Xiao Huai looked at Zhang Moyan, his expression changed several times, and finally he asked Xiao Xingyu with his eyes lowered in extreme confusion. Yes, he lowered his eyes, because when everyone including the little aunt was standing, Xiao Xingyu was still sitting like a master.
"Since you are already husband and wife, haven't you told her about the experiences of your ancestors and the taboos of your family?"
Xiao Xingyu and Zhang Moyan looked at each other. Xiao Xingyu, a rare language master, was at a loss for words. Zhang Moyan thought to herself that Xiao Huai had indeed misunderstood that she and Xiao Xingyu had also obtained a marriage certificate.
"Don't blame him. Xing Yu and I are not what you think. We haven't obtained a marriage certificate, so he naturally wouldn't tell me about your Xiao family."
"Ah?" Sasa couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
Xiao Xingyu's handsome face turned cold in an instant. Although he could tell that Zhang Moyan was speaking for him, this behavior of distancing herself from the matter was really awkward.
Comparing being scolded by Xiao Huai and being denied intimacy by Zhang Moyan, it's obvious that the former is insignificant. What's so serious about it? On the contrary, giving up their relationship immediately just to avoid being scolded by Xiao Huai is hurtful.
Zhang Moyan, are you stupid?
"I see," Xiao Huai said to Zhang Moyan in a more positive tone while Xiao Xingyu was thinking. "Well, since you don't understand the situation, I understand why you said that just now."
"It's hard for ordinary people to understand," Xiao Huai said sadly, "some things in this world can't be overcome."
Geng Jun seemed to understand what he meant. He sighed deeply and said, "Those were grudges from hundreds of years ago. At that time, some individuals in our Geng family had their own limitations and made some irreparable mistakes... But even if individuals make mistakes, we shouldn't hold the whole group responsible. Moreover, those were ancient people who lived centuries ago. Why should we let them influence us who are still alive?"
Xiao Huai expressed his disbelief at what Geng Jun said with a frozen face.
Zhang Moyan inexplicably felt a sense of unease, and unconsciously asked, "What kind of mistake is this?"
Xiao Huai shot a sharp gaze at Geng Jun, staring at him for a long time, and his voice seemed to come out from between his teeth: "A blood debt of life."
Zhang Moyan felt a pang of worry.
The four words "blood debt of human life" suddenly caught her like a cold net, making her unable to move and the blood in her body solidified.
"In the seventh year of the Yongle reign, our ancestor, Lord Jingu, went to Beijing to take the imperial examinations. His exceptional talent earned him the qualification to take the palace examination. However, the corrupt officials of your clan, fearing his success, would give the Xiao family a powerful position in the imperial court, framed him and accused him of cheating. His exam results were revoked, and he was imprisoned, barred from taking the imperial examinations for life. Unable to redress his grievances and pent up frustration, Lord Jingu committed suicide in prison by starving himself."
Xiao Huai's chin trembled slightly. "Mr. Jingu was incredibly intelligent and talented. Back then, he was the most promising hero in our clan to develop celadon porcelain! If it weren't for your Geng family framing him, he would have died proving his innocence. Our Xiao family might have already figured out the re-firing mechanism for celadon porcelain as early as the Ming Dynasty! You have such despicable behavior and the huge losses our family has suffered, and yet you have the nerve to say that individual mistakes shouldn't be held collectively accountable, especially since that person lived centuries ago? Truly, the Geng family's shamelessness runs deep!"
The deep blood feud was brought out, looming over us like death.
Jingu Gong, Zhang Moyan had a vague impression of this name, and tried hard to recall, the seventh year of Yongle... "Xiao Yingquan, whose courtesy name was Jingu, died in the seventh year of Yongle", that was the name that had appeared on the Xiao family's Tongzhen monument!
This means that this unjustly deceased Jingu Gong also produced celadon porcelain during his lifetime. If he was extremely talented, he would have been more likely to have developed the firing process for celadon porcelain as Xiao Huai said. After all, the seventh year of Yongle was more than 600 years closer to the Northern Song Dynasty than it is now...
"What you said is indeed true," Geng Jun pondered for a moment, then complained, "But haven't your Xiao family ever done anything bad? During the Jiajing period, you instigated a boycott of kiln taxes in the countryside, and you shielded and funded the murderer who killed my kiln official. Aren't these all heinous crimes? If I had the same thoughts as you today, wouldn't I toy with Zhou Xia's feelings and then abandon her, humiliating your family as revenge?"
Xiao Huai said coldly: "At this stage, it is still impossible to prove that you don't have this intention."
Geng Jun was almost choked to death by his words.
"Since you're aware of this feud that resulted in a fatality, you should know that our grudges are more than just ordinary," Xiao Huai rebuked Geng Jun. "Then what right do you have to talk about marriage here? Are you truly unfilial descendants?"
The room was filled with a deadly silence, like a knife and an axe slashing. Geng Jun and Zhou Xia were speechless, Sasa and the little aunt were frightened to death by Xiao Huai's aura, and Zhang Moyan's eyes were red.
Since it is clear that it is an old feud that resulted in a death, what right do they have to talk about marriage... Zhang Moyan believes that Xiao Huai represents the views of most people in the Xiao family. They are still brooding over things that happened hundreds of years ago, so what about things that happened more than 20 years ago? Wouldn't it be even harder to let go?
The oxygen in the room seemed to be rapidly lost, gradually suffocating.
"Xiao Huai," Xiao Xingyu said, seeing a tear dripping from Zhang Moyan's chin like a broken bead, "Is stubbornness one of the bad habits you've developed over the years as general manager?"
The air froze for three seconds, and Xiao Huai's expression was shocked.
Xiao Xingyu leaned back in his chair and looked him up and down: "You better stop now. Do you know that your gentlemanly appearance really makes people uncomfortable?"
Xiao Huai's face immediately turned pale.
Xiao Xingyu remained calm and even scoffed, "Does Zhou Xia have the right to discuss marriage here? It seems it's not your turn to speak, is it?"
Zhou Xia was so excited that he almost burst into tears when he heard this.
Xiao Xingyu's personal, even offensive, remarks immediately raised the atmosphere to a tense state. Xiao Huai made no secret of his hostility, "Then it's your turn to speak?"
Xiao Xingyu raised the corner of his mouth beautifully, and said modestly: "Of course it's not my turn to speak."
"Then what nonsense are you talking about!..." The veins on Xiao Huai's temples bulged, and he paused for a long time before suppressing his anger.
"How am I talking nonsense?" Xiao Xingyu said with a sanctimonious look of innocence, "Are you treating our little aunt as less than an elder by saying that?"
The little aunt who suddenly died, Xiao Maner, was petrified and split into two halves as if struck by a thunderbolt from the sky.
Sasa began to doubt his life. His mind was in a mess for a while, but then he sorted out his thoughts and felt that what his brother Xingyu said made a lot of sense. "That's right, the little aunt is still here. How can we have a say here? Come on, what do you think about the little aunt Zhou Xia matter?"
Xiao Maner: Thank you so much. You treat me like an elder now...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com