Because Marquis BolingâYuan Xuepei was carried back to the imperial capital.
After receiving the news, Yuan Xueâe returned back to Marquis Bolingâs mansion by riding without changing her clothes. When she arrived at Marquis Bolingâs mansion, Jian Xubai had asked the Commissioner of the Imperial Academy of Medicine to treat Yuan Xuepei. But the result was a bolt from the blue for Yuan Xueâe, âHis knees were broken at all, and I have no way to save his knees!â
That was to say, Yuan Xuepei, who was only 20 years old and had not yet married or appointed an official, couldnât stand up in his whole life!
After confirming the result from the Commissioner repeatedly, Yuan Xueâe was shocked!
Itâs not until Jian Xubai sent the Commissioner and the elders of the Yuan Family who came to gloat over away that Yuan Xueâe came back from the trance, and then she asked the reason with tears, âDidnât you say that Wuhuan dare not beat you? How could my brother turn into this?â
Jian Xubai, who had a cold expression, was about to say something, but he was interrupted by Yuan Xuepei lightly, âThis injury was not caused by Wuhuan. When we were rescued by Wuhuan, we were trapped in a fighting. I fell down from the horse and my knees were crushed by the horseâs hoof.â
Hearing this, Yuan Xueâe cried sadly, and she was so sad that she even stopped her breath for several times. So naturally, she didnât find that her brother looked at Jian Xubai with imploring eyes as he said. Itâs in this way that Jian Xubai kept silence against his heart.
He stretched out his hands which were full of scars, and stroked his sisterâs hair for a while, and then he comforted her tenderly, âAt that time, I thought I was going to die! I didnât expect that the heaven had mercy on me, and finally we could see each other againâAlthough I won the battle in a big way, there were more than one or two people who buried their bones in other places. Since Iâm alive, all of us should be happy!â
How could Yuan Xueâe be happy?
Even if Yuan Xuepei enlightened and comforted Yuan Xueâe repeatedly, she was still in tears for several days, and she could not control her feeling.
Even as her brother, Yuan Xuepeiâs heart aches for her, and he was unwilling to say something bad about her. However, Jian Xubai, who came to visit Yuan Xuepei everyday, could not stand it.
He called Yuan Xueâe to the cloister and scolded her severely when Yuan Xuepei was not noticing, âYour brother has suffered such a big trouble. In order that you are not so worried, he talked with you with an open-minded attitude! But you lost yourself in a bad mood. Do you want him worry about more? Good-for-nothing bum! What else could you do except cry? You are really a burden!â
After being scolded by Jian Xubai, Yuan Xueâe finally stopped crying. But she looked more haggard than before. Within a few days, she was terribly emaciated. Yuan Xuepei was extremely worried, and he even complained that Jian Xubai put his finger in other peopleâs pie, âXueâe is young and she is a girl. Itâs normal that she will be flustered when difficult things happen. We just need to coax her with patience. You shouldnât scold her for this. Now she even canât eat any more. Doesnât that worry me more?â
Jian Xubai felt helpless when met this kind of good brother. He signed when he reminded the truth of Yuan Xuepeiâs disability, and then he said, âDo I need to apologize to her?â
âShe didnât blame you. She was sad for me!â Yuan Xuepei said annoyingly, âShe didnât eat anything for two days. Her body is weak. What can I do?â
Jian Xubai pinched his eyebrow and gave several ideas, but all the ideas were rejected. He felt that his heart was burning. Then servants walked out and said, âWhy donât we ask Miss Song to come here to comfort the young lady?â
âMiss Song?â Although Song Yixiao was led by Yuan Xueâe to send them off when they were on the expedition, now six years were passed, the little girls who had made several connections in the past had long been forgotten.
At the moment, Jian Xubai and Yuan Xuepei looked at each other and then asked, âWho is Miss Song?â
The servant reminded, âThe daughter of Princess Consort Wei and her ex-husband. Miss Song lived in Prince of Hengshanâs mansion. In recent years, she had a good relationship with the young lady, and they were good sisters. The maid of the young lady once said that the young lady listened to Miss Song. Now the young lady had lost all the appetite, maybe Miss Song has some ways to handle this.â
âItâs her!â Yuan Xuepei was suddenly enlightened and then he nodded. He asked the servant to prepare a gift and a horse for him. He immediately went to Prince of Hengshanâs mansion to invite Song Yixiao, âAs long as she could persuade Xueâe to eat something, she would have her own advantages!â
Jian Xubai also vaguely remembered some scenes of that year. But now he was at the age of 17, he had already lost the innocence and carefree of the age of 11, so this memory was like a flash of light, passing in a flash without any disturbance.
What he worried now was his best friendâs body.
Seeing that Yuan Xuepei found someone to persuade Yuan Xueâe, Jian Xubai signed, âIf people of Prince of Hengshanâs mansion donât allowed this, you could tell me and I would send somebody to persuade!â
But itâs not so hard to invite Song Yixiao as he thought. When Yuan Xuepei visited the princeâs mansion and told the reason to them, Wei Mengying agreed readily, âMiss Yuan hurried back that day, and Yixiao worried about her! But we heard something happened in your house, so we didnât come to visit in case of disturbing her. Since you thought Yixiao would not disturb all of you, Iâll send her there tomorrow!â
When this thing spread to the Hanxia Villa, Ms. Zhao felt that there was something wrong, âAlthough the elder lady of the Yuan Family is still alive, itâs Marquis Yuan who asked young lady to go to Marquis Bolingâs mansion at this time! It would be OK in the past few years, because the young lady is still young. But now the young lady is at the age of marring, and Marquis Yuan is young. He has never been married. In this way, other people may talk about this behind! How could Her Highness allow this?â
After Zhiqin was injured, Jinxun became the personal maid of Song Yixiao. Jinxun had a loose tongue, and she said without thinking, âDoes Her Highness want your ladyship to marry Marquis Yuan? Even if Marquis Yuan is disabled, he is still marquis in all his life!â
Before Jinxun finished all her words, she was slapped by Ms. Zhao, âNonsense! How could our young lady marry a disabled man?â
âSister Yuan and I are good sisters. Now that her brother has suffered an accident, and she is too sad. If I donât allow it, when this thing spreads to the outside, other people will say that I never treated Yuan Xueâe as sister!â Song Yixiao smiled and waved to stop Ms. Zhao from teaching Jinxun a lesson. And then she said casually, âIn a word, I could not avoid this. Itâs better for all of us to pack up quickly!â
After sending her foster nurse and the maid away, Song Yixiao held a strand of hair beside her check with her fingertips. She was very puzzled, âIn the past six years, mother had given birth to a son and a daughter, which was considered that she had completely settled the position of Princess Consort of Hengshan, and even Dowager Consort has stopped the action. Itâs no wonder that Iâve fallen in her mind. But just as Ms. Zhao said, Yuan Xuepei had lost his legs. Even if he had the rank of marquis, it was doomed that he could not be an official! If he canât be an official, he will have no real power, and he will only have the rank of marquis. Itâs not in line with expectation that mother put on me.â
This doubt was not explained until she was called to Wei Mengying after noon, âDowager Consort mentioned that she was old a few days ago, and she wanted to see that the family determined who would succeed to the throne. Although His Highness didnât agree, he also began to think about this according to the observation of me.â
Song Yixiao knew all the things when she heard the words.
As expected, Wei Mengying sighed, âThe reason that Dowager Consort urged this thing was that she wanted His Highness to determine Lu Guanlun as inheritor. Although itâs said that His Highness likes your brother best now, he may be hindered by filial piety, and he may not win Dowager Consort!â
So, âAlthough Yuan Xuepei returned with a poor body, he still has a good relationship with Duke of Yan! In these days, Duke of Yan goes to Marquis Bolingâs mansion everyday! Empress Dowager listened to his words, and the Emperor is a dutiful son⦠Now you are going to Marquis Bolingâs mansion, so you must take good advantage of this opportunity!â
âYuan Xuepei hurt his legs, not his brain! He had not solved the troubles of Marquis Bolingâs mansion. Now he is a disabled man, and Iâm afraid heâs too busy in taking good care of himself! How could he have the mind to engage in determining who would succeed to the throne in the princeâs mansion?â Song Yixiao kept silence, but she sneered in her heart, âEven at the very least, even he had such energy, why should he help Lu Guanyun?â
Lu Guanyun was her half-brother. He was the seventh young master of the princeâs mansion. He was four years old. He was cute and smart. Itâs true that he was very adorable, but he had not been adorable enough to make other people help him fight for the inheritor at the first sight!
Song Yixiao frowned, âMother, Iâm just going to comfort Sister Yuan. If Marquis Yuan appreciate me, itâs OK that he may send me some clothes and jewelry. But if we want him to say something good about determining my brother as the inheritor in front of Duke Jian, I think this is impossible.â
âHow could you just think about your clothes and jewelry? If your brother becomes the inheritor of the princeâs mansion, this big mansion will be ours. At that time, you could dress yourself in any way, am I right?â Wei Mengying scolded Song Yixiao seriously, and then said, âYuan Xueâe is soft spot of Yuan Xuepei. You have been a sister of Yuan Xueâe for six years, donât you know the personality of her? If you could catch her, are you afraid that Yuan Xuepei wonât help you?â
Then Wei Mengying lowered her voice, âIf this is not useful, you can coax Yuan Xuepei by yourself, am I right? Now he is in his prime, but he lost his legs. He must in a bad mood. Itâs in the time that he needs someone to accompany himâ¦â
âMother, who do you think I am?â Song Yixiao said after hearing her motherâs words, âAnyway, Marquis Yuan is a marquis, would he lack of woman? If Iâm so close with him, let alone he accepts me or not, how could I live in the future?â
âIf you want me to do this, I can only go back and kill myself by hanging myself!â She cried out.
Wei Mengying didnât expect that her daughterâs reaction was so fierce. Her face was green and red for a long time. Then she said angrily, âIf you donât want to go there, then donât go. I didnât force you with a knife. I just talk with you. But why are you doing in this way?â
Song Yixiao just kept sobbing and crying, and it seemed that she had been insulted by the heaven. Wei Mengying scolded her for a long time, but she didnât stop. Wei Mengying was angry and disappointed, but she dared not to make the thing bigger, because sheâs afraid that she could not end it well. So finally, she said, âOK! You could go back now! You could regard as that I said nothing!â
Seeing that her own eldest daughter went back with crying, Wei Mengying felt headache, and she was pinching her eyebrows. Then there was a loud cry came from the inner room. Then Ms. Bo walked out with her little daughterâLu Zhuoâer, who was only one year old, in the arm, and then Ms. Bo said, âThe eighth commandery princess seems to be hungry!â
Seeing that Wei Mengying was not in a good mood, Ms. Bo stopped. She took Lu Zhuoâer out of the door and handed her over to the foster nurse. Then she returned back alone, and then she comforted, âYour Highness, Why should you do this? Although His Highness wants to determine the inheritor, he still hasnât said it! Even if Miss Song promised that she will beg Marquis Yuan to say this to Duke of Yan, if His Highness didnât consider this thing in a short time, even Empress Dowager could not ask His Highness to determine the seventh young master as the inheritor. Isnât it a waste of effort?â
âBut you look at the behavior of her!â Wei Mengying said in a bad mood, âShe never prepared to help Guanyun at all! Does she forget that why she lives a good life in the princeâs mansion these years? Now, I just need her to exert some strength, but she even threatens me by hanging herself! She is really an unfilial daughter! Iâm so angry!â
Ms. Bo smiled, âMiss Song is now at the age of marring. She is young and she is yearning for a wonderful husband. Marquis Yuan is good in every aspect, but he lost his legs. Itâs no wonder that Miss Song doesnât want to be close with himâ¦â
Ms. Bo stopped at here deliberately. She had been the maid of Wei Mengying for many years, thus Wei Mengying got Ms. Boâs meaning immediately. Then she said to herself with a squint, âDoes she think Yuan Xuepei is not good? Iâd like to see that if everyone who wants to propose to her is not as good as Yuan Xuepei, would she still dislike Yuan Xuepei?â