Chapter 121
The mere thought that the Liu family might also send him one later made Li Tianyou feel utterly wretched.
Li Tianyou quickly walked over to Xu Heming and tugged at the corner of his robe.
Xu Heming frowned. Could there really be something wrong with the Liu family?
Just as Xu Heming was about to ask Li Tianyou, he saw Lin Qiao'er being helped out by a maid.
Lin Qiao'er was looking at Liu Bozheng with a pitiful expression.
Tears welling in her eyes made Liu Bozheng, standing beside her, avert his gaze somewhat unwillingly.
He didn't want to keep this Lin woman anymore. Keeping her would leave a thorn in his heart. It would be better to do a favor and give her to Xiao Guozhi. After all, that man had already seen everything.
"Lin, you will go back with Lord Xiao today. From now on, remember to respect the principal wife and serve your master in the Xiao household. Do not disgrace the face of my Liu family." Liu Bozheng cleared his throat lightly and said.
"Master! This concubine did all this for your sake... This concubine wanted you to have an heir..." Lin Qiao'er said with reddened eyes, looking pleadingly at Liu Bozheng.
"Enough. I have made my decision. From now on, live well with Lord Xiao!" Liu Bozheng cut off Lin Qiao'er's words.
He understood perfectly well why she wanted a child. Wasn't it just like everyone else, thinking that the Liu family's lack of children was his problem?
But he didn't want to raise someone else's child in this manner either.
At this moment, Lin Qiao'er was in utter despair. She didn't want to go to the Xiao family, but she was merely a concubine, with no right to speak at all.
If the master wanted to sell her or give her away, she had no right to resist either.
While Liu Bozheng was speaking with Lin Qiao'er, Li Tianyou quickly pulled Xu Heming out of the main hall.
"Father-in-law, is there a situation?" Xu Heming asked, puzzled.
"No, let's get out of here quickly. It's too frightening." Li Tianyou was terrified that Liu Bozheng might also foist a concubine on him later.
Xu Heming didn't understand. What was so frightening?
"Yes, let's leave quickly!" Xiao Guozhi, feeling similarly apprehensive, quickly chimed in.
He thought to himself that he never wanted to come to the Liu family again.
Although Xu Heming didn't understand what was wrong with the two of them, he still complied and quickly left the Liu residence.
After all, the Liu household wasn't a place for conversation either.
Once outside the Liu residence, both Li Tianyou and Xiao Guozhi let out a long sigh of relief.
"What's wrong with you? How did you mess things up? How were you discovered?" Li Tianyou had thought that Liu Bozheng gave Xiao Guozhi a concubine because Xiao had been discovered at the Liu house.
"I... I..." Xiao Guozhi felt like crying just thinking about it.
That woman was truly terrifying.
At this moment, Xiao Guozhi began to miss his own wife.
His wife would never treat him like this.
Just as the group was about to leave, the voice of the Liu family steward rang out from behind.
"Lord Xiao, please wait!" The steward hurriedly chased after them.
Following behind him was Lin Qiao'er, still sobbing.
Xiao Guozhi was dumbfounded. Why was this woman still following?
He had nothing to do with her!
"Prince An, save me!" Xiao Guozhi looked pleadingly at Xu Heming.
"I can't save you from this." Xu Heming's mouth twitched. How could he possibly save him?
Who told him to have such bad luck, almost getting caught for 'borrowing seed'?
Even though the woman hadn't said it, Xu Heming had guessed. Liu Bozheng had no sons or daughters. That woman probably wanted to find a man to 'borrow seed' to bear a child and consolidate her position, but ended up making things worse through clumsy scheming.
In the end, Xiao Guozhi could only lead Lin Qiao'er back to the Xiao household with a heart as dead as ashes.
"That scared me to death." Only after Xiao Guozhi and the other two had walked far away did Li Tianyou pat his chest and speak.
"What was Father-in-law afraid of?" Xu Heming asked, still puzzled.
"What do you think I'm afraid of? I'm afraid that Lord Liu might turn around and give me one too. I'm old; I can't handle such 'fortune'." Li Tianyou shot a glare at Xu Heming and said irritably.
Xu Heming was taken aback for a moment, then realized what Li Tianyou was afraid of. He smiled and said, "Father-in-law is overthinking it. Although it happens in the capital that people gift concubines to others, it's not something done all the time. Otherwise, wouldn't the capital be in chaos?"
That's true. But how did Lord Xiao end up with this 'peach-blossom luck'? Knowing that not everyone would gift concubines, Li Tianyou's gossip curiosity was piqued again.
"He saw something he shouldn't have." Xu Heming was silent for a moment before speaking.
Li Tianyou rolled his eyes at Xu Heming. Why was he being so cryptic?
However, Xu Heming didn't elaborate further, so he didn't ask either.
Still, his mood wasn't particularly good.
"Father-in-law, this is a fine jug of wine your son-in-law bought for you. Take it back and try it later." Xu Heming picked up the 'Qiongjiang' wine beside him.
Looking at the somewhat familiar wine jar, Li Tianyou nodded.
He planned to have a few small cups when he got back to see what his future son-in-law's taste was like.
Li'an County
Li Zhiwei soon arrived at the most prosperous Ronghua Street in Li'an County with Xu Qingshi and Yao Shuheng.
Looking at the bustling street, Xu Qingshi was as happy as a lark, touching things here and looking at things there.
He found everything novel.
When he saw something he liked, he would always happily turn back and ask, "Mother, can I buy this?"
Li Zhiwei would always smile and nod, while Qinghua beside her paid the silver.
"Oh, isn't this the Li family young lady? Have you returned from the capital?"
Soon, a vendor recognized Li Zhiwei.
"Brother Liu, yes, I have." Li Zhiwei smiled and nodded.
Since she had returned, she naturally knew she would be recognized.
"Oh, and this must be your husband from the capital? He's truly handsome!" The man called Brother Liu looked Yao Shuheng up and down, smiling as he spoke.
"Brother Liu, you've misunderstood. This is my maternal cousin. He happened to come to Lijia County on some business these past couple of days and dropped by to see my mother." Li Zhiwei explained with a smile.
Yao Shuheng, who had been secretly pleased behind her, felt a pang of disappointment upon hearing Li Zhiwei's explanation.
After all, the reason he had asked Li Zhiwei to come out for a walk was precisely to give others the illusion that they were a couple.
However, Yao Shuheng frowned, not understanding why this person would mention Li Zhiwei's 'husband from the capital'?
He had never heard his father mention anything about his cousin getting married?
"Is that so? Then this adorable young master must be your cousin's younger brother?" Brother Liu scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and pointed at Xu Qingshi beside them, asking with a smile.
In fact, he was just trying to smooth over the awkwardness of his previous remark.
"I'm not my mother's cousin! I'm my mother's son!" Upon hearing this, Xu Qingshi stood beside Li Zhiwei with a displeased look and declared his identity.
He had to guard his mother for his royal father and not give anyone else an opportunity.
"Mother?" The small vendor called Brother Liu looked strangely at Li Zhiwei and the child beside her, as if he had discovered some new continent.
After all, everyone had only heard that the Li family young lady had married into the capital. So, it turned out she had become someone's stepmother?
