Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 34. Contemporary Great Scholars

34. The Great Scholar of Our Time

Under the full guidance of their elder brother Xu Qingchen, the young masters of the Xu Family had a cordial meeting with Minister Ye and the elderly matriarch of the Ye Family. Ms. Wang, who sat to the side and tried to interject several times but couldn’t get a word in, was deliberately ignored. Fifth Young Master Xu later stated that he had no interest in conversing with other people’s concubines. Indeed, in the eyes of the Xu Family, Ms. Wang’s status as a legitimate wife had never been acknowledged. Apart from the grievances between Ms. Wang and the late Madam Xu, the Xu Family itself did not recognize the practice of promoting concubines to the status of primary wife. This was perhaps also because, historically, few men in the Xu Family had ever taken concubines. If Ms. Wang had been a virtuous lady from a prestigious family, they might have accorded her some respect. Sadly, Ms. Wang clearly lacked these virtues.

Subsequently, Xu Qingchen subtly and respectfully conveyed his father’s longing for his long-lost niece and requested that Ye Li be allowed to stay at the Xu Family’s villa for a period. Old Madam Ye naturally refused without hesitation, claiming that Ye Li was soon to be married and needed to remain at home to prepare. Xu Qingchen then indicated that, due to her aunt’s early passing, his grandfather worried that Ye Li might be looked down upon by her in-laws if she was unprepared for managing a household after marriage. Therefore, they had specially invited several ladies from the Capital City, known for their excellent household management skills, to tutor her. They had also sent a few experienced nannies to retrain their cousin in etiquette. After all, rumors had been circulating that the Third Miss of the Ye Family was a young lady devoid of talent, virtue, and beauty. Clearly, she was in dire need of rigorous instruction in manners, deportment, and social interaction.

Watching Old Madam Ye bite her tongue, her face a mask of silent suffering, Ye Li reaffirmed her conviction. One absolutely could not confront such a shrewd old woman directly or with harsh words. Look at how elegantly and politely her cousin speaks; who wouldn’t believe this is a gentle and respectful junior sincerely listening to an elder’s opinion? But given Old Madam Ye’s far from pleasant expression, could she truly voice any further objections? Even Old Madam Ye’s final suggestion—to have Ye Shan and Ye Lin accompany Ye Li to the Xu Family’s villa—was deftly deflected by Xu Qingyan. With a sunny smile, he implied that such close contact between unmarried men and women would tarnish the two young ladies’ reputations. They could only watch helplessly as Ye Li was escorted out of the Ye Mansion’s gates by the young masters of the Xu Family.

Upon leaving the Ye Mansion, everyone visibly relaxed. Even the perpetually stoic Xu Qingze allowed a faint smile to touch his lips. The sense of unfamiliarity, born from years of separation between the siblings, seemed to vanish in an instant. As for Xu Qingyan, who was too young to have any memories of Ye Li, he was naturally outgoing. In no time, he was interacting with Ye Li with a warmth and familiarity as if they were siblings who had grown up together. Xu Hong Yu, the current patriarch of the Xu Family and father to Xu Qingchen, Xu Qingbai, and Xu Qingyan, did not wish to be too conspicuous. Therefore, instead of staying at the Imperial Censor’s Mansion, which belonged to his brother, they moved directly into a moderately-sized villa owned by the Xu Family in the Capital City. Consequently, Ye Li and the others headed straight to the Xu Family’s villa.

"Eldest Uncle..." Seeing the man before her, still debonair, scholarly, and gentle despite his middle age, Ye Li called out, her voice choked with emotion.

Xu Hong Yu looked at this niece he had cherished since childhood. Her face bore a striking seven-tenths resemblance to his late sister, yet it held an added layer of resilience. He sighed softly, beckoned to Ye Li, and said, "Li’er, you’ve endured much hardship these past years. Your uncle knows everything that has happened in the Capital City. With me here, let’s see who dares to trouble you!"

Tears welled in Ye Li’s eyes, but she forced a smile. "With Second Uncle here, who would dare bother Li’er? I’ve just been missing you, Eldest Uncle, and Grandfather."

Xu Hong Yu shot a somewhat dissatisfied glance at his younger brother, Xu Hongyan, who was seated to the side. "If he were truly capable, would he have allowed those two—mother and daughter from the Ye Family—to become so brazen?"

Xu Hongyan, well aware of his elder brother’s temperament, could only offer a wry, helpless smile. "You are right to reprimand me, Big Brother. It is my failing that I did not take good care of Li’er."

"Eldest Uncle!" Ye Li said, clinging to her Eldest Uncle’s arm in playful protest. She felt no pressure acting this way with him; it had always been so since she was a child. It was because she had been a genuine child back then, and moreover, the only child in the entire Xu Family who wasn’t afraid of her Eldest Uncle.

Xu Hong Yu fondly patted the back of Ye Li’s head and chuckled. "Alright, alright, Uncle was just speaking his mind. You, my dear girl, after all these years apart, seem to have grown fonder of your Second Uncle."

"Not at all! Li’er has missed Eldest Uncle and Grandfather deeply all this time."

"Then why did you dare to refuse when your grandfather asked you to go to Yunzhou?"

"..."

After Ye Li had chatted with her two uncles for a while, Xu Hong Yu asked Xu Qingyan to take her to her prepared room and, incidentally, to meet the two nannies who had long been awaiting her arrival. Aware that her uncles and cousins probably had matters to discuss, Ye Li obediently followed Xu Qingyan.

Ye Li’s room had been prepared in advance, situated in the quietest courtyard at the rear of the villa. The residences of the Xu Family—be it the Imperial Censor’s Mansion, their former Xu Mansion in the Capital City, or this villa—all shared the same style: simple, elegant, and dignified, which perfectly suited Ye Li’s taste. As soon as they stepped through the courtyard gate, someone hurried forward to greet them. "Miss!"

Two nannies, dressed in simple yet respectable attire, approached. Upon seeing Ye Li, they both paused, their eyes instantly welling with tears.

"Nanny Lin... Wet Nurse..." Ye Li called out. Nanny Lin had been her mother’s personal maid since her youth and was now nearly fifty. Ye Li’s wet nurse, Nanny Wei, was also a servant born into the Xu Family and was now in her forties. Ye Li still vividly remembered the scene. When she had insisted on sending Nanny Lin and Nanny Wei back to the Xu Family, they had knelt before her, pleading and saying they would rather die than leave. Although from that time until she met Qingshuang, she had no one trustworthy by her side, Ye Li did not regret her decision. She knew very well that, with her memories still returning intermittently and her health extremely poor back then, she simply wouldn’t have been able to protect these two people who genuinely cared for her.

"Miss... Miss..." The two nannies quickly came to Ye Li’s side. Nanny Lin, tears streaming, said, "Miss has finally grown up... You look so much like the Eldest Miss..."

Nanny Wei’s affection for Ye Li was even deeper; after all, she had personally cared for Ye Li as she grew. "SOB... This servant has failed the Eldest Miss, letting our Miss stay alone in that Ye Mansion for so many years. Thank goodness... thank goodness Miss is alright..."

Ye Li sighed inwardly, still feeling somewhat inept at handling such emotional displays; she could only awkwardly try to comfort the two nannies.

Seeing Ye Li’s somewhat stiff demeanor, Xu Qingyan, who was watching from the side, chuckled to himself. This only further confirms that the Ye Family truly mistreated my cousin, he thought.

"AHEM. Nanny Lin, Nanny Wei," Xu Qingyan interjected, "from now on, you will be by Sister Li’s side. We have plenty of time. Wouldn’t it be better to go inside and talk slowly?"

Reminded by Xu Qingyan, the two nannies hastily wiped their tears and nodded repeatedly. "Fifth Young Master is right. It was our oversight. Quickly, Miss, come and see if you like your room. If you don’t, we’ll change it right away."

Watching Ye Li being pulled away by the two nannies, Xu Qingyan, momentarily forgotten, stood stunned for a moment. He then rolled his eyes at the sky before turning and walking out.

While Ye Li was ushered into her room and enveloped by the two nannies’ warmth, the atmosphere in the villa’s study felt rather chilly.

Xu Hong Yu sat behind his desk, looking at his younger brother. A smile played on his lips, yet it inexplicably sent a shiver down the spines of Xu Qingfeng and Xu Qingbai, who were huddled at the back. "So," Xu Hong Yu began, "His Highness Prince Li decided Li’er wasn’t good enough for him and instead chose to get involved with the Fourth Miss of the Ye Family. Meanwhile, His Majesty believes Li’er’s reputation as a ’three-lacks’ young lady, combined with the disgrace of being abandoned by Prince Li, serves as the perfect means to humiliate Prince Ding?"

Everyone’s lips twitched involuntarily. ’Get involved with’...? they thought, glancing at Xu Hong Yu. Whether he was their Great Uncle or Father, he was a renowned scholar of this age! Couldn’t he use more refined language?

Xu Hongyan nodded. "That is indeed the case."

As if the oppressive atmosphere in the study wasn’t heavy enough, Xu Qingchen, seated at the lower end of the table, produced a letter from his sleeve. He wore a smile even more brilliant than his father’s as he said, "Earlier today, at Chuxiang Pavilion, Prince Li publicly declared that no matter what kind of scene Li’er makes, he will absolutely not marry her."

A shiver went down Xu Qingyan’s spine. Having just slipped in, he subtly edged closer to his Fourth Brother for cover.

Xu Hong Yu took the letter and read it, remaining silent for a long while. Just as Xu Hongyan was about to speak out of concern, Xu Hong Yu suddenly burst into hearty laughter. "Excellent... Truly worthy of being a daughter of the Xu Family..." As he spoke, he handed the letter directly to Xu Hongyan.

Xu Hongyan’s lips twitched, and he managed to suppress a laugh. Having been in the Capital City all this time, he knew his niece was definitely not as demure as she appeared on the surface. However, such... ferocity was rare. She must have truly been pushed to her limit by Prince Li, he mused.

"Was Prince Ding also present at the time?" Xu Hongyan asked as he folded the letter. Ignoring Xu Qingyan, who was still eagerly hoping for a look from behind, he tucked it directly into his own sleeve. I need to go back and figure out how to add more fuel to Prince Li’s fire. He must be too idle if he’s finding time to trouble Li’er, he thought.

"It seems Li’er also had a conversation with Prince Ding. Apparently, the two have reached some sort of understanding," Xu Qingchen said with a faint smile.

Xu Hong Yu pondered for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively. "Your grandfather holds Prince Ding in high regard. Since Li’er herself doesn’t seem dissatisfied with the marriage, Qingchen, I’ll leave the subsequent matters to you."

Xu Qingchen nodded with a smile. "I understand, Father. Besides, having been away from the Capital City for many years, it has been a long time since I last saw Prince Ding."