Rebirth of a Farming Wife

“Daughter-in-law, drink more soup. I had someone specially make you chicken soup to nourish your body.” By now, Han Yu had taken over Shu Lan’s task, serving Su Wenyue food and bringing a bowl of chicken soup to her.

Su Wenyue raised her head and saw Han Yu’s smiling, ingratiating face, which was rather annoyingly slappable. She resisted the urge to smack him, which would have played right into his hands; after all, she couldn’t beat Han Yu if it came to that. She glared at him annoyedly, then lowered her head again.

Seeing his daughter-in-law acting this way, Han Yu knew she was really angry, even more fiercely than he had expected. It was time for him to coax her persistently: “Daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law…”

Su Wenyue was annoyed by Han Yu’s pestering: “Han Yu, isn’t it enough? Can’t you take a hint? Don’t you see I’m not pleased with you at the moment? Can’t you let me eat my meal in peace? Go where it’s cool for you, don’t be an eyesore in front of me.”

Han Yu couldn’t accept his daughter-in-law’s disdainful attitude. Seeing she had almost finished eating, he simply picked her up and held her close.

Su Wenyue immediately bristled and didn’t forget to threaten: “Han Yu, what are you doing? If you grope me again, I’ll make you regret it. You can forget about me paying you any mind in the future!”

Han Yu still loved the feeling of holding his daughter-in-law tightly in his embrace. With her in his arms, he felt a lot more at ease: “Alright, daughter-in-law, stop making a fuss. Isn’t it about time you stopped?”

That tone, listen to that! Su Wenyue felt infuriated. This bastard had done something so outrageous and yet showed no sign of remorse. She had intended to teach him a lesson and let it go.

“I was wrong, but this kind of thing isn’t entirely my fault. Who made your little body so weak? You need to take care of yourself better. Otherwise, how can you enjoy the pleasures of being husband and wife, hm?” Han Yu said, his tone suggestive, as his hands kept making subtle motions.

At those words, Su Wenyue’s face turned red, and she felt deflated. She realized she couldn’t have a proper conversation with Han Yu; the topic would only lead to her disadvantage if it continued.

“It’s all your fault. When I left this morning, I didn’t even say goodbye to Father, Mother, and my brother and sister-in-law. And now… how am I supposed to face them?” The more Su Wenyue thought about it, the more embarrassed and awkward she felt.

It turned out that this was what had been bothering his daughter-in-law all along. Han Yu thought she had overreacted earlier; usually, a few angry words from her and it was done. But today, she was unyieldingly upset. It seemed to be about saving face, and realizing this, Han Yu couldn’t help but break into a big smile.

“Don’t worry. I know my own wife’s temperament. How could I let such a shy and delicate little creature lose face? I’ve already told Father and Mother you caught a cold and felt unwell yesterday, so I didn’t wake you up this morning. They even instructed me to take good care of you and to find a doctor in The City to examine you.”

Hearing what Han Yu said, Su Wenyue felt somewhat better. Aside from anything else, Han Yu could sometimes be quite thoughtful and careful, knowing how to preserve her dignity in public. Otherwise, she would have been utterly humiliated.

“You’re lucky you’re smart. Otherwise, we’ll see if I’ll pay attention to you in the future.” Besides this threat, Su Wenyue had no other leverage over Han Yu. Knowing his wife was actually pacified, Han Yu acquiesced and coaxed her with a few more words, winning her over.

Because they had been delayed in leaving that morning, it was already quite late when they arrived in the prefecture. Fortunately, they made it before the city gate closed. Otherwise, they would have had to spend the night at Zhuangzi.

“Is this our new home?” Su Wenyue asked, delighted as she looked at the house before her. Though it was night, and the darkness made it hard to see clearly, she still felt the house had an imposing yet not ostentatious elegance, a simple grandeur.

“Yes, do you like it? I’ll take you around to see it properly tomorrow. There are a few places that need changes, which I haven’t touched yet. I wanted to wait for you to see how you like them before making any changes,” Han Yu said with a smile, pleased to see Su Wenyue’s happiness.

“Master, Madam, you’ve finally arrived. The old servant was worried that you’d be delayed on the road and wouldn’t arrive in time.” Su Wenyue had sent Aunt Li ahead to the prefecture to make arrangements at home. Knowing the group would arrive in the evening, Aunt Li had prepared everything in advance. She had been waiting and only now saw them arrive.

After settling down, having a wash, and eating dinner, it was already late at night. Worried the children might not be used to the new place, Su Wenyue went to check on them only to find them sleeping well before heading to bed herself.

After a day of travel and a late night’s sleep, Su Wenyue woke up later the second day. Han Yu had already gone out on business, and she hurried to get ready. There was much to attend to in the prefecture: arrangements, social obligations, including reaching out to people like Deng Tong and Zhao Changping, as well as maintaining relationships that Han Yu had built up.

“Madam, Mrs. Deng’s servant has already come by early to say that since it is your first time in the prefecture and many things might be unfamiliar, you should let them know if you need any help.”

“I understand. Go to Deng’s Mansion yourself and thank Mrs. Deng on my behalf. Also, take some of the local products I brought from home to her. They may not be costly, but after eating rich meats and fish all winter, it’s good to have something different. I’ve been too busy with all the new arrangements to spare time these days, but I’ll visit Mrs. Deng personally in a few days.”

Su Wenyue particularly valued Mrs. Deng, not only because Deng Tong was a friend of Han Yu’s but also because of his help with getting transferred to the prefecture. Mrs. Liu Yuan, Deng Tong’s wife, was no ordinary person. Although their family was from the royal lineage and had declined by their generation—her father being only a county magistrate—later her brother Liu Xiu conquered the country to become emperor, elevating her status significantly. Unfortunately, Liu Yuan met a tragic end, murdered alongside her three daughters in a subsequent rebellion. Emperor Wu greatly respected his sister. Devastated by the news, he posthumously honored Liu Yuan as the Xinye Righteous Princess.

Su Wenyue didn’t know how Han Yu later became acquainted with Emperor Wu. Han Yu had not been very prominent at first, only gaining recognition on the battlefield later, perhaps where he had befriended Liu Xiu. However, knowing of this connection, she naturally aimed to maintain it carefully.