"Father, father?" Wei Chenglin's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly had a bad feeling, and he called out stutteringly.
Wei Junhang glanced at him coldly, walked past him, strode to the Grand Princess, lifted the corner of his robe and knelt down: "My son is back. I have made you worry about me for a long time. I am unfilial!"
The eldest princess shook her hands with excitement, said "OK" several times, her eyes slightly moist, and helped him up personally.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!" Looking at her son who had obviously lost a lot of weight and looked a lot stronger, she felt sad and relieved.
Wei Junhang helped her sit down again, patted the back of Shen Xinyan's hand, gave her a comforting smile, then slowly turned around, and when he met the uneasy Wei Chenglin, his face sank.
"Since you have such an understanding, you don't need to marry again in this life, so as not to ruin the girl's life!"
"Father..." Wei Chenglin tried hard to suppress his inner panic. He didn't understand whether he said this just out of anger or if he really believed it.
"Junhang, don't say such angry words." The Grand Princess said disapprovingly.
Shen Xinyan pulled his sleeve and shook her head gently, indicating that he should not say such things.
"My son never says anything in anger!" Wei Junhang said seriously, then looked at Wei Chenglin and said in a sharp voice.
"You were clearly on duty, but you actually took revenge, deceiving the emperor and your superiors, which is disloyalty; to achieve your goal, you deceived your closest relatives and ignored the teachings of your ancestors for many years, which is unfilial; because of your own selfishness, you privately adjusted the gold order, causing the loyal people in my family to lose their lives in vain, which is unkind; you caused the meritorious people to lose their sons in old age, and the unborn sons to lose their fathers, which is unjust. How can a disloyal, unfilial, unkind and unjust person like you bear the responsibility of an innocent woman for the rest of her life, and what virtue and ability do you have to support my Wei family!"
"Father!" Wei Chenglin's face turned pale, his body was shaking and he fell to his knees on the ground with a thud.
"Jun Hang!" The eldest princess was horrified. She never knew that her usually gentle son could be so harsh and angry. She never thought that he would scold his eldest grandson so mercilessly.
But when she heard his angry curse again, she looked at Wei Chenglin, who was kneeling on the ground with a pale face, with eyes wide open in disbelief.
"What do you mean by deceiving the emperor and deceiving your loved ones? Brother Lin, what on earth did you hide from us?!"
Shen Xinyan's lips trembled slightly. At this moment, all the doubts in her heart were answered.
"Your grandfather taught you carefully and taught you martial arts. He went to Changyue Mountain to find a great scholar for you despite his old age and frailty. Before he died, he handed you the golden decree from the mansion, hoping that you could bring honor to our Wei family. But what about you? How did you do it?"
"You were jealous and disregarded the fraternity between the Wei and Murong families. You took advantage of the opportunity to chase after Prince Cheng to set up a plot to kill Murong Tao, resulting in the deaths of four loyal guards in the mansion. To achieve your goal, you did not hesitate to use torture, causing your elderly grandmother to worry about you all day long, and your biological mother to be in constant fear."
"You not only used your scheming against your opponents, but also used it on your loved ones who loved you the most. Your actions are truly chilling and disgusting!"
Wei Chenglin felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave. He had never expected that his father had dug up every detail of what he had done. Every word of criticism was like a whip hitting him hard or a merciless slap in the face, making him feel ashamed.
Especially when he saw his grandmother and mother's eyes filled with shock and disappointment, he felt as if all the blood in his body was being drained.
"You did it all for that girl from the Zhou family. You actually, actually... It's true that beautiful women are the root of trouble for a family!" The eldest princess pointed at him and trembled continuously. She couldn't believe that her most beloved and trusted grandson would treat her like this. She felt how ridiculous it was for her to run around and be restless for his marriage during this period of time.
"Mother, what you said is wrong! It is not beauty that deceives people, but people's own incompetence and lack of responsibility. The so-called beauty is a disaster, but an excuse for incompetent people to shirk responsibility. Beauty is not a disaster, but it is the pursuit of self-righteous people for no reason that is the disaster of beauty!"
"The root of these incidents is not Miss Zhou, but you, Wei Chenglin and Murong Tao! You two are too selfish and have no sense of the family's overall situation. On the surface, you seem to value affection very much, but in fact, you are extremely ruthless."
"Our Duke's Mansion can have a head who is incompetent, but we cannot let someone who doesn't care about the overall situation be the head."
"Golden Guards, several generations have followed the ancestors of the Wei family to fight on the battlefield, and they died for justice, not to be killed by conspiracy and intrigue. You can neither understand nor appreciate the persistence in this. Tomorrow I will report to His Majesty and transfer you to Xiyan City. From now on, you are not allowed to return to the capital without an imperial decree!"
“Father!!”
"My Lord!!"
Wei Chenglin and Shen Xinyan screamed in surprise at the same time.
What is Xiyan City? It is the most remote place of the Great Chu. There is a saying among the people: "I would rather be a ghost in Guanzhong than a person in Xiyan", which is enough to show what kind of place Xiyan City is.
Now hearing that Wei Junhang was going to send his son to Xiyan City, Shen Xinyan simply couldn't believe it.
Isn’t this tantamount to exile?
After all, he was her own flesh and blood. How could she watch him fall to such a place!
The eldest princess, on the other hand, trembled her lips and said nothing more.
"I have made up my mind. Come, ask the prince to go back to his room! No one is allowed to enter or leave without my order!!" Wei Junhang shouted with a cold face.
As soon as he finished speaking, two tall and strong men dressed as guards walked in. They suddenly attacked Wei Chenglin who was about to get up. After a few rounds, they subdued him and forcibly took him out.
"What are you doing? Even if he has made a huge mistake, just give him a good lesson. How can you send him to that place? Isn't that asking for his life?!" Shen Xinyan's eyes turned red with anxiety.
She remembered clearly that in her last life, there had been a bandit riot in Xiyan City, with countless casualties. Even if she resented her eldest son for playing tricks on her, she could not watch him die!
"Father took great care of him when he was alive, but he still has this kind of character. If he doesn't go through some hardships, how can he stand on his own in the future? Madam, don't worry, I know everything." Wei Junhang said lightly.
"You..." Shen Xinyan had a lot to say, but when she heard him say that, she didn't know where to start for a moment.
She looked at the Grand Princess as if for help, but when she saw the Grand Princess leaning weakly against the chair with lifeless eyes, her breath was choked and she was finally unable to speak.
When it comes to her feelings for Wei Chenglin, the Grand Princess's feelings are several times deeper than she has ever been in her life.
Because she had experienced hurt in her previous life, she had always been reserved towards her eldest son in this life, and how could she compare to the wholehearted love of the Grand Princess. The one who was most distressed by the eldest son's behavior today was not her, but the Grand Princess.
If Fang's actions dealt a heavy blow to the Grand Princess, then Wei Chenglin was no less than heartbroken.
"Mother..." She walked slowly to the Grand Princess' side and called in a hoarse voice.
The eldest princess forced a smile at her, her voice hoarse: "Just listen to Junhang this time! How can jade become a useful tool without being polished? How can one truly grow without going through hardships... Brother Lin, he has had too much smooth sailing."
"...Okay, I'll listen to him. I'll listen to him." Tears gently fell, Shen Xinyan wiped them away quickly, tried to force a smile, and supported her and said, "I'll take mother back!"
"……good!"
Watching the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law supporting each other and walking away, Wei Junhang pursed his lips for a long time without saying a word.
That night, Shen Xinyan stayed with the Grand Princess, personally helping her bathe and change clothes. He watched her lie on the bed, slowly closed her cloudy eyes, and after a long time, lowered the curtains to hide the tears in her eyes, and quietly retreated.
When I went out, I saw Wei Junhang standing in the yard with his hands behind his back.
Wei Junhang heard her footsteps and turned to look over. The moonlight shone on his body, clearly illuminating the resolute face that seemed somewhat unfamiliar to her.
"Madam, I'm here to take you back!" Wei Junhang stretched out his hand to her.
She hesitated for a moment, then placed her hand on it, and instantly, it was tightly wrapped by that broad, big palm.
Wei Junhang held her hand and walked slowly towards Funing Courtyard under the moonlight.
Along the way, summer insects chirped and the night breeze brought the fragrance of flowers and plants. Such a quiet night seemed to cover up the turbulent day.
"Were all the things you said during the day true?" Shen Xinyan asked softly after an unknown amount of time.
Wei Junhang uttered a "hmm", but subconsciously held her hand tighter.
After all, Shen Xinyan had been married to him for many years. How could she not know how much disappointment and heartache were hidden beneath his calm expression?
She remembered how proud he was to have such an outstanding son. Every time he saw his son, his eyes and eyebrows were filled with joy. Many times, he proudly said: With a son like this, what else could I ask for?
"Will Brother Lin be doing well in Xiyan City?" she asked again in a low voice.
"...You still have me and Brother Xiang." After a long time, so long that she thought he would not answer her, she finally heard his words.
She finally burst into tears.
Wei Junhang stopped, hugged her, patted her back gently, and comforted her silently, but tears flashed in his eyes.
The next day, Wei Junhang went to the palace to ask for an audience with Emperor Yuanyou.
Emperor Yuanyou was somewhat surprised by his arrival. He had just returned from work yesterday, so why was he entering the palace again today?
However, when Wei Junhang slowly told him his plan, he was so surprised that he almost knocked over the teacup on the table.
"Are you saying that Chenglin will be transferred to Xiyan?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, please grant me your blessing!"
Emperor Yuanyou frowned, "Why are you doing this? I think Chenglin is a good kid, and I plan to train him well for the future use of the crown prince. I plan to take good care of Xiyan, but there is no need to let Chenglin go. If anything happens to him, will you be willing to let him go?"
"Your Majesty, please grant my blessing!" Wei Junhang knelt on the ground and just repeated these words.
"You..." Seeing that he insisted, Emperor Yuanyou felt a little angry.
"You have to give me a reason. You can't just say whatever you want. Even if the concubine and the prince ask me about it in the future, I won't be able to answer them!" Emperor Yuanyou rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"My son is not experienced enough to take on such a big responsibility. Moreover, the Wei family is a military family, and my son was born in a peaceful era. All he has learned is military theory on paper, and he cannot understand the true intention of our ancestors' teachings. I think that transferring him to Xiyan can help relieve your majesty's worries, and also give him a chance to suffer."
Emperor Yuanyou: "...This is a very reasonable reason."
Wei Junhang lowered his head even lower.
"Forget it, forget it. Since you insist on doing this, I can only fulfill your wish. As a father, you don't feel sorry for your son, so why should I worry about it in vain!" Emperor Yuanyou waved his hand.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
***
However, after Wei Chenglin was forcibly sent back to his room by Wei Junhang, he found that the yard was no longer under his control. In panic, he suddenly realized that he had underestimated his gentle and kind father for so many years!
He originally thought that with the golden order in hand, he would be the actual controller of the Wei family. However, it turned out that this was not the case. As long as his father wanted to, he could easily break his wings and leave him like he is now, with all the martial arts skills but unable to display them at all.
Where on earth did his father find such an expert! When did he become suspicious of him and find out everything he had done silently without him noticing anything?
Xiyan... Is my father really going to send me to Xiyan? I can't go back to the capital without an imperial edict? How can that be possible! If he leaves like this, wouldn't that give Murong Tao an opportunity to take advantage of him? Wouldn't Ah Wan misunderstand that I gave up on her?
The more he thought about it, the more worried he became. At this moment, his usual calmness and composure had been completely shattered by Wei Junhang's series of actions.
No, no, he had to think of a way, he had to think of a way, he couldn't just be sent away like this, he still had a lot of things to do...
He tried to calm himself down and think of a solution, but in the end he realized that given his current situation, there was nothing he could do unless someone helped him.
But who could help him? Zhimo and Shishu couldn't get in, and his message couldn't get out. There were only two people guarding the door, but it seemed like there were people surrounding him from all directions. Without his father's order, not even a fly could get in, let alone a person!
How much power does my father hide?
He had a pale face and looked completely at a loss.
He heard the door open with a creak, and looked up suddenly, seeing a tall figure walking in slowly.
"Father!" There was a hint of fear in his eyes that he himself did not even notice.
Wei Junhang stared at him silently.
This son, of whom he was most proud, ultimately disappointed him. How could he hand over all the power of the family to such a son? How could he entrust the person he cherished most to him?
"I will have someone tell you in detail about the situation in Xiyan City on the way. The two people beside you, Zhimo Shishu, will stay at home. I will make arrangements. Lai Lu and Lai Shou will go with you to Xiyan. They are both highly skilled in martial arts and have some knowledge of Xiyan. They will be able to protect you."
"Father, I don't want to go to Xiyan." Wei Chenglin knew this was his last chance. He suppressed his chaotic thoughts and said with his head down.
"His Majesty has agreed, and someone else will take over your mission."
"Father, I don't want to go!"
"I have already asked someone to prepare everything we need for the journey. The carriage is waiting outside."
"Father!" Wei Chenglin screamed, but saw that the other party showed no sign of softening. He gritted his teeth, took advantage of the opportunity when the other party turned around, and suddenly jumped into the air, intending to rush out from the closed window. Unexpectedly, while he was still in mid-air, he suddenly felt a pain in the back of his neck, and his body immediately went limp.
Despair flashed across his eyes, but he lost consciousness in an instant.
"My Lord Duke!" Lai Lu half-supported and half-hugged the unconscious Wei Chenglin.
"Go ahead. If he wakes up during the journey, just give him this letter of appointment. Don't stop him." Wei Junhang said this. Lai Lu and Lai Shou looked at each other, said "yes", and carried Wei Chenglin out of the mansion and got on the carriage that had been prepared long ago.
The carriage drove out of the capital and then headed towards Xiyan.
When Wei Chenglin woke up, the sun was already setting. He felt the carriage shaking beneath him, and was horrified. He sat up with a somersault and at the same time reached out to Lai Lu, who was sitting near the curtain with his arms folded.
Lai Lu took his move head on, and the two of them started fighting in the car without giving in.
A feeling of grievance, panic, despair, and unwillingness all surged in his heart, making Wei Chenglin's moves more and more brutal. Finally, Laishou had to stop the carriage and watched the two men fight from the inside of the carriage to the side of the road, until the dust flew everywhere and the birds on the trees flapped their wings and flew away.
Although Wei Chenglin was highly skilled in martial arts, he was still young and could not compete with his experienced and bizarre opponent. Each of his moves seemed to be able to counter his strength, and he eventually fell into a disadvantage.
Finally, Lai Luxu made a move, and seeing that he had been fooled, he struck him on the left shoulder with a palm, knocking him to the ground.
The murderous aura in Wei Chenglin's body was immediately aroused, and he was about to get up and kill him, but he never expected that the other party suddenly threw a letter at him, and his tone was calm and indifferent: "The Duke has something to say. After reading it, it is up to you whether to go or stay. I will never stop you."
Wei Chenglin was stunned. He picked up the letter, opened it, and his face suddenly became complicated.
It was a letter of appointment stamped with the seal of the Ministry of Personnel, appointing him as the garrison commander of Xiyan City.
The bright red seal also made him realize instantly that his father was determined to send him away this time. In just half a day, he even got the appointment letter from the Ministry of Personnel. Wasn't his determination obvious enough?
Whether to go or stay is entirely up to your heart? Ha, ha ha... Father, have I disappointed you so much? The official appointment letter from the Ministry of Personnel has come down. Even if I am unwilling, I will not disobey the order and put the Duke's Mansion in an unjust position.
You let your child choose a question that clearly does not allow him to choose. Is it because you don't believe that your child will still care about the family?
An unprecedented despair swept over him, and his father's accusations that day echoed in his ears again. He smiled miserably.
After a moment, he folded the appointment letter and put it in his arms. He wiped his face and said expressionlessly: "Let's go! There are less than two months left."
Lai Lu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and watched him return to the carriage without saying a word. He felt a dull pain in the places where he was hit, and couldn't help but think: As expected, he is taught by the old Duke himself. Although he is still young, his martial arts skills are already extraordinary. With time...
In the study, Wei Junhang quickly learned of the decision made by his eldest son. His eyes became deep and he let out an inaudible sigh.
Fortunately, my father’s years of teaching were not in vain.
But I still feel a dull pain in my heart.
After all, this was the child he had loved for many years and had placed high hopes on. How could he bear to send him to such a place? However, if he did not have the heart to do so, how could he understand the determination in the hearts of the soldiers who were defending their country?
Only if he experienced it himself, would he better understand the true intentions of those loyal and righteous people who followed the ancestors of the Wei family.
Moreover, the eldest son grew up under the care of his elders. As he was the oldest and most outstanding child in the family, he was often surrounded by praise and unknowingly developed many bad habits.
His series of actions were not so much for the girl from the Zhou family, but rather because he could not swallow the humiliation of having his "territory" invaded by Murong Tao.
There is no such thing as a real "rage for beauty" in the world. It's just a ridiculous fig leaf that men use to cover up what they have done.
"Is Brother Lin really gone?" Shen Xinyan, who had walked in at some point, asked softly.
"Well, let's go." He sighed and pulled her into his arms, hugging her gently.
"You don't have to worry too much. I have arranged for people to secretly take care of everything on the road, including in Xiyan. If he works hard, he will definitely come back in the future."
"What if he still can't figure it out and doesn't live up to expectations?" Shen Xinyan asked tremblingly.
"If that's the case, he's not worthy of being the crown prince. How can I hand over everything in this mansion to him? Fortunately, Zhao'er, Yue'er, and Qi'er are all pretty good kids. At worst, there's still Xiang'er. He's not the only one who can take care of me."
"After going through so much, I still can't figure it out and can't see clearly. A son like this can't take on such a big responsibility. I can only do my best to ensure that he has a rich life. There is nothing else." Wei Junhang's tone was cold, but with a bit of heartache that could not be concealed.
Shen Xinyan looked up at him in a daze. The face in front of her belonged to the man she had slept with for many years, but the coldness in him did not belong to the man she was familiar with.
In just half a day, he was able to send the eldest son, who was highly valued by His Majesty, to the most remote place. He was so decisive, so brutal, and even merciless.
Wei Junhang noticed her probing gaze, sighed softly, stroked her face and said hoarsely: "It's been hard for you and mother these days. I came back too late."
Shen Xin stared at him for a long time, and finally, in a soft voice, she shook her head slowly: "I'm fine, but mother..."
The eldest princess was such a proud person, but she was repeatedly plotted against by the younger generations she trusted, and she could no longer bear it and fell seriously ill.