Chapter 177
Li Zhiwei looked at Yao Qisheng, who was covered in the dust of travel, and felt he looked somewhat familiar, though for a moment she couldn't recall where she had seen this man before.
Yao Qisheng gazed at his graceful and elegant niece standing before him, as if seeing his sister before she was married.
After all, Li Zhiwei's face, so resembling Lady Yao's, still held much of Lady Yao's appearance from years past.
Thinking of this, Yao Qisheng felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. If not for his sister marrying Li Tianyou, they wouldn't have to wait over a decade just for a chance to meet like this.
"Weiwei, do you not recognize your uncle?" Yao Qisheng asked with a smile, seeing Li Zhiwei's somewhat stunned expression.
He thought back; the last time he saw Li Zhiwei, she was just a little girl of five or six. Now, in the blink of an eye, over ten more years had passed.
He had aged, so it was no wonder his niece didn't recognize him immediately.
"Uncle, what brings you here?" Upon hearing Yao Qisheng's words, Li Zhiwei finally confirmed this was indeed Yao Qisheng. However, she didn't understand why he had come.
"Uncle, it's not that I didn't recognize you. It just feels like a dream. How did you suddenly appear before us? I can hardly believe it." Li Zhiwei quickly offered a suitable excuse for her momentary failure to recognize him.
"You child, still as sweet-tongued as ever!" Yao Qisheng said with a laugh.
He understood in his heart that the distance between their families and their infrequent visits had naturally led to less intimacy with his niece.
"Uncle, why didn't you send a letter ahead of your visit? I could have gone to meet you." Although Li Zhiwei suspected in her heart that her uncle's visit was mostly due to Yao Shuheng's affair.
However, she truly had no intention of blaming her uncle. After all, that was her cousin's personal conduct and had nothing to do with her uncle.
"It's been so long since I've seen you and your mother. I happened to have some free time, so I came to visit." Yao Qisheng said with a smile, patting the hand of Li Zhiwei, who was supporting him.
At this moment, Yao Qisheng also noticed the tall, straight-backed man with exceptionally handsome features beside Li Zhiwei.
He wondered about his identity. Could this be that nephew-in-law?
However, observing the chill emanating from Xu Heming and considering his status, Yao Qisheng dared not be presumptuous.
Thinking of how his son had told him he offended his niece, but having never met that powerful nephew-in-law himself, Yao Qisheng was somewhat uncertain of Xu Heming's identity.
Perhaps this was that formidable guard by his niece's side that his son mentioned; it was hard to say. After all, the guards serving a prince likely held official ranks as well.
Xu Heming naturally felt Yao Qisheng's scrutinizing gaze, but he merely nodded in acknowledgment towards Yao Qisheng. Although this was Li Zhiwei's uncle, he himself had no need to bow to him.
Or rather, it was Yao Qisheng who should bow first.
But for now, since Yao Qisheng didn't know his identity, Xu Heming wouldn't hold his lack of etiquette against him.
However, Xu Heming hadn't forgotten that when Yang Zuo sent news back to the capital, he mentioned the Li family wanting to marry Li Zhiwei off to her cousin.
If he guessed correctly, her cousin should be this uncle's son, right?
Thinking this, Xu Heming's frown deepened. Was this uncle's visit perhaps to finalize a marriage arrangement?
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Xu Heming watched servants carrying box after box into the courtyard.
"Uncle, why have you brought so many things?" Li Zhiwei, seeing the items, knew they must have been brought by Yao Qisheng.
"It's been so long since I've seen you and your mother; how could I come empty-handed? They're just some local trinkets and snacks from Qujing, nothing valuable. I was afraid you might not like them." Yao Qisheng said dismissively.
After all, in Qujing, their Yao family was a respectable presence. Coming to visit his sister after years apart, he naturally couldn't arrive empty-handed.
Half of these things were genuinely some local snacks and the like he picked from Qujing; the other half were actually gifts of apology he brought.
Although his son said upon returning that his sister and niece bore no grudge against him.
A mistake was a mistake, and he, as the father, should clean up after his son.
Seeing so many things being carried into the Li residence, Xu Heming grew more convinced that these might be betrothal gifts Yao Qisheng brought for Li Zhiwei.
He felt increasingly sour inside. With him right here, people were already so brazenly trying to snatch his wife-to-be. If he weren't around, wouldn't there be even more people trying to take Li Zhiwei?
Thinking this, Xu Heming tugged at Li Zhiwei's sleeve.
"Aren't you going to deal with the Huo family? Not going yet? Planning to stay at the Huo residence tonight and enjoy the favor of the Huo sisters?" Li Zhiwei asked irritably, seeing Xu Heming still rooted to the spot, not leaving.
"It's not that urgent." Xu Heming felt extremely vexed, always feeling that getting involved with the Huo family brought nothing but trouble.
He cursed the damned Huo family once more in his heart.
"If you don't go soon, it'll be dark!" Li Zhiwei rolled her eyes.
Yao Qisheng, watching from the side as Li Zhiwei scolded Xu Heming like this, began to think this man probably wasn't Prince An.
After all, if he truly were Prince An, given the vast difference in status between him and his niece, she likely wouldn't dare speak to him like that, right?
Yet, seeing this man's graceful demeanor and close proximity to his niece, Yao Qisheng still felt puzzled about his identity.
"Your Highness, that turtle's grandson Huo Yunxuan has already returned to the Huo residence. We should hurry over!" Qingsong spotted Xu Heming from afar and rushed over, shouting as he ran.
"Qingsong, when did you get here?" Li Zhiwei asked, somewhat surprised to see Qingsong.
"Shouting and making a scene, what kind of behavior is that?" Seeing that Li Zhiwei's tone when speaking to Qingsong was much gentler than when speaking to him, Xu Heming immediately rebuked him in dissatisfaction.
"Your subordinate pays his respects to the Princess Consort! Princess Consort, this subordinate only arrived a short while ago." Qingsong, not expecting others to be in the courtyard, quickly bowed to Li Zhiwei before answering.
Li Zhiwei found it somewhat strange. Even back in the capital, Qingsong wouldn't necessarily bow to her upon seeing her like this, would he?
"I'm not the Princess Consort yet, you don't need to call me that!" Li Zhiwei said, then shot a glare at the man beside her!
Always taking liberties.
"The Princess Consort and His Highness are wed by His Majesty's decree. You will be our Princess Consort sooner or later. Whether this subordinate calls you that early or late is all the same." Having received Xu Heming's hint, Qingsong promptly said loudly.
Xu Heming was very satisfied with Qingsong's understanding of the situation.
Yao Qisheng, realizing this man was actually Prince An, was so startled he hurriedly prepared to bow to Xu Heming.
"This commoner pays his respects to Your Highness. This lowly one has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. I did not recognize Your Highness." Yao Qisheng's heart was filled with trepidation. They said the nobles in the capital were unpredictable in their moods.
Did his earlier behavior count as neglecting the Prince? Would he hold it against him?
Hearing this, Li Zhiwei understood completely. This man was trying to assert his presence in front of her uncle!
