Wei Dongling was quite touched. Frowning slightly, she sighed, "Grandpa, what are you talking nonsense about? Nurse Ruan said that with proper recuperation, your health is getting better! You've got to live a long life. Then you'll still have to help me hold my babies!"
Old Mr. Su's eyes turned slightly red. He nodded vigorously and said, "Okay!"
Uncle Li rudely scoffed, "That'll be ages from now!"
Jingzhe, standing beside them, said seriously, "Among all the men in the capital, as long as Miss Wei is willing, I'll knock one out and bring him back."
Uncle Li slapped Jingzhe on the shoulder and laughed like a donkey having an asthma attack. He found this young fellow more and more to his liking.
Wei Dongling: ...
In the village, the earthen house they had lived in back then had fallen into disrepair and was in ruins. It bore no resemblance to what it used to be. Wei Dongling rummaged around in the ruins for a long time but couldn't find a single item that could trigger her memories. She couldn't help but feel a bit dejected.
Jingzhe stepped forward and tugged at her sleeve. He whispered, "Well, back then, I was ordered to bring his head back to the capital. The remaining bones were buried in the reed marshes."
Mentioning the past, Wei Dongling was heart - broken. She sighed and said, "Let's go and have a look."
The group of them made their way to the reed forest by the lake. Jingzhe searched carefully according to his memory and finally stopped beside a small mound. He inserted his soft sword into the soil and probed back and forth. Then he nodded to Wei Dongling and said, "It's probably here."
Wei Dongling's nose tingled and tears welled up in her eyes. She shouted at Jingzhe who was digging the soil, "Stop digging. Digging it out will only make us more sad."
Jingzhe was stunned for a moment. Should he add some soil and erect a tombstone? He quickly went to dig soil from elsewhere and piled it up to make the small mound look like a tomb.
Uncle Li whittled a piece of wood and carved the name Wei Jiang on it with a knife. He inserted it into the soil to make a simple tombstone. Then he took out a small flask of wine from his bosom, sat on the tombstone, and drank to himself while muttering.
After they burned some paper money, Jingzhe saw Wei Dongling sitting beside him looking dejected. He couldn't help but lower his eyes and sigh, "The dead are gone. Don't be so sad."
Wei Dongling pointed at the winter - ling herbs in full bloom by the lake and cried, "So my name was just randomly chosen like this?"
Jingzhe's mouth twitched.
After the sacrifice, they planned to return to the capital. Wei Dongling actually found out the family that raised sheep and brought back a little lamb.
The little lamb bleated all the way in the carriage. Uncle Li was extremely annoyed and was about to kill it on the spot to roast and drink with. But Wei Dongling refused no matter what.
When they returned to the capital, it was already early morning the next day. Wei Dongling settled the little lamb down. She had just stepped into her room and was about to go back to sleep when Cuilan grabbed her and took her out of the mansion.
"Huancui, I'm so sleepy..." Wei Dongling flopped on the ground and refused to move.
Cuilan picked her up and ran all the way. She said cheerfully, "It's the big show of the year. It'll be a pity if you don't go and see it with your own eyes."
"What big show?"
"You'll know when you get there!"
So, just as dawn was breaking, Wei Dongling was dragged and pulled by Cuilan over the high wall of the Yu Mansion.
Wei Dongling didn't want to see Yu Zixi. She was about to turn around and leave with a sulky face. But after Cuilan repeatedly assured her that it would be extremely exciting, she reluctantly stayed. The two of them quietly climbed onto the attic eaves and hid there. From this vantage point, they could see Yu Zixi's courtyard clearly.
Before long, they heard a rush of footsteps outside. Then they saw Lord Yu leading a group of servants rushing towards Yu Zixi's courtyard.
There was also a familiar young man in brocade clothes beside Lord Yu. Wei Dongling stared at the young man's face for a long time before she remembered that he was the young playboy Wang Linfeng whom she had met briefly when there was a ruckus in the Crown Prince's underground gambling house. He was one of Yu Zixi's cronies.
But what was Young Master Wang Linfeng doing in the Yu Mansion so early in the morning? And why was he in such a hurry to lead the angry - looking Lord Yu into Yu Zixi's courtyard?
Normally, Lord Yu would have already gotten up and gone to the palace for the morning court at this time. But today, he was stopped by Wang Linfeng who came early. After listening to what the young master whispered in his ear, Lord Yu's face immediately changed, and he rushed over in a hurry.
When he reached the courtyard gate, Lord Yu's steps trembled slightly. He asked nervously, "Nephew, is what you said true?"
Wang Linfeng said anxiously, "Uncle Yu! How could I ever hide anything from you! Do you know why Zixi is reluctant to marry the County Mistress Rong'an? He really has his own sufferings that he can't tell anyone!"
Lord Yu's face became more and more gloomy. When he reached Yu Zixi's room door, he trembled but didn't dare to push it open. After hesitating for a long time, Lord Yu ordered the butler beside him, "Open the door!"
The butler took the order and stepped forward to push the door. After pushing for a long time, he couldn't open it. Lord Yu got impatient and roared, "Kick it open!"
"Yes!"
With a loud bang, Yu Zixi's room door was kicked open. They heard a man's angry roar from inside the room, "Who?"
Hearing this voice, Lord Yu's face turned even uglier. Then he heard a woman's shrill scream.
The two concubines in the east and west side rooms were awakened by the scream. They quickly got up, dressed, and came out to pay their respects to Lord Yu.
Yu Xingze was awakened by the sound of the door being kicked open. When he opened his eyes, he saw a naked beauty tightly in his arms. He was completely stunned on the spot. He had only drunk a little wine last night. How could he have ended up in Yu Zixi's room inexplicably and had a night of passion with this beauty? He thought it was just a spring dream, but when he woke up, he found that the beauty he had been longing for was really in his arms.
So, was last night's night of debauchery real?
Before Yu Xingze could be overjoyed, the graceful beauty beside him was also awakened by his roar. When the beauty opened her eyes and saw him, and then saw that they were both naked and entangled with each other, she let out a panicked scream.
Wei Dongling on the eaves couldn't see what was going on inside the room. She could only hear the sounds. She was extremely curious and quickly craned her neck to look, but was grabbed back by Cuilan.
The butler of the Yu Mansion entered the room and dragged the disheveled man out and pressed him to the ground. Only then did everyone see clearly that it was the second young master of the Yu Mansion! But why had Yu Xingze spent the night in Yu Zixi's room? And who was the screaming woman in the room?
Seeing the second young master half - naked, the female relatives were panicked and quickly avoided looking.
The butler quickly stepped forward to put clothes on the second young master.
Yu Xingze looked up and saw Lord Yu. He quickly knelt down and called out, "Father!"
Lord Yu was so angry that his face turned ashen. He waved his sleeve and roared, "After doing such a thing, who's your father?"
Hearing the woman in the room crying bitterly, Yu Xingze quickly bowed his head and kowtowed. He pleaded, "Father, it's all because your son drank some wine last night that such a big mistake was made! Your son is willing to accept the punishment! Let father decide!"
Lord Yu was heart - broken. Covering his chest, he asked, "Is that woman really the County Mistress Rong'an?"
Yu Xingze kowtowed and said, "Yes! Your son deserves to die!"