Le paysage est comme une peinture

Chapitre 35

"Eh—" Wen Yan exclaimed in surprise, pointing at the person in the carriage and speechless for a long time. Although Wen Feng wore a veil, Wen Yan had spent a year with You Tong day and night, and upon seeing her face, she immediately guessed what was going on. Her heart tightened, and she quickly lowered the carriage curtain. Turning her head, she glared angrily at Xu Wei and scolded, "You, Xu Wei, are truly infatuated. How can you do this to Ninth Sister?"

Xu Wei was bewildered by her scolding. After a moment's thought, he assumed Wen Yan had mistakenly believed that Wen Feng and he had an affair, and quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand, the person in the carriage is really—"

"Do you think I'm that easy to fool?" Wen Yan said angrily. "I can recognize her at a glance. She looks so much like Ninth Sister. Isn't she your legendary fiancée surnamed Yu? No matter how much you like her, you've already married Ninth Sister. How can you still be entangled with her? If Ninth Sister knew, she would be heartbroken."

Only then did Xu Wei realize that Wen Yan had mistaken Wen Feng for You Tong. He found it both amusing and heartwarming, thinking how lucky You Tong was to have such a loyal and devoted sister like Wen Yan. However, he was now facing a dilemma. He couldn't let Wen Yan cause a scene in the street. Although You Tong's identity was no longer a secret in the Cui family, it was still a sensitive matter to discuss openly. Moreover, Wen Yan had always treated You Tong like an older sister, and she didn't know how heartbroken she would be if she found out that You Tong had lied to her.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Wei replied half-truthfully, "As you think, there is indeed Miss Yu in the car, but my relationship with her is not what you suspect. Miss Yu is already married to someone else. She came to see me today specifically to ask for my help in saving her husband, out of consideration for our past relationship." After saying this, he told her about how Brother Liu had been extorted by thugs and then wrongfully imprisoned.

Wen Yan listened with a mixture of belief and doubt. She stared at the carriage for a moment, then bit her lip and said, "Fine, I'll believe you for now. But I need to see you rescue that so-called Master Liu with my own eyes, otherwise you're just lying."

If Liu Xiaoge came out and called out Wen Feng's name, wouldn't that be terrible? Xu Wei quickly shook his head in refusal, ignoring Wen Yan's objections, and stopped a carriage by the roadside, forcing her to have the servants take her back to the Cui residence. Wen Yan was furious at his tyranny, but she was powerless against him and was forcibly shoved into the carriage by Xu Wei. Before leaving, she didn't forget to threaten loudly, "You just wait, tomorrow I'll have Fifth Brother bring Ninth Sister back, I—I'll make her divorce you!"

_

Seeing that passersby were all looking at him, Xu Wei quickly raised his sleeve to cover his face and hurried towards the yamen. The Prefect of the Capital, Lord Zhou, was acquainted with him and was curious to hear that he had actually stood up for a commoner. Xu Wei, naturally, couldn't explain the reason, and only stammered that it was an old acquaintance, asking Lord Zhou to take care of him in the future.

Seeing that he was making excuses, Lord Zhou wisely refrained from pressing the matter further. After the two exchanged a few laughs, the bailiffs brought Liu back. Xu Wei noticed several wounds on Liu's face and knew he had suffered in prison. Although somewhat displeased, he knew that even Lord Zhou couldn't interfere in this matter, so he quickly stepped forward to support him and asked with concern, "Are you still holding on?"

When Brother Liu was released by the constable, he guessed that Xu Wei must have helped him this time. He quickly stepped forward to thank him and said, "I only suffered a minor injury, it's nothing serious."

Seeing this, Lord Zhou felt rather embarrassed and quickly instructed a servant to fetch medicine. Xu Wei, also grateful for the favor, thanked him profusely. After hastily applying the medicine to Young Master Liu, the two took their leave.

Upon leaving the yamen, the young couple met again and burst into tears once more. Xu Wei patiently waited for them to finish expressing their feelings before escorting them back to their alley. Then, he quickly whipped his whip and hurried home, afraid that Wen Yan might say something inappropriate to You Tong before him, causing You Tong sadness and distress.

Upon returning to the manor and inquiring carefully, Xu Wei learned that Wen Yan had not actually come. Xu Wei was somewhat surprised; given Wen Yan's impatient nature, it was truly strange that she hadn't rushed over to complain.

However, even though Wen Yan didn't cause trouble, Xu Wei still told You Tong about Wen Feng's matter as soon as she returned to the manor. Although there weren't many servants in the manor, they were all very sharp-eyed. When Wen Feng came to see him in the morning, Xu Wei received quite a few glares from the maids.

Upon hearing that Liu Xiaoge had been beaten and that Wen Feng had nowhere to turn for help, You Tong also felt quite guilty. She quickly took out a bottle of wound medicine bestowed by the Grand Princess and asked Xu Wei to deliver it to him personally.

Back at the Cui residence, Wen Yan was restless. She wanted to rush to the Xu residence immediately to explain things to You Tong, but hesitated as soon as she stood up. Some things were better left unknown. However, she was still deeply troubled and wanted to confide in someone. If she kept it all bottled up, she would go crazy sooner or later.

A person was pacing back and forth by the window, unaware that someone had entered the room. It wasn't until Cui Weiyuan gave her a light, impatient shout that she was startled. She let out a long breath, turned around, and said irritably, "Fifth Brother, how come you walk without making a sound?"

Cui Weiyuan laughed and said, "I should be asking you that. What were you thinking about so intently that you didn't even hear me come in?"

Wen Yan's face stiffened, and she immediately became somewhat awkward. Her subtle movements didn't escape Cui Weiyuan's notice. He frowned, staring at her, and asked, "What happened?"

Wen Yan hesitated for a while, awkwardly thinking for a long time, before finally stammering out what had happened during the day. Upon hearing this, Cui Weiyuan's face immediately showed a look of astonishment and complexity, and he asked incredulously, "Are you sure you saw it clearly? Is it really her?"

Wen Yan said anxiously, "Of course it's true. Although I only saw her eyebrows and eyes, she looks so much like Ninth Sister, how could I not recognize her? You didn't see how much Brother Xu protected her back then. If it weren't for Miss Yu, would he have acted like that? Poor Ninth Sister is still in the dark, and I didn't dare tell her, for fear of upsetting her..."

Cui Weiyuan, however, couldn't hear what she was saying afterward; his mind was only on Wen Feng. His second brother had finally tracked her down, only to have her slip away again, and then there had been no further news of her. He never imagined she would have already arrived in the capital and even met with Xu Wei.

Thinking of this, Cui Weiyuan suddenly became restless and stood up abruptly, saying, "I'll go ask Brother Xu. Don't mention this to anyone, and remember, don't even tell Mother."

Before Wen Yan could reply, she saw Cui Weiyuan had already left. By the time she chased after him, he was nowhere to be seen.

75 heavy snow

Cui Weiyuan left the mansion, mounted his horse, and hadn't gone far when the road ahead was blocked. A large group of ragged people blocked the road completely. Cui Weiyuan waited for a while, but there was no sign of the road clearing up. He couldn't help but feel anxious, so he grabbed a bystander and asked, "What's going on? Why are there so many people on the road?"

The man shook his head and sighed, "It's all because of the heavy snow a few days ago. Many houses outside the city collapsed under the weight of the snow, and people were displaced. Now, they've all flocked into the capital. The officials are afraid that they will disrupt the order of the capital, so they sent officers to drive them away. But when things didn't go their way, they started making a fuss."

The heavy snow a few days ago was a full two feet deep, and even some houses in the Cui family's side courtyard showed signs of collapsing, let alone ordinary people's homes outside. Fortunately, the weather cleared up today; otherwise, a snow disaster might have occurred. Thinking of this, Cui Weiyuan had a vague sense of foreboding. Since the late emperor's death, the court had been in chaos. Fortunately, the Grand Princess had turned the tide, and things had finally stabilized. If another snow disaster were to occur, the hard-won stability would likely be lost again.

Cui Weiyuan retraced his steps, arriving at the Xu residence late at night. Just as he entered, Xu Wei returned from delivering medicine to Liufang Pavilion. Upon seeing him, Xu Wei immediately understood his intention. He quickly ushered him inside and explained in detail how he and Youtong had become acquainted with Cui Wenfeng and his wife. After finishing, Xu Wei added, "I should have informed you of this earlier, but—"

He hesitated for a moment, and Cui Weiyuan had already guessed his concerns. He had done something as simple as kidnapping Youtong to force her into marriage, so it wasn't surprising that he would take the Ninth Miss away again to prevent Youtong's identity from being revealed. A strange sadness flashed through his mind, and at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little self-deprecating. In this aristocratic family, even kinship was indeed suspected.

“She is, after all, a young lady of the Cui family. Others may not care, but as her elder brother, now that I know her whereabouts, I can’t just ignore it. Even Brother Xu, who has no connection with her, offered his help, let alone me,” Cui Weiyuan said solemnly. Xu Wei smiled sheepishly and said nothing more, only giving her Wen Feng’s address.

After Cui Weiyuan took his leave, Xu Wei stroked his chin and went back to his room to find You Tong.

You Tong and Madam Xu burned incense at the temple and asked for a small yellow jade Buddha for Xu Wei, saying it would bring him peace and safety, and insisted that he wear it. Although Xu Wei didn't usually believe in such things, he didn't want to disappoint You Tong's good intentions, so he readily wore it around his neck, and at the same time told her about Cui Weiyuan's visit earlier. After listening, You Tong also looked surprised and said, "Cui Weiyuan seems a little different than before."

"You think so too?" Xu Wei immediately agreed, stuffed the small yellow jade Buddha into his clothes, reached out and hugged You Tong in his arms, and laughed: "If it were before, knowing that Miss Jiu was in the capital, I would probably have tried to get her away to avoid ruining the Cui family's affairs. Today's reaction is quite unexpected."

You Tong chuckled, recalling how Cui Weiyuan had kidnapped her without a word the moment he saw her in Huzhou. She shook her head and said, "Looking back now, Cui Weiyuan wasn't all bad. He just had the common flaws of scions of noble families—he valued family interests above all else, which led him to be ruthless in his actions. He was lucky to be born into the Second Madam's womb, the eldest son of the legitimate wife, meaning all the other members of the Cui family had to make way for him. If he were like Shen San, with an older brother who was far superior to him in every way, he probably wouldn't be like this."

The atmosphere suddenly turned somewhat cold at the mention of Shen San. You Tong frowned and glanced at Xu Wei, but seeing that he showed no unusual expression, she felt relieved.

The next day, You Tong dragged Xu Wei to Liufang Pavilion again, only to learn that Cui Weiyuan had already come and not only brought some silver, but also told them to go and find him if they needed anything in the future.

"To be honest, I've only met Fifth Brother a few times. I never expected him to care about me so much. He suddenly came over last night, which gave my husband and me quite a fright." Cui Wenfeng's face was filled with emotion, and her eyes were red. Seeing this, Liu Xiaoge, who was standing next to her, quickly took her hand and gently squeezed it.

You Tong and Xu Wei looked at each other and smiled.

After returning home, it started snowing again in the afternoon, falling heavily and soon the courtyard was covered with a thick layer of snow. Xu Wei sat by the window, staring at the swirling snowflakes with a furrowed brow, completely unaware that You Tong had come in carrying clothes.

"What's wrong?" You Tong couldn't help but ask when she saw his expression.

Xu Wei simply sighed, shook his head, and said in a deep voice, "If this snow continues like this, I'm afraid the capital will descend into chaos."

"What?" Unlike Xu Wei, You Tong didn't think that far ahead. She looked up at the sky outside, where snowflakes were falling like goose feathers, and it didn't seem like they would stop anytime soon.

Xu Wei didn't explain, but simply reached out and took her hand, saying softly, "My family has a manor in Xiaoshan, a place with beautiful scenery and clear waters. Would it be alright if you and your mother went to stay there for a while after the New Year?"

Upon hearing this, You Tong looked up abruptly, staring at him in disbelief, her eyes filled with surprise and a hint of annoyance. Xu Wei knew things were about to get bad as soon as he saw her expression, and quickly apologized, "It was my fault, I won't do it again, please don't be angry."

When You Tong saw that he immediately changed his tune, her anger subsided a little. She grabbed his hand and bit it hard to vent her frustration before angrily scolding him, "If you say something like that again, I'll turn against you immediately."

Xu Wei nodded repeatedly, almost swearing an oath, and finally managed to coax You Tong's complexion to improve. Then he carefully said, "I'm also worried about what might happen in the capital. If that happens, I might not be able to take care of the family. I'm a little worried about leaving you and Mother in the mansion."

Upon hearing this, You Tong frowned and said, "It's just two snowfalls, how could it have such a big impact?"

Xu Wei smiled wryly and explained in a low voice, "You don't know, when the late emperor was seriously ill, the situation in the capital was turbulent. Prince Zhuang didn't care about politics, but in the east, the late emperor's cousin, Prince Qi, was eyeing the throne covetously. If it weren't for the Grand Princess's timely return, he might have seized the throne. Now, the capital appears calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging. Although it has only snowed a few times and there are more displaced people, it's hard to guarantee that no one will use this to cause trouble, incite the displaced people, or even use the displaced people as a pretext to cause chaos. The slightest disturbance in the capital could lead to great disorder, and in severe cases, it could be a national disaster."

You Tong, not being an official in the court, didn't think as far ahead as Xu Wei. But after hearing his analysis, she suddenly felt that danger lurked everywhere. She couldn't help but worry about the safety of the Grand Princess and the young emperor, and asked nervously, "What should we do? Will my master be in any danger in the palace?"

“You can rest assured about their safety,” Xu Wei said. “The Imperial Guards are not to be underestimated. Even if Prince Qi were to attack, His Majesty and the others would surely find a way to evacuate first. It will be the people of the capital who suffer.” His voice lowered as he spoke, his tone filled with deep helplessness. You Tong didn’t know how to comfort him, so she gently stroked his back and let out a long sigh.

Fortunately, the heavy snow stopped the next day. Although there was some trouble in the capital, it was quickly brought under control. With the New Year approaching, the city gradually became lively, and there was a festive atmosphere everywhere.

Wenyan's wedding is set for February after the New Year, and preparations for her dowry have already begun. Youtong is on good terms with her, so naturally she will go back to the Cui family to add to the dowry. When she got married, the Cui family and the Grand Princess gave her a considerable dowry, plus she had some savings of her own, as well as the money given by Master Yu last time. She was very well-off and naturally generous with her money.

Her generosity was one thing, but the other families were the real headache. If even a married daughter from the fifth family could be so generous, how could they possibly be outdone? So they all gritted their teeth and offered a lot of good things, which made Wenyan a small fortune. When the second wife saw this, she was naturally overjoyed.

With the wedding date fast approaching, Wenyan was no longer as free as before. She was confined to her room by the Second Madam all day to learn etiquette, which made her very distressed. When Youtong finally came to visit her, she naturally poured out her grievances. After she finished complaining, Youtong mysteriously told her about the latest happenings in the manor, namely the marriage of the Third Young Master Weiqing and the Fourth Princess.

Although You Tong knew that the Second Madam was arranging the marriage for the Fourth Princess, she hadn't expected it to fall on the Third Young Master. Recalling the Third Young Master's passionate face when he was wholeheartedly devoted to serving his country, she was speechless for a moment. After thinking for a while, she murmured, "Did Third Brother—also agree?"

Wen Yan pouted and shook her head, saying, "This matter isn't up to Third Brother's approval or disapproval. Since Third Uncle and Third Aunt have both agreed, it's a done deal. Besides, Fourth Princess still has two years of mourning left, so Third Brother can delay it a bit. By the way, I heard that the third son of the Shen family also wants to marry a princess, and it's the Third Princess at that. Could that be true? The Shen family went to great lengths to break off the engagement with the Cui family, so why are they so out of their minds to want to marry a princess? Isn't he currently being promoted? Could it be that he feels his promotion isn't fast enough and wants to use the Third Princess's influence to get a title?"

Although Youtong knew what was going on, she couldn't tell Wenyan, so she just smiled and said, "Who knows what he's thinking? But the Third Princess also has to observe mourning for two more years. Who knows what might happen?"

She pondered to herself that Shen San wasn't someone to be easily manipulated; with a little thought, he would realize he'd fallen for a trap that day. Two years had passed; who knew what might happen? He'd used her to gain merit back then; he might even sacrifice the Third Princess for his future career. Although You Tong didn't have any affection for the Third Princess, this thought still made her worry about her safety.

76. The Third Princess is injured

Before the New Year, You Tong went to the palace, intending to subtly remind the Third Princess to be careful. However, when she arrived at the side hall, she found that the Third Princess was already in bed. You Tong was shocked and quickly asked her carefully, only to learn that the Third Princess had fallen off her horse and broken her leg while riding at the hunting grounds the day before.

Perhaps because of her injury, the Third Princess seemed to lack her usual arrogance and domineering demeanor, lying listlessly on the bed, unusually quiet. When she heard a palace maid report that You Tong had arrived, her expression softened, and she smiled and said, "In this entire capital, you're the only one who remembers to come and see me."

Seeing that she was neither crying nor making a fuss and was quiet, You Tong felt inexplicably uneasy. She forced a smile and went forward to greet her, then asked about what had happened yesterday. The Third Princess's face finally showed indignation as she said, "I don't know what happened. Usually, Sa Feng is very gentle, but yesterday she seemed to have taken the wrong medicine and couldn't control herself at all. Luckily, I'm agile and quickly jumped off the horse, otherwise, I'm afraid I would have lost my life." As she spoke, a trace of lingering fear flashed in her eyes.

You Tong's heart pounded as she listened. After a long while, she asked in a low voice, "Did Your Highness investigate what happened afterward? Could it be that someone tampered with it? Otherwise, why would this perfectly fine horse suddenly go crazy?"

The Third Princess suddenly looked up, staring at You Tong in surprise, her gaze undisguisedly scrutinizing. You Tong didn't flinch, simply looking at her gently, as if she hadn't realized what she had just said.

"All of you, step back!" the Third Princess suddenly called out, addressing the palace maids serving in the hall. Seeing her unusual expression, and fearing she was about to lose her temper, they quickly and quietly withdrew. Once only the two of them remained in the room, the Third Princess asked sternly, "Do you know something?"

You Tong lowered her head, not looking at her, and smiled faintly. "Third Princess, you misunderstand. I just—I just felt that this matter was rather strange. Perhaps I'm overthinking it." She chuckled twice and continued, "Besides, how many people have died in horse-riding accidents in the palace? Fortunately, Your Highness only injured your leg and will recover in a few months. Next time you ride a horse, remember to be more careful, so you don't fall off a second time."

The Third Princess stared at her silently for a long while before finally letting out a soft "Mmm." Having achieved her goal of giving her pointers, You Tong exchanged a few pleasantries and then took her leave.

Naturally, it was inevitable that she would have to pay her respects to the Grand Princess. After waiting for most of the day in Chongfu Palace, An Hui came over and said that the Grand Princess was busy with state affairs and probably could not see her. Only then did You Tong take her leave of the palace.

Not far along the covered walkway, she faintly heard voices coming from around the bend ahead. The voice sounded somewhat familiar. By the time You Tong recognized the voice and frowned, preparing to move away, the person had already appeared at the other end of the walkway. The young Marquis of the Wu family stared at You Tong with a gloomy expression, his eyes filled with darkness.

This was the first time You Tong had seen the young marquis since the robbery. Although she had heard he was disfigured, seeing the long scar on his face still made her want to laugh. Not only his face, but the young marquis's hands and feet were also somewhat clumsy. Although he moved very slowly as he approached, You Tong could clearly see that his right leg was injured. He stared at You Tong with a sinister smile, slowly, step by step, walking towards her, a chilling laugh in his voice, "Young Madam Xu, long time no see?"

You Tong politely bowed to him, cleared her throat, and said with a smile, "Greetings, Young Marquis." After saying this, she curtsied to him again and took her leave as if nothing had happened. Young Marquis Wu turned around, staring intently at her back, his teeth clenched, his fists clenched, and the veins on the back of his hands bulging. He wished he could rush forward and strangle her to death.

You Tong appeared calm on the surface, but was inwardly very wary. Young Master Wu was a narrow-minded man; having suffered such a great loss, how could he easily let it go? Given the chance, he would surely seek revenge. Thinking of this, You Tong couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. Being on guard against thieves every day was truly unpleasant. If she had known this would happen, she should have finished him off with a single sword strike when she fled, saving herself from leaving such a huge troublesome situation.

Back at the manor, You Tong told Xu Wei in detail about the Third Princess's broken leg and her encounter with the young marquis. After that, she added, "Do you think Shen San might suspect that I was the one behind it all?" Although Shen San used to use some tricks, he had never harmed anyone's life. But this time, he seemed to be going to kill the princess. It seems that when people are pushed to the limit, they really are capable of anything.

Xu Wei said calmly, "He's very clever. Even if he hasn't guessed it yet, he'll figure it out eventually. But even if he does know, so what? He won't do anything that won't benefit him, and he has no reason to come back and cause you trouble. It's just that things might not end well with the Wu family. I'm afraid the young marquis might resort to some despicable means. You should try to stay home as much as possible these days."

Although You Tong didn't like going out much, she felt somewhat stifled to be forced to stay at home because of this incident. She said angrily, "This young marquis is really annoying. He was the one who started this whole thing. I was just protecting myself. It was already merciful enough that I didn't take his life, but he's still not satisfied. I want to see what tricks he can pull."

As the saying goes, "When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it." You Tong wasn't afraid of the young marquis herself, but she was worried he might harm her family and friends. So, she specifically instructed Xu Wei to tell the Xu family to be on high alert regarding the young marquis. She also subtly mentioned it to Wen Yan. Fortunately, Wen Yan was currently confined to the house by the second madam and couldn't go out, which actually made her much safer.

Even as the New Year approached, the young marquis made no significant move. Not wanting him to spoil her New Year's mood, You Tong stopped worrying and, putting down her belongings, accompanied Madam Xu on her outings. However, Xu Wei remained uneasy and always made sure to have several servants accompany them.

Not long after the New Year, Madam Xu began planning a marriage for Xu Cong, taking You Tong to visit various mansions in the capital. Inevitably, they would meet the unmarried young ladies of each family. It was obvious to everyone that the two women had their intentions, and they naturally instructed their daughters to make a good impression. As a result, there were dignified and elegant ladies, lively and lovely ladies, and ladies with exceptional talent, leaving You Tong dazzled.

After visiting many houses, Madam Xu still couldn't find one she liked. When she returned home, she couldn't help but complain to You Tong. You Tong, on the other hand, thought that several young ladies were quite nice, but when she told Madam Xu, Madam Xu found fault with each one. Either this one was not reliable, or that one was scheming. In short, none of them were to her liking.

Xu Cong was also somewhat anxious, secretly coming over several times to inquire. He only breathed a sigh of relief after learning that Madam Xu had not yet chosen a daughter-in-law. Seeing his nervous appearance, You Tong found it both amusing and somewhat suspicious, and couldn't help but jokingly ask, "Second Uncle, are you in such a hurry? Do you already have someone in mind, and are afraid that Mother will arrange a marriage for you and ruin your good fortune?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Cong's face flushed crimson. He stammered a couple of times and then ran away as if fleeing. Seeing this, You Tong, who had only intended to joke, now had some thoughts on the matter. When Xu Wei returned, she told him, adding, "I think Xu Cong probably really has someone he likes. If that's the case, you should go and ask him. Mother doesn't know, and she might actually arrange the marriage. By then, it will be too late for him to regret it."

Although marriage is a major life event arranged by parents and matchmakers, wouldn't it be even better if the couple were mutually attracted and in love? If the woman Xu Cong likes is also unmarried, he might as well just ask for her hand in marriage, rather than marrying a strong-willed woman whose appearance and personality he knows nothing about.

Xu Wei nodded in deep agreement, having experienced this firsthand himself. If he hadn't married You Tong, they wouldn't be enjoying their harmonious and blissful life together. Putting himself in her shoes, he naturally hoped that Xu Cong could marry a woman who shared his heart and grow old together.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'll go ask him in a bit. As for Mother, you should try to stall her for now. If my second brother really has someone he likes, we can't let Mother arrange a marriage for him."

You Tong smiled and said, "Don't worry, I don't need to drag things out. Mother can pick someone herself until next year; she definitely won't decide anytime soon." Xu Wei knew his mother's temperament all too well. If someone pleased her, she would be happy no matter what; if she didn't like someone, she wouldn't approve of even the best. Xu Cong's marriage was likely to be quite complicated.

After dinner that evening, Xu Wei went to find Xu Cong himself. At first, he made small talk, but seeing Xu Cong's preoccupied look, he stopped beating around the bush and asked directly, "Your sister-in-law asked me to ask you if you have someone you like. If you do, tell me as soon as possible so that Mother can take a look. Otherwise, you'll have a lot to cry about once the marriage is settled."

Xu Cong was surprised that his usually serious older brother would talk to him about these things, and he felt a little embarrassed. However, he knew in his heart that if he didn't tell him, the marriage would definitely not go through. He scratched the back of his head and said with a red face, "I... I've only met her twice, and I don't even know her name..." He stammered as he told Xu Wei how he met the girl.

A few days earlier, Xu Cong had been scammed while riding through the market. A group of thugs claimed he had injured someone and wouldn't let him leave. Xu Cong was in a hurry to get to the yamen (government office) and, angered by their harassment, lost his temper and struck them. This caused quite a stir; the thugs started shouting and making a scene, and passersby, unaware of the situation, assumed Xu Cong was abusing his power and began to criticize him.

Just then, the young woman suddenly stepped forward and spoke up for justice, recounting to everyone how the thugs had staged the accident. The crowd then realized what had happened and clamored to report it to the authorities. Seeing the situation was turning against them, the thugs quickly fled. By the time Xu Cong turned back to thank the young woman, she had already boarded her carriage and driven far away.

This was their first meeting. The second time, Xu Cong saw her walking downstairs from a distance in the restaurant, but by the time he chased after her, she had already disappeared.

"So, you don't know that young lady's name or which family she belongs to?" Xu Wei said irritably, unable to help but want to laugh. He never expected that Xu Cong, who was always so loud and boisterous, would fall in love one day.

Xu Cong scratched the back of his head awkwardly and muttered softly, "I originally wanted to ask, but... but... right—" He suddenly remembered something and said excitedly, "I noticed that there was a plum blossom carved on the side of the carriage she was riding in."

"Hmm—" There are countless carriages in the capital, where could he possibly find one with plum blossoms carved on it? Xu Wei couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. However, having a clue was better than having none. Xu Wei patted Xu Cong on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry, your brother will definitely help you find this girl. However, you also have to be prepared that if this girl is already engaged, all your efforts will probably be in vain."

Xu Cong was overjoyed to see that he was willing to help. He thanked him sincerely and then replied, "I am already very grateful for your help, brother. If she is indeed engaged, it just means that we are not meant to be. I will not force it."

Xu Wei, seeing his magnanimity, greatly admired him. The two brothers talked for quite a while longer, until the end of Hai hour (9-11 PM) before Xu Wei returned to his room.

77. Gao Family

As soon as Xu Wei returned to the room, he told You Tong everything about Xu Cong. When she heard that the girl dared to speak up for justice against those hooligans, You Tong couldn't help but nod repeatedly and praised, "This girl does have some chivalrous spirit."