Bend Over [ 折腰 ] - Chapter 69

[Chapter 68]

Yesterday’s Luli Conference, if you talk about the limelight, it is Qiao Ci. Not only did he win the title of the deer, but everyone’s demeanor convinces people’s hearts. In the riding and shooting range, his elegant and handsome young man in white robe with two halberds spread all over Yuyang overnight. When the group went out of the city and passed through the street, it was rumored that the deer, the daughter of Lukui, was leaving today, and countless women rushed to the street just to take a look at Qiao Cimei’s youthful demeanor. Being seen like this all the way, Qiao Ci’s limelight even overwhelmed his brother-in-law.

After leaving the city gate, Wei Shao stopped. After Yang Feng, the envoy of Yanzhou, finished expressing his gratitude to the host for his thoughtful reception, Qiao Ci also expressed his gratitude to Wei Shao. It’s just that he has never felt close to his brother-in-law. He is also indifferent to himself, and there seems to be a layer of estrangement in the middle. After expressing gratitude, there is nothing to say. Wei Yan was a little worried in his heart. I remembered that after the Luli Conference yesterday, I hadn’t seen him at the banquet. I couldn’t help but glanced a few times in the direction of the city gate.

Wei Shao guessed that he was looking for Wei Yan, but he didn’t show any sign on his face, he just said take care on the road. Qiao Ci had to get on his horse and turn around. The group left Yuyang and embarked on the southward road back to Yanzhou.

After

Wei Shao left, Madam Xu sent someone to summon Zhu Quan to ask Wei Yan’s whereabouts. Hearing that he hadn’t seen Wei Yan’s face since yesterday, he asked, “You serve closely, have you noticed the difference between him and usual recently?”

Zhu Quan said, “Mrs. I’ve come over and told me . The Duke’s recent days are indeed a bit different from before.”

“What’s the difference? Come on, don’t omit it.”

“The Duke hasn’t been close to Ji’s concubine very often recently, and I can see that he seems to be very thoughtful. Before going to Dai County a few days ago, he sent all three women away from the house. He locked the door of his bedroom, and strictly prohibited entry.”

“Do you know why he is so abnormal?”

“I really don’t know. Zhu Quan shook his head, “It’s just a coincidence, the house caught fire a few days later.”

Madam Xu pondered, “Besides this, is there any other difference? For example, are there any unusual interactions with people?”

“The Duke has been living in a secluded place recently. The slave has not seen anything unusual. When he comes back at night, he drinks by himself.”

“Where does he usually go? Have you asked if you have seen him?”

Zhu Quan said, “Old Mrs. , I saw that Duke Jun didn’t return overnight, I think he used to go to Luo Zhongfang, and I found him this morning. I heard something…”

He hesitated and stopped.

“What’s the matter?” Madam Xu glanced over.

“I heard from the doorman that after dark last night, the prince went there to find the prince. According to the doorman, the prince seemed to be drunk at the time and went straight in. The door was also kicked open by the prince. It seems that there was a conflict with the Duke. Then the prince and the Duke went out and left, and what happened next, I don’t know.”

Madam Xu frowned slightly. Zhu Quan pursed his breath. After a while, Mrs. Xu said, “I see. You go down.”

After Zhu Quan stepped back, Mrs. Xu was alone for a moment, and then sent someone to call Mrs. Zhu.

Zhu Shi impulsively told his son about it last night. Although he was relieved at first, after thinking about it, he still felt a little panic. Didn’t sleep well all night. I was interviewed by Mrs. Xu in the morning. I didn’t sit on the hot ass when I came back. Seeing that there was another call to call me over there, I suspected that Mrs. Xu had already learned about what happened last night. I was very frightened. Unable to escape, she had to bite the bullet and bow down, “Why did my mother-in-law call me here?”

Madam Xu said, “Last night, you went to see Shao’er in the Westinghouse. The wound on his face, how did he say that he was with you? Hearing that, Mrs.

Zhu was relieved, and hurriedly repeated Wei Shao’s words, and said angrily: “I don’t believe it. Judging from the hurt on his face, it was obvious that he was beaten up! I asked him, he But he refused to admit it, and insisted that he was injured by horseback riding. I don’t know which bear and leopard dared to hurt my son. If you told me to know, I would definitely not forgive me!”

Madam Xu seemed to have not heard of it, and only asked: “ Later, Shao’er took you back to your room, did you say anything else?”

Madam Zhu’s heart skipped a beat. Facing Mrs. Xu’s single eye that was looking over, she forced herself to calm down and said, “Never. After he sent me there, he returned.” Even though he said so, his eyes unconsciously revealed a trace of guilt. He didn’t even dare to look at Madam Xu, and he lowered his eyes after speaking.

There were only her mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the room, and it was as quiet as the sound of a needle falling to the ground.

Mrs. Zhu knew that Mrs. Xu, who was opposite, was watching, and held her breath, not even daring to let out her breath. After a long while, I heard Mrs. Xu’s cold voice: “Last night, you were the one who saw Shao’er for the last time. I heard from my daughter-in-law Sun this morning that he was fine before you called him out. Why did I send you off? I can’t see anyone overnight? I’m telling you the truth, I already know it! You told him about Yaner, right?”

Mrs. Zhu’s shoulders shook slightly, and she looked up to see Mrs. Xu staring at her with one eye. , looks cold. Immediately, he thought that his son had been to the North House this morning. It should be because he had not listened to his own instructions last night and had already told Mrs. Xu the matter. His heart could not help beating for a while, his face was panicked, his mouth was stunned, and he was speechless for a while.

Mrs. Xu originally only had this level of doubts. When I called Zhu Shi for the first time in the morning, I saw that her eyes were uncertain. After decades of getting along, it was obvious at a glance that she was hiding something. Just then he called her again. Seeing her reaction like this, she made a solid guess in her heart. She couldn’t help being furious, she slammed the case, and shouted sternly, “You are so bold! How dare you carry me behind your back and talk nonsense in front of Shao’er, alienating brothers!” Over the

past few decades, although Mrs. Xu has not been very fond of Zhu’s , but usually will never be so fierce and angry like this moment. As for being in front of outsiders, it gave her the face she deserved. Zhu Shi’s face turned yellow with fright, and he almost couldn’t sit down on his knees. Tears filled his eyes, and he fell on his face and defended: “Mother-in-law, calm down, let me defend. I didn’t mean to alienate my brothers. It’s been almost 30 years. , if I had always felt disgusted, I wouldn’t have waited until now to say it. My mother-in-law didn’t know, I was really worried, Shao’er was loyal and upright, and never defended himself. The Wei family has raised a Xiongnu son for thirty years, and sooner or later, disaster will come. If Shao’er doesn’t know anything about it, I’m afraid that I will suffer a big loss in the future…”

“Crash!” Madam Xu was so furious that she slammed the heavy incense wood case that was in her hand to the ground, smashed all the things on the table, and shattered and jumped away on the ground. The sound alarmed Zhong Li who was outside the door, and hurriedly entered, seeing Mrs. Zhu lying on the ground, but Mrs. Xu in the other room turned pale, pointing her finger at Mrs. Zhu on the ground, as if she could not get through in one breath, she was shocked. She lost her color, grabbed it and held it up, rubbing her chest and back, and after a long while, Mrs. Xu let out a long snort, and then she took a breath and said in a trembling voice, “Tell her to get out!”

Zhong The old woman glanced at Zhu Shi, and seeing that she was already trembling with fright, she hurriedly asked her to retreat first. Zhu Shi’s hands and feet were soft, and she barely got up from the ground, leaving in a hurry without mentioning it. Zhong Nu and another servant helped Madam Xu to the bed and lay down. ordered the maid to go out. Be by your own side. After a long time, seeing that Mrs. Xu’s originally pale face gradually recovered some blood, it was a little relieved. Just as she was about to ask her what she needed for food, she suddenly saw Mrs. Xu slowly opening her eyes and saying, “Prepare the car. I want to go out.”

Although her voice was still a little tired, it was her usual calm.

Zhong Li should be.

…

Wei Shao took Qiao Ci out of the city, and it was past noon after returning, so he went straight to Luo Zhongfang.

During the day, Luo Zhongfang was quiet and unattended. He entered from the back door, walked through a corridor shaded by Aomori trees, stopped at the door of a quiet house, pushed open the hidden door, and stepped in.

Wei Yan has been here since last night. The large windows on the left and right of the house are opposite, and the wind passes through the room from the north and south. He sat cross-legged on a couch in the middle, his hair uncombed, and he wore only a loose white tunic. His clothes were wide open, his eyes were closed, and a short messy mustache grew on his cheeks. , There is no casual style of riding on a leaning bridge on weekdays and full of red sleeves. Hearing the door opening and Wei Shao’s footsteps approaching, he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing that he was dressed in the official clothes of the princes, standing opposite him, his originally burly and slender figure became more upright and majestic, and he looked out for a moment, and suddenly said: “You know that I have secret communication with the Huns, Just leave me here, not afraid that I will escape?”

Wei Shao went to the opposite side of him, sat next to him, and said, “If you run away like this on purpose, I will treat me as a brother who has lost twenty years. ”

Wei Yan was silent.

Wei Shao said: “I only need a word from you, and I will cut off the relationship with the Xiongnu from now on. What happened in the past, what will happen in the future .

”

Staying on his face, in a trance, a strange look suddenly appeared.

“Even if I love you and even carry the crime of insulting your wife, you won’t care about me anymore?”

He stared at Wei Shao and said slowly.

A dark haze quickly appeared in Wei Shao’s eyes, but his expression remained calm.

“Can An Neng kill all the people in the world who offend me?”

He said lightly.

Wei Yan was stunned for a moment, and suddenly laughed wildly, and even leaned forward and back together: “Second brother, although I used to respect you as your lord, I was always reluctant to accept you in my heart. It’s only now that I know that it’s just the words you can say. , the position of the head of the Wei family is none other than you!”

He was laughing all the time, his posture was wild, and his tears seemed to come out of his laughter.

Wei Shao kept looking at him. When he stopped, Fang said: “How? Have you thought about it?”

Wei Yan’s frenzied laughter gradually faded away. He turned his head to look at the mottled tree shadow cast from the tree shadow by the south window, and fell into a trance for a moment. He turned his head and said slowly, “Second brother, you can ignore my offense to your wife, and you can also ignore the despicable Xiongnu blood born in my body, but I can only tell you that I can’t go back to the past. I can’t be the eldest brother who is destined to help you! Unless you kill me, I am…”

“Otherwise, how are you?”

Suddenly an old voice sounded outside the door, and then the door opened in response. .

Wei Shao and Wei Yan looked at each other and saw Madam Xu standing outside the door with a cane at some point. Both were stunned.

Wei Shao quickly reacted and got up to greet him, looking slightly nervous.

“Grandma, how did you come here…”

Mrs. Xu didn’t look at him. He walked straight into the study, walked past Wei Shao, looked at Wei Yan who was still sitting on the couch with a stiff expression, walked towards him, and finally stopped in front of him.

“Otherwise, what about you?”

Mrs. Xu suddenly paused on her crutches and asked again, her one eye emitting a cold light that made people dare not look directly.

Wei Yan finally got up slowly. Suddenly he knelt down again, gave a big salute, and knocked on the ground with his forehead.

“Unfilial grandson Yan, boldly begged my grandmother to fulfill me and let me go.”

He said word by word.

Wei Shao’s face showed anger, and the blue veins on his forehead faintly burst out.

Madam Xu stared at Wei Yan who was kneeling in front of her, her expression turned angry at first, and the hand holding the crutch was also trembling slightly.

After a long time, the anger on her face gradually disappeared.

“Well said.” She said, “You asked me to fulfill you. I fulfilled you, who will fulfill my heart?”

Her voice was tired, revealing a helpless sadness.

Wei Yan slowly raised his head and met Madam Xu’s gaze.

“My grandmother’s biggest mistake in her life is you, Yaner. My fault is not in raising you, but in me misteaching you!”

Wei Yan was silent.

Mrs. Xu seemed to be caught up in the memories of the past. After a while, he said: “Yan’er, your mother is my only daughter. I love her like a pearl in my palm. Unfortunately, she was captured by the King of Huns. When she returned three years later, she had already conceived you in her womb, and she gave up after giving birth. My life. I know that your father is the opposite, and that your life experience may become a hidden danger in the future, so I will keep you and raise you. This is not wrong. If I go back to the moment when your mother gave birth to you, I will also I will make such a decision. You are the only blood your mother has left in the world. No matter who your father is, you are my grandson, and I will never abandon you. My fault lies in my upbringing of you !”

She exhaled a long breath.

“The Han and the Huns stand at the same time, and they have been attacking continuously. The Han people have lost countless grievances under the iron hooves of the Huns, and the Huns herdsmen have been killed by the Han people. It makes you feel at a loss, and even has doubts in your heart, so when you were young, I kept this matter tightly hidden. I thought that when you are older, I will tell you in detail. When you are older, I see you are in high spirits , carefree, but I can’t bear to talk to increase your troubles. When you are older, when you are fourteen or fifteen years old, you have already followed your uncle and killed the Huns. At that time, I couldn’t talk to you, you and those who were killed The Huns you decapitated are actually of the same clan! Day after day, year after year, grandmother took a chance with hesitation, and you have grown up to this day!”

“Yan Er! Let you mistakenly think that you are a Han Chinese. I should let you know as soon as possible that although half of your blood is from a foreign race, you will live forever and be a member of my Wei family! And everything to this day is all my fault! You are leaving now, could it be? Is it the fault of punishing grandmother’s upbringing?”

Madam Xu shed two tears when she spoke about the emotional part.

There were also faint tears in Wei Yan’s eyes.

“Grandmother! You are not only responsible for your upbringing, but you are nurturing me! I also know that you are out of love, and that’s why I’ve been confused and haven’t taught me to know! I’m not grateful enough, how can I punish you? Today It’s all my fault! What’s wrong with my grandmother!”

Madam Xu said, “You don’t blame me, so why do you insist on doing it your own way?”

Wei Yan closed his eyes. He opened his mouth and said, “It’s all my fault, the inherent evil and unrighteousness in my blood! Grandmother, you never know, from the time I was sensible, I wondered why my surname is Wei, and my second brother is older, My talent is also recognized by others. Why is the second brother born to be the head of the family, and I can only be a retainer? This idea has been penetrating into my heart like a snake for more than ten years. I used to be able to restrain myself. Three years ago, when I learned about my background from the Xiongnu people who found me, this evil thought grew more and more, and I couldn’t get rid of it any longer!”

Madam Xu was shocked. Wei Shao was also looking at Wei Yan with a stiff expression.

“I am jealous of the second brother, and I also hate the injustice of good fortune! The second brother was born as a master of the house, with outstanding talents and a beautiful wife, but what do I have?”

Wei Yan looked strange, half a smile, “grandmother, you hired Luoyang Tai when I was a child. The doctor of science taught me earnestly. But I only remembered one sentence, I would rather be a chicken head than a phoenix tail. My grandmother, it was my grandson who failed you. The evil of my father’s blood is doomed that I will not be able to stay in the Wei family. The status of a retainer! I’m not a gentleman either! My ingenuity has made me never become a so-called gentleman! Now that this is the case, even if my grandmother and my second brother don’t care about the past, I have no face to stay. Reluctantly stay, I can’t be hard. Go back to the old Wei Yan! I will be tortured day and night too. Grandma, grandson, please, let me go so that I can be released.”

“Eldest brother!” Wei Shao shouted abruptly. , “How dare you speak such nonsense in front of your grandmother!”

Wei Yan turned his head and looked at Wei Yan with a wry smile: “Second brother, I’m different from you. You have the style of everyone. If I was born a murderer, I wouldn’t be able to leave. Come on, the gentleman is right.”

He turned to Madam Xu and kowtowed heavily: “I beg your grandmother to be fulfilled!”

Madam Xu’s blindfolded eyes were also full of tears at the moment, looking at Wei Yan who was kowtowing to her on the ground. : “Do you think that if you go to an alien race, you can really do what you want, and do whatever you want from now on, be the king and dominate?”

“Yes, my luck. If not, my life. Even if I die, I have no regrets.” Wei Yan said.

Wei Shao suddenly pulled out his long sword, the tip of the sword pressed against Wei Yan’s throat, his eyes were blood red, and he said word by word, “Do you think I will let you go to the Xiongnu alive?”

Wei Yan closed his eyes, as if begging for death.

Wei Shao’s breathing became more and more rapid, and the tip of the sword pierced into Wei Yan’s throat inch by inch, trembling slightly.

Madam Xu fixedly looked at Wei Yan, and suddenly said, “Forget it, everyone has their own aspirations. He wants to go, but he can’t stay.”

Wei Shao suddenly turned his head and looked at Madam Xu.

There were still tears in Mrs. Xu’s eyes, but her expression gradually became condensed. She stared at Wei Yan and said slowly: “If you want to go, I will not stop you. You are born in this world, and you are unhappy, and life is better than death. If you are willing to recognize me, I am also your grandmother. There is just one thing, I want to make it clear to you. If one day, you go to the opposite side and help the Huns to torture the Han people, I will become a ghost, and I will never understand !”

Wei Yan placed his left hand flat on the table, his five fingers spread out, and his right hand pulled out a short dagger from his boot, a cold light flashed, and he actually chopped off his little finger by the roots.

His face was pale, blood was gushing from his broken little finger, but his expression remained motionless, and he said, “I swear by this severed finger, that my grandmother will never hurt a Han Chinese in her lifetime! A hundred years from now, if my grandmother is fortunate enough, if the Han people don’t commit the crime I, I won’t do it first!”

Madam Xu was silent for a moment, then turned around and walked slowly towards the door.

Her steps were sluggish, and her back seemed to have stooped countless times in this instant.

Wei Shao stared at Wei Yan, suddenly roared, and slashed at Wei Yan with his sword.

Wei Yan remained motionless.

The sword’s edge slanted across his head, cutting off the corner of the case in front of Wei Yan with a single sword, and a lock of hair slowly fell from the ground.

“Bang!” Wei Shao threw his sword on the ground, turned around and hurried away.

[End of This Chapter]