Li Shiyue's gaze was calm, as if she were describing a completely unrelated person.
Xu Yunci looked at her: "You won't blame me, will you?"
Li Shiyue shook her head, then chuckled softly: "Why should I blame my cousin? Is it because of my father, who is only in name, or because of the thin kinship between the Duke's Mansion and the Earl's Mansion over the past ten years?"
"From any perspective, it's not worth blaming. My father was able to leave the capital alive, which must have taken a lot of effort from my cousin. Just based on what my father did to my mother, the Duke's mansion could easily stand by and do nothing."
But for her sake, since the living still have days to live, the Rongguo Duke's Mansion still considered the face of the Yunyang Earl's Mansion and did not humiliate or take advantage of her misfortune.
The only way to ensure the Earl of Yunyang retains his title and returns to Yunzhong County unscathed is through the imperial edict forbidding him from entering the capital without permission. If the next generation is capable, there is hope that after the new emperor ascends the throne, the Earl of Yunyang's estate will be returned to the ranks of the nobility.
"So, cousin, don't overthink it. You've done a great job. I'm the one who's thinking about what to give you."
That will allow me to repay this favor.
"No need, it was the government that made the move this time." Xu Yunci secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but his face remained calm and composed.
Li Shiyue didn't understand the meaning of this sentence, so she looked at Xu Yunci, who explained it to her in detail.
“You are a county magistrate personally appointed by the emperor. If you have a little sense, you can find out what kind of life you lived in Yunzhong County during those years.”
“Yunzhong County is far from the capital. Now that the Earl of Yunyang has arrived under the emperor’s nose, the emperor naturally does not want to encourage his behavior of favoring his concubines over his wife. It would also be good to set an example for other officials.”
In truth, how could the Emperor not know that the Earl of Yunyang's mind had absolutely nothing to do with the distant Huayuan County of Yunzhong County, and that it was a serious matter of embezzlement? If he had that kind of brain, he wouldn't have been unable to see his daughter's mother even once after she was taken away.
However, there needs to be a pretext to punish him, but it can't be too harsh. The most suitable measure is to forbid him from entering the capital without being summoned. By the time the next generation of the Earl's family comes of age, a new emperor will have already taken over.
If the young master of the Li family were to prove himself and enter the imperial court as an official, there might be a chance to revive the family's reputation. Otherwise, the Yunyang Earl's Mansion might begin to disappear from Yunzhong County and fade into obscurity.
Xu Yunci also played a role in this. If he wanted the Earl of Yunyang to return to Yunzhong County safely, he really couldn't bear to let the Earl of Yunyang have such a smooth life.
He returned happily, but his little cousin never came. It felt like a piece of his heart was missing, leaving him feeling empty and extremely uncomfortable.
Xu Yunci didn't know what was wrong with him, but the moment he saw Li Shiyue, his eyes followed her.
And it's the same again, just staring without saying a word.
Li Shiyue lowered her eyes and said only, "I'm going to find my cousin," before quickly walking towards the front flower hall. It was as if a raging flood or a ferocious beast was chasing after her, and if she slowed down even a second, she would be caught.
Upon seeing her approach, Xu Lingzi's eyes lit up. She grabbed her hand and looked behind her, saying, "Hey, where's Qilang? Isn't he with you?"
Li Shiyue shook her head in confusion: "Seventh cousin? I didn't see him. Didn't I just come here because you were looking for me?"
Xu Lingzi had no idea about the matter she had entrusted to Xu Yunxu. Before she could even set off, Xu Yunxu was stopped by Xu Yunci, who was now hiding somewhere.
"Yes, I asked Qilang to pick you up. We were supposed to go back with you to take Grandma home, but there are just too many people here."
Li Shiyue suppressed the throbbing in her brow: "It's alright, Grandmother has already gone to sleep. Talking for so long today must have taken its toll. With Granny Chang watching over her, I only came out after Grandmother fell asleep."
"If you're worried, I'll go check on it again later. But you, the main character today, can't leave."
Before she could speak, Xu Lingzi was already busy greeting the group of women who had come together.
Li Shiyue's hands clenched involuntarily inside her sleeves. If she hadn't misheard, Xu Lingzi had called for Xu Yunxu, so why was Xu Yunci waiting for her?
Recalling Xu Yunci's strange behavior these past few times, she felt uneasy, as if something earth-shattering was about to happen, and a sense of panic and unease settled in her heart.
Xu Lingzi had been learning from Madam Yang for quite some time and managed things very well. Even later on, Li Shiyue didn't offer any help. She mostly sat in her seat, settling the young ladies beside her.
Her tone was gentle and soothing, and before long, Li Shiyue had won over the women around her, and the group quickly became acquainted.
"I think the color of the princess's clothes is really beautiful today. I want to choose another color when we get back."
Another woman chimed in, "I think so too. Every year it's the same few colors over and over again, some bright and vibrant, some plain and simple. There's really nothing I like."
Li Shiyue smiled, listening intently to the conversation among the group. Suddenly, her gaze settled on a woman in pink who had just returned to her seat. The woman's sleeves were embroidered with pale purple roses, and she looked very familiar.
She withdrew her gaze and looked up to meet Yang's eyes. With just one glance, she understood Yang's meaning and said to the women who had been talking, "Excuse me, I'll have to leave for a moment."
The women were completely oblivious, continuing their conversation. One of them stopped, smiled, and replied, "Okay, see you later."
Li Shiyue lifted her skirt and walked over. After leaving the flower hall, she stepped forward and took Yang's arm, leading her into a side room. Yang placed her hand on the back of Li Shiyue's hand, and Li Shiyue, pulling Xu Lingzi who had come with her, hid behind the screen in the inner room.
The screen wasn't large, but it was enough to conceal the figures of the two women.
The placement of the screen was also somewhat deliberate; only by entering the side room could one see the figures behind it. And the two women, though behind the screen in the side room, could clearly hear the sounds coming from the outside.
Xu Lingzi roughly understood the purpose of today's banquet. Her cheeks were flushed, and her hands were placed in front of her with her fingers intertwined. Although she did not speak, her attention was focused on the outer room.
The two sisters stayed for a while, and could only hear the occasional soft clinking and water flow from the teacup in Yang's hand in the outer room.
Just as she was about to relax, she suddenly heard footsteps. Li Shiyue reacted the fastest, and leaned closer to the screen to vaguely see a lady entering the main room.
Her features were dignified and delicate, and although she was older, the makeup on her face was barely noticeable. She walked in with a warm smile: "Greetings, Duchess."
Yang seemed to stand up and take two steps to meet him, with only the faint sound of her skirt and fabric rustling.
"Lady Tong'an of the Marquis of Guangping has not been seen for many days. It is clear that she is taking care of people in her hometown of Luling."
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