarch had chosen the rising noble Qiu family’s third daughter, Qiu Zhenyan, for him. Yet, unexpectedly, the second son had fallen under the spell of an enigmatic “demoness,” and Qiu Shi, proud and dignified, married the third son Su Yu instead.

Later, after the woman Su Minghe brought back bore a child, the couple traveled again until eight years ago when they returned to the Su family. Then a strange incident occurred.

The woman suddenly fell ill with a mysterious disease and died. Su Minghe, grieving deeply, soon followed her in death.

She thought her second son was devoted, but never imagined it was to such an extent.

Su Minghe’s death felt like the Su family’s main pillar had collapsed. Without the Duke of Xing and Su Minghe, the Su family declined day by day, fading from the sight of the nobility and prominent families.

Strangely, the child born to Su Minghe and the woman did not behave like a frightened toddler after his parents’ death. Not a single tear was shed. The child even set fire to the mourning hall, nearly burning himself alive inside.

The servants rescued him from the flames and asked why he did such a thing. He replied, “I wanted Father and Mother to reunite in the underworld.”

Since that moment, the Su family’s servants kept their distance from the strange child, and the matriarch came to loathe him, especially since the child’s eyes resembled the woman’s alluring gaze.

How hateful! If not for that woman, her proud and promising second son would not have fallen to such ruin.

The matriarch then hired a Taoist priest to divine the child's fate. As expected, the priest predicted the child’s destiny clashed with the Su family’s, bringing inevitable calamity if he remained.

The matriarch found justification, citing illness to send the child away to a distant village a thousand miles off, leaving only a young maid to accompany him, thinking that even if the child died, he would have a companion in the afterlife.

Thus, as a grandmother, she could find peace of mind.

Now eight years had passed without a trace. How, after eight years, could she… return? She was still alive?