Chapter 722 If you cry again, I'll throw you into the pond to feed the fish.
As Hongxiu came out of Xiangya Pavilion, Cheng Feng was waiting outside. He stepped forward and grabbed Hongxiu, "Why didn't you go back to the palace with the Empress?"
Hongxiu dodged his hand. "Didn't you see me standing here? I didn't go back because I still have things to do as the Empress instructed." How did Cheng Feng know she came to Xiangya Pavilion? Did he follow her?
"What's wrong? Let me help you!" Cheng Feng said urgently.
"No need to trouble Steward Cheng, it's just a small matter," Hongxiu said cautiously.
Cheng Feng said, "I know, it's about the Jin family, isn't it! The murderer is the son-in-law of the Jiang family. The person he killed was the daughter-in-law of Minister Li's family, and the deceased was also the niece of Vice Minister Shu. The process is too complicated. All parties are powerful and influential families in the court. Hongxiu, it is very dangerous for you, a maid, to run around for Her Majesty. I believe that Minister Jiang will do whatever it takes to save his brother-in-law. Her Majesty should go and ask the Emperor. This matter will not be difficult to handle."
Hongxiu found it unbelievable. "You mean that because Jin Ji is a member of the Jiang family, the Empress and the eldest son will find a way to exonerate him, regardless of whether Jin Ji killed the person or not?"
She then asked, "Do you believe that Mr. Jin killed someone?"
Cheng Feng was stunned. Seeing that Hongxiu's face was not good, he quickly said, "Whether he killed anyone or not, your safety is the most important thing. The Li family and the Shu family are not people we can afford to offend."
Hongxiu asked, "What exactly do you mean?"
Cheng Feng boldly grasped Hongxiu's hand. "We've spent these past few years together in the palace. I don't believe you don't like me. Hongxiu, I like you. I've liked you for many years. From the first moment I saw you, I fell in love with you. I want to marry you."
Hongxiu didn't pull her hand away. Thinking of the scene where the Cheng family was so desperate to stop Cheng Feng from marrying her, a mere maid, she felt that all her affection over the years had been a joke. "If I marry you, what will happen to your cousin?"
"I don't like her, and I won't marry her."
"Does your aunt agree? What if she forces you to marry her again? Even if the Empress really grants us a marriage, won't your parents let you marry your cousin as a secondary wife or a concubine?" Hongxiu asked.
Cheng Feng was stunned. He had told his mother the same thing: the Emperor wanted to bestow a marriage upon him and Hongxiu. However, his mother and aunt said that they wanted the Emperor to bestow a marriage upon both of them, and that his cousin should also marry him as a secondary wife. They wanted to take his cousin as a concubine, and his aunt would beat him to death.
The mother also said that the Cheng family's status was different now, and he could marry the daughter of a prince or noble family.
Cheng Feng smiled slightly, "It's not like that. They won't. As long as it's a woman I want to marry, they can't stop me. Besides, you're going to marry me and become my wife. It has nothing to do with them."
Hongxiu withdrew her hand. "Is it really unrelated?"
Cheng Feng paused for a moment, then said, "Hongxiu, I promise I will treat you well. I swear to God."
"I'm going back now. You should go back and ask your mother and aunt if they really agree to your marriage proposal."
After Hongxiu finished speaking, the people from Xiangya Pavilion drove a carriage to her and said, "Please come, Miss Hongxiu."
The carriage was very grand, and the guards at Xiangya Tower were polite and respectful to her. Hongxiu didn't seem like a maid; she seemed more like a mistress.
Cheng Feng watched her leave, completely helpless. He really liked Hongxiu, and she clearly liked him too, so why wouldn't she agree to marry him? Was it because of Fang'er?
He's a respectable figure now. If Hongxiu marries him, she won't be a slave anymore; she'll be a proper official's wife. Things will definitely get better and better for her in the future. Isn't that a good thing?
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The Imperial Palace.
Jiang Fenghua returned to Kunning Palace, changed her clothes, and then went to the side hall to see the children.
Xie Ziyan was overjoyed. "Mother, you're finally back! Xie Ruoyi got a beating from her father today."
Jiang Fenghua asked, "What happened?"
Xie Ziyan recounted what happened at school, then added, "Later, Father, Third Uncle, and Fourth Uncle all came. Xie Ruoyi was so noisy that she made Sister Wei cry..."
When Xie Shang arrived outside the school with the Third and Fourth Princes, they heard Xie Ruoyi crying.
They were very anxious, thinking that the little princess had been bullied, but when they went in, they saw Xie Ruoyi standing to the side crying loudly, with Xie Wei's two brothers protecting their sister behind them, and she was also crying.
The others stood far away. The fight was between servants from different sides, because no one dared to lay a hand on their masters. So the servants helped their masters fight, and the fight was completely inexplicable.
Grand Tutor Jiang sat at his desk, holding a ruler, shaking his head and sighing.
Xie Shang asked, "What happened?"
Xie Ziyan explained, "Sister Ruoyi can't recite. When we ask her to recite, she cries and says she can't. Sister Wei can recite, but Sister Ruoyi can only cry. She makes Sister Wei's head hurt. When Sister Wei gets anxious from the noise, she can't recite either, so she cries."
She spread her hands, looking like a little adult, "Sister Ruoyi can't recite the Three Character Classic, but she can learn it slowly. But she said that if she cries, she won't have to recite it. The tutor told her to cry first and then recite it. Yan'er guesses that Sister Ruoyi doesn't want to recite, so she keeps crying. She will naturally not have to recite it after school."
Xie Shang was speechless. The Three Character Classic should have been taught long ago. The little princess should have known it by now. He glanced at the Fourth Prince and asked, "Doesn't the Fourth Princess teach the little princess to read?" The Fourth Princess is quite knowledgeable, isn't she?
The Fourth Prince had no idea. He said, "Teach them!"
Xie Shang said to Xie Ruoyi, "Little Yi'er, recite a passage for your royal uncle, and your royal uncle will reward you."
But when Xie Ruoyi heard that she had to memorize something again, she burst into tears again. She felt that if she did this, she wouldn't have to memorize anything.
Xie Shang was dumbfounded. His brows furrowed tightly, and a hint of anger flashed in his eyes. He said in a deep voice, "The children of the Xie family, whether they are princesses or heirs, should study more and be more sensible. They are all descendants of the royal family. If they can only cry, what great things can they achieve in the future? Xie Yang, how have you disciplined them?"
Xie Yang was scolded, and he couldn't even handle his daughter who only knew how to cry. How did Zhang Yurou usually discipline her?
"Don't cry," Xie Yang said.
Xie Ruoyi seemed to be possessed. She only remembered that her mother had taught her that if she went to her father, she must learn to cry and make him pity her.
Xie Ruoyi not only kept going, but also felt extremely aggrieved, "Waaah... Father, they hit Yi'er."
Xie Wei poked her head out from behind her two brothers and said, "Who hit you? All you do is cry and make such a racket."
"Wow, they were mean to Yi'er too."
The next moment, Xie Yang seemed to be furious and slapped Xie Ruoyi across the face. Instantly, five finger marks swelled up on her delicate skin.
Xie Yang said coldly, "If you cry again, I'll throw you into the pond to feed the fish."
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