Chapter 131 Helpless Lobbyist [1]
Zi You did not go with Liu Ruixue to her courtyard immediately. Instead, she went to greet Duke Anguo furen. During the time that she was “injured,” Duke Anguo furen not only sent over many precious tonics, but personally brought Liu Ruixue to the General’s Manor to see her twice. Whether it was out of affection or reason, she should thank her G.o.dmother.
Although her aunt had brought her to Duke Anguo fu to thank her after her recovery, she was going to do it personally and alone now. The level of sincerity was not the same.
When they arrived at Duke Anguo furen’s courtyard, Zi You saw that Duke Anguo furen’s close confidant Xie mama was already waiting there. She saw them get off the sedan chairs and hurried forward to curtsy to them. “Paying respects to Mu Xiaojie and Xiaojie. Furen knows that Mu Xiaojie has come and has been waiting for a long time.”
Zi You was very cold to everyone except for her relatives and friends this lifetime. But Xie mama was Duke Anguo furen’s most trusted servant, so Zi You was very willing to give her face. She lightly helped her up. “Xie mama doesn’t need to be so polite. Hurry and get up. It is You’er’s fault for making G.o.dmother wait.”
They walked into Duke Anguo furen’s living quarters. Duke Anguo furen did not meet her in the living room, so she clearly did not treat her like an outsider. Moreover, it looked like Duke Anguo furen did not pay attention to the rumors flying outside about Zi You and Taizi.
Sure enough, Duke Anguo furen saw Zi You and pulled her to sit down next to her on the couch without letting Zi You finish curtsying. “Good child, does the injured area still hurt? You have to nourish your body well. Don’t let some disease take root. Girls have delicate bodies. You’ve suffered such a heavy injury. It’s really worrying.”
“G.o.dmother, You’er is fine and made you worry!” Zi You’s heart was warm. The usual coldness on her face was missing. She had a sweet smile on her face, which startled Duke Anguo furen.
Duke Anguo furen couldn’t help but secretly sigh. “No wonder so many w.a.n.gzis and Shizi want to marry her. Her appearance is three times better than her mother’s that year. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it can cause the downfall of a country. That’s why someone hates her and sent a.s.sa.s.sins to kill her.”
Thinking of this, Duke Anguo furen softly reminded Zi You. “Good child, you have to bring more guards with you when you leave the house. It was so dangerous! Fortunately your three jiejies left early or you would be in more danger trying to protect them.”
It wasn’t that the three girls and their parents held no suspicions towards Zi You getting injured.
Four girls went into the mountain together, but three of them were fine and only Zi You was injured. It was said that she sent the other three girls back first and stayed alone in the mountain. That’s how she put herself in danger.
But why did she stay in the mountain alone? Why didn’t she return from the mountain with the three girls? When asked, the three girls shook their heads. “I don’t know. You’er didn’t say.”
Duke Anguo furen had these doubts and asked Old General Mu about them when she went to visit Zi You.
Old General Mu had a good explanation. “That’s because the child wanted to learn medicine. She wanted to catch some small animals on the mountain to practice medicine on and was found by people with bad intentions. You’er had said that it was fortunate that she sent her three jiejies away. Otherwise, she would have implicated them. I also think that that was a blessing among misfortune.”
The three families were suspicious, but they understood. Although Zi You was a military family’s descendant, she was still a n.o.ble blue-blooded xiaojie. She naturally didn’t want anyone to see her doing something vulgar as catching animals. Even if they were close friends, she didn’t want to leave a bad impression on them.
Old General Mu was secretly relieved when he saw that the three xiaojies and their families were no longer suspicious. He was also very gratified about his granddaughter’s ability.
He didn’t expect his granddaughter’s Worriless Pill was so effective. Liu Ruixue, Xia Ruoqing, and Ji Bingyu only remembered that they went into the mountain with Zi You and were later sent by Zi You back to their homes.
A cold light flashed in Zi You’s eyes when she thought about the vicious attack that day. She smiled comfortingly at Duke Anguo furen. “You’er understands, G.o.dmother. You’er will pay more attention in the future. Don’t worry. In fact, this is also good. This can train You’er’s courage. Otherwise, You’er might turn into a coward on the battlefield with grandfather and uncle. Let’s treat it as experiencing war early.”
Duke Anguo furen was startled. She lightly chided, “This child. You say it so lightly. Do you need to personally kill people in order to save soldiers on the battlefield? If it’s really like that, not only your grandfather, but your G.o.dmother, I, would not agree.”
Zi You’s words were actually sincere. Although she was ice-cold to anyone else, she was absolutely sincere to her family and friends.
If she wanted someone to like her, she could immediately make that person have a good impression of her.
Just like now, she burrowed herself gratefully into Duke Anguo furen’s arms. She gently acted spoiled. “Don’t worry G.o.dmother. You’er still wants to be a sister-in-law. You’er wants to have birthday celebrations with G.o.dmother and G.o.dfather every year. You’er does not want to lose her life. Don’t worry. You’er will pay more attention in the future.”
Duke Anguo furen’s motherly tenderness was aroused. She held Zi You for a long time without letting go.
Liu Ruixue pretended to be jealous as she said, “Once mother saw you, she tossed me to the side. We’ve been here for so long and mother hasn’t even spoken one word to me.”
Duke Anguo furen smiled and patted her daughter’s hand. “This child. How can you be jealous of your meimei?”
“Haha……” The roomful of people, including Liu Ruixue’s three sisters-in-law and the servants, all laughed.
The atmosphere was very good. It seemed that Taizi and Zi You’s rumors did not affect her friendship with them.
Zi You gently relaxed. She actually did not know that her Aunt had already been to Duke Anguo fu to make things clear.
After knowing that Zi You wanted to avoid the imperial descendants and got engaged to Zhao HongXiang in order to cure his leg, they only held compa.s.sion towards her and not blame.
“What are you laughing at?” A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old handsome gongzi walked inside at this time.
This gongzi was wearing an indigo colored silver embroidered flowing clouds cotton robe. His collar and cuffs were lined with sable fur. A light blue auspicious cloud wide brocade belt was around his waist. His black hair was tied up with a small, silver jade-inlaid crown. The white jade crystals on the silver crown brought out his hair’s silk-like smoothness and sleekness even more.
Zi You knew that this was Liu Ruixue’s youngest brother, Liu Jun.
She had met Liu Jun twice before. The first time was at the banquet, but a lot of things happened that day, so she did not notice him.
The second time was when Nee Liu brought Zi You to thank Duke Anguo furen. That was the first time they spoke.
Zi You did not pay much attention to him, but the Duke’s young son had firmly remembered her since Duke Anguo fu’s banquet when Zi You taught Shangguan Lingluo a lesson.
Actually, the people who remembered Zi You that day weren’t only one or two people. Probably everyone there remembered her. Every man with a sense of justice admired her for her amazing talent, brilliant skills, that lofty and unyielding character, and that hot-bloodedness from a military family.
Liu Jun was not an exception. He said to his father that night, “That is a woman who deserves to be admired. What’s the point of marrying one of those delicate and weak women skilled in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and who vainly want to attach themselves to n.o.bility?”
When Duke Anguo heard that his son admired Zi You, he discussed things with his furen. “I’m afraid that Jun’er likes the G.o.ddaughter whom you have accepted today, Zi You. I think the two people are a good match. Our two fus are also relatives already. We’ll just be more familiar with each other. What do you think?”
“Great!” Duke Anguo furen was very happy.
[Another suitor…?]
But she thought about Zi You’s age and said, “But You’er is too young. She’s only twelve years old. I’m afraid that Old General will be reluctant to let her go. Moreover, Jun’er just became a Juren [successful candidate in the imperial provincial examination]. We don’t know if he can succeed in the imperial examination three years later. If he cannot, would Old General like him? Let’s wait until I ask Nee Liu about it.”
Old General immediately said, “It’s not impossible, but tell her that You’er’s future husband cannot have tongfangs or concubines.”
Nee Liu was embarra.s.sed to death. How was she supposed to tell Duke Anguo furen this? Not all men were loyal in love like her husband and father-in-law. She had no choice but to lie.
“Sister-in-law, you know how much my father-in-law dotes on You’er. I told him that You’er is already twelve years old and that we should look around for a future husband for her.
“But father-in-law immediately became angry and said to me, ‘I will set an engagement for You’er after she reached the marriageable age of fifteen. I will never let her marry early.’ It was as if I couldn’t wait to marry You’er off. How could I dare to say anything more?”
Nee Liu’s lie made Duke Anguo furen unable to say anything more. Nee Liu returned and didn’t mention this matter anymore. In the end, Old General Mu misunderstood and thought that Duke Anguo did not agree to this matter. He was angry for several days.
In the end, Zi You and Zhao HongXiang were engaged. Like Zi You, Old General Mu was deceived by Zhao HongXiang in her previous life too. But Zi You used many schemes in this lifetime to reveal Zhao HongXiang’s lecherous character. Old General Mu already despised him. Why would he marry his precious granddaughter to him? If Zi You did not persuade him, he would never agree to this ridiculous marriage.
When Duke Anguo furen found out that Zi You was engaged to Zhao HongXiang, she did not understand. “Sister-in-law, didn’t you tell me that Old General wanted to keep You’er by his side until she turns fifteen? Why did she suddenly get engaged to Duke Yongnan Shizi? Chongxi! How could he think of that? Isn’t Old General worried that You’er would suffer marrying such a selfish person?”
Nee Liu was angered to death. She replied, “We’ve been forced by the w.a.n.gzis and Shizi. Father-in-law had no other way and wanted to avoid those people. Just then, Duke Yongnan came to beg father-in-law and said that his son loved You’er. He begged father-in-law to help his son on account of him being ill.”