The subtle fragrance of cotton needles

"Brother!" Tu didn't feel so aggrieved even when she saw Shen coming. She kept suppressing her tears until Tu Song actually came. Only then could she hold back her tears like a girl in the boudoir.

As soon as Tu Song saw Tu's reaction, he knew that she must have suffered a lot of grievances in the Xia Mansion. He felt very distressed and at the same time full of anger.

"Your Excellency Shangshu, I don't have a daughter, and I don't know how your father would raise my niece. Now I am interested and would like to ask for your advice." Tu Song walked straight to Tu's side and patted her on the shoulder.

Tu didn't want to be a woman in her forties, but still act like a child, crying to her brother from her natal family when she was wronged. At this time, she didn't say anything and turned her head away silently.

Xia Yanxiang didn't say anything, but she felt much more comforted that finally someone came to support them.

Xia Zhibai is still guarding the border, and it will take about two months for him to return. Xia Liu takes advantage of the fact that Xia Zhibai is not in the capital, and Tu will not ask her family for help if she is wronged. He also teaches Xia Yanxiang not to always ask Tu Song for help, so Xia Liu dares to favor his concubine and ignore his wife.

Xia Liu was panicking, her eyes were evasive, and she had no confidence when she spoke: "Uncle, you are joking. I can only teach Yan'er a few words verbally. The rest should naturally be left to my wife."

"Verbal education?! Why is Yan'er's face swollen?" Shen didn't care. She just wanted to tear her face apart, especially not wanting to save face for Xia Liu. "Don't say it was A Ling who did it. Yan'er has always been a well-behaved girl. She has been spoiled by our two families since she was a child. Let alone hitting her, we can't bear to scold her!"

Xia Liu was even more embarrassed now. He also hated Shen Shi for not giving him face. He could only transfer the matter to Xia Yanxiang: "Sister-in-law, you are too kind. If Yan'er follows the rules, I, as a father, will certainly not say anything. But what did Yan'er do herself? Do you know, uncle and sister-in-law?"

"Your Excellency, you don't have to push the blame on Yan'er. First, Yan'er stays at home most of the time and rarely goes out. How could she do anything rebellious?" Tu Song snorted coldly. "Second, even if Yan'er went out, she was just walking around nearby. If something happened, how could she hide it from anyone? On the way here, I never heard any outsiders say anything gossipy. Your servants only said that Yan'er talked back to you. How could she have violated the rules?"

After all, Xia Liu just didn't like A Ling and her son, so she wanted to find a random reason to torment them.

There was nothing wrong in the first place, but Xia Pinxiang always had a spy next to Xia Yanxiang. After knowing that Xia Yanxiang met Mo Yuyang outside, she went to tell Xia Liu. Xia Liu then hurriedly wanted to teach Xia Yanxiang a lesson and not let her climb up the high branch of Prince Yuan.

"..." Xia Liu didn't know what to say at this time, but in a flash he thought of Xia Yanxiang's meeting with Prince Yuan, and brought it up again, "If there was nothing wrong, I, as a father, would certainly not teach Yan'er a lesson for no reason, but she went out to see His Royal Highness Prince Yuan privately today. If this gets out, wouldn't our Xia Mansion, the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, and the General's Mansion all lose face? If this matter wasn't so serious, I wouldn't be so angry."

Xia Liu's calculations were very clear. He knew that Xia Yanxiang was the only unmarried woman of the Tu family in Beijing. However, the Right Prime Minister's Mansion and the General's Mansion attracted the wind, so Xia Yanxiang was pushed to the forefront. The Right Prime Minister's Mansion and the General's Mansion doted on Xia Yanxiang and of course did not want her to marry into a higher-ranking family.

When Tu Song and Shen heard this, their expressions changed.

However, it was completely different from what Xia Liu thought. Tu Song became even angrier: "Xia Liu! As a father, can you joke about your daughter's reputation?!"

"Let's not talk about whether Yan'er is going to discuss marriage or not. Even if Yan'er has reached the age for marriage, she has always abided by the rules. How could she go out to meet His Royal Highness Prince Yuan without permission?!" Tu Song didn't believe that Xia Yanxiang would do such a thing. Don't they know what kind of person the child they raised is like?

"Uncle, a girl's reputation is important. Would I say nonsense?" Xia Liu straightened his back now. It seemed that he really cared about the three families.

Xia Yanxiang stood at the back without saying a word, listening to Xia Liu slandering her. She did not argue, but just stood there silently.

Tu Xiao couldn't get a word in, so he just stayed behind to protect Xia Yanxiang. Seeing that Xia Yanxiang didn't say a word, he felt bad. He was the only son in the family and had been spoiled since childhood, but he always wanted to have a softer sister. For this, he had fought countless fights with Xia Zhibai when he was a child, and he just wanted to keep Sister Yanxiang in the Right Prime Minister's Mansion.

Therefore, Tu Xiao always treated Xia Yanxiang as his own sister. After all, Xia Yanxiang was the only daughter in their family, and Li Guan was a tomboy, so she didn't count.

Tu Song was even more furious, especially Shen, who almost couldn't help but start fighting. Fortunately, Tu stopped her.

"It's not time for Yan'er to discuss marriage yet. Even if it is, we elders should worry about it. Why should a girl like her go out and cause such trouble? Besides, if Yan'er ran into His Royal Highness Prince Yuan when she went out, how many eyes would be staring at her. Since there has been no gossip until now, doesn't it mean that Yan'er didn't do anything out of line? Why do you, as a father, force your daughter to admit that she had an affair with His Royal Highness Prince Yuan!" Tu Song really didn't understand what Xia Liu meant. Wouldn't it be ruining the reputation of the three families if he forced Yan'er to admit her mistake?

Xia Liu didn't dare to confront Tu Song, so she could only pull Xia Yanxiang out: "Yan'er, you speak for yourself!"

The topic turned to Xia Yanxiang, and everyone naturally looked at Xia Yanxiang.

Xia Yanxiang knew that Xia Liu would not dare to do anything to her uncle, and the final result would definitely fall on her, so she stood up, her eyes red, and pursed her lips before speaking: "Father, I just happened to run into His Royal Highness Prince Yuan, and I didn't do anything inappropriate. If you want to punish me, I have nothing to say."

Tu Song and the other two certainly believed what Xia Yanxiang said, and were even more dissatisfied with Xia Liu at this time.

"I know that I shouldn't talk back to my father, but can't I defend myself when I'm wronged? If you think I did something wrong, then punish me by making me kneel in the ancestral hall! I'm willing to do that, and I only ask that you don't vent your anger on me." Xia Yanxiang added a few words at the right time, successfully arousing Tu Song's hatred.

You dare to vent your anger on me? Xia Liu must be really bold!