Chapter 274: Setting Off (1) (1/2)
When Matriarch He heard Chu Lian’s explanation, she sunk into silence.
In her heart, she knew that Chu Lian was right. She just wasn’t willing to face the truth.
Chu Lian didn’t want to force her into making a decision, so she softened her tone. “Grandmother, let’s wait until Eldest Brother comes back. We can discuss this with Eldest Brother.”
Matriarch He nodded with a grave expression on her face.
It took He Changqi an hour to rush back to the estate. Once he passed the main entrance, he hurried over to Qingxi Hall.
When He Changqi looked up and saw that Chu Lian was present as well, he seemed slightly surprised.
Matriarch He pointed at the chair next to her. “Take a seat and rest for a while before we speak.”
Muxiang served some tea to He Changqi. However, he only managed to finish half of it before he could no longer sit still. He set down the teacup and said with a serious face, “Grandmother, what if I plead with the Emperor and ask him to allow me to go to the northern border?”
Matriarch He was an exception amongst women. She had experienced great upheavals and changes when she was younger. As they waited for He Changqi to arrive, she had continued to think on the matter and came to a conclusion.
Sanlang’s wife was right. Dalang couldn’t leave the capital, so they would have to depend on Sanlang’s wife for this trip to the north.
After she heard Dalang out, Matriarch He shook her head. “Dalang, you know the situation our family is in now. The Emperor will never agree to let you leave the capital. But our He Family can’t just watch Sanlang fall into danger without doing anything. This old woman has already decided. We’ll send Sanlang’s wife out to the north.”
“What!”
He Changqi’s shout was full of disbelief and surprise. When he realised that his reaction had been a little over the top, he coughed awkwardly and cast a suspicious glance at Chu Lian, who was sitting beside Matriarch He.
“Grandmother, this isn’t fitting. Third Sister-in-Law is only fifteen and she’s a girl. How can we send her to a place as cold as the northern border? What will we do if something happens…?”
Matriarch He’s expression hardened. “So what if she’s a girl? So what if she’s only fifteen? Lian’er managed to make Guilin Restaurant famous at the young age of fifteen. Are you able to do the same? What’s more, this old woman followed your grandfather all the way to Xinjiang when I was younger. At that time, I was only sixteen. Rest assured, we’re not going to send her off right this instant. We’re definitely going to prepare her as much as possible. I’ll send some of our estate’s secret guards to follow Lian’er when it’s time to go. She’ll be fine!”
Although He Changqi looked like a rough, burly military official with all brawn and no wits, he was actually very aware of the overall situation.
Seeing how decisively Grandmother had spoken, he had already guessed that Grandmother had already made her decision earlier.
He also knew that he couldn’t leave the capital that easily. However, as he looked at his young and fragile Third Sister-in-Law, He Changqi couldn’t help but inwardly sigh. Could such a small girl really bear these great responsibilities?