Chapter 6, Waiting

He Ying does not know why she is so certain about this

Therefore, he always believed that He Ying would eventually marry him. However, he did not expect that in the end, it was all just a fleeting dream! This immense disparity left him deeply affected.

His second brother stood up and said anxiously, "You should ask Father about this matter." After saying that, he pushed the door open and walked out. He Ying looked at his back and thought that with Father's attitude, the second brother was the same. It seemed that Father might have done something wrong to someone back in the day, which is why they came to collect the debt.

He Ying said softly, "Alright, stop crying. This path is not endless. Don't be afraid, be good, stop crying." Instead, she began to comfort this little ring.

Lu Ming repeatedly called her name: "Ying'er, Ying'er! You must not marry. I do not want you to marry!" The greatest shock of today, however, came from him. He and He Ying had been together for six years, and the He family had never intervened. To some extent, this was also a tacit approval of their relationship.

He Ying paused for a moment and asked, "When did the master say that?" Xiao Huan lowered her head under her gaze and softly replied, "He said it early this morning. Miss, you should go back to your room."

He Ying said nothing further and turned to walk towards her own house. After walking for a while, still not having entered, she suddenly felt a sense of frustration and turned to walk towards the lotus pond. Xiao Huan followed closely behind her.

She gently blew, and with her vision, she could naturally see a stranger standing by the large tree next to the wall. This stranger was likely not Li Qing, as she did not sense hostility from him; instead, there were only two mixed emotions of curiosity and disdain in his eyes. This person might have been sent by Li Qing to keep an eye on her

Thinking of this, she gave a wry smile: However, the unfortunate thing is that the person who owes the debt seems to have become herself

He Ying asked, "Xiao Huan, what’s wrong?" Xiao Huan hesitantly replied, "The master said that from now on, the young lady is not allowed to meet with Young Master Lu anymore"

She thought about how well the young lady was doing on her own, and in this way, her entire life could come to an end. She could not help but feel a surge of sadness. She began to cry out loud

She returned to her room and then remembered that she had not yet gone to see Lu Ming, so she prepared to walk towards his room. At that moment, Xiao Huan blocked her path, looking somewhat uneasy.

He Ying looked at him and saw that the second brother was lost in thought while gazing outside, his delicate face filled with tension. He Ying couldn't help but feel even more puzzled. After a while, the second brother said: "Little sister, your future husband is the most trusted young general of the current emperor. His prospects are limitless." He Ying called out: "Second brother!" She was reminding him to get to the point.

At this moment, Xiaohuan's cries gradually subsided. She shyly poked her head out and wiped her tears with her sleeve. Heying tossed her a handkerchief, walked to the road, and plucked a willow leaf, gently blowing on it.

After a while, the second brother finally spoke, "Third sister, this matter has caused you distress. Please do not blame our father. At that time, we all believed that you would be with Lu Ming. We never expected that they would insist on fulfilling the marriage contract." Seeing Lu Ming in such pain and He Ying with red and swollen eyes, he thought their private feelings were difficult to resolve, so he specifically came to explain this to her

Xiao Huan looked at her and said with a slight hesitation: "Miss will be entering the capital with her husband in a few days, and they are preparing the dowry for the Miss."

Second brother looked at He Ying and suddenly sighed heavily: "Sister, this matter will have to trouble you. Back then, our father had a bit of a feud with the Li family due to certain issues. Moreover, with Li Qing's current power, you originally had a marriage contract, and with his demands, our father cannot refuse. He has no other choice!" He Ying suddenly looked at him, trembling as she asked: "Second brother, must it be this way? If I do not marry, will it affect your lives?"

Lu Ming suddenly tightened his arms, choking back tears as he whispered in her ear: "Ying'er, Ying'er!" He kept calling her name in her ear, his voice filled with sorrow, clearly indicating the immense pain he felt within.

Looking up at the drifting clouds in the sky, He Ying thought: It seems that upon arriving at the Li residence in the capital, I do not yet know what hardships await me. However, in this vast world, where is it that one cannot go? It is just that, one must ensure not to burden my father and brothers before I leave.

At this moment, the second brother finally realized, fearing that he had frightened his younger sister, and immediately said: "Sister, do not be afraid. Your marriage was arranged by General Li before his passing. Therefore, although Li Qing has a bad temper, he would not dare to go against his father's wishes"

He held He Ying so tightly that she could hardly catch her breath. It was only now that she realized how deep the feelings of this boy, who had grown up alongside her, were for her

Lu Ming is only sixteen years old this year, and such a blow is somewhat difficult for him to bear. One night, he tightly embraced He Ying, murmuring her name. It was not until He Ying gently struck the back of his neck that he finally released her.

She and Xiao Sanzi escorted Lu Ming to his room. He Ying saw that even in his unconscious state, Lu Ming was tightly frowning, his face contorted in pain, with tears continuously streaming from the corners of his eyes. Suddenly, she was overwhelmed with sorrow.

At that moment, Xiao Huan suddenly looked at herself with tearful eyes, rushed in front of her, tightly embraced her, and cried out: "Miss, Miss! What should we do? What will happen in the future?"

As a great Confucian of the present age, Father He has not forgotten to educate her in the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting over the years. Coupled with her inherent intelligence, she has achieved profound accomplishments in these areas. Thus, even a single willow leaf, when blown by her, carries a melancholic and subdued tone that can break one's heart

She has not even begun to get started, yet she is already considering leaving

He Ying called out, "Second Brother, what exactly happened back then?"

At this moment, He Ying asked again, "Did the master say anything else?" Xiao Huan shook her head. He Ying sat in the pavilion in the pond for a while. Looking up, she saw the servants coming in and out of the courtyard, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Xiao Huan, what are they busy with?"

She collapsed by Lu Ming's bedside and cried for a while before returning to her own room. The next day, her second elder brother, who was engaged in business outside, also returned to the residence. Both her elder and second elder brothers were much older than He Ying. There was not much conversation among them. Therefore, when the second elder brother and she sat together in the room, there was a sense of discomfort between them

Dowry? Preparing the dowry now? He Ying looked at Xiao Huan, who was gazing at her with a face full of sympathy, and couldn't help but smile bitterly. She had not even married yet, and she would be sent to her husband's house along with her dowry. Moreover, it would not be in the form of a grand sedan chair. Even if she truly became that man's legitimate wife in the future, she would probably not be able to hold her head high. This Li Qing is indeed thorough in her actions.