Top Scholar

Chapter 306 Second Brother is Getting Married?
"Marry into your family?" Su Lu asked, moved. "You mean, become an adopted son-in-law?"

“No, it’s just a normal marriage,” She Yunluo said. “Where we live, you can marry off both your daughter and your son. The ceremony is the same for both men and women, and after marriage, they become members of the other’s family, just like a son.”

“If you and my second brother get together,” Su Lu swallowed hard, “wouldn’t he also have to marry into your family?”

“That’s not necessarily true,” She Yunluo quickly said, “If he feels it’s too hurt to his pride, I can marry him…”

“You guys are pretty equal…” Su Lu got goosebumps just thinking about his second brother wearing an oversized bright red wedding robe and a bright red veil on his head.

But he couldn't dwell on that right now. He asked She Yunluo, "Is it because you don't want to go back and marry... Yang Bin's son that your uncle wants to arrest my second brother and force you to comply?"

“Yes.” She Yunluo nodded. “I only found out later that my uncle sent twenty warriors to try and capture Atai, but they ended up getting beaten to a pulp by Atai…”

Towards the end, she even became proud, "So, isn't your brother amazing?"

"Impressive..." Su Lu nodded and asked, "They couldn't beat my second brother, so they kidnapped my uncle?"

“That’s definitely the case.” She Yunluo nodded and said, “I went back and questioned my subordinates. My uncle has investigated your family’s background and knows that there’s only this one easy target in your family.”

"..." Su Lu's lips twitched, but he couldn't refute it.

His eldest uncle was a centurion and a member of the River Works Bureau; messing with him would cause serious trouble. The others also had scholar status, and detaining them without cause would also cause problems. Only his younger uncle had nothing; he seemed the easiest to bully…

But they underestimated the kinship within the Su family!
Su Lu then said in a deep voice, "Right now, we can't worry about you and your second brother. The most important thing is to save my uncle. We can't let him suffer because of you!"

“Hmm…” She Yunluo knew that Su Lu was right, and the most innocent person here was Uncle Atai.

As for my relationship with Su Tai, the Su family has always been against it, okay?

She wasn't unreasonable, so she nodded and said sadly, "I understand. Don't worry, I'll go back first thing tomorrow morning. As soon as I get back, they'll release them..."

"Thank you," Su Lu said politely, but he wasn't really grateful to her.

"Let me spend some more time alone with him..." She Yunlu pleaded.

"I'll go tell them." Su Lu nodded, got up and went back to the backyard to explain the situation to his family.

After hearing this, Su Tai's eyes welled up with tears as he looked longingly at his father.

"Go on!" Su Youcai waved his hand impatiently.

"Hey." Su Tai jumped up and ran to the central courtyard in a flash.

"If Miss She goes back, will they release her?" Su Man asked softly.

"I think so," Su Youcai said. "Switch your uncle back, and we'll be even!"

No one in the family responded, clearly not as optimistic as he was.

~~
'Thump thump thump,' familiar footsteps approached from afar, and She Yunlu hurriedly got up to greet them.

Sure enough, Sutai, covered in wounds, strode into the garden.

"Atai!" She Yunluo, like a fledgling swallow returning to its nest, rushed into his arms.

“Yunluo…” Su Tai also stretched out his arms and hugged She Yunluo tightly.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault." She Yunluo gently touched the bruises on Su Tai's arm, tears streaming down her face.

"It's alright, my dad used a dry rattan cane. It's similar to scraping my skin when he whips me." Su Tai stretched out his thick fingers and wiped her tears, saying, "It relaxes the muscles and improves blood circulation. It won't even leave a scar."

"Don't talk nonsense, or your father will change his tools if he hears you..." She Yunlu hurriedly said.

"Don't worry, my dad's all bark and no bite. He won't really punish me," Su Tai grinned.

"That's good." She Yunluo suddenly hugged him tightly and said, "I'm leaving tomorrow, and maybe we'll never see each other again in this lifetime..."

"That won't do!" Su Tai was alarmed upon hearing this and quickly increased his grip, holding She Yunluo tightly.

"Easy, I can't breathe..." She Yunluo said helplessly.

"Oh." Su Tai quickly loosened his grip, but still didn't let go, as if afraid she would run away. "Is there no other way besides going back?"

“Maybe, but waiting even one more day would be too selfish.” She Yunluo sighed, “Your uncle is innocent; we need to make sure he returns safely first.”

“You’re right,” Sutai said hesitantly, “but…”

"There are no 'buts'." She Yunlu covered his mouth, looking at Su Tai with a firm gaze, and said, "Don't worry, I'll agree to their request first, to let your uncle leave the country safely, and then I'll go back on my word..."

"Huh?" Su Tai exclaimed in surprise.

“My mother taught me that even good people shouldn’t trap themselves in their own traps. When forced into a situation, one’s word doesn’t count,” She Yunluo said with a smile.

"..." Su Tai thought to himself, what exactly did they teach him? Then he asked worriedly, "Will it do you any good to back out now?"

“It should work. They can’t just tie me up and force me to marry that guy surnamed Yang, can they?” She Yunluo’s tone wasn’t so certain. “That’s hard to say…” Su Tai said worriedly, “They can kidnap my uncle, so it’s not surprising that they can force you to marry them.”

"Don't worry, if they dare to push me like that, I'll die right here!" She Yunluo said resolutely.

"That won't do. It's better to live a miserable life than to die..." Su Tai was terrified and hurriedly said in a muffled voice, "If that day ever comes, I'll go and steal the bride! Don't you Luo Luo people have this custom? Whoever steals her gets to keep her!"

“Alright, then we’ll elope…” She Yunluo nodded, but she knew very well what was going on. Su Tai was able to take on twenty men before because the Luo Luo warriors dared not use weapons. If they really drew swords and spears, or were hit by bows and arrows and muskets, how could his mortal body withstand it?
So, that day will absolutely never come...

She kept these words to herself, only raising her head to gaze longingly at Su Tai and saying, "Time is running out, give me a good kiss."

"Hmm." Su Tai lowered his head.

~~
When She Yunlu left Pearl Alley, Su Lu accompanied her.

"No need to see me off," She Yunluo said, covering her mouth.

“We’re just traveling the same way, I need to pay my respects to my father-in-law,” Su Lu said without looking to the side.

"You don't believe me?" She Yunluo glanced at him.

"This isn't a matter of belief or disbelief; it concerns my uncle's safety, so taking a multi-pronged approach is always the right thing to do," Su Lu said calmly.

There's another layer to this: this is actually a good opportunity for both sides to break the ice. Not asking the old fox for help with such a big matter will only deepen the rift between them.

The two stopped talking and walked in silence to the back gate of the military headquarters. Before She Yunlu went in, Su Lu suddenly said, "If you don't want to separate, you have to put in the effort."

"You heard everything?" She Yunlu turned around and looked at Su Lu with surprise.

The lanterns at the entrance illuminated She Yunluo's pretty face, making her swollen red lips stand out, as if she were chewing on two sausages...

"Pfft..." Su Lu almost couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Will you help?" She Yunlu asked, not bothering to cover her mouth, her eyes fixed on Su Lu.

"No," Su Lu said.

"You definitely will!" She Yunluo said happily, "Because Atai is your most important family member!"

"See..." Su Lu sighed. "Is this woman's head full of lion's head? If I don't help you, who else am I supposed to help?"
As She Yunluo entered with a sigh of relief, just as the gatekeeper was about to close the gate, Su Lu stepped forward and held it down, saying loudly, "Please inform him that your son-in-law, Su Lu, has come to pay his respects to His Majesty!"

The doorman's mouth gaped open, his eyes wide, and after a long while he finally closed his mouth and said, "Young master, please come in..."

~~
In the study.

Huang Ke was scolding Huang Feng: "Expenses have doubled, the accounts are a complete mess, how can you run this business?!"

"Father, please calm down. I haven't been managing things much lately, which has allowed my subordinates to take advantage of me." Huang Feng hurriedly wiped his sweat and said, "Just thinking about that incident makes me lose all motivation to do anything."

"Can't you be a little more sensible?" Huang Ke frowned and scolded, "I'm the one who cleans up the mess, not you. Can't you even get over this?"

"Father, I'm caught in the middle," Huang Feng said in a muffled voice. "But that brat surnamed Su is too despicable. He hasn't even come to our door yet. Does he expect me to apologize to him? I think he just doesn't respect you at all!"

"Enough!" Huang Ke shouted angrily, "You stubborn mule, what good does it do you to sow discord among your family members?!"

He waved his hand and said, "You don't need to worry about the family anymore. I'll arrange a job for you at the construction site. Start working next month!"

"Father, no!" Huang Feng was stunned when he heard this. "Me, the son of a military officer, working on a construction site? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"

"I've even sent my son up, who would doubt my resolve?" Huang Ke retorted without room for argument, "If you say another word, I'll send you to move stones!"

"Sigh..." Huang Feng could only retreat dejectedly.

"Master, please calm down," the concubine said softly as she brought Huang Bingxian a cup of calming soup. "The Third Young Master has never suffered hardship before. Isn't it too much to hurt him to send him to the construction site?"

"I'm doing this for his own good. Look how stupid he is! If I don't let him go out and experience some hardship, he'll just be a spendthrift and a menace in the future!" Huang Ke became angrier as she spoke.

“That brat surnamed Su is a piece of trash. He thinks he's invincible and dares to leave me hanging! If he piss me off, I won't let him in…”

"Master, the son-in-law requests an audience," the butler's voice rang out at the door.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," the concubine said, covering her mouth with a laugh.

"My mouth has been blessed too." Huang Ke couldn't help but chuckle, then immediately straightened his face and said, "If I've been left out for a month, I'll have to leave him out too. Let him wait."

"Yes," the butler said with a smile as he withdrew.

"Wait a minute," Huang Bingxian instructed the butler again, "Don't let Miss know, she's a living ancestor too." He had finally managed to reconcile with his daughter, he couldn't let all his efforts go to waste.

"Yes." The butler said, then hesitated, "But the young master came back with Miss She, so I'm afraid she already knows."

"Alas, even heroes fall at the hands of their children..." Huang Ke sighed helplessly, "Forget it, let's not leave him hanging, let him come over."

(End of this chapter)