After Su Ziming had argued with Mrs. Deng, he turned around and saw Su Hele still kneeling there in silence.
Anger welled up in his heart. He picked up a scroll and threw it at her. "Still not saying a word!"
The scroll fell to the ground with a thud. Finally, Su Hele raised her head, her voice trembling.
"Daughter has done something against her will. I know I'm in the wrong and dare not plead for mercy from Father."
"Ale, what are you talking about? Apologize to your father properly," Mrs. Deng said.
But Su Hele just shook her head.
"When I first met Young Master He, Father had just been demoted. I admit my motives were impure. I wanted Young Master He to find a way to help Father stay in the capital.
I also knew this was not an above - board thing to do, so I went to bid him farewell today. I'm willing to go with you all to Fangzhou and share weal and woe.
But I almost fell when I was leaving, and Young Master He just helped me steady myself. Who would have known that it would be spread like this."
Although her face was streaked with tears, Su Hele still held her chin high.
Mrs. Deng heaved a sigh of relief.
"I knew there must be some misunderstanding. My lord, you've wronged Ale."
"Then what about what He Jin said, that you two were in love?"
Hearing the reason for Su Hele's acquaintance with He Jin, Su Ziming's anger subsided a bit, but he still had some doubts.
"Father, Xie Yao bore a grudge against me and immediately slandered us for having an improper relationship. Young Master He has always fancied me, but I've always refused him. Now, in order to protect my reputation, he naturally said so," Su Hele said as she wiped away her tears, looking proud.
Su Ziming frowned and remained silent. After a long while, he said,
"Although there's a misunderstanding in this matter, others won't bother to find out the reason. They'll only spread rumors. It's ultimately your fault for handling things improperly. I'll give you three days. If He Jin doesn't come to propose marriage, you'll shave your hair and go to the nunnery."
"My lord! This won't do. What if He Jin..." Mrs. Deng said anxiously.
Su Ziming waved his hand. "It's settled. Everyone, leave. I'm tired."
...
In the inner room of the side courtyard, beside a screen painted with peonies, a gilded incense burner with animal patterns emitted curling incense smoke.
Beside a bookshelf full of bamboo slips, Su Nansheng, dressed in a green dress, sat upright in front of a mahogany table.
On the table were a purple clay teapot, a square inkstone, and rice paper.
In the plain porcelain teacup on the corner of the table, wisps of steam rose. The fragrant tea had been brewed long ago, but no one was there to enjoy it.
Su Nansheng held a brush and tried hard to recall the major events in the court of her previous life. She wrote down one event as soon as she remembered it.
She wanted to help Chen Mingzhu. After meeting Chen Mingzhu, she realized that there were people who could live so vibrantly.
They didn't have to be overly cautious or follow the rules strictly. They could just be themselves.
She couldn't be so unrestrained yet, but she hoped that Chen Mingzhu could maintain her vibrancy for a longer time.
"Second Miss, I heard that Master was really angry and is going to send the Eldest Miss to the nunnery," Bi Tao whispered the news she had heard.
Su Nansheng stopped writing. "Did Father find out so soon?"
Father was on duty today. Normally, such things wouldn't spread to the official circles so quickly, unless...
Thinking of this, Su Nansheng couldn't help but smile. Xie Yao was really a good helper. She had saved her a lot of trouble.
"Yes. As soon as he came back, he called the Eldest Miss to the study. We could hear his roars outside," Bi Tao shrank her neck. Fortunately, she didn't have to serve in front of Master, or she would have been implicated.
Su Nansheng sneered. His daughter, whom he had always been proud of, was caught having a secret meeting with a man. Just roaring a few times was already quite self - restrained.
The threat of becoming a nun was really intimidating, but it was a pity that Su Hele couldn't understand. How could He Jin be willing to let her become a nun?
Father probably just wanted to maintain his own reputation and put some pressure on He Jin.
Thinking of this, Su Nansheng picked up the brush again and continued to sort out the memories of her previous life.
As she was writing, Su Nansheng suddenly stopped. The ink spread on the rice paper, forming a dark black blot.
He Jin would definitely come to propose marriage, but what about her own marriage?
Previously, she had first refused the marriage and then agreed. She had even presented the Buddhist scriptures in advance to please Chen Wanrong, but the marriage had not been finalized after all.
Although Mother had hinted to her a few days ago that Chen Wanrong was very satisfied with her and was just waiting for He Xun to give his consent.
But after meeting He Xun several times, she still couldn't figure out his thoughts. Would this marriage still happen?
Su Nansheng thought for a moment and then picked up a piece of gold - foil paper to write a visiting card.
"Bi Tao, you'll deliver this visiting card to the mistress of the Marquis Mansion tomorrow," she said.
Since He Xun's thoughts were so hard to guess, she would take the initiative. She wanted to marry He Xun as soon as possible.
...
In the flower hall of the Marquis Mansion, Chen Wanrong looked at He Jin in front of her, looking embarrassed.
"Although I'm the mistress of this mansion, I can't bypass Concubine Li when it comes to your marriage. You'd better discuss it with her properly. You're mother and son. You'll surely be able to sort things out."
"But Concubine Li said that she'll never agree to my marriage to Su Hele unless she's dead. I'm really at my wit's end. Mother, could you please go and persuade Concubine Li for me?" He Jin said anxiously. He had promised Ale that he would go to propose marriage tomorrow. He couldn't break his promise.
"Sigh, if you're so tough, how could she agree? Soften your tone and say some nice words to her. If it really doesn't work, I'll go and persuade her," Chen Wanrong said. She didn't want Concubine Li to say that she was sowing discord between mother and son.
Since things had come to this, He Jin couldn't insist anymore. He had no choice but to leave first.
After He Jin left, Chen Wanrong went to the Listening to the Wind Courtyard.
...
In the backyard of the Listening to the Wind Courtyard, an arrow pierced through the bull's - eye and stuck into the wooden board behind.
"Good shot!" Fei Yu cheered loudly, but fell silent under He Xun's cold stare.
"What's so good about it? It's such a time, and you still have the mind to practice archery," Chen Wanrong said after He Xun had shot all the arrows in his quiver.
He Xun casually threw the bow to Fei Yu and accompanied Chen Wanrong into the house.
The two sat opposite each other in front of a three - fold landscape painting screen. There was no incense burning in the room, but there was a faint scent of agarwood.
"What did Mother want to talk to me about?" He Xun brewed tea for Chen Wanrong himself.
Only then was Chen Wanrong a bit satisfied.
"What else could it be? You've met Miss Nansheng several times. Does the girl want to marry you or not?"
She was a bit anxious. She regretted having told He Xun that the girl didn't want to marry him. She should have just set a good date and married the girl into the mansion to be on the safe side.
He Xun stroked the green jade teacup. He didn't know whether she wanted to marry him or not. But...
Thinking of the hand that had grabbed his sleeve that day, a hint of warmth flashed in He Xun's eyes. It seemed that she didn't reject him either.
Seeing that He Xun didn't say a word, Chen Wanrong continued,
"Even He Jin is going to go and propose marriage after you. Aren't you in a hurry?"
"Mother should know why he's in such a hurry to propose marriage. Are you sure you want me to compete with him in this regard?" He Xun sneered. He Jin was such a spineless guy.
Since Concubine Li didn't agree to this marriage, he shouldn't have delayed the girl. If he didn't make a clean break, he would only suffer from his indecision.
"If not this, then tell me why there's been no progress. Is it harder than leading an army to fight a war?"
"Yes," He Xun answered straightforwardly this time.
Chen Wanrong rolled her eyes. Was he trying to infuriate her?
"Then show the same determination as when you're leading an army! If you don't make more efforts, Miss Nansheng might be snatched away by someone else."
"Okay," He Xun replied.
Chen Wanrong was speechless for a moment. Then she glared at He Xun.
"You'd better do as you say."