ebookland Chapter 323 Guarding the Home
Chapter 323 Guarding the Home
Su Wuming stood at the door of Qi Fei's dormitory for a long time, raising his hand several times before lowering it again. He finally made up his mind to leave, and when he turned around, he saw Qi Fei standing quietly.
Su Wuming was clearly startled: "Mother!"
Qi Fei opened the door, lit all the lamps on the candlestick, and pointed to the chair opposite her: "Sit."
Su Wuming stood at the door without moving: "I thought Mother was resting?"
Qi Fei sat down: "I'm copying the 'Notice on Appointment and Assignment' in the study."
Su Wuming could hardly believe his ears: "Copy...copy what?"
In the quiet evening, Qi Fei stood with her back to the candlestick, her voice deep and hoarse, bearing the marks of time: "When your father was alive, he compiled 'Instructions for Appointing Officials,' which contained forty-nine items, covering everything from sacrificial rites and official documents to kilns, smelting plants, salt fields, and even Confucian scholars who broke the law and ordinary people. It was comprehensive."
After its promulgation, other countries followed suit, and it quickly became a universally accepted guide for officials. Every official, regardless of rank, had a copy. You've probably read it, haven't you?
Su Wuming nodded: "I've read it. Why did Mother copy it? There should be several copies at home."
Qi Fei said, "Your father poured his heart and soul into writing this book, and he passed away not long after it was finished. You were still young when he left, and now you've grown up so much, becoming a top scholar and an editor, which is enough to comfort your father's spirit in heaven."
Su Wuming couldn't fathom Qi Fei's purpose in bringing up these old stories, so he remained silent.
The room was quiet for a moment, then Qi Fei looked up at Su Wuming: "Did you need something from me?"
As Qi Fei moved, silver light flashed between her temples, and Su Wuming's heart trembled slightly: Mother actually has white hair!
Mother has gotten old!
My father has been gone for many years!
My brother is getting married and we're separating from the family!
He actually became the person in charge of the Su family!
……
These thoughts rushed in, making Su Wuming's nose sting with tears, and he could no longer ask the question: Mother has been guarding this house and this home alone for so many years!
Regardless of how the emperor treated them, and no matter how successful he and his brother were, in other people's eyes, they were just orphans and a widow after their father's death.
In Su Wuming's opinion, Qi Fei was too harsh on Qi Yang and neglected her own needs. She was neither a qualified mother nor a qualified matriarch.
But under the flickering lamplight, Su Wuming's perception began to waver for the first time: a life of hardship, a body full of wounds, no one to care for him, no one to understand him, no one to confide in...
Compared to Madam Xue, my mother has truly suffered a lot, swallowed many grievances, and endured endless loneliness.
Seeing that Su Wuming didn't speak, Qi Fei asked again, "Did you need something from me?"
“It’s just…” His voice sounded a little off, so Su Wuming coughed lightly and paused before managing to steady his voice: “…Brother is getting married tomorrow, Mother, remember to go.”
Qi Fei seemed surprised by his gentleness. She opened the package on the table, revealing a red padded jacket: "This set of wedding clothes was just delivered this morning. I tried it on and it fits me well."
Su Wuming subconsciously echoed, "How could Mother do anything wrong?"
Qi Fei seemed about to laugh, but the smile faltered before she could fully express it. She stared intently at Su Wuming and asked, "Is there anything else?"
Qi Fei's gaze was clearly gentle, but Su Wuming felt a chill run down his spine. He lowered his head slightly to avoid Qi Fei's gaze: "It's alright, everything's going well with my brother, Mother should get some rest."
Su Wuming helped Qi Fei close the door and walked a short distance before stopping. He leaned against the wall and touched his forehead, seemingly feeling cold sweat.
From the moment Su Wuming bought the house for Qi Yang, he had hinted to Qi Fei many times that Qi Fei could not be absent on the wedding day, otherwise the whole world would laugh at her.
Qi Fei never gave a direct answer, which made Su Wuming somewhat uneasy. That day, Qi Fei brought back soap, saying she had run into her on her way to order clothes, and Su Wuming breathed a sigh of relief.
Yesterday, Su Wuming went to ask the tailor shop owner, who said the clothes had been made long ago, but Madam Su specifically instructed that they be delivered tomorrow morning.
This morning, Su Wuming waited at home and saw the boss personally deliver the clothes to his residence. He also saw Qi Fei personally accept the clothes, and finally felt completely relieved.
Su Wuming thought that strictness was actually a form of love; high expectations lead to strict requirements. Qi Yang, on the other hand, was not uncomfortable with Qi Fei's strictness and always treated her with respect, never disobeying her.
Qi Yang is her own son, and marriage is a major life event for him. Now that Qi Yang's reputation is growing, Le Xi's marriage is equivalent to the Xue family marrying off their daughter. Both out of courtesy and reason, Qi Fei will attend.
Qi Fei was indeed a bit strict in managing the Su family, but she knew what was important outside the Su family. After all, her father had been gone for so many years, and the Su family had never left any leverage over anyone.
A sudden thought flashed through Su Wuming's mind: Is it precisely because his father is gone that his mother needs to be even stricter? Is it precisely because his mother is strict and cautious that the Su family has been able to live peacefully until now?
After her father died, her mother immediately sold all her land and donated all the proceeds to the Ministry of Revenue; she dismissed most of the servants in the mansion, leaving only two shops on West Street to maintain basic expenses, all in order to save her life.
That mother sent her brother to serve under General Xue, not caring whether he would return or not; she also didn't care about her own affairs, always sending him to find General Xue or the emperor, actually to protect the brothers.
Otherwise, given the huge mess their father made, even if the late emperor and the current emperor were enlightened and benevolent, the Su family's fate should have been far worse than that of Jingzhao Manor. They wouldn't have been able to achieve what they have today.
"Is there anything else?" Qi Fei asked casually, yet seemed to know what Su Wuming wanted to ask.
Su Wuming wanted to ask about the letter Xue Yunyao had sent him: Where was that letter? What did it say? If he had received the letter in time, could he have stopped Xue Yunting...?
Since Xue Yunting left, Su Wuming has never seen Xue Yunyao face-to-face again, and Lexi never asked about her when she ran into him. Neither of them brought it up again, but both of them had wounds in their hearts, deep cracks in their skin.
Su Wuming told himself countless times that if he didn't receive a letter, he should pretend he didn't know anything, and if no one mentioned it, it meant he had accepted his fate.
But the person he asked today was Qi Yang, his most respected and protected older brother, the most important person to him in this world.
Qi Yang's relationship with the Xue family was better than his own, and his friendship with Xue Yunting was even better than that of their own brothers.
Su Wuming once thought that if only one of him and Xue Yunting could live, and Qi Yang had to choose, Qi Yang would most likely choose Xue Yunting to live.
Given Qi Yang's persistent and earnest personality, his sudden question wasn't meant to uncover the truth, but rather to confirm his inner doubts.
If Qi Fei intercepted the letter and didn't give it to him, the fault lies with Qi Fei. If Qi Fei gave him the letter and he failed to stop Xue Yunting, the fault lies with him.
Whatever the answer, it's all the Su family's fault. He won't do anything to his own mother and brother, but he'll serve the Xue family even more diligently from now on to ease his guilt and remorse.
Forget it, let's just leave it at that. Let's just pretend the messenger was robbed by bandits and nobody ever saw the letter. That family of three has already suffered enough; let's not hurt each other over someone who's already dead.