The master and servant finished their tea and went to watch the acrobatic performance for a while. Unknowingly, it was already getting late, 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 excitement could not be calmed 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, but you wouldn't be so surprised when you heard something delicious, right?" After Xia Houshu finished speaking, he noticed something strange. He raised his head and looked forward, and saw the rockery in front of the entrance.
, Mrs. Guo was waiting there with three or five maids who were waiting on her, with a very solemn expression.
Sure enough, he was afraid of what he was afraid of. Xia Houshu immediately understood what Xia Houling was afraid of, and held his hand tightly in an attempt to comfort him. Then he walked straight to Mrs. Guo, bowed generously, and called out
"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 was afraid of her mother's majesty, but that was just because she was worried about being punished, or she didn't want her mother to worry and disappoint. Xia Houling's fear was different. Xia Houling looked at Mrs. Guo
His eyes looked more like fear and panic from the heart, not at all like the reaction a son should have when facing his mother.
Mrs. Guo 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 loosened and returned to a flat appearance. She
Pretending not to see Xia Houshu, he looked directly past her and landed on Xia Houling. Then he looked at his son up and down carefully, feeling unbalanced again.
Why would his son, who was usually submissive in front of me and even stingy with his smile, be so relaxed in front of others?
And he was Xia Houshu, who was both tough and tough.
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 he was a good match. And he could marry the Yue people.
Getting married in the Duke's Mansion was a blessing that the Guo family had cultivated over several lifetimes. She didn't think much about it, and happily married with a generous dowry. Unexpectedly, although Xiahou Ze was gentle and considerate, he was still weak from the womb.
, passed away in just a few years, leaving their orphans and widowed mother to guard this deserted and deep house.
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?
The more Mrs. Guo thought about it, the angrier she became. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that her efforts were not worth it. She tried her best to suppress the anger burning in her heart and said coldly: "Ling'er, I think you feel that you have grown up and your wings have become hard. No
I need to be a mother, so I dare to leave the servants and leave the house privately without permission."
"Mother, 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 did not cause any trouble. However, his tongue seemed to be stuck by something, and the words he said were swallowed alive.
Go down. Thinking of the promise he made to his sister during the day, he felt very guilty, but he couldn't bear to say a word of disobedience to his mother.
His eyes flickered back and forth between Mrs. Guo and Xia Houshu, and he was so anxious that thin beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
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 Mrs. Guo and said in a sincere tone: "Third aunt, don't blame Ling'er. Today there is an emergency at Master Wei's house."
Fake, 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 Aunt, there are people around us, and we are definitely not causing trouble. You see, we are about to send him off now.
I happened to meet you when I went back."
Hearing this, Mrs. Guo seemed to have noticed Xia Houshu's presence for now. Then she turned her 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?"
Xia Houshu is a junior, not to mention that Mrs. Guo is lecturing her son. Even if there is something she doesn't like, she must listen carefully first according to the rules.
"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 Mrs. Guo was going to attack her, so he had to follow what she said to calm Mrs. Guo's emotions. But
She was not one to swallow her anger. She 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.
, I didn’t expect to make Third Aunt so angry. All the mistakes are my fault. I hope Third Aunt will be more generous and don’t blame Ling’er.”
Xia Houshu took all the responsibility on himself, and specifically emphasized that he was not thinking well and acted on his own in an attempt to pluck Xia Houling out of it.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Guo would not give in to this favor and had no intention of following the steps she gave.
"Third girl, you have a distinguished status. How can I dare to blame you? It's just that-" Mrs. Guo stared at Xia Houshu, showing no trace of the elder's love for her younger generation. Her tone was also cold and harsh, "Ling'er is the only flesh and blood between me and my deceased husband. She is still young.
He is young and does not know the importance of things and cannot distinguish right from wrong. If you remember the painstaking efforts I have put in cultivating him over the years, please do not let him run around at will in the future."
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 seems that everyone is used to Mrs. Guo's indifference and meanness when she speaks, and considering that she is the master, they dare not refute easily, so they all lowered their heads and pretended to be quail.
Speaking of which, it was originally a happy thing for the two siblings to go out to play. It was an ordinary thing in any house, but it didn't have to be so outrageous as Mrs. Guo said. It was just in front of so many maids.
As far as the servant wife is concerned, it would not be good for anyone to make things worse. In the end, both sides would suffer. It would be better for her, a junior, to take the initiative to admit her mistake, apologize, and make the big matter a trivial one.
After making up his mind, Xia Houshu put on a smile again and continued sincerely: "Everyone in the house knows that Third Aunt loves Ling'er, and Shu'er naturally sees it and takes it to heart. Not to mention that even Master Wei praises Ling'er for being smart and upright.
, 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 a biological brother, thinking that taking him out for a walk would not be a big deal, so he praised him first and then said it. Now think about it carefully, this time
It is indeed Shu'er who made the mistake first, and Shu'er is here to apologize to you."
"I can't afford the apology from the third girl." Mrs. Guo did not understand Xia Houshu's painstaking efforts, and still said coldly, "The third girl is not married and has children, so she naturally does not understand the hardships of us orphans and widowed mothers. But as a third girl,
My eldest daughter, 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 deceased husband and the ancestors of the Xiahou family?"
Mrs. Guo refused to take the hard way, which Xiahou Shu did not expect. But Mrs. Guo was right, the Xiahou family was indeed very thin.
In the huge government of Yue Kingdom, there were not many people with the real surname Xiahou.
The Duke of Yue in this generation was inherited by Xia Houyuan, who also had two younger brothers. Among them, the second brother Xiahou Tan, the general of Feng Zhenxi, guarded Jinfeng City in Xijing all the year round. His wife, concubines, and three sons and two daughters under his knees all moved there.
In the past, Xiahoutan, as a guard general, was not allowed to enter the capital without being summoned, and his family members rarely came back once a year. His third brother, Xiahouze, was born with deficiencies and was frail and sick since childhood. He died young when he was less than twenty-five years old.
The next couple are orphans and widowed mothers. Most of the other relatives of the Xiahou family live in the ancestral Zhuangzi on the outskirts of Beijing. They have their own livelihoods and only come to the mansion to pay their respects during the holidays. Therefore, the only ones left in Beijing are Xiahouyuan and Xiahouze.
Survivors.
On weekdays, because Zhong Yuqing likes to be quiet, the servants dare not speak loudly. After Mrs. Guo became a widow, she lived in seclusion for many years. The youngest Xia Houling rarely came out to hang out because of her mother's strict discipline. Therefore, the Yue Kingdom Palace was always deserted.
There was little 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 Xiahou Ze's death is a chronic disease of the entire Yue Kingdom, which is difficult to cure for a long time, and will still occur from time to time.
It oozes pus and causes sores. It is like Mrs. Guo's weapon, armor and shield. No matter when or what happens, Mrs. Guo will always take it out and talk about it. No one will surrender to her.
And this is Xia Houling's most secret pain.
Xia Houshu had long understood that some wounds had to be opened, gouged out to remove the rotten flesh and pus and blood, apply medicine and expose them to the sun to heal quickly, but this was not the best time.
No matter how mean Mrs. Guo is, there is no doubt about her love and devotion to Xia Houling. She is the closest person to Xia Houling in the world, a hero of the Xiahou family, and even her elder Xiahou Shu. In front of so many people
Xia Houshu couldn't make things difficult for her, otherwise he would be slapping Xia Houling in the face.
Thinking of this, Xiahou Shu respectfully bowed to Mrs. Guo again and said sincerely: "What the third aunt taught me, Shu'er must remember."
She stretched out her hand to avoid hitting the smiling man. Mrs. Guo did not expect that Xia Houshu, who had always been arrogant, would be so respectful and docile. She did not complain at all. For a moment, she did not know what to say. She just thought that her only son was actually taken away from her nose by Xia Houshu.
She was taken out for a walk and didn't come back until so late. She was in a mess and couldn't let go of her feelings. Just as she was about to say something to vent her feelings, she saw Zhong Yuqing, who had hurried over after receiving the news, followed by others.
Many maids and servants.
Zhong Yuqing stopped when she walked between them, glanced at everyone present sharply, and finally turned her eyes on Xia Houshu and asked, "What's going on?"
Xia Houshu thought that Mrs. Guo was unhappy at the moment, and if she said something in a jealous way in front of his mother, he would be the one who would suffer. He hurriedly explained: "Mom, it's all my fault for saying this. I did it without the third aunt's permission.
I took Ling'er out of the house to play privately. Although I had good intentions, I made Third Aunt worried and frightened, which I really shouldn't have done." Then he turned to Mrs. Guo and continued, "If Third Aunt refuses to forgive Shu'er, Shu'er
The son voluntarily takes over the family law."
The Xiahou family was born in the military, and their family rules are also special. They are military sticks and will not be invited out easily.
Mrs. Guo was quite satisfied when she saw that Xia Houshu took the lead in explaining the whole story without concealing anything. Especially when she heard the following sentence "Voluntarily take over the family law", she immediately thought of the military stick enshrined in the ancestral hall.
I didn't feel it was too heavy, I even felt a little happy, so I turned my eyes to Zhong Yuqing, wanting to see her reaction.
Xia Houshu deliberately mentioned the "family law" because he was sure that his mother would not really hit her with a military stick easily. For the sake of face, she could only use other punishment methods, but this was not harmful to her.
After hearing this, Zhong Yuqing just said lightly: "What do I think it is? It's just a child's play. There are only three brothers and sisters in this house, so it's normal for them to be close." Then he looked at Mrs. Guo, "Ling'er
He is also ten years old and is a boy. He should really go out more and gain more experience. Is Mrs. Guo too worried? "
Mrs. Guo looked at Zhong Yuqing in disbelief, not expecting her to have this attitude.
As women, one of them has lost her husband who she relied on, and the other has lost her best son. Both of them are depressed because of the loss of their loved ones, so they should sympathize with each other.
The more she thought about it, the less she understood it. She was sure that Zhong Yuqing wanted to favor her daughter, so she said: "Sister-in-law, others don't understand my pain, don't you understand it too?"
Look, here it comes again! Xia Houshu frowned slightly.
"You are right. I understand it all and feel it deeply." Zhong Yuqing did not flinch at all, but said calmly, "Is it because I am suffering pain that I let the children also suffer it?"
Mrs. Guo was stunned.
Zhong Yuqing added: "The Xiahou family has produced good generals from generation to generation. The men take the lead in fighting on the battlefield, protecting their families and the country, and are not afraid of life and death. As the legitimate son of the third wife, even if Ling'er does not plan to go to the battlefield and make contributions in the future, he cannot always act like a woman.
They are usually kept in the yard all day long. Mrs. Guo, the beloved son of her parents, has a far-reaching plan. I hope you can understand."
Mrs. Guo didn't answer. She seemed to think that what Zhong Yuqing said was somewhat reasonable, but when she thought that Xia Houling was the only child left in the third room, she never dared to let go.
"Today's matter ends here." Zhong Yuqing originally had no intention of pursuing anyone's fault. Seeing that everyone was silent, she looked at Xia Houling. Seeing that he buried his head very low, she sighed silently and turned to give instructions.
The serving maid said, "I know you are all capable people, but the Sixth Young Master is still young after all. You must take good care of him in the future and don't go on business trips again."
The maids and servants, who had been pretending to be deaf and dumb for a long time, quickly nodded in agreement.
Hearing Zhong Yuqing's special instructions for everyone to take care of Xia Houling, Mrs. Guo had nothing to say, so she led Xia Houling and the servant girl with her and turned around to leave. Her tall and thin figure looked slightly unwilling.
Seeing the situation, Xia Houyu was also ready to grease his feet and run away.
"Shur." Zhong Yuqing stopped her.
It's a blessing, not a curse. It's a curse that cannot be avoided. Xia Houshu quickly lowered his head and waited for his resignation.
After waiting for a long time, there was no scolding from Zhong Yuqing, only a heavy sigh was heard.
Xia Houshu raised his head and looked at his mother suspiciously, but heard Zhong Yuqing say: "Since you know your mistake, go back to your room and reflect on it."
After speaking, Zhong Yuqing took a deep look at her daughter, then turned and left as if nothing happened.
It seemed that it was neither a blessing nor a misfortune. Xiahou returned to his courtyard full of doubts as he was granted amnesty.
As soon as he entered the bedroom, Xia Houshu saw a calm white dove standing on the open window. Hearing the sound, he tilted his head and looked into the room. She turned around and winked at Yunxi, who immediately looked outside.
He looked at it and quickly closed the door.
Xia Houshu then walked to the window, caught the white pigeon, and removed a small piece of cloth from the pigeon's leg. This chapter has been completed!