Yu Shu runs back to the yard with sweat all over her head. Before she enters the door, she hears Aunt Liu crying. Two female servants of the same yard are standing at the door, whispering to each other. No one dares to enter.
Yu Shu pushes them aside and enters the room. At a glance, she sees Aunt Liu bending over to apply medicine for the drowsy Yu Xiaoxiu. She is crying while applying medicine. She shouts, "Young Master, Young Master", but there is no response.
She walked forward and saw that Yu Xiaoxiu's thin and weak back had been beaten until his flesh was lacerated. There were deep cuts and shallow cuts, crisscrossing with sticky blood. She was so angry that her eyes turned red. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
She has been beaten, so she knows clearly how painful it is when the whip falls on her body. She is an adult and begs for mercy. How can a child like Xiaoxiu bear such a cruel beating?
Ji family!
Yu Shu grits her teeth and says in her heart. Her red eyes are full of cruelty. Alas, she can bear being beaten and humiliated. But they shouldn't hurt her brother. They shouldn't beat Yu Xiaoxiu. Ji family wants to threaten her like this. She will definitely make them regret it.
Yu Xiaoxiu, who is in a coma, seems to have a nightmare. He frowns and sweats fall from his forehead to his eyelids. He grabs the pillow with one hand and murmurs in pain, "Sister …"
Yu Shu has a terrible headache. She sits sideways on the edge of the bed. She touches his hot forehead with one hand and holds his clenched fist with the other. She lowers her eyes and coaxes him gently, "Xiaoxiu, I am here. Don't be afraid. I am here …"
At dusk, Ji family suddenly receives the news that scholars from the capital have arrived in Yiyang City. They are staying in a guesthouse in the east of the city. Xue family just sends the news to the concierge of Ji family and then leaves. They don't even tell them who they are.
Xue family arrives one day earlier than expected. Ji family is in a hurry. They gather together to discuss how to greet them first.
"Mother, we should all go there. We don't know who will come from Xue family.
We don't want to be neglected. "Ji Xiaohan, the eldest, suggests.
Old Lady Ji looks at her sons and thinks, "Send someone to the government office to invite your brother-in-law. Second Brother and Third Brother will go there. Eldest Brother … will stay at home."
Old Lady Ji has her own considerations. After all, they are a prestigious family in Yiyang City. If all three of her sons go there, they will look like dwarfs. If the eldest son stays at home and the county magistrate's son-in-law goes, they will feel the same, but they won't feel useless.
"You two, don't talk too much with your brother-in-law here. Don't let him notice anything. Also, if the Xue family asks about Xingxuan, don't say anything. I will send someone to send Xingxuan back to the capital in two days."
Ji Hyotani says, "Mother, don't worry. Second Brother and I will be careful."
"It's getting dark. Go early. I will wait for your news at home."
Ji Xiaochun, Ji Xiaogu, and County Magistrate Ma hurry to the guesthouse of Xue family in Yiyang City. It's still dark when they arrive.
On the top of the door hung a round lantern of the Five Blessings. The large black door was tightly shut. The servant went up and knocked on the door. The three people who could shake the ground with a stamp of their feet in Yiyang City were now standing outside the door, somewhat nervously waiting for any sign of activity inside.
After a while, someone comes to answer the door. After hearing the identity of the three of them, he doesn't let them in immediately. Instead, he goes in to make a report before letting them in.
This guesthouse is only the size of a courtyard in the Ji Mansion, but it is lit with lanterns everywhere. The road is bright, and under the eaves and under the trees, it seems that candles are free. The road is quiet and there is no sound of people. Ji Hyotani is the first to have an idea. He politely asks the servant who leads the way, "Little brother, may I ask who is the lord?"
The Ji family has done their homework before. Through the letters sent by Old Master Ji, they have a certain understanding of the personnel in Shangshu Xue's mansion. The chief stewards working in the Xue family all have official positions. That's why Ji Hyotani asks this question. The servant indifferently answers, "It's the Second Chief Steward."
The Second Chief Steward, the two brothers of the Ji family secretly groaned. This Second Chief Steward of the Xue family was originally a subordinate of Shangshu Xue when he was leading the army. His surname is Xu Li, and he is 46 years old. It is said that he is a strict person, and is unmoved by force or persuasion.
"We've arrived. The Second Chief Steward is waiting for the three of you inside. This little one will take his leave." The servant leads them to the door of a room and leaves with lanterns.
The three of them tidies up their clothes. Hearing a sound from inside, they walk in one after the other. The room is bright, and there are silver lanterns on both sides. Wearing a cylindrical yellow gauze robe, there is a middle-aged man sitting in the middle of the hall. He has a straight nose and a square mouth. He looks like the kind of person who is not easy to talk to.
"Greetings to Governor Xu." Ji Xiaochun is the first to step forward and greet, "This one is Ji Xiaochun, the second son of the Ji family. This is my younger brother, Xiao Gu, and this is my younger sister's son-in-law, who is also the county magistrate of this city, Ma Tingxian."
Ji Hyotani and County Magistrate Ma come forward and greet, "Governor Xu." Xu Li waited for them to finish greeting before he stood up and nodded. His gaze swept across the three of them and fell on Ji Xiaochun. "You are the father of the fourth daughter of the Ji family?"
Ji Xiaochun hurriedly answers, "Yes, it is this one."
Xu Li asks, "I heard that the fourth daughter of the Ji family returned to her hometown a month ago to visit her sick. Is she still at the residence?"
Ji Xiaochun follows the script he has prepared in advance and answers, "She is still at home, but her mother's health has recovered. She will be sent back to the capital in a few days."
"Miss Ji is very filial. Our laoye loves filial people the most." Xu Li praises her with a hidden meaning, then turns to face Ji Hyotani. "The letter says that a young lady from the Ji family will be sent to our young master as a concubine to pave the way for the fourth daughter of the Ji family to marry. Is this your daughter?"
Ji Hyotani lowers his head and says, "It is my daughter."
Xu Li's eyes flash with ridicule, he says, "Your Ji family is very harmonious. There is no intrigue between the brothers like there is in the capital."
The two brothers understand the meaning behind his words and can only smile. Xu Li suddenly asks, "How old is your daughter this year?"
"Past fifteen." Ji Hyotani is referring to Yu Shu's age.
"She is four years younger than our eldest young master." Xu Li says, "What is her name?"
Ji Hyotani turns his head to look at Ji Xiaochun and hesitantly answers, "Her name is … Yu Shu."
"Yu Shu? Ji Yu Shu? " The two brothers of the Ji family look at each other. The third brother bitterly smiles, "I will not hide it from Governor Xu. My daughter was adopted. Because of her mother's insistence, I did not change her surname. Instead, I followed her birth father's surname, Yu."
After saying that, the three of them held their breath and waited for Xu Li to make things difficult for them. Unexpectedly, Xu Li just frowned and said, "Oh." It was as if it didn't matter whether she was his biological daughter or not.
"Old Xu, who is it?"
A man's voice comes from outside. Ji Hyotani and the other two brothers see Xu Li, who was not smiling at them just a moment ago, turn his head and change his expression. He slightly lowers his forehead and quickly walks past them.
"Eldest Young Master, it is the people of the Ji family. Ji family's second master, third master and county magistrate Ma."
Eldest Young Master? The eldest young master of the Xue family?! Ji Xiaogu and Ji Xiaochun were startled. They quickly turned their heads and saw Xu Li bowing at the door, talking to someone outside. Due to the bright light in the room, the lanterns outside could only illuminate a blurry silhouette. Dressed in a moon-white muslin robe, the silhouette stood at the bottom of the stairs with her hands clasped behind her back, looking into the room. That unseen gaze fell on them, causing the three men, whose ages added up to a hundred years old, to feel inexplicably nervous, especially when they heard a faint snort.
"Hmph."
"Eldest Young Master?"
"I am tired after a few days of traveling. If there is nothing else, send them off. If there is something else, ask them to come back during the day."
"Yes."
After saying this, the figure at the bottom of the stairs turns around and leaves, not even saying goodbye to the people in the room. It is difficult for Ji Xiaochun and Ji Hyotani, who are used to being flattered by people around them, to be humiliated twice in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. However, because of the identity of the person, they do not dare to be angry or say anything.
Xu Li sends the person off and turns back to the room. He says to the three brothers, "It is getting late. Please go back first."
Ji Xiaochun asks, "Is that the person just now the eldest young master of your family?"
Xu Li nods and becomes serious again. He says, "The eldest young master has a bad temper. He did not have a good rest these days. Please forgive him."
Xu Li says these polite words, but his face is not polite at all. Ji Hyotani and the other two brothers will not take it seriously, so they take the opportunity to get out of this embarrassing situation. Ji Xiaochun wants to ask why the eldest young master of the Xue family is here, but Ji Hyotani secretly pulls his back. Seeing Xu Li raises his hand to send them off, Ji Xiaochun swallows his words and says goodbye.
Xu Li sends them to the gate of the courtyard and asks a servant to lead the way. He goes back alone.
The three of them sat in the carriage and left the guesthouse. Only then did they reveal a look of dissatisfaction, "Phew, the Xue Family is really imposing. The rumors outside are not false at all. A mere housekeeper in front of brother-in-law, yet he still puts on airs.
Hearing Ji Xiaochun's words, County Magistrate Ma smiles and does not say anything. As an official, he knows more about human relations. Therefore, he does not think that the Xue family is too much. On the contrary, he thinks that it is normal. It will be strange if the Xue family is really amiable.
Ji Hyotani thinks about another thing. He looks strange and still a little surprised, "Why does the eldest young master of the Xue family come with us?"
This time, the Xue family comes to discuss the marriage. It is said that they also bring a physiognomist and a fortune teller. It is reasonable for a chief steward to come, but it is strange that Master Xue comes in person.
"Does he come to see Xingxuan on purpose?" Ji Hyotani says suspiciously, "Just now, Governor Xu also asked if Xingxuan is at home."
"Xingxuan said that she has not seen the eldest young master of the Xue family. Since she has not seen him in the capital, why does he come here to see him?" Ji Xiaochun shakes his head and says worriedly, "I think that Master Xue seems to be dissatisfied with this marriage. Could it be that they have seen …"
"Ahem," Ji Hyotani coughs and interrupts his second brother's words. He glances at County Magistrate Ma and says with a bitter smile, "The Xue family wants to marry Xingxuan. We forced a woman to be his concubine. Moreover, she is a lowly woman. No one will be happy if it is her."
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