Mother Li responded respectfully.
Mrs. Xu slowly straightened her back and gently stroked Xu Ying's coffin with her hands, with infinite tenderness: "You are in such a hurry. You really wronged my child..."
As he spoke, tears began to fall.
Mother Li supported her and tried to persuade her: "Second Master's spirit in heaven must be able to feel your feelings. He is the most filial son. If he knew that you had eye problems from crying for him, he would definitely feel bad. Madam, you should take care of yourself too."
Mrs. Xu snorted lightly.
After leaving the yard, she could see a few birds flying hurriedly across the sky through the afterglow of the setting sun.
The tired bird has returned to its nest.
But her child will never come back.
Why on earth was all this happening?! She clenched her hands tightly, then loosened them again, placed her hands on the railing, and looked at the peacock strolling leisurely in the yard, with no expression on her haggard face for a while.
After a long while, she suddenly turned her head and asked Mother Li softly, "Is the Duke not back yet?"
Xu Yonghong went to the palace early in the morning and has not returned yet.
Mother Li shook her head. Seeing that she didn't say anything, she hurried to comfort her: "Madam, don't worry too much. The Duke has always been in the emperor's favor. Nothing will happen."
Mrs. Xu didn't know whether she heard it or not. After a long while, she just said "hmm".
It was not until the evening that Mrs. Xu arranged for her two grandsons to rest, and then Xu Yonghong came back.
Madam Xu hurried to meet him, her steps faster than usual. When she reached the courtyard and saw Duke Cheng holding a lantern, she stopped and called out "Master".
Xu Yonghong also walked towards her quickly, supported her and frowned: "Why did you come out by yourself? I said, you don't have to wait for me, you have been exhausted recently. If there is anything, I will come to you when I get back."
Madam Xu shook her head, her voice very tired and low: "How can I stay idle?" She walked in with Xu Yonghong, personally helped Xu Yonghong take off his official uniform, and prepared casual clothes for him. After Xu Yonghong came out of the bath, she asked the maid to serve him food: "How can you eat well in the palace? Come and fill your stomach with something first."
Xu Yonghong sat down obediently, quickly finished a bowl of porridge, and said lightly: "I met Song Xiangyu today."
Mrs. Xu placed the chopsticks in her hand on the table with a slight sound, and a layer of frost instantly covered her brows.
She sneered, endured it, and then asked: "He is unreasonable and unreasonable at ordinary times. Now he is even more... Did he embarrass you?"
Seeing that she had aged five or six years in just one month, Xu Yonghong felt heavy in his heart and shook his head, saying, "It's a good thing that he makes trouble. If he doesn't, I'll be worried."
Madam Xu got the hint: "What did His Majesty say?"
Duke Chengguo went to the palace on the day he returned and stayed there for two days, but the emperor did not see him.
He knelt in the imperial study for several hours every day and only came back after dark.
Today is the third day, and we finally met, because I had a fight with Song Xiangyu.
Song Xiangyu also met him when he entered the palace two days ago. He was furious at that time. When they met again today, he took the initiative to stop Song Xiangyu.
As the two talked, they started fighting.
Emperor Yuanfeng called them both to the imperial study.
In front of Emperor Yuanfeng, Song Xiangyu sneered and asked him how he taught his children.
Madam Xu narrowed her eyes, as if trying to hold back her anger: "So what do you say?"
"Of course I apologized first, then submitted a defense, and asked His Majesty to be lenient with A Rui." Xu Yonghong rubbed his brows tiredly: "Song Xiangyu has a fiery temper. When he heard that I was pleading for A Rui, he jumped up first. I followed the previous discussion and kowtowed to His Majesty, asking His Majesty to allow me to retire."
This was the strategy that Xu Yonghong discussed with his staff on the way back.
Retreat to advance.
Song Xiangyu does have a deep relationship with Emperor Yuanfeng, but he also grew up with Emperor Yuanfeng since childhood.
The most important thing is that Xu Ying did do something wrong and was caught with evidence, but Song Zhiyuan did not die.
After all, the Song family suffered no loss.
But a Xu Ying died in the Xu family, and was shot dead by Song Heng himself.
When Xu Ying was born, he was still trying to suppress a rebellion and fighting for Emperor Yuanfeng, and Emperor Yuanfeng knew all of this.
With all these feelings at stake, all Xu Yonghong had to do was show weakness.
Madam Xu breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Xu Yonghong, her face full of heartache: "Then, what does the emperor mean?"
"He didn't say anything, he just scolded me, saying that I didn't discipline my child well enough." Xu Yonghong finished eating, put down his chopsticks and sighed: "It's good that he scolded me. If he didn't scold me, I would be really worried."
Madam Xu understood what he meant. She held his hand and was silent for a while before continuing, "Arui and Aying were certainly a little too hasty, but His Royal Highness Prince Zhuang is just standing by and watching. He is not someone you can trust."
She spoke bluntly, and Xu Yonghong snorted: "You said that A Rui was saved, but A Rui was saved because of my connections?! His Highness is indeed too heartless."
Madam Xu took a deep breath when she mentioned this. Her eyes were full of struggle. She lowered her voice and asked, "So what should we do next?"
"Self-reflection." Xu Yonghong looked at his wife soothingly without moving his eyebrows. "Don't feel wronged. We are indeed in the wrong now. In addition, His Majesty has always been partial to Song Xiangyu. We should give in to get through this hurdle first. The argument has been submitted. Be prepared."
Mrs. Xu was silent for a moment before asking, "What is the best outcome?"
"The best outcome is that we are demoted." Xu Yonghong said calmly, "But as long as we keep the military power, the title will be restored sooner or later. I have already found Mr. Xu..."
Xu Shun, the second assistant of the cabinet, was the one who recommended Xu Yonghong to go to Yunnan to quell the rebellion.
Xu Yonghong squeezed his wife's hand to reassure her: "No matter what, I have made great contributions in Yunnan. Now that Aying has gone there, no matter how much trouble the Song family makes, it's almost over."
Madam Xu closed her eyes, full of pain: "When will the Song family be able to..." She paused, and emphasized almost word by word: "I want Song Heng to be buried with Aying!"
Xu Yonghong also fell silent.
After an unknown amount of time, he opened his eyes again and said calmly, "It will be done soon, don't worry."
The Song family is still jumping up and down and feeling aggrieved, but who can they turn to for redress the grievances of the Xu family
Xu Ying cannot die in vain, he will definitely make the Song family pay the price for what they did today.