Chapter 37: Coaxing her An earthquake caused many things to happen...
An earthquake involved many things, and the Song family could no longer sit still.
Lord Song was appointed Director of the Du Shui Qing Li Si. In addition to being in charge of river management and seawall maintenance, he was also responsible for reviewing the funding for these projects.
In order to come to Beijing to take up a post, he had used some silver to bribe his superiors, and thought that the matter had been "cleared up". However, he did not expect that this person would later threaten him with buying and selling official positions, and asked him to facilitate the approval of the silver for the construction of the canal for the Wenquan Mountain Palace.
Things like corruption are like being indistinguishable from the world. If you don't take it, you are an outcast.
Barely maintaining a bit of rationality amid endless greed, what Lord Song worried about day and night finally came true. An earthquake revealed that the materials used in the construction of the hot spring palace were inferior. Fortunately, before that, his illegitimate son had already climbed up the big tree of the Xue family.
Lord Song couldn't help but feel fortunate that he had made preparations in advance.
After the earthquake, Yun Yang and the Xue family gathered in a main hall, then went back to their respective courtyards, packed their luggage, and got ready to go.
The sun's shadow shifted over the fallen weeping willow, and all was silent. Yun Yang leaned on the couch for a while, his eyelids began to droop. He supported his head with one hand, yawned heavily several times, and finally closed his eyes.
In his drowsy sleep, he heard someone arguing outside. Yun Yang opened his eyes and called out, "What's going on?"
Then Song Fanghe's voice came, "Yunyang, Sister Yangyang, I heard there was an earthquake. I was very worried and came to see if you were okay..."
There was worry and anxiety in his voice.
Now all the nobles on the hot spring mountain are going down to escape to a safe place, only this fool is facing the challenge.
Yun Yang felt that Song Fanghe was like a handful of clear spring water in the haze, making people feel safe and open-minded.
She pushed open the door and he hurried over to meet her.
Yun Yang saw that he wanted to hug her. She didn't hide, nor did she respond. In the end, Song Fanghe stopped in front of her, staring at her with eyes that were hot enough to be ignored.
Song Fanghe didn't know how to tell Yun Yang what his father had told him this morning.
It was the first time he saw his father, who was as strong as a mountain, so helpless and humble.
But he was not with Yun Yang because of the power of the Xue family... Especially when Yun Yang looked at him with those clear eyes, he was even more speechless.
"Why are you so stupid? What could possibly happen to me? This earthquake isn't serious..." Yun Yang lowered her eyes and gently nudged his chest with her slender white fingers. "You rushed up here in such a hurry. If your family knew, they'd think I was seducing you."
Song Fanghe hurriedly grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest.
After a little consideration, she cared about him, liked him, and wanted to marry him in the future.
Then his father is her father... There's nothing wrong with saving your own father, right?
Because of the Song family, he existed and was able to meet her.
If the Song family falls...
Song Fanghe suddenly thought of Xue Yu. When he looked at people, the boredom and alienation that came with the powerful made him very uncomfortable. The strong and invisible pressure made him almost dare not look the young man in the eye.
Because he knew that Xue Yu looked down on him.
If the Song family fell, he would be able to look down on him even more.
What qualifications would he have to marry Yun Yang then?
Thinking of this, Song Fanghe held Yun Yang's hand tightly...
He told her what his father had taught him, and watched as the girl's expression gradually turned solemn and cold...
*
Xue Yu returned home and walked towards Yun Yang's yard as if possessed by a spirit. When he walked around the screen wall, he saw Yun Yang's long black hair hanging behind her. She had her back to him and was facing the boy who was so familiar to her.
He held her hand, his eyes full of affection hard to ignore. He looked at her intently, saying something unknown, and leaned forward slightly.
The suffocation in Xue Yu's chest, which had just subsided, became even worse. He tightened his fists in his sleeves, closed his eyes, and turned away.
Even an earthquake couldn't stop them from meeting each other...
Last night, he thought a lot. His recent abnormality was nothing more than being lonely and spending too much time with Yun Yang. In that case, he would just stay away from her from now on.
A bitter smile appeared on the young woman's lips. Now it seemed that she also wanted to leave the Xue family as soon as possible.
On Yun Yang's side, after hearing Song Fanghe's "request", he was silent for a long time.
The silence was awkward.
After a while, Song Fanghe finally heard Yun Yang's soft voice, "Yes, I can help you."
Song Fanghe finally smiled. Yun Yang liked him! She liked him more than he had imagined!
Maybe he thought too much before coming and took things too seriously. This little thing was nothing to Xue Yu!
If she raised her hand and Xue Yu raised his hand, their family could be saved from disaster!
His father was right, and his mother was also right to force him to fight for Yun Yang!
Thinking of this, he became bolder. Just as he was about to hold her in his arms and say some sweet words, he heard her voice again.
It was much calmer than the gentleness just now.
He was a little skeptical. Was her tone just now considered gentle?
"If you were so devoted to me, you should have known that your request would be difficult for me given my status in the Xue family," she said. "Yet you still made such a request of me. The crime of embezzlement is not a trivial matter that can be brushed aside."
"I can speak for you, but I can't guarantee that he will help..."
Song Fanghe panicked immediately. He had never thought that Xue Yu would refuse to help. He blurted out, "How could it be? You are his wife's sister, how could he not help you? If he doesn't help you, what will you do in the future..."
How can you stay in my house?
He didn't say this out loud, but Yun Yang understood it and said calmly, "Just because I eat and use the Xue family's food and clothing doesn't mean I'm a member of the Xue family. My brother-in-law has been kind to me and has provided me with a lot of protection. I can't repay kindness with hatred, and I can't be ungrateful."
"Since you've spoken to me, I can't refuse. But after I've helped you this time, our relationship ends here." Yun Yang said, "The husband I want must be attracted to me as a person, not the Xue family."
"Of course I like you, Yangyang, believe me..." Song Fanghe's face turned red with anxiety.
"In that case," Yun Yang looked at him and said, "I'll just pretend you never said anything today. Let's just continue as usual, okay?"
Song Fanghe was stunned. "How, how could this be... My father is still waiting. When I marry you, my family will be yours. How can you not consider your own family?"
Yun Yang stared at him for a while, with a coldness in his eyes that made him uneasy.
When Song Fanghe's palms were sweating, he heard her slowly say, "You mean, if I marry you, I will be the matchmaker between you and the Xue family. I should hand over all the connections of the Xue family to you. Whether it's committing crimes or taking bribes, the Xue family should help you to gain a position in my husband's family?"
"Have you ever thought about me? Should I accept the Xue family's favor, spend the Xue family's money and eat the Xue family's food, marry the cheap husband the Xue family found for me, and continue to put the Xue family in trouble? Have you ever thought about what kind of person I would become if you did this? How will my sister gain a foothold in the Xue family in the future?"
"I'm telling you, I am me, and the Xue family is the Xue family. Don't confuse me with the Xue family." Yun Yang's expression was cold and his tone was calm. "Besides, I'm looking for someone who can marry into my family and take me as his wife."
"It seems that this person is not you," she said.
Song Fanghe's face turned pale, he was dumbfounded and speechless.
The power of the Xue family was something that people like them could never reach in their lifetime. He went to the Xue Mansion just to make up the numbers, but he didn't expect to fall in love with Yun Yang at first sight. Even more fortunately, she responded to him.
During the time they spent together, all signs showed that she did have feelings for him. Her shy smile and gentle words made him more determined to come to her and talk about this matter.
But, how could this happen?
Is the gentle and considerate Yun Yang the same person as the woman in front of him whose eyes and eyebrows reveal sharp and coldness?
The way she looked at him seemed to be able to see through him and the plot he and his family had been conspiring all night.
Yun Yang took a half step back and said calmly, "Our relationship ends here. Don't appear before me again."
Song Fanghe wanted to explain, but he had no way to refute what she said. He felt very embarrassed and took her hand, "Yangyang, don't misunderstand..."
Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in the wrist.
He looked in astonishment at his hand that was being held by her. Her hand was small, and her wrist was slender, white, and boneless, but she held his hand tightly, and he could not move at all.
He met the girl's indifferent eyes, only to hear her coldly say, "Don't be so presumptuous!"
Her words were so powerful that no one could refute them.
Song Fanghe actually thought of Xue Yu's appearance. She and he seemed alike.
*
In the evening, after taking a bath, Xue Yu reviewed official documents at the desk. Si Qing packed his luggage and prepared to return to the capital with his family the next day.
The ink dripped onto the snow-white rice paper, but he didn't notice it. In his mind, he still remembered the intimate figures of Yun Yang and Song Fanghe during the day.
He held the pen, his heart seemed to be blocked by something, he felt very uncomfortable, and felt helpless as if he couldn't grasp anything.
He knew this was wrong.
Yun Yang has found her beloved, so he should be happy for her, prepare her dowry, and marry her off as her brother-in-law.
His panic, palpitations, and physical abnormalities were all wrong.
He should stay away from her so that he can return to his former self.
"Brother-in-law."
Hearing the sound, Xue Yu looked out the window and saw Yun Yang standing in the yard. She smiled at him.
He stared at her from a distance with a frown on his face, without saying a word.
As Yun Yang got closer, he realized her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had just cried! ?
Who did she meet this afternoon? That Song Fanghe is so bold...
"Brother-in-law." Yun Yang lowered his head and whispered, "Song Fanghe and I are no longer together..."
Yun Yang grabbed Xue Yu's collar and stopped talking.
It’s not that I’m sad, I just feel like I’ve woken up from the dream I’ve woven for myself.
No one would really like her.
Xue Yu's whole body was tense, his wide, moon-white sleeves fluttering in the night wind, just like his heart.
Yun Yang's body was as soft as boneless. She leaned lightly on his shoulder and sighed. She was very tired, like a wounded little animal that had tried its best to live next to its mother.
This scene appeared in his dream.
In his dreams, she would also actively hug him, her face always flushed with impatience, breathing softly, and he would carefully kiss away the crystal tears from the corners of her eyes, hold her in his arms, and coax her to obey him again and again...
Now, her eyes were moist, like orchids covered with a layer of mist, but he could do nothing but restrain himself.
The young man closed his eyes, discarding the unbearable images in his dream. He stretched out his jade-like fingers and gently brushed her messy hair behind her ears. He said softly, "Tell my brother-in-law, what's wrong?"
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