Chapter 283

Deep within the Xie Hong Yuan, the scenery remained unchanged.

The group walked into the main hall.

Originally, only a chair for the Old Matriarch Xie had been set at the head of the table.

Following Xie Hong's return, another was placed on the right.

Lady Yuan, as the mistress of the main courtyard, frowned.

This chair had always been Xie Ling's seat; the Great Qi valued the order of seniority and the distinction between the noble and the humble.

Xie Ling was the elder brother, so this seat should have been his.

However.

Lady Yuan did not object, and her face still wore a look of joy.

Xie Hong supported the Old Matriarch as they slowly stepped into the main hall of Xie Hong Yuan. The old lady's face was as bright as a flower, and she held her youngest son's hand tightly, reluctant to let go for a long time, until she suddenly noticed the half-white hair on Xie Hong's head.

She froze for a moment, then spoke softly:

"Hong'er, how have you grown old too?"

Tears filled the eyes of the white-haired old lady.

Xie Hong could not hide the guilt in his heart; in a rare display of emotion, he knelt straight down at the entrance and spoke earnestly:

"Your child is unfilial, failing to remain by your side to serve you."

In the second courtyard, Lady Zhao, Xie Renfeng, and Xie Qiyue saw this, and seeing their father kneeling, the three of them also hurriedly knelt on the ground.

The group's footsteps paused.

"Mingshan, get up quickly, get up. I know your ambitions and the grievances in your heart; how could I, as your mother, not know?"

"I remember when you were a child, you were the most sensible. Before the rooster crowed each day, you were already up and studying hard. Fearing that I would worry about you being too tired, you would quietly blow out the lamp whenever the rooster crowed, pretending you had just woken up."

The old lady recalled the past, her eyes reddening and her voice choking with sobs.

"When I fell ill, your brothers were away, and every time, it was you who stayed by my bedside."

"Among all the brothers, you were the last to leave the estate, not because your talent was lacking, but because you were worried that there would be no one to look after the Xie Fu in those years."

He remained silent upon hearing this.

Lady Zhao of the second courtyard, Xie Hong's wife, had already begun to sob in a low voice.

"Yue'er, quickly help Mingshan up; the floor is cold," the old lady urged.

Lady Zhao's given name was Zhao Yue.

Zhao Yue prepared to help him up, but Xie Hong had already stood up silently.

However, a hint of dimness had crept into Xie Hong's eyes.

Following behind Xie Hong was a woman wearing a white gauze bamboo hat, Lu Hua, now a Daoist Master of the Great Sui.

Lu Hua watched this scene of maternal kindness and filial piety and yawned out of boredom.

With the bamboo hat covering her face, no one noticed.

Walking into the main hall, Xie Yuan, Zhuge Jian, and the others had already risen.

"Second Uncle!"

"Mr. Xie."

Xie Hong glanced at Zhuge Jian for a moment before nodding slightly.

Most of the people in the main hall bowed slightly.

The ladies of the main courtyard did not dare to be negligent either.

Seeing this, a complex look flashed in Lady Yuan's eyes. So many years had passed, yet Xie Hong's prestige within the Xie Fu remained undiminished.

She wondered why Xie Hong had suddenly returned to the estate at this time.

This gathering was held by the main courtyard for Xie Ling's return to the capital; she hoped nothing would go wrong.

Xie Hong chose not to sit in the main seat at the head of the table, but instead sat at the head of the right row.

The people from the second courtyard all followed behind him.

Although Xie Renfeng and Xie Qiyue had chairs, they stood behind Xie Hong.

The ladies of the main courtyard also sat on this side.

Opposite them were the Li family, the Zhao family, and Zhuge Jian and the others.

Once everyone was safely seated.

A scene in the main hall drew everyone's attention—

A woman with a bamboo hat lightly covering her face, holding a donkey rope, walked in leisurely and tied a sturdy black donkey to the towering pillar in the center of the main hall. The black donkey let out a "snort, snort" sound from time to time.

Xie Yuan sat beside his uncle and mother, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement. This woman was truly unconventional; leading a donkey, wasn't she a female knight-errant from the Jianghu?

He even wanted to walk up and strike up a friendship.

Sister Wu Tong stood behind Xie Yuan, keeping her head lowered and her eyes downcast, not daring to make the slightest rash move.

After all, in this main hall, all the ladies and young masters of the Xie Fu were gathered, along with the Second Master of the Xie family, and important figures from several other major families. As a mere maid, how could she dare to be the least bit presumptuous?

After Lu Hua tied up the black donkey, she clapped her hands and, ignoring the gazes of others, walked straight toward Xie Hong.

Lady Zhao frowned slightly at the sight.

The Old Matriarch Xie also felt curious and asked inquisitively, "Hong'er, who is this young lady?"

Xie Hong spoke: "She is the daughter of a friend, entrusted to me on his deathbed. She will be staying at the Xie Fu for a few days."

"Her name is Hua Lu!"

Lu Hua let out a cold snort under her bamboo hat, but did not object.

Lu Hua!

Hua Lu!

Wasn't that just her name reversed?

Speaking of this.

Lady Zhao's expression softened, and her jade-adorned hand, which had been pinching her bracelet, slowly relaxed.

Xie Renfeng also looked over from afar, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Xie Qiyue tilted her head behind her father, her face full of curiosity.

Upon hearing this, a meaningful smile blossomed on the Old Matriarch's face, "The daughter of a friend?"

Could it be just a cover, and she was actually a descendant of the Xie family living outside?

Lady Zhao tapped her fingers on the table, and a sharp-witted servant from behind brought over a chair.

Lu Hua did not stand on ceremony and sat leisurely beside Lady Zhao.

Only then!

Did the main hall quiet down, and the black donkey in front of the large pillar also lay down.

In the main hall of Xie Hong Yuan, behind the Old Matriarch Xie's main seat, hung a massive, imposing landscape painting.

The servants on both sides gently closed the doors of the main hall and retreated, bowing carefully.

A soft sound, "Bang—"

The vermilion-lacquered doors closed, shutting out the noise of the outside world.

Only a few people remained in the main hall.

From the main courtyard, there were Lady Yuan, Lady Zhuge, Lady Shang, and two young masters, Xie Yu and Xie Yuan.

On the side of the second courtyard, there was only Lady Zhao, and Xie Renfeng and Xie Qiyue from the second courtyard.

The rest were the six people from the Zhao family, the Li family, and Zhuge Jian.

Only a few personal maids served in the room, waiting respectfully, among them Lady Zhao's head maid, Ganzhi.

In the four corners, large fire basins burned brightly, dispelling the chill, and the small windows of the hall were slightly opened, cleverly allowing the smoke from the firewood to dissipate quietly.

The Old Matriarch Xie gently blew away the steam rising from her tea, took a light sip, and then slowly set down the teacup.

A crisp sound!

Everyone's gaze was gathered on this white-haired old matriarch.

Waiting for the old woman to speak.

At this moment!

A servant hurried into the hall from outside and delivered a message.

"General Sima and the Fourth Young Lady request an audience."

Upon hearing this, the Old Matriarch Xie did not hesitate; Sima Ting was a Military Governor, so naturally, she could not refuse to see him.

The Old Matriarch nodded gently.

The servant had already bowed and retreated.

The Old Matriarch looked at Xie Hong and smiled, "General Sima Ting of the Sima family and the Fourth Lady of the main courtyard fell in love at first sight, and the marriage has already been set for this year."

"There are no men in the family, otherwise I would have asked you, Hong'er, to help me think it over."

Lady Yuan also wore a smile, as she was the one who had facilitated this marriage.

This was an important marriage alliance between the nine great surnames; for the Xie family, marrying a concubine's daughter into the Sima family was undoubtedly a cost-effective "deal."

Sima Ting's position in the Sima family was stable, and he was one of the few in this generation of the Sima family with the most influence in the imperial court.

In fact, when Sima Ting was choosing a marriage partner, he did not only look at the Xie family; he was also courting other families among the nine great surnames.

However, in the end, he took a fancy to Xie Ying of the main courtyard; of course, Xie Qiyue of the second courtyard had also had contact with Sima Ting.

As the mistress of the main courtyard, Lady Yuan naturally felt proud.

Since then, Xie Ying's situation in the Xie family had improved quite a bit.

After hearing this, Xie Hong said faintly:

"When he was studying at the academy, he was highly regarded by all the teachers, and his character is not bad."

Lady Zhao also spoke up:

"Mingshan is still at Qingliang Temple, and I was thinking of finding a marriage for Qiyue, so I even wrote a letter to Mingshan."

Xie Hong nodded slightly.

A look of regret appeared on Lady Zhao's face.

After all, the Sima family had been gaining momentum recently, and Jiannan Dao was currently the top priority of the Great Qi; its Military Governor held great power and had an illustrious status.

Sima Ting almost had a chance to compete for the position of the next family head.

Upon hearing this, Lady Yuan's face became even more flushed, clearly very satisfied with this marriage.

The others of the Xie family reacted flatly, only Xie Qiyue seemed unaware of this, and after hearing it, she even showed a look of surprise.

Seeing this, Xie Yuan, who was sitting opposite, glanced at Xie Qiyue and thought to himself:

"What a silly girl!"

The people from the other families present, upon hearing Xie Hong's evaluation of Sima Ting, had uncertain expressions.

After all, Sima Ting was of the same generation as several of them, but now he had left them far behind, or had surpassed them, so it was inevitable that they would feel some emotion and jealousy.

They came to the Xie family today, actually, the families had basically finalized the matter of "supporting" Xie Ling in the imperial court, but they didn't know which other families the Xie family had invited.

Coming to the banquet was a way for the major families to inform each other and prepare themselves mentally.

Several big figures in the families did not show up today.

Zhuge Jian's eyes showed a look of contemplation.

Before long!

The main doors were slowly pushed open.

A man and a woman walked in holding hands.

The woman's face was slightly flushed.

The man was burly, nearly thirty years old, dressed in black casual clothes, with a masculine and handsome appearance, and a firm and steady expression between his brows.

The woman was dressed in a water-green embroidered skirt, covered with a moon-white patterned Zhaojun jacket, and draped in a bright red crane cloak.

Her long hair was like a waterfall, her face was fair and elegant, and her beautiful eyes were as gentle as water.

Under the gaze of everyone, the woman seemed to want to pull her hand back, but the man held it tightly, unwilling to let go.

The two were Sima Ting and Xie Ying, and they walked into the hall.

"Greetings to the Old Matriarch!"

"Mr. Xie!"

The Old Matriarch was not only the most venerable elder in the Xie Fu, but also the biological mother of Xie Ling and Xie Hong. In the Great Qi, mothers were honored by their sons, and a son's achievements often added prestige to his mother.

"The son is the father's prestige, and the father is the son's courage."

The same was true for mothers!

Therefore, in the etiquette of the Great Qi, respect for elders was particularly important, so naturally, they had to pay their respects.

Xie Hong was previously a teacher at the academy, holding the academy's ruler.

Sima Ting only nodded to the others, and no one felt it was inappropriate.

Sima Ting was not yet thirty, yet he was already a Military Governor of a province.

His martial arts had already reached the Upper Three Realms.

Naturally, he had the capital for it.

Among the people from the major families present, there were many who stood up to welcome them, showing respect to Sima Ting.

Xie Ying paid her respects one by one, her behavior appropriate, not daring to overstep in the slightest.

Sima Ting's gaze swept over the people present, and he was suddenly stunned, seemingly quite surprised by the appearance of a certain guest.

"Brother Zhuge, long time no see!"

Zhuge Jian also greeted him with a smile.

The two had known each other for a long time; Zhuge Jian was a few years older and had even become a disciple of the Third Master, not liking officialdom.

In his early years, he traveled through mountains and rivers, later re-entering the imperial court and becoming a Grand Secretary; he didn't expect to see him at the Xie Fu today.

Xie Hong looked up, his eyes burning with intensity.

Sima Ting's heart skipped a beat; he was a martial artist who had entered the Snow Mountain Realm.

Yet he actually felt a sense of trepidation.

Looking at the lonely-eyed middle-aged man in plain clothes sitting at the head of the table, it was Mr. Xie, whom he had met a few times before.

At that time, he had almost become the fifth disciple of the Master, the Fifth Master of the academy.

But he didn't know what happened later, and everything ended without a whimper.

Xie Hong finally withdrew from the academy.

But this person's reputation was so great that he was almost the most outstanding person among the nine great surnames of these generations.

The Third Master evaluated this person, "A person who has the hope of becoming a sect founder and ancestor, and can start a school of thought outside of Confucianism."

What surprised Sima Ting even more was that even though it was rumored that Xie Hong was disheartened for some reason and stayed at Qingliang Temple, far away from the world, his cultivation was still unfathomable.

Sima Ting couldn't help but restrain his mind, his martial arts intent hidden within, protecting his spirit.

Xie Hong withdrew his gaze, and his eyes returned to a look of loneliness.

He just nodded at Sima Ting.

Sima Ting felt as if he had been granted amnesty, only then did he withdraw his martial arts cultivation and bowed respectfully to Xie Hong.

Everything happened in an instant.

Only Lu Hua, under her bamboo hat, took a few more looks at Sima Ting.

"Is this the young man who inherited the ancestral surname of the nine great surnames of the Great Qi? He looks like he has some substance."

These words only rang in Xie Hong's ears.

Sima Ting took Xie Ying to find a seat in the left row.

After some pleasantries, Xie Hong remained silent; the matter of submitting a petition for Xie Ling's return to the capital tomorrow had already been settled.

Lady Yuan felt very relieved; this matter was progressing smoothly without any mishaps.

And Xie Hong's arrival added an invisible boost to the matter. After all, the reason why the Xie family could stand firm was not only because of the prestige of the Marquis of Dingyuan, but also because of this Second Master.

The atmosphere gradually became harmonious and pleasant.

In the main hall, Xie Yuan already seemed a bit bored, but he still couldn't leave at will.

This time, his mother let him show his face to become familiar, which was crucial for future interpersonal exchanges between major families.

At this time, the black donkey in the main hall also seemed quite bored, and actually fell into a deep sleep, snoring like thunder, drawing glances from everyone.

Seeing this, Lu Hua stood up and kicked the black donkey hard.

"Moo—!"

A loud donkey bray pierced the silence, and the black donkey woke up as if from a dream, startled, spraying saliva everywhere and leaving a mess on the floor.

Everyone in the main hall felt amazed, only Xie Yuan couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Sister Wu Tong also blinked, encountering such a thing for the first time.

Lu Hua warned, "If you, you silly thing, sleep again, I'll turn you into donkey meat hotpot."

The black donkey was too sleepy to open its eyes, and just shook its head repeatedly.

It received another solid kick from Lu Hua.

At this moment!

The sound of hurried footsteps and a report came from outside the door: "Young Master Guan of the main courtyard requests an audience!"

Young Master Guan?

Upon hearing this, the Old Matriarch Xie frowned, her face full of confusion.

The people of the Xie Fu were also stunned, secretly muttering to themselves, as they hadn't heard that this person would come today.

Only Lady Zhao's expression changed slightly, and she gently set down the teacup in her hand, a flash of complex emotion in her eyes.

Ganzhi stood behind Lady Zhao, raising her eyes slightly, her gaze flickering, as if she had guessed something.

Sister Wu Tong opened her mouth wide in surprise, unable to believe it, and muttered to herself in a low voice:

"How did the Young Master come!"

A servant whispered a few words in the Old Matriarch's ear, and the Old Matriarch Xie's face became even gloomier.

"Xie Guan?"

She slapped the table hard and said angrily:

"Who let him come!"

"Bad luck thing!"

Lady Yuan's face also turned cold.

Sima Ting and Xie Ying looked at each other, and a look of worry appeared on Xie Ying's face.

Xie Yuan was also full of confusion, not understanding why Brother Guan would suddenly appear.

Upon hearing the name Xie Guan, Zhuge Jian's eyes lit up.

Only Xie Renfeng, who was behind Xie Hong, curled his lips into a meaningful smile and lowered his head without saying a word.

(End of chapter)