novelden Chapter 184 Xu's Mother's Visit
Chapter 184 Xu's Mother's Visit
Meanwhile, at the Xu residence.
The groom from the Lin family took her to the Xu residence. Xu Jingyun had already tidied her clothes, stepped out of the carriage, stood on the carriage shaft, and slowly stretched before getting off.
Without saying a word, he generously tossed a silver ingot to the coachman, who was flattered and hurriedly thanked him profusely.
Xu Jingyun ignored the other person and went straight into the mansion, heading towards his own courtyard, unaware that someone had been waiting for him there for a long time.
"Mother? What brings you to the capital?"
Xu Jingyun looked at the woman in the hall with her back to her and tentatively asked in surprise.
He was somewhat puzzled as to why his mother had appeared in the capital. His mother should have been in Mengzhou Prefecture at the moment. Moreover, it was a serious crime for an official to leave his post without authorization, let alone for her to have the audacity to enter the capital.
"Jing'er, you're back!" Xu Yun turned around upon hearing the voice, his gaze gentle and his tone mild.
Indeed, the beautiful, tall, and gentle woman before us is Xu Jingyun's mother, Xu Yun, who was promoted to Prefect of Mengzhou after the death of the previous prefect.
Xu Yun turned around and, after seeing Xu Jingyun's outfit and the blush that hadn't completely faded from her face, couldn't help but chuckle.
Xu Yun could easily understand this boy's lovesick look; after all, she had been through that age herself. With a smile in her eyes, she teased him:
"Jing'er is back so late, I wonder where she went? And that outfit... could it be that she went to see her sweetheart?"
Upon hearing the words "beloved," Xu Jingyun immediately thought of Lin Shu and everything that had just happened in the carriage, and the blush on her face remained. Therefore, she did not deny it.
When Xu Yun saw that his son did not deny it, he knew that Jing'er was serious, and he couldn't help but sigh silently.
His son was exactly like his father in both personality and appearance. He seemed unrestrained on the surface, but once he put his mind to something, he would be unwavering!
In the past, I would have been happy if my son had a good marriage. But the problem is that now, even if I agree, his father probably won't agree!
Seeing Xu Yun's complicated expression, Xu Jingyun realized that he seemed to want to say something more, but what he said might not be what she wanted to hear.
Moreover, upon suddenly seeing his mother arrive, he naturally did not want to have any unpleasant encounters with her, so he immediately interrupted—
He stepped forward, bowed to Xu Yun, and then sat down affectionately beside her, a smile playing on his lips as he teased, "Why did Mother come? Did you miss me?"
Having said that, he feigned a look of disgust, raised an eyebrow, and said:
"Tsk! Didn't we just see each other last month?"
The last month he mentioned was naturally the time he saved Li Huanzhi, when she had just returned to the capital from Mengzhou Prefecture.
Xu Yun looked at his son, who was almost as tall as him and had a handsome and dashing appearance, and gently patted his head, just like he had when he was a child, and said softly:
"I just came to see my Jing'er..." Otherwise, I'm afraid it won't be easy for us to meet again in the future!
However, Xu Yun didn't say the last part.
However, upon hearing this, Xu Jingyun frowned. Her mother had risked coming to the capital just to see her; it seemed rather strange. Could it be:
"Mother, is it with Father...?"
Xu Jingyun stared intently at the expression on Xu Yun's face, not missing a single detail.
Xu Yun shook his head helplessly. He knew he couldn't fool this kid. He had originally planned not to say anything for the time being, but given the other's personality, he was afraid the kid wouldn't listen if he didn't tell him tonight.
Thinking of this, Xu Yun couldn't help but sigh:
"Your father wrote to me, asking me to arrange for you to go to Nanli, and to take the people we've trained with you."
Xu Jingyun wasn't surprised at all, after all, Nangong Jin had sent messages multiple times saying that he couldn't get any help from Fengming, so he had found him a good marriage (protection) in Nanli, but he had always ignored it...
"I'm not going." Xu Jingyun raised her eyebrows slightly, revealing a hint of fierceness, then turned her face away and refused outright.
His mind is now completely occupied by Lin Shu, and he has absolutely no interest in power or anything like that.
Xu Yun sighed softly, thinking that if she could go, she would definitely not let her son go and risk his life as well.
"Sigh! Your mother didn't want you to go either, but your father's situation is really not good right now! Besides, you know your mother, I can never go against your father's wishes!"
Xu Jingyun pursed his lips. He naturally knew that Xu Yun's words were true. Although he had only seen his father a few times since he was a child, every time they met, his father always managed to keep his mother completely under his thumb...
Even though her father's face was disfigured, and even though her mother was often left alone in an empty house, she never considered remarrying and always had only her father by her side.
Seeing that Xu Jingyun remained silent, Xu Yun raised his hand again and patted his head, speaking softly with a solemn expression:
"I'm not here to force you today, but your father is right about one thing: given the current situation in Nanli, it might be safer for you to go to his side. As long as he lives, he can protect you!"
Even if your father hides you well, the other side has probably found out about our existence. After all, your mother is an official of the Fengming Dynasty, so they dare not do anything.
But Jing'er, you are different. You are your mother and father's only child. If they arrest you, I'm afraid it will not only hinder your father, but also make things difficult for you..."
“…Mother…” Xu Jingyun’s expression wavered as she listened to Xu Yun’s moving words, and she couldn’t help but hesitate.
After a long while, Xu Jingyun seemed to have made up her mind. She looked at Xu Yun, her usually frivolous eyes now unusually serious: "I'm going to Nanli."
He wasn't afraid of death, but he feared that staying in Fengming would implicate Lin Shu; moreover, he hadn't known his father was in such a predicament; and as Xu Yun had said, if he were to be captured, it might ruin his father's years of planning...
After thinking it over, he asked a question in a tone that seemed to indicate he already knew the answer: "Mother, is it true that if I go to Nanli, I won't be able to come back?"
Without waiting for Xu Yun's reply, he gave a wry smile, his eyes drooping, and his expression dejected as he answered himself:
"That's probably it. If I go to Nanli, Xu Jingyun of Fengming will probably 'die' too! But I..." I'm a little unwilling. I was so close to being with Lin Shu...
He truly, truly loved Lin Shu…! From that fleeting glimpse of her flying kites at the Deer Garden; to the exhilarating feeling of meeting her match in chess; and finally, to the inexplicable, deep affection that began in his heart…
Xu Yun looked at Xu Jingyun's lowered eyes and felt a pang of heartache. His lips moved, but he didn't say anything to stop her: "Jing'er..."
Xu Jingyun raised her hand to stop Xu Yun's words of comfort and asked, "Mother, did Father say when we will set off?"
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