Chapter 139: Complete Break
In the Xu Family inner hall, two groups of people sat on either side of the long desk. On one side was Old Madam Xu Madam Sun, along with her husband Xu Zhen and son Xu Kun. On the other side were also three people: Xu Qiu at the head, Xu Wei in the middle with her head lowered, and elder brother Xu Peng as the third. None of the six spoke, and the atmosphere felt somewhat oppressive.
“When is Wise Nephew leaving?” Xu Zhen asked with concern.
Xu Qiu smiled. “I’ll leave next spring. Anyway, there’s nothing urgent, so going early or late doesn’t matter.”
“After all, you’re the Censor-in-Chief!”
Xu Zhen laughed. “Although there’s nothing urgent, your status is much higher than that of the Prefect of Kuaiji Commandery. Don’t you think so?”
Xu Qiu forced a smile but couldn’t respond.
At this moment, Madam Sun, who had been glaring darkly at Xu Wei, spoke up. “I didn’t expect you to have the face to come back?”
The entire inner hall seemed to freeze over in an instant. Xu Wei slowly raised her head and stared coldly at Madam Sun.
Xu Zhen lightly kicked his wife from below, and only then did Madam Sun notice that Xu Qiu’s expression was extremely unpleasant.
She could only force herself to soften her tone. “But for your father’s sake, I won’t hold it against you. I’ll consider you still young and ignorant. However, if you want to return to the family, you must agree to three conditions of mine. Otherwise, you won’t get anything?”
Xu Peng looked at his father in surprise. Had they really talked? If they had, why was Madam Sun still so aggressive?
Xu Zhen felt a bit awkward. He had talked with Xu Qiu twice, but he hadn’t told his wife some things. At this moment, Xu Zhen regretted it; he should have communicated properly with his wife yesterday.
Unexpectedly, Xu Wei calmly asked, “May I ask, Old Madam, what are the three conditions?”
“What did you call me?” Madam Sun’s eyes widened suddenly.
“Uh… when did Wei’er come back?” Xu Zhen hurriedly tried to change the subject.
Madam Sun glared fiercely at her husband, and Xu Zhen didn’t dare speak again.
Xu Wei said calmly, “You are my grandmother, the true patriarch, and also Old Madam Xu. How I address you isn’t important. What’s important are your three conditions. I’m very eager to hear the terms the Xu Family is offering me.”
Xu Kun also saw that the situation was bad. Xu Wei wasn’t here to apologize at all; their mother’s attitude would only escalate the conflict.
“Mother, why don’t we rest first, have some tea, and talk slowly?”
Madam Sun snorted. “All of you go out! I want to speak with Awei alone. Hurry up, all of you leave!”
The four men all stood up and left. In the inner hall, only Madam Sun and Xu Wei remained.
Madam Sun sighed. “Awei, you were raised by Grandmother from a young age. You haven’t forgotten this nurturing kindness, have you?”
Xu Wei lowered her head and said softly, “I have never forgotten Grandmother’s nurturing kindness!”
Madam Sun nodded. “Your two times running away from home, I can chalk up to a child’s ignorance. I won’t blame you for it. But we need to look forward. Let’s forget the past and talk about the future.”
Xu Wei nodded silently. Madam Sun glanced at Xu Wei and continued, “I just mentioned three demands, but I’ve thought it over. Apologizing and admitting fault—you probably can’t bring yourself to do that, so forget it. As for not allowing you to leave home without permission again, I think that’s pointless too. So I’ll make just one demand! What do you say?”
Xu Wei pondered for a moment before saying, “The number of demands doesn’t matter; what matters is whether I can accept them. Please go ahead, Grandmother!”
Madam Sun said slowly, “Actually, I have only one demand: your marriage will be decided by me, and you must completely obey. How about it?”
Xu Wei sneered. “Didn’t Grandmother previously decide to marry me to Sun Yi? Have you found another match for me?”
“Sun Kuang. He’s only three years older than you. Didn’t you like him a lot when you were little?”
Xu Wei shook her head firmly. “Please forgive this granddaughter for not accepting this demand!”
“Bang!” Madam Sun slapped the desk and stood up, staring at Xu Wei like an eagle. “Say that again?”
Xu Wei slowly stood up and walked toward the door. After a few steps, she stopped, turned back, and said, “I absolutely will not agree!”
Madam Sun clenched her fists desperately. She finally exploded and roared, “Get out! Get out of here! From today on, I have no such granddaughter! You’ll never set foot in the Xu Family again!”
Xu Wei said nothing and quickly walked out of the inner hall. Qin Yan immediately appeared behind her and followed her out.
In the courtyard, the four men were dumbfounded. Xu Qiu hurriedly stepped forward. “Wei’er, what happened?”
“Father, your daughter will return to the residence first. Tomorrow, your daughter will leave Dantu and go back to Yuzhang Commandery. I’ll write to you next. I’m leaving now.”
At this moment, Madam Sun came out and roared, “No one stop her! Let her go!”
Xu Wei left without looking back. Xu Zhen stamped his foot in anger. “How could you…”
He turned angrily and walked away. Xu Qiu and his son bowed to Madam Sun and hurriedly chased after her.
Only Xu Kun sighed without saying anything. He actually hoped Xu Wei would stand up to their mother’s pressure. Otherwise, if Xu Wei yielded, it would anger General Gan, and the alliance between Jiangdong and Yuzhang Commandery would be doomed.
With Xu Wei leaving like this, although she had completely broken ties with the Xu Family, it was at least just a family matter and wouldn’t affect relations between Jiangdong and Yuzhang Commandery.
“Please calm down, Mother. Since she can’t be persuaded, let her go!”
Xu Qiu and his son chased out the residence gate, where Xu Wei had already boarded the carriage.
“Wei’er, are you really going back to Yuzhang Commandery?” Xu Qiu asked urgently.
Xu Wei sighed. “Father, everyone up and down Yuzhang Commandery knows I’m General Gan’s woman. Grandmother forcing me to marry Sun Kuang—how could I accept that? There’s no need for me to stay here. If not for Shang Xiang coming to see me this afternoon, I would have left this afternoon.”
“Why don’t you go to Xuchang with Father!”
Xu Wei shook her head. “Father, if you go to Kuaiji Commandery, I’ll definitely go back with you. But I can’t go to Xuchang. Cao Cao might very well detain me and use me to pressure General Gan. I can’t take that risk.”
“But if you don’t go to Xuchang, how will you have a grand wedding?”
Xu Wei smiled charmingly. “Next spring, General Gan will send someone to propose. You just agree. As for the wedding procession, I can depart from cousin Xu Shu’s residence. Third Brother Xu is also in Yuzhang Commandery; he and Xu Shu can handle it. Or Second Brother can come to Yuzhang Commandery.”
Third Brother Xu was Xu Sheng; Xu Qiu had almost forgotten.
Xu Peng hurriedly said, “Father, this plan is good. The proposal can be in Xuchang, with the exchange of betrothal gifts all in Xuchang—it has nothing to do with Younger Sister. Then for the final wedding, she departs from Xu Shu’s residence, and I’ll go too. That solves it.”
Xu Qiu thought about it and saw no other way. “Alright! We’ll proceed with this plan for now. Fortunately, you have Yuzhang Commandery’s envoy protecting you, so the Xu Family won’t dare do anything to you. Depart early tomorrow morning!”
Xu Qiu turned back to his son. “You be responsible for escorting Younger Sister back to Yuzhang Commandery.”
