The master and the servant finished their tea and watched the acrobatic performance for a while. Unknowingly, dusk fell and the setting sun outlined the curvature of the clouds, rendering them like pieces of colorful brocade.
Xia Houling had not played so happily for a long time, and her excited heart could not calm down for a long time. Along the way, she kept asking Xia Houshu when she would take him out to play again, especially the mysterious thing she said about her cooking skills that are better than those of the chefs in the house.
.
Xia Houshu told him some of Luoyuefang's specialty dishes, which made Xia Houling swallow his saliva.
After getting off the carriage and entering the east side gate, Xia Houling suddenly stopped at his feet. The liveliness and joy just now were instantly wiped away, and he was replaced by a look of worry and fear, even a little trembling.
"I didn't know you were still a greedy little cat." Xia Houshu joked, "But you won't be so surprised when you hear something delicious, right?"
After saying this, Xia Houshu also noticed something strange. He raised his head and looked forward, and saw in front of the rockery at the entrance. Mrs. Guo was waiting there with three or five maids at her side, with a very solemn expression.
Sure enough, she was afraid of whatever she was afraid of. Xia Houshu instantly understood what Xia Houling was afraid of, and held his hand tightly in an attempt to comfort him. Then she let go of Xia Houling's hand, walked straight to Mrs. Guo, and said loudly
Fang Fang bowed and called "Third Aunt".
Xia Houling also followed and called "Mother", but her voice sounded like a mosquito.
Xia Houshu was a little surprised and couldn't help but glance at Xia Houling. Sometimes she would worry about her mother's majesty, but she just didn't want to be punished, or she didn't want to make her mother worried and disappointed. The way Xia Houling looked at Mrs. Guo was even more...
It was like fear and panic from the heart, not at all like the reaction a son should have when facing his mother.
Mrs. Guo's real name is Guo Lianbi, and she is the daughter of the Guo family in Xunzhou. The Guo family in Xunzhou is a well-known scholarly family in the local area, with a good family tradition, and their descendants are all gentle, humble, generous and kind. These beautiful words are in line with Xia Houshu's heart.
The third aunt was not involved.
Guo Lianbi watched the little moves between their siblings coldly. It wasn't until Xia Houshu let go of Xia Houling's hand that she felt that her wrinkled heart gradually relaxed and returned to a smooth appearance. She pretended
Zuo didn't see Xia Houshu, and looked directly past her to land on Xia Houling. Then he looked at his son up and down carefully, and his heart began to feel unbalanced again.
Why would his son, who was usually submissive in front of him and even stingy with smiles, be so relaxed in front of others? But this person was still the tough and capable Xia Houshu.
The more Guo Lianbi thought about it, the angrier he became, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that his efforts were not worth it.
At that time, the old lady of the Duke of Yue invited an official mediator to travel thousands of miles to the Guo family in Xunzhou to propose marriage. Everyone said that the third son of the Duke of Yue was gentle and elegant, good at writing but not martial arts, and was indeed a good match. Moreover, with the Guo family
With their family background and status, being able to get married to the Duke of Yue was a blessing they had cultivated over several lifetimes. Without thinking too much, she followed her parents' orders and got married happily with a generous dowry.
Unexpectedly, although Xia Houze was gentle and considerate, he was frail due to his womb. He passed away within a few years, leaving their orphans and widowed mother to guard this deserted deep mansion.
From the time she married into the Duke of Yue to now, she has been holding on for more than ten years, devoting her life's efforts to her husband and son. Now she is gone forever, even her voice and appearance have gradually become blurred, leaving only a piece of
The cold plaque, the other one is gradually turning away from her...
What did she do wrong? Did she treat them badly? What else were they dissatisfied with?
Guo Lianbi tried his best to suppress the anger burning in his heart, and said coldly: "Ling'er, I think you feel that you have grown up, your wings are strong, and you no longer need to be a mother, so you dare to leave the servants and leave the house privately.
"
"Mom, I..." Xia Houling's face turned red from holding back. He wanted to defend himself and told his mother that he was just going out with his sister and didn't cause any trouble. However, his tongue seemed to be stuck by something.
The words he spoke were swallowed alive.
His eyes flowed back and forth between his mother and his cousin, and he was so anxious that thin beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Thinking of the promise he made to his cousin during the day, he felt very guilty, but he couldn't bear to say half of it to his mother.
A word of disobedience.
Xia Houshu understood Xia Houling's struggle and intolerance, and did not blame him for his betrayal and lack of loyalty. He smiled playfully at Guo Lianbi and said in a sincere tone: "Third aunt, please don't blame Ling'er. Today, Master Wei had to take leave due to an emergency at home."
, Ling'er was originally going back to Xiafei Court, and I took him out for a walk on my own initiative. But don't worry, Third Auntie, there are people following us, and we definitely didn't cause trouble, and we didn't make Ling'er suffer. You see, I
I was about to send him back later, and I happened to meet you."
Hearing this, Guo Lianbi seemed to have noticed Xia Houshu's presence for now. Then he turned his gaze towards Xia Houshu and said with a cold face: "Third Miss, I'm teaching my son a lesson, do you want to get involved too?"
Xia Houshu is a junior, not to mention that Guo Lianbi is lecturing his own son. Even if there is something he doesn't like and he teaches her a few words, according to the rules, she must listen carefully first.
"Third aunt is an elder. If you want to discipline Ling'er, Shu'er will naturally not dare to say anything." Xia Houshu realized that Guo Lianbi was going to attack her, so he had to follow his words to calm Guo Lianbi's emotions. But she also
Not one to swallow his anger, he glanced at Xia Houling, who was still at a loss, and continued to explain without being humble or overbearing: "Today's matter is due to Shu'er's lack of thinking. I originally thought that it would be enough to send someone to inform the third aunt, but I didn't
I thought that I made Third Aunt so angry. All the mistakes I made are my fault. I hope Third Aunt will be more generous and don't blame Ling'er."
Xia Houshu thought that by taking all the responsibilities on himself, he could pull Xia Houling out of the center of the storm. Unexpectedly, Guo Lianbi did not show mercy and did not intend to follow the steps she gave.
"Third girl, you have a distinguished status. How can I dare to blame you? It's just that-" Guo Lianbi stared at Xia Houshu, showing no trace of the elder's affection for the younger one. His tone was also cold and harsh, "Ling'er is the only flesh and blood between me and your third uncle. At this age,
He is still young, does not know the importance of things, and cannot distinguish between right and wrong. If you think of the painstaking efforts I have made in cultivating him over the years, please do not let him run around in the future. Otherwise, even if he gets into trouble in front of the ancestral tablet, I will not give up easily."
These words were serious, and everyone present heard them, but they all pretended to be deaf and dumb and did not dare to express their anger. Even Xia Houling, who was hesitant to speak several times, lowered his head and did not dare to have any more thoughts.
Xia Houshu glanced at everyone present with his peripheral vision. It seemed that everyone was used to Guo Lianbi's indifference and meanness when speaking, and considering that she was the master, they did not dare to refute, so they all lowered their heads and pretended to be quail.
Speaking of which, it was originally a happy thing for the two of them to go out to play. In other people's homes, they would only say that they are brother and sister. However, in Guo Lianbi's eyes, it seemed that she had done something that made people and gods angry.
It was a big crime and a big evil. But in front of so many maids and servants, Xia Houshu couldn't directly contradict her. After all, it would be bad for everyone if the matter escalated. In the end, both sides would suffer. It would be better for her, a junior, to take the initiative to admit her mistake.
, make amends and apologize, turn big things into small things, turn small things into small things.
Having made up his mind, Xia Houshu put on a smile again and continued sincerely: "Everyone in the house knows that the third aunt loves Ling'er, and Shu'er naturally sees it and takes it to heart. What's more, even Master Wei praises Ling'er for being smart and upright.
, being sincere and filial, how can he not know the importance and not be able to distinguish right from wrong? Shu'er also regarded Ling'er as his biological brother, and thought that taking him out for a walk would not be a big deal, so he cut it off first and played it later. Now think about it carefully, this time it is indeed
Shu'er made a mistake first, Shu'er is here to apologize to you."
"I can't afford the apology from the third girl." Guo Lianbi did not understand Xia Houshu's painstaking efforts and still said coldly, "The third girl is not married and has children, so naturally she does not understand the difficulties of us orphans and widowed mothers. But the third girl is a grown-up.
My daughter-in-law, you should know that the Duke's palace is now sparse and cannot withstand your torment like this. If something happens to Ling'er, how do you want me to meet my late husband and the ancestors of the Xiahou family?"
Guo Lianbi refused to take the hard way, which Xiahou Shu did not expect. However, Guo Lianbi was right, the Xiahou family was indeed very thin. In the huge Yue Duke's palace, there were not many people with the real surname Xiahou.
The dukedom of the Yue Kingdom in this generation was inherited by Xia Houyuan, the eldest brother. Xia Houyuan also had two younger brothers. Among them, the second brother Xiahou Tan was granted the title of General of Zhenxi in the second year of Xiping. He guarded Jinfeng City in Xijing all the year round.
The three sons and two daughters all moved there. As a guard, Xiahoutan was not allowed to enter the capital without being summoned, and his family members rarely came back once a year. The third brother, Xiahouze, was born with deficiencies and was frail and sick since he was a child. He died before the age of twenty-five.
He died young, leaving behind a pair of orphans and a widowed mother. Other relatives of the Xiahou family either joined the army or did business, or chose a place in Beijing to set up their own business, or lived in Zhuangzi on the outskirts of Beijing, each making a living and celebrating festivals.
They would come to the mansion to pay their respects. Therefore, the only people living in the Yue Kingdom Palace were the descendants of Xia Houyuan and Xia Houze.
On weekdays, because Zhong Yuqing likes to be quiet, the servants dare not speak loudly. After Guo Lianbi became a widow, he lived in seclusion for many years. Xia Houling, the youngest, rarely came out to hang out because of his mother's strict discipline. Therefore, the Duke of Yue's palace was always deserted.
There was laughter and laughter.
Gradually, the people living inside began to become bewildered.
If Xiahou Xi's death is the scar that the Xiahou family has opened, casting a heavy cloud over the entire family. Then Xiahouze's death from illness is a chronic disease of the entire Yue Kingdom.
It oozes pus and causes sores. It is like Guo Lianbi's weapon, armor and shield. No matter when or what happens, Guo Lianbi will always take it out and talk about it. No one will surrender to her.
