Hua Yiliu's withered figure leaned against the head of the bed. The room was cold and cheerless as though she was the only person in the assistant minister fu. It was terrifyingly silent. Her nannies and personal servant girls had been sent away by her good mother-in-law long ago. She didn't leave any face for her.
Looking at the slightly dark sky outside the window, it looked like it was going to rain again. But what did the weather have to do with her? She was a person who couldn't go out, couldn't be blown by the wind, and couldn't return to her paternal home.
Paternal home? When Hua Yiliu thought of her paternal family, she felt a wave of hatred. If her mother hadn't wanted her father-in-law to help her younger brother in the imperial examinations, why would she have married such an absurd person and ended up like this?
A flurry of footsteps came from outside the door. Hua Yiliu looked in realization at the servant girls who pushed open the door and came in. These servant girls were holding jewelry boxes and brightly colored clothing in their hands. Their expressions were respectful and panicked.
These people weren't the servant girls of her mother-in-law. What had happened to make them so frightened?
"Young mistress, Mistress told us to help you change clothes to meet guests." The servant girl at the front curtsied towards Hua Yiliu and motioned for the people behind her to help Hua Yiliu change clothes.
Hua Yiliu's mind moved slightly. Was someone here to support her? Was it her father or her younger brother?
Or was it … Hua Xi Wan?
She knew that a person who could make the Zhou Family so cautious and nervous had to be of great status. Her father had a good reputation in court, but it wasn't enough to make the Zhou Family so wary.
But now, how many people were willing to support her? Although her maternal grandfather's family had received a noble title a few days ago, it was only because the Emperor wanted to shut the mouths of the people in the world. In reality, her maternal grandfather's family only had an empty title.
Then the only ones left were Eldest Uncle's family or Hua Xi Wan, the wang fei.
Hua Yiliu did not resist. On the surface, she respectfully allowed the servant girls to dress her, but inside, she was anxious. She wanted to leave this wolf's den immediately and never come back.
At this time, the Zhou Family opened the main door. All the important people in the fu came out to welcome the wang fei. When everyone in the fu was kneeling in front of Hua Xi Wan's carriage, Hua Xi Wan finally spoke, "Assistant Minister Zhou is a learned person. There is no need to be so courteous. Wood-main Pipe, help Assistant Minister Zhou rise..."
The words "learned person" slapped Assistant Minister Zhou's face. He usually didn't care about the inner compound. while he knew that Yun Heng's actions were absurd, he hadn't expected his son to do such a daring thing.......... Now that things had escalated to this point, how could it be considered marriage? It was simply enmity.
Not to mention how powerful the Hua Family was, and the noble families that were related to the Hua Family by marriage, this beautiful wang fei that the entire Dazhao court knew was someone that the Zhou Family could not afford to offend.
Everyone knew that Xian Wang loved this wang fei very much. Offending her was offending Wang Ye. How could the Zhou Family afford to offend a noble family?
Thinking about this, Assistant Minister Zhou glared hatefully at Zhou Furen beside him. This ignorant and stupid woman. She had allowed Yun Heng to do such a terrible thing. If the Zhou Family did not resolve this matter properly, their hundred years of work would be ruined by this evil creature's hands.
"Official Zhou, please rise." Mutong smiled as he walked in front of Assistant Minister Zhou and reached out to help him up. Assistant Minister Zhou didn't dare to let Mutong help him up. He thanked him and stood up. Because he stood up too quickly, he stumbled a few steps.
The nephew of the Zhou Family behind him saw the situation and hurriedly reached out to steady him. "Eldest Uncle, watch your step."
Mutong glanced at this nephew of the Zhou Family. He bowed to Assistant Minister Zhou and then walked back to stand next to the carriage.
"This official did not teach his son well, and was not strict in managing the household. This official is ashamed. I do not have the face to accept such praise from a learned person. The unfilial son is daring in his conduct. If you want to punish him, it is up to you. Please, for this old man's sake, spare the unfilial son's life, "Assistant Minister Zhou said and then bowed to Hua Qing Mao, who was a junior.
Hua Qing Mao was not willing to accept this bow. He had come this time to settle the debt of the Zhou Family's mistreatment of his jiejie. He would not easily forgive Zhou Yun Heng. So when Assistant Minister Zhou bowed to him, he moved his body and then bowed deeply. "This junior does not dare to accept such a great bow. My Hua Family is a poor and small family. We only seek justice."
Assistant Minister Zhou grimaced. He knew that the Hua Family was not willing to give up. In Jing, if the Hua Family could only be considered a poor and small family, then there were not many prestigious families in Jing.
"No matter what, this old man will first apologize to the in-laws. The wind is strong outside. Wang Fei, Master Hua, please come to the fu for a chat."
Hua Qing Mao did not speak or move. He was waiting for Hua Xi Wan's response.
"Since that is the case, we can only trouble your fu. Even if we are discussing the matter of separation, there is no reason to discuss it at the gates."
The voice from the carriage was soft and gentle from beginning to end, but the words that came out did not retreat at all.
At this time, Hua Changbao also arrived in a carriage. Hua Changbao was the heir of the Nghi An Marquis, and the future Nghi An Marquis. His appearance represented the position of the entire Hua Family.
Seeing the situation, Assistant Minister Zhou sighed inside. After today's matter, his Zhou Family didn't just lose face, they most likely also lost the reputation they had built for almost a hundred years.
After offending the Hua Family, the Zhou Family would not be able to move in Jing in the future.
"Greetings, Wang Fei." Hua Changbao was Hua Xi Wan's eldest brother, but their statuses were different now. After he got off the carriage, he bowed to Hua Xi Wan.
Seeing the situation, Mutong hurriedly went forward to support Hua Changbao. Who in Jing did not know that the three children of the Nghi An Marquis were close. If he really watched as Hua Changbao, the eldest brother, bowed to Wang Fei, Wang Fei would not be happy.
"Brother, what are you doing? You and I are siblings, how can you be so polite?" Wang Fei, who had not appeared, finally reached out a hand from the carriage. The servants on the side hurriedly put down the footstool, led the horse, and helped her up.
When Xian Wang Fei got off the carriage with the help of a green-robed servant girl, everyone sighed inside. Such beautiful hands, such a graceful figure. It was a pity that she was wearing a gauze hat and could not see the beauty's face.
"Wang Fei, Young Masters, please come in." Assistant Minister Zhou's family did not dare to look. They all bowed their heads to welcome Hua Xi Wan into the fu.
The group filed in. When they reached the main hall, Hua Xi Wan saw a young man with greasy hair and a powdered face kneeling on the ground. His brocade robes were disheveled, and there were even some places that were bleeding. It looked like he had just been beaten.
Hua Xi Wan looked at Assistant Minister Zhou beside her. This man was willing to be vicious and beat Zhou Yun Heng to such a state. She didn't know if he was truly angry at his son's actions or if he was just putting on an act for them.
After the people who had nothing to do left, there were only the three members of the Hua family, Assistant Minister Zhou, Zhou furen, and Zhou Yun Heng kneeling on the ground in the hall. Hua Xi Wan was helped by Bai Xia and Red Tassel to take off her gauze hat. Under Assistant Minister Zhou's warm invitation, she sat on the guest seat. Hua Changbao and Hua Qing Mao sat down in order below her.
"Official Zhou, what are you doing?" Hua Xi Wan glanced sardonically at Zhou Yun Heng kneeling on the ground. "I heard that your fu has a concubine that Young Master Zhou likes. I wonder if I have the face to see this beauty." When she said this, her tone turned cold. "At least let our Hua family see what kind of person caused our Hua family's daughter to have a miscarriage and even sent her servants to another estate. I don't know what great crime my Hua family's daughter has committed to be treated like this by your Zhou Family. If your Zhou Family can't give a reason, why don't you go to the yamen and ask? The Jing Governor is a good man and will definitely find the truth. He will not let your Zhou Family be wronged. "
Seeing Xian Wang Fei's sudden attack, Assistant Minister Zhou's forehead was covered in sweat. Zhou furen was so frightened her fingers trembled. Her heart ached for her son's suffering, but she was also afraid that offending Wang Fei would not be beneficial to her son's future. She couldn't think of any other solution at the moment. She knelt down next to Zhou Yun Heng. "Wang Fei, this subject's wife was not strict enough in managing the household and caused my daughter-in-law to be wronged. Please, Wang Fei, for the sake of my son and daughter-in-law being husband and wife, forgive him this time."
"Lady Zhou, what are you doing? Could it be that you think this princess is forcing you to do something?" Hua Xi Wan's white and slender fingers picked up the lid of the teacup and then put it down heavily. "If that's the case, then this wang fei should not speak to avoid causing misunderstandings." After she finished speaking, she turned to say to Hua Qing Mao, "Tang Ge, why don't we let the Jing Governor investigate this matter? Tang Jie had a miscarriage for no reason, and her servants either mysteriously disappeared or were sent to another estate. It is more appropriate for the yamen to investigate this matter that concerns a person's life.
"Wang Fei, you misunderstand. This subject and my wife do not have such intentions." Assistant Minister Zhou saw Xian Wang Fei was angry and hurried forward to say, "This subject will have someone bring that concubine over."
Hua Xi Wan held the teacup and did not speak. Hua Changbao smiled faintly as he rubbed the rim of the teacup. His gaze lingered on the furnishings in the Zhou Family's guest hall as though these things were rare in the world and worthy of him, the shizi of a marquis fu, to examine.
Zhou Yun Heng, who was kneeling on the ground, heard that his favorite concubine was going to be brought out by his father and instantly became excited. He could not maintain a repentant posture and raised his head to make a fuss. When his gaze landed on Hua Xi Wan in the guest seat, the anger in his stomach instantly disappeared. He wanted to stick his eyes to this Jin Wang Fei.
His eyes were too presumptuous. Soon, a blue-robed eunuch stopped in front of him and said with a fake smile, "I see that Young Master Zhou's eyes don't seem to be very good. Do you need a eunuch to take a look?"
Zhou Yun Heng finally reacted. The one sitting in the guest seat was Xian Wang Fei. She was not someone he could covet. Thinking of this, he felt some regret. It was such a pity that he did not have the chance to look at such a beauty more.
Hua Changbao, who was sitting at the side, had a dark expression. He said coldly, "It seems that your young master has not received enough education. Assistant Minister Zhou, you should educate him a few more times. Otherwise, it would not be good if he offends noble people in the future."
Assistant Minister Zhou knew his son's problem. Seeing him act so rashly, he was so angry that he went forward and kicked Zhou Yun Heng. "This official will definitely educate this good-for-nothing evil creature."
Hua Changbao glanced at Zhou Yun Heng and elegantly blew at the steam on the surface of the tea. He became the silent shizi of the marquis fu again.
A short while later, Zhou Yun Heng's favorite concubine was sent in. She was wearing tattered hemp clothing, and her hair was tied up with a blue headband. There were bruises on her face, and she did not look like a favored concubine at all.
Hua Xi Wan saw the situation and smiled. This Assistant Minister Zhou's fu was really interesting. She didn't know who they were playing these tricks for at this time.
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