Ye Songyan couldn't help laughing, "Sister-in-law was so naughty when she was little. Uncle and aunt must have been very upset."
Hua Fushu imitated Madam Qidie's expression of frustration: "Every time I got into a fight, my mother would point a stick at me and ask what good deeds she had done in her past life to give birth to such a bastard. Every time my mother wanted to hit me, my uncle would pull me away, leaving my mother with nothing to do but sulk in the end."
Ye Songyan said, "Then your sister-in-law must have a very good relationship with your uncle."
When talking about his uncle, Hua Fushu's face was filled with happiness. "Yes, my uncle was my favorite person when I was a child. Later, he joined the army..."
At this point, those bright almond-shaped eyes dimmed, filled with loss and sadness. "Ten years ago, during the Beiling Rebellion... my uncle died in that rebellion, and his body was never found."
Her uncle is well versed in mechanical engineering, can make weapons, and has excellent martial arts skills.
When she was eight, her uncle went to the North Ridge for training. He wrote back to say he'd met Huo Qing, the North Ridge garrison commander of a hundred thousand lions, and planned to hone his skills in his army for a few years. She remembered how delighted her parents were, especially her mother, who kept saying that no one would mess around with her daughter anymore and that no one could stop her from teaching her the proper manners of a boudoir.
In fact, her noisy nature is somewhat related to her uncle, because her uncle is even more noisy than her. Her father said that when her uncle was a child, he often got into a lot of trouble for her grandparents to deal with, and even made her grandmother sick several times.
Her mother has said several times that she was led astray by her uncle.
Her uncle had been in Beiling for less than half a year when the Beiling defender Huo Qing rebelled. Her uncle was implicated and died in the rebellion, and his body was never found.
At that time, she was studying medicine with Miao Niangzi, and it had been more than a year since she learned of her uncle's death. She was sad for a long time because of her uncle's death, and it was not until her mother became pregnant with Duwu that she gradually came out of her grief.
Over the years, her parents never mentioned her uncle in front of her, for fear of making her sad.
She never told this to anyone, including Sanqiao. Her uncle gave her a wonderful childhood. Whenever she thought of every moment with her uncle, she would remember that her uncle who loved her the most was no longer with her.
There were tears in the corners of her eyes. Ye Songyan knew that he had touched upon her sad memories, and he felt a little confused. He wanted to comfort her and apologize, but he didn't know how to say it.
Seeing this, Hua Fushu wiped away his tears and smiled, "Xiao Si, I'm fine. I just felt a little sad when I mentioned my uncle. If you're fine, I'll go back."
"Sister-in-law, take care." Ye Songyan said.
Hua Fushu returned to Penglai Residence. Sanqiao had already spread out the Shuzhong mat that Qin Youran had sent. She touched it with her hand and found that it was just as Qin Youran said. This mat was very cool. She would definitely have a good dream tonight. It would be best if she could dream about the person who was far away in Yuezhou but had never written a letter from home to her.
Ye Songyan told the old general what Hua Fushu had said to him.
Although the old general didn't completely believe it, he was also about half convinced. He said, "Hua Mingqian does have a younger brother, a dozen years younger, named Hua Mingqiao. One of them is a scholar, the other a warrior. Hua Mingqian is resolute and upright, unafraid of the powerful, and quite talented. The late emperor valued him very much and appointed him Imperial Censor. He later resigned and returned to Sunian with his family. He built the Hua family's business into a famous firm, making them wealthy. As for whether his brother Hua Mingqiao served under Huo Qing, I have never heard of it."
Ye Songyan said, "Grandfather, Uncle Hua is a man of exceptional talent and favored by the late emperor. He has a bright future ahead of him. Do you know why he resigned?"
The old general pondered and said, "It seems to be because of Ning Qidie. I don't know the specific reason."
Ye Songyan said, "Grandfather, tell me what happened in the first year of Huangyou."
The old general said, "A lot happened in the first year of Huangyou. General Huo Qing of Beiling rebelled, causing a sensation in the court and the country. Prince Qinghe was ordered to quell the rebellion, but your father defended Huo Qing, offending the late emperor and being demoted to suppress the rebellion in Goryeo. The usually quiet harem was also turbulent because of Qin Xiuyi, the biological mother of the Qin Prince. Both Qin Xiuyi and her daughter died during childbirth. Rumors circulated that Qin Xiuyi and her daughter were murdered. The Empress was held accountable, and Concubine Yan, Concubine De, Concubine Gui, Concubine Cheng, and Wu Zhaorong were executed. Their families were either exiled, executed, or reduced to slavery. I remember many people died at that time. Later, the Qin Prince was granted a fiefdom, but not long after, Princess Xinyang suddenly fell ill and was sent to Chengning Palace to recuperate. Those were turbulent times, and it's frightening to think about them."
Ye Songyan pondered and asked, "Is my second brother's entry into the palace to serve as His Majesty's tutor also related to my father's defense of General Huo Qing?"
The old general nodded. "At that time, the late emperor was deeply troubled by Huo Qing's rebellion, and your father chose to defend Huo Qing, which naturally offended the late emperor. My Ye family helped Taizu establish the country, and generations have been loyal to the Song Dynasty. The late emperor did not dare to sentence your father to death, so he had to send your father on an expedition to Goryeo. Fearing that your father would follow Huo Qing's path, he threatened to select a son from the Ye family to enter the palace under the pretext of selecting a tutor for the crown prince. You were young at the time, and your mother only had you. How could I agree to let you enter the palace as a hostage? Your eldest brother is a suitable age for the crown prince, but he is the eldest son and grandson. Your father has high hopes for your eldest brother, so naturally he cannot enter the palace to accompany the crown prince. The only choice he could send is your second brother."
In the first year of Huangyou, Goryeo invaded the border. The late emperor wanted to pick a son from the Ye family under the pretext of selecting a tutor for the crown prince. Although the old general was a military commander and perhaps not as shrewd as those civil officials, he also understood the late emperor's intention. He was preventing Ye Shiheng from rebelling and wanted a son from the Ye family as a hostage.
At that time, Ye Songyan was naturally excluded because of his young age, so the only choice was between Ye Yunlu and Ye Zelin. Ye Yunlu, who was only fourteen years old, was steady and polite, and only two or three years younger than the prince. It would be more appropriate to send him to the palace to serve as the prince's tutor.
The reason why he chose Ye Zelin was, first, because he disliked Ye Zelin, second, he and Ye Shiheng both valued Ye Yunlu, and third, Ye Zelin was too arrogant and the complicated environment in the palace further consumed his hostility.
Ye Songyan said, "So, second brother's cautious nature is somewhat related to the palace."
The old general said, "I don't know how his time in the palace was, but I imagine it wasn't easy. It took your father more than two years to quell the rebellion in Goryeo. After your father returned to the court, he asked the late emperor for permission to bring your second brother back to the palace. His temperament has calmed down a lot, and he's not as arrogant as before."
Ye Songyan asked tentatively, "Grandfather, do you regret sending my second brother into the palace as a hostage?"
The old general said calmly, "If I don't send him to the palace, he will sooner or later become your second father."
…
Yuezhou.
The sun was high in the sky, and a few people were walking around in Pingyang Alley in Yuezhou City. Among them was a middle-aged man who walked hurriedly and glanced behind him from time to time to see if anyone was following him.
After making sure that no one was following him, he breathed a sigh of relief, quickened his pace, and finally entered a house. He looked around, closed the door, and went inside.
About a cup of tea later, Yu Chisu, dressed in black and with black hair standing up like a man, approached the house and knocked a few times, but no one answered.
Yu Chisu felt a little uneasy, so she kicked the door open and walked quickly into the house, only to see a bloody scene.
The middle-aged man lay on the ground in a pool of blood, his eyes wide open as if he had been frightened, as if he had died with his eyes open...
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