After leaving the main house, Chen Bochong went straight back to Guanhe Hall.
Wanyi and Dalang both went to school. Yu Xiu sat in the side room, doing needlework while thinking about her husband who was away.
Hearing the maids in the yard bowing to their husband, Yu Xiu's heart beat faster. She put down her needle and thread, put on her shoes, and hurried out.
Chen Bochong slept in Lingzhou City last night. He was still wearing the robe he wore when he set out. It had a few more wrinkles on it, but he was tall and slender, with an outstanding temperament, like a pine or a cypress.
"I'm back. How did the prefect conduct the trial?"
Yu Xiu asked with concern. After all, Chen Jizong was her father-in-law's only nephew and her husband's cousin. Yu Xiu subconsciously felt that her father-in-law and her husband might hope that the prefect would show some leniency. Moreover, when the case was heard in the ancestral hall yesterday, Yu Xiu had been comforting her cousin's wife, Guo. After she came back, her husband had left, and no one told her whether Chen Jizong had really committed a crime or was wrongly accused.
If Chen Jizong was a stranger, Yu Xiu would definitely hate him like a traitor, but Chen Jizong was a close relative of her husband's family, so Yu Xiu couldn't think badly of him. What if she offended her husband
Chen Bozong looked at her and said coldly, "There is irrefutable evidence that he insulted Zhao. He will be hanged no matter where the case is tried."
Yu Xiu covered her chest in shock.
Chen Bozong: "He deserves it. Father has decided to expel him from the family tree. You don't have to treat him as your cousin anymore and say polite words of regret."
He didn't want to listen.
The man was so stern that Yu Xiu lowered her head with a pale face.
Chen Bozong was just about to ask someone to prepare water for bathing when he suddenly heard footsteps in the corridor. Thinking of the little maid who was peeking at his third brother, Chen Bozong went to the study.
Sure enough, not long after, Chen Xiaozong arrived.
The two brothers were talking in the study.
Chen Xiaozong was very surprised: "Are you really going to execute him?"
Of course, Chen Xiaozong moved to the capital when he was young, and he didn't have a deep relationship with his cousin from his hometown, not to mention that his cousin deserved to die. He was just too surprised, looking out the window, and whispered: "Second uncle has only that one son, how can he bear it? He must be kneeling in front of father and crying now, father, aren't you afraid that second uncle will suffer any harm after losing his beloved son?"
After being home for so long, Chen Xiaozong had already realized that his father was much more tolerant and patient with his younger brothers than with them, his sons. If they dared to show that kind of cowardly look, their father would punish them with family rules.
Hearing the teasing in his words, Chen Bozong frowned in disgust. It was right for his father to educate his children strictly. No matter how cowardly his second uncle was, he had been filial to his grandmother for thirty years in his hometown. Even if Qi had harmed his grandmother in the end, it could not erase his previous filial piety. Otherwise, without his second uncle, how could his father be at ease to realize his ambitions in the capital, and how could his mother take care of them wholeheartedly.
My father felt guilty towards my second uncle, so he would naturally soften his attitude.
"You have to bear it even if you can't bear it. As a relative of an official, you should set an example, but he knowingly did it anyway. Who can you blame?"
For the sake of his second uncle's face, his cousin's true identity will only be known by him, his father, mother and his second uncle, and even his younger brother Chen Bozong will not reveal it.
Chen Xiaozong knew that he was tight-lipped, so after thinking about it, he ran to the main house to look for his mother.
Sun supported her husband on major issues, and if her husband wanted to keep it secret, she would not tell the third son.
Chen Xiaozong sighed and said, "Father, isn't he afraid that my second uncle will hate him to death?"
Sun sneered: "He doesn't care that the fourth brother doesn't regard him as his father, so how could he care about having one less brother?"
Chen Xiaozong: …
Sun: "Okay, it's settled. The children are all in school. Why did you, a teacher, come back? Don't blame me for not warning you. Your father must be in a bad mood recently. Be careful not to bump into him."
Chen Xiaozong had no choice but to take care of the child in shame.
Siyi Hall.
Zhen'er reported to the princess what she had heard about the movements in the two courtyards in front.
After Zhen'er left, Huayang looked at Chen Jingzong, who was leaning on the couch and flipping through the script leisurely. "Such a big thing, why don't you go and ask about it?"
Chen Jingzong said casually, "No need to ask. I should tell you that even if the old man doesn't come, he will ask mother to go."
Hua Yang smiled. Seeing that he was not in a hurry at all, Hua Yang asked in surprise, "I can understand that you have no feelings for Qi. After all, Chen Ji Zong is your cousin. Now he may be sentenced to death. You..."
Chen Jingzong looked over and said, "He is seeking death himself, why should I sympathize with him? Besides, he may not be my cousin."
Huayang: …
This is much more bizarre than any storybook. Huayang couldn't help but approach Chen Jingzong, snatched his storybook, and whispered, "What do you mean? How did you figure it out?"
The autumn sun was bright and warm, pouring in through the screen window behind her. Chen Jingzong looked at her fair and pink cheeks, then at her clear and beautiful eyes, and pointed to his lips: "Kiss me, and I'll tell you."
Huayang's expression changed, he threw the notebook on his chest, turned around and was about to go back.
Chen Jingzong rushed over from behind, grabbed her shoulders with his big hands and pushed her onto the couch, then he lay on top of her.
When Chen Jingzong finally raised his head, Huayang's long hair was disheveled, her cheeks were rosy, and her cherry-like lips were sparkling and moist.
"Ms. Qi is too beautiful, and my second uncle can't control her."
After receiving the reward, Chen Jingzong helped Huayang up. He leaned back consciously and continued to flip through the storybook.
Expecting someone to come to the main house, Huayang went to the inner room to fix her hair first. After she was done, she came out and sat next to him, wondering, "Your second uncle is just too honest. He's not bad looking, and he's the younger brother of a cabinet elder. It's a great blessing for Qi to marry him. How dare you look down on your second uncle and even do that kind of thing?"
Chen Jingzong gave her a meaningful look and said, "I'm not honest, and I'm not bad looking either, but don't you look down on me?"
Hua Yang sneered: "You can compare yourself with your second uncle, but who are you, Qi? How dare you compare yourself with me?"
Chen Jingzong: "Identity is false, people's hearts are the same, how many times have you secretly looked at the eldest brother and the third brother? Don't think I didn't see it. If there is a handsome and gentle eunuch serving you all day, can you guarantee that you won't do something?"
Huayang: …
Chen Jingzong: "Although Manager Yang's appearance has nothing to do with a bandit gentleman, if Qi likes someone like him, it's not surprising that the two of them are together behind my uncle's back."
Chen Jingzong paused and said, "First, my elder brother has already interrogated all the servants in the East Courtyard. A servant like Liu Sheng has done something bad with Chen Jizong. He will definitely reveal clues during the interrogation, and it will not be hidden from my elder brother. If my elder brother knows, then this old man will know too."
"Secondly, Zhao had been insulted so many times before, and her husband had his legs broken, but the couple was able to swallow their anger and not dare to report it to the police. Another year has passed, which means that the couple has accepted their fate. In this case, if Chen Jizong is really our child, how could the old man insist on retrialing the old case and pushing him to death? At most, he would find a way to compensate Zhao and his wife with money."
"Because Chen Jizong is the son of Manager Yang, the old man couldn't stand it, so he tried to push the Zhao couple from behind, so that they dared to seek justice."
"So, we can start to unravel the mystery based on the old man's attitude toward him."
Huayang didn't believe it: "Father is not that kind of person."
Chen Jingzong smiled and said, "You have always admired the old man."
Huayang admitted without hesitation that her father-in-law was worthy of her admiration.
Chen Jingzong: "Then let me give you an example. If the old man killed a good man and had a way to cover it up, would you expose the old man impartially, or turn a blind eye out of admiration?"
Huayang was silent.
Chen Jingzong: "Look, you just admire the old man. Even though we are not related by blood, you can still do this for him. How much more can the old man do for his nephew?"
Huayang turned his face away and said after a while: "I believe my father, he will not kill good people indiscriminately."
After she finished speaking, her expression became firm again.
Chen Jingzong looked at her and said in surprise, "Is it because he is a cabinet minister, won the first place in the imperial examination when he was young, and is handsome?"
Huayang couldn't explain that after so many cabinets and imperial examinations, the identities of a cabinet minister and a number one scholar were nothing unusual. Her admiration for her father-in-law came from the years when he served as the Prime Minister and devoted himself to the court and the people.
Facing Chen Jingzong's inquiring gaze, Hua Yang suddenly smiled: "Because you are my consort, and he is your father, I love him as much as I love his family."
Chen Jingzong: …
"Princess, Prince Consort, the old lady is here."
Chaoyun's message interrupted the couple's conversation. Huayang smiled and went out to greet his mother-in-law.
Chen Jingzong shook his head and continued to lean on the couch.
Sun followed the princess' daughter-in-law in and was disgusted when she saw his attitude. It was okay for him to be so reckless in front of his family, but why was he so rude in front of the princess
"Mother, don't blame the prince consort for being rude. He just took too long to go to the toilet, and his legs are numb and he can't walk." Huayang helped his mother-in-law sit down and said seriously.
Chen Jingzong: …
He just analyzed the old man, which couldn't be considered as saying bad things about him, so why did she insult him like that
Sun looked over and saw that her son's earlobes were slightly red. She thought, fortunately her son's face was not so thick that it was hopeless.
"Ignore him. I came here to talk to you about the East Courtyard." Sun pretended her son didn't exist and brought up Chen Jizong's case.
Huayang: "He deserves it. It's a pity that my second uncle has to send his son away. My father must feel bad for killing his own son for the sake of justice."
Sun: "It is the fault of the father if he fails to educate his son. No matter what his son becomes, it is their responsibility as a father and uncle."
Chen Jingzong narrowed his eyes slightly. Why did he feel that his mother's words were a bit ambiguous
Sun patted Huayang's little hand, and turned her head to her son on the couch: "In some families, the daughter-in-law knows how to care for her mother-in-law, and brings her oiled clothes in the rain and helps her walk. But the son has a good body but is too lazy to even go out to greet her. Who can we blame? In the final analysis, it's because the parents didn't teach them well, and only wronged the good daughter-in-law."
Huayang lowered his head and suppressed his laughter.
Chen Jingzong sat up and retorted, "We are all family. You don't mind going through all those empty formalities every day."
Sun: "I don't care about empty formalities. You should give me something practical. There is no practical thing, and there is no empty formality. I can only think that you don't even care about me, your mother."
Chen Jingzong: "What is practical? Reading to you like my eldest brother, or massaging your shoulders like my third brother? I can't read, but I can massage your shoulders. If you want, you can come to my place, or go to another place. Anyway, don't expect me to come to your courtyard every other day."
He had no problem with his mother, he just didn't want to see the old man.
Sun: "Rely on? Who wants to see your cold face!"
After saying that, Sun exchanged a few more polite words with Huayang before leaving.
Chen Jingzong jumped down, put on his shoes quickly, then stood in front of his mother and bent down.
Sun: "What?"
Chen Jingzong: "It's a long way. You are old and weak. I will carry you back."
Sun was both angry and amused. She didn't want to ask her son to carry her on his back, but Chen Jingzong grabbed her arm and forcibly pulled her up, making Sun laugh so hard that her face turned red.
Huayang stood under the eaves, watching Chen Jingzong carrying his mother-in-law away at great speed, and couldn't help laughing.
Chen Jingzong carried his mother all the way to the main courtyard gate.
Sun stood up and looked at her tall son. She sighed and helped him straighten his clothes while saying, "You are married now. I won't say much. Live a good life with the princess. Be sweet and don't be so harsh."
Chen Jingzong pursed his lips and heard someone walking out of the yard. He straightened the crooked hairpin on his mother's head and turned to leave.
Chen Tingjian walked to the gate of the courtyard with his hands behind his back, and saw only his wife and the maid beside her.
Sun had a nonchalant expression and walked around him and went in.
Chen Tingjian: …
(End of this chapter)