Chapter 6 She suffered for him, endured it all.
When Wei Zhang was in a good mood, Xue Lanyi would ask him to call her Yiyi.
He rarely spoke, but today he clearly agreed with Xue Lanyi's sudden inspiration.
Xue Lanyi responded with a soft yet firm voice, "The Duke has just passed away, and the Heir Apparent has already settled me on Zhuque Street at the foot of the capital, openly indulging in pleasure, as if afraid that others will not know. I wonder if what I'm saying will please the Old Madam?"
"you!"
The old lady could easily see that the two were clearly working together, subtly implying that she had been tortured into confessing and that they had slandered Wei Zhang.
The woman was determined to take all the blame, and the old lady's punch landed on cotton; she couldn't think of a countermeasure for the moment.
Wei Zhang did not stop walking; he strolled slowly toward the main seat, approaching the old matriarch.
His shadow was elongated, like layers of twilight enveloping him, making the air seem thinner.
The old lady caught a whiff of the cool pine scent so close to her, her eyes filled with suspicion: "What do you want to do?"
Wei Zhang tucked his sleeves into the bowl, took the soup ladled by the old lady, and gently swirled it.
The fresh bamboo shoot soup is so clear that there isn't a trace of oil. The tenderest bamboo shoot tips and the freshest dried meat are all in this one bowl.
The temperature was just right, perfect for eating.
"I also want to drink the soup that Mother makes. Will Mother show favoritism to me?"
The words were spoken lightly, but a thunderclap and lightning flashed outside.
A blue and white light flickered briefly in the lobby.
The portrait in front of Xue Lanyi was deathly pale, just like the girl who had hanged herself beside her bed that night.
Her body convulsed, almost uncontrollably, wanting to hide and curl up.
But reason told her that she had to hold on.
Wei Zhang wanted to drink the soup meant for the head of the table. Now that he had said it, he should drink it in one go and not be interrupted by anything else.
She gripped her knees tightly with her fingertips, trying not to make a sound.
The old lady herself understood the hidden meaning in Wei Zhang's words.
In any case, she would hold onto this title until her eldest son regained his sight tomorrow.
She glanced at Xue Lanyi, who was covered in sweat: "You can drink the soup anytime. I think your mistress can't withstand the blessings of your ancestors. You should send her back first."
What's the rush?
Wei Zhang did not turn around to look at Xue Lanyi. Instead, he lifted his robe and sat down next to the old lady. "She will be blessed by the ancestors of Chong'an Hall every day from now on. After receiving more of this blessing, she will naturally be able to endure it."
"What do you mean?"
"My son wants to move to Chong'an Hall, today."
Wei Zhang exchanged a glance with the old lady: "I can't bear to see my woman confined to such a small place as Tingyun Pavilion, so I'll trouble you, Mother, to move out now."
"What did you say?" The old lady couldn't believe her ears, her chest heaving. "You're simply... simply..."
This is absolutely outrageous!
For a woman, he disgraced his family!
He's willing to drive away his own mother for the sake of a woman!
He really is a cold-hearted, ungrateful wretch, which is why his adoptive mother sent him back to her overnight!
The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion shouldn't have softened its heart and accepted this adopted child again!
The old matriarch slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly. "Chong'an Hall will never be yours! Unless you step over my dead body!"
Thunder rumbled outside, accompanied by a violent storm.
The doors and windows creaked and rattled, and the cold wind blew into Xue Lanyi's back, chilling her to the bone.
Nightmares were washing over Xue Lanyi like waves, and she was on the verge of collapse.
We absolutely must not disrupt Wei Zhang's rhythm.
Her stiff fingers picked up a small, angular pebble from the ground and clenched it tightly.
Sharp stones dug into his palm, embedding themselves in his flesh, and blood trickled down between his fingers.
Drip, drip, one drop, two drops, three drops gather on the ground.
The sharp pain helped her regain some clarity.
At the same time, he was under immense physical and mental attack, and was on the verge of collapse.
"A bowl of soup, who can't drink it?"
At that moment, a gentle breeze swept through the lightning-fast lobby.
The faint fragrance of green bamboo permeated the air filled with gunpowder smoke.
Wei Xuan has arrived.
He always gives people the impression of being unassuming and uncompetitive, but he is not without his own strengths; deep down, he possesses the dignity befitting an elder brother in the clan.
His words eased the tension considerably.
Wei Xuan listened to his surroundings and could only hear the breaths of two people. "Where is that Miss Xue?"
The moment he entered, Xue Lanyi collapsed to the ground, unable to support herself any longer.
Her mind was filled with nightmares, causing her to hold her breath and curl up tightly.
Perhaps her aura was too weak for Wei Xuan to detect her.
No one answered Wei Xuan's question.
He could only use his white cane to find the round table.
The bamboo staff accidentally struck the drop of blood in front of Xue Lanyi.
He was completely unaware as he stumbled past Xue Lanyi.
The bamboo cane left a trail of crooked, shallow bloodstains on the ground.
The unseen Wei Xuan would never have imagined that under the same roof, while someone had fainted and collapsed, two others were able to ignore it and fight for power.
"Where is Miss Xue?" he asked again.
The old lady glanced at the dying woman with narrowed eyes, then looked at Wei Zhang with interest, "She's resting. It's really a blessing to follow you, Wei Yunjian."
The old lady intended to provoke and anger Wei Zhang, but she didn't understand her son.
Wei Zhang has always had clear goals and will not be swayed by emotions or become infatuated with a woman.
He simply scooped up the bamboo shoot soup in front of him slowly.
The porcelain pieces clinked together, producing a crisp sound.
Wei Xuan learned from his mother that the girl had been settled to rest, which he thought was a good thing.
That girl was innocent and shouldn't have been dragged into the bloodshed within her family.
"Now I'm not afraid of being laughed at."
Wei Xuan took the initiative to sit down at the lower end of the table, fumbled for the spoon on the table, and ladled soup for himself.
The soup bowl was very hot, and his hands kept touching the side of the bowl, causing blisters to form.
But he never intended to take the soup from Wei Zhang.
"Does the Duke's mansion need an extra bowl of soup? If A-Zhang drinks it, I'll just ladle out another bowl. He won't let me go hungry, so what's the point of arguing?"
"How can that be the same?" the old lady sneered.
The bowl of soup that Wei Zhang is holding now is the essence of the whole pot of soup.
She specifically asked the imperial physicians and chefs, and they explained that each step of steaming, boiling, and stewing required precise control of the heat, which was intended to serve Wei Xuanming's purpose!
The old lady had a clear sense of who was most qualified to drink that bowl of soup.
Wei Xuan, however, didn't seem to care. He tugged at the old lady's sleeve, gesturing for her to sit down. "Mother, have you forgotten? I've already had the freshest bamboo shoot soup."
"The freshest bamboo shoots are in the bamboo forest in the backyard, Ah Zhang, do you remember?"
Wei Xuan spoke in a gentle and soothing tone, recounting his story in a detailed and engaging manner.
There seemed to be a unique sentiment in the air.
The three of them, mother and sons, were very close when they were young. The old lady planted a bamboo grove in the backyard because both of her sons loved bamboo shoot soup.
Back then, the mother and her two children would pick bamboo shoots together and stew soup together, and there was never a situation where there wasn't enough to go around.
Wei Xuan chuckled: "I remember once, in order to let Ah Zhang and me eat the tenderest bamboo shoots, my mother went up the mountain at dawn to pick bamboo shoots. As a result, she slipped and fell down the slope, which scared Ah Zhang and me so much that we cried."
"Xuan'er remembers his mother." The old lady's heart softened after being persuaded by her eldest son, and she sat down.
Wei Xuan shook his head, "The one who cares about Mother the most is A-Zhang. When he saw Mother fall into the ravine, A-Zhang immediately jumped down after her."
As it turned out, his mother was unharmed, but he broke his leg.
The old lady couldn't help but chuckle, "Yes, I remember you were the one who carried my younger brother back to the mansion, and you ended up hurting your back and being bedridden for three days."
Wei Zhang remained silent, like a bystander, scooping up the soup.
The old lady sighed, "In the end, you two brothers and the three of us, mother and sons, are connected by blood. How could there be any grudges that last overnight?"
She observed Wei Zhang's expression for a long time, and seeing that he had no objection, she grabbed his wrist, which was resting on the table: "Mother hopes that you will all be well, so why not... compromise?"
Wei Zhang's wrist paused for a moment, then a hint of disdain flashed across his lips. "Mother, just say what you have to say."
"I will allow you to take that girl as a concubine. I can also find a way to elevate her status so that you won't be criticized by outsiders when you are in officialdom."
The old lady was silent for a moment, then said, "You should return the title of heir to your elder brother. That way, everyone will be better off."
"mother……"
"Return?" Wei Zhang didn't give Wei Xuan a chance to speak and soften his tone. He pulled his hand away from the old lady's grasp and drank the fresh bamboo shoot soup in one gulp.
The empty bowl was placed on the table and spun around.
The porcelain-like sound trembled.
"Someone, come and help the old lady move!"
Wei Zhang, not wanting to waste any more time with them, gave a stern order.
The old women and guards who had been waiting outside sprang into action, heading straight to the old lady's room to move boxes.
"Wei Yunjian, you, you..."
Wei Zhang stood up, his shadow looming over the old lady. The chilling aura was so intense that the old lady momentarily forgot what she had just said.
Wei Zhang then gave his attendant a wink.
The attendant presented the title and certificate to the old lady.
"Does Mother have any further questions?"
The old lady's pupils dilated, and her face turned deathly pale.
The secondary contract for the succession to the title had always been held by the Dowager Lady.
This item must be inspected by the government before Wei Zhang can inherit the title.
Therefore, in order to prevent Wei Zhang from taking a direct approach, the old matriarch had long ago ordered the clan elders to take the deputy leaders south to Jiangnan and live in seclusion.
Why is this item still in Wei Zhang's hands completely undamaged?
"Elder Wei..."
“He stole valuables from the clan, and I have already executed him in place of my mother.”
Each word was like a chilling wind, sending shivers down one's spine.
The old lady moved her lips.
"As for keeping a mistress, Mother, please go ahead and report it." Wei Zhang showed no fear whatsoever, instead a faint smile playing on his lips. "His Majesty will be visiting tomorrow; perhaps he will have an unexpected surprise, and so will Mother..."
Wei Zhang glanced at Wei Xuan with amusement one last time, then slowly took two steps back, turned around, and left.
The hereditary title of Duke Zhenguo was not of much significance to Wei Zhang.
He hasn't taken it for three years, not because he can't, but because he's too lazy to put in the effort.
But some people coveted his things.
That won't work.
The old matriarch, still shaken, stared at Wei Zhang's arrogant back for a long time before she tremblingly touched Wei Xuan's wrist. "Xuan'er, he's trying to bypass his mother and inherit the title directly! He dares to scare me today, he'll dare to scare you tomorrow! Are you going to stay so dejected?"
"As long as you agree, the elders of the Wei clan and the Duke's family, who have a long-standing relationship with you, will immediately support your succession to the title. All it takes is a word from you, just one word..."
Wei Xuan truly hadn't expected his younger brother to have such a domineering attitude.
However, he had no intention of engaging in pointless disputes.
He knew in his heart that as long as his mother stopped insisting on the position of heir apparent, his younger brother would not go so far as to kill him.
What could be more important than being alive and well?
Wei Xuan's face darkened instantly. "Alright, Mother, he deserves it all. We can't kick him while he's down."
To be fair, large families like the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion have always declined after three generations, leaving only a superficial glory.
Back then, because of his affair with Princess Zhaoyang, the Duke's mansion was once feared by the emperor, and Wei Zhang was appointed as the heir apparent in a time of crisis.
If the emperor were to punish Wei Zhang at that time, Wei Zhang would be the first to suffer.
It was through his own efforts that he rose through the ranks, dispelling the emperor's suspicions and allowing the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to turn the tide and enjoy even greater favor.
I heard that not only will the newly rich and powerful of the current dynasty attend the birthday banquet tomorrow, but even the old ministers from the previous dynasty will come to offer their congratulations.
The previous dynasty...
Wei Xuan's heartstrings were touched, and he forced a smile. "What A-Zhang has done is far beyond what I have done. As for Miss Xue beside him, although she has a difficult background, she seems to be very kind and polite. Mother, please don't make things difficult for them tomorrow."
"I'm making things difficult for her?" The old lady's eyes darted around as she glanced at Xue Lanyi lying on the ground. "It's not like I'm a mother who doesn't care whether she lives or dies. How ridiculous!"
Wei Xuan frowned. "What do you mean by that, Mother?"
He looked around blankly.
You can't see it, you can't hear it, you can't touch it.
A faint, metallic scent of blood wafted into my nostrils.
I couldn't grasp it, but my nose inexplicably felt sore.
Unaware of his presence, Xue Lanyi was still curled up on the ground with her arms crossed.
She watched helplessly as the dark hem of the dress swept past her, then resolutely stepped out the door and disappeared into the distance.
Wei Zhang returned victorious without ever looking back.
Xue Lanyi was left stranded in this unfamiliar place, wanting to stand up and escape this embarrassing situation, but she had no strength.
The intense fear and heightened tension completely collapsed at that moment.
The old lady was right, she seems like a joke.
How could she be so foolish as to think that Wei Zhang had come here to gamble without making full preparations?
Wei Zhang is very discreet and has plenty of ways to deal with the old lady, so he doesn't need Xue Lanyi's help.
Her courage and her unwavering persistence were meaningless to him.
She was a speck of dust on his shoulder; even if she were swept away by a storm, he wouldn't notice.
Xue Lanyi smiled bitterly to herself as her consciousness gradually faded, and the figure slowly disappeared into the distance behind the rain.
The light in front of me went out...
At that time, Wei Zhang harbored another emotion, which made him eager to put the matters of inheriting the title and moving the academy into practice.
He strode off to give instructions to his subordinates, and as he walked into the corridor, he happened to see the silk umbrella on the bench.
He paused, a hint of hesitation in his somber eyes.
He then remembered something and turned around to look.
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