klisemfg Chapter 77 Ma Yiyi impersonated someone else, and he deliberately didn't expose her.
Chapter 77 Ma Yiyi impersonated someone else, and he deliberately didn't expose her.
Early the next morning—
After exercising with his second and third brothers at the end of summer, he stopped going to the mountains and forests and instead took out paper, brushes, and ink to start drawing.
No matter how fast she is, there will always be times when she is not at home. Just in case, she needs to build high walls and... mechanisms to keep out thieves.
Xia's mother, second brother, and third brother couldn't help but smile warmly as they watched Xia Mo paint intently.
Xia Mo said to Xia Erge, "Second Brother, take a pound of dried meat to Uncle Gao's house and tell him that we need workers to build a courtyard wall, as well as a lot of stone, timber, and iron..."
At the end of summer, he wrote down the required amount on a piece of paper and solemnly handed it to his second brother, Xia.
Brother Xia was puzzled. He took the hand and asked, "Little sister, what are you planning to do?"
“There are always people peeping outside our yard, it’s really annoying. We can postpone repairing the house until Dad and my older brother come back, but let’s repair the yard wall first, shall we?” Xia Mo looked at Xia’s mother.
Xia Mo looked confident, as if her father and older brother could really get out of prison smoothly, which inexplicably made her mother and the others feel at ease.
“Okay,” Xia Erge went to the kitchen to get the meat, carrying a pound of dried meat, and headed towards Gao Lizheng’s house.
Gao Li was sitting in the courtyard of his house smoking when he woke up in the morning, not fully awake yet. He was a little surprised to see Xia Erge carrying dried meat over.
"What are you doing...?"
Gao Li was thinking of Xia's father and elder brother.
He knew the two were innocent, but there was nothing he could do. If Second Brother Xia asked him for help with this matter, he was also... powerless to assist. Sigh...
"Hello Uncle Gao, Brother Gao is here too. Have you had breakfast yet?" Brother Xia walked up to Gao Lizheng and greeted him with a smile.
"Hmm, what's the matter?" Gao Lizheng glanced at the meat in Xia Erge's hand. It had no fishy smell at all, but rather a strange fragrance that inexplicably made people drool.
“My father and eldest brother don’t know when they will be able to get out, so we’re thinking of building up the courtyard wall first, making it higher, so that my mother and younger sister can sleep more soundly at home,” said Xia Erge.
“You… money…” Gao Lizheng thought for a moment and reminded her, “Go back and tell your mother that if you are really sentenced to exile for three thousand miles, you can reduce your sentence to exile for three hundred miles by paying three hundred taels of silver. In fact, the time of exile can also be reduced accordingly.”
Gao Lizheng sighed and said, "Don't waste your money now."
Xia Erge also agreed with Gao Lizheng, but...
"Let's build the courtyard first," Xia Erge said, remembering that it was his younger sister's suggestion. Since the family's money was all earned by his younger sister, he naturally followed her wishes first.
Gao Li looked at Xia Erge with disapproval, but didn't want to say anything more.
Since the Xia family is so ignorant, let them be. In any case, he has reminded them of everything that needed to be reminded!
Gao Lizheng was somewhat annoyed by the Xia family's lack of manners, but when helping to arrange workers and materials such as stones and timber, he was still extra careful to prevent those with malicious intentions or those who wanted to take advantage of the Xia family from getting close.
* * *
Xia Family —
Xia Erge went to Gao Lizheng's house on business. Xia Mo seemed to be focused on painting, but in reality, she was keeping an eye on Xia Erge's situation.
After Xia Erge left, Xia Mo watched as the village head was giving instructions to Gao Laoda, and he gave him a particularly important reminder, saying one sentence.
Gao Lizheng said to Gao Laoda, "Don't let those with malicious intentions or those who want to kick someone when they're down pass by, understand?"
Xia Mo withdrew her divine sense and looked at the painting in her hand.
Her face appeared calm, but her emotions were inevitably stirred.
Xia's father and elder brother were wrongfully imprisoned, and Xia Mo had been on guard against anyone taking advantage of their misfortune or maliciously causing trouble. However... seven days have passed, and nothing like that has happened.
She had some questions before, but now...
After hearing Gao Lizheng's explanation to Boss Gao, he understood.
She suddenly understood why Xia's parents valued the bonds between villagers so much.
Xia Mo looked up at the sky, then lowered her head to continue painting.
Anping County, Weijia
Ma Yiyi has a recipe for braised food, but she never thought about making money from it. She just wanted to make more delicious braised food to please Wei Zhishu.
Jiang Feng received orders from his master, Huangfu Qian, to relay a message to Wei Zhishu, only to witness Wei Zhishu making unwanted advances towards Ma Yiyi.
Jiang Feng asked, "My master asked when you will return to the capital?"
Wei Zhishu immediately imagined that Huangfu Qian thought he was taking too long and hadn't married Ma Yiyi yet.
Wei Zhishu gritted his teeth inwardly, thinking of stalling for time, and replied: "Yiyi's home is in Anping County. I plan to hold an engagement banquet in Anping County first, and then hold another one after returning to the capital."
Upon hearing this, Ma Yiyi realized that Wei Zhishu cared about her and valued her, which was why he had done this. She was immediately moved to tears.
Jiang Feng's eyes flickered slightly. His master actually wanted Wei Zhishu and Ma Yiyi to get married as soon as possible, but he couldn't urge them openly. So he had achieved his goal.
"Consort Wei is waiting for your good news, Third Master Wei. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first," Jiang Feng said, then clasped his hands in a fist salute and departed.
Inside the side courtyard where Huangfu Qian lived—
Huangfu Qian sat behind his desk, and for once, he fell into a daze.
He thought about many things, but also about nothing at all.
The reason Wei Zhishu came to claim the life-saving grace was that it was the officials who suggested that Huangfu Qian repay the debt with his own body, while it was Consort Wei who did not want Huangfu Qian to marry a peasant girl.
The officials' overwhelming presence made it impossible for Huangfu Qian to find a better marriage partner.
Consort Wei arranged for her nephew to marry a woman because she didn't want Huangfu Qian to marry someone of low social standing who wouldn't be of any help to him.
Although Huangfu Qian was saved by Xia Mo, at the time, he didn't have any extra feelings for Xia Mo. At worst, he would just let Xia Mo live a peaceful life after the matter was settled.
When he arrived in Anping County, he discovered that the person who came to express his gratitude was mistaken!
Wei Zhishu is not marrying the right girl.
When Huangfu Qian and Wei Zhishu arrived, they intended to explain to Wei Zhishu about Ma Yiyi's impersonation, however...
When he arrived in Anping County, some things happened, and he encountered Xia Mo in the mountains.
He felt that Xia Mo, so vibrant and individualistic, was not worthy of Wei Zhishu.
So, when Ma Yiyi impersonated him, he deliberately didn't expose her.
Looking back now, he realizes that his impromptu choice and actions were absolutely right!
If Wei Zhishu were to marry Xia Mo, who knows what might happen.
Xia Mo was no longer a wife that Wei Zhishu could control!
And he...
He couldn't quite figure out what his feelings were for Xia Mo...