Chapter 209
"I say, you old woman, who besides yourself would believe a word of that?"
Someone couldn't stand listening any longer and spoke up quickly.
"Hahaha, maybe she thinks she's as good-looking as Miss Li?"
"Li Yaozu's daughter, Li Taohua, can't even compare to that young lady!"
"What do any of you know? I'm old now and haven't eaten as well as her, so I don't look as good." Lady Zhang, unhappy with being looked down upon, retorted directly.
Li Zhiwei felt a dark line streak across her forehead.
She looked like that old hag?
Where exactly?
In gender?
Beyond that, she really couldn't find any other resemblance.
"Look at you, fat and dark like a pig. Where do you get the nerve to compare yourself to Miss Li, with her graceful figure and beautiful features? The two of you aren't even the same species, okay?"
Someone quickly stepped forward and said.
Li Zhiwei felt she really didn't want to hear these words; they were too disgusting.
"Your Honor!" At that moment, a yamen runner, having received a notification, hurried over to Zhao Xincheng and cupped his hands in salute.
Zhao Xincheng had actually gone to the yamen earlier.
It's just that no one expected the magistrate to have to handle a case so soon after arriving in Li'an County.
"Take those people to the yamen. I will return shortly to conduct a proper interrogation." Zhao Xincheng pointed at Li Yaozu and the others.
"Magistrate Zhao, these people keep claiming to be my family, my father's birth parents. To my knowledge, my father is the biological child of my paternal grandparents. I have never heard any story about him being adopted."
Li Zhiwei said this, then glanced at those people with some disgust before continuing, "I hope Magistrate Zhao can investigate the truth and clear my Li family's name."
"You worthless girl! We are your own grandparents! How dare you have us arrested!" Li Chengshan, hearing Li Zhiwei's words, shouted furiously.
"Magistrate Zhao, as you can see, the truth of their identity is uncertain. However, their covetous intentions towards my Li family are plain for all to see. If they truly are my father's birth parents, my father would certainly not shirk his filial duties. If they are not, I hope Magistrate Zhao will deal with them according to the law, ensuring no good person is wronged and no bad person escapes punishment!"
Li Zhiwei's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, yet it carried for all to hear.
Everyone understood that this matter was Li Yaozu trying to extort the family.
They also felt her way of handling it was entirely appropriate.
"Take them away!" Zhao Xincheng gave Li Yaozu and the others no further chance to stir up trouble and had them taken away directly.
Seeing the people led off, the crowd gradually dispersed.
"Sister, Weiwei, take care. I shall return home now." Yao Qisheng then said to Lady Yao and Li Zhiwei.
"Prince An, might I have a word in private?"
As Yao Qisheng was leaving, he still had a few things he wanted to say to Xu Heming.
"Of course, Uncle. This way, please." Xu Heming made a gesture of invitation to Yao Qisheng.
Li Zhiwei supported Lady Yao into the Li residence. Before entering, she glanced back somewhat worriedly at Xu Heming and Yao Qisheng.
However, her mother had clearly been upset today and didn't look well. After a moment's thought, Li Zhiwei decided to escort her mother back to rest first.
"I wonder what instructions Uncle has for me." Xu Heming looked at Yao Qisheng and asked.
"I know you are a prince, and I am merely a merchant. Under normal circumstances, I likely wouldn't even have the standing to speak with you." Yao Qisheng was actually somewhat in awe of Xu Heming.
But, thinking that his niece was to marry him, Yao Qisheng felt that he, as her uncle, should express something.
"You are Zhiwei's uncle. Saying that is being too polite." Xu Heming's words were not polite, but neither were they overly ingratiating.
Yao Qisheng was Li Zhiwei's uncle. As long as he didn't overstep, Xu Heming would, for Li Zhiwei's sake, show him some courtesy.
"Since you acknowledge me as uncle, I have a few words for you. I hope Your Highness will not take offense." Yao Qisheng sighed.
He then continued, "In my heart, I am entirely unwilling for Zhiwei to marry you. Not only were you previously married, but you also have a child. Regardless of how noble your status is, I feel my niece is at a disadvantage marrying you. She would become a stepmother to your child. In the future, her own children would be considered lesser than your first wife's child."
"I only hope that in the future, you can be lenient and kind to her. Do not let the child left by your former wife cause Zhiwei or her own children to suffer. If you ever feel she fails to uphold the dignity of your princely household, you may simply send her back. Our Li family and the Yao family can afford to support her."
Yao Qisheng said with a serious expression.
Xu Heming hadn't taken it too seriously at first, but hearing Yao Qisheng's words now, he dared not underestimate them. He still assured him, "Uncle can rest assured, I will definitely not treat Zhiwei unfairly. She is my princess consort. From now on, we are one. Qingshi also likes Zhiwei very much."
Xu Heming suddenly wondered, if in the future he had a daughter, would he also be like this, warning the scoundrel who wanted to marry her?
"Since Your Highness has given your word, I, Yao, entrust Weiwei to you. If one day you betray Weiwei, I, Yao, will muster the full strength of the Yao family to take her back." After saying this, Yao Qisheng took a map from his robe and handed it to Xu Heming.
"This map was something I found by chance in my family's storeroom. I have not verified the matters mentioned on it. If you have time, Your Highness, you may take a look." Yao Qisheng handed the Yao family's ancestral treasure map to Xu Heming.
After all, keeping this item in the Yao family might not be for the best.
Wasn't he also trying, through Xu Heming's hands, to deliver it to the imperial family?
Still, he had some selfishness. One of the two jade pendants was with Lady Yao, and the other was in the box he gave to Li Zhiwei.
As for whether there really was a treasure, that was not his concern.
Xu Heming was somewhat puzzled and wanted to open the map to see what it was.
"Your Highness, perhaps look at it when you have time. I, Yao, take my leave!" Yao Qisheng quickly stopped Xu Heming from opening the map. After speaking, he cupped his hands, turned, and left.
"Your Highness, what did the uncle say? What did he give you?" Qingsong looked curiously at the map in Xu Heming's hand and asked.
"I don't know. Go and have Zhao Xincheng investigate thoroughly what background those people really have." At that moment, Xu Heming wasn't curious about the map. He was angrier about Li Yaozu and the others.
As soon as Qingsong left, a guard came running over urgently.
"Your Highness, it's bad news. A letter has come from the prince's residence. The Dowager Princess Consort is in trouble."
The guard handed the letter to Xu Heming and said anxiously.
Frowning, Xu Heming looked at the letter, which bore no private seal of the prince's residence, and examined the messenger with some suspicion.
