Chapter 146: A Resurrected Imperial Concubine Mother?

“This is not a place you can enter at will. Leave immediately!”

“My sister is inside. Why can’t I go in? Let me in quickly—I have good news to tell her!”

“Who is your sister? There’s only one woman here, the Ninth Prince’s consort. Don’t tell me the Ninth Princess is your sister?”

“That’s right! My sister is the Ninth Princess. Let me in quickly, or I’ll beat you up!” The young boy said as he raised his fist in a symbolic gesture, as if he were truly going to strike the guard before him.

Yan Heru had originally planned to check the pharmacy to see if there were any medicinal herbs left uncollected. Passing by the gate, she heard a commotion outside the courtyard. Curious, she went to look and was surprised to find her younger brother, Yan Hecheng.

“Ah Cheng?” Yan Heru exclaimed in surprise.

The guard at the gate immediately bowed respectfully upon hearing the Ninth Princess’s voice. Hearing his sister’s voice, Yan Hecheng hurried into the courtyard.

“Sister!” Yan Hecheng rushed into Yan Heru’s arms, nestling affectionately.

It was then that Yan Heru realized, although her brother had not been gone long, he had grown so much. Once small enough to be held in her arms, now he was much taller than her.

“Ah Cheng, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be serving in the army?” Yan Heru asked.

Yan Hecheng lifted his head from his sister’s embrace, looking a bit embarrassed. “Actually, I was supposed to join the army, but some things happened along the way, so I was a bit late. Because I arrived late, the general assigned me to other tasks. While on that mission, I heard you were here, so I came as fast as I could!”

At this moment, Yan Hecheng was smiling like a child. Though still a child, he hadn’t shown this side of himself for a long time when alone.

Yan Heru affectionately stroked her brother’s head. “I heard you clearly in the courtyard just now. You said you have something good to tell me.”

Yan Hecheng smiled mysteriously. “Of course I have good news. But it’s not only good for you, sister, but also for brother-in-law. So I want to tell you both once I see brother-in-law.”

Yan Heru nodded and then took her brother to meet the Ninth Prince. At that time, the Ninth Prince was in his study talking with Dongfang Qing. When Yan Heru arrived, their conversation had just ended.

As soon as Shen Hezhi opened the door, he saw his young lady and instantly brightened. “Madam.”

But when he turned and saw Yan Hecheng beside her, his mood dampened immediately.

In that instant, many possibilities flashed through his mind.

First, this man was his wife’s own brother. No matter what, she would never abandon her brother. The Ninth Prince worried that this brother might compete with him for her favor.

Then many other jealous thoughts crossed his mind.

If Yan Heru knew what the Ninth Prince was thinking, she would surely find it both amusing and exasperating.

“Brother-in-law, I’m so glad to see you! I have something very joyful to tell you and sister!” Yan Hecheng, unaware of the Ninth Prince’s thoughts, enthusiastically called out “brother-in-law.”

Shen Hezhi’s scattered thoughts were pulled back by the boy’s voice. He stopped thinking about nonsense and looked seriously at the young man before him.

After all, Yan Hecheng was Yan Heru’s real brother. In every respect, he was also his brother, so he might as well just call him that.

“Hm? What is it?” Maintaining his usual aloof demeanor, the Ninth Prince responded coldly, even to his own brother.

Yan Heru watched their interaction from the side, feeling that something was off, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. So she just stood there, observing.

“It’s like this,” Yan Hecheng began excitedly. “While carrying out some tasks on the way to join the army, I saved someone! That person is brother-in-law’s mother!”

He had expected both of them to cheer upon hearing this, but both were stunned into silence.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you believe me? I’m not lying—every word is true!

I don’t know if the woman was lying to me, but if it’s true, isn’t this wonderful news? That’s why I rushed here to tell sister and brother-in-law.

Luckily, I was nearby, or I wouldn’t have made it in time,” Yan Hecheng continued.

After the initial shock, Shen Hezhi was puzzled. “Are you sure the woman you found is really my mother, the consort? That seems impossible. I personally watched her burial.”

Though somewhat pleased at the news, his rational mind persisted. He had seen his mother’s funeral with his own eyes—how could she have come back to life?

“The woman said so herself, but I can’t be certain. Brother-in-law, you should go see for yourself. If she truly is your mother, wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Yan Hecheng said.

Shen Hezhi didn’t immediately agree. After some thought, he said, “I am absolutely certain my mother had already passed away. I personally placed her in the coffin. So the woman you met is likely not my mother.

And she just outright claimed to be my mother — that’s suspicious. Let’s go see her together.”

He was very sure his mother was dead, so this sudden appearance of another consort was indeed strange. The situation was unusual.

He had just successfully subdued the Southern Yang Kingdom and was planning to return to the capital to deal with some troublesome matters. And now his mother suddenly reappeared?

Much of the trouble he intended to handle in the capital was related to his mother.

Now, with someone claiming to be his mother, could this be connected to those people in the capital?