The subtle fragrance of cotton needles

Tu walked slowly, and it was obvious that her legs were not very convenient. When Shen saw this, she remembered what she saw in the letter from Xia Yanxiang.

More than an hour had passed since Tu was punished to kneel. The weather in March had not yet fully returned to spring, and Tu must have injured his knees after kneeling in the ancestral hall for such a long time.

Xia Yanxiang looked pale, with her left cheek slightly swollen. She thought of how she had been ill a few days ago, and now it just happened that something like this had happened. She must have been mentally hurt, and then physically hurt.

Otherwise, according to Yan'er's personality, she would definitely not write a letter to the Right Prime Minister's Mansion for help.

When Shen saw Tu's mother and son like this, she couldn't help but get angry: "Xia Liu, is this what you mean by feeling uncomfortable?!"

Xia Liu was startled by her voice. When she realized what Shen said, her face turned red, but she still managed to say, "Madam has indeed caught a cold these two days and is feeling a little unwell."

Tu walked into the main hall and saw her family. Her eyes couldn't help but warm up, but she saw Xia Liu's warning eyes. She could only swallow her words and bowed to Shen, "Why are you here, sister-in-law?"

"Nephew pays his respects to his aunt." Tu Xiao hurriedly bowed to Mrs. Tu before going over to support Xia Yanxiang.

When Xia Yanxiang saw Shen defending Tu so much, she knew that she was right to write the letter. Now, she only had to stand aside and wait for her aunt and uncle to deal with Xia Liu.

"Yanxiang pays respects to her aunt."

Shen quickly stood up and supported Tu, while Tu Xiao supported Xia Yanxiang. Shen said distressedly, "There is no need to be so polite between you and me. You and Yan'er have suffered."

When Tu heard that someone was coming from the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, she knew that someone must have passed the message to the Right Prime Minister's Mansion. She might not have been able to guess who this person was under normal circumstances, but since they invited someone over so quickly, she knew who it was.

Tu looked at Xia Yanxiang with some reproach, and the latter's eyes were full of innocence.

"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry to bother you and Xiao'er. You've come all the way to see me. Thank you very much." Tu knew that Shen must have known something, which was why she came so quickly. She gave Shen a helpless look, hoping that she would not make a big deal out of it.

Shen knew exactly what Tu meant, but she was protective of her own people and had a bad temper, so how could she just let the matter go?

"What's the trouble? We are family and we don't have different opinions. If you have been wronged, we, as your family, certainly can't just stand by and watch! Besides, isn't Yan'er sick too? Aren't we worried too?" Shen looked at Xia Liu meaningfully.

Tu lowered her eyes and said nothing more.

However, just because Mrs. Tu didn't speak, it didn't mean that Xia Yanxiang wouldn't speak either: "Thank you, aunt and brother Changyu, for coming to see me and mother. It's actually nothing serious. It's just that Yan'er did something wrong and made mother angry, which made her so angry that she hurt herself."

As soon as Tu heard it, she knew something was wrong. Xia Yanxiang has never been a person who likes to show off, so why is she so active in showing off recently?

Xia Liu didn't feel that there was anything wrong, instead she was somewhat happy. After all, Xia Yanxiang was still the good girl, and she would definitely not tell the Right Prime Minister that today he not only scolded her but also locked Tu up in the ancestral hall.

But he forgot one thing. If Xia Yanxiang hadn't said it, why would Shen and Tu Xiao come?

Tu Xiao immediately understood the hidden meaning in Xia Yanxiang's words, frowned, and turned his head to see his mother's reaction.

Shen also felt something was wrong and stared at Tu closely. Tu didn't say anything, but she couldn't help it: "Yan'er is still young, why is it worth getting so angry? And she had to hurt her knee?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the people present suddenly changed, especially Xia Liu and Tu.

"Yan'er has always been well-behaved. No matter how many mistakes she makes, she will never lose her temper. You also feel sorry for your daughter. You have only punished her twice with a stick since she was a child. Why are you so angry this time?" The more Shen spoke, the angrier she became, and her tone became more and more sarcastic.

Xia Yanxiang didn't say anything else. She only dared to look back at Xia Liu, then turned her head away quickly, not daring to look up again.

Tu Xiao and Shen were furious at the sight of this. They knew immediately that it must be Xia Liu who had threatened Yan'er behind her back!

Tu Xiao couldn't say anything, but that didn't mean Shen couldn't: "I heard that Yan'er got into trouble outside and was scolded by her brother-in-law when she came back. It was your sister who saved Yan'er and asked to kneel in the ancestral hall? I wonder if what I said is correct, Lord Shangshu?"

Xia Liu knew that this matter could not be kept secret, otherwise Shen's mother and son would not have rushed over so soon after Tu entered the ancestral hall.

However, Xia Liu thought he had done nothing wrong, but he felt guilty about Shen's questioning: "Sister-in-law knows everything. Yan'er lost her sense of propriety outside. I just gave her a few words of advice. As for Madam, she was indeed upset because she was angry."

"A few words about education?" They all knew what kind of person Xia Liu was. Xia Liu had never cared about Yan'er and Bai'er's education. Tu Song had always taken care of the two children's studies, and Xia Zhibai's martial arts were also taught by Wu'an Hou, a good friend of the Tu family. When would it be Xia Liu's turn to take care of the children's education?

"Sister-in-law, Yan'er is my only legitimate daughter after all. It was indeed because I was busy with official duties in the past that I neglected Yan'er's education, which led to her losing her sense of propriety outside. As a father, can't I give her a few words of advice?"

"Shouldn't a girl's education be left to her mother? No matter what mistakes Yan'er makes outside, her mother should discipline her personally. When will the father be allowed to educate her personally, regardless of the gender difference?!" Shen scolded Xia Liu harshly. It was ridiculous!

Shen didn't even give Xia Liu a chance to explain herself. She immediately continued, "Besides, what did Yan'er do outside that made her kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment?! Yan'er has always been delicate and has only kneeled in the ancestral hall a few times since she was a child. What kind of mistake could have made Yan'er kneel in the ancestral hall?"

"Yes! Lord Shangshu, I also want to hear what my niece has done wrong that requires her to kneel in the ancestral hall?" Finally, at this time, Tu Song arrived. He did not allow the servants to report and stood at the door listening to Xia Liu trying to maintain the image of a strict father.

In fact, Xia Liu was not too afraid of Shen and Tu Xiao. Although Shen was fierce, she was a woman after all. No matter how much trouble she made, she could only scold her a few words. Tu Xiao was a junior and it was impossible for her to do anything to him.

But Tu Song is different. He is the right prime minister, and a right prime minister that the emperor trusts very much. Unlike the left prime minister, the left prime minister is a typical foreign relative and the queen's biological brother. This means that it is destined that the left prime minister cannot be fully used by the emperor.

Tu Song has only one sister, Tu Ling. The rest are from the Tu family in his hometown of Luoyang. In the capital, Tu Ling is his only relative, and she is also his biological sister. As an older brother, he naturally has to protect Tu and her children.