Everyone was stunned.
Princess Zhaoming was the first to react. She quickly turned to look at Rong Zhuo, then at A Xi, and stepped forward. "This..."
Rong Zhuo was also greatly shocked. He turned his head to look at A Xi. "A Xi, you... you..."
A Xi shyly kowtowed and replied, "Yes."
Princess Zhaoming didn't care that her father - in - law was angry. She quickly stepped forward and helped A Xi up. "Oh, you silly girl. If you're pregnant, how can you kneel whenever you want? You might hurt your body." She then turned to Rong Zhuo. "Zhuo'er, too. Your wife is pregnant, and you didn't know?"
Rong Zhuo blinked. He really didn't know.
Shi Ning'an continued, "Grandfather, you may not know. Second cousin has been so busy and tired. It's fine that he has tortured himself, but he also made Second cousin - in - law work hard every day. Grandfather, look at Second cousin - in - law. She's so thin. It's only these days that my cousin from the Zeng family has taken good care of her and given her some nourishment to improve her complexion."
Hearing this, Rong Jian knew that Ning'an was deliberately trying to tell how hard Rong Zhuo and his wife had suffered outside.
He said crossly, "Get up! Help your wife in to rest."
After they washed up and returned to the main hall, they finally looked a bit like they did before.
Rong Jian sat at the upper seat with a gloomy face and no trace of a smile. Rong Feichi and Princess Zhaoming couldn't hide their joy on their faces, but they didn't dare to say a word under Rong Jian's glare. Fortunately, Shao Shi, with her pregnant belly, led more - than - three - year - old Rong Han, which made Rong Jian's face soften a little.
Rong Zhuo stepped forward, bowed deeply to everyone, and then couldn't help calling Rong Han. He picked him up. "Han'er has grown so heavy. It's the first time Uncle has seen you."
Rong Jian found a target to vent his anger on. "Humph, you know it's the first time you've seen Han'er?"
Rong Zhuo quickly put his nephew down and bowed to Rong Jian. "Grandfather, your unfilial grandson..."
Rong Jian waved his hand to interrupt him. "What about you? I stopped caring about you years ago. I said at that time that if you insisted on leaving, you would no longer be a member of the Rong family. Do you remember?"
Rong Zhuo replied respectfully, "Grandson remembers."
Rong Jian sneered. "What did you say then?"
Rong Zhuo took a deep breath. "Grandson said - then I won't be a member of the Rong family..."
Rong Jian continued to sneer. "I regarded you as dead then. Now, why did you come back?"
Rong Zhuo knelt down and kowtowed, saying nothing.
Rong Jian asked again, "Do you think the Rong family is a place where you can come and go as you please?"
Shi Ning'an helped A Xi in and heard this. She gently nudged A Xi.
A Xi walked to Rong Zhuo's side and knelt down with him. "Grandfather, Erlang has been away for seven years. He knows he was reckless and ignorant back then and made a big mistake. In these seven years, Erlang has been missing home, you, Master, and Madam all the time. Please give Erlang a chance to make up for his mistakes."
Rong Jian stood up angrily. "Rong Zhuo, are you so cowardly that you let your wife come out to plead for you? Let me ask you, do you admit your mistake?"
Rong Zhuo lowered his head and replied, "Grandson caused the family to worry by leaving home. Grandson admits his mistake."
Rong Jian shouted coldly, "Rong Zhuo, you know what I'm asking. I'll ask you one more time. Do you really admit your mistake?"
Rong Zhuo looked up and knelt straight. "Grandfather, it was a mistake for grandson to make you worry, but in other aspects, grandson has done nothing wrong."
Rong Jian was furious. He shouted repeatedly, "Family rules, family rules! Rong Feichi, go and get them yourself!"
Princess Zhaoming quickly stood up, trying to say something to ease the situation.
Rong Jian scolded, "Shut up! Don't plead for this rebellious son!"
There was chaos.
Shao Shi stepped forward and suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, what's wrong with Second sister - in - law?"
She gently pinched A Xi's waist.
A Xi instinctively slumped down, and Rong Zhuo quickly supported her.
Rong Jian's scolding stopped. He quickly stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong? What's wrong with her?"
Shi Ning'an winked at Zeng Haomiao.
Zeng Haomiao stepped forward nervously and felt A Xi's pulse. He said reluctantly, "Duke... Grandfather, Second Young Madam was overworked some time ago. Although I've tried my best to prepare medicinal herbs these days, it was inconvenient while traveling. Second Young Madam is extremely weak in qi and blood. She may hurt her body. She mustn't be greatly shocked or angry, and she can't kneel so easily. Otherwise, it may be harmful to the fetus in her womb."
After such a commotion, Rong Jian had no energy to blame Rong Zhuo anymore. He just repeatedly told Princess Zhaoming to take good care of his second daughter - in - law.
Zeng Haomiao was extremely busy. He wrote a prescription for A Xi, helped Princess Zhaoming carefully select some high - quality medicinal herbs, and asked the maids and servants to boil them for A Xi to drink.
Shi Ning'an whispered to her uncle, "Uncle, is everything really okay at home? I heard that the Rong family was deprived of their title and official position. I was so worried that I was afraid something had happened to you. But when I came back, it seems... it's okay?"
Rong Feichi waved his hand. "It's just being deprived of the title and official position. It's not a big deal. We don't have to go to court on duty, so we can be more relaxed... Cough, of course, it's others who are relaxed. I'm not at all relaxed. Ning'an, in the future, you should coax your grandfather more and don't let him torture me anymore."
Shi Ning'an couldn't help laughing. Her uncle was nearly fifty years old and already a grandfather, but he was still forced like this by her grandfather. It was really pitiful.
She quickly asked again, "Is everything really okay at home? What about the palace? How is the Empress Dowager?"
Rong Feichi shook his head. "After we were deprived of our title, we came to the estate. Your two cousins are still in the city. We don't know much about the palace. But a few days ago, the Empress Dowager sent someone to give some things to your aunt. It seems that the palace wants to appease the Rong family."
Shi Ning'an thought for a while. Maybe after Wei Hongmiao lost power, the Emperor still remembered Rong Sui's goodness. This gesture of goodwill might not be a bad thing. But what about the Third Prince?
Rong Feichi continued, "Although the Rong family has lost its title, your aunt's and your ranks remain unchanged. The Emperor is not a cold - hearted person. Depriving the title was also a last resort. Your grandfather has been in glory for most of his life. What he relies on is not the duke title, but the prestige accumulated from so many battles. How could he care about these things?"
Shi Ning'an thought for a while and asked, "Uncle, what's going on with Wuyun? The Xia family is related to the Rong family by marriage. Isn't Lord Xia the elder brother of Second aunt? Why did he..."
Rong Feichi frowned and sighed deeply. "Your second uncle would never do such a thing. But we don't know the specific details. Now, the Emperor's order is that the Xia family should escort your second uncle's family back to the capital."
Escort back to the capital.
Shi Ning'an felt sad. Her second uncle's prestige was no less than that of her grandfather. He always returned in triumph. When had he ever fallen to the point of being escorted back to the capital?
Rong Feichi continued, "It means a retrial later. Anyway, as long as they can come back, there is still room for maneuver."
Shi Ning'an felt even more desolate. Even a noble family like the Rong family could be in such a precarious situation. Was there really no real happiness in life?
Rong Feichi also asked Shi Ning'an about her journey.
Shi Ning'an didn't know the real relationship between General Zhou and the Rong family, so she didn't elaborate. She just said vaguely, "We originally pretended to be going to the capital to look for relatives with cousin Zeng. On the way, we unexpectedly met Second cousin. Uncle, Second cousin looks very much like Big cousin and also a bit like Third cousin."
Rong Feichi smiled. "Yes, they have looked alike since they were children. We Rong family members all look similar."
Shi Ning'an said, "Yes, that's why I could recognize him as Second cousin at a glance. Second cousin has really suffered a lot these years. Uncle, is Grandfather really so angry that he won't allow Second cousin to be a civil official?"
Rong Feichi laughed. "Your grandfather is just like that. Don't worry. He'll be okay after he calms down. He used to be quite stubborn, but now he has thought it through. Each generation has its own fortune. Both civil and military officials are pillars of the Great Zhou. There is no difference in status."
After Zeng Haomiao finished his work, he saw Shi Ning'an sitting in a daze on the corridor. He walked over quickly. "Cousin, I found..."
Shi Ning'an asked, "Found what?"
Zeng Haomiao sat down in a huff and sighed deeply. "I found that I've been lying everywhere these days when I'm with you. I can't keep up with all the lies."
Shi Ning'an laughed. "Cousin, these are white lies. They don't count as lies."
Zeng Haomiao shook his head. "Lying is lying. How can it not count as lying? Alas, I even had to help you act a play today."
Seeing his guilty and self - reproachful look, Shi Ning'an quickly comforted him. "Cousin, you can't think like this. Let me ask you. When you're treating a patient and you know the patient can't be cured, do you directly tell the patient in front of them?"
Zeng Haomiao frowned. "That's naturally different."
Shi Ning'an said again, "How is it different? It's the same principle as treating a patient. My grandfather is old and is just like a child. Moreover, Second sister - in - law is really weak in qi and blood and hasn't fully recovered. She may be okay for now while kneeling, but do you want to wait until something really happens to her before you examine her?"
"I didn't mean that..."
Shi Ning'an patted Zeng Haomiao on the shoulder. "That's right. What we're doing is not lying. It's preventing problems before they happen. And think about it. If something really happens to Second sister - in - law, what will my grandfather do? Won't he feel guilty? Won't he think that if he hadn't been so strict, Second sister - in - law wouldn't have had an accident?"
Zeng Haomiao nodded blankly.
Shi Ning'an patted him seriously again. "That's right. Cousin, you should know that what we're doing now is to avoid a tragedy. Second sister - in - law's body will recover, and grandfather will be in a good mood. It's a happy ending. Don't care too much about the small details."
"Ning'an."
Shi Ning'an and Zeng Haomiao looked up and saw Rong Xuan and Rong Sui standing under a tree not far away. Rong Sui squinted his eyes, and his face was not looking good.
Zeng Haomiao quickly pushed Shi Ning'an's hand off his shoulder.