Chapter One Hundred and Thirty
"Young Master, we sent someone to inquire about that child. The child was brought back by Miss Li from the capital. The man seemed to have arrived at the Li residence before Miss Li, as if it had been arranged beforehand for him to wait there." The servant faithfully reported the news he had gathered to Huo Yunxuan.
From the capital?
Then what is this child's relation to the Prince of An?
"Did you find out clearly what the child's background is?" Huo Yunxuan asked with a frown.
"I heard from the yamen runners that the child seems to have some significant background, something about being a... shizi (heir of a prince)?" The servant was also unsure at this point, as the runner himself wasn't clear.
"A shizi?" Huo Yunxuan suddenly recalled that the Prince of An seemed to have a child. Could it be that very child?
But why would Li Zhiwei bring the Prince of An's child back to Li'an County?
Huo Yunxuan suddenly thought of the news he had gathered in the capital.
"Send an invitation to Miss Li. Say that I have matters to discuss and wish to invite her to a meal at the Moonview Pavilion." Thinking of the child, Huo Yunxuan had a bold guess.
He and Li Zhiwei still had a chance.
"Young Master, what if Miss Li is unwilling to see you..." The servant thought to himself that his master's relationship with the Li family wasn't particularly close; in fact, the two families could even be considered rivals.
"Then say that I have just returned from the capital and that Master Li has words for me to pass on to Miss Li." Huo Yunxuan said, lifting the corner of his mouth in a slight smile.
The Li Residence
Lady Yao looked at Yao Shuheng kneeling on the floor with a face full of disappointment.
She never expected her own nephew to do such a foolish thing.
To have someone kidnap her daughter.
"Heng'er, you... you should go back!" In the end, all the words Lady Yao wanted to say turned into a sigh.
She would personally write a letter to her elder brother explaining the situation.
Her daughter had already spared her nephew for the sake of her and her brother's relationship. As a mother, she should also let her brother know.
Otherwise, if he offends her daughter again next time, it won't be so easy to resolve.
Her daughter's status is different from before now, and besides, there's also that child, Qingshi.
If the Prince of An were to investigate this thoroughly, she wouldn't be able to explain it to him.
Moreover, she hasn't even met that future son-in-law yet and doesn't know if he will be easy to deal with.
"Aunt, it was a moment of foolishness for Shuheng! Please don't send me away." Upon hearing that Lady Yao actually wanted him to leave, Yao Shuheng couldn't help but feel anxious.
After all, when he first came, his father had explicitly told him to stay in Li'an County and become a live-in son-in-law for his aunt.
He had only been here a few days?
And now his aunt wanted him to leave?
"Aunt, Heng'er was wrong. When Heng'er came, Father instructed me to stay in Li'an County, to marry my cousin, to stay in the Li family, and to take care of Uncle and Aunt in the future." Yao Shuheng pleaded anxiously.
Hearing this, Lady Yao was stunned.
Originally, she had indeed written to ask for her brother's opinion. However, at that time, her brother hadn't replied agreeing to the matter, so she assumed he had refused and didn't ask again.
Later, the Marquis of Ru'an's household came to propose marriage for her daughter.
At the time, both she and her husband were reluctant to agree, but in the end, an arm cannot twist a thigh; they couldn't resist. They could only prepare a generous dowry, hoping their daughter could establish herself in her husband's family. Who would have thought that the Marquis of Ru'an's heir harbored ill intentions, leaving their daughter waiting outside the manor on the very day of the wedding.
Now, the Emperor has bestowed a marriage between her daughter and the Prince of An. Her nephew's actions today were doomed to fail from the start.
"It's too late. You came too late!" Lady Yao sighed, tears streaming down her face as she spoke.
"Aunt, Heng'er was wrong. Heng'er will go apologize to Cousin right now. Heng'er admires Cousin, that's why I came up with such an unwise plan." Yao Shuheng, for some reason, felt a sense of panic in his heart.
He hadn't been willing initially either, but Lady Yao's attitude... could it be that the Li family really had another, better option?
He refused to believe it. Could it be that now that Uncle is an official, he looks down on me?
Thinking this, Yao Shuheng's lowered eyes were filled with malice.
Why? They clearly wanted him to come be the Li family's son-in-law. Now that he's here, they find an excuse to dismiss him?
The journey from Qujing to Li'an County is not short. How could he possibly leave empty-handed?
"Heng'er, Wei'er is already betrothed now. The man is the Prince of An from the capital. Qingshi is the Prince of An's child. Their marriage was decreed by His Majesty. Let this matter go." Lady Yao sighed and stated directly.
"So, Cousin is going to be a concubine for that Prince of An?" Yao Shuheng looked at Lady Yao in disbelief.
So, Cousin looks down on my humble status? She would rather be a nobleman's concubine than the wife of a mere merchant like me?
"Wei'er is the principal wife, the Princess of An personally bestowed by the Emperor." Although Lady Yao knew this answer was hurtful, it was the truth.
"Impossible!" Thinking of Xu Qingshi, Yao Shuheng refused to believe the Prince of An had no other women.
"Aunt, please talk to Cousin properly. I am willing to stay in the Li family as a live-in son-in-law. Moreover, I will only have Cousin and never take another woman." Yao Shuheng begged.
"Heng'er, Aunt knows you are a good child, but this truly cannot be. A marriage decreed by the Emperor is no child's play. Your uncle, even though he is now a Vice Minister of Revenue, does not have the authority to dare question the Emperor's decree." Lady Yao understood clearly. Li Tianyou had leapt from a merchant to an official, so he must be even more cautious.
Of course, Lady Yao wasn't particularly satisfied with Xu Heming, this unseen son-in-law; she was simply dissatisfied with Yao Shuheng's act of having her daughter kidnapped.
"Aunt, is this matter really just going to end like this?" Yao Shuheng asked, clenching his fists tightly, unwilling to accept it.
"Wei'er is not fortunate enough for this." Lady Yao said, lowering her head.
"I understand." Although filled with resentment, Yao Shuheng first agreed with Lady Yao's words. After all, his actions today had already displeased her.
However, Yao Shuheng still believed that the reason Lady Yao was unwilling to break off the engagement with that so-called Prince of An was simply because she felt his own status and position were inferior to the Prince's.
Lady Yao nodded, feeling somewhat weary. She thought to herself, Yao Shuheng used to be such a well-behaved child. In the end, his thoughts have become somewhat improper.
Also, if Yao Shuheng had come before the Marquis of Ru'an's household came to propose, perhaps she and her husband would have agreed with great joy.
Now, it simply couldn't be done.
"Madam, the young master just had a momentary lapse in judgment. Please don't take it to heart." Chuntao, standing nearby, seeing Lady Yao in low spirits, comforted her.
"Miss, there is an invitation for you here." Steward Zhou walked in holding a letter of invitation.
"An invitation? From which family?" Li Zhiwei frowned, surprised that someone had already sent her an invitation so soon after returning to Li'an County.
"The person said it was from the eldest young master of the Huo family." Steward Zhou said carefully.
He was also somewhat puzzled about what matter the Young Master Huo could have with his young lady.
