After Chu Shoufu paid homage to Marquis Jiangning, he asked Tang Yang to personally escort Marquis Jiangning and his wife back to Zhanguan. He did not go in to see Aunt Xi again. Hearing Yuan Qingling's words, he was relieved.
Yuan Qingling went to the main hall and stopped him.
Yuan Qingling raised his eyes and said: "Maybe Chu Shoufu can go to Dekang Tea House and ask. The rumors outside originated from Dekang Tea House."
Chu Shoufu looked at her for a long time before slowly saying: "Well, thank you Princess."
He and Xiaoyao Gong walked out and stood on the long street. His green clothes were blown up by the wind, and his snow-white hair was shining in the morning sun.
It's getting colder, and people who come and go have put on cotton-padded clothes.
He led the horse and walked slowly. Xiaoyao Gong followed him and wanted to say a few words to him. However, he felt that the situation in front of him was like the scene they were in on the eve of the battle in the desert.
He didn't say anything, because maybe everyone knew that that battle was a tragic one, and maybe no one could go back, so he didn't say a word.
Now, Chu Da, who is in his twilight years, experienced a tragic battle last night, which was also a matter of life and death.
They parted ways at the corner.
Chu Shoufu still led his horse and walked alone, with his attendants following him from a distance, not daring to come forward.
At first, Chu Shoufu's back looked lonely, and his shadow formed a dark circle on the ground.
Slowly, he straightened his back and got on his horse. The warm sun shone on his body, but there was no warmth at all. His whole body exuded a great chill.
The attendant rode his horse to catch up.
One after another, the three horses galloped towards Chu's mansion.
He did not need to go to Dekang Tea House to investigate. When he left the palace last night, he had already ordered his attendants to investigate, and the investigation results were handed over to him in the early morning.
Chu Mansion.
The mainstay of the Chu family didn't come back all night last night.
This has never happened before, unless there is a tolerance.
In the past, even if I went to have a drink, I would order someone to come back and let me know first.
But after going out early yesterday morning, he never came back, as if he had disappeared.
Fortunately, when he went out early in the morning, he said that he would enter the palace to accompany the Emperor.
Therefore, the eldest son of the Chu family ordered people to inquire outside the palace several times, but the palace gate guard said that Chu's chief assistant left the palace at noon yesterday and had not gone in again since then.
This made the Chu family anxious.
Chu Shoufu had always been a loner and had few friends outside of official business.
Apart from Xiaoyao Gong, I have also lost contact with Xiaoyao Gong in recent years, and there are even rumors that the two are at odds with each other.
Therefore, the Chu family was really anxious all night.
Even Chu Mingcui was alarmed. Chu Mingcui was so anxious that he took King Qi back to his parents' home early in the morning.
When Chu Shoufu returned to the door of Chu's house, the concierge came forward to greet him excitedly, "Sir, are you back? Sir, they are almost anxious."
When he saw Chu Shoufu's head full of white hair, he was so shocked that he was speechless.
Chu Shoufu handed the horse to the porter and turned around to tell his attendants, "Go in and pass on my order. All the people in the mansion must meet in the main hall, everyone."
He emphasized a little, and then walked inside with his hands behind his back.
Then he ordered a few more people to go out and bring a few people to the house.
He stood in front of the Grand Master's chair in the main hall and looked at the forehead hanging in the inner hall. There were four words on the forehead: "Return to simplicity and stay humble"!
These four words were inscribed by him himself ten years ago.
At that time, no one in the house paid much attention to these four words, and felt that they were not majestic at all.
Some people even suggested that the four words should be used instead.
He thought that if these four words hung around for a long time, they would eventually understand their meaning.
"Come here, take a piece of Chinese characters from my room and replace the flat forehead." Chu Shoufu ordered slowly.
The butler came forward, bowed and asked, "I wonder which one you want, sir?"
Chu Shoufu turned around and looked at the housekeeper, "These are the four words I wrote down a few days ago."
The housekeeper was startled, "Are you talking about the four words arrogant and domineering?...Isn't this inappropriate?"
A few days ago, the second young lady was determined to marry the King of Chu. She went on a hunger strike in the boudoir and even insulted the Princess of Chu. The master wrote the words "arrogant and domineering" in the study.
"Follow it!" Chu Shoufu ordered in a deep voice.
He was always majestic and did not allow anyone to refute. As soon as these words came out, even if the housekeeper had all kinds of questions, he could only go and ask for help.
When the people of the Chu family heard that he was back and wanted to gather the people in the mansion, they hurried out. Even the mute old lady was helped out.
The first assistant only sat in the main seat, looking at the anxious wives, concubines, and descendants. Chu Mingyang also came, standing aside with an indifferent expression and cold eyes.
He said nothing and his face was solemn.
Everyone was shocked. How could I end up with a gray head after going out for a night?
Uncle Chu became anxious and asked, "Father, what happened? Why is your hair all white?"
Chu Shoufu's eyes were like a cold knife scraping across the faces of Uncle Chu and Madam Chu, but he still didn't say a word.
Everyone was so frightened that they didn't dare to say anything and looked at each other.
It wasn't until the housekeeper brought someone to change his forehead that everyone saw the words hanging on it, which turned out to be "arrogant and domineering", and they couldn't help but be shocked.
King Qi and Princess Chu Mingcui also arrived. King Qi was startled when he saw Chu Shoufu and then these four words. He stepped forward and asked, "Grandpa, why are you doing this?"
"King Qi!" Chu Shoufu's voice was deep, "Do you think arrogant and domineering is appropriate to describe the Chu family today?"
King Qi was startled again and looked around at everyone. Everyone was still looking at each other, at a loss.
Present were several men and women of the Chu family, as well as the grandsons of the chief minister. Most of the grandsons were adults, and some were already married and had children.
King Qi hesitated for a moment, "Grandpa, I really don't know how to answer your words."
"Just put it bluntly." Chu Shoufu said calmly.
The servant served him a cup of tea, but he did not move. From last night to now, he has not eaten a morsel of food or drank a sip of water.
His anger was burning and his heart was burning, and no glass of water could quench it.
When King Qi wanted to speak, Chu Mingcui touched his elbow, then stepped out and said softly: "Grandpa and granddaughter think that no one in the Chu family is arrogant and domineering. At most, they have enough confidence and are neither humble nor overbearing. The Chu family can have such confidence.
It all depends on my grandfather."
Chu Shoufu laughed, this smile was cold and strange. He stared at Chu Mingcui, "Neither humble nor arrogant?"
This look frightened Chu Mingcui and immediately hid behind King Qi, not daring to speak any more.
"Grandpa, what's wrong with you?" the eldest son of the Chu family couldn't help but ask.
Chu Shoufu slowly turned the jade ring in his hand, and his eyes fell on Mrs. Chu's face, which made Mrs. Chu feel scared.
She laughed dryly and said, "Father, if you have anything to say, please say it. If you stare at your daughter-in-law like this, she will feel very uneasy."
After Chu Shoufu waited for the housekeeper and the others to remove the words "Return to simplicity, stay humble" from their foreheads, he stared at Mrs. Chu and said, "I heard some rather vicious rumors outside."
When Mrs. Chuda heard these words, her heart jumped a few times, but then she stabilized herself. Even if her father heard those words, those words that did not harm his father's reputation were all directed at Grandma Xi.
Moreover, who knows who spread these rumors? There is no way she can be traced.
Even if she was pursued, she had been married into the Chu family for so many years, taking care of the family, serving her aunt, and contributing to the success of the Chu family. Her father would not do anything to her just for the sake of being a slave.
So, after a moment of panic, she quickly stabilized herself.