Hua Zhiming was indeed kept in the dark by the Yao Clan. He originally thought it was strange. After his niece married into the wang fu, she was in harmony with Jin Wang and nothing major happened. Why would they send a letter when it was almost dark?
When he finished reading the letter, he was angry and anxious. In the end, it all turned into a sigh. At the end of the letter, it mentioned that Assistant Minister Zhou did not manage the family well and let his son favor the concubine and neglect the wife. He was afraid that he would be demoted and investigated. The chief examiner for the autumn exam after spring would be changed.
Next year, Qing Mao would be in the exam together with his eldest brother's son. It was good that the examiner was changed. At least people would not say behind his back that Qing Mao's results were untimely. In the beginning, he should not have agreed to the Yao Clan marrying his daughter to the son of the Zhou Family. Otherwise, his daughter would not have suffered so much.
"Come, show this letter to Qing Mao. Ask him if he is willing to bring his sister back tomorrow." After Hua Zhiming gave the letter to a servant he trusted, he sat quietly in the room and looked at the darkening sky outside the window. He waved away the servant who was about to come in to light the lamp. He thought of the Yao Clan, his daughter, and his son who had high hopes. In the darkness, he sighed heavily.
"Prepare the carriage."
When the Yao Clan heard their husband leave, they asked the steward in surprise, "Why is Lao Ye leaving at this time? Did he say where he was going?"
"Madame, Lao Ye said before he left that he was going to the marquis fu to find the marquis." The steward did not say that Lao Ye's expression was ugly when he left and did not dare to mention it.
"It is so late and he is still going to the marquis fu." The Yao Clan frowned and said, "It will be curfew soon. Is Lao Ye going to rest in the marquis fu tonight?"
The steward lowered his head and said, "Lao Ye did not say."
"Forget it." The Yao Clan knew that Lao Ye would not say so much to a steward and did not ask more. Just as they were about to have the steward leave, a servant came to report that the young master had come.
The Yao Clan always loved their son and could not bear to let their son wait outside. They hurriedly had someone invite their son in. Seeing his expression was not good, they asked worriedly, "Son, your expression is so ugly. Is something the matter?"
"Mother, it's not me. It's Elder Sister." Hua Qing Mao was only a year and a half younger than his older sister, Hua Yiliu. The relationship between the siblings was deep. So when he read the letter that his younger cousin had someone deliver, he was so angry he smashed the cup in his hand. If it wasn't for the manservant beside him stopping him, he would have gone to Assistant Minister Zhou's fu to take his older sister back to the fu.
"Your sister …" The smile on Yao Clan's face froze. Then, he pursed his lips and said, "What happened to your sister was an accident. Don't worry too much about it. You're going to participate in the imperial examinations next spring. How can your man be in charge of the affairs of the harem?" When the Yao Clan thought that Hua Ding Wei from the Hou Fu would also be taking the exam, they felt very uncomfortable. Their son would definitely not lose to anyone!
"Mother, you're still hiding it from me. Elder Sister was angered by Brother-in-law's family and miscarried. Aren't you angry?" Hua Qing Mao didn't dare to believe that his mother would say that his sister's miscarriage was a small matter. He looked in disbelief at the Yao Clan. "She is your daughter, my sister."
"Of course I know she is your sister." The Yao Clan waved for the servants in the room to leave. He lowered his voice and said, "But Assistant Minister Zhou is the assistant examiner for the imperial examinations next year …"
"I don't care who he is." Hua Qing Mao interrupted the Yao Clan's words and said angrily, "I only know that my sister has been mistreated by this family."
"Child, how can you be so muddle-headed?" The Yao Clan saw that their son seemed to really want to go to Assistant Minister Zhou's fu to make trouble and said urgently, "You can deal with your sister's matter in the future. When you become successful, who will dare to bully her?"
"I fear that before I can become successful, Elder Sister will be ruined by this family." Hua Qing Mao lowered his head, his tone cold. "Also, if Elder Sister's matter is made known, Assistant Minister Zhou will not be able to become the assistant examiner next year."
"What do you want to do?" The Yao Clan stood and said harshly, "Qing Mao, don't be muddle-headed."
"Mother, I am very clear-headed." Hua Qing Mao raised his head to look at the Yao Clan. "If I become successful by stepping on the shoulders of my family, then I will never become successful in this life because my spine will not be straight."
The Yao Clan looked at their son striding away and was in a daze. A moment later, they remembered the most important thing. Who had told Qing Mao this? If no one had spoken, Qing Mao would not have known this.
"Who came to the fu today to see Laoye or Young Master?" The Yao Clan found a confidant and started to ask.
"No, but …"
But Xian Wang Fu had someone send a letter to Laoye.
"It's Hua Xi Wan again." Yao shi fiercely spat out, "That whore's daughter has repeatedly ruined my plans. She really is detestable."
The confidant did not dare to speak and looked down at his feet.
The Zhou Fu was especially busy today. There were many carriages parked at the gates. The son of Assistant Minister Hua had come with several carriages full of goods, saying that he wanted to return the betrothal gifts of the Zhou Family and ask for a peaceful separation.
It might be that the Zhou Family thought they were in the wrong or for some other reason, but they did not open the door. The people around them marveled.
Fortunately, while Hua Qing Mao was only seventeen, he was not an impulsive person. When the Zhou Fu did not open the door, he did not make a fuss. He bowed to the door of the Zhou Fu and said, "Zhou Official, the son of your fu favors the concubine and neglects the wife. The concubine treated my elder sister harshly and caused my elder sister to have a miscarriage. The Zhou Family will not pursue the matter due to our past relationship. Today, this student will return twice the betrothal gifts of the Zhou Family. I only ask that the Zhou Family will spare my elder sister's life and allow my elder sister to live peacefully with the son of your fu."
When the crowd heard this, they all inhaled sharply. So it was favoring the concubine and neglecting the wife. He had even caused the loss of a child. This was too much.
Wasn't Assistant Minister Zhou a scholar? How did he raise a son who did not even care about etiquette and honor?
If Hua Zhiming had done this, other people would feel that the Hua Family was overbearing. But if Hua Qing Mao had done it, other people would think that the young man cared for his elder sister. They would feel that the Zhou Family had bullied and mistreated other people's daughters but did not dare to show their faces. This was too much.
The Zhou Family had not expected that Hua Qing Mao would speak of this scandal in front of so many people. They could not pretend that no one was home. Assistant Minister Zhou's nephew came out and wanted to welcome Hua Qing Mao into the fu but was refused by Hua Qing Mao.
"It is not good to trouble your fu. Please, have my elder sister come out and come with me to the Ministry of Revenue to cancel the original betrothal. Then, we will not owe each other anything."
The Zhou Family's nephew saw Hua Qing Mao's attitude and marveled inside. Hua Qing Mao's attitude was that he wanted to burn all bridges with the Zhou Family? Otherwise, why would he pull the betrothal gifts over and return them in double?
Now, he was not even willing to enter the door and let other people hear these words. Wasn't this slapping the Zhou Family in the face?
"Master Hua, you are …" The Zhou Family's nephew smiled and said, "If there is a matter, let's go into the fu and talk. What matter cannot be resolved? If everyone knows, it is not just us who will lose face, it is also not good for you."
"The person who did the deed is not afraid of losing face, but I, the victim, have to feel shame?" Hua Qing Mao avoided the Zhou Family's nephew's hand that was reaching for him. "Please, send my elder sister out."
Seeing the situation, the Zhou Family's nephew knew that the Hua Family was determined to burn bridges with the Zhou Family. He was slightly unhappy inside. If the Nghi An Marquis came to make a fuss, he most likely would have to lower his head. But he did not feel that he could not offend this Assistant Minister Hua's line.
"Oh, it's so lively here." Just as the Zhou Family's nephew was about to make a fuss, he heard a sharp male voice from nearby. He raised his head and saw a carriage with the insignia of Xian Wang Fu slowly coming over. There was a fire phoenix pattern on the carriage, and it seemed to be the carriage of a qinwang fei.
When he saw the person who spoke, the Zhou Family's nephew broke out in a cold sweat. Wasn't this the chief taijian steward of Xian Wang Fu, Mutong? Then the one sitting in the carriage could be the rumored Xian Wang Fei that was deeply loved by Xian Wang?
Thinking that Xian Wang Fei and his cousin-in-law were of the same lineage, the Zhou Family's nephew knew it was not good. Now the Zhou Family had no choice but to divorce. They would probably have to carefully apologize to Assistant Minister Hua's family in the future. If they did not do so, there would be great trouble.
"This one greets Xian Wang Fei. Wang Fei niangniang has good fortune, longevity and good health." The Zhou Family's nephew did not dare delay and quickly came forward to bow. The surrounding people saw the situation and retreated several steps in fear of offending the noble. Watching was a hobby, but if they caused trouble because of this, it would not be a good thing.
"No need to be so courteous, please rise." A soft and melodious female voice came from the carriage. Even though the appearance could not be clearly seen, everyone who heard the voice felt that the person inside the carriage was a great beauty.
"I heard that my cousin-in-law wants to divorce your young master, so I came to see today. Did I disturb you two?"
"Cousin-In-Law is too serious. If my sister knew that you cared for her so much, she would cry tears of joy." Hua Qing Mao was overjoyed. He had been worried that the Zhou Family would play tricks, but now that Xian Wang Fei had appeared, their family would have other considerations.
"Since it's like this, please continue. I am a woman and do not understand important matters. I will just listen from the side." The voice in the carriage was still warm and beautiful as though she was really just passing by to see.
The Zhou Family's nephew broke out in a cold sweat. He turned and gave a look to the manservant behind him, telling them to immediately go in and inform Eldest Uncle and Eldest Aunt. This wang fei had arrived. If the Zhou Family did not come out to greet her, then it would not be good. At that time, not only would their Zhou Family favor the concubine and neglect the wife, they would also be accused of looking down on the Imperial Family.
"It is very windy outside. Why don't we invite Wang Fei into the fu to rest for a while?"
There was no movement from the carriage. Even the servants in the surroundings did not make a sound. It was as though what the Zhou Family's nephew had just said was an illusion. No one had heard it.
The Zhou Family's nephew smiled awkwardly and did not dare to speak. He did not have any scholarly achievements, no title, and did not have the right to receive a wang fei.
Looking at the motionless carriage, he sighed inside. That cousin-in-law of his really knew how to find trouble. This time, he had offended the Fahrenheit Clan. Whether or not their Zhou Family could overcome this obstacle would depend on whether cousin-in-law was willing to plead for mercy for the Zhou Family.
However, cousin-in-law would not forget the pain of losing a son even if she had a gentle personality after cousin-in-law had done such a thing.
Ah, it would probably affect the future marriages of the other sons of the Zhou Family.
When the furen of the Zhou Family heard that Assistant Minister Hua's son had come, she did not pay attention. When she heard a servant report that Xian Wang Fei's carriage had stopped outside the gates, her expression instantly changed. She hurriedly stood and walked towards the door. After walking a few steps, she said, "Properly invite your mistress to the guest hall. Remember to dress well before meeting the guests."
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