“What is it?”
“Please try to keep an eye on any news from Huo Manor for me. I’m afraid they might seek revenge again. The snake last night is proof.
Those two brothers have no affection for me—they only side with Huo Ningyu and help her vent her anger.
Isn’t Huo Mingchang studying at the Guozijian?
It would be even better if your second brother could cause some trouble for him.
That way, he won’t have so much energy to come to this courtyard and release snakes for no reason.” Jiang Ning still felt lingering fear.
She had never seen such a terrifying snake before.
As a child, she was cherished by her parents, and after arriving at Huo Manor, she was raised in seclusion. How could she have encountered such filthy creatures, let alone been bitten?
Even now, her leg remained painfully swollen, and she couldn’t suppress her anger.
“Alright, I’ll talk to my second brother. I hope he listens to me.
After all, he is a student of Huo Shangshu and visits Huo Manor every five days to seek his guidance. I’m not sure how deep their teacher-student bond is.
Given what happened, it’s unlikely he’ll go to Huo Manor again, but I worry he might resent me.”
Although Xie Zhengyang and Xie Zhengqi were born of the same mother, one pursued martial arts and the other scholarly studies, so they rarely interacted.
Now that he had lost his position as Shizi, he had no idea whether his second brother had ambitions to seize the title.
“Do your best.”
“Zhengyang, get out here!” Suddenly, an angry shout came from outside the door.
Xie Zhengyang’s arm, which had been holding Jiang Ning, abruptly loosened.
“Rest here for now. It’s my mother. If she comes in, don’t argue with her.”
Xie Zhengyang immediately stood up and went out.
His movements were stiff as he walked, enduring the pain.
“This humble woman pays respects to Zhongyi Bo Furen.” Yang Shi greeted her properly but stood outside the door like a guardian, blocking the way.
“Mother, why have you come?” Xie Zhengyang opened the door just as his furious mother pushed Yang Shi aside.
“You came running here as soon as you could get out of bed? She caused you to be severely punished with thirty strikes by the Emperor.
She also cost you your position as Shizi.
Yet you still care about her.
Do you even understand what’s important?
Do you think your father has only you as a son? You worthless thing.” The moment Zhongyi Bo Furen, Xia Yixuan, saw her son, her anger flared even hotter.
She raised her hand to slap him but stopped mid-air.
This was her eldest son, her hope.
She had carried him for ten months and raised him with painstaking effort.
Yet he had been bewitched by a woman, insisting on marrying her and no one else.
She felt both heartbroken and sorrowful.
“How could I have given birth to someone so reckless? Have all the words I’ve spoken to you gone in one ear and out the other?
You’ve disappointed me deeply.
Is that lowly creature so important to you that you won’t even listen to your mother?” Xia Yixuan was overwhelmed with grief.
These past few days, aside from her sorrow, she had been constantly worried about her son’s health, carefully tending to his meals three times a day.
Yet the moment he could get out of bed, he sneaked out to see this disgraceful, lowly woman.
“Mother, I cannot abandon Ning’er. She is a girl from a good family, only her status is a bit low. Our Earl Residence doesn’t need to rely on women for prestige.
As a man of honor, I cannot go back on my word. I must marry her.” Xie Zhengyang’s attitude was resolute.
“If she were a girl from a good family, would she engage in improper exchanges?
Which respectable young lady in Jing Cheng would dare to be so indiscreet? Those caught in secret meetings with men face severe punishment, let alone you two being caught in the act… Putuo Temple outside the West Gate of Jing Cheng is where she belongs.”
If she had any sense of shame, she should have hanged herself from the beam.
I absolutely refuse to let her enter our household—she is nothing but a calamity. A perfectly good marriage alliance was ruined by her.”
Xia Yixuan could no longer maintain her noblewoman’s composure.
Her son had broken her heart.
“Mother, do you not understand the agony of longing for what one cannot have?
You bore Father two sons, yet you never won his true heart. He still brought his favored Wang Yiniang into the household and let her bear him a son as well.
If I were to marry the woman I truly love, I would never let my lawful wife suffer and shed tears.
If I had married Huo Ningyu as promised, she would have followed the same path as you, perhaps even worse off than you.
By then, our families would still become enemies because of Huo Ningyu.
Now that they’ve discovered the truth and called off the engagement, it’s for the better. I won’t bear guilt toward the Huo Family, and I can marry the woman I desire.
In the future, my legitimate children will be my most cherished ones, and they will never suffer humiliation from anyone.” Xie Zhengyang spoke with genuine emotion.
He knew how to strike where it hurt most.
His mother loathed Wang Yiniang in the household the most. Since Wang Yiniang entered the residence, Father spent more than half his time in her courtyard, always protecting her. Whatever fine things Mother had, Wang Yiniang would inevitably receive as well.
A concubine living almost no differently from the lawful wife—these matters had wounded Mother deeply, yet for the sake of her two sons, she had to force a smile.
As her son, he saw it all and ached for her, but there was nothing he could do.
Father gave the respect that was due, and Wang Yiniang never harmed Mother; instead, she avoided Mother at every turn, fearing Mother might hurt her.
“You…” Xia Yixuan was left speechless by Xie Zhengyang’s words.
But her heart was bleeding. How could her proud son marry the daughter of a mere provincial scholar—and one who had died many years ago at that?
“Wuwu…” Xia Yixuan began to weep sorrowfully, wiping her tears.
“My son, even if I agreed, your father would never consent. The eldest son of the Loyal Earl marrying a commoner’s daughter—wouldn’t that become a laughingstock?
Since ancient times, marriages have emphasized matching social status. How can you not understand this?”
“Zhongyi Bo Furen, rest assured, I will not marry Zhengyang for now. I will only marry him once I have attained a suitable status.” At this moment, Jiang Ning limped out from the room.
She spoke with great confidence.
At the sight of her, Xia Yixuan instantly felt disgust.
“Ninger, why have you come out? Is your leg alright?” Xie Zhengyang asked with concern.
“It’s fine.”
“Bragging without fear of twisting your tongue? You and your mother, orphaned and widowed, where does such confidence come from?” Xia Yixuan sneered.
“Madam, you need only watch. I only ask that you do not hinder my normal interactions with Zhengyang.” Jiang Ning met Xia Yixuan’s gaze firmly.
Seeing her son’s resolute protectiveness and recalling his earlier heart-wrenching words, Xia Yixuan hesitated.
“Mother, don’t worry. Your son knows his limits,” Xie Zhengyang assured her.
“I’ll give you one year. If within that time you remain of lowly status, get as far away from here as possible.” Xia Yixuan relented.
Though she hardly believed the mother and daughter had any real capabilities, she had to give them a chance to avoid alienating her son.
Time quickly passed until the fifteenth of August.
On this day, all civil and military officials were permitted to bring their families into the palace to celebrate with the Emperor.
Emperor Qiande, advanced in years, enjoyed lively gatherings even more.
Every festival, he would have the Empress host a palace banquet.
In her previous life, Huo Ningyu had just married and entered the palace as the Shizi’s wife of the Xie Family. She followed closely behind Zhongyi Bo Furen, Xia Yixuan.
But today, she accompanied her mother.
Destiny was gradually changing.
“Miss, what do you think of wearing this Liuqing-colored Hibiscus Dress paired with this Light Cyan Trimmed Satin Beizi?” Manao took the new garments from the wardrobe and showed them to her mistress.
“Yes, quite suitable. But remember to prepare two additional sets for me to change into,” Huo Ningyu specifically instructed.
She knew a significant event would occur at today’s Mid-Autumn banquet.