Chapter 148
"How could I not understand? What's so great about that Li Zhiwei? If she were really that good, how could she have been rejected from a marriage engagement?" Huo Yunlan, seeing her younger brother speak up for Li Zhiwei like this, felt even more displeased.
"She is great!" Huo Yunxuan said through gritted teeth.
After all, even though Li Zhiwei had her engagement broken off, there were still plenty of people who wanted to marry her.
What was the point of all his scheming against Xu Heming?
"I don't care. The only daughter-in-law for our Huo family will be Xin'er. This Li Zhiwei, don't even think about entering our Huo family's door! Now hurry up and come upstairs with me to see Xin'er!" Huo Yunlan said imperiously.
"If you like her so much, you marry her yourself. Anyway, I won't!" Huo Yunxuan said impatiently and then left.
"That brat!" Huo Yunlan hadn't expected her brother to be so disrespectful to her face.
But with him gone, there was nothing she could do. However, she couldn't afford to underestimate Li Zhiwei either.
Who would have thought Li Zhiwei was quite capable?
To have her engagement broken off and still be able to enchant her brother so completely.
Thinking this, Huo Yunlan entered the private room with a dark expression.
"Sister Huo!" Meng Xin'er, seeing Huo Yunlan enter, quickly stood up and greeted her with a smile.
In fact, she had seen the entire commotion between the Huo siblings just now.
She believed herself to be no worse than Li Zhiwei, but she was still deeply dissatisfied about the situation.
However, Meng Xin'er was someone best at enduring.
"Xin'er, I'm sorry, there was a little unexpected matter just now, it delayed me for a bit. I kept you waiting," Huo Yunlan said to Meng Xin'er with a smile.
In her heart, she was still blaming Li Zhiwei. If she hadn't shamelessly seduced her brother, she wouldn't have been delayed.
"Sister Huo, you're being too formal. Xin'er has also just arrived," Meng Xin'er said, glancing towards the door. Not seeing Huo Yunxuan, she still felt somewhat disappointed.
After Li Zhiwei left Wangyue Tower with Xu Qingshi, she resumed her usual aloofness.
"Young Master, from now on, please don't call me mother anymore. Your father sent you to Li'an County with me to take refuge. These days, you should try not to go out running around," Li Zhiwei said, looking at Xu Qingshi.
"Mother, why?" Xu Qingshi didn't understand. He was already calling her mother, and she wasn't happy about it?
"No reason. Your father and I are not yet married. It's improper for you to address me like that!" Li Zhiwei said coldly.
Xu Qingshi scratched his head, puzzled. Could it be that Li Zhiwei wouldn't marry his father?
Didn't they say His Majesty the Emperor had already bestowed the marriage?
Could that still change?
He must find the Third Prince another day and ask for clarification!
"Mother, do you really not intend to marry my father?" Xu Qingshi asked, confused.
Not marry Xu Heming? Li Zhiwei was also stumped by this question.
Capital
Xu Heming stood in the imperial study, speaking with great seriousness: "Your Majesty, matters have now reached the final stage. This humble official requests a few days of leave!"
"You're sure, asking for leave at this time?" Zhu Jingchen couldn't believe Xu Heming would do something so irresponsible, like abandoning a task halfway.
He wants to take leave now?
Now that the confiscations that should be done are done, there are still a few thorny ones left to handle. If he leaves, who can take over this mess?
Regarding Xu Heming's irresponsible behavior of wanting to drop everything, Zhu Jingchen could only think that this must be a fake Xu Heming.
Otherwise, how could he possibly make such a request?
"Your Majesty, if I don't take leave now, my future wife is going to run off with someone else," Xu Heming said discontentedly.
"She won't run! If she does, I'll find you eight or ten more," Zhu Jingchen said without thinking.
Besides, as long as Li Tianyou remains in the capital for another day, isn't it a case of 'the monk can run away, but the temple can't'?
"Your Majesty! This humble official is poor, I can't afford to support that many!" Xu Heming said helplessly.
"Really poor, yet willing to spend three thousand taels on fake wine to gift your future father-in-law. I certainly don't see where you're poor." Speaking of this, Zhu Jingchen stroked his beard, thinking to himself that Xu Heming's money was actually quite easy to earn. How come he hadn't thought of it before?
"Your Majesty, Miss Li has found out about me sending fake wine to Lord Li. Please do me a favor and let me go appease my future wife," Xu Heming said somewhat stiffly.
"She knows? Oh dear, how did she find out?" Zhu Jingchen asked, barely suppressing a laugh.
After all, back when it happened, he had laughed about it for a long time. Now, he could actually witness a follow-up, the exposure of the affair?
"Wasn't it Your Majesty who told my future father-in-law?" Xu Heming looked at Zhu Jingchen and said with displeasure.
"Don't you wrongfully accuse me. I didn't do such a thing," Zhu Jingchen said with an unhappy expression. After saying it, he then reacted and asked, "So, Lord Li knows about this too? He didn't do anything to you?"
Zhu Jingchen asked somewhat gossipy.
"Your Majesty, mind your image!" Xu Heming looked at Zhu Jingchen and said somewhat helplessly.
"Oh, I have to maintain that emperor's posture all day long, it's tiring enough! There are no outsiders here! Can't you let me relax for a bit?" Zhu Jingchen said dismissively.
"Then grant me leave!" Xu Heming glanced at the completely image-less Zhu Jingchen before him and said.
"Is it absolutely necessary to go?" Zhu Jingchen frowned and asked. Clearly, he was also thinking about what the situation would be like if Xu Heming left at this time.
"Your Majesty, you get to eat meat every day, yet you won't even let me have some porridge? Moreover, it's rare for this humble official to find a young lady I fancy," Xu Heming said, looking at Zhu Jingchen with a plaintive expression.
"Isn't that because you're picky? How can you blame me?" At this point, Zhu Jingchen felt somewhat disdainful of Xu Heming. The Empress and he had tried many times to matchmake for him, but would he agree?
"Hmm, so Your Majesty should show more consideration for this humble official!" Xu Heming said shamelessly.
"Go quickly and come back quickly!" Zhu Jingchen also knew this man's heart had long flown to Li'an County.
What could he do?
He could only agree. After all, he was still counting on Li Tianyou to earn more silver for the national treasury. If this matter wasn't handled well, Li Tianyou probably wouldn't stay in the capital either.
Thinking this, Zhu Jingchen sighed, thinking to himself that his lot was truly hard.
Li'an County
Li Zhiwei had thought that speaking to Xu Qingshi this way would make him tactfully go back.
But unexpectedly, wherever she went, Xu Qingshi followed pitifully behind her.
Li Zhiwei frowned and finally decided to ignore him.
Xu Qingshi pouted. Ever since he had known Li Zhiwei, she had never treated him like this before.
The sudden coldness was something he couldn't adapt to for the moment.
Moyu watched from the side, both worried and helpless.
"My, what a pitiful little thing is this?" Suddenly, a lively and charming voice interrupted Xu Qingshi's thoughts.
At that moment, a young girl dressed in splendid clothing blocked Xu Qingshi's path.
