Ye Zhen paused, then turned to leave through the back window.
Xie Tingzhou stopped him, saying, "It's too late."
The cubicle had no windows, so one had to go to the main house and climb out through the back window, but the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery was already close by.
If he goes out now, Ye Zhen is very likely to run into him.
Ye Zhen also heard footsteps. She looked around, searching for a hiding place. "I can't let him find me."
It's illogical for my sister-in-law to be in my brother-in-law's study in the middle of the night, no matter the reason.
Moreover, she kept the fact that she knew martial arts and could make human skin masks a secret from Marquis Zhongyong.
Xie Tingzhou understood her concerns and pressed her down into a chair. "Don't be afraid, I'll go out."
At the same time, the voice of the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor rang out, "Where is your master?"
He jumped over the wall on a whim, without giving the Mo Academy guards time to report in advance.
It was only after Xing Ze deliberately bowed loudly to him that Fu Guang, who was guarding outside the study, was reminded and informed Xie Tingzhou.
But Ye Zhen still hadn't left in time. Fu Guang was worried, but kept his composure and replied, "Master is here."
He didn't say where it was. Just as Zhongyong Hou was about to ask, Xie Tingzhou came out of the cubicle and closed the door behind him.
"What do you want with me?"
Since returning to the capital, the Marquis of Zhongyong has not visited his courtyard yet; it seems he wouldn't come unless he had a reason.
Marquis Zhongyong laughed and said, "Well, the old lady is back. As the eldest grandson, you should go and see her."
Since Xie Tingzhou returned, he has not visited the old lady, which has caused her considerable dissatisfaction. She has complained to Marquis Zhongyong several times about it.
After finishing his business, Marquis Zhongyong finally thought of coming over. "Let's meet tomorrow morning, so that it won't sound bad if word gets out."
Xie Tingzhou scoffed, "What good reputation do I have? Wasn't I branded as unfilial since I was a child?"
If it weren't for the old lady's favoritism, how could Liu have dared to bully the Marquis's eldest son like that? If it weren't for the old lady's help in concealing the truth, how could the Marquis of Zhongyong have been completely unaware and so easily trusted Liu?
Whenever he thought of his friend's suffering in his youth, Xie Tingzhou had no desire to see the old lady.
Marquis Zhongyong sighed, "Is it for the sake of the dignity of the Marquis's eldest son?"
Xie Tingzhou retorted, "You care about these things?"
There was no sarcasm, just a question.
Marquis Zhongyong nodded, "Of course I hope my son will have a good reputation."
Xie Tingzhou nodded, "Okay, I'll go."
It wasn't for the old lady's sake, but for my friend's reputation.
I also hope that in the future, the Marquis of Zhongyong will remember what he said today and give his eldest son justice.
After speaking, Xie Tingzhou looked at Marquis Zhongyong and waited for him to leave.
Marquis Zhongyong suddenly became interested and looked around his study. "This room is still the same as before, without any changes."
He pointed to the desk, "Back then, I was tiny, but I insisted on having a big desk like the one in my study, saying it was imposing."
I suggested ordering a smaller one based on his height, but he refused. As a result, he couldn't even reach the table when he sat down, so I had to have the chair made extra high.
He sighed, "He's been stubborn since he was a child."
Xie Tingzhou also glanced at the study. After he moved in, he only had the bedding in the bedroom changed and a small kitchen added. Everything else remained the same.
"Perhaps he just wanted his father's attention."
He spoke on behalf of his friend.
Marquis Zhongyong pursed his lips and nodded repeatedly, seemingly lost in some memories, a sad expression on his face.
"Alright, you go ahead with your work. I'll take a look around this room. I remember there are still quite a few manuscripts of my childhood calligraphy practice stored in the next room."
After saying that, he was about to go to the next room.
Xie Tingzhou blocked his way, saying, "The things in the cubicle have all been moved into the bookshelf."
When Ye Zhen needed a safe place to make human skin masks, he cleared out the cubicle.
Now, all that's left inside are Ye Zhen and the materials for making masks.
Marquis Zhongyong did not stop.
After the eldest son fell out with Liu, he also opposed his father at every turn. Both father and son were not the type to easily back down, and in the years that followed, the two were almost always at odds.
The few warm moments were all spent in this study with his eldest son before he turned seven.
Once, he came to the study and found the child huddled in the corner of the cubicle. He said the study was haunted. He had high hopes for his eldest son, so how could he tolerate his son, who would inherit the title, being so timid?
The Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion was filled with guards and servants, and there were also pageboys and servants outside the study. The yang energy was so strong that even ghosts were afraid of them.
He scolded the child for talking nonsense and dragged him to the outer room, but on the next few occasions, he found the child in the side room when he went to the study.
The little boy, using a low stool as a table, sat cross-legged in the corner, diligently practicing calligraphy.
He was both angry and relieved.
I was angry that my son believed in superstitions and strange phenomena, but I was also pleased that he worked so hard despite his fear.
Therefore, he had a serious talk with his son, trying to dispel his fear.
But the son insisted that when he was practicing calligraphy at his desk, something would always pull his hair from behind; when he was asleep, he could hear a female ghost crying in his ear, but he couldn't open his eyes; and when he woke up in the morning, there were water stains on the floor, and rows of footprints that stretched from outside the door to his bedside...
His son spoke with great conviction, but he remained skeptical. He investigated further and eventually confirmed that his son was lying. The servants around his son also said that they had not seen anything unusual.
He was furious. The eldest son of the Marquis of Zhongyong was destined to serve the court and protect the people. How could he be spouting lies?
Lady Liu comforted him, "My lord, don't be angry. The child is still young. I guess he's just jealous because he sees how much you've been doting on Yunzhou and Yao'er lately."
Children are all like this. As parents, we just need to teach them properly. From now on, we'll spend more time with Tingzhou so he knows that his parents haven't neglected him just because his younger siblings are here. Then he won't resort to this method to get attention..."
Afterwards, when he chatted with his colleagues about his child's jealousy, his colleagues gave the same answer as Ms. Liu.
He accepted Liu's explanation, but stopped spending time with his child and instead became even stricter with him...
The more he discovered Liu's true colors upon returning to the capital, the less he dared to think about the past.
Therefore, after returning to the capital, he never visited the Mo Academy.
But today he wanted to sit in the corner where his son had sat in the next room. He wanted to tell his son that his father was wrong.
Looking back now, the ghost story from back then was probably the work of Madam Liu. At that time, she was in charge of the household, and her people were all around her eldest son. It wouldn't have been difficult for her to pretend to be a ghost. It was her foolishness that made her eldest son suffer in her own home.
But Xie Tingzhou wouldn't budge an inch, saying, "You can't come in."
Marquis Zhongyong asked suspiciously, "Why?"
He didn't stop him from entering his room at the border.
Could it be?
He asked uncertainly, "Is it inconvenient?"
Xie Tingzhou nodded. "Yes."
Marquis Zhongyong temporarily set aside his grief and pressed on, "Is there a young lady hiding in the house?"
Nicholas Tse glanced at him.
He's not Xie Yunzhou, who hides men instead of women.
Marquis Zhongyong understood his meaning, and suddenly clapped his hands, laughing repeatedly, "Good, good, good, good lad..."
He then asked, "Where are you from? Do I know you?"
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