Wei's steps were hurried, leaving the old woman and maid behind her far behind.
As soon as she entered, she saw Li Shiyue coming to greet her from the corridor. Only then did the latter realize that Madam Wei was not only walking very fast, but also looking anxious as if something terrible had happened.
Li Shiyue suddenly felt a twitch in the corner of her eye, stopped in her tracks, and smiled politely, "Third Aunt is here, please come in and sit down."
"I haven't prepared anything, so please don't hold it against a junior like me, Aunt."
Wei's lips moved, staring at Li Shiyue's smile, unsure whether to advance or retreat: "No, no, no, I just have something urgent I'd like to ask Yueyue to help my aunt."
Her tone carried a hint of pleading, and her usually gentle and meek eyes, now filled with anxiety, had lost their graceful beauty.
Li Shiyue felt her eyes twitching even more violently, but since the person was an elder who had come in person, there was no reason to send her away.
“Since there’s something to discuss, we should go inside and talk it out. This isn’t the place to talk. If word gets out, people will think I’m disrespectful to my elders.”
Upon hearing this, the two maids behind her, Chunling and Qiufan, were quick-witted. One stepped forward and led Wei Shi into the house, while the other hurriedly served tea.
As they reached the door, Xu Lingzi, having changed her hairpin, led Lian Dong out from the inner room.
Upon seeing Wei Shi, whose eyes were downcast and who seemed distracted, Xu Lingzi looked at her with a puzzled expression. She moved closer to Li Shiyue and asked with her eyes, but all she received was a barely perceptible shake of her head from Li Shiyue.
Wearing her beloved jade hairpin, Xu Lingzi, unable to share her joy, suppressed her happiness and went to the main room with Li Shiyue.
However, when Wei saw Xu Lingzi, her expression became even more unnatural, leaving the two cousins puzzled.
The Wei family were elders, and the guests themselves were all bewildered.
Seeing that Madam Wei had put down her teacup, Li Shiyue asked, "I wonder what brings you here in such a hurry, Aunt?"
Moreover, whatever the matter, one should not go to Shousong Hall or the main courtyard of the Xu family, but rather seek out her Chengyu Pavilion.
Could it be that a mere young lady like her could solve problems that the Rongguo Duke's mansion couldn't?
As if she had been waiting for Li Shiyue to say this, Madam Wei hurriedly spoke up: "Tomorrow morning, Silang will be sent to the military camp. Life in the military camp is tough. Silang has never suffered much since he was a child by my side, so he can't stand it."
"Ah Yue, your aunt only has this one son. Please, I'm begging you, go and plead with Erlang. Silang is wrong to ask for your hand in marriage. I'll teach him a lesson."
"But, but he really can't go to the military camp."
"Ah Yue, I'm begging you on behalf of your aunt, please?" Madam Wei's tone was almost pleading. She was so anxious that she didn't realize she had said the wrong thing.
Li Shiyue's expression shifted from confusion and surprise, but upon hearing Wei's last words, her smile vanished.
What do you mean by saying you made the wrong choice in asking her to marry you?
Upon hearing Xu Yunbo's name, Li Shiyue instinctively looked at Xu Lingzi, whom she hadn't seen since their last encounter.
Moreover, what do you mean by saying that you made the wrong choice in asking her to marry you?
So, because Lady Wei loved her son and couldn't bear to see him suffer in the army, she pinned the blame on herself.
"Auntie, what are you saying? Let's keep things separate. What kind of character does Fourth Brother have? Is it her fault that A-Yue is so beautiful?"
Xu Lingzi sat beside Li Shiyue and couldn't help but refute Wei Shi's words.
No wonder my mother said this aunt was confused. Even if she loves her son, she shouldn't accuse others of wrongdoing.
Besides, my younger cousin isn't married yet; what if word gets out and it ruins her reputation?
Only then did Madam Wei realize that she had said the wrong thing, and she repeatedly said that she was wrong.
Hearing Xu Lingzi mention her son's character, she blushed with embarrassment; how could she not know these things?
She had been married to the master for decades, but his heart was not with her. She only had one son, whom she cherished dearly.
Li Shiyue raised her eyes, her gaze calmly meeting Wei Shi's anxious yet pleading expression: "Then I also have a few questions, and I would appreciate it if my aunt could answer them for me. Who is in charge of sending my fourth cousin to the military camp?"
Upon hearing this, Lady Wei also felt aggrieved: "It's Erlang."
"Erlang is the heir apparent and the eldest brother in the family, so it is his duty to discipline his younger siblings. But we can't send Silang to the army camp. Silang can't stand life in the army camp."
Xu Lingzi sat there and couldn't help but roll her eyes inwardly as Li Shiyue listened; she really didn't understand this aunt's thought process.
What a fine young man has become so pleasure-seeking. Military life is tough; others can endure it, but he can't.
However, she held back and did not interrupt.
Li Shiyue then asked, "Then what was the reason for sending my fourth cousin to the military camp?"
Wei's lips moved, but she deflated like a punctured balloon: "I know Fourth Prince is fond of pleasure, and I know sending him to the army is to train him. But...but..."
"I can't help you with this."
As soon as Li Shiyue finished speaking, Wei Shi was about to say something when Li Shiyue continued, "Sending Fourth Cousin to the military camp was firstly decided by the Crown Prince. As the eldest brother in the family, he is responsible for disciplining his younger siblings, and his decisions are naturally all for the good of his younger siblings."
As you know, how could I, a mere cousin, interfere in my cousin's discipline of his younger siblings? If word got out, wouldn't it seem like I was ignorant of proper etiquette?
"Secondly, my aunt knew the purpose of the young master's cousin, yet she still tried to stop him. You are an elder, and in principle, I should not refuse your request."
But I'm also a junior; how can I ask for help? I can't offer to help with this."
"No, no, no, you can do it. As long as you make it clear to Erlang that Silang will not ask you to marry him, and you will not marry him either, then this matter will be settled."
Li Shiyue's expression also turned unpleasant: "Please be careful with your words, Aunt. What am I, an unmarried woman, to say about marriage? If word gets out, will my reputation be ruined?"
She finally understood why this aunt had never been liked by her maternal grandmother in her memories of both her past and present lives.
Naive in thinking, muddle-headed in acting, unable to distinguish right from wrong
Wei realized what she had said and quickly waved her hand, "I didn't mean that, I really didn't."
"It's like this: Si Lang said he wanted to marry you, but Mother disagreed. Er Lang wanted to send Si Lang to the army. They're all brothers, after all; he's trying to kill Si Lang!"
"Aunt, what are you saying? How could my second brother want to kill his own brother?"
Xu Lingzi was shocked just now, and her face was full of disbelief at Wei Shi. It was actually Wei Shi's aunt who said such things.
Anyone with eyes can see that her fourth brother has been spoiled rotten.
Sending him to the military camp was clearly intended to give Xu Yunbo at least a skill.
How did it become a matter of life and death in the mouths of the Wei family?
Seeing the two sisters standing together, clearly neither of them wanted to help her, Wei simply shrugged and said defiantly, "That's how it is. Otherwise, why would we have to send Silang to the military camp? He's doing just fine at home."
Okay? I'm almost twenty and I don't have any special skills.
Among the sons of the four branches of the Xu family, Xu Yunci is the heir apparent and the future head of the family, but let's leave that aside for now.
Xu Yunyang, the third son, holds an official position and has a bright future. The fifth and seventh sons are skilled in martial arts and literature, respectively, while Xu Yunbo is stuck in the middle, lacking in literary talent.
"The good thing Auntie is talking about is that Fourth Brother only knows how to gamble and keeps an eye on the maids in the mansion every day."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com