Rebirth of a Farming Wife

“Daughter, what in the world is going on?” Being pregnant should be a joyous occasion, and Mrs. An truly couldn’t fathom any reason for secrecy. She could no longer see through her daughter’s thoughts and was growing worried.

“Mother, don’t worry. Being pregnant is a happy affair. It’s not that I have other intentions, it’s just, as you know, about the Imperial Court’s conscription. The Second Brother must have told you about Husband’s thoughts. I don’t want this matter to distract him and hinder his future. Moreover, Husband is considering proposing a division of the family in light of the conscription. If he knew I was pregnant, he definitely wouldn’t be at ease leaving me alone. He might change his mind. Even parents-in-law, knowing I am pregnant, probably wouldn’t agree to the division. Therefore, it’s better to keep my pregnancy secret for now. Once everything settles down, I will naturally tell Husband the good news.”

In the end, Su Wenyue was worried about any changes that might affect the family division—something she had longed for. She didn’t want to be intertwined with the entire Han Family anymore; it was too uncomfortable and restrictive everywhere.

It wasn’t that Su Wenyue was weak, but Mrs. Yang was different from others; after all, she was Han Yu’s birth mother. Su Wenyue had to consider Han Yu’s feelings. Moreover, because of the incidents in her previous life, she felt some guilt toward Han Yu, as well as Old Man Han and Mrs. Yang. Hence, she often endured more than usual. Mrs. Yang was not a bad person, just easily swayed, so Su Wenyue chose to endure when possible. It would also be hard for Han Yu if she didn’t, especially since he was on her side most of the time. She had nothing to be dissatisfied about.

“So it’s like that. Then it’s better to tell your Son-in-law about it later. You two are living quite stifled these days. It’s inconvenient to do anything with such a big family under one roof. It’s better to live separately. The two of you can live a more comfortable small life.” Mrs. An expressed understanding and support for Su Wenyue’s thoughts. She was just worried about her daughter not taking good care of herself, especially since the first three months of pregnancy required extra caution.

“Mother, rest assured. Xiao Xi is here for me. I let her do everything, and besides, Han Yu takes good care of me. These days he only lets me lie down and doesn’t allow me to do anything, so I don’t get tired.” Su Wenyue cared a great deal for the child in her stomach and dared not be careless. From her experience in the previous life, she knew how to take care of herself during pregnancy. Yet, she couldn’t be sure if the child inside her was the same one she had owed so much to in her previous life.

“Alright then, just make sure you keep things in perspective. No matter what, you must prioritize the child in your stomach. If you harm the child over other matters, it wouldn’t be worth it,” Mrs. An warned, worried that Su Wenyue might not distinguish what was most important.

At that moment, Master Su and his sons, who had been discussing matters in the study room, as well as Han Yu, all came over. Han Yu had specifically accompanied Su Wenyue back to her mother’s family, intending to have a doctor check on his Daughter-in-law. He had been worried the entire time and, upon finishing their discussion, came over immediately, eager to hear what the doctor had said. However, upon arrival, they found that the doctor had already left.

“I have seen my Mother-in-law. What did the doctor say? Is there anything wrong with Lady Yue’s health?”

“Son-in-law, be at ease. There are no major issues. It’s just that Lady Yue’s constitution is generally weaker, and she has suffered a little this time. She needs to take good care in order to recover. She also has to be careful about what she eats. Cold and certain taboo foods must be avoided. The doctor has made a list, and you just need to pay attention to it,” Mrs. An explained, knowing her daughter to be somewhat careless, and continued to remind him of a few details seeing that her Son-in-law regarded the matter with utmost importance. She was both satisfied and reassured having a Son-in-law who, though not perfect, had his merits, especially where her daughter was concerned.

Su Wenyue and Han Yu had lunch at the Su Family’s home before returning, bringing with them many things, mostly supplements that Mrs. An had given her daughter to help strengthen her health.

Upon returning to the Han Family home, Su Wenyue sensed something amiss in the atmosphere. Although due to the government’s recent announcements, the household had lost its usual cheerfulness, today’s mood could be described as somber. Even the children’s noisy voices were absent in the courtyard, presumably silenced by the adults, a sign that it only happened during serious matters.

“Fourth child, Fourth Daughter-in-law, you’re back. Come to the Main hall. Father and Mother have something they want us all to discuss,” Mrs. Li called out from the Kitchen to Han Yu and Su Wenyue, with even more worry etched into her face than usual.

Mrs. Li, who usually seemed quiet and honest, was not without her calculations. Their Second House was in a weaker position, not favored by the parents-in-law, and her Husband lacked the ability to stand out, though he was easy to talk to. Faced with this kind of situation, if they ended up being the ones facing conscription consequences, what would become of a woman like her, left to look after children on her own?

“Second Sister-in-law, has something happened at home? The atmosphere seems a bit off,” Su Wenyue asked, already having a guess in her heart. Something that could make Mrs. Li this distressed was likely the edict on conscription from the Imperial Court coming into effect, with the Village Chief reading the decree to everyone. Han Yu apparently had the same idea.

Indeed, as Su Wenyue suspected, Mrs. Li sighed upon hearing her question, “Alas, it’s about the conscription. The Imperial Court’s notice has arrived. Today the Village Chief gathered everyone in the competition field and read out the Imperial edict. Each family must provide an adult man. Our family can’t avoid this either. Father and Mother are discussing what to do in the Main hall.”

Su Wenyue and Han Yu exchanged a look, both feeling a sense of inevitability. Apart from people like Han Yu, who wanted to earn achievements and seek a future, nobody would willingly enlist. Though the actual war hadn’t started yet, given the situation at court, it seemed inevitable. Once on the Battlefield, survival was slim – who would want that?

The atmosphere inside the house was solemn. It seemed discussions had not been pleasant, as everyone wore grim expressions. When Han Yu and Su Wenyue entered, the eyes of the entire family were upon them.

“Fourth child, Fourth Daughter-in-law, you’ve returned. Take a seat. You must have heard about the happenings today. The Imperial Court has sent the conscription orders to our village, and our family must contribute one person. Everyone has been discussing how to handle this. Share your thoughts as well,” Old Man Han said, knocking his Smoking Pipe while addressing his youngest son and Daughter-in-law.

Han Yu did not rush to respond, even though he had already made up his mind. He would not be foolish enough to take up the matter immediately but instead looked around at everyone in the room.

“I’m not yet aware of the results of the family’s discussions. What do the Big Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother think?”

At such times, everyone’s nerves were stretched thin, especially Han Lin, who reacted immediately when he felt Han Yu’s gaze linger on him.