Chapter 84 : Looking for Dad

Although Huo Leiming didn’t want this marriage in his heart, he had no choice but to accept it since the emperor had bestowed it.

The father and son quarreled again over setting the wedding date.

Huo Zhen was very anxious. He originally wanted to prepare everything quickly and pick a nearby date that fell on a double-lucky day.

But Huo Leiming disagreed and scolded him, “What do you think you’re doing? Marrying a cat or a dog? The date is set for the eighth of next month!”

Huo Zhen stomped his feet in anger. “I’m marrying Aying, not you! You don’t get to make the final decision!”

Huo Leiming grabbed something nearby and hurled it at him. “You don’t have the final say in this house!”

Huo Zhen was already used to this. He caught the object steadily, handed it to Yang Hu, and said to Huo Leiming, “If you say the eighth day of the first lunar month, then so be it. But have you asked the Song family?”

If it was set for the eighth of the first lunar month, then he’d have to wait more than half a month!

One day apart feels like three autumns, how many autumns has it been already?

Someone’s going to suffer from this!

The date was supposed to be agreed upon by both families, but Huo Leiming looked down on the Song family. Since it was they who sent someone over first, his pride made him refuse to meet with them no matter what others said.

“Shut up! Say one more word and I’ll push the date back even further.”

Sensing the situation was turning bad, Yang Hu quickly stepped in to stop the simmering explosion.

Huo Zhen glared at his father, then turned and stormed out.

“Where are you going?” Huo Leiming shouted after him.

Huo Zhen shot back, “Wherever I want. You don’t control me!”

Similarly, over in the Song household, Song Shihe and Zhou were also unhappy about the marriage.

“Heaven must be blind!”

In Zhou’s room, Song Shihe kept stomping around in frustration.

Zhou was getting annoyed by his noise. “Quiet down! Do you want your father and grandfather to hear you?”

Song Shihe slumped into a chair and snorted, “I just don’t accept it! Why does Song Ying get this? How can she even compare to my elder sister? And she’s a divorced woman! I really don’t understand what that little emperor mmph!”

Zhou covered his mouth immediately. Song Shihe’s eyes widened as she warned him, “Say one more word and I’ll sew your lips shut myself!”

Song Shihe nodded obediently.

Zhou let go and sighed. “What can we do? It’s already come to this. The one enjoying all the benefits is Song Ying alone.”

Her daughter married the Regent, yet received no reward from the emperor.

Song Shihe dragged a chair over and sat beside Zhou, lowering his voice. “Mom, don’t you think this is strange? Think about it. Why was she suddenly granted a princess title and a marriage too? Like they say, there’s no reward without merit. Could there be something shady behind this?”

Zhou stared at him. “What’s shady about it? You’d better behave yourself these next few days and stop making your father and grandfather angry. I won’t be able to protect you.”

Song Shihe curled his lips. “You’re really going to help Song Ying plan her wedding? Just leave it to Auntie. Last time my sister let her handle it too.”

Zhou poked him on the head. “What do you know? Your sister is getting married, and there are already plenty of people secretly gossiping about our family. If I don’t push this to Song Jinlan, I’ll have to face all the slander myself.”

Song Shihe clearly didn’t like what Zhou said. In his mind, Song Ruoer was her biological daughter, it was only right that she handled her daughter’s wedding.

Besides, Song Ruoer and Yue Shaozhi were truly in love. They just met at the wrong time.

Why care what others say?

Seeing his indifferent expression, Zhou gave him another hard poke. “What’s with that attitude?”

“Ouch, ouch! That hurts! I don’t have an attitude, really.”

Just then, a maid came in and said, “Madam, there are guests here to visit.”

Zhou responded, “Understood.”

The news that Song Ying had been granted a noble title and marriage had already spread throughout the capital.

Guests poured into the Marquis’s residence to offer their congratulations.

But Song Ying never appeared. She left everything for Zhou to handle.

Meanwhile, Liu Lingyan was enjoying gossip and chatting with her children and husband in their guest room.

“You’re quite the celebrity in the capital now.”

Song Ying replied, “Ugh, you want to be famous? I’ll give it to you.”

Liu Lingyan laughed, “No, no! I’m way too shy to handle all that attention!”

Xiaoli sat in Song Ying’s lap, swinging her legs, and asked, “Auntie, what is a princess?”

Song Ying replied, “Hmm… it’s just a title.”

Xiaoli said, “Oh, then should I call you Auntie or Princess from now on?”

Song Ying smiled, “Just call me Auntie.”

Xiaoli nodded and opened her mouth to eat the piece of cheese Song Ying fed her.

Liu Lingyan saw this and laughed. “Oh, I’m really looking forward to the day you and Huo Zhen have kids. Our two families’ children will have so much fun together in the future.”

Just as she finished speaking, Faer ran in excitedly. “Princess, great news… General Huo beat up the young master—”

By the time Song Ying arrived, Song Shihe was already kneeling in the hall.

Huo Zhen and Yang Hu Mo Qi stood off to the side with cold, proud expressions. When Huo Zhen saw Song Ying, he greeted her with a smile.

“You’re here.”

Song Ying asked, “Why did you hit him?”

Huo Zhen replied, “Because he was being nasty.”

Upon hearing this, Song Shihe turned around and Song Ying saw his swollen, pig-like face and a gap where his front teeth used to be. She couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Song Shihe glared at her, but the movement tugged at his injury, and he winced in pain.

Song Ying and Huo Zhen took their seats and listened to Song Jinzhuo lecture Song Shihe.

From what Song Ying knew of Song Shihe, she could already guess what had happened without needing any more details.

Looking at Zhou, although she clearly felt sorry for her son, she was even more disappointed in him. She had just warned him not to stir up trouble and now he’d done exactly that.

Serves him right!

Maybe this would teach him a lesson.

Song Shihe was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall, copy documents, and was grounded for a month.

As he passed by Song Ying, he covered his face and muttered something under his breath.

Seeing this, Huo Zhen stood up, ready to hit him again.

Song Shihe yelped, “Oh my God!” and ran off toward the ancestral hall.

After everyone left, Song Ying asked Huo Zhen, “Why are you here?”

Huo Zhen replied, “I came for your advice.”

Song Ying: “?”

Huo Zhen said, “The old man insists on setting the wedding date for the eighth day of next month. What should I do?”

Song Ying said, “You’re asking me? Go ask my dad.”

Huo Zhen was stunned. “Your dad? Would he help? Ever since the imperial edict came down, your dad and my old man haven’t met once. And when I brought it up, he just glared at me and insisted on doing things his own way, without even discussing it with your family.”

Song Ying explained, “That’s because your father doesn’t like the Song family.”

Huo Zhen: “I figured that much. But why?”

Song Ying replied, “You should go find my dad. Ask him to take the initiative to meet your father.”

Huo Zhen pointed to himself uncertainly. “Me? Ask your dad to come forward? Will he even listen to me?”

Song Ying chuckled and said, “My dad’s just waiting for me to get married. Trust me, now’s the perfect time for him to step in. Go with confidence.”

Huo Zhen nodded blankly. “Alright, I’ll give it a try.”

Song Ying waved him off. “Go on, go on.”