Capítulo 30: I Won't Accept You as My Son-in-law
Shengli and AoTian reached the Fanzhou village in two days in their horses without much rest. Both didn't say much to each other on the way and AoTian insisted on staying in Xing's house than in inns or Ming Manor, so Shengli brought him there.
Only there, they were welcomed by the big grey wolf Pengpeng. AoTian who had spent his entire life in the city and had only seen paintings of these wolves was petrified to see the wolf almost as tall as him glaring, just ten feet before him. Shengli's lips curved, ' She didn't even warn me! Does she want me to show off in front of her father?', he thought.
Shengli who was a bit skeptical himself, talked to the wolf like Xing does in the Guyu language and told the wolf that he was Xing's father and to let them pass as they are here to pay respects for her mother. AoTian who only knows a little of that language was shocked and wondered if Shengli had gone crazy since he was speaking with a wolf.
The wolf walked closer to AoTian and sniffed him. AoTian remembered a 'charm' his daughter gave him before leaving saying it's for his protection and he was secretly happy that Shengli didn't receive one. He was proudly hanging it in his waist. The wolf sniffed at the charm and stepped aside. AoTian who was frozen like a stone regained his senses after a while and saw Shengli walking inside the house and was embarrassed , 'So Shengli was not given the charm because he didn't need it!'
Shengli was quite surprised to see the wolf listening to him and wondered if this is what they mean by 'the fox exploiting the tiger's might' . He started preparing for their stay there.
AoTian entered the small house only as big as his courtyard in his Manor and felt sad that his wife and daughter had to live in such a small place when they could have had a much better life.
Just then a heavy silk bag fell from the roof in front of him making metallic noise. AoTian picked it up to see it filled with gold coins and was surprised.
Shengli noticed it and smiled, "Auntie Ling and Xing, never had a bad life or they'd never been poor. Xing has a habit of hiding her treasures in the rafters and I bet this won't be the only one she hid". AoTian was shocked to even grasp at all the things happening around him. Even though he wanted to say something he did not have the mind to.
He is bragging, isn't he?
In the next two days AoTian was either lying in his wife's bed or kneeling in front of her tomb and Shengli just let him be. After all he didn't have the time to properly grieve as long as he was in the capital. Also he had only known the proud and haughty AoTian and not the broken man who was grieving for his wife. Although Shengli could empathise with AoTian he didn't know how to comfort him. He has to get it over it by himself right?
But on the third day, Shengli lost his patience. He saw AoTian just moping around and not even eating or drinking water. He remembered stories that Lord Huang BoJing, AoTian's father died grieving for his wife and wondered if AoTian would end up that way too. But Xing had asked him to take care of her father... And he had promised her that he'll return within a week!
Shengli pulled up AoTian and pushed him inside the bath and prepared a porridge Auntie Ling used to make for him and placed it in front of AoTian who was finally clean.
"Eat, or I'll feed you myself", Shengli warned and AoTian snapped out of his daze and started eating seeing Shengli's serious face. In your dreams!
After he ate something, Shengli pulled him out of the house, "Let me take you to the village", he said and AoTian's protests stopped when he saw the wolf by the door and he silently followed Shengli.
Shengli took AoTian to the small tea shop in the village run by a young couple. He then ordered tea and snacks,
"See the young lady there, she's the one called Gu Lufen and she is the one who supposedly married Lord Táng", Shengli looked at AoTian who was surprised and was lost for words and continued,
"Xing and Yushen, three years back, came across a sex trafficking ring from the water kingdom who tried to expand their business here and eliminated them. Gu Lufen was the one who was saved from them and she was not able to go back to her place as she was a noble lady and her life would be hell if she went back there as her reputation was spoiled . She was troubled then and forced Xing to marry her threatening suicide. Xing just went along and just let her stay in the village and later Gu Lufen found this man and they are truly married. Each and everyone in this village would have been saved by Xing and Yushen at least once and they owe their life to both of them. Now watch.. ",
Shengli stood up and went to the shop owner and tried to chat him up and asked him for information about Lord Táng. He refused for a while and when Shengli gave him some gold ingots, he accepted it and pointed at an average looking guy in the shop and told him that he was said to be resembling Lord Táng a lot except Lord Táng has long hair.
Shengli came back to AoTian who was confused and told him, "See, everyone here will do this.. Not one of them will tell you how Lord Táng looks like truthfully"
"Why are you..?", AoTian asked confused. What is he trying to say?
"Xing, that girl!", he smiled, "She was not lying when she said she had many enemies. Also have you heard of the Ying family from the Water Kingdom?", Shengli questioned.
" Yes, they are as powerful as Zhong family in our kingdom. But why.."
"The young master who is supposed to be the next head of that family and someone their Emperor trusts so much is closely acquainted with Xing after the sex trafficking case and they are still in contact. If only that Ying Young Master and our Xing and Yushen didn't work together, our Wind Kingdom and Water Kingdom would be at war by all the plots done by nobles on both sides. Also the Prince who usurped the Earth Kingdom and was punished by the now Emperor- Prince Lee DaeJung, he had made a blood oath with Xing as she saved him previously. Also the Heavenly Flowers Palace, you know how powerful they are and even my informants cannot get any information about Xing, inside their establishment and one of them was killed just because he asked around about Lord Táng and not to mention the Gods.. ",Shengli paused as AoTian was worried. Just what kind of life did she have? And Gods?
"Look, I'm not saying this to get you worried", Shengli's voice softened, "What I am meaning is, Xing has many dangers around her and this village is the safest place for her. But her mother sent her to you, hoping that she'd be able to console you and you would be able to protect her and she left everything to find you. Imagine if you in your heartbreak, end up like your father and what happens to your children then? It's not like they don't have others but do you want that? Do you want your children end up in someone else's Manor? I saw how heartbroken Xing was to lose her mother and I don't want her to go through it again for you too. It must be hard for you, I can empathise with you. But you are not just a grieving husband, you are a father and also the Prime Minister of the Wind kingdom. Even now I know Xing's enemies are trying to make a move as they've learned Xing is in the capital. You can stay here and brood for all you want or you can pull yourself back, but I have to get back. An absent Prime Minister is better than a muddled Prime Minister ", Shengli finished and started drinking tea.
AoTian looked deeply at Shengli, " You.. How do you know my daughter? ", he asked.
" When I was thrown out as garbage and was in a dark place, it was Xing and her mother who saved me. But what I feel for Xing is not just gratitude and I want to protect and adore her for the rest of my life", he replied.
"You think I could believe someone unfilial and heartless like you can make her happy? What would she think when she knows you had killed your siblings with your own sword? I thought she hates when brothers fight", AoTian said with a disgusted expression not holding back on his hate for Shengli.
"I'm not asking for her hand just yet. Because if..", 'If you refuse and if I ask her to choose, I know she'll choose only me' is what he wanted to say but he just smiled dryly, " Just pull yourself together and get to know her better. I won't let anyone harm her even if it is her own father or myself. She is too kind and trying hard to get to know you. Don't dissapoint her. Even though she never said it out loud, I know she had always wanted to know her father! ", he said and paid their bill and started to walk back to Xing's house and AoTian just followed him back.
In the evening, Shengli heard noises from Xing's mother's room and had a peak to see AoTian searching her room.
" What? It's not like she'd have left me without a letter at least", he grunted.
Later that night Shengli saw AoTian reading a letter with tears rolling down his cheeks and he felt relieved. It's good to have closure.
The next morning, Shengli was interfered in his morning practice by AoTian, "Not leaving yet?", he asked in his usual tone.
Shengli just smiled and prepared for their departure.
"I won't accept you as my son-in-law", AoTian smirked.
Shengli gave a divine smile, "You'll have to convince your daughter then"
AoTian remembered what Táng MingLing had written in her letter, ' When I asked him to give up on Xing, that thirteen year old boy told me that he will not change his mind, unless the sun rises in the west or when Xing hates me from the bottom of her heart, nothing can stop me from marrying her and told me to convince Xing. So I pulled the same tantrum that I pulled to convince her not to ask about her father and she just gave me the silent treatment and never budged an inch until I gave up. I lost for the first time in my life. So then I decided that regarding that boy, I'd have much chance winning, if I try convincing the sun than my daughter. After all the product of two most stubborn people won't be someone with less conviction. So, Try to be nice to that boy if you want our daughter to be nice to you'
Well, we'll see about that!
Both Shengli and AoTian reached the capital on the seventh day after they left the city and decided to make a pit stop at a tea shop for a little rest. the rumours about the Prime Minister was the hot topic. Apparently his daughter was a country bumpkin and she was hidden till now because her father was ashamed of her. AoTian had to control his temper to not flare up. Shengli was nonchalant as its enough that only he knows about her.AoTian glared at Shengli for spreading all negative rumours about his adorable daughter. Shengli refused as it really wasn't his doing but decided not to suppress it since it would keep unnecessary predators at bay. Also they spoke about a new relative of Rijun who was handsome and rich with an unusual tiger fur coloured hair and was spotted in the city seducing women. The young men there cursed the Prime Minister's Manor for taking all the eligible women to fawn over them. Hearing this AoTian almost choked on his tea.
" Could that be.?",before he finished saying, Shengli said, " Yes". Another one said that the Prime Minister's daughter was engaged with Zhong Huojin for alliance between the two families. Another one said that the Prime Minister wants to make his daughter Empress to have the emperor in his palms. Shengli coughed, wasn't he gone for only a week? How come there could be so much rumours about a single person?
They soon left the tea shop and entered the city gates. AoTian went to his Manor while Shengli went to gain information from his informants.
On the way, AoTian met Lord Zhong, "Uncle Yingjie!", he glared, "What's with that rumour saying I'm giving my daughter to your stupid son?"
"Why not? But that brat blatantly refused me though!", he pouted.
"Which brat?", AoTian asked.
"Your daughter! Her tea was perfect and so I just went to Feiye's place to have her tea. Your idiot son spends most time there too. He is still there making her do his work", Lord Zhong answered and gave a satisfied smile seeing AoTian's face go green with jealousy.
I was gone for a week and everyone got along with my daughter except me! It is not fair! AoTian made his way to his brother's Manor.
Shengli's informants gave him an information, 'Someone called Lord Táng with a tiger mask and long hair is recruiting people for rebellion against this foolish Emperor to make the lost third prince as the Emperor'
Shengli smirked, so this is how you want to flush the real one out!
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