Xu Lanyin took the letter and asked Ding Gu to take Ji Zhu to the front yard to drink and rest.
She looked at the two letters in her hands: a thin one, from her, and a thick one, at least twenty pages long, from Qin.
Xu Lanyin secretly criticized that Xu Qingyan had not read much and was self-taught, but he could actually write such a thick letter on people's sentiments.
She went to the side room and gave the letter to Qin, but Qin didn't take it, so she put it on the kang table.
As for whether Qin would read the letter or not, and what her attitude towards Xu Qingyan would be, she couldn't persuade her. She returned to her room, opened the letter and read it.
Xu Qingyan's letter explained that Xu Lanyin had done the right thing, saying that doing so prevented the old man from making a bigger mistake, was a noble act, and her filial piety was commendable. He urged her not to be sad or feel bad, saying that her father understood her good intentions. He also urged her to find a way to appease Qin Shi and not let the family fall apart. He had already requested leave from his superiors and could not go now, so he would strive to return home as soon as possible.
Xu Lanyin rolled her eyes at Xu Qingyan's righteous praise. She had asked someone to sue Old Man Xu just to vent her anger, okay? Besides, why was she sad? She thought she had a thick skin and didn't want to accept such praise from Xu Qingyan.
She finally realized that Gu Wangchen and Xu Qingyan were both from farming families, both had a strong desire to improve themselves and a restless heart, and both had their own methods, but Xu Qingyan's was much more capable.
When encountering the same situations and people, Xu Qingyan would skillfully use morality, laws, norms, and family affection to disguise and arm himself, attack his opponents, and balance the relationships between his family members. Therefore, he always gave people the impression of being a good son, a good brother, a good husband, a good father, and a good subordinate favored by the ruler.
If it weren't for Old Man Xu's instigation, no matter how angry Qin was with him, it wouldn't have reached the point where they had to separate, and she would still be a little reluctant to let him go. Zhao Wu had always admired him, and even he himself felt that this father was not bad and within the acceptable range.
Success or failure, he will have family and friends.
Gu Wangchen, though far more educated than Xu Qingyan, was too eager for quick success and too paranoid, willing to sacrifice everything for power, even to the point of destroying everything. His greatest tactic was feigning. Those who didn't know him might have a good impression of him, but those who did would inevitably hate him and flee from him... Even if such a person succeeded by chance, they wouldn't have any truly caring family or close friends around them, and if they failed, they would be doomed.
Of course, Xu Qingyan's character is still much better than Gu Wangchen's. At least he has a moral bottom line and knows what he must not give up...
The desire to speak up for Xu Qingyan faded. If that man wanted to keep Qin Shi, he had to find a way to do it himself. If he didn't even have the patience and determination, Qin Shi would have been better off withdrawing.
The letter mentioned that he had a grudge against the eldest wife, which should also include the old couple. Let's see how he cleans up this mess. If he doesn't clean it up, Qin Che and Xu Lanyin will, and they will definitely not let those people stay in the provincial capital forever.
When Qin came out for lunch, her eyes were red. Xu Lanyin guessed that she must have read Xu Qingyan's letter.
Because Min Jia and Xu Lanyue were there, Qin didn't say much.
After dinner, when the two children had gone to rest, Qin said to Xu Lanyin, "It's all my fault. You're going to get married early next year, and yet I've caused so much trouble. I've made up my mind. I'm going to buy a house outside, and I'll move in when your father comes back. Let's not talk about my own affairs for now. I need to focus on your marriage. Alas, this is how my life will be. I just hope you, Zhou'er, and Ting'er live a happy life."
Xu Lanyin snorted coldly. Xu Qingyan must use her marriage to persuade Qin to buy time for himself.
She persuaded him, "Mom still has a long life ahead of her. She should be as happy as me and my brothers. Besides, this yard is in Mom's name, not my father's. If anyone wants to leave, it should be him."
Qin shook her head and sighed, "Although this place bears my name, people have always called it the Xu family. What should I do if he refuses to leave? I can't afford to offend him, so I have to hide."
Being able to cling to others seems to be Xu Qingyan's strong point.
Thinking that Qin's house purchase would also count as property, Xu Lanyin didn't object. She called Ding Gu in and asked him to look at a house. It didn't have to be large, but it had to be in a good location, new, with a garden and a pond.
Xu Lanyin secretly asked Ding Gu to pass this message to Ji Zhu. Ji Zhu took a two-day rest and returned to the capital, which made Xu Laoyao so anxious that he jumped over the wall.
In the afternoon, Old Master Qin, Madam Qin, and Qin Hongyu came again.
No one dared to tell Old Master Qin about Qin's affairs. They laughed happily in front of the old man, while Mrs. Qin scolded Old Master Xu behind his back.
In the evening, Qin Che and Qin Ru came to have dinner, and Min Hu also came to watch his daughter eat.
Qin and Xu Lanyin both cheered up to entertain the guests.
It was the end of winter, the weather was freezing cold, and heavy snow fell for several days.
Xu Dashi finally returned from the capital, but because of the heavy snow, he was delayed on the road for several days.
Xu Qingming was able to get out of bed and walk. The old man had been frightened and sick, and he still hadn't recovered, lying in bed all day.
The old man was extremely disappointed when he saw that his second son did not come back with him. He asked, "Where is the second son? The whole family is worried sick. Why didn't you bring him back?"
Old Mrs. Xu also said anxiously, "If that silly boy doesn't come back, don't let his wife really leave."
Xu Dashi smiled bitterly, pointing to a scar on his forehead. "My second uncle beat me. How could I possibly bring him back? He said he went out to work at the age of thirteen to earn money for his parents to live a big house and a good life. Now he's moved to the provincial capital to enjoy a good life. He bought land for his brother and sister-in-law, and sent his nephew to school. Even his teenage daughter helped us find connections to open a shop. Not only do we not remember his kindness, we also ruined his future and spread rumors to humiliate his wife. If he really has nothing left, he won't come home and will directly become a monk, which is what we want..."
Old Mrs. Xu was the first to burst into tears, cursing Old Man Xu while crying. Old Man Xu bulged his eyes in disbelief. Was the second son blaming them?
Xu Dashi read another letter. Xu Qingyan remarked that Qin's true origins were also extremely noble, and that the Xu family couldn't even begin to flatter her; he had clearly outgrown his status. Old Master Xu's accusations were a disrespect for imperial authority, a slanderous calumny that would not only bring disaster upon himself but also upon the entire Xu family. If Prefect Qin were to ruthlessly report this to the capital, a three-rank demotion would be the least he could face. He also harshly reprimanded Xu Qingming, accusing him of being unfilial and disloyal, and that, to secure greater benefits, he had encouraged Old Master to cause chaos and violate the law, leading to such a catastrophic event.
The entire letter was written with a righteous tone, combining morality with legalism, and sprinkled with threats and vulgar language. Those who couldn't curse the old man were directed at Xu Qingming instead.
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