Chapter Nine, The Joy of Returning Home

Ye Zhao slightly moved back and replied, "Yes, it should be so in the future"

Xia Yujin, not understanding the situation, interjected and asked: "Mobei? Didn't your father already...?"

Naturally, it is fine if our relationship is not good, but let's not worry the elders. It's just..." Xia Yujin cautiously asked, "I give face to your family, so you should also give face to my family, right?"

A twinge of bitterness and a hint of unease passed through my mind

Who wants to understand whom

Ye Zhao rubbed his head and said helplessly: "I really did not bully him"

The members of the Ye family who came to greet him let out a heavy sigh of relief, eagerly stepping forward to greet their son-in-law, while also stealing glances at him from side to side, as if trying to discern something to report back.

Ye Zhao was dressed in a thin, lotus green long robe adorned with cloud patterns, dark snow-repelling boots, and her long hair was simply tied up with a jade hairpin carved in the shape of a tiger. Occasionally, she would rest her hand on the autumn water long sword at her waist, staring intently at the troublesome individual across from her. She did not believe that the other party would easily compromise, yet she was unaware of what tricks they might employ.

Ye Zhao attempted to comfort him, asking, "Does your wrist still hurt?" Unfortunately, she was not skilled at showing concern or thoughtfulness, and her tone sounded as strange as it could be, almost resembling sarcasm.

He realized that he did not understand her at all

Xia Yujin awkwardly pursed her lips and said: "I often hang around outside... Although I engage in serious matters infrequently, I am the most well-informed about the various unscrupulous individuals in the capital... Ye Zhao, you have just returned from the northern desert and are unfamiliar with the territory. Your sister-in-law is a proper woman, and there are some things that are inconvenient to inquire about, so naturally, you know less than I do. If you are looking for a teacher, you should invite Mr. Ma Rongchun. His reputation is not as great as Wang Renjie, but his scholarship is excellent, his teaching is meticulous, and his character is upright, with no faults. Ye Zhao, when you returned to the capital, he held your decision to serve in the military on behalf of your father in high regard and even composed poetry to praise it. I believe that if you send an invitation, he will certainly agree to come and teach your nephew.

"How could that be?" The quick-tongued Qiuhua interjected with a smile, saying, "They have been worried that the general would beat you so badly on your wedding night that you wouldn't be able to get out of bed, and they were extremely anxious. Now that they see you safe and sound, they can finally relax. Oh... you have no idea how everyone has been talking about it..."

Everything has passed

Ye Zhao quickly reached out to support him, noticing that his complexion was turning darker. Without hesitation, she had him placed into the sedan chair, leaving Huang to explain, while she instructed everyone else to return.

Ye Zhao thought for a moment and then replied: "Of course, if there is anything you need help with, just let me know."

Ye Zhao sighed and said, "It is better for you not to know."

Huang earnestly advised: "No matter how bad he is, you must never hit him."

Ye Zhao spoke softly, "Well... you did well today. Thank you for handling my nephew's matter."

Xia Yujin could not help but steal a glance at Ye Zhao's face, which still bore a steely determination. Was she no longer sad, or had she become numb to her emotions? How did she grow up? Had she ever been gentle? Had she ever been mischievous? Had she ever loved? Hated? Longed?

Ye Zhao: "You mentioned it countless times before the marriage"

Xia Yujin: "Aren't you going to tell him?"

However, two individuals who despise each other are quickly forced together

He looked up at Ye Zhao, revealing a smile, his eyes sparkling: "I have accomplished everything you asked me to do, have I not given enough face to your family?"

Xia Yujin, feeling confused, quietly asked Ye Zhao on the way to the main hall: "After such a long time returning home, are they so worried that I might not treat you well?"

Ye Zhao hesitated for a moment and simply uttered "mm https://www.hetushucom.com"

completely incompatible couple

Xia Yujin stumbled and nearly fell onto the snow-covered ground

The Ye family has no peers, and the several chief stewards are lined up neatly to welcome.

They are all dead, Ye Zhao's voice was unprecedentedly gentle as she whispered softly, "It is just that great-grandfather has forgotten the broken city of Mobei, and he has also forgotten the night when my father and two elder brothers died in battle. He even forgot that I am his daughter. The only purpose of living now is to wait for their return."

Ye Nianbei made a face at him, then smiled sweetly at Xia Yujin and said: "Uncle A Zhao, your man is so handsome"

Xia Yujin's expression twitched several times before finally maintaining a smile, nodding repeatedly

Ye Siwu beside her curled his lips and said: "Clearly it is Aunt Zhao! Such a grown person still acting spoiled, truly embarrassing"

Ye Zhao asked, "How did you come to know this?"

Xia Yujin: "What about you?"

Ye Zhao responded with a smile, repeatedly saying "good"

Ye Nianbei rushed into Ye Zhao's arms and exclaimed, "Uncle Zhao! I have missed you so much!"

Huang was overjoyed upon hearing this, expressing countless thanks. Then, quietly pulling Ye Zhao aside, he advised: "Ah Zhao, you have had a fiery temperament since childhood; you should temper it a bit after marriage and refrain from randomly hitting your husband."

Xia Yujin smiled like a cunning little fox that had succeeded in its scheme: "General, I believe you can do it."

He stood side by side with Ye Zhao, and although there was no support, they appeared quite intimate

Ye Zhao continued to closely monitor his actions

On the way back, Xia Yujin's mindset improved significantly. Old Master Ye personally escorted him to the door and, in front of a large crowd, smiled and said to him, "Make sure to come home more often in the future." Then, waving his cane, he fiercely shouted at Ye Zhao, "You are not allowed to hit your wife again! Otherwise, I will not acknowledge you as my great-grandson!"

"Indeed, I see that this child is not bad at heart," Huang said with concern, "You are so strong, and he is so weak; what if you accidentally punch him to death?"

Ye Zhao froze for a moment

Ye Zhao's several calls brought him back from his contemplation. Only then did Xia Yujin realize that a gentle and dignified woman was standing in front of him, holding the hands of two children, one ten years old and the other eight, both staring at him intently, then glancing at Ye Zhao. Ye Zhao hurriedly introduced, "The elder is Ye Siwu, and the younger is Ye Nianbei, truly a pair of lively little monkeys."

On the road, the atmosphere between the two individuals became even more oppressive, especially on Xia Yujin's face, which was nearly as dark as the bottom of a pot

In the main hall, the elderly Mr. Ye, with a head full of white hair, sat upright in a grand master's chair, holding a dragon-headed cane. Upon seeing them enter, he recalled the rumors and struck Ye Zhao on the head with his cane, reprimanding her: "From childhood to adulthood, all you know is to be overbearing and combative! Can't you see how delicate and tender she is? How can you bear to bully her! You have lived in vain!" Then, he kindly said to Xia Yujin, "If Ah Zhao is too fierce with you, come and report to your great-grandfather, and see if I won't beat her into a pig's head!"

Ye Zhao glanced at Xia Yujin and nodded earnestly: "Rest assured, I will never hit him"

Xia Yujin fell silent

You are not studying seriously again, a man should be 'handsome'! Ye Siwu said with an air of maturity, 'Aunt Zhao, the swordsmanship you taught me last time, I have practiced it, and I will show it to you later!

Old Master Ye continued to pull her along, chattering: "Your elder brother is stationed at the border, and your sister-in-law has worked hard. I wrote him a letter, asking him to come back for the New Year with your second brother, so we can have a reunion. We should also invite your third uncle, that old fellow who refuses to admit his age; he loves to bicker with me, and I miss him quite a bit."

After Xia Yujin got out of the car with a serious expression, he looked around and suddenly broke into a smile more radiant than the sun. His demeanor was both refined and amiable, leading anyone who did not know him to perceive him as an exceptionally kind man

The sedan chair came to a halt, and Xia Yujin was tapped a few times, gradually regaining consciousness, though her complexion remained quite poor

"There is no need to help," Xia Yujin said slowly while playing with the small heater in her hands. "Yesterday, my mother cried to me, saying that the people outside are mocking her for having a daughter-in-law who is arrogant and unfilial, which has caused her to lose a great deal of face, to the point where she hardly dares to go out. Therefore, starting tomorrow, you must begin to serve her diligently from morning till night, staying by her side as a good daughter-in-law, behaving properly, preparing meals, and chatting about everyday matters to silence those gossips."

Those who have never experienced a city being razed can never imagine such hellish terror

Ye Zhao: "I will be mindful of that"

"Be quiet," Ye Zhao quickly admonished her, "I have been too lenient with you in the past, which has led to increasingly unruly behavior!"

"Good! This is what a good son of the Ye family should be like," Ye Zhao responded happily. "Don't just focus on martial arts; later on, we should also invite a teacher to properly teach you knowledge."

Xia Yujin asked with a pale face: "How did they spread it?"

Xia Yujin turned her head away and did not look at her

Yujin? Yujin? This is my sister-in-law and my nephew

Huang said: "Yes, I am planning to invite Mr. Wang Renjie, as I have heard that he is very knowledgeable."

Xia Yujin sneezed several times, rubbed his nose, and continued to engage in casual conversation with Old Master Ye. As long as he had no malicious intentions, he was quite the expert at charming people, effortlessly making Old Master Ye smile from ear to ear with just a few words. Old Master Ye repeatedly called him either "worthy son-in-law" or "worthy daughter-in-law," wishing he could stay a few more days to keep him company and alleviate his boredom

Ye Zhao: "It is of no use; he will not listen. Perhaps he believes that as long as he forgets, he can forever live in a dream world, never having to wake up, and thus avoid suffering"

The old man still doesn't know your character?" Old Master Ye gave her another slap, angrily saying, "What good has reading brought you? All you do all day is fight; have you ever done anything decent? I don't know who could possibly endure living with you until your father returns from the northern desert! I will make sure he gives you a good lesson for your mischievous behavior!

Xia Yujin looked at the several dark bruises on her wrist that had been inflicted by him yesterday, and her anger surged from within. She recalled that Hu Qing had secretly told her during their first meeting that the general might be willing to marry him because he was handsome, lacked ability, was weak, and particularly easy to manipulate. In her heart, she secretly resented this, and the little bit of softness she had originally felt vanished once again.

In the hazy memories, he recalled the scenes described by the refugees who fled from the northern desert six years ago, where the Ye family was nearly exterminated, the Yongguan City guarded by the Ye family was slaughtered, the streets were piled high with corpses, heads stacked like pagodas, blood staining the roads, men losing their heads, women losing their virtue, children no longer crying, and the living forever struggling in nightmares

The next morning, under the relentless urging of Ye Zhao, Xia Yujin rose early, monitored by two female bandits as she donned a silver-white fox fur coat adorned with pearl buttons. On her head, she wore a matching pearl crown, from which two long red silk ribbons hung down, each holding a white jade pendant. Then, clutching her small warming stove and yawning, she stepped into the silver-topped yellow canopy sedan chair and continued to doze off against the soft cushions

"Absolutely not," Xia Yujin could not help but interrupt their conversation, "That fellow named Wang Renjie, although knowledgeable, is nothing more than a hypocritical scoundrel. He has taken three or four mistresses, and incidents of abandoning and betraying are not rare. Some of his money comes from dubious sources, but he conceals it well, making it unknown to ordinary outsiders. To have such a man teach children, are we not afraid of corrupting them?"

Qiu Hua pouted her lips and fell silent.