Ruhuan looked at Ye Zelin, then at the dirt on either side. She hesitated for a while, then confessed under Ye Zelin's fierce gaze. "A few days ago, my grandfather's leg disease recurred. He asked a Taoist priest to perform a ritual. He said it was caused by a pear blossom demon, ruining the feng shui. So he cut down the pear trees. The ones in my mother's yard are still there."
"What did you say?"
Ye Zelin was slightly startled, his eyes sharp as torches, and he quickly walked into the mansion and headed towards Rongliyuan.
Ruhuan paused for a moment before entering the mansion.
The housekeeper Wujing called for people to lead the horses and pull the cart.
Ye Zelin hurried into the Rongli Courtyard and saw Madam Ouyang, who was wearing a lake blue jacket and looked dignified and elegant. She smiled at him gently, "Lin'er."
He slowed his pace and went to greet Madam Ouyang. His anger melted away in the gentle smile of his mother. "Mother."
Madam Ouyang said, "You're back. Mother wasn't waiting for you at the door. Are you angry?"
Ye Zelin said, "I don't dare."
Madam Ouyang smiled and was about to go inside when Ye Zelin suddenly said, "Mother, Grandfather is cutting down pear trees today, demolishing the wall tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow he'll demolish the yard. How long are you going to endure this?"
Madam Ouyang smiled calmly, "So it's about this matter. Your father has already had an argument with your grandfather. Why should mother cause trouble? It's just a few trees."
Ye Zelin said, "But that pear tree was planted by my father himself for my mother. My grandfather found an excuse to cut it down. My mother can tolerate it, but I don't want to."
Madam Ouyang was about to speak, but he continued, "My son doesn't want to endure being criticized and called a weakling anymore. If I keep enduring, my grandfather will only make things worse!"
Madam Ouyang said, "Your father has been branded as unfilial for me, so why not endure a few words for him? Lin'er, you don't have to endure your grandfather's anger for your mother."
"Mother." Ye Zelin said dissatisfiedly.
Mrs. Ouyang turned around and went back to the house. Ye Zelin watched his mother enter the house before leaving to look for Ruhuan in the painting building.
Ruhuan was still angry because her father was only concerned with the flowers and ignored her brothers and sisters. Ye Zelin spoke kindly to her and gave her a few boxes of watercolor as compensation, and only then did Ruhuan calm down.
Ye Zelin asked, "Ruhuan, did Grandfather bring up the matter of having a concubine again?"
Ruhuan nodded, "Brother, do you know everything?"
Ye Zelin said, "Grandfather's constant commotion isn't just because of the Xu family. As long as Father doesn't agree, Mother won't have a peaceful life."
Ruhuan said, "Brother, I've also begged Grandfather. He'll agree to everything else, but not to the Xu family's matter."
Ye Zelin added, "Ruhuan, don't ask Grandfather for anything from now on. He loves you the most, my brother and I, among the three of us. If you bring it up again, I'm afraid he'll turn against you no matter how much he loves you. Mother is protected by me, my elder brother, and my father. You should enjoy what my elder brother and I haven't had."
"Brother..." Ruhuan didn't know what to say.
After a moment of silence, Ye Zelin said, "During the days I was away, is there anything interesting happening in the capital? Tell me about it."
Ruhuan brought a note with Douzhi, and Ye Zelin smiled after reading it. "I almost forgot that Grand Princess Anguo's birthday is in a few days. Two years ago, I welcomed the Grand Princess back to the court. She's been secluded for two years because of the Song-Liao War. It's strange that she's hosting a ball club for her birthday this year. Speaking of which, when I went to war with Northern Liao, I was able to win the final battle thanks to the Grand Princess's persuasion for the Northern Liao army to withdraw."
Ruhuan didn't find it strange. The Ye family had received the invitation yesterday. Since the Grand Princess of Anguo was of noble status, the Ye family couldn't refuse. She was already preparing what clothes to wear on the day of the ball game.
Ruhuan said, "The Grand Princess of Anguo is already seventy years old. She married into Northern Liao at the age of eighteen and has lived in Northern Liao for fifty years. It's normal for her to want to have some fun at her age. The Grand Princess has invited almost every official and family in the capital above the sixth rank. All the royal family members will be in attendance on the day of the ball game, and even His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin is among the invited guests."
King of Qin?
Ye Zelin was startled and quickly asked Ruhuan, "Has the King of Qin returned to the capital?"
Ruhuan said, "I returned to the capital a few days ago. Brother, you don't know how arrogant this Prince Qin is. He still hasn't entered the palace to meet the Empress Dowager, His Majesty, or the Empress. The Empress Dowager sent people to the Prince Qin's mansion to inquire about him, but the Prince not only refused to see them, he even drove them out. His Majesty also sent people, but the Prince Qin also refused to see him. He stays in his mansion all day, and no one knows what he looks like."
Ye Zelin listened as Ruhuan played with her silk-covered, peach-shaped, Xiangfei bamboo-handled round fan. She casually asked a question, "Brother, you said the Prince of Qin hadn't returned for ten years, so how come he's back all of a sudden? He didn't return even when the late Emperor passed away."
Ye Zelin thought for himself and said, "The King of Qin is back in Beijing, it has nothing to do with us, there is no need to say anything more about him."
Ruhuan approached Ye Zelin and whispered, "Actually, not only did Prince Qin return to the capital, but Princess Xinyang also returned from Hangzhou."
Hearing this, Ye Zelin's expression changed slightly, and Ruhuan smiled sweetly, "Brother, are you unhappy? The day before yesterday, I went to see Princess Xinyang. She was very concerned about you and even asked when you would be back."
Ye Zelin said calmly: "Princess, come back if you want."
Ruhuan asked with a wicked smile, "Brother, don't you want to see Her Royal Highness the Princess? Her Royal Highness the Princess said she wanted to see you."
Ye Zelin's face was expressionless. "Ruhuan, I won't stop you from making friends with Her Highness the Princess, but please don't bring Her Highness the Princess to our house. We in the Ye family are uncouth and we can't afford to offend Her Highness the Princess."
Ruhuan stamped her feet in anger. Ye Zelin had no intention of coaxing her anymore, so he got up and left. He was exhausted from the long journey and wanted to take a break.
Before he entered Penglai Residence, a beautiful maid came to greet him.
Ye Zelin knew that after his wedding, Dugu Lanxi had recruited many maids into the mansion. She looked unfamiliar and must be the maid chosen by his sister-in-law. He answered and casually asked her name.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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