Chapter 30030 I thought you had long forgotten your duty...
After all the guests had left, the Dingbei Marquis' Mansion became quiet.
Xie Qingyuan and Xie Yulan were taken by servants to the Wenzhai Hall of Old Lady Xie.
The usually amiable Old Lady Xie flew into a rage, scolding even the newly awakened Second Wife, "Look at you, look at you! This is the good daughter you raised, and yet she's capable of such a disgraceful act as secretly communicating with a man."
The Second Madam had already cried for a while, her eyes were swollen, and she begged, "Old Madam, please calm down..."
Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Old Lady Xie: "Tell me, what good family can Yulan find at this point?"
"With the reputation of the Marquis' Mansion, we can always find it, we can always find it." The second wife murmured to herself.
She suddenly turned to look at Mrs. Qian standing nearby and sternly declared, "Old Madam, the mansion was kind enough to take them in, but they've turned their backs on me, plotting against Yulan. And now, even more so, they've come brazenly to force a marriage, disregarding the mansion's dignity. I beg you, Old Madam, to expel this shameless mother and son from the mansion."
Confused and bewildered, Mrs. Qian knelt before Old Lady Xie and cried, "Auntie, my son truly loves the eldest lady, and I, an old woman, will treat her well after marriage. Please approve this marriage."
Xie Qingyuan knelt on the ground with a thud. After begging Old Lady Xie, he turned around and begged the Second Master.
The Second Madam sneered, "Your son has nothing, not to mention that you're still staying at the Marquis' Mansion. How can you marry my beloved daughter? I will never agree to this marriage."
The Second Master stared expressionlessly at Xie Qingyuan, who knelt at his feet. He had always admired this young man. Talent alone wasn't enough; if one's character wasn't good, they wouldn't achieve anything great in their lifetime.
He was not disgusted by Xie Qingyuan saving his daughter, but what displeased the second master was that not only did he communicate with his daughter privately, but he also brought the matter to light, damaging the reputation of the Marquisate. It was clear that this person had evil intentions.
Xie Qingyuan looked at the Second Madam with neither servility nor arrogance and said, "I have nothing now, but I am confident that I can get a good ranking next year. When I enter the government, I will definitely be able to make your life better."
Xie Yulan cried and said, "You're dreaming. Forget it. I won't marry you. Dad, Mom, Grandma, a daughter can't get married."
If she married Xie Qingyuan, who had nothing, not only would she not be able to hold her head up when she returned to her parents' home, but how would she have any face in Chang'an?
Xie Yulan regretted it. She should have stopped the mother and son from talking to each other.
Yun Sheng watched this farce in a trance. He looked at Xie Qingyuan's face, which was extremely unfamiliar to him.
It turns out...it turns out that he had long wanted to abandon her and climb up the social ladder.
Yun Sheng just felt that she was really ridiculous. Perhaps when she was feeling guilty and distressed because of Xie Zhan's coercion, Xie Qingyuan was planning how to abandon her and marry someone else.
Even if he hadn't gotten into debt from gambling, they couldn't go back to the way they were before.
Xie Zhan's eyebrows jumped violently, and he suddenly held Yun Sheng's hand.
He was very strong, as if he was reminding her of something, and Yun Sheng felt pain from being pinched by him.
Xie Qingyuan looked at the frantic Xie Yulan calmly, and said as if mockingly, "Ayu, everyone here today knows that I jumped into the water to save you. I'm afraid it won't be long before it spreads throughout Chang'an. Now that things have come to this, only if you marry me can you silence the gossip. Don't worry, I will treat you well after we get married."
After saying this, he greeted the elders one by one and left with Mrs. Qian.
After they had walked out of the house, Mrs. Qian asked anxiously, "Yuanlang, Yuanlang, mother sees that there is no one in this mansion who wants the lady to marry. Can this be done?"
If she were to say, this matter would be worse than her son ruining Xie Yulan's body. Her innocence would be lost, and she would have to marry him whether she wanted to or not.
Xie Qingyuan said confidently, "Xie Yulan already had a difficult time getting married due to her unattractive appearance. She was praised for her dignified and polite manners. Now that she's being unruly in private, which noble family member would dare to marry her? Wouldn't that just make her a laughing stock?"
He sneered, "Except marrying me, her only remaining option is to go up the mountain and become a nun."
"I won't marry." Xie Yulan knelt straight on the ground, holding her neck stubbornly.
The Second Master finally couldn't help himself and slapped her in the face, cursing, "If you didn't want to marry, what were you doing? Didn't you write those letters? Now that things have gotten to this point, who do you think will marry you? You're committing a sin! The reputation of our Marquisate, which has lasted for a hundred years, has been tarnished by you, a rebellious girl!"
The Second Madam looked at Xie Yulan with disappointment. She wiped her tears and said, "Mother, I think you are blinded by greed and that's why you did such a thing."
"My marriage is difficult. Didn't my mother make me like this?" Xie Yulan covered half of her face, with hatred between her eyebrows, and suddenly spoke out.
She laughed at herself and said, "If it weren't for this, how could I have been fooled by Xie Qingyuan's sweet words?"
"You...what did you say?" The Second Madam was in disbelief and felt so heartbroken that it felt like someone was cutting her heart with a knife.
The second master closed his eyes and said, "If you don't marry, I'll cut my hair off tomorrow and go to the mountains to become a nun."
My daughter first had physical contact with Xie Qingyuan, and then had sex with him privately. In this situation, who else can she marry?
If you choose a son-in-law from a poor family, it would be better to choose Xie Qingyuan, who is easier to control. When he becomes an official, the Xie family will help him, and there will be no worries about the success of the family.
Xie Yulan fell to the ground helplessly. She looked at the silent Old Lady Xie and said, "Grandma."
Old Lady Xie covered her face and waved her hand.
After a moment, she looked up at Xie Zhan: "Xingzhi, what do you think?"
Xie Zhan's expression was indifferent, and he only said: "Second uncle is right."
"Yun Sheng, is it you? Was it you who whispered in big brother's ear? Are you taking revenge on me?" Xie Yulan glared at Yun Sheng fiercely.
Yun Sheng pursed her lips. "We have no grudges against each other. Those thirty slaps have already been made up. Why would I seek revenge on you? Madam, are you asking me to explain how you ended up in the water? If Ah Xi hadn't pulled me back, I'd have been pushed into the pool by your personal maid. What happened today is all Madam's own fault. It has nothing to do with anyone else."
"You, what nonsense are you talking about? Stop throwing dirty water on me." Xie Yulan lacked confidence. Everyone understood her guilty look.
Xie Zhan tilted his head, his eyes falling on Yun Sheng's half-wet skirt. The face of the Duke of Pingyang suddenly flashed through his mind, his pair of phoenix eyes staring at her with unfathomable depth.
Yun Sheng was sweating profusely on her palms, unable to guess why Xie Zhan was staring at her.
Old Lady Xie finally caught her breath. She said wearily, "The marriage is settled. This is not your call. You should stay at home these days and reflect on your mistakes. Don't do anything that would harm yourself or others."
Xie Yulan was pulled out crying by the second wife.
She grabbed the Second Madam's hand and said, "Mother, mother, I can't get married, and I don't want to go to the mountains to be a nun. As long as he dies, as long as Xie Qingyuan dies, I don't have to get married!"
"Shut up, shut up right there." The second wife felt a pang of pain in her heart. She looked at her daughter who was talking nonsense and felt sad.
How on earth had she raised such a cruel and merciless daughter? She had always spoiled her. Was it her fault? She had raised her to be so ignorant of the world.
First he wanted to push Yun Sheng into trouble, and now he wants to kill Xie Qingyuan.
The Second Madam covered her face and said, "I'm telling you, if anything happens to Xie Qingyuan and his mother at this critical moment, everyone in Chang'an will know that it was you who did it, it was my Xie family who did it. If a disaster occurs, not even your mother can protect you."
Xie Yulan was stunned and cried silently.
She regretted it, she really regretted it.
The second wife hardened her heart and stopped looking at her daughter. She asked the maid to lock her in the house and keep a good eye on her day and night.
_
Yun Sheng held up her skirt and followed closely behind Xie Zhan.
The man was tall and had long legs, and his strides were long. In the past, when he was in a good mood, he would deliberately slow down his pace to wait for her, so Yun Sheng quickly knew that Xie Zhan was in a bad mood.
She trotted a few steps with difficulty, panting slightly, and said, "My Lord, please wait for me."
The man in front of her remained silent, so Yun Sheng chased after him. She lowered her head, not expecting to bump into Xie Zhan's back the next moment.
The man's whole body was hard. Yun Sheng let out a slight cry of pain and subconsciously covered the tip of his nose which had turned red from being hit by him.
Xie Zhan turned around and lifted Yun Sheng's chin high.
The young lady's clear eyes were moist and she felt so aggrieved that she was about to cry.
He pursed his lips and said, "Why don't you look at the road?"
Yun Sheng took a breath and trembled, "My Lord, you walked too fast and stopped too quickly. I was so anxious to catch up with you that I didn't see you for a while."
"Take your hands away, let me take a look." Xie Zhan had a tense face, still looking worried.
Yun Sheng shrank back, his hands dropping to his side.
The tip of her poor nose was red. Xie Zhan looked around and said, "Don't touch it with your hands. Ask Ah Xi to apply some medicine later."
"It's okay, I'll be fine in a moment."
Yun Sheng twisted her fingers, then timidly looked up at Xie Zhan: "Did I say something wrong or do something wrong to make the Marquis angry?"
Xie Zhan closed his eyes, and then, amid Yun Sheng's exclamation, he bent down and picked her up sideways.
His eyes fell on her embroidered shoes, which were soaked and difficult to walk in, and he asked in a deep voice, "Why didn't you tell me about such a big thing just now?"
Yun Sheng wrapped his arms around Xie Zhan's neck and whispered, "It was such a mess just now, how could I have the chance to speak? Besides, Ah Xi helped me, so I didn't fall."
"From now on, you are not allowed to hide anything from me."
Yun Sheng's face froze, then a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he nodded obediently.
Xie Zhan had a morbid desire to control her. Even now, Yun Sheng knew that the old wily Manager Bai would call Ah Xi over for questioning from time to time.
This feeling of being closely watched often made her feel suffocated.
Yun Sheng also knew that Xie Zhan liked her docility and she would go along with him.
Xie Zhan's pent-up frustration dissipated somewhat. He glanced at Yun Sheng with his sharp eyes and suddenly asked, "Did you speak to the Duke of Pingyang before attending the banquet at the Princess's residence?"
Yun Sheng was stunned for a moment, then realized it wasn't a big deal. He told the truth, "I was wandering around the Princess's residence that day when I bumped into the Duke of Pingyang. We didn't exchange much words."
After she finished speaking, she secretly glanced at Xie Zhan. He seemed not to hear her, but his steps became much faster. She didn't know what he meant.
Yun Sheng was shaken so hard by him that she bit her lip and hugged Xie Zhan's neck tighter.
After returning to the inner room, Xie Zhan carried Yun Sheng to the couch.
He left in a hurry, and Hua Lao hurriedly came up to him and asked, "Hey, my Madam Yun, what's wrong with the Marquis? I see that the Marquis looks not right!"
Yun Sheng hugged his knees with his hands, lowered his eyes and said, "I'm a little tired and want to sleep for a while. You can go out first."
Hua asked her, how could she know?
Could it be that she had spoken to the Duke of Pingyang before, and that this had displeased him? Or had she accidentally glanced at Xie Qingyuan?
Old Lady Hua opened her mouth and said, "Since Madam Yun wants to sleep, it's better for her to wipe herself and change into clean clothes before going to bed."
"I know. Thank you for your trouble. Please call Ah Xi in."
Hua Lao sighed softly. The Marquis was a man who liked to keep things to himself, and Madam Yun didn't seem to care much. So no matter how anxious she was, it would be of no use.
Yun Sheng slept alone that night.
After turning off the lights, she lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. After a moment, Yun Sheng sat up, hugging the quilt, got off the bed, lit the lamp, and began to read the Thousand Character Sutra.
She wanted to memorize the two enlightenment articles as soon as possible so that she could learn some new articles.
The autumn night was silent. Yun Sheng lay on the table, yawning repeatedly.
She was just about to go to sleep when she heard the footsteps of servants outside the house, the torches lighting up the night, and then someone shouted, "Quick, call someone! There's an assassin in the house!"
Ah Xi, who was on guard in the ear room, was woken up and immediately put on his clothes and shoes.
Yun Sheng loosened her grip on the pen, hid a jade hairpin in her sleeve, and nervously opened the door a crack.
Seeing Ah Xi climbing the stairs, she pushed the door open and asked anxiously, "What happened outside? Is there an assassin in the house? Has he been caught?"
In the darkness of night, Yun Sheng saw the guards not far away searching everywhere, and the path was in chaos.
Ah Xi hurriedly ordered the servants to close the door, then leaned in closer and said, "Don't be afraid, Madam Yun. With the Marquis as your pillar of support, nothing serious will happen to the mansion. I just went out to inquire, and they say the assassin sneaked into the Marquis's study in the dark. The Marquis has fought on the battlefield for many years, so he will definitely not return."
Yun Sheng calmed himself down and asked, "It's so late, and the Marquis is still in the study?"
"The Marquis has always been like this."
Ah Xi didn't take it seriously. Before Madam Nayun came into being, she could count on two fingers the number of times the Marquis could rest before midnight.
"Let's go out and take a look."
Yun Sheng felt a little uneasy because the matter was not clarified.
Ah Xi hurriedly pulled Yun Sheng back and said, "There's chaos outside, I'm afraid they can't take care of us. Going out will only cause trouble for others. You should just sit inside and wait for news."
Yun Sheng thought for a moment and said, "Okay."
Xie Zhan should be fine, otherwise the mansion would have been in chaos by now.
_
The lights in the study were bright. Xie Zhan pulled out the arrow nailed to the pillar. He glanced at the words on the yellow paper with an unclear expression.
In a moment, he lifted the lampshade, twisted the paper and burned it to ashes.
Xie Zhan shouted outside the door, "Go and call everyone back. There's no need to chase them anymore."
"My Lord, this...this..." Bai Yuanbao was a little worried.
"Do as I say, and don't disturb the neighbors."
Bai Yuanbao sighed, gestured for someone to do it, and then sent a maid to tell Old Lady Xie in her courtyard.
Such a big thing happened in the mansion, and the third master could not help. When the second master heard about it, he hurried over from his concubine's room.
He leaned against the doorstep of the study and panted, "How is Xingzhi?"
"I'm sorry to have worried my uncle. Just go back and sleep peacefully."
"Where is the assassin? With Xingzhi here, he must have been prevented from escaping." The second master patted his chest, looking frightened.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. "Thieves have actually found their way into the Marquis's mansion, even under the Emperor's feet. Tomorrow, when my second uncle presents this to His Majesty, this matter must be thoroughly investigated and must not be allowed to pass unnoticed."
Xie Zhan said calmly, "Since the assassin has disappeared, let's leave this matter at that. Tomorrow, when I go to court, I will pretend that my uncle doesn't know about this."
"Why is this?" The second master was puzzled.
Xie Zhan pinched his brows and let out a deep breath: "I can't explain it in a few words, Second Uncle, just do as I say."
The second master instantly remembered that Emperor Yonghui was wary of his nephew's military power, and that there had been swords and sabers from all sides in the court recently.
He closed his mouth and said, "Xingzhi, don't worry, Second Uncle will listen to you."
Although the second master didn't know what his nephew was busy with, he would not hold the Marquis's Mansion back.
Yun Sheng also got the news, and told everyone to go to bed peacefully, as nothing serious had happened.
She rubbed her sore eyes and fell into a deep sleep as soon as she touched the bed.
The next day, Yun Sheng heard from Ah Xi that Xie Qingyuan and his mother, Mrs. Qian, were driven out of the house by the old lady Xie.
Yun Sheng asked in astonishment, "Where did he go?"
"I heard that this is a property that the Second Madam had prepared for the eldest lady. It was originally intended as a dowry, and now she has asked someone to clean it up and let the mother and son live in it."
Ah Xi curled her lips and continued gossiping, "After all, this marriage is confirmed, and the engaged couple live under the same roof. What's the big deal? The eldest lady has been making a fuss all morning, and she even threw the breakfast that was brought in all over the floor. I guess she's going on a hunger strike to get the Second Master and his wife to change their ways."
"So...has the wedding date been set?"
"It's settled, it's settled. The servants went out shopping this morning and said that the whole street was full of rumors about the eldest lady and Xie Qingyuan. The second master got really angry again, probably because he felt it would bring shame to the Marquisate, so he immediately decided to schedule the wedding for the twelfth month of this year. He's in such a hurry, he just can't wait for the eldest lady to get married."
Ah Xi's face was so bright with joy that his lips were peeling as he spoke: "The Second Madam went to see the Second Master and cried a lot. This matter is beyond redemption. She hasn't even married yet, and her husband's family has already used up her dowry. Who knows how they will be taken advantage of in the future. No wonder the First Madam is making a fuss."
Yun Sheng tilted her head and looked out the window at the autumn peonies, which were shining golden in the sunlight. When she heard about Xie Qingyuan's wedding date, her heart was completely calm.
How he lives in the future has nothing to do with her.
For several days in a row, Xie Zhan was either training in the southern suburbs camp or receiving guests after returning home. The lights in the study were often on until midnight.
Yun Sheng hadn't seen him for a few days.
She was not anxious yet, but Ah Xi and Hua Mu were extremely worried, as if they were afraid that she would fall out of favor with Xie Zhan.
Yun Sheng put down the calligraphy he had practiced and smiled bitterly in his heart.
Ah Xi came over, with a look of surprise on his face: "Madam Yun, it's true that hard work pays off. Your handwriting is becoming more and more like the Marquis's style."
Yun Sheng smiled faintly: "I study and practice the Marquis's calligraphy diligently every day, so I will be able to resemble him somewhat."
Old Lady Hua slapped her thigh and urged, "My dear Madam Yun, it's almost a few days away, why aren't you anxious? No matter what, you should pay some attention to the Marquis."
How could Yun Sheng not know?
But how long can you gain anything from using your beauty to please others?
Old Lady Hua had someone carefully wash a plate of plump, translucent purple grapes. She said to Yun Sheng, "It's just past the hour of Xu, so it's not too late. Please bring some food to the Marquis."
"If you eat this at night and your Lordship gets indigestion, what will happen?"
Now she is the only one in Xie Zhan's backyard, and Yun Sheng still has to rely on him for survival. She also listened to what Hua said.
Old Lady Hua covered her mouth with her hands and laughed, "They're just some fruits, how can they cause indigestion? Madam Yun, please go quickly."
Ah Xi walked in front with a lantern. Yun Sheng slowly exhaled. She didn't know whether Xie Zhan would meet her, but she had to put on a show.
Besides Bai Yuanbao, there were two other guards guarding outside the study.
Yun Sheng understood that someone else must be discussing something with Xie Zhan. Han Ting's expression was solemn, and he lowered his voice and asked, "My Lord, I think there's something fishy about Crown Prince Zhangren still being alive. What do you think?"
If he was still alive, why was it that almost five years had passed since Emperor Yonghui ascended the throne, and there was only some news recently? The letter that night was even more puzzling.
Xie Zhan's eyes were heavy as he suddenly asked, "How is the matter that I recently asked you to investigate?"
Han Ting slapped his head and said, "But the Marquis has said it for sure. Apart from you, all the old officials of the late emperor's party, who are above the fifth rank, have sent letters to the men in black one after another at night."
He muttered to himself, "There's another strange thing I have to report to you, Lord. The man in black seems to be deliberately revealing his tracks to lure us brothers in. Could it be... could it be that Crown Prince Zhangren is still alive?"
Han Ting didn't dare to think further. If Prince Zhangren were still alive, how would the current Emperor Yonghui cope with the situation?
When Emperor Yonghui ascended the throne, Crown Prince Zhangren and the second prince had passed away one after another. He then ascended the throne in accordance with the late emperor's will, with the Empress Dowager as his witness.
Xie Zhan sneered, "These are just some low-brow tricks. Since the other side refuses to show them openly, we will just pretend we don't know. Recently, I have also dismissed all those old ministers."
Regardless of whether the other party is the "living" "Prince Zhangren", how could Xie Zhan take the initiative to jump into this trap as the other party wishes when he is pretending to be mysterious and testing him?
Han Ting had just agreed when Bai Yuanbao outside came in again, "My Lord, Madam Yun wants to see you."
"It's getting late. I'll take my leave. I don't want to disturb the good mood of the Marquis." Han Ting winked.
Xie Zhan glanced over coldly and said unhappily, "Go from the back."
Han Ting turned the vase on the table, and the bookshelf against the wall slowly opened. After Han Ting entered, the bookshelf slowly closed, and his figure disappeared in an instant.
Xie Zhan tapped the table lightly with his fingertips and said to the door, "Ask her in."
After not seeing each other for a few days, Yun Sheng felt inexplicably nervous.
She touched her cold arm, turned to Ah Xi and said, "No need to wait for me, go back first."
Ah Xi opened her mouth to speak, but Bai Yuanbao stopped her and glared at her. "Just go back when I told you to. You're so clueless. Madam Yun is so stuck with the Marquis, how can she come out anytime soon?"
Yun Sheng took a deep breath, went in and closed the study door.
She slowly walked to the rosewood table, brought out the washed grapes, and said respectfully, "My Lord, you've been busy all day. These are freshly washed grapes. Would you like to try some to refresh yourself?"
Xie Zhan raised his eyes slightly, his gaze landing on Yun Sheng's fair wrist. He suddenly said in a cold voice, "You are busy with your own affairs all day long. I thought you had forgotten your duty long ago."
"My Lord Marquis is very busy. I wouldn't dare disturb you unless you call me." Yun Sheng lowered his eyes.
Xie Zhan had a sullen face, and she became even better at finding excuses for herself.
He said in a cold voice: "Come sit down."
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