Chapter 468 - 246: This Life is Impossible

Chapter 468: Chapter 246: This Life is Impossible

The marital alliance between the Ji and Wang Families hadn’t been progressing smoothly. The news first came from the Wang Family’s side, which indicated that they were the more eager party in this marriage.

The full picture was slowly emerging, but for now, it was all just speculation. They still had to wait for proof.

Quite a few people were injured in this incident, but the unluckiest of them all had to be Huang Mingxiu. That girl really needed to go pray for better luck this year. Marchioness Yongjia was probably hopping mad right now.

By comparison, Xie Linlang and Song Yexi were quite lucky. They had only sustained superficial injuries. Although they looked alarming, they weren’t serious.

Huang Mingxiu, Ji Yunting, and Cao Jitong had all suffered broken arms and legs. Of course, Cao Jitong and Ji Yunting were injured while saving He Lan Yun and Xie Linlang. Yun Zhao didn’t need to worry about He Lan Yun’s side of things; Princess Zhenbei would naturally handle it.

Xie Linlang’s situation, however, was a bit more troublesome. This was mainly because Song Yunzhao’s relationship with Ji Yunting was so-so at best, and she had no dealings with the Ji Family. How was this debt of gratitude to be repaid?

If the Xie family were to offer their thanks, Madam Ji would likely look down upon them. It wouldn’t do to cause offense.

The more Song Yunzhao thought about it, the more frustrated she became. She had sensed something was amiss when she saw the group heading into the mountains, so she had immediately bolted. Who would have thought that while she had escaped, the people close to her had not?

She now wondered if, by avoiding the situation, she had caused Song Yexi and the other two to take the fall for her.

’Besides, I can’t make heads or tails of it anymore. The plot has gone so far off the rails it’s unrecognizable. Is there still any kind of narrative order or constraint in this world?’

’Or was this whole incident purely a coincidence?’

’Come to think of it, that makes sense. When you get a group of troublemakers like this together, it’s not surprising at all that something would happen.’

’It probably has nothing to do with the story’s narrative order.’ The thought made her relax considerably.

She looked at Xie Linlang and said, "Lord Xiao Ji saved you this time. Regardless, you must pay him a visit to express your thanks."

Xie Linlang nodded. "That’s only right. I’ll speak to my brother and have him make the trip."

’She’d never expected that Ji Yunting would come down to save her under those circumstances. She had never liked him, and she had an even poorer opinion of him where Yun Zhao was concerned.’

’But the person she disliked had saved her. At that moment, as she slid down the mountainside, she had been scared to death, certain she was going to die right there. He was the one who had grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace. The two of them had rolled down the mountain and slammed into a rock, which was how he’d broken his arm.’

Xie Linlang was vexed to no end. She wouldn’t have been this troubled if anyone else had saved her.

But it just had to be him.

He was unkind to Yun Zhao, so she was unkind to him.

But now he was her savior. How could she not be vexed by such a messy situation?

Xie Linlang mused as she looked at Yun Zhao, "What do you think? Should I have my brother send a generous amount of silver to express our thanks?"

Everyone present was speechless.

Song Yexi said grimly, "I’m afraid Madam Ji would assume you’re using money to humiliate them and have you thrown out."

Although He Lan Yun wasn’t well-versed in such social intricacies, even she knew that throwing silver at the problem was improper. This was especially true for the Ji Family, a clan of scholars for generations, whose members possessed a pride as unyielding as plum blossoms in winter.

"Then what should we do?" Xie Linlang asked the group. This problem had truly stumped her.

Song Yexi thought for a moment, then looked at Xie Linlang and said, "Let me ask my mother when I get back. If need be, I can have her go offer our thanks in person."

Xie Linlang had no better ideas at the moment. Besides, her parents weren’t in the Capital City, and without an elder paying a visit to offer thanks, it would indeed seem insincere. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Otherwise, I could write to my parents and ask them to hurry here?"

"That could work," Song Yexi nodded. "After all, my mother can’t represent Uncle and Aunt Xie. She can go first to pave the way, and then when Uncle Xie and Aunt Xie visit later, that should certainly be sincere enough."

Song Yunzhao glanced at Song Yexi, agreeing that it was a good idea. ’Why didn’t I think of that?’ she wondered.

"I just feel bad for troubling your mother," Xie Linlang said, embarrassed. One always had to repay a debt of gratitude, but how to do so was a real headache.

If their two families were of equal standing, things would be simple. But precisely because their statuses were unequal, this debt of gratitude felt unsettling.

"We’re all family, so it’s no trouble at all," Song Yexi said with a smile. In the past, she might have actually considered it a hassle. After all, her branch of the family had no real connection with the Xie family. But things were different now. She and Linlang got along well, and because of Yun Zhao, her mother also had more interactions with the Xie siblings. As a result, she naturally saw them in a more favorable light.

A small matter like this was no longer a big deal.

"Should we tell your mother as well?" Song Yexi asked, looking up at Yun Zhao.

Yun Zhao thought for a moment and replied, "Let’s ask your mother first. This matter should depend on her wishes."

"Alright, I’ll ask my mother when I get back."

Once their discussion was finished, He Lan Yun said, "I should head back. My mother must be worried. Let’s talk again once you’ve decided on a course of action."

Song Yunzhao nodded. "You should go back and let the Princess Consort see you, so she won’t worry."

Song Yexi and Xie Linlang also took their leave; they needed to return and discuss the matter with Yexi’s mother. Song Yunzhao arranged for an escort and warned them before they departed, "No matter which family approaches you about this, blame it all on me. Don’t agree to anything."

The two of them nodded. The matter involved the Ji and Wang Families, and Huang Mingxiu had also gotten caught up in it. The Marquis Yongjia Mansion certainly wouldn’t let the matter rest.

If this incident blew up, Xie Linlang and Song Yexi would be the most vulnerable parties. He Lan Yun had a formidable reputation in the Capital City, and the Prince Zhenbei Mansion was not to be trifled with. Their Song Family, however, was a much easier target.

Song Yunzhao was right. At that very moment, Marchioness Yongjia was scolding her son and daughter.

Huang Duo had gone down the slope a bit later, so his injuries weren’t as severe as the broken limbs of Cao Jitong and Ji Yunting. Still, he had sustained a number of scratches, including one across his face. Fortunately, the wound wasn’t deep and was no cause for major concern.

Huang Mingxiu’s arm was completely bandaged. Her face was pale and listless, and her entire demeanor was deflated.

"How many times have I told you not to go out? But you insisted! And look at the mess you’ve caused! That Song Zhaoyi is not an easy person to deal with to begin with, and now two of her family members have been injured. Tell me, how are we supposed to account for this?"

Huang Duo was getting a headache from the scolding. "What’s done is done," he said, looking at his mother. "Mingxiu didn’t mean for it to happen. We just need to explain the situation properly."

"Explain properly? If things could be ’explained properly,’ your wife wouldn’t have come back to the Capital City!"

Huang Duo’s mouth twitched. "Mother, Yu Ying didn’t mean to say anything last time. She was just tricked into talking."

Marchioness Yongjia let out a cold laugh. "Intentional or not, do you think I’m blind?"

Huang Mingxiu grew unhappy as well. "Brother, what do you mean by that? I knew you’d take her side! If it weren’t for her, would I have suffered so much last time?"

Huang Duo buried his face in his hands. ’This is impossible,’ he thought. ’I can’t live like this.’