She clearly valued and trusted this 'son-in-law' highly, then changed the subject: "You must not bully her again, or I will no longer speak to you."
"..."
Ji Rong's expression changed slightly: "What if she bullies me? Whose side will you take?"
Chapter 53 Dogish
"How could she bully you? She's just telling the truth. You bullied her, and she's not allowed to tell me?"
As the saying goes, "A mother-in-law is always more pleased with her son-in-law the more she looks at him," and Wei Pingxi's marriage to Yu Zhi made her daughter's lifelong support.
The son-in-law rescued the mother and daughter from the dire straits of Liushui Lane, which is a debt of gratitude. His humility, kindness, and filial piety towards his mother-in-law are also a matter of affection. With both gratitude and affection, it is a blessing for them to be family.
One was an old friend she hadn't seen for over twenty years, and the other was a kind and loving son-in-law. Naturally, Liu Boyan's heart was with her own family.
"Besides, you're such a grown man, how could she bully you? I should be thanking God that you and your mother don't bully my daughter and son-in-law."
These words subtly implicated Empress Dowager Yan of Fushou Palace, causing Ji Rong to lose face: "You sent a letter from afar to accuse me, your son-in-law is no pushover!"
"This is not called tattling."
"What's it called?"
Liu Boyan smiled and said, "This is called being close as a family."
Which child doesn't turn to their mother when they're wronged? A son-in-law is considered half a son, and strictly speaking, Xi Xi is like half a daughter to her.
Thinking about it this way, she found Princess Yunzhang even more displeasing: "You're really magnanimous to argue with a child, Sister Rong."
"..."
After many years, the little girl who used to stand under the big willow tree no longer looked at her with a smile. Her eyes no longer held the admiration, the adoration, or the heart-stirring joy. She only knew how to belittle her with her words.
Ji Rong clutched her chest and collapsed onto Liu Boyan's shoulder without warning, letting out a cry of pain: "Ouch, it hurts so much..."
She took advantage of the blind man's inability to see.
Hearing the voice, the blind young woman panicked immediately: "Sister Rong, what's wrong? Where does it hurt?"
The cunning princess seized the opportunity to grasp the hand she had long coveted. Compared to the results of her years of meticulous care, this hand was slightly rough, with thin calluses on the fingertips, and every vein in the palm telling the story of the hardships of those years.
Her eyes stung, and her heart truly ached.
"It's all thanks to your daughter and son-in-law; I don't deserve even a fraction of their kindness..."
"this……"
As Liu Boyan's hand was held, she slowly realized: Sister Rong wasn't in pain, but rather jealous.
Jealous of the younger generation.
She found it amusing, but Ji Rongrou leaned against her shoulder as if boneless, holding her hand, her light breaths blowing in her ear, giving her a different kind of panic from which she couldn't break free.
Even jokes have a touch of truth. Ji Rongtian's proud daughter has always been pampered by people since childhood, and she can get whatever she wants with just a word.
Only those I met in my youth could stir my heart, and then I could not even find their shadow.
She finally found someone, but was rejected on one side and neglected on the other. The anxiety she had been feeling for days was something she had never experienced in her life. Although she enjoyed it, she was still physically exhausted.
Exhausted, she collapsed into Liu Boyan's arms and fell asleep.
The driver, Agate, received his wife's instruction to "drive slowly," and strained his ears to listen to the sounds inside the carriage... He listened only to a lonely sound.
Unseen yet tangible, the blind woman touches the face of a sleeping person, a mixture of youthful amazement and the hatred that has accumulated in her heart as an adult.
The sins were committed by Empress Dowager Yan, and had nothing to do with her children.
The Liu family of Jinghe believed in distinguishing between gratitude and resentment and did not hold grudges based on the idea of "a daughter paying for her mother's debts." Liu Boyan stared blankly into the void, wishing that the old woman surnamed Yan would die soon.
...
The Marquis of Yiyang's entourage traveled in a grand procession to the capital.
At dawn, Wei Pingxi was taken to the city gate by Madam Wei to prepare to welcome the 'family' who had come from afar.
Family scandals should not be aired in public. As the wife of a marquis, Yan Qing dressed dignifiedly and quietly that day, holding Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, and waited patiently for the people to enter.
Wei Pingxi stood beside her, looking as if he hadn't slept enough. Looking at the concubine beside her, she seemed to have slept even less.
They indulged in sensual pleasures and made a ruckus behind closed doors. Madam Wei, not wanting to speak openly, simply coughed lightly.
Just then, a cold wind swept by, and Yu Zhi's small face, hidden in the hood, was startled by the wind. She caught a glimpse of the Fourth Miss's barely perky little face and smiled.
"What are you laughing at?" Wei Pingxi whispered to her.
Yu Zhi glanced cautiously at Madam Wei standing in front and whispered, "I'm laughing at you for not getting enough sleep."
Upon hearing this, the Fourth Miss was no longer sleepy. Her phoenix eyes flashed with a flirtatious smile: "Who's making trouble because I'm not getting enough sleep?"
Yu Zhi refused to admit that she was the one who caused the trouble, and said with a smile, "Who told you to force me to drink so much soup and water?"
Soups and broths are meant to nourish the kidneys and improve complexion, but if she takes them too far, she'll become too hot and restless.
Recalling the scene of her sleepless night and acting out, her cheeks flushed red.
Wei Pingxi, unlike her, was not as thin-skinned. Using her sleeve to cover her face, she hooked the beauty's little finger without blushing or skipping a beat: "So, are you comfortable? I've gone to so much trouble to serve you, and I don't even get a kind word in return, but instead you make fun of me. Is that fair?"
Yu Zhi felt weak in the waist and legs and subconsciously wanted to lean on her. Her body had just touched the Fourth Miss's clothes when Madam Wei turned around and froze her there.
Yan Qing's glance contained too many unspeakable emotions, the most intense of which was her dissatisfaction with Yu Zhi.
She's blaming her.
She was so irritating that her precious daughter almost couldn't get up early in the morning.
It's her fault for sticking so close to her darling in public.
It's her fault for stealing Xi Xi's attention.
A strange thought leaped from Yuzhi's mind, startling her.
Wei Pingxi's attention was entirely on her. Seeing that her face had turned pale, he assumed she was unwell. He took the initiative to lean forward and put one arm around her slender waist, speaking softly, "Lean against me, it's alright."
If it weren't for Madam Wei's glance, Yu Zhi might have listened to her. But that glance was too meaningful and the blame too strong, so Yu Zhi dared not.
She didn't dare, but someone helped her dare.
The fourth young lady didn't have to exert much effort to successfully bring the beauty into her arms. By the time she raised her head and looked around, Madam Wei had already looked away.
She thought Yu Zhi was too naive: "You are my concubine, you don't need to care about other people's opinions. Regardless of gender, who doesn't like to hug and cuddle? Don't be so hypocritical."
Yu Zhi leaned half her body against her, the scent of agarwood was soft and light, and she took a long, reluctant breath, her ear tips turning slightly red.
Wei Pingxi gently scratched the fourth young lady's palm in response, his eyes tender. Just as he was about to whisper something flirtatious in her ear, Madam Wei said softly, "Xi Xi, your father is here."
Marquis Yiyang rode a white horse, followed by a large contingent of men who had come from Lingnan Prefecture.
They come when summoned and leave when called upon; this is the nature of royalty.
Eighteen years ago, the Empress was dissatisfied with her younger sister. In order to take care of his wife who was in confinement after childbirth, His Majesty issued an imperial edict ordering the Wei family to return to their ancestral home in Lingnan.
Now that the Wei family mother and daughter are highly favored, the entire Wei family has moved back to the capital.
Regardless of the truth behind it, that's how Wei Hanqing sees it, and that's how most of the Wei family see it too.
Grandpa Wei was both grateful and apprehensive to be able to return to the capital.
The forty-year-old Marquis of Yiyang, dressed in a purple robe and wearing a jade crown, surprised the onlookers with his appearance.
Even in middle age, he was still handsome and imposing. Standing next to Madam Wei, the two were a striking pair, a handsome man and a beautiful woman.
“Ah Qing.”
Holding his wife's hand, Wei Hanqing received a polite remark from Madam Wei, but reluctantly shifted his gaze to his daughter.
Then he was severely provoked by that face that didn't resemble him much, nor did it resemble his wife much.
After spending many days in Lingnan, he felt he had figured out a lot.
"I have met my father and grandfather." Wei Pingxi bowed.
"Get up."
Wei Hanqing was too lazy to say anything more to her, and the old man Wei gave a low snort.
The Third Young Master Wei dismounted and greeted Madam Wei. When he looked up and saw his younger sister looking radiant and much better than she had been in Lingnan, his expression became complicated.
With Wei Da gone and Wei Er crippled, and the second son of the second wife too young to be of any use, the matter of inheriting the title fell to Wei San. This trip to the capital was not only to obey the emperor's orders, but more importantly, to request the imperial decree to designate an heir and to obtain some benefits from the royal family.
Since it was a request for imperial decree, the emperor and empress's attitude was crucial.
In the Wei family, besides his grandfather and mother, the only people who could speak to the emperor and empress were his elder sister, whom he had never liked.
Wei San was worried that his sister would use underhanded tactics to influence his succession to the title, but little did he know that Wei Pingxi didn't care at all who inherited the rotten Marquis's mansion.
The family, each with their own agenda, entered their new home while maintaining a facade of harmony.
North of Xuanwu Street, a plaque bearing the inscription "Marquis of Yiyang's Residence" hangs high, its surface gleaming cleanly in the winter sunlight.
"Didn't my second brother and my good nephew come?"
Wei Sanfang had just seen her wearing a snow-white fur coat with a fur collar around her neck. After entering the room, she took off the fur coat and the fur collar, revealing a fine brocade coat in the color of smoky clouds and wild geese underneath.
The thing on his neck that looked like a hickey stung his eyes. He couldn't hide his disdain and wanted to give her a lecture, but then he remembered that things were different now. On the way here, even his grandfather had reminded him not to be disrespectful to his younger sister.
Swallowing the lecturing that was about to come out of his mouth, he said, "My second brother is depressed and is not suitable to come to the capital. He does not want his son to leave his sight. My grandfather had no choice but to allow the father and son to stay in Lingnan."
She refused to let her son out of her sight because she feared that the third wife would become heartless and harm her children and nephews.
Wei Pingxi expressed his understanding.
The Wei family's chaotic state has long been a well-known joke, not only ruining two legitimate sons but also making enemies of their in-laws.
After divorcing Wei Dahe, the eldest daughter-in-law, Sun, married the second son of the Vice Minister's family through the arrangement of Minister Sun, thus forming a union between the two families.
After the scandal involving the second wife and Sun, and the loss of her fertility, which rendered her impotent, her personality changed drastically. Unable to bear it any longer, Li finally slapped the divorce papers onto Wei Er's face.
Without the two powerful in-laws, the Wei family's reputation suffered, its position became awkward, and it was left to rely entirely on its past achievements.
If this trip fails to win the Emperor's favor, the Marquis of Yiyang's mansion may decline from its former glory.
Wei San looked uncomfortable and took something out of his sleeve.
Wei Pingxi raised an eyebrow: "What?"