Chapter 50

Su Wanquan looked at the tall and imposing gatekeeper of the Xiao family with a sense of trepidation. After a brief hesitation, he ordered someone to drive the carriage in pursuit of Su Heng and his companions.

Su Heng was quietly speaking with Wang Yin when the carriage soon caught up with the two of them.

Unexpectedly running into Su Wanquan, Su Heng couldn’t help but exclaim, “Father? What are you doing here?”

Su Wanquan replied, “Why haven’t you brought Ah Yuan out?”

Glancing around at the bustling crowd, Su Heng led Wang Yin into the carriage before saying, “Ah Yuan likes the Xiao family and doesn’t want to leave.”

“She likes the Xiao family? What is there to like?” came the retort.

“Even if the Xiao family is eventually exonerated, all of their male heirs are long dead, and the marriage between Xiao Yunxi and her is off the table. As a young girl, does she really expect to stay with the Xiao family and live as a widow?”

At once, Su Wanquan grew furious. “I told you to bring your sister back—how can you let her run wild?”

“You were supposed to persuade her earlier, but you claimed you had urgent business and were leaving the capital, so you didn’t stop her from going to the palace gate. Now that she’s miraculously survived, how can you insist she remain with the Xiao family?”

Wang Yin, clearly disliking Su Wanquan’s tone, couldn’t help but say, “If Ah Yuan doesn’t stay with the Xiao family, where will she go? Is she really going to go back to the Su family?”

“I’m her uncle—of course, she should return to the Su family…”

Wang Yin immediately sneered, “So that after she comes back, you’ll let your wife and daughters bully her to death? Or are you waiting until they eventually find a handsome man to run away with her?”

“You!!” Su Wanquan’s face went pale with anger.

Not considering that the young girl’s tongue could be rather sharp, Su Heng, seeing his father’s wrath, shot Wang Yin a glance to signal her to hold her tongue before he said: “The Xiao family is Ah Yuan’s marital family. She even has a marriage contract with Xiao Yunxi. The entire Xiao household treats her well, and she loves the Xiao family; there’s nothing wrong with her staying there.”

“What do you know!” Su Wanquan retorted bitterly. “Besides, she and Xiao Yunxi haven’t even had a proper wedding ceremony—so that marriage contract can be annulled. And do you think it would be easy for a widow to live on after her husband’s death?”

“She’s only fifteen years old. Do you expect her to waste her whole life away in the Xiao family?”

A girl of her age could still have her matches re-arranged and remarry. Even if her reputation in the capital suffers, she could always find another family outside the city. It’s far better than having her spend her entire life mourning a dead man.

Grabbing Su Heng’s hand, Su Wanquan said in a deep tone, “Ah Yuan listens to you the most. Hurry back and bring her with you. How can a daughter of the Su family be expected to remain a widow for a dead man? When she returns, she must not stay with the Xiao family and bring shame upon us…”

“Where is there any shame in Ah Yuan?” Su Heng’s expression turned cold. “Her fidelity to her late husband is a mark of deep loyalty and righteousness, and her willingness to share life and death with the Xiao family shows her fortitude and kindness. How, in Father’s eyes, does that become something shameful? Moreover, Father says you are not allowed to let her stay—what right do you have to forbid her?”

“I’m her uncle; she must listen to me…”

“But have you fulfilled your responsibilities as her uncle?”

That single sentence left Su Wanquan speechless.

“You know what Mother did to Ah Yuan, don’t you? You’ve known for years that Ah Yue bullied Ah Yuan, yet you always turned a blind eye—ever intent on downplaying major issues. By indulging them every time, you’ve only emboldened their behavior, ultimately leading to today’s calamity.”

Madam Yu and Su Xinyue were never that bold anyway. If Su Wanquan had reprimanded them sternly when they first entertained ill intentions, they wouldn’t have dared to covet Ah Yuan’s marriage or even stirred up someone like Lu Zhuo.

“Lu Zhuo’s matter is something that Mother and Ah Yue concocted. If Ah Yuan returns to the Su family, what do you plan to do with them?”

“I…” Su Wanquan was rendered speechless.

Su Heng’s expression was cold. “Father, you wouldn’t be telling me that you plan to just let this whole matter drop, would you?”

“Or do you really think that after all the wrongs they’ve done—almost ruining Ah Yuan’s life—that once you take her back, she can continue to live under the same roof with them in peace?”

Su Wanquan opened his mouth. “But hasn’t this matter already passed? I’ve already reprimanded them and punished them with house arrest. Besides, you have already sent Lu Zhuo to the yamen. Isn’t Ah Yuan fine?”

“She’s fine because she’s lucky!” Unable to hold back his anger, Su Heng said, “Father, you speak so lightly. If someone treated Ah Yue that way, could you ever forgive him? Could you simply say afterward, ‘It’s over, let it go’?”

Choking on his own words, Su Wanquan could not bring himself to answer; he could only, in a forced tone, reply, “That’s not the same…”

“What isn’t the same?” Su Heng snapped.

Not wanting to engage in mere lip service, he continued coldly, “Is it because Ah Yue is your own daughter, and Ah Yuan is not? Or is it because you believe that since you have protected and raised Ah Yuan all these years, she ought to be grateful—she should simply endure and not fuss with her mother and the others, as if any grievances she suffers mean nothing?”

He broke free of the hand Su Wanquan had clutched and spoke with piercing clarity, “It’s because Ah Yuan isn’t your daughter that you think she must just put up with it—believing that her suffering is trivial.”

“And because you’ve nurtured her, you feel indebted to her. You consider her tarnished reputation no big deal—as long as she marries out of the capital without implicating the Su family, then it’s none of your concern.”

Su Heng’s blunt words cut like a knife, exposing every bit of Su Wanquan’s hypocrisy.

“Father, do you want Ah Yuan to leave the Xiao family because you can’t bear to see her, so young, serve as a widow for Xiao Yunxi? Or are you simply afraid that if she stays in the Xiao household, anyone who sees her will recall her involvement with Lu Zhuo or remember that on her wedding day, she eloped?”

“You’re afraid that she will sully the Su family’s reputation. You’re even more terrified that if she continues to remain with the Xiao family, they will hold her accountable for the Lu Zhuo incident—and that one day, people will learn that you condoned your wife’s conspiracy to frame your niece and seize her marriage, thereby ruining a father’s official honor!”

Having his true motives exposed, Su Wanquan’s face flushed red, and he lashed out at the insolent Su Heng with a swinging hand.

Su Heng merely stepped back a few paces to dodge and remarked, “Father, are you lashing out in anger born of shame?”

“You… you wretched bastard! I am your father!” Su Wanquan bellowed, panting harshly.

With eyes as cold and clear as ever, Su Heng replied, “It is precisely because you are my father—and because it was my mother and my sister who actually harmed Ah Yuan—that I did not send all of you off to the yamen’s jail. Otherwise, did you really think you could have gotten away with it?”

“Father, if you want peace of mind, then stop interfering with Ah Yuan. Let her quietly assume that she’s long been married off. If trouble arises, don’t then blame your son for not warning you.”

After saying this, Su Heng no longer wished to continue the argument. He pulled Wang Yin from the carriage and added, “I still have to return to the Imperial Academy to process the end of my leave, so I won’t be escorting you back to the mansion, Father. Walk safely.”

After offering a courteous bow, Su Heng turned and left with Wang Yin.

Su Wanquan, ready to hurl further curses, nearly collapsed from anger. “Unfilial son! This unfilial son!”

Listening to the agitated voices of the Su family servants as they supported Su Wanquan from behind, Su Heng paused for a moment—but without looking back, he continued on his way. Meanwhile, Wang Yin trailed at his side like a little tail, her eyes sparkling as she watched him.

After walking a while and feeling the intense stares around him, he couldn’t help but turn his head and ask, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Wang Yin’s eyes lit up. “Brother Heng, you’re so amazing.”

For an instant, Su Heng was stunned before realizing what she meant by “amazing.” With a rueful sigh, he responded, “This isn’t amazing—it’s called being unfilial.”

He felt torn—unable to bring himself to be harsh with his parents, yet resenting them for hurting Ah Yuan and blaming himself for not having protected his little sister better. In the eyes of others, his conduct toward Su Wanquan would be seen as unfilial. Had Su Wanquan been even more ruthless and reported him to the Imperial Academy, one single word of “filial piety” could have ruined your future.

“Don’t follow my example.” Su Heng patted Wang Yin’s head and added, “Come on, let’s go. I’ll take you to your maternal grandmother’s house, and then I must return to the Imperial Academy.”