Yu Zhi instantly wilted like a frostbitten eggplant, utterly dejected: "If you kill me, where are you going to find someone like me again?"
"The world is vast, are you the only woman here?"
"The world is vast, but there's only one me, isn't there?"
Miss Wei was pleased to hear this and immediately beamed with joy: "That's right! There's only one of you, so we have to use you sparingly."
"..."
Yu Zhi, unlike her, wasn't shameless. She buried her face in her neck and cried timidly, "I'm too ashamed to face my mother..."
Early in the morning, Wei Pingxi's shoulders trembled from her laughter.
When a daughter is worried about not being able to face her mother, and a mother is embarrassed by accidentally disturbing the intimacy between her children, she is also very shy.
Of the family, the fourth young lady was the most uninhibited—she even dared to watch the 'funny stories' between her own parents, let alone this little drizzle?
She was completely at ease, with an air of righteousness and otherworldly grace, which made Yu Zhi secretly think she was shameless.
Yet this shameless person offered to take the mother and daughter to enjoy the autumn scenery.
Although Yu's mother was blind, she could hear. The fourth young lady, on the grounds that "people can't always stay at home; they should go out and feel the autumn breeze and listen to the sound of the leaves falling to the ground," drove Yu Zhi and her mother to Red Maple Mountain.
As autumn deepened, Wei Pingxi rode his white horse ahead, clearing the way and giving the mother and daughter as much time as possible to have a private conversation.
Yu Zhidao said that she did it on purpose, deliberately trying to make her lose face in front of her mother.
"Zhizhi..."
Yu Zhi's heart was pounding, and she immediately felt a mix of amusement and exasperation, thinking, "Here it comes!" She sat up straight and asked, "Mother, what's wrong?"
"You and Xixi... Xixi, she didn't bully you, did she?" Yu's mother sighed at the deep affection between the two, but was also worried that her daughter might be bullied badly when she couldn't see her.
The fourth young lady is, after all, a member of the Wei family, born into a prestigious family with a noble status, and is probably used to being fawned over.
Such a person cannot tolerate the slightest grievance. Even if you rush around, you might not be able to win her favor. Why would she care about her daughter's feelings?
"If your mother-in-law asks you if I bullied you, what should you say? Of course you should say that I bullied you, and that I bullied you in a way that made you feel very comfortable, understand?"
The whispered words from last night still make Yu Zhi blush: "She...she did bully me, but...I can still take it."
Wei Pingxi rode her horse back to the side of the carriage without anyone noticing, and used her inner strength to listen. When she heard a satisfactory answer, she cleared her throat and said, "Zhizhi, what are you whispering to your mother-in-law? Is it something I can hear?"
She suddenly spoke up, grabbed the reins, and laughed as she drove away.
A woman like her is rare, not to mention Yu Zhi, even Yu's mother, who has lived most of her life, would find her rare.
The horse's hooves clattered, and after confirming that she was far enough away to stop eavesdropping, Yu Zhi blushed with embarrassment and, in a fit of despair, said, "Mother, please don't worry about it. She and I are doing just fine!"
"I see."
Yu's mother patted her daughter's hand: "If you don't like it, you can tell her. After all, she's the person you share a room with..."
“Mother!” Yu Zhi said shyly, “I understand.”
After speaking, she silently covered her face. The Fourth Miss appeared elegant and quiet, but that was all a lie. Deep down, she was reckless and unruly, and could be as outrageous as she wanted. She had inexhaustible energy when it came to causing trouble.
However, she did say one thing correctly.
It's comfortable.
The only downside is that it has a bit too much lingering effect.
She rubbed her ears: "She treats her daughter very well, Mother, please don't worry. By the way, I haven't asked how Mother's eyes are doing?"
"Eyes..."
Red Maple Mountain boasts beautiful scenery. In late autumn, the mountains appear to be ablaze with color from afar, attracting numerous visitors to admire the view from both the mountaintop and its surroundings.
There is a red maple forest on the mountain, which is a gathering place for literati and scholars to compose poems.
As soon as Wei Pingxi and his party appeared, the poets, whose inspiration had been soaring, were all like ducks with their throats choked, unable to utter a sound.
For many days, the legend of the Fourth Miss has been widely circulated in Lingnan Prefecture—she was favored by the emperor, acted absurdly, and willingly degenerated.
Little did they know that the concubine taken by the eccentric fourth young lady was also a rare beauty.
With a graceful figure, elegant gait, flowing dress, rosy cheeks and fair skin, she possessed the delicate beauty of a willow swaying in the breeze, and wherever she went, a delicate fragrance wafted in the air.
It's a pity; for a moment, I didn't know who to focus on or who to feel sorry for.
Yu Zhi felt nervous, fearing that these people would gossip when she went out. It didn't matter if she heard their words; she would just ignore them. But it would be terrible if her mother heard them.
She looked to the fourth young lady for help.
Wei Pingxi raised his eyebrows and glanced arrogantly at the gathering of scholars. After just one glance, no one dared to look or speak further.
"Let's go over there."
No human voices were heard. Yu's mother, leaning on her jade cane, followed her daughter and "son-in-law," marveling at the "son-in-law's" great power.
However, considering that Xi Xi comes from the Wei family, which has a history of meritorious service in protecting the country and the emperor, it seems reasonable that the eldest daughter of the family would be aloof.
“Mother-in-law, Zhizhi, this place is quiet. Let’s enjoy the breeze and scenery here.”
After choosing a suitable location, Jade and Agate brought out all the items they had brought on the trip, set up three screens to block the prying eyes of unauthorized people, and placed incense burners, tables, and other items.
Having been blind for decades, Yu's mother was in a good mood, especially after discovering that her 'son-in-law' was quite talented in poetry. She praised him highly.
As soon as Miss Wei finished reciting her poem, Manao read it aloud. Her talent and eloquence seemed to float away on the wind, leaving a group of well-read students ashamed.
"What a fine poem! It is indeed a fine poem!"
"What use is good poetry? No matter how talented she is, can she pass the imperial examinations or become an official? Even if she were the reincarnation of a poetic genius, wouldn't she still be a scourge that defies moral principles and human ethics?"
"Well said!"
"Brother Song, what a spirit you have! With such spirit, how could you not say these words in front of the Fourth Miss? How could you not say them in front of Her Majesty the Empress?"
"you--"
Many young talents admired Wei Pingxi. They scolded her because they loved her, and they protected her because they loved her. Wei Pingxi wrote three poems in one go, and without her having to do anything else, those annoying flies attacked each other and dispersed.
The sky was clear and the autumn breeze was refreshing. Wei Pingxi smiled and said, "Mother-in-law, why don't you compose a poem too?"
"This..." Yu's mother hesitated for a long time before saying, "Okay."
Yuzhi looked on with anticipation, eager to hear what kind of poems her mother could compose.
As soon as Yu's mother finished speaking, Wei Pingxi casually embraced his beloved concubine—Yu Zhi, who had been sitting upright on the prayer mat, was forced to slump down by her and couldn't even hear the poem her mother was reciting.
"good!"
A shout of approval jolted Yu Zhi halfway through her confused state of mind.
Taking advantage of her mother-in-law's blindness, Miss Wei, in high spirits, kissed the beautiful Zhizhi and praised, "Mother-in-law, your talent is truly eye-opening!"
Having not written poetry for many years, Yu's mother was overwhelmed by the praise she received upon her first poem and repeatedly waved her hands in response.
Enjoying the breeze, appreciating the scenery, reciting poetry, fishing, hunting, and barbecuing, they had a hearty picnic. When they came down the mountain, Yu's mother was exhausted, so Wei Pingxi carried her down the mountain himself.
Even knowing that everything she did was for her own benefit, Yu Zhi still liked it—it was her good fortune to have someone willing to bend down and work hard for her happiness.
Even if what the fourth young lady wanted was her body.
...
At Liulan Courtyard, Li Le reported from the side: "The Fourth Miss is raising Aunt Yu's mother on White Tiger Street. Yesterday, the three of them went to Red Maple Mountain together."
"The fourth young lady of Red Maple Forest met a group of scholars and composed three poems in a row, after which the scholars scattered like birds and beasts. Interestingly, the blind woman also composed a poem."
"Read it to me."
"yes."
The incense smoke rose gently from the burner. Madam Wei, her fingers twirling prayer beads, closed her eyes and listened intently. After a while, she asked, "Indeed, she seems to be educated. What is her name? Is she from Lingnan Prefecture?"
"Reporting to Madam, we only found out that her surname is Liu, she is beautiful, her family has fallen on hard times, and she moved to Lingnan Prefecture many years ago to marry a poor scholar. She is not a native of this area."
"Liu?" Her hand paused. "The Liu family of Jinghe?"
Li Le exclaimed in surprise, "How could it be the Liu family of Jinghe? The Liu family... no, weren't they driven out of the capital by that person long ago?"
"In your opinion, isn't our Aunt Yu beautiful?"
“Beautiful. Flawless as jade, otherwise how could she have caught the eye of the Fourth Miss? The Fourth Miss is so proud, yet this time she has bowed down to beauty. To please Aunt Yu, she was even willing to carry that blind woman down the mountain herself. The Fourth Miss is so precious, what virtue or ability does the Yu family mother and daughter have?”
"Let her be happy." Madam Wei flicked her prayer beads again, smiling gently. "It's just a passing fancy. When has Pingxi ever loved something for more than half a year?"
“What you say is true, madam.”
“The Liu family of Jinghe has produced beauties since ancient times, some becoming empresses, some concubines, and some causing trouble in the region. If they are indeed from the Liu family of Jinghe…” She closed her eyes: “That would be interesting.”
...
"The Liu family of Jinghe?" Emerald's eyes widened. "Miss suspects that Madam Yu is from the Liu family of Jinghe?"
As Wei Pingxi descended from Red Maple Mountain, he sat on horseback peeling and eating lychees: "Isn't my cheap mother-in-law beautiful?"
"Ah?" Emerald's expression changed, and she waved her hand slightly, speaking furtively, "No, Miss! No matter how cheap she is, she's still my stepmother's birth mother!"
"..."
The lychee peel was thrown rudely at her face. Miss Wei smiled ambiguously: "How could I not know your heart was so filthy?"
Realizing it was all a misunderstanding, Emerald slapped herself and chuckled, "I deserve to be hit."
“You deserve to be beaten. Go back and receive ten strokes of the cane.”
"Ten strokes?!" Emerald's face turned pale, her bright face instantly turning into a bitter expression, and she looked listless: "Yes, I will obey Miss's orders."
Wei Pingxi chuckled: "What I mean is that my mother-in-law is beautiful, and Zhizhi is beautiful. My cheap father-in-law who died young could not have given birth to such a good daughter. In other words, Zhizhi's beauty comes from her mother's lineage."
"The Liu family of Jinghe in the Great Yan Dynasty has been known for producing beauties since ancient times. In the past, no noble family considered it an honor to marry a woman from the Liu family."
"Unfortunately, the Liu family offended the Empress Dowager, and His Majesty's reign was short-lived. In order to protect the lives of the Liu family, he had no choice but to expel them from the capital."
"The Liu family of Jinghe is a family of scholars. They learned the teachings of the sages and displayed the pride of scholars. Liu Zicheng dared to denounce the Empress Dowager's autocracy on the city wall back then. His descendants, if not all of them, certainly have some of his courage."
"Look at my mother-in-law's calm and unhurried demeanor. Coming from an ordinary background, with the eldest daughter of the Wei family as her 'son-in-law,' does she think I'd take the blame? Aren't she afraid of shortening her lifespan?"
The old story had even implicated the Empress Dowager, leaving Jade speechless: "And then?"
"You're so stupid." Wei Pingxi flicked her forehead with his finger: "Go investigate, investigate the Liu family of Jinghe!"
...
The carriage drove towards White Tiger Street, and Yu Zhi looked on with curiosity: "Mother is really amazing."