When the news of Wei Zhao’s death reached Shangjing, Xiao Huaian, with reddened eyes, beat up the soldiers who ca to deliver his funeral.
In fact, he couldn’t accept this devastating news.
But he wanted to save face.
He kept saying that he cried because Wei Zhao owed him money.
Whether others believed it or not, he didn’t know.
Ning Yunling believed it without a doubt.
For a ti, quite a few officials and noble youths rushed to pay back Wei Zhao’s debt.
Xiao Huaian felt so miserable he wanted to die.
But the money... he accepted it all.
And spent it all.
Ning Yunling continued to accuse him.
"I thought when you went to escort his coffin back to the capital, you at least had so conscience. But at his burial, you didn’t shed a single tear!"
Xiao Huaian: ...
That was because he knew the person in the coffin was not Wei Zhao.
When he was in Ze County, he already had a feeling.
But could he say anything?
"I cried as if my parents had died. You even laughed at for crying ugly."
Xiao Huaian: "It really was ugly, didn’t you realize that?"
Ning Yunling was very upset.
"I miss my cousin."
"He’s been dead for so long, he’s probably reincarnated by now."
Xiao Huaian: "Ning Yunling."
"?"
Xiao Huaian: "You’re of marriageable age now, right?"
Ning Yunling: "What’s it to you?"
Xiao Huaian casually said, "Take my advice. Marry early. You never know, Wei Zhao might reincarnate as your son."
This remark was clearly a joke.
But Ning Yunling, always growing in size but not in brains, pondered.
"Makes sense."
"But if he really reincarnates, should I call him cousin or son?"
Xiao Huaian: ...
You’ve grown so much, it really wasn’t easy.
He was just about to make fun of him.
But then his gaze suddenly shifted downstairs.
A mont ago, a carriage had driven by.
From the corner of his eye, he saw that the driver was none other than Shunzi.
Xiao Huaian was shocked.
That person, is finally coming back?
He couldn’t care about anything else and ran downstairs, trying to catch up.
But by the ti he reached downstairs, there was no trace of the carriage.
————
At the Duke Shun Mansion in Shangjing.
A carriage from the Ning family was parked at the entrance.
Madam Ning, who had difficulty walking, was trembling as she was helped down.
Supporting her was the solemn-faced Marquis Ning, Ning Yunling’s father, and Duchess Shun’s brother, Ning Suxuan.
Madam Ning, having lived a life of luxury for many years, was dressed decently and wore little jewelry, yet her noble air was undeniable as she looked up at the plaque of the Duke Shun Mansion.
The characters above were strong and powerful.
Under the reflection of the light, the plaque no longer shone as brightly as before.
The white cloth at the mansion had not been removed.
Wei family’s doors were tightly closed, white lanterns swaying, the scene desolate and bleak.
Madam Ning sighed heavily.
Marquis Ning whispered, "Ever since the incident with Gui Zhi, sister has been devastated. The entire mansion refused all visitors, I t her only once, and after that, she wouldn’t see ."
"Recently, her maid hinted that she caught a cold and fell ill again."
Madam Ning tapped the ground with her cane: "Your sister has always kept things to herself. Do you not know? Sotis, even I, as her mother, can’t fathom what’s on her mind. She lost her husband early in life, and when the incident with Feng Xing happened, if it weren’t for her thinking of Gui Zhi, she might have..."
Madam Ning still rembers how Ning Suxuan almost didn’t make it when Duke Shun, Wei Fengxing, encountered an accident.
Her daughter had always been dignified and graceful.
But that ti, she cried her heart out in her arms.
She patted Ning Suxuan’s back: "It’s our fault as your parents. When your engagent was annulled by the Royal Family, no one dared to propose again. When your husband ca along, he was impeccable, even superior as a son-in-law than anyone else. We hastened the marriage without consulting your opinion."
"I know you don’t bla us, but in the end, you beca a widow so young..."
Ning Suxuan choked up and said.
"I hesitated in marrying into the Wei Family. But I never regretted it."
"With Gui Zhi’s incident, I’m devastated, let alone her, as the mother?"
Madam Ning was out of breath: "If Yunling hadn’t slipped in front of , would you have still kept her failed suicide attempt a secret?"
"How did I remind you before? To take good care of her, is this how you take care of her?"
Marquis Ning hung his head lower and lower under her scolding.
"I was wrong. But it was also for the sake of you, Mother..."
Her fragile health.
And when Wei Zhao’s accident happened, she fell ill. How could they dare to let Madam Ning suffer?
"You think I’m old and useless now?"
Marquis Ning quickly said: "I wouldn’t dare."
Madam Ning said no more as they ascended the steps together.
The Wei family’s doors were tightly shut.
Marquis Ning raised his hand to knock on the door knocker.
Soon, soone from inside gently opened the door a crack.
Before the Wei family’s gatekeeper could stick her head out, her voice was already heard.
"Our madam is not receiving visitors..."
But seeing who it was, her voice trailed off into her throat.
The madam had instructed not to receive guests, not even family.
But among today’s visitors was Madam Ning.
Madam Ning didn’t intend to force her way in: "I won’t make things difficult for you servants."
"Just go ask Suxuan if she will see . Her mother took this trip, and her body is truly weary, wanting to have a cup of tea with her daughter."
The Wei family was a scholarly and noble family, the mansion vast.
Servants managed it, keeping it clean and showing no signs of decay.
The old woman ran all the way over there.
And when she ran back, her forehead was sweaty, but she didn’t bother to wipe it.
She hurriedly made an inviting gesture to Madam Ning.
"Please co in, dear mother-in-law."
As they entered the main courtyard, the sound of repressed coughing could be heard from inside.
Madam Ning’s expression gradually darkened.
Her steps quickened.
The servants in the main courtyard respectfully lifted the curtain.
Madam Ning entered, walked around the screen, and saw Ning Suxuan, who was leaning weakly against her trusted maid, thin beyond recognition.
Her eyes suddenly reddened.
She sat by the bed.
"It’s hard for you, having to see , your mother."
Having not spoken for a long ti, Ning Suxuan’s voice was extrely hoarse: "Mother."
Madam Ning tidied her quilt: "Your body and hair are received from your parents, are you not filial?"
She held Ning Suxuan’s hand.
It was warm.
"I know you are suffering, but child, one must look forward."
"You lost your child, and I sympathize. But show so sympathy for your mother. Your mother can’t also lose a child."
Ning Suxuan’s eyes were moist, but she didn’t want to talk.
At this mont, another carriage ca to a steady stop outside Duke Shun’s Mansion.
Wei Zhao’s face was as pale as a sheet, looking as if he was gravely ill.
Supported by Yu Tingwan, he got off the carriage.
The old woman guarding the gate wiped her eyes, then wiped them again in disbelief.
On the ground, there was Wei Zhao’s shadow.
She suddenly shouted.
"The General is back!"
The servants sweeping in the yard were so surprised they dropped their brooms.
"The General isn’t dead, the General has returned."
The long-silent Wei family suddenly erupted into chaos.
"Quick! Quickly inform the mistress, the General has returned."
The ssage was passed along layer by layer.
The maidservant in the main courtyard, upon hearing the news, couldn’t care about anything else, she dashed inside.
Forgetting hierarchy and propriety, she tripped over the threshold.
With a thud.
She fell face first on the ground, but she seed not to feel any pain.
The sound was extraordinarily loud.
"Madam, our General has returned."
Ning Suxuan suddenly looked up.
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