Chapter 116 Qi-Liang Realm (Twenty-Eight) Disobedience will get you in trouble! ...
Si Rou cried and made a scene for a while, attracting many servants to watch from outside the hall. Zhang Da was afraid that if the commotion continued, it would lead to no end, so he walked to Xu Bai's side and whispered a reminder, "Sir, what do you think we should do?"
Xu Bai paused for a moment, then turned his back and said, "Take him away."
The voice wasn't loud, but it resonated deeply within Jiu Li's heart. She turned to look at his face, which was becoming increasingly similar to Yu Qi's. But at that moment, she finally understood that they were actually two completely opposite people.
Zhang Da called Ah Liu in and pulled Si Rou to the yamen for a public trial. Si Rou had just exhausted all her strength and had no energy left to resist. She just followed Ah Liu, who was pulling her arm.
Everyone followed, and Xu Bai didn't return home until the second watch of the night. Upon entering, he saw the entire mansion brightly lit with white flames. In just two or three hours, preparations had begun everywhere. Because it was so sudden, there was a chaotic flurry of activity. People were walking along the roads with lanterns everywhere. Xu Bai could only see these passing figures, and they seemed like wisps of souls drifting away, giving him a sense of desolation, as if they would scatter at the slightest touch.
The mourning hall was set up in a large hall used for banquets outside. He walked in, and the huge hall was filled with white banners fluttering everywhere. Only Manbao was still kneeling in front of the coffin. She didn't ask anything. She had always been a gentle and timid woman. At this moment, she didn't even dare to raise her head, for fear that if she raised her eyes, she would face a situation that she was powerless to deal with. She just mechanically handed the paper money in her hand into the brazier one after another.
Xu Bai walked over and asked her, "Sister-in-law, where is my mother?"
"I've been busy and haven't paid much attention. I think she's in her room." She tried to keep her tone the same as usual when talking about Enoki.
Xu Bai had no choice but to head towards the main house. He entered through the doorway and saw that the main house opposite was open, with Granny Wang and several maids wandering aimlessly inside, seemingly busy with nothing. He didn't go in but instead went through the doorway under the corridor to Enoki's courtyard. The room was dimly lit. He knocked and entered, but saw no maids, only Enoki sitting alone, looking forlorn.
When asked, Enoki stood up blankly to greet him, "Xiao Yan was sent out to provide support. Have you eaten yet?"
Several plates of cold dishes were on the table, untouched. Xu Bai glanced at them, but didn't try to persuade him. He forced a smile and said, "Even I haven't had dinner yet."
Enoki stared blankly for a moment before looking at the food on the table and saying, "Shall I have someone heat it up?"
"No need, I can't eat either." He sat down on the chair next to her and peered at her expression in the dim light on the table. This time, there were no tears, and her pale face was devoid of any emotion. She looked a little dazed, and he was unsure whether he should put his mind at ease.
After a while, Enoki noticed his gaze and turned to him. "How is Madam?"
"They've all confessed; we're just waiting to report to the Ministry of Justice for sentencing."
She nodded slowly, sensing that his tone didn't sound like he was talking about family; it was no different from his usual casual conversation about other prisoners. Staring at half his face, she asked again, "What are we going to do about your older brother's funeral?"
"Let's do it the way Father always did."
Fortunately, the Qi family's burial grounds were in Nanjing, so it wouldn't be too troublesome. Besides, he never had to worry about family matters. Right now, he had another difficult matter to worry about. The Qi family's case would definitely implicate him. He wasn't afraid of being dismissed from his post, but he was afraid that King Zhao would still hesitate at this time.
Seeing the thoughtful expression on his face, Enoki suddenly laughed, startling him into turning around. "What are you laughing at?"
She just shook her head. "It's nothing. I remember when you were little, your older brother taught you to read. You never got tired of it and would sit in the study all day. You were never playful. Your older brother often told me that in the future, it would probably depend on you to bring the family back to its former glory."
Xu Bai frowned and glanced at her coldly.
She immediately stopped talking, knowing he didn't like hearing Xu Yun's words from her; whenever they came out of her mouth, they always seemed to violate reason and morality. But she couldn't help thinking about it; she didn't really have anything else to think about anyway, it was all just family matters.
How is your sister-in-law?
"She was still keeping vigil before the coffin when I arrived."
Enoki had originally wanted to stay and watch over her, but she was afraid to face Manbao. Manbao had been married into the Qi family for five years and treated her with the same respect as she treated Sirou, yet she had secretly resented her in the past. Now that Xuyun was dead, she knew it was unnecessary. Her heart felt empty, as if all her love, hate, and resentment had been poured out, just like when the master had just died.
The two sat in silence for a while, both feeling awkward and exhausted. Xu Bai had no choice but to take his leave and return to his room. Back home, he also couldn't sleep all night, only hearing the faint sounds of cymbals and chanting from the outer courtyard. This disturbance lasted for more than half a month.
In November, Nanjing had its first snowfall. Although the snow was light, the weather turned cold after that day. Jiuli didn't go out much and stayed at home warming herself by the fire. Business at the shop was still not good. Fengqiao had also returned long ago, and the shop didn't want her anymore, making her even more bored! That afternoon, after waking up from her nap, she went to the front of the shop. There was only a pharmacist waiting in front of the counter. Looking into the inner room, she saw Yuqi and Duzhong sitting idly by the fire, drinking tea. There were no patients being seen.
Du Zhong was also puzzled, "Master was clearly released home by the government a long time ago, and the government also issued a notice declaring Master's innocence, so why is no one coming to our house to treat him yet?"
Before Yu Qi could reply, Jiu Li had already entered, supporting herself on the door. "Maybe the lyricists in the restaurant are still making up stories about our family. Shall we go and take a look?"
She wore a ginger-yellow long coat, with a pea-green skirt half-hidden under it. She had a mink fur collar around her neck, and her smooth, shiny hair was tied up with two small, pale yellow velvet flowers adorning her shoulders. It was clear from her outfit that she was ready to go out and have some fun.
As Yu Qi added charcoal to the brazier at his feet with pliers, he said with a faint smile, "If you run out at this hour, will you even be coming back for dinner?"
Jiuli muttered, "Let's just eat out and come back. Anyway, it's been a while since we've had restaurant food."
"Are you going to eat or to watch a traditional opera performance?"
She grinned, "Isn't that enough?"
He glanced at her and said, "Then take some more money and order a meal to be delivered to your house. Your Aunt Qing and Sister Guo should also take a day off."
Upon hearing that he also understood Xiuzhi's feelings, Du Zhong quickly chimed in, "In that case, Master, why don't you grant Sister Guo a two-day leave? I heard that her son has been having trouble holding a pen in the cold weather lately, and she wants to buy a few pounds of charcoal to take home."
Yu Qi gave him a cold look. "If Aunt Guo wants to ask for leave, why doesn't she just say so herself? Does she need you to speak up for her?"
"I... I just said it offhand."
Yu Qi snorted, sat up abruptly, walked past Jiu Li and glanced at her again, "Put on a cloak before you go out."
Jiuli had no choice but to follow closely behind and turn into the inner courtyard. As they walked along the corridor, Yu Qi caught her eye and asked, "How far have things gotten between Zhong'er and Sister-in-law Guo?"
"Huh? What do you mean, 'what kind of situation'?"
"Hmph, don't play dumb. Did they do anything improper?"
Jiuli thought to herself, if we're talking about being unruly, she and he are the ones who are unruly. What right do they have to tell Du Zhong what to do? Besides, Du Zhong and Xiuzhi are just a little different in age and family background, unlike Enoki and Xuyun from the Qi family.
"Aunt Guo is actually a very good person. She's just a bit older and was married before, but she's a widow now. It's not uncommon for widows to remarry. It's not a bad thing that she has a son. Our Yu family can afford to raise him." As she spoke, she smiled and said, "Our family lacks nothing, except a child to make things lively. Besides, I heard that Aunt Guo's son is very sensible and smart. It's just that he couldn't attend a good private school, which delayed his studies."
Yu Qi sneered, "Does her family need my Yu family's financial assistance just because she needs money to attend a good private school? Do I make money for charity?"
Jiuli pouted, "Then don't bother asking me, you never listen to me anyway!" With that, she pushed open the door and went inside.
Before the door closed, Yu Qi followed her in. She turned away from him and secretly smiled, but when she turned back, her face was sullen again. "I already told you I don't know. If you want to ask, ask Du Zhong!"
Yu Qi closed the door behind him, walked towards her, raised his hand to touch her face, and pinched it. "If you don't know, you don't know. But you're not allowed to help him hide it from me."
Jiuli seized the opportunity to rush into his arms, her arms wrapped around his waist affectionately. He had been home for more than half a month, and the two of them had to be extra careful because of the many people around them, so they hadn't had a chance to be intimate.
She couldn't help but raise her face and complain, "Ever since you came home, you've always kept your distance from me. It would have been better if you had stayed at the yamen."
Yu Qi chuckled and touched her temple. "Do you mean I should be imprisoned in the yamen forever? Didn't you hear what Yu Qingfeng and the others were saying about the Qi family? They said some really nasty things. We should be careful right now."
She was displeased and angrily turned to walk into the bedroom, saying, "Then you shouldn't have come into my room. What are you doing coming in now?"
Just as she reached the screen, Yu Qi caught up with her in two steps, turned her around, and kissed her, saying, "You're getting more and more rude, daring to talk to me like that?"
Jiuli giggled, raising her hands to grab his ears. Touching them felt like touching two hot irons, which only made her laugh harder. Gradually, her laughter subsided, but her breathing became heavier. He kissed her so hard she leaned back, letting herself fall into his arms, completely relaxed.
She didn't know how she ended up on the bed. When she opened her eyes, she saw him lying on top of her with his eyes closed, his face slightly flushed, his breath on her face rough, and his hands urgently kneading her clothes. This was quite different from his usual calm and composed demeanor. But she liked it, feeling that he was flustered because of her.
Hearing someone walk past the window, Yu Qi quickly raised her face and covered her mouth. A hint of resentment gradually gathered in her hazy eyes. She had no choice but to let go and sit on the edge of the bed. "You always get angry. The Qi family's affairs are making a big fuss now. I'm afraid that people will use those words to talk about you in the future."
Jiuli also heard some of those criticisms, which were simply unbearable to hear. They seemed to want to use every foul word in the world to describe Enoki and Seoyun. Perhaps for this reason, he hadn't seen Seobai lately; she was probably hiding at home to avoid these rumors.
Yu Qi turned to look at her and saw her propping herself up on the bed with her hand behind her back, lost in thought. He immediately became displeased and grabbed her chin hard. "Are you thinking about Qi Xubai?"
"I didn't."
"I raised you, how could I not know what you're thinking?"
Jiuli quickly stepped forward and took his arm, "I was just wondering if Brother Qi's funeral arrangements were finished."
Yu Qi snorted coldly, "It's none of your business. Didn't you go to pay your respects at the end of last month? You're not a relative of the Qi family. You've done your duty as a friend, that's enough. Remember this: your relationship with Qi Xubai is at most a gentleman's friendship. Don't worry about things that aren't your concern."
Jiuli, however, insisted on provoking her, saying, "I'm a woman, not a gentleman."
Yu Qi pulled his arm away and stood up. "If you don't behave, you'll be in for a world of trouble tonight."
"Then I'll wait," she blinked at him sharply. "When I go out later, you can take the opportunity to stew some ginseng and deer antler to nourish yourself, so that after saying all those harsh words, I won't get any of the good results." Before he could get angry, she pounced on the pillow and started giggling.
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Author's note: Thank you for reading.
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