The warm breeze was gentle, and inside the Wei Family Ancestral Hall were the ancestral plaques of the Duke Shun Mansion’s ancestors through the ages.
The Wei Family flourished, with branches back in their hotown of Jinling, but only this line of the Duke Shun Mansion was deeply rooted in Shangjing.
The surroundings were serene, yet solemn and dignified.
The walls of the ancestral hall were filled with portraits of the ancestors, and one of them was Duke Shun, Wei Fengxing.
The servant watching over the ancestral hall had received the notice, opened the doors early, prepared incense and candles, and quietly awaited the General’s arrival.
But no one ca after a long wait.
Wei Zhao did not go; he was having a reunion al in the main courtyard.
The air was sowhat stagnant.
Ning Suxuan did not touch her chopsticks.
The few mbers of the Ning family exchanged glances, eating absentmindedly.
At this ti, indeed, they should be at the ancestral hall.
However, Wei Zhao claid to feel unwell and wanted to rest after the al.
This was not like him at all.
Wei Zhao had always followed the rules, especially regarding such matters.
In the past, every ti he returned from the frontier, regardless of how late or hungry he was, the first thing he did upon entering was burn incense for his father.
They had no idea, Wei Zhao didn’t dare to go.
The last ti, he snuck back at night and knelt outside the ancestral hall all night. The torrential rain seed capable of crushing the iron-boned military general, breaking his pride and spine.
Ning Suxuan rely assud his injuries were too severe, furrowing her brow, "Your body was pierced by sharp weapons on the battlefield, possibly injuring your heart and lungs, and you fell from a cliff. Such large and small injuries could be deadly."
No wonder he had only returned after such a long period of recovery.
Looking at Wei Zhao’s complexion...
"What did Elder Ge say?"
Ning Suxuan was worried, "Where is he? I must ask personally."
Were there any critical injuries? Would there be long-term repercussions? Could he possibly recover fully in the future? Everything needed to be clarified.
"He is not here; he went to fetch dicine for ."
"However, I have already ordered him to be summoned back."
He was truly summoned.
No.
After all, the Crown Prince could die any mont.
Ning Suxuan: "Why?"
Wei Zhao respectfully said, "The Crown Prince is weak, and the Holy Emperor intends for Elder Ge to treat him."
Coldness flashed in Ning Suxuan’s eyes.
Yu Tingwan did not know how much of a lotus the Zhou Family woman was, according to Shen Zhiyi.
But she felt, she couldn’t possibly match her!
"Mother-in-law, this is it."
"Husband feels his body is just like this; he cannot wield a sword or go to the battlefield again, but at least his life is spared, at most suffering so hardships."
"But the Crown Prince is different. He needs to be saved."
"Not to ntion, even if the dicine wasn’t found to send Elder Ge to the Eastern Palace, if my husband were to give his life for the Crown Prince, he is loyal to the Emperor and the country, and wouldn’t hesitate to nod."
Ning Suxuan: ??
She suddenly looked at Wei Zhao, "How can you be so foolish?"
So what if the Crown Prince died!
Even if the one on the dragon throne died, she would say it was karma!
Wei Zhao looked into her eyes, probing, "The Holy Emperor is pleased with this, how dare I not comply?"
Ning Suxuan was utterly speechless, gripping her handkerchief tightly.
Ruler and subject, ruler and subject.
Everyone beneath one man was like ants, as Wei Fengxing once told her.
Ning Suxuan felt a bitter sourness in her heart, but it didn’t show on her face.
Wei Zhao had little appetite, not eating much.
The only one eating heartily without a care in the world was Yu Tingwan.
The dishes were fairly bland, but the presentation was extraordinarily delicate.
Yu Tingwan was indeed hungry; she didn’t care about the emotions of those at the table and ate and drank as she pleased; no one could affect her.
Suddenly.
A atball appeared in her bowl.
Yu Tingwan glanced at Wei Zhao.
Wei Zhao said warmly, "It’s the cook’s specialty, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside."
Then another piece, a chicken leg.
Next was a deboned fish.
Before her eyes, the bowl gradually piled up.
Seeing the unsightly arrangent in the bowl, Wei Zhao turned around and placed a carrot carved into a flower into her bowl.
Yu Tingwan: ...
An embellishnt, is it.
"You..."
Yu Tingwan was almost amused in anger.
How could she not know Wei Zhao’s go-to tactic!
"Don’t think I don’t know, you’re..."
You’re just idling with nothing better to do, hands restless, full already, and can’t eat more!
It wasn’t the first ti.
Back when they were newly married, Wei Zhao still wanted to die every day.
No appetite for food, eating a few bites and then putting down the chopsticks. You’d talk to him, and he’d ignore you.
So if he didn’t eat, you couldn’t exactly force it down his throat.
Yu Tingwan was quite troubled over this.
After all, she was worried that after just getting married, Wei Zhao would soon beco a tombstone.
But once, while he was slowly picking at his bowl, his chopsticks reached for the dishes on the table.
This made Yu Tingwan excited.
This man! The noble hands that only brewed dicine could actually pick up food!
He picked a lot, and the food in front of him beca a small mountain.
But he did not eat.
Then the mountain beca too high...
Wei Zhao softly said, "Oh no, it toppled."
Yu Tingwan: ???
She knew the man was asking for it.
Perhaps sensing her death glare.
Wei Zhao looked at Yu Tingwan.
"Let test you, what is this?"
Yu Tingwan said, "You’re asking for it again."
Wei Zhao smiled, a smile like the fractured moon in water, "Excess leads to downfall, things reverse upon reaching their limit."
Yu Tingwan didn’t want to hear such profound things, and certainly wouldn’t pamper him.
"Don’t you waste this on !"
"Wasting grain, I’ll let you waste grain!"
Wei Zhao fell silent.
His hand supporting the table, his body weak, everything he did was taxing.
Struggling to stand up and wanting to leave, he was firmly held back by Yu Tingwan.
Yu Tingwan shoved the chopsticks back into his hand, "Eat! Eat all you picked."
Wei Zhao didn’t want her.
But seeing her fist about to hamr down again, he behaved.
Yet unable to eat, he lifted his eyes, eting Yu Tingwan’s fierce gaze.
"What are you looking at for?"
I’m supervising you, you scoundrel!
Wei Zhao slowly said, "Are you drooling over or the food in my bowl?"
Yu Tingwan: ??
Wei Zhao to himself, "It’s the food."
So, without fear of death, he delivered the dish to Yu Tingwan’s bowl.
For this, he was hamred several tis.
Now, out of boredom, he was serving her food again.
But...
Yu Tingwan held back, not hamring him.
After all, with so many people around.
Madam Ning was astonished, "I originally thought this child Gui Zhi was cold-hearted, and after marrying a new wife, wouldn’t know how to care."
She was afraid Yu Tingwan would not believe her, so she told her.
"You don’t know, earlier a distant cousin from the Ning family ca over to seek help. It so happened that Gui Zhi went ho to visit that day. They t."
"I thought she was honest, and feeling sorry for her miserable life, I intended to later help find her a match."
The family status was clear, naturally not considering marrying that girl to so noble family gentleman, right?
The Ning family valued integrity in people.
With the support of the Ning family, marrying into a good match, the couple would manage things well, life wouldn’t be bad.
"Yet her mouth was full of gratitude towards , while in her heart she looked down, and even fancied Gui Zhi, hoping to climb up."
Seeing Yu Tingwan listening intently, Madam Ning continued.
"During the al, she even served Gui Zhi food."
"Gui Zhi, being a gentleman, didn’t touch his chopsticks again, mindful of , wouldn’t embarrass her in front of so many people by exposing her and making her lose face. He just said he was looking for his uncle and left the table."
Yu Tingwan: ...
A gentleman?
Him?
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