The Wei family's carriage clattered along, leaving behind the crowd of people who had come to see this rare sight.
Based on the Fourth Miss's behavior on her way to the capital, the common people dared not discuss it much in front of her.
I witnessed her chop a table and she still remembered to pay back more than ten times the amount in silver. She was much more reasonable than the unreasonable nobles in the capital.
"That's Miss Wei the Fourth? She's truly as beautiful as a fairy!"
"Who can disagree? She looks absolutely stunning in white; even I, a woman, am captivated by her..."
"Look at them, they've been gathered here for so long, holding back their anger to scold the Fourth Miss until she finally comes to her senses. I thought they hated her so much, but now that she's gone, it seems they're quite reluctant to let her go?"
"..."
The self-proclaimed literati who upheld the principles of Yin and Yang lost face and became enraged: "How can we men argue with women?"
"Oh dear, I'm blushing. I can't argue with that, so I'm starting to talk about other things."
"That's right, that's right!"
Scholars establish themselves by upholding justice, and the common people are not afraid of them.
This is the capital city.
The bustling, free, contradictory, and noisy capital of the emperor.
"It must have been quite lively."
Wei Pingxi didn't keep what had just happened in mind at all. He lifted the curtain to look at the scenery outside and said, "His Majesty is a good emperor. The Great Yan Dynasty is thriving and the people are prosperous. I'll take you out to play when I have the chance."
"Isn't this your first time here too?"
We're all newcomers, so there's no question of who's showing up to whom.
Yuzhi held the hand warmer and looked at the scenery on both sides of the long street with her.
"I came here when I was a child, and this is my first time here since I grew up, but that doesn't matter, I have pictures." She unfurled a leather scroll, which was covered with detailed descriptions of fun places in the capital.
She came prepared, unlike Yu Zhi. The two of them peeked out at a map and discussed where to go first when they had free time.
The little incident at the city gate quickly reached the Grand Tutor's mansion. Upon learning that her daughter and grandson had arrived safely, Old Madam Yan laughed and said, "I told you our Xi Xi is capable, didn't I?"
"Yes, yes, Grandmother is right."
Her children and grandchildren coaxed her, and Yan Ruqing and Yan Ruyu supported her arm. It was chilly outside, but the whole family stood guard at the door, undeterred by the cold.
The Wei family's carriage turned into this long street, its flags fluttering in the wind.
"They're here!" a servant shouted.
Grand Tutor Yan leaned forward and squinted at him.
"We're almost at your maternal grandparents' house. Don't be nervous. Just follow me and call out to them. They've been kind to me and won't make things difficult for you."
Yu Zhi nodded vigorously; it would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous.
However, thinking of the dozen or so mahogany boxes that the Yan family had sent earlier, she felt somewhat relieved.
A family that remembers to send such a grand gift to show respect before their grandson takes a concubine must not be difficult to get along with.
The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Grand Tutor's mansion.
Yu Zhi's palms were sweating.
Wei Ping chuckled at her for being timid, forgetting that she hadn't been here in a long time and that she herself was a little nervous.
Compared to the Wei family, the Yan family was closer to her and treated her better.
Unfortunately, she was out of her mind in her past life and couldn't see things clearly, so she never told anyone about her suffering.
She died without even realizing how much her maternal grandparents cherished her.
She felt guilty.
Jade and agate rolled up the carriage curtain and helped the young lady down. Wei Pingxi turned around and embraced Yu Zhi as they landed.
Old Madam Yan's eyes couldn't take it all in at once. She looked at her daughter in plain clothes, then at her grandson in dazzling white, and her hands trembled: "A-Qing, Xi-Xi..."
Yan Qing knelt down, her hands clasped together, and said, "Daughter greets Father and Mother, and hopes that Father and Mother are well."
Wei Pingxi knelt down with his mother: "Pingxi greets his maternal grandfather and grandmother, and greets his uncle and aunt."
The old lady rushed to help her daughter, tears welling in her eyes.
Grand Tutor Yan suppressed the urge to tear up and bent down to help his granddaughter up. Girls change a lot as they grow up; it felt like they hadn't seen each other for several lifetimes in just a few years.
"Good, good, get up quickly, let your grandfather take a good look at you, my dear grandson. How come you're growing more and more ethereal? Are you eating well?"
Yu Zhi knelt nervously beside the Fourth Miss, listening to the Grand Tutor's greetings, and her tense heart immediately relaxed.
Does the Grand Tutor really think that the Fourth Miss grew up drinking dew? She may look ethereal, but she's anything but abstinent at heart.
Wei Pingxi was busy talking to her maternal grandfather when she reached out to pull up her kneeling concubine. Her maternal aunt, Madam Song, with great insight, helped Yu Zhi up and said in a gentle tone, "You are Xixi's concubine? You are very beautiful."
"So this is Xi Xi's concubine." The old lady took her daughter's hand and walked a few steps closer. When she saw Yu Zhi's appearance clearly, her heart skipped a beat.
"Is this your concubine?" she asked her granddaughter.
Wei Pingxi smiled gently and said, "Grandmother, this is my concubine, Zhizhi. Quickly call her over."
Yu Zhi was surprised that she had suddenly become the most attention-grabbing person after all the changes, and hurriedly bowed and said, "Greetings, Grandmother."
"What a wonderful birth! What a wonderful birth!" The old lady stepped through the door, holding her daughter's hand in one hand and her grandson's hand in the other.
Wei Pingxi swiftly grabbed her concubine's hand, and Yu Zhi was forced to follow the family into the mansion hand in hand.
Yan Ruqing and Yan Ruyu followed happily.
Yan Ruxiu and Yan Ruying were the legitimate sons of the second wife. They had just spoken a single sentence to their cousin, whom they were so eager to have, and the excitement hadn't died down yet. They walked behind and whispered to each other.
"My cousin is so pretty."
"Her concubine is also very beautiful."
"A different kind of beauty."
"Yes, yes! They're pleasing to the eye. Watching them while I eat at the same table makes me eat two more bowls of rice."
"I can eat three more bowls!"
The two brothers looked at each other with mutual disdain.
"Let's go, let's go! It's so rare to see my cousin who's as beautiful as an angel!"
Yan Ru listened for a moment, then turned back, grinning mischievously: "I'm not kidding, but my cousin, who's as beautiful as a fairy, could make you cry with one punch."
"I don't believe it!"
"Just wait and see, or you can try it sometime. Don't blame me for not informing you beforehand."
He walked away with his hands behind his back and ran ahead to exchange tidbits of information with his elder brother, Yan Ruyu.
...
Upon entering the main hall, the old lady held her daughter's and grandson's hands tightly, saying, "I'm so glad to see you! These days have been so busy, oh my! My Qing, my dear grandson!"
She kept calling him "my dear grandson," and Wei Pingxi's ears turned slightly red.
Having grown up so much, she no longer felt like a child. But upon arriving at the Yan family, she suddenly became the youngest in the family, constantly being patted on the head and face by the old lady, or showered with praise.
Spending too much time in a place like the Wei residence, she was horrified to discover that she was truly easily flattered.
She's still a bit too thin-skinned.
While she was doing this, on the other side, Madam Yan and Madam Yan the Second were chatting casually with Yu Zhi. A concubine that Ping Xi would bring along when he came to his maternal grandfather's house was naturally no ordinary concubine.
Seeing is believing, and it was only upon meeting her that I realized how beautiful she was. No wonder Pingxi was so fond of her.
As Yu Zhi replied, she kept an eye on the Fourth Miss's movements and inadvertently caught a glimpse of her reddened ear tips. She thought to herself: She can be shy too.
This old lady is truly remarkable.
Even someone as shameless as the Fourth Miss couldn't stand it; her eyes curved slightly.
Grand Tutor Yan was, after all, a man, and he could only lose when he tried to argue with a woman.
The father and his two sons were holding back their words, not wanting to miss anything in their conversation, yet unable to find a good opportunity to interject.
I tried hard to keep a straight face, trying my best not to let my distress show on my face.
On joyous occasions, family reunions are the best thing to do.
Returning to her maternal grandparents' home felt like fighting a battle. Wei Pingxi lay in the boudoir that her maternal grandmother had personally prepared for her. The underfloor heating was so warm that she took off her outer garment.
Yuzhi was also exhausted.
During the meal, the old lady, the first lady, and the second lady all praised her dozens of times, each with a different answer.
With such skill in praising people, she finally understood why the Fourth Miss's ears were red.
"come over."
Yu Zhi's eyelids twitched slightly, and she lazily leaned against her chest.
Wei Pingxi held her chin and looked at her face: "Do you know the Liu family of Jinghe?"
Chapter 32 I couldn't help it
"The Liu family of Jinghe?" Yu Zhi blinked lightly. "Never heard of them."
"Never heard of it?"
"No."
Her eyes were long and captivating, seemingly shimmering with light up close. Yu Zhi dared not look at them for long, her gaze drifting to her snow-white collar.
Wei Pingxi didn't notice her shyness and avoidance. He was so close to the beauty, but his thoughts were wandering to Lingnan Prefecture, thousands of miles away.
As far as she knew, the Empress Dowager held absolute power and controlled the government back then. She was a fierce tiger blocking His Majesty's path to ruling personally, and people throughout the court and the country dared not speak out against her.
Only Liu Zicheng of the Liu family of Jinghe stood up to criticize what no one in the world dared to criticize, and wrote what no one in the world dared to write. On the city tower, the Liu family's integrity stood proudly in the world.
The loyal minister of the Great Yan Dynasty, with unwavering integrity, launched a scathing attack, his words filled with deep emotion and righteous indignation.
The Empress Dowager was furious.