Traveling back to ancient times to get rich

Chapter 342 Only One Child

After dinner, Yelü Fengqi arranged a small courtyard for Gu Mochen, Ye Qingchen, Bai Zhi, Bai Yufei, Fuling, and Song Ming. The courtyard was quiet and elegant, in the style of the Jiangnan region of the Great Xia Dynasty. It was planted with many flowers, trees, and shrubs, all of which were cold-resistant, demonstrating the head of the household's discerning taste. The maid Xiao Si quickly brought steaming hot bathwater, fragrant tea, and snacks, providing meticulous service. Once everyone was settled, the Yelü family returned to their own courtyard to rest.

The night was as dark as ink. In the quiet room, the shadows of Ye Qingchen and Gu Mochen were elongated by the moonlight. They paced slowly, as if time itself had frozen in that moment. Ye Qingchen's brows furrowed slightly, breaking the suffocating silence: "Mochen, have you noticed a strange phenomenon at Brother Yelü Fengqi's house?" Her voice was low and heavy, as if concealing some important secret.

Gu Mochen paused slightly, his mind racing as he recalled what he had seen and heard at the Yelü family's residence that day. Indeed, he had sensed something amiss, but couldn't quite put his finger on it; it was just a vague unease. Seeing Gu Mochen deep in thought, Ye Qingchen continued, "Didn't you notice how many women he had?" Her words struck Gu Mochen like a hammer blow. Gu Mochen pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Indeed, I noticed that too. But Brother Yelü doesn't seem like a lecherous person; I really can't understand why he's taken so many concubines." His brows furrowed, as if he were struggling to find the answer.

In their world of martial arts, it was not uncommon for high-ranking officials to have numerous wives and concubines. However, Yelü Fengqi gave off a different feeling from those who were obsessed with women. He had an elegant demeanor and graceful manners. Although he looked rather composed, the harsh winds and sandstorms of the north meant his skin was dry, and given the lack of skincare products, he certainly appeared older. Yet, he did not seem to be the kind of person who would be seduced by women.

Ye Qingchen's eyes flashed, and she posed a more crucial question: "Don't you think he only has one child? Yelü Churan!" Gu Mochen's heart skipped a beat. Yes, given the scale of Yelü Fengqi's weddings, even if he only had one son, he should have had many daughters by normal circumstances. But now, he had indeed only seen Yelü Churan. Was there really some unspeakable reason behind this?

In the main courtyard of the Yelü family, Yelü Fengqi sat alone in his study, the flickering candlelight illuminating his slightly weary face. He held a letter in his hand, his gaze heavy. The letter, from an elder in the family, urged him to resolve the issue of having an heir as soon as possible to continue the family bloodline. The Yelü family had deep roots in the Liao Dynasty, possessing immense power and extensive connections. However, the fact that the family had only had one son since the previous generation felt like a heavy shackle, suffocating Yelü Fengqi. His mother always felt guilty towards his father, because he had only given birth to Yelü Fengqi, a son, and hadn't even produced a daughter for his father before his death.

His wife, Madam Sun, came from a prestigious and renowned family. She was not only beautiful but also dignified, gentle, and virtuous. When they married, it was considered a perfect match, a match made in heaven. Everyone in the family placed high hopes on the newlyweds, eagerly anticipating a son to continue the family line and solidify the family's status and reputation. However, time passed quickly, and Madam Sun remained unconceived. This gradually soured the family's initial enthusiasm, and rumors began to circulate. Faced with these gossips, Madam Sun felt deeply troubled and endured immense psychological pressure.

Countless nights, when all was quiet and still, Sun would weep silently alone. She felt she had failed Yelü Fengqi's expectations and, even more so, the entire Yelü family. She often blamed herself for being so useless, unable to bear a son or daughter for her husband's family.

To continue his family line, Yelü Fengqi, persuaded by his elders, took several concubines. Some were daughters of leaders of various martial arts factions, hoping to forge an alliance with the Yelü family through marriage; others were of humble origins but possessed stunning beauty, and were brought home by Yelü Fengqi. One of his concubines, Liu, was graceful, charming, and skilled in singing and dancing. When she first entered the Yelü household, she was favored by Yelü Fengqi, spending every night with him. However, as time went on, she failed to conceive. Each time her period came, Liu was filled with disappointment, knowing that in this grand mansion, if she could not bear an heir, her position would be precarious.

Another concubine, Lin, was gentle and well-educated. She often chanted scriptures and prayed in the Buddhist hall, asking the Bodhisattva to grant her a child. Every morning she would rise and kneel devoutly on the prayer mat for several hours, hoping to move Heaven. But fate seemed to love to play tricks on people, and her piety did not bring her the desired result.

Among these many women, only Yelü Churan's mother, one of Yelü Fengqi's concubines, successfully gave birth. This concubine was originally a woman Yelü Fengqi had rescued during a chivalrous journey. She was kind-hearted and gentle. After giving birth to Yelü Churan, she was overjoyed and poured all her love into her child. However, tragically, she exhausted her strength during childbirth and remained frail until she passed away when Yelü Churan was still young. Yelü Fengqi was devastated and cherished Yelü Churan even more, regarding him as his most precious treasure.

As Yelü Churan grew older, the pressure from his family surged once again. The elders demanded that Yelü Fengqi ensure Yelü Churan married as soon as possible to continue the family line and prevent a break in the family's continuity. Yelü Churan was exceptionally intelligent and diligent from a young age, and possessed a deep understanding of his family's responsibilities. However, he strongly resisted the arranged marriages set up by his family. He longed to meet a woman he truly loved and spend his life with, rather than marrying for the sake of family interests.

One day, Yelü Churan encountered a woman in the city. Dressed in simple white robes, she possessed an ethereal beauty and was helping an injured beggar. Her kindness and beauty deeply moved Yelü Churan, who stepped forward to help and began to talk to her. Through their conversation, Yelü Churan learned that the woman's name was Su Yao, that she was an orphan living alone. Su Yao also felt a strong attraction to Yelü Churan, and the two chatted amiably, gradually developing feelings for each other.

Yelü Churan returned home overjoyed and told his father, Yelü Fengqi, about Su Yao. Yelü Fengqi frowned upon hearing this. He knew the family rules well; Su Yao came from a humble background and was not a suitable match for the Yelü family. The elders would certainly not approve of the marriage. However, seeing the expectation in his son's eyes, he couldn't bear it and could only turn a blind eye.

Meanwhile, rumors began to circulate in the martial arts world about the Yelü family. Some said the Yelü family had committed too many heinous acts, thus incurring divine punishment and being reduced to a single-lineage successor. Others claimed that a curse was hidden within the Yelü family's ancestral manual, causing the family's difficulty in producing offspring. These rumors spread far and wide, severely damaging the Yelü family's reputation. Some martial arts sects that had previously been on friendly terms with the Yelü family began to distance themselves from them.

To salvage his family's reputation, Yelü Fengqi tirelessly sought to quell the rumors. He summoned some of the most respected figures in the martial arts world for a grand banquet, where he declared that the Yelü family had always upheld justice and had never done anything against their conscience. However, the power of the rumors was too great, and these efforts yielded little result.

Within the family, the relationships among the women became increasingly delicate. Although Madam Sun, as the principal wife, outwardly treated all the concubines equally, she inevitably harbored some jealousy and resentment. The concubines, in turn, engaged in open and covert struggles to win Yelü Fengqi's favor and their own positions within the family. This tense atmosphere cast a shadow over the entire Yelü family.

Yelü Churan pleaded with his father desperately so he could be with Su Yao. Yelü Fengqi finally decided to visit Su Yao himself to understand her character. When he met her, he was moved by her kindness and intelligence. However, the pressure from his family remained a formidable obstacle, leaving him in a dilemma.

After careful consideration, Yelü Fengqi decided to explain the situation to the family elders and seek their consent. Upon learning of this, the family elders held an emergency meeting. At the meeting, opinions differed. Some elders believed that family rules could not be broken and that Yelü Churan must be married to a woman of equal social standing; others felt that Yelü Churan was now an adult with his own thoughts, and besides, Su Yao was indeed a good woman, and they could consider accepting her, but not as his principal wife.

So the matter ended badly, and many people said that Su Yao approached Yelü Churan only for the sake of his absolute successor status.