Chapter 30: Truly an Eye-Opener

Chapter 30: Truly an Eye-Opener

With the lock opened, Xiao Yuming swung the gate open, and Tang Shuyi and Lady Nanling entered one after the other. Upon entering the courtyard, Lady Nanling cast a glance at the rockery in the southeast corner. It was said that every stone in that rockery had been blessed by a high monk from Putuo Mountain.

She naturally didn't believe those rumors. However, Madam Yongning seemed different from before, becoming more interesting by the day. It would be worthwhile to visit more often. But now wasn't the time for such thoughts; the priority was to capture that troublemaker.

"Which room is he in?" Lady Nanling asked Xiao Yuming.

Xiao Yuming pointed towards the east wing. Lady Nanling strode over with a fierce momentum, followed by Tang Shuyi. Reaching the doorway, Lady Nanling pushed the door open to see the room in complete disarray.

On the table, fruits and pastries were strewn carelessly, with melon seeds and fruit peels littered all over the floor. Looking further in, a blue figure could be seen lying on the bed, snoring thunderously.

These days of running away from home seemed to be spent in utter comfort.

Xiao Yuming had resigned himself to fate and no longer wished to make amends. He stood at the doorway, invisible to all.

With a stern face, the Lady of Nanling clenched her teeth as she approached the bed. After a moment's pause, her expression changed dramatically, and she began to weep into her handkerchief, "Why is my fate so bitter? I struggled so hard to give birth to this scourge. I might as well be dead..."

Her tears fell like rain, her sobs tragic and mournful. Those unfamiliar with her might have been moved to tears themselves. Xiao Yuming once again witnessed the Lady of Nanling's impeccable acting skills, and even Tang Shuyi couldn't help but admire her performance.

The commotion naturally woke Yan Wu. Seeing his mother sobbing as if she were about to pass out, he sat up from the bed. After glancing around the room and pulling a bitter face, he said, "Alright, alright, I'll go home with you."

The Lady of Nanling immediately dried her tears and turned to leave. Passing by Tang Shuyi, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry for the trouble today. I'll visit another day to express my thanks."

"Please don't mention it," Tang Shuyi responded with a smile. She had indeed seen something new today.

With a dejected head, Yan Wu followed the Lady of Nanling out the door. Upon reaching the entrance, he asked Xiao Yuming in a low voice, "What happened?"

What could Xiao Yuming say?

He replied, "Your mother fainted at my house."

Yan Wu: "......" That was something his mother would do.

The group left the estate and headed back to their respective homes.

Tang Shuyi and Xiao Yuming sat in a carriage, and throughout the journey, Tang Shuyi remained silent. She didn't inquire about the details of the incident, nor did she scold Xiao Yuming. The more she remained silent, the more uneasy Xiao Yuming felt.

Although he wasn't involved in the handling of his elder brother's harboring of Liu Biqin, he knew quite a bit about it. Clearly, his mother's approach to things was completely different now - fierce and decisive. And when it came to disciplining them, she was unsparing. His elder brother's knee was a prime example.

Throughout the journey, he kept stealing glances at Tang Shuyi, who was aware of his gaze but continued to rest her eyes without giving him a single look.

In a short while, they arrived home. Tang Shuyi didn't head to the backyard but instead went to Xiao Huai's study in the front yard.

In his memory, when Xiao Huai was alive, his study was guarded twenty-four hours a day, and ordinary people weren't allowed to enter. Even Tang Shuyi and the three children were no exception. After Xiao Huai's death, although the study was no longer guarded, it wasn't easily accessible to others.

Now that Tang Shuyi wanted to enter, naturally, no one would stop her. She pushed the door open and saw a spacious room with an airy and bold layout. Tall bookshelves stood against two walls, filled to the brim with books. A large desk was placed in the center, with a screen at the back, likely concealing a resting area.

Tang Shuyi scanned the bookshelves before her, noting the majority of texts pertained to military strategy, alongside classics of history and philosophy. Even as a military man, it seemed Xiao Huai had been well-read. Drawing her gaze from the shelves, she settled into the chair behind the desk.

Xiao Yuming stood across the table from her, devoid of his usual nonchalant demeanor. From the moment he entered this study, a change had come over him, likely tied to Xiao Huai's influence. It appeared that choosing Xiao Huai's study to educate her second son was a wise decision.

Tang Shuyi's thoughts returned to the present, and she inquired, "Where did you learn to pick locks?"

Xiao Yuming lowered his gaze to his toes and muttered, "I picked it up from a locksmith a few days ago."

"Why did you want to learn lock-picking?" Tang Shuyi probed further.

Xiao Yuming replied, "I needed to hide Yan Wu in Meihua Alley. Since I couldn't get the keys to that house, I... learned to pick locks. It's always good to have more skills."

Tang Shuyi almost burst into laughter at his justification. What a skill indeed.

"Why choose the house in Meihua Alley?" she questioned once more.

"The darkest place is under the candlestick," Xiao Yuming explained. "Everyone knows about that house in Meihua Alley, so Yan Wu's parents would least expect him to be hidden there."

Thanks to the commotion caused by the Liang family, almost everyone in the capital's circle of nobility knew that the Yongning Marquis's family owned a property in Meihua Alley.

Tang Shuyi fell silent.

If only he could use such cunning in more righteous endeavors.

"Why did Yan Wu run away from home?" she inquired again.

Xiao Yuming answered honestly, "His father pressured him daily to study, intending for him to sit for the imperial examinations."

Tang Shuyi lapsed into another silence. Suddenly expecting a poor student to prepare for such rigorous exams was indeed a bit much. Tailored teaching was essential! However, running away from home simply because one's parents insisted on studying was also quite foolish.

"You may believe in the saying, 'A brother would take a blade to both sides for his sibling,'" Tang Shuyi remarked, noting the agreement on Xiao Yuming's face before adding, "But even so, shouldn't there be a proper time for wielding that blade?"

Xiao Yuming appeared puzzled by her words. Tang Shuyi spoke earnestly, "If your brother is about to leap into a pit of fire, would you still plunge in after him, blades and all?"

"I haven't done that," Xiao Yuming retorted, his neck stiff in a show of defiance.

Tang Shuyi's brow furrowed slightly; rebellious children were indeed challenging to guide.

"Now that Yan Wu has run away from home, what are his plans for the future? How does he intend to sustain himself? Is he to sever ties with the Nanling Marquis's family completely, or does he plan to return home in glory after achieving great success? If it's the latter, has he thought about how to accomplish this return in triumph? Through scholarly achievements or martial prowess, or perhaps by joining the military and earning his stripes on the battlefield?"

Tang Shuyi's barrage of questions rained down, causing Xiao Yuming's stiff neck to droop, yet his lips remained tightly pressed together.

"Or maybe he just wants to hide for a few days, make his family worry, and then they'd give in, allowing him to continue his life of leisure as before," Tang Shuyi said seriously to Xiao Yuming. "Xiao Yuming, is a life of frivolity what you truly desire?"

Xiao Yuming kept his head down, not uttering a word. Tang Shuyi stood up and said, "Think carefully in your father's study about what kind of life you really want."

Then she walked around the desk, stood in front of Xiao Yuming, and with a serious and stern gaze, said, "If there's something on your mind, come directly to me. Don't resort to running away from home. In my house, there are only two outcomes for running away: one, if you leave, you never come back. Two, if you do come back, you'll be grounded forever with broken legs."