Yu Shu ran back to the courtyard sweating profusely, and before he entered the door, he heard Aunt Liu's cry, and there were two servants standing at the door of the house, talking quietly, and no one dared to go in.

Yu Shu pushed them aside and entered the house, and at a glance, he saw that Aunt Liu was bending over the bedside to apply medicine to the groggy Yu Xiaoxiu, wiping it while shedding tears, shouting "Young Master, Young Master" in her mouth, but she didn't respond.

She stepped forward, and she was shocked by the beaten skin on Yu Xiaoxiu's thin and dry backbone, one deep and one shallow, interlaced with slimy bloodstains, which made her eyes red with anger, clenched her fists, and her teeth rattled.

She has been beaten by this, of course, she knows the pain of the whip falling on her body, she is an adult who still cries out in pain and begs for mercy, how can Xiao Xiu, a child, stand this beating?

Ji family!

Yu Shu gritted her teeth and read it in her heart, her red eyes flashed with Sen Senran's ruthlessness, she herself sighed and suffered humiliation, but she could still endure it, but they shouldn't touch her brother, they shouldn't beat Yu Xiaoxiu, the Ji family wants to intimidate her like this, then she will definitely make them regret it.

Yu Xiaoxiu, who was in a coma, seemed to have a nightmare, frowned, beads of sweat fell from his forehead on his eyelids, grabbed the pillow with one hand, and groaned in pain:

"Sister"

Yu Shu had a headache in his heart, sat sideways on the edge of the bed, touched his hot forehead with one hand, grabbed his clenched fist with the other, lowered his eyes, and coaxed gently:

"Xiao Xiu, my sister is here, don't be afraid, my sister is here"

***——

At dusk, the Ji family suddenly received news that someone from the capital had come to Yiyang City, and had settled in an annex in the east of the city.

The Xue family arrived a day earlier than expected, which made the Ji family busy for a while, and they got together to discuss how to go and meet first.

"Mother, let's go over a few of our brothers, I don't know who is from the Xue family, there are fewer people going, don't let people think that they are snubbing." Boss Ji Xiaohan proposed.

Mrs. Ji looked at her sons and thought, "In this way, quickly send someone to the county government to invite your brother-in-law, the second and third to go, and the eldest stay at home." ”

Mrs. Ji has his own considerations, after all, they are a family with a head and a face in Yiyang City, and the three sons have all passed, so they can't help but seem too dwarf, leaving the eldest son at home, and changing the county order son-in-law to go, the meaning is the same, but they will not feel nesty.

"You two, with your brother-in-law here, don't say more to let him know something, and if the Xue family asks about Star Swirl, don't just agree, I'll send someone to send Star Swirl back to the capital in two days."

Ji Xiaogu said: "Mother, don't worry, my second brother and I will be careful." ”

"It's getting dark, go early, I'll wait for your news at home."

***

Hurry up, Ji Xiaochun, Ji Xiaogu and Ma Xian Ling rushed to the Xue family's annex in Yiyang City, it was still dark.

There was a round Wufuming lamp hanging on the door, and the dark door was closed, so that the little guy stepped forward and knocked on the door, and the three characters in Yiyang City who could stomp their feet and shake the ground were now standing outside the door, waiting for the movement inside.

After a while, someone came to answer the door, and when they heard that the three people were identified, they did not let them in immediately, but went in again to report to them, and then led them in.

This annex is only the size of a cross-courtyard in Ji's house, but there are lanterns lit everywhere, a bright road, under the eaves tree, as if candles don't want money, there is no sound on the road, Ji Xiaogu moved his mind first, and politely asked the servant who led the way:

"This little brother, may I ask who is here?"

The Ji family had done their homework before, and through the letters sent back by the old lady Ji, they had a certain understanding of the personnel in Xue Shangshu's mansion, and several managers who worked in the Xue family had official positions, so Ji Xiaogu would have this question.

The servant replied lukewarmly, "It's the second chief." ”

The second manager, the two brothers of the Ji family secretly screamed bitterly in their hearts at the same time, this second manager of the Xue family, was originally a subordinate of Xue Laoshangshu when he led the troops, surnamed Xu Mingli, now forty-six years old, it is said that he is a strict person, and he is a master who does not eat hard and soft.

"When I arrived, the second chief was waiting for the three inside, and the little one retired." The servant led them to the door of a room and went away with the lantern.

The three of them tidied up their clothes, heard a sound inside, walked in with their front and back feet, the room was bright, there were silver-footed high-footed lamps on the left and right, covered with cylindrical yellow gauze, and at the top of the hall was a middle-aged man, with a straight nose and a square face, looking like the kind of person who was not good at talking.

"I've seen Manager Xu," Ji Xiaochun stepped forward to speak first, and said: "In Xia Ji Xiaochun, it is the second Ji family, this is the younger brother Xiaogu, this is the sister-in-law, and it is also the county order of the city, Ma Tingxian." ”

Ji Xiaogu and Ma County stepped forward to make a move: "Manager Xu." ”

Xu Li waited for them to salute before he stood up, nodded, his gaze swept over the three of them, and fell on Ji Xiaochun, "You are the biological father of the fourth lady of the Ji family?" ”

Ji Xiaochun hurriedly replied: "Yes, it is under it." ”

Xu Li said: "I heard that Miss Ji Si went back to her hometown to visit a month ago, and now she is still in the house?" ”

Ji Xiaochun replied according to the words prepared in advance: "She is still staying at home, but her mother is in good health, and she will be sent back to Beijing in two days." ”

"Miss Ji is filial, our lord likes filial piety the most," Xu Li praised pointedly, and then turned his head to face Ji Xiaogu: "The letter said that you should first send a young lady from your Ji family to be a concubine for our young master, and pave the way for your fourth young lady to marry, is it the choice of Ling Yan?" ”

Ji Xiaogu bowed his head and said, "It's the little girl." ”

Xu Li's eyes flashed with ridicule, and said: "Your Ji family is harmonious, and there is no hook between brothers in the capital. The two brothers could only laugh when they heard what he said, but Xu Li suddenly asked again: "How old is Ling Yan this year?" ”

"It's past fifteen." Ji Xiaogu is talking about Yu Shu's age.

"It's four years younger than our eldest young master," Xu Li said, "What's your name?" ”

Ji Xiaogu glanced sideways at Ji Xiaochun, and replied hesitantly: "It's called Yu Shu." ”

"Yu Shu? Ji Yushu? ”

The two brothers of the Ji family glanced at each other, and the third child smiled bitterly: "Don't hide it from Manager Xu, my daughter is a successor, because her mother insisted, I didn't change her surname, but followed her biological father's surname Yu." ”

After speaking, the three of them waited with bated breath for Xu Li to make a difficulty, not wanting Xu Li to just frown, "Oh", as if it was not his own daughter, it was not so important.

"Lao Xu, who's coming?"

A male voice sounded outside, and when Ji Xiaogu and the three of them saw Xu Li, who was still smiling at them just now, they changed their expressions as soon as they turned their heads, their foreheads were slightly lowered, and they walked past them quickly.

"The eldest young master, he is a member of the Ji family, the second and third masters of the Ji family, and the Ma County Order of the city."

Gentleman? The eldest young master of the Xue family?!

Ji Xiaogu and Ji Xiaochun were stunned for a while, and hurriedly turned their heads, and saw that at the door, Xu Li was bowing his waist and talking to a person outside the door, because the lights in the room were bright, and the lantern outside could only show a vague figure, dressed in a moon-white gauze robe, standing under the steps with his back hand, looking into the house, the invisible gaze fell on them, making the three men who were all 100 years old together inexplicably nervous, especially when they heard a cold snort that seemed to be nothing.

"Hmph."

"Young Master?"

"After a few days of traveling, I'm tired, so I'll send off guests if I have nothing to do, and let them come back during the day if I have something."

"Yes."

Leaving a word, the figure under the steps turned around and left, not even saying hello to the people in the house, it was difficult for Ji Xiaochun and Ji Xiaogu to be accustomed to the sycophants around them on weekdays.

Xu Li sent the person away, turned back to the house and said to the three people: "It's not early, please go back first." ”

Ji Xiaochun asked, "Is that the one you are the eldest young master of your mansion?" ”

Xu Li nodded, and returned to an unsmiling appearance: "The eldest young master has a bad temper, I haven't rested well on the road in the past few days, forgive me." ”

said kind words, but there was no politeness on his face, how could Ji Xiaogu and the three of them take it seriously, so they borrowed the steps to go down, Ji Xiaochun also wanted to ask, why is the eldest young master of the Xue family here, but Ji Xiaogu quietly pulled his back, and saw Xu Li raising his hand to see off the guest, so he swallowed back the words and said goodbye.

Xu Li sent them to the gate of the courtyard, let his subordinates lead the way, and turned back by himself.

The three of them sat in the carriage and left the annex, only to show their dissatisfaction:

"Huh, the Xue family is really magnificent, the legend outside is true, a manager in front of your sister-in-law, all holding a shelf, is simply no one in sight."

Listening to Ji Xiaochun's words, Ma Xianling smiled and said nothing, he was in the officialdom, and he knew much more about human feelings, so he didn't think that the Xue family was excessive, but thought it was normal, and if he was really approachable, it was strange.

Ji Xiaogu's idea was on another matter, his face was strange, and he was a little surprised, "Then why did the eldest young master of the Xue family come together?" ”

This trip to the Xue family was to discuss marriage, and it is said that they also brought Xiangshi and Yishi, and it was appropriate to have a general manager, but Young Master Xue came in person, which made people scratch their heads. "Did you come to see Star Swirl?" Ji Xiaogu was suspicious, "Didn't Manager Xu also ask if Star Swirl was at home?" ”

"Star Swirl said that he hadn't seen the eldest young master of the Xue family, since he hadn't seen him in the capital, he came here to see something," Ji Xiaochun shook his head and said worriedly, "I think that Young Master Xue seems to be dissatisfied with this family matter, but they can see it-"

"Ahem," Ji Xiaogu coughed, interrupted his second brother's words, glanced at Ma Xianling, and said with a wry smile: "The Xue family wants to marry Star Swirl, we just stuffed someone to be a concubine for him first, and he is still a cheap woman, and he will not be happy if he is changed." ”

Ji Xiaochun realized that Fang Cai had almost spoken too much, so he smiled and closed his mouth.