Cheng Yujin took a step back and made way for the person to pass. The person who came was not polite at all, and walked right past Cheng Yujin's eyes.
He was tall and straight, even taller than Huo Changyuan. This person had sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, a straight nose, and sharp edges. His appearance was quite outstanding. There was no expression on his face, but when he passed by Cheng Yujin, Huo Changyuan involuntarily took a step back and made way for this person.
That kind of natural aura, as if he was born to be worshipped, was really not like an ordinary person.
Cheng Yujin knew that there was a very special person in the Cheng Family. However, he had not been in the Marquis Household for many years. Two years ago, he seemed to have been an official. Cheng Yujin's memory of him was very faint.
That year, this matter was very big. Old Lady Cheng almost fell out with Old Marquis. At that time, Cheng Yujin could not remember. She was just a one-year-old baby. Marquis Cheng suddenly brought back a six-year-old child from outside, saying that he was the child of Madam Xue and himself. The family's bloodline was always wandering outside, so Marquis Cheng brought him back and let him acknowledge his ancestors.
Old Lady Cheng suddenly exploded. She worked hard at home to manage the family business, but Marquis Cheng was fooling around outside. He was still with his old lover and even gave her a six-year-old illegitimate child.
You want to enter the Cheng Family? Dream on!
However, this time, Marquis Cheng was determined. He insisted on opening the ancestral hall, recorded the child in the family tree, named him Cheng Yuanz, and ranked him as the ninth in the family.
In other words, in terms of seniority, Cheng Yuanz was her Ninth Uncle.
Cheng Yujin had an impression of what happened later. Old Lady Cheng made a big fuss and said that if Marquis Cheng wanted to raise Xiao Xue and the illegitimate child, she would take her children back to her parents' home. Since Old Lady Cheng's granddaughter was already capable of leaving, it was naturally impossible for them to divorce. However, Old Lady Cheng was the mistress of the family after all. She had given birth to two sons and a daughter for the Marquis Household. Marquis Cheng couldn't control his old wife, so he could only set up another residence and raise Xiao Xue and Cheng Yuanz outside.
Even if you could tie a man's lower body, you couldn't tie his heart. Old Madam Cheng couldn't stop it. Since Madam Xue Jr. and Cheng Yuanz wouldn't affect her status, she turned a blind eye. Because of Old Lady Cheng, no one in the Cheng Family dared to mention Ninth Young Master. Cheng Yujin could only learn from the bits and pieces of information that Qingfu Junzhu had leaked out. That mistress seemed to be very intelligent. At the age of sixteen, she had become a Jinshi. However, no one had bribed her, so his official career could not be considered good.
Jinshi were supposed to enter the Hanlin Academy. Although his official Weibo wasn't very high, he was directly under Yang Shoufu, so he had to go through the Cabinet in the future. However, Cheng Yuanz wasn't so lucky. He was first given a mid-level official position, but not long after, he was transferred to another city.
He never came back until today, when Cheng Yujin suddenly saw her Ninth Uncle, Cheng Yuanz, in the inner courtyard of her house.
Cheng Yuanz walked past Cheng Yujin without looking at her. Cheng Yujin didn't care, because he also ignored Huo Changyuan.
Huo Zhangyuan was also bewildered at this time. He was a person who had been trained in the army and had eaten a bowl of rice. That man was standing in the corridor with so many retainers, yet he didn't notice him at all!
This had a great impact on Huo Zhangyuan. Fear rose in his heart and he didn't have the heart to pay attention to Cheng Yujin. Seeing Cheng Yujin leave from the corner of his eye, he didn't pursue the matter.
He couldn't hit a woman, after all. Cheng Yujin's slap was compensation for the damage to her reputation.
Cheng Yujin walked through the corridor and stepped over the threshold. When the person behind her couldn't see, she asked, "That man just now was Ninth Uncle?"
"Based on the way the servant addressed him, it should be him."
Cheng Yujin frowned and muttered, "Grandmother hates Xiao Xue the most. He hasn't been heard from for four or five years. Why did he suddenly come back today?"
How would the Dugeaux and Lian Qiao know about what happened outside? Cheng Yujin walked through a moon door and said to herself, "It's only been three years, and he's already reached the fourth rank. That's too fast."
The Dugeaux and Lian Qiao didn't understand the affairs of the imperial court, so they were puzzled. "Miss, it's only one meeting. How do you know that the Ninth Masters is the fourth rank?"
"Dukes, Marquises, and Prince Consort rank up to the fourth rank wear scarlet clothes. The fourth rank isn't low. There are only a few third rank officials in the imperial court." Cheng Yujin stopped in her tracks. "Not good."
They happened to stop under a red plum tree. The snow was white, and the red plum blossoms were red. Cheng Yujin was wearing a red cloak, which made her appearance seem even more picturesque and her face bright and clear.
"His birth mother is Xiao Xue. Huo Changyuan's mother's surname is also Xue." It was impossible to determine Xiao Xue's and the Huxue Clan's identities based on their surnames alone. After all, their experiences were as different as clouds and mud. However, Cheng Yujin had experienced her past life in her dream. She happened to know that these two were really distant sisters!
Cheng Yujin suddenly turned around and walked back. Lian Qiao and the Dugeaux looked at each other and hurriedly chased after her.
At this moment, Cheng Yuanz stepped into the most luxurious room in the Marquis of Yichun and took off her cloak. The servant took it and placed it on the smoker to carefully dry the snow on it.
Old Marquis Cheng struggled to get up from his sickbed and took two hurried steps towards the door, almost falling. Cheng Yuanz quickly supported Marquis Cheng. Before Marquis Cheng could say anything, her eyes were already wet.
Cheng Yuanz only raised her hand and the servant left in a single file. When there was no one else in the room, Marquis Cheng stood up shakily. She bent her knees and was about to bow to Cheng Yuanz: "Your Highness the Crown Prince, you have returned!"
Cheng Yuanz supported Marquis Cheng's arm. Marquis Cheng wanted to kneel several times, but he was stopped by him: "Marquis, please rise."
Marquis Cheng barely stopped his tears. He refused to sit down and said: "How can this old official sit across from Your Highness? This is against the rules."
"Marquis must be joking. What rules?" Cheng Yuanz smiled, but her eyes were indifferent: "Marquis, my surname is now Cheng. Don't call me that in the future."
Marquis Cheng hurriedly agreed. He didn't dare to disobey Cheng Yuanz's wishes and slowly sat across from Cheng Yuanz. Although he was sitting, half of his body was weak.
"This old official has been careless and will call you Nino for the time being."
Cheng Yuanz gestured: "Marquis, please do as you wish."
"Nino, you are doing well in the outside world. Why did you suddenly come back?"
"I heard that you were seriously ill. As a junior, how can I be at ease? Besides, I can't always hide outside, so I simply transferred back to the capital and carefully take care of Marquis's recovery. In the future, I will also stay in the capital. "
Marquis Cheng was happy and sighed. Although Cheng Yuanz was the imperial grandson, he had been raised under his name for many years. How could he not have feelings for him?
Last winter, Marquis Cheng fell seriously ill. Since then, his health was not as good as before. Recently, Marquis Cheng often felt that the end of his life was near. He thought back to his life. He was born in the wealthy Marquis Family and lived a good life when he was young. Although he had lost his lover, he was fortunate enough to be reunited with her at the age of thirty. In his old age, he carried the hopes of the entire country on his shoulders. Marquis Cheng really didn't have anything to be unhappy about. The only thing he missed was the Crown Prince, who had concealed his identity and was alone outside.
Thus, Marquis Cheng was very moved to see Cheng Yuanz return today. He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and held Cheng Yuanz's hand: "It's good that you are back. Stay well in the capital. When His Majesty sees you, he will be at ease. "
Cheng Yuanz paused for a long time before asking: "His Majesty … has he been well recently?"
"His Majesty has been well. But in the end, you were not in front of him. He finally managed to see you at the court examination, but in the blink of an eye, you went to another place to take up a post. His Majesty is worried about you. Two years ago, at the celebration banquet at the border, he saw a man about your age and couldn't help but choke up. "
Speaking of the Emperor, Cheng Yuanz fell into a long silence. Marquis Cheng sighed and said slowly: "Jiu, I know that you have suffered a lot since you were young. You are clearly a noble, but you have to bear the reputation of being an illegitimate child. But His Majesty has also suffered. Now, Empress Dowager Yang is alive and well, Yang Fucheng controls the court, and Empress Yang watches over the harem every day. It's not that His Majesty doesn't want to bring you back, but he can't. "
"I know." Cheng Yuanz looked away and smiled calmly and indifferently. "Of course I know that His Majesty has not been well. As a subject, I should share his burdens."
When Marquis Cheng saw this scene, he felt an indescribable pain in his heart. He wanted to persuade him again, but when he saw Cheng Yuanz's expression, he inexplicably stopped talking. Cheng Yuanz's face did not have a gloomy or angry expression. In the three years that he was away, he had become more and more reserved. His emotions did not show on his face, but this increased his prestige.
He was decisive and unfathomable.
Marquis Cheng thought that Cheng Yuanz was becoming more and more dignified. If he really was a descendant of the Cheng Family, Marquis Cheng would be at ease even if he died now. Unfortunately, the Cheng Family did not have this blessing. His surname was not Cheng, and his name was not Cheng Yuanz.
He was Li Chengz. The crown prince who had been missing for fourteen years.
Marquis Cheng had been in the court for many years, and his ability to observe people's expressions was still there. He saw that Cheng Yuanz did not want to talk about the Emperor, so he gradually changed the topic. Marquis Cheng said, "Jiu, you've been away for three years. You haven't even been able to come back during the holidays. Since you've just returned to the capital, the transfer order from the Ministry of Personnel has not been issued yet. You should rest at home for a few more days. You might not have met them yet, but the juniors of the Cheng Family have all grown up. "
Cheng Yuanz unexpectedly thought of the scene he had seen in the corridor just now.
He thought that he might have already met them.
Cheng Yuanz was slightly curious. Since he had nothing to do today, he asked a few more questions. "I saw that there was a guest today. Who was it?"
"A guest?" Marquis Cheng was puzzled. He was seriously ill and recuperating, so naturally, news of a guest would not reach him. Cheng Yuanz saw this and said, "It was a young man. He was not old and was in the military."
When Cheng Yuanz said this, Marquis Cheng immediately understood. Who else could a young man in the military appear in the backyard of the Cheng Family? He smiled and said, "That's Marquis Jingyong's son from the Huo family. His name is Zhang Yuan. He was engaged to your eldest niece last year."
"Oh?" Cheng Yuanz became even more interested. His eyes flashed with a hint of a smile. He paused for a while before slowly saying, "But they're engaged and their relationship doesn't seem to be very good."
"What?" Marquis Cheng was very surprised and confused. Ever since he found Xiao Xue, he had wholeheartedly devoted himself to Xiao Xue. Later, when he learned of Cheng Yuanz's identity, he wholeheartedly planned for Cheng Yuanz. Marquis Cheng rarely, or rather never, paid attention to his grandchildren in the inner courtyard.
However, he knew that the eldest daughter of his second son's family had been adopted by his eldest daughter-in-law. She had been obedient, sensible, and filial for many years. Although he didn't have much affection for Cheng Yujin, as an elder, of course he hoped for the best for his granddaughter. When Cheng Yujin and Huo Changyuan were engaged, he had been happy for her for a while.
But only two months had passed. Could it be that something had happened?
Marquis Cheng didn't care about family matters and was very confident in this regard, saying, "Your eldest niece is the most obedient. I'm afraid that the Huo family's son was wrong and wronged her."
Cheng Yujin was wronged? It didn't seem like it.
Marquis Cheng didn't pay attention to Cheng Yuanz's expression and continued to nag, "Call Eldest Brother in and ask him some other day. He's already so old, so let's see what kind of father he is. By the way, Jiu Jiu, Huo Changyuan and you also have a relationship. "
Cheng Yuanz was really surprised and raised his brow, "Oh?"
"Huo Changyuan's mother's surname is also Xue. She and Xuelan are distant sisters."
Cheng Yuanz really didn't know this. Marquis Cheng explained, "At that time, Xuelan's family was implicated and exiled. The Huxue Clan's maternal family was far away and the crime wasn't serious, so they let her go."
Xuelan was Xiao Xue's maiden name. When Cheng Yuanz was brought to the capital, Xiao Xue was the one who raised him. In a sense, Xiao Xue was his adoptive mother.
Cheng Yuanz nodded. It seemed that he needed to thoroughly investigate the background of each residence after moving to the capital.
Marquis Cheng and Cheng Yuanz were talking when the servants outside walked in with heavier footsteps from afar. Marquis Cheng and Cheng Yuanz naturally stopped talking.
The guard cupped his fists outside the door, "Marquis, Ninth Masters, Eldest Miss is here to pay her respects."
Pay her respects? Cheng Yuanz shook his head and laughed. He felt that this cheap niece of his was more and more interesting. She was actually so worried about him that she came chasing after him after such a short time.
Marquis Cheng frowned when he heard this. He usually didn't need the younger generation to pay their respects. He only saw his son and grandchildren on the first and fifteenth day of the New Year. He only saw his granddaughter a few times a year. Why did Cheng Yujin suddenly remember to pay her respects to him?
Marquis Cheng looked at Cheng Yuanz questioningly. Cheng Yuanz smiled and nodded, "Invite Eldest Miss in."
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