Chapter 8: The Duke of Wei’s Mansion
The next morning, Aunt Xia hurriedly left with the maid.
When Siqin came to report, Su Li merely smiled faintly.
“They’ve probably come to collect a debt.”
Siqin was puzzled but didn’t ask further.
Mo Hua and Zhishu were dressing Su Li.
“There’s no need to bother, it won’t look any better,” Su Li said calmly.
Thinking the young lady was upset again, Siqin said with concern, “Miss…”
“I’m fine. Today, I’m going to my maternal grandfather’s house. Let me wear the Shu brocade outfit that Aunt sent me.”
She wasn’t upset. The scar on her face would heal eventually.
Aunt Xia hurried to the restaurant, quickly made her way up to the second floor, and pushed open the door to the private room.
“Brother, why are you in such a rush to find me? The letter was vague,” Aunt Xia complained.
Seeing her come in, Xia Jiang quickly stood up, anxiously saying, “Sister, something’s happened! You must help me out this time!”
Aunt Xia had been anxious, but now she casually walked to the table and poured herself a cup of tea.
Xia Jiang snatched the cup from her hand and said, “Good grief, you still have the heart to drink tea! The situation is dire! Your young lady, I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but yesterday she went to Zui Xianju to audit the accounts.”
Aunt Xia wiped her hands with a handkerchief and said, “What’s the big deal? Let her audit. Even her mother, Wei Shu, couldn’t spot any issues. I don’t believe she can figure anything out!”
Xia Jiang, seeing her still so calm, suddenly raised his voice, “What do you mean, ‘can’t figure anything out’? She went through the accounts thoroughly and gave me three days to deliver hundreds of thousands of pounds of grain!”
“What!”
Aunt Xia instantly stood up, her face filled with shock.
“How is that possible? That idiot actually has that ability?”
Xia Jiang angrily said, “How is it not possible? Am I lying to you? After piecing things together, I barely have over a hundred thousand taels of silver. You have to give me forty thousand more.”
Aunt Xia screamed, “Forty thousand! Where would I get forty thousand! I don’t even have four thousand!”
Xia Jiang’s face darkened, “Xia Qingzhi, you need to be conscience! The silver I’ve sent you these past two years is not just forty thousand! If you don’t take it, are you planning to wait for your dear lady to report it to the authorities? Hah! Even if I end up in jail, you won’t escape!”
Aunt Xia, hearing this, quickly softened her tone, “Brother, we are siblings. If I had the money, I would certainly help you. It’s just that I don’t have that much.”
Xia Jiang’s face finally softened a little, but he still coldly said, “If you don’t want those things to be known by your husband, then take out the money! I’m not being unreasonable. If you don’t have forty thousand, you must have thirty thousand, right? Think about it, if I go to jail, you’ll lose your family’s support, and your parents will be a burden on you. Does that make sense?”
Aunt Xia lowered her head and thought for a moment, gritted her teeth, and said, “I’ll go back and gather it.”
Xia Jiang said, “Hurry! Get the money together today! I need to go buy grain the day after tomorrow!”
Aunt Xia impatiently responded, “I know, I know!”
Su Li notified her mother, then left the house with the two maids, Siqin and Zhishu.
Before leaving, Su Li left Yuqi behind, citing a knee injury from kneeling, and left Mo Hua to keep an eye on her.
The carriage rocked for a while. After a quarter of an hour, the carriage finally stopped.
“Miss, we’ve arrived at the Duke’s residence,” the driver’s voice came.
The two maids lifted the carriage curtain, got out of the carriage, and carefully helped Su Li down.
Su Li stood still after getting out, looking up.
Outside the courtyard, there were pink walls, hanging green willows, and a vermilion gate with the plaque “Wei Guogong Fu.”
“Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle, Aunt, and cousins, in my past life, I was foolish, believing the wrong people, and caused you all this misery. I’m sorry…”
Just as her thoughts were overwhelming her, the gatekeeper’s voice interrupted.
“Who are you?”
Zhishu stepped forward and asked, “Are you new here? Don’t you recognize the Young Miss?”
The gatekeeper was suddenly surprised, “Oh! It’s the Young Miss. My eyes were too dim, please forgive me.”
The Young Miss had been away for over a year, so naturally, the gatekeeper didn’t recognize her.
Su Li smiled lightly, “It’s not your fault. I haven’t been to the Duke’s residence in over a year.”
She then led the two maids inside.
Just as they entered, they ran into the Duke’s wife, hurrying towards them.
“Is it Li’er who has come?”
Su Li felt a lump in her throat, calling out hoarsely, “Grandmother!”
She stepped forward and supported her grandmother, whose hair had turned gray. Su Li felt a pang of guilt.
In her past life, from the time her face was disfigured to her death, she never came to see her grandmother.
The grandmother before her was even older than she remembered.
The Duke’s wife tightly grasped Su Li’s hand, her lips trembling.
“Li’er, it really is you, my Li’er!”
A daughter is a mother’s heart, and a granddaughter is a grandmother’s precious jewel!
“Grandmother always wanted to visit you, but unfortunately, these legs of mine are no good! Walking this little distance feels like pins and needles,” the Duke’s wife said, patting her legs.
Su Li quickly held her hand, stopping her, “Grandmother, it was my fault before. I’ll come visit you from now on.”
She and the maids helped her to the main hall.
As soon as they sat down, the maids brought tea and snacks.
The Duke’s wife pushed the snacks in front of Su Li, saying, “Li’er, grandmother remembers you loved pineapple cake, eat up!”
Just as Su Li was about to speak, a cheerful voice rang out.
“I heard from the servants, Li’er, you’ve arrived?”
As the voice spoke, a beautiful woman in her thirties entered the hall, followed by a young girl in blue.
Su Li stood up and curtsied, “Aunt, Cousin.”
Wang Shi stepped forward and took her hand, “Good child, it’s been so long since you’ve come. What a pity your grandfather and uncle are both on duty, if they knew you were here, they’d be so happy.”
The girl in blue coldly said, “She probably doesn’t even remember her maternal family anymore!”
Wang Shi turned around and glared at her daughter, scolding, “Yao’er, how can you speak like that? Apologize to your cousin!”
Su Li smiled and said, “Aunt, don’t be angry, Cousin is right. I haven’t been present for so long, it’s truly unforgivable.”
She then looked at the girl in blue and said, “I know Cousin missed me.”
Wei Yuan Yao sneered, “Tch! I don’t miss you!”
When she went to her aunt’s house, this cousin was stopped from entering the yard, but her other illegitimate sister just walked right in!
Su Li stepped forward and took her hand, shaking it, “Good cousin, please forgive me. I’ve been misled, but I’ve realized now. If you’re still upset, you can hit me!”
She then lifted her hand, attempting to let it hit her face.
Wei Yuan Yao was startled, quickly pulling back her hand, saying proudly, “Alright, alright, I’m afraid of you! Why do you always wear a veil? One little scar, and you’ve become a different person, you hardly seem like my aunt’s daughter!”
The Wei family had been military for generations, and even the daughters had a certain air about them.
That’s why Wei Yuan Yao couldn’t stand her cousin’s self-pity and timidity.
Seeing her daughter speak so rudely again, Wang Shi reprimanded her, “Yao’er!”
The Duke’s wife laughed, “Alright, they’re just playing. Don’t be too strict.”
Wang Shi nodded, “You’re right, mother. It’s just that Yao’er is mischievous, and Li’er is so quiet. I’m afraid she’ll get bullied.”
Su Li smiled, “Aunt, don’t worry, Cousin won’t bully me! She loves me more than anyone.”
In her past life, her cousin had been so indifferent, and in the end, she even begged Su Yue to spare her.
Wei Yuan Yao sneered, “Who loves you! Shameless!”
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