Chapter 93
“Child, what mischief are you up to now?” The Old Princess sighed in exasperation as she watched Xu Qingshi still ordering servants to move his belongings.
She then turned to her son, who wore a displeased expression, and asked, “What did you do to upset him this time?”
“He wants to go to the Li Family,” Xu Heming replied irritably.
“But why pack up everything just to visit the Li Family?” The Old Princess was puzzled.
“Grandmother, listen to me. My father is about to marry a wicked woman. Once I settle in at the Li Family, I’ll come back to fetch you,” Xu Qingshi declared with an air of seriousness.
“Child, what nonsense are you spouting?” The Old Princess rolled her eyes at Xu Qingshi, thinking to herself that Li Zhiwei seemed like a perfectly pleasant young woman.
How could she possibly be wicked?
Unless… had Qingshi been misbehaving again and gotten scolded by Zhiwei?
“You’re always so busy that you’re never home. A child still needs guidance, and there are things an old woman like me can’t teach him. As his father, you ought to make time to properly raise your son,” The Old Princess chided Xu Heming.
“You’re right, Mother,” Xu Heming agreed, thinking that Xu Qingshi was long overdue for discipline.
The boy was always causing trouble. If he hadn’t been spreading nonsense outside, Xu Heming wouldn’t have had to perform for the Emperor in the palace.
Perhaps none of today’s mess would have happened.
With that thought, Xu Heming shot a cold glare at Xu Qingshi.
“Grandmother, take care of yourself! Your grandson must go now!” Seeing the fury in his father’s eyes, Xu Qingshi quickly made his escape.
“This child!” The Old Princess was about to order someone to bring him back.
“Mother, let him go. If he wants to leave, let him. The Li Family won’t indulge his antics,” Xu Heming said, thinking that since the Li Family currently disliked him, Xu Qingshi might just be turned away at their door and return on his own.
“Wait—if he’s so eager to go to the Li Family, and he mentioned you marrying a wicked woman, what’s that about?” The Old Princess frowned at Xu Heming, sensing that Xu Qingshi wasn’t referring to Li Zhiwei.
“Mother, it’s… a long story.” Xu Heming felt a surge of frustration at the mention of Concubine Liu.
Still, he explained the situation to The Old Princess in full.
“You fool!” The Old Princess glared at her son in anger.
Thinking of how Li Zhiwei had suffered repeated injuries—all connected to their An Manor—she couldn’t help but feel that if this were her own daughter, she’d never allow her to marry such a man.
And as for Concubine Liu… The Old Princess frowned deeply and asked her son sternly, “Tell me the truth—is there anything between you and that Concubine Liu?”
If her son was truly entangled with that woman, The Old Princess decided, then he had no business ruining the life of a girl from the Li Family.
“Mother, do you really doubt me too?” Xu Heming felt a pang of hurt. His own mother suspected him of having an affair with Concubine Liu?
Was he really that kind of man?
“You’re always busy—sometimes gone for ten days or even half a month without returning. Before, I thought it was because you hadn’t settled down, drifting like a rootless weed, not seeing home as your anchor. Then I arranged for you to marry Madam Zhou, yet you remained the same. When she died in childbirth, where were you? Now that your son is grown, he still needs a father, yet you’re still ‘busy.’ Sometimes I wonder—how is it that others can manage their duties while still caring for their families, yet you can’t? Think about it.” With that, The Old Princess turned and retreated to her quarters.
When Xu Qingshi arrived at the Li Family, Zhou Tong was taken aback. Seeing the boy lugging bundles of belongings, he felt an odd sense of foreboding.
Was this little lord planning to move in?
They’d just gotten rid of the father—now the son shows up?
“Young Master, please wait here. This servant will inform the master and the young lady,” Zhou Tong said with a polite smile.
“What’s there to inform? I’m just coming home! I’ll go find Grandfather and Mother myself.” Xu Qingshi waved dismissively, instructing his servants to unload his luggage while he swaggered straight toward Li Zhiwei’s courtyard.
At that moment, Qinghua and Qingyue were attending to Li Zhiwei at a respectful distance. They had questions about her injuries from the palace but didn’t dare ask outright.
After all, schemes and treachery were common in the imperial court.
Still, they wondered—who could be so blind as to strike their future princess consort? Did they not fear the prince’s wrath?
“Mother!”
Xu Qingshi’s bright voice rang out from outside.
“Who are you?” Qinghua and Qingyue quickly stepped in front of him.
Neither had seen Xu Qingshi before, and they were stunned—why was this child calling their mistress “Mother”?
And so casually, too.
Had the young lady borne a child with someone else?
“How dare you block me? I’m my mother’s own flesh and blood!” Xu Qingshi was indignant that these maids would stop him.
When had his mother acquired these unfamiliar attendants?
“Apologies, young master, but without the young lady’s permission, you may not pass,” Qinghua said firmly. Though she didn’t know where this child came from, she wouldn’t let him through without Li Zhiwei’s approval.
“Mother!” Xu Qingshi called again, louder this time.
“Miss, it’s the young master. Will you see him?” Cuiguo asked cautiously.
“Let him in.” Li Zhiwei hadn’t expected Xu Qingshi to seek her out so soon.
She had refused to see Xu Heming, and now his son showed up instead. How underhanded.
“Sister Qinghua, let the young master in,” Cuiguo called out.
“You may enter.” Qinghua blinked in surprise, then stepped aside for Xu Qingshi.
Cuiguo had called him “young master”—this must be the An heir.
Given the impending marriage between An Prince and Li Zhiwei, it made sense that the boy was already calling her “Mother.”
The future princess consort must be quite remarkable.
“Is that child the An heir?” Qingyue whispered after Xu Qingshi entered the inner chamber.
“Seems he’s already quite attached to the young lady,” Qinghua murmured back.
“Mother, is your injury better?” Xu Qingshi asked the moment he saw Li Zhiwei, his eyes full of concern as he studied her face.
“Much better, thank you for asking. Did your father send you?” Li Zhiwei watched him carefully.
“Of course not! I came on my own. Mother, I’m going to live with the Li Family from now on.” Xu Qingshi’s expression soured at the mention of Xu Heming.
Li Zhiwei’s heart sank. So Xu Heming hadn’t sent him?
“Did your father… have any message for me?” she pressed, unable to hide her disappointment.
“Mother, don’t worry. If Father wants to marry that wicked woman, let him. I won’t return to An Manor—I’ll be your child from now on!” Misunderstanding her meaning, Xu Qingshi patted his chest proudly.
