Chapter 64 There's still a long way to go.
Lady Yue was the first to notice Liu Min and quickly greeted him with a smile, "Lian Si is here!" Upon hearing this, Liu Shen raised his eyes and looked at his son.
Liu Min first bowed to his father, and then to his stepmother. After bowing, he stood with his head bowed.
Logically, when he came over, Liu Qi should have bowed to him as her brother, but she acted as if she didn't know he was there, and just kept her head down playing with her dog.
Seeing this, Madam Yue felt a little embarrassed. "This child is so engrossed that she can't even hear what people are saying." As she spoke, she was about to walk over.
Knowing she was about to discipline her daughter again, Liu Shen said, "It's rare for her to be so happy, just leave her alone." If she interfered and things escalated, it wouldn't look good for anyone. "Lian Si, come out with me." With that, he walked out.
Liu Min followed.
He hadn't said a word until they reached the garden, where Liu Shen stopped, turned around, and asked, "Miss Qiu, how are you?"
Liu Min thought to himself, "As expected." He didn't want to answer the question.
"How can I say that? It's so disrespectful."
After a while, Liu Shen said, "You don't like her?" Liu Shen felt that with Liu Min's intelligence, he couldn't possibly not understand the purpose of inviting them to meet today. The current situation could only mean that he was dissatisfied with this Miss Qiu.
But Madam Yue kept praising Miss Qiu.
She's a pretty picky person; if she says it's good, then it's definitely good.
Liu Shen had a guess in his mind, "Is it because of Shan Lai? I know you like her very much."
When he mentioned Shanlai, Liu Min dared not speak.
“Shanlai is very good, and she was chosen for you by your grandmother. I have always valued her highly, but in the end, she is just a servant.”
Liu Shen himself did not treat Shan as a slave; he even returned her indenture. However, when it came to his son's marriage, he had to say it this way.
"No, I just think it's too early. I don't have any official rank yet, and I'm afraid I'll embarrass them... It's not too late to bring this up when I'm on the list."
“You’re making things too easy for yourself. A girl’s youth is precious. You just casually say something like that and expect her to wait for you… That’s asking too much. I really can’t bring myself to say it.”
Liu Min remained silent.
He seemed genuinely unwilling.
It's a bit of a pity, but Liu Shen wouldn't force him on such a matter.
"I understand what you mean. This matter ends here. You can go back now."
Liu Min dared not delay. After bowing, he turned to leave.
However, Liu Shen called him back again.
"Xingdu City is so big, and there are countless beautiful girls, like flowers in spring. There's plenty of time, and you're sure to find someone you like."
He allows him to marry whoever he likes, but that person must have a certain social standing; at the very least, a peasant girl is not an option.
The father and son looked at each other.
Liu Min was the first to look away.
After leaving the garden, Liu Min wandered aimlessly around.
He dared not return to Guangyi Hall, for he dared not see Shanlai.
How should I tell her about this...?
Even if I have a wife, I will still treat you well.
Saying things like that to her will get you struck by lightning.
But he couldn't make his own decision. He couldn't say, "So what if she's a maid? I'm going to marry her! I love her, I only love her, I only want to be with her. Of all the people living in the world, she's the one I love the most."
At that time, she said she would always stay with him, and he agreed.
What can he do to live up to her expectations?
He couldn't figure out the answer.
Yes, he does have the ability, but he can't do it.
Because he made promises to more than just her.
As evening approached, the wind picked up and blew against him, making him feel a bit cold. He shivered.
I have to go back now; if I stay any longer, I might get sick.
As he stood up, he caught a glimpse of a skirt hem, fluttering in the wind...
It's strange. Even though it's so dark today, and all I can see is a chaotic blue, why can he see the red in her eyes so clearly?
She stood beneath the swaying branches, a thin, slender branch, with a pair of tearful eyes.
He suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if someone had slashed it open with a knife.
She must have known everything. Even though she stood there without saying a word, he knew it; she knew everything.
My heart is filled not only with pain, but also with overwhelming panic. The words I want to say are like boiling water, churning, bubbling, and rushing out...
However, when he actually spoke, he only uttered one sentence.
"...Why are you dressed so scantily...you..."
Cold water was poured into the pot, and all the surging disappeared, leaving only a faint white mist, dim and ethereal, vanishing in an instant...
"I can't find you... I can't find you anywhere..."
She lowered her head and said in a low voice.
He stood up, walked towards her, and when he got close, whispered to her, "Let's go back."
She knew everything, he knew she knew everything, yet that was all there was; nothing more. Because no promises could be made.
She didn't speak, only smiled—a calm smile, a serene ease that comes after everything has settled. She decided not to say anything.
But just before entering the room, he suddenly spoke again: "I didn't agree. I don't like her."
After saying that, he hurriedly walked into the courtyard.
Shanlai stopped outside the door, watching his back. A fierce roar surged through her heart, making her almost lose her balance.
"How did it go? Did you talk to him?"
Ziyu looked anxious.
Shanlai didn't want to laugh, not wanting people to think she was smug, but she just couldn't help it.
"He said he didn't like her."
Ziyu laughed when she heard this, "Am I right? As long as you talk to him, he will definitely listen to you."
Lady Xu, however, could not manage a smile.
She went to the Qiu residence and relayed what Madam Le had told her.
He spoke with a very indignant tone.
He dared not get married without official rank or title.
If you're so concerned about saving face, why didn't you say so in the first place? Telling people only after you've met them—who would believe you? Isn't this ruining the girl's reputation? Is only your child precious? Does the Prime Minister have the right to bully people like this? Justice will prevail!
Lady Xu, always straightforward and outspoken, said to Lady Wang, "As the saying goes, a blessed person will not end up in a place without blessings, and an unblessed person will find it difficult to live in a blessed place. Sister, I've lived to this age and have seen three emperors... What haven't I seen? Take that one emperor back then, for example. What glory did he have? With a wave of his sleeve, the whole world would tremble. And what was the result? Wasn't it all just fleeting smoke? What was his end? He was locked up in the cold palace until he went mad, and his brothers ate his flesh and drank his blood... Heaven will not protect those who are too arrogant... Sister, you are an honest and upright person, and your children are all the best in the world. If blessings don't come to you, who else will they come to? Sister, I'll leave it at that. I'm going back now. If there's no good news in the future, I will never set foot in your house again."
“My sister, it’s nothing, why make such a fuss? You’re being too kind… I haven’t even had a chance to thank you at your home yet, all because of my family’s affairs…”
Lady Wang's face was ashen, as if covered in thick powder, and she looked stiff and unsightly. But even so, she managed a forced smile and spoke softly to Lady Xu. This was her refinement, and the dignity she could not afford to lose.
It's because they're good people that they get bullied like this.
Lady Xu was filled with resentment and anger. She gave a cold laugh, then turned and walked away.
Logically, Madam Wang should have gone to see it off, but she was already at her limit and didn't even have the strength to wipe the stiff smile off her face, let alone get up.
Qiu Qingfang slowly walked out from behind the screen, her eyes bloodshot and her face pale.
As before, she hid there, waiting to hear good news...
What a disgrace, a truly immense disgrace.
After calming down a bit, Madam Wang looked up and saw her daughter.
"You heard everything, didn't you?" she asked, her voice betraying only weariness, devoid of anger. "What are your plans?"
That's what she was thinking, but her daughter remained silent.
She was getting impatient, and her tone wasn't very friendly: "Isn't this enough? What else do you want?"
Qiu Qingfang remained silent, staring at the flowers and plants in the vase on the table, her face gloomy.
Of course she knew that her daughter was not only strong-willed but also stubborn. If she wanted something, she would get it. She loved her and always granted her every request, doing everything she could to make her wish come true.
This time it's different; she's unwilling.
People need face, just as trees need bark. People live by their reputation. For families like theirs, losing face is worse than death.
In the end, he's just a man. There are plenty of men out there. If he loses this one, there's that one. It's really no big deal.
"Say something!"
You say you hate him and never want to have anything to do with him again in this life.
She didn't speak; she stood there without uttering a single word.
Madam Wang was very disappointed. She had always regarded this daughter as a phoenix, believing that she deserved the best in the world. How could she degrade herself like this! So worthless!
So she stopped talking, her face cold, stood up, and quickly walked away, taking the arm the maid had offered.
After Madam Wang left, Qiu Qingfang began to cry, sobbing and weeping, tears streaming down her face.
As expected of Qiu Qingfang's right-hand woman, Lüyao quickly stepped forward to hand her a handkerchief and whispered, "Miss, there are so many people here. Quickly wipe your face. Let's talk back inside." As she spoke, she reached out and forcefully pulled her away.
Upon entering the garden, Lüyao stopped, leaving Qiu Qingfang standing alone under the osmanthus tree. She then wandered around, carefully looking around, and only returned to Qiu Qingfang's side after confirming that no one was there.
Qiu Qingfang had stopped crying, but her eyes were red and her nose was also very red. She looked listless and pitiful.
Like Madam Wang, Lü Yao was also extremely disappointed in her mistress. How could her young lady, a phoenix among birds and a peony among flowers, have fallen so low because of a man, especially a blind man who didn't love her? It was utterly unacceptable.
“Miss, Madam is right, that’s enough. You shouldn’t be so stubborn. You’ll only hurt Madam’s feelings. It’s not worth it for someone like that…”
Before he could finish speaking, he received a sharp glare from Qiu Qingfang.
There are some things you can't say to your mother, but you don't need to be shy about saying them to your maid.
“I’m really that pathetic, that you have to remind me again and again, that I look down on people so much.”
Upon hearing this, Lüyao asked, "What are you thinking, Miss?"
Upon hearing this, Qiu Qingfang's face showed hatred, and she said coldly, "I have a grudge against them, and you won't let this matter pass so easily!"
How can we easily get over this?
Madam Yue's original words were, "If anything goes wrong in the future, just come and find me."
The Le family indeed wielded immense power.
Therefore, no matter how angry Lady Xu was, she only dared to say unpleasant things behind her back.
Lüyao had followed Qiu Qingfang closely since childhood and was quite knowledgeable, so she couldn't help but worry about her mistress.
"What does Miss intend to do? The master and mistress may not be willing to help..."
How could you possibly offend someone like that?
“A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years… The Duchess is right, I don’t believe I can’t wait until that day.”
This is the only option for now.
Seeing that she understood, Lü Yao nodded and put her mind at ease again.
However, waiting represents forbearance; such a humiliating disgrace must be endured...
"I cannot touch the precious things for now, but can't I even touch the cheap ones?"
Lüyao also felt that it was indeed necessary to open a small door for her young lady to vent her anger, otherwise, if she kept holding onto that anger, she would become a bad person.
Her eyes darted around for a second before she came up with a solution.
"I have a plan, Miss, please listen to it."
Qiu Qingfang nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and praised with a smile, "I knew I hadn't misjudged you. This is a really good idea. Now we can even explain it to our elder brother."
How did this get involved with Qiu Qingfang's older brother, Qiu Chu?
That's another matter.
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