Chapter 138: Father And Daughter Talk Heart-to-heart
On the twentieth day of the twelfth month, Xu Wei’s large passenger ship slowly arrived at Dantu County. The five mengchong warships escorting the passenger ship could not enter Jiangnan River, so they turned around and returned to Yuzhang Commandery at Jingkou.
Seeing the ship docking at the Dantu County dock, Xu Wei immediately found her elder brother Xu Peng and questioned him: “How did you promise General Gan? You were sending me to Kuaiji Commandery to see Father. What is going on now? You clearly deceived him and also deceived me!”
Xu Peng hurriedly explained: “I’m not taking you back to the Xu Family. Father is now in Dantu County. You will temporarily stay at my home, not go to the Xu Family.”
“Isn’t Father in Kuaiji Commandery? How did he come to Dantu?”
“Father came back to report for duty.”
Xu Wei sneered: “You set out from Jiangdong, and now you’ve returned to Jiangdong. You stayed in Nanchang County for nearly ten days. Round trip, it’s been at least over a month. How long does Father need to report for duty? Do you think I’m a three-year-old child, so easy to fool?”
Xu Peng helplessly sighed and said: “Alright! Father is no longer serving as Prefect of Kuaiji Commandery. He will go to the Imperial Court to serve as an official this coming spring. Before leaving, he wants to resolve your issue. He has talked with the Xu Family twice, but neither side has reached a compromise. The most critical part is your attitude. We three father and sons all know we cannot make decisions for you. You must come back and state your position before we can finalize talks with the Xu Family. Yun Qing, Father wants to restore your reputation. You must understand Father’s hardship.”
The anger of being deceived in Xu Wei’s eyes slightly subsided. She thought for a moment and said: “I absolutely will not go to the Xu Family. I also won’t go to your home. I will temporarily find a residence outside. Then you must write a letter to General Gan explaining clearly. Otherwise, if the housekeeper tells General Gan, and he finds out he was deceived, the Xu Family cannot bear the consequences.”
Xu Peng nodded. “I will immediately write a letter to General Gan explaining clearly, but you should still stay at my home! How convenient is it to stay outside?”
Xu Wei shook her head. “I have over a dozen maidservants as attendants. Dantu County has Yuzhang Commandery’s liaison office. They will find me a residence. This is a matter of principle. Please understand, elder brother.”
Seeing his younger sister’s resolute attitude, Xu Peng could only helplessly agree.
The ship docked, and the group disembarked. Xu Wei went directly to Yuzhang Commandery’s liaison office stationed in Dantu County. The official did not dare neglect her and immediately arranged for Xu Wei to stay in a newly purchased residence covering three mu of land.
Seeing his younger sister settled, Xu Peng then went to see Father. Xu Qiu was currently living in a small residence directly across from the Xu Residence, which was also one of the Xu Residence’s branch properties.
Hearing that his daughter had found a house to live in by herself, Xu Qiu frowned and said: “What does this mean?”
Xu Peng helplessly said: “Yun Qing’s meaning is that she is now Gan Ning’s person. She wants to uphold Gan Ning’s dignity. She came to Dantu County but will not enter the Xu Family.”
“I don’t understand what you mean. What do you mean she is Gan Ning’s person? Could it be that she has already shared a room with Gan Ning?”
“They haven’t shared a room, but Father, think about it. From the moment she moved into Gan Ning’s Mansion, whether they shared a room or not no longer matters. Can’t Father see that? Her settling into the residence at the Yuzhang Commandery official residence was a statement. She absolutely will not compromise with the Xu Family!”
Xu Qiu nodded. He finally understood his son’s last words. His daughter finding her own house to live in was making her stance clear: she absolutely would not compromise with the Xu Family.
This made things difficult. The Xu Family’s attitude was also very firm. They required his daughter to apologize and admit her mistake before restoring her clan registration. Even more fatally, Old Madam Xu wanted Xu Wei to marry Sun Kuang. They couldn’t even take the first step, let alone the later marriage into the Sun Family.
“Tell me the detailed account of the trip to Yuzhang Commandery, especially what Gan Ning said. Do not omit a single word.”
Xu Peng then told Father the detailed account. Xu Qiu’s head throbbed. After all that, his daughter could only be a secondary wife. He truly found it somewhat unacceptable.
Xu Qiu thought for a moment. He still needed to personally talk with his daughter.
“Where is your younger sister staying? Take me to see her.”
Xu Wei did not expect Father to come so quickly, and to personally humble himself to find her. It truly moved her. The father and daughter embraced and wept bitterly. Only then did Xu Wei invite Father to sit in the guest hall.
Xu Qiu looked around the residence and said: “This is a new residence, isn’t it? It feels like no one has lived here.”
Xu Wei nodded with a smile: “Yes, a new residence. The liaison office just purchased it, specifically for high officials from Yuzhang Commandery to stay in after coming to Jiangdong. I am the first to move in.”
“No wonder! This residence is nice, very exquisite. I feel relieved that you are staying here.”
At this time, a maidservant came in and served tea. Xu Wei smiled and asked again: “I heard from elder brother that Father is going to the Imperial Court to take office?”
Xu Qiu smiled and said: “Originally, I was supposed to go to the Imperial Court in the second year of Jian’an, but I was blocked by Yuan Shu. This time, the Imperial Court has summoned me again to serve as Censor-in-Chief. There was no opposition in Jiangdong. Marquis of Wu naturally relieved me of my position as Prefect of Yuzhang Commandery. I had no choice but to go to the Imperial Court to take office.”
“The Imperial Court wouldn’t summon Father to take office for no reason! Is it a means for Marquis of Wu to remove Father from his prefect position?” Xu Wei hit the nail on the head.
Xu Qiu silently nodded. How could he not know? It was just like demoting Taishi Ci, only Taishi Ci was demoted downward while he was demoted upward. Marquis of Wu’s soft knife cutting flesh was far more effective than Sun Ce’s hard spear tactics.
“When is Father leaving?”
“Next spring! The North is now frozen with ice and snow, rivers sealed with ice. Ships cannot travel. We can only wait for spring when the ice and snow melt.”
Xu Wei fell silent. In that case, how could General Gan propose marriage? Would he have to go to Xuchang to propose? She needed to quickly write a carrier pigeon letter to tell General Gan.
Xu Qiu was silent for a moment, then said: “Wei’er, this time you came back. Father mainly wants to handle your relationship with the Xu Family well for you. I know you hate the Xu Family, but this is your own fate. Father cannot make decisions for you. You have already escaped twice. I cannot let you escape a third time.”
Xu Wei was moved by Father’s open-mindedness. “Thank you, Father, for giving me the chance to decide my own fate!”
Xu Qiu smiled and said: “You have been different from others since you were young. Though young, you were more sensible than girls your age. Father has been drifting everywhere as an official and had no time to care for you, but Father still wants to advise you—no, remind you: Gan Ning may not be able to give you the position of main wife. Do you understand? Of course, with a son, a mother becomes noble. Having a son makes it irrelevant whether main wife or secondary wife. Father just wants you to think clearly. This concerns your future. I hope you will decide carefully.”
“Thank you for the reminder, Father. Daughter’s heart is like a bright mirror. You also said I have been different from others since young. Other women contend for status, reputation, and so-called main wife positions. I am not like that. I only want to marry a man I like. Even if he cannot give me the position of main wife, I am willing. In the future, I may have many hardships, but this is my choice. No matter how fate arranges it, at least it is my own choice. I will not regret it.”
Xu Qiu let out a long sigh. “You are indeed much more mature and sensible than ordinary girls your age. Father respects your choice.”
Xu Wei said tearfully: “Thank you, Father!”
“However, you must promise Father that you will talk with the Xu Family. Talk calmly and rationally. Listen to their demands. Can you do that?”
Xu Wei silently nodded.
