After Shen Yingxue left, Shen Yanqing sat alone in the study for a long time. The incident with the Song family gave him a blow.
Even though he has entered the court as an official, he is still unable to do anything when encountering some problems and can only ask for help everywhere. Shen Yanqing is unwilling to give up. He does not want to feel so isolated and helpless again.
In order to protect his family, he had to grow up quickly and have his own power.
Shen Yanqing was silent for a long time, then spoke.
"Let Liang Duo come in."
Liang Duo also vaguely knew that something happened to Shen Yanqing these days, but he didn't know what it was specifically.
"I wonder what your orders are, sir?"
"Go find some people for me and send them to Duke Lu."
…
Guo Zhao was imprisoned for several days, and his whole body was unshaven. Although he was not treated harshly in the prison, he was a little thin after being locked up without seeing the light of day.
Ever since he came in, Guo's mother couldn't bear the blow and fell ill. She had recovered from taking medicine in the past few days, but she couldn't stay at home and dragged her sick body to visit Guo Zhao.
"Xiaocui went to Jixiang Restaurant to buy the sauced pork elbows this morning. You usually like this flavor the most. You must be feeling panicked after not eating it for so many days. Come and try to see if the taste has changed."
Mother Guo squatted at the door of the cell and opened the food box in Xiaocui's hand. The pork elbows were red and bright, and the aroma was alluring. The prisoners in other cells were so greedy that they drooled at the smell. They picked up the railing and looked out. Some of them had not seen it for several years. After eating meat, I was so greedy that my eyes were red.
"Old madam, if your son doesn't want to eat it, give it to me. I'll eat it!"
"That's right. It would be a pity not to eat such a big plate of sauced pork ribs. If you give it to me, I will call you mother."
"Bah, fuck you, old man, you are already the same age as the old lady, how can you have the nerve to call me mother like that..."
The cell became noisy because of a dirty elbow. Guo's mother had never seen such a scene before, and her face turned pale. She was already sick, and now she looked even weaker.
"Mom, the cell is filthy. You are not well yet, so you should go back first. I will eat this pork elbow."
When Guo Zhao saw Guo's mother's appearance, his heart ached. He was unfilial and made his mother worry about him even at his age.
"I see you have lost weight after not seeing me for so many days."
In the past, Mother Guo still felt upset when her son was right in front of her. Now she is locked up in this cell and cannot see him all day long. She cannot eat or sleep well. She longs for him to take his place and come to visit the prison. How could she be willing to leave so soon?
Guo Zhao's hand holding the chopsticks paused, and his eyes were a little hot. He lowered his head and put the big elbow into his mouth, eating quickly and urgently.
"Slow down. If you want to eat, I will give it to you tomorrow."
"Need not."
Guo Zhao shook his head and refused, his dark eyes dull and dull.
"Mom, please don't come here again."
He didn't know when he would be able to go out, and he might never be able to go out again. Mother Guo's visit to see him would only increase her heartache.
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could I not come to see you..."
Guo's mother couldn't help crying. Guo Zhao's words made her vent her worries and fears in the past few days.
"Who did you offend? Even if you tell me, my mother can find a solution for you. Do you really want to wait for death like this?"
Looking at the silent Guo Zhao, Guo's mother was so angry that her heart ached. Even to this point, she still bit her tongue and said nothing. How could she have given birth to such a stubborn son?
Mother Guo's eyes went dark for a while, and her body became a little unsteady. She held Xiaocui's hand and eased it.
"Think about it carefully. If you want your white-haired woman to give you to a black-haired woman, just make a sawed gourd. When you die, I won't know the reason, and then you will get your wish."
"mother……"
Guo Zhao looked at his mother's already stooped back, with strong guilt in his eyes. He didn't even think about dying if he had a glimmer of hope.
It's just that Song Lian hates him to the core and will never let him go, and he has offended the Song family. If Guo's mother knew the reason behind it, how would she view Shen Yingxue? All of this was because of his impulsive beating. Shen Yingxue is the real disaster, Guo Zhao doesn't want Guo's mother to be prejudiced against her.
When Guo's mother came out of the prison, Xu Er was waiting outside. When he saw her coming out, he hurried forward to greet her.
"Auntie, Mr. Lin wants to see you. The reason why Brother Zhao hit someone is clear."
"Do you understand? Come on, lead the way!"
After hearing Xu Er's words, Guo's mother became energetic and urged him to lead the way.
"Okay, please slow down, I'll help you."
…
As soon as the two left, the Shen family's carriage stopped outside the cell.
Shen Yingxue got out of the car. After a bumpy ride, her face looked extremely ugly, and Li Biao was a little worried.
"Madam, why don't you rest for a while before going in? The cell is very dirty and you won't be able to stand it if you go in like this."
"No, you wait for me outside."
Shen Yingxue forced a smile. She knew the cell was dirty and messy, but Guo Zhao had been staying in a place like this for several days. She was worried about his health and couldn't wait to go in.
It was rare for the dark cell to be filled with life. Guo Zhao sat at the door with half a plate of sauced elbows in front of him, turning a deaf ear to the excitement around him, until a pair of women's embroidered shoes stopped in front of him.
"benefactor.……"
Guo Zhao thought he heard wrongly. He looked up in confusion and saw Shen Yingxue at a glance. His chapped lips trembled and his eyes were full of disbelief.
"Why are you here?"
He didn't expect that news of his imprisonment would reach Zhenjiang Mansion, and Shen Yingxue would be asked to come and see him.
"You have been imprisoned for me, how can I sit still?"
Seeing his thin figure and unshaven appearance, Shen Yingxue felt uncomfortable and tears fell from her eyes.
"I'm fine. I'll be out soon. Don't cry."
Guo Zhao felt nervous when he saw her crying. He quickly got up from the ground and clumsily comforted her.
Shen Yingxue didn't expect that he was still lying to her at this time. If she hadn't read the letter from the Song family, she would still be kept in the dark.
"You don't have to lie to me, Song Lian has promised to let you out."
"What are the conditions?"
When Guo Zhao heard that he could go out, he was not only unhappy, but his face became even colder.
"Let me be his concubine."
Shen Yingxue originally wanted to hide it from him, but when she saw Guo Zhao acting like he thought he was doing her best, she felt depressed and told the truth.
"I don't agree!"
Guo Zhao's big hands clamped down on her arm with astonishing strength, and his eyes glowed with bloodlust.
"Yingxue, I would rather die than watch you being humiliated by him. Such a villain is not worthy of you!"
"Let go first."
Shen Yingxue was pinched so much that it hurt, and she struggled to pull her arm out of his hand.
"Have you thought about my feelings when you risked your life? Am I willing to accept this kindness? And your mother. She lost her son because of me. A man with white hair gave a man with black hair. Guo Zhao, I can bear this kind of affection. I'm sorry."
"But I can't just watch you commit yourself to him!"
Why doesn't Guo Zhao understand this truth? With his elderly mother on one side and his beloved woman on the other, he is weak and in a dilemma, so he can only sacrifice himself.
"I will not marry him. Although the Song family is powerful, it cannot cover the sky with one hand. Sanlang has already found a way to save you. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, we should not give up."
"good."
Guo Zhao's heart was burning. The trouble he caused had to be enlightened and rescued by Shen Yingxue in the end. Guo Zhao felt a strong sense of powerlessness in his heart, and for the first time he longed for power.
