Chapter 149 Wasn’t it allowed for my aunt to have a few good friends when she was in the academy?
"Master Liu is absolutely right. It was my fault for being rash."
After hearing Lord Liu's words, Rong Shi realized she had spoken out of turn. Her father, always a man of integrity, had been framed because he could not stand the tyranny of corrupt officials. Although he was later exonerated and reinstated, he had been neglected for many years and eventually asked to return home.
If my father knew that Wei Liang was a murderer who had taken lives and had been on the run for many years, he would never have violated his conscience for the sake of his granddaughter's future. Otherwise, wouldn't his perseverance over the past two or three decades in the face of powerful forces have become a joke?
Rong was filled with regret, not knowing how she had even entertained such a thought. Guilt-ridden, she held her niece's hand, hoping Ying'er wouldn't be shaken by her resolve.
Little did she know that her uneasy look had already been seen by others. That person sighed secretly but said nothing in the end.
How could the astute Su Ying not feel her aunt's desire to protect her? She also understood what Lord Liu said, that only real evidence could lead to the right path.
She offered, "Master Liu, before you leave the academy today, would you be willing to stay for a while? My painting skills are barely passable, and if I could paint Wei Liang's portrait before you leave, it would be helpful when you're investigating."
Upon hearing this, Lord Liu raised his eyebrows. He had not expected that this little girl not only looked like Ruolan back then, but was also just as talented and virtuous as her. He felt even more admiration for her.
He said in a gentle voice, "Don't worry. The key to painting a portrait is to remain calm and focused. If you can't finish it today, you can continue tomorrow. I'll send someone to pick it up."
Su Ying naturally understood the principle of "haste makes waste," but she had been dreaming about Xiaocao crying for help for the past few days, and she was troubled. Her aunt said she had already sent people to ask around, and no one had ever taken in a young girl from the Su family. The old woman in the laundry room certainly wouldn't lie, so investigating Wei Liang was the top priority.
Perhaps it was because Wei Liang's wretched face had already been etched in her mind, or perhaps it was because she was desperate to find him, but she finally finished the portrait before Lord Liu left. While her aunt was seeing off her grandparents, she hurried to the gate of the academy and, as Lord Liu was about to board his carriage, she personally handed the scroll, still scented with ink, to him.
"Ying'er, before Liu Xianling sends someone to pass on the news, you should not return to the Su Mansion. Stay with your aunt in the academy for the time being."
Watching Lord Liu's carriage going further and further away, Rong held Su Ying's hand and spoke in a serious tone.
The aunt and nephew turned and went inside. The two heavy wooden doors of the academy slowly closed behind them, making a low sound.
"Aunt, regardless of whether Wei Liang is really the murderer who has been on the run for many years, at least the fact that the Lin family's origins are fake is a fact."
Su Ying's voice was low, but every word was clear: "Now, only if I remain in the Su Mansion can I uncover more secrets and find concrete evidence. If I stay in the academy, the so-called settlement of accounts will become empty talk."
"My mother has passed away many years ago. This is all I can do for her now."
She certainly understood her aunt's concerns. Her gaze towards Rong Shi was filled with not only comfort but also determination. "Aunt, after all, I am the eldest daughter of the Su family. Don't worry, I will act cautiously and not let Lin Shi and Wei Liang realize that we have any suspicions."
As she spoke, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she bit her lip lightly and said, "Besides, now that the Yuan and Du families are here, they dare not act rashly."
After she finished speaking, Su Ying seemed to remember something. She suddenly stopped and asked with her head tilted, "Aunt, is Liu Xianling the name of Master Liu? Are you familiar with him?"
In the morning in the hall, she felt that her aunt and Lord Liu were quite familiar with each other, but her aunt always addressed him as "Lord Liu", and Lord Liu responded as "Mrs. Du".
But now that the carriage had left, her aunt called her by her name, and Su Ying couldn't help but find it a little funny.
When she was young, her grandparents were often overwhelmed by the demands of the academy, so her aunt was often her companion as she grew up. Before her marriage to Beijing, her aunt had a rather carefree personality. Her talent and intelligence were undeniable, but after not seeing her for years, she had become much more reserved and composed when they reunited.
Su Ying knew her aunt had changed because of both her aging and her uncle's early death. Just like during her two years at the Su residence, she had been forced to gradually curb her outgoing nature and become more cautious and reserved in order to protect herself.
So when she heard her aunt calling out "Liu Xianling" by his full name after the carriage set off, she became curious and couldn't help asking.
Rong Shi heard this and smiled. She had no intention of hiding anything and said frankly to her niece, "You had Yuan Song as your playmate in the academy. Shouldn't your aunt have had a few good friends to keep her company when she was there?"
When talking about her childhood, Rong's tense heart relaxed a little. She walked back with her niece while recalling the past.
"Among your grandfather's students back then, Liu Xianling was the most diligent, but he was a bit stubborn and stubborn!"
When Su Ying heard this, her eyes widened. Although she didn't dare to look at Lord Liu's appearance carefully, after several conversations, she found that he was not only experienced and calm, but also able to get to the point directly when she talked about painting just now. He was not as dull and uncomprehending as her aunt said.
What's more, except for Su Jianrong, who was misjudged by my grandfather and mother, which of my grandfather's students did not get in based on their own abilities?
Before Su Ying could open her mouth, she heard her aunt continue, "His parents died young, and apart from studying, he didn't care about anything else. When he entered the academy, he was dressed in rags and worn shoes, and no one wanted to sit next to him."
Rong Ruolan still remembers that before the lecture started, she checked for her father to see if all the students were present. As a result, in the huge school, there was only no one around Liu Xianling. Every student thought he was unkempt and had a strange smell.
"May I have your name?"
When she was a girl, Rong Ruolan did not have the reserve of other ordinary young ladies. She walked straight up to Liu Xianling and asked.
"Liu Xianling."
Obviously, Liu Xianling rarely had face-to-face conversations with women like this. For every question Rong Ruolan asked, he would answer it in a daze.
"Okay, Liu Xianling, Master's wife wants to see you, please come with me!"
She took him out of the school on the pretext that her mother was looking for her, and asked him to wait for her for a while.
She trotted all the way out and trotted all the way back. Finally, under the guidance of the servant, Liu Xianling took a good bath and changed into new clothes, shoes and socks that he had not worn since his parents passed away.
Rong Shi naturally couldn't tell her niece about Liu Xianling's past predicament. She only answered Ying'er's initial question with a smile in her eyes: "He is now the head official of the county. In front of others, I must respectfully address him as Lord Liu."
Then he sighed and said, "He is a very stubborn person. Your grandmother once wanted to arrange a marriage for him, but he said that he had not completed his studies and his family was poor, so getting married would harm others. When I returned home this time, I heard your grandmother talk about arranging a marriage for him again, but he still made excuses, saying that the safety of the people is the most important! I advised your grandmother to worry less. Are you going to pull him out of school and make him a parlor like before?"
Having said this, Rong quickly stopped talking. She didn't know why she kept saying the wrong thing today.
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