No sooner had the bedroom been filled with Xiuyuan's suppressed sobs and desperate pleas.
Eventually, all these sounds ceased with a slap.
Before long, the sound of a man's heavy breathing and a woman's pained groans emanated from the room. The maids who were tidying up the scattered fragments froze for a moment, then cast worried glances at the tightly shut door.
The sounds continued for an hour before stopping.
After they ceased, Zheng Fan's satisfied voice called out, "Prepare water, this young master wishes to bathe."
"Yes."
"Ah, wait, today get a larger bathtub, the kind that can fit two people at once."
As Zheng Fan's words trailed off, he actually started to laugh.
However, the lewdness in his laughter made those who heard it's skin crawl.
When a servant reported that the water was ready, Zheng Fan ordered them to carry the wooden tub directly into the bedroom.
A wet nurse pushed the door open and walked in first, followed by the household servants carrying the tub and hot water. She directed them to place the bathtub, pour in the hot water, and then add cold water until the temperature was just right. Only then did the wet nurse lead the servants out.
Closing the bedroom door, the wet nurse shook her head with a sigh of regret.
Such a good young lady, ruined like this.
Although there had been a glazed screen in front of the bed, the scene behind it could still be vaguely discerned. The floor was strewn with robes.
As she passed the glazed screen, she inadvertently glimpsed Xiuyuan's dangling arm, which was covered in bruises.
The origin of these bruises was self-evident.
Poor Xiuyuan, under such circumstances, no ordinary person could endure it, yet she remained silent.
Recalling the young master's order to prepare a bathtub, the wet nurse shook her head again. She feared that Xiuyuan's suffering was far from over.
Unfortunately, no matter how much her heart ached, she was merely a servant.
He had even treated his own wet nurse with deadly force; what could she, a mere household servant, say?
Who would have thought that the once polite young master would have changed so drastically in just a few days?
While the Prince Duan's mansion was in turmoil, a somber mood permeated Shi'an Courtyard in the Four Seas Pavilion.
Zheng Wei had ridden back at full speed, still harboring a sliver of hope that Shen Xiaoyan might have woken up by the time he returned.
However, upon his return and entering the bedroom, he found Shen Xiaoyan still lying in bed, unconscious.
The servants in Shi'an Courtyard were all aware of Shen Xiaoyan's inexplicable coma and were extremely worried.
Even the youngest, Sanshengzi, who didn't understand anything, was crying incessantly, as if sensing his mother's danger.
Huo Fen and the three wet nurses had tried to pacify him for a long time to no avail.
The four of them were sweating profusely in the cold weather.
Finally, when Zheng Wei returned, he entered the main room and did not emerge.
Seeing the three children on the verge of hoarseness from crying, Huo Fen, unable to bear it, went into the main room herself.
Seeing Zheng Wei sitting by the bed, his body emanating sorrow, Huo Fen did not know how to speak for a moment.
It was Yue Qingxin who saw Huo Fen enter and asked what was wrong.
Upon hearing this, Huo Fen immediately knelt down with a thud, "My lord, please go and see the three young masters. They have been crying for a long time, and their throats will be hoarse if they continue."
Yue Qingxin immediately stood up, "Foolish! Why didn't you come and report sooner when the young masters were crying?"
With that, Yue Qingxin strode out.
Zheng Wei's body stiffened after hearing Huo Fen's words.
From morning until now, he had been consumed by worry for Shen Xiaoyan, and had not even glanced at the three children.
Thinking of this, Zheng Wei felt deep self-reproach.
Whether as a husband or as a father, he had failed to fulfill his responsibilities.
Na Muzhong stood up and, seeing Zheng Wei still sitting there in a daze, sighed and said, "Go and see the children. It will be fine with me watching them. Although the children are young, mother and child are connected. They must be feeling distressed."
Zheng Wei's entire body trembled at her words.
He was heartbroken that Shen Xiaoyan was in trouble.
But what about the children?
They were still young and had suddenly lost their mother's care. As their father, he naturally had to provide double the love and attention.
Zheng Wei quickly stood up and said solemnly to Na Muzhong, "I will trouble you with this for now."
With that, he rushed out.
Huo Fen also hurried out behind him.
Na Muzhong watched the two of them leave, then slowly walked to the bedside and sat down.
"Xiaoyan, wake up quickly. Look, so many people are worried about you. You can't be sleeping in now."
Her only reply was the silence in the room.
Before Zheng Wei even reached the door of the east wing, he heard heart-wrenching cries from within, interspersed with Yue Qingxin and the wet nurses' attempts to soothe them.
Opening the door and walking in, he saw Yue Qingxin holding Ruanruan, murmuring softly and constantly wiping her tears with a handkerchief.
Upon hearing the door open, Ruanruan looked up. Recognizing him, she reached out her hands, wanting him to hold her.
"Father!"
That barely audible sound almost made Zheng Wei believe he was dreaming.
But just as he could not believe it, Ruanruan gave him a sweet smile and, with a grin, called out again, "Father!"
This made Zheng Wei realize he was not dreaming.
His Ruanruan, his precious daughter, could actually speak.
He reached out and took Ruanruan into his arms. Looking at Ruanruan's tear-streaked eyes, Zheng Wei's heart ached, and his eyes welled up.
Mimi, Ruanruan can already call you Father, don't you want to hear it?
You teach the three of them to call Mother and Father every day. Now Ruanruan has learned half of it, aren't you supposed to be very happy?
Just as Zheng Wei was feeling sad, he suddenly noticed that the room had gone quiet.
Ruanruan had stopped crying in his arms, but why were Zheng He and Zheng Jiang also silent?
Zheng Wei felt strange and turned to look at them.
At that sight, the tears in Zheng Wei's eyes could no longer be held back and streamed down his cheeks.
They say that men don't cry easily, but only when they are faced with true sorrow.
But seeing the scene before him, how could he not cry?
Zheng He and Zheng Jiang were staring blankly at the doorway, calling out, "Mother, Mother" one after another.
Not only Zheng Wei, but Yue Qingxin, the wet nurses, and Huo Fen were all lowering their heads and weeping.
Looking at the three young children, and then thinking of Shen Xiaoyan lying in bed, it was unbearable not to feel heartbroken.
When Yi Zhixie and Sima Han entered, they saw this scene.
Adults and children crying together was truly shocking.
"I just heard these three children seem to be able to call mother and father, right? Come on, call out for me to hear."
Yi Zhixie was only stunned for a moment before a smile appeared at the corners of his lips. He walked towards Zheng He and Zheng Jiang, with Sima Han following behind him.
As they approached, they each took one child and wiped their tears.
At this moment, Yi Zhixie continued, "When Shen Xiaoyan wakes up, the children will be able to speak, imagine how happy she will be. Then tell her that these children, they can say anything, but because she was unwilling to wake up, they ended up calling her Mother..."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Yue Qingxin rolled her eyes at Yi Zhixie and turned to Zheng Wei, saying, "Why don't we take the children to see younger sister? Perhaps, when younger sister hears the children's voices, she will wake up."
Zheng Wei nodded and walked ahead, holding Ruanruan.
Yi Zhixie shook his head helplessly. Didn't he see the atmosphere was too oppressive and want to help ease it?
Why was he being reprimanded instead of accepted?
"Let's go."
Sima Han had already reached the door but didn't see Yi Zhixie follow. He turned and called out to Yi Zhixie.
Yi Zhixie rolled his eyes and, without speaking, followed.
The group returned to the bedroom, carrying the three children to the bedside.
Before anyone could speak, they heard the three children eagerly calling out "Mother" to Shen Xiaoyan.
As they called out, their small hands also waved incessantly towards Shen Xiaoyan.
Knowing that the children wanted Shen Xiaoyan to hold them, Zheng Wei quickly said, "Mother is asleep, she's tired. Will you wait until she wakes up to hold her, okay?"
After being told several times, Sanshengzi truly stopped fussing and simply looked at Shen Xiaoyan quietly.
Seeing Sanshengzi being so well-behaved and obedient, Zheng Wei felt both comfort and heartache.
After about fifteen minutes, seeing that Sanshengzi was tired and hungry, he called for the wet nurses to feed them and coax them to sleep.
No one felt anything, but in reality, the entire morning had passed, and it was well past lunchtime.
"I've asked Aunt Qu to cook. Everyone will have a simple meal later," Yue Qingxin said to everyone in the room as she entered from outside.
"Go and eat," Zheng Wei said faintly, his gaze fixed on Shen Xiaoyan.
"Even if you're not hungry, you should eat something. Otherwise, how will you have the strength to care for younger sister and the three children?" Yue Qingxin said sternly, her words carrying great authority.
Zheng Wei wanted to refuse again, but the face of Sanshengzi appeared before him.
After a moment of thought, Zheng Wei could only nod, "Alright. You all go and eat first, I'll be there shortly."