If not abolished

Hu Shanxiang was very happy to learn from He Yunyue that His Majesty had returned to Beijing. She couldn't hide her smile in the carriage.

Mrs. Hu looked at her daughter's happy expression, puzzled. After hesitating for a long time, she finally asked, "Did something happy happen to you today? You are so happy. Don't you always dislike these things at banquets?"

When Hu Shanxiang heard this, she quickly suppressed her lips, coughed and covered it up, saying, "I just heard Sister He tell a few jokes."

When Mrs. Hu heard her mention the second daughter of the He family, she couldn't help but frowned: "Mother doesn't mean to criticize you, but the daughter of the He family is famous in the capital for her temper. You should spend less time with her and learn to behave like the ladies from a wealthy family."

Hu Shanxiang retorted, "Sister He is a straightforward person, unlike other people who are hypocritical. Besides, what's so good about being a lady from a wealthy family? I don't want to learn from her."

When Mrs. Hu heard her treasonous words, she said angrily, "What are you talking about? Where is this place? The capital, under the feet of the emperor. You see, the young lady of that rich family is well-behaved. Do you still think you are in Jining? I think I have indulged you too much these days. You have to learn the rules from tomorrow on. Stop pretending to be sick."

When Hu Shanxiang heard that she had to learn the rules again, she was so anxious that she almost cried: "Mother, I just said something wrong, I..."

"During this period, you should stay at home and calm down, and go out less," Mrs. Hu continued.

Hu Shanxiang was even more upset when she heard that she not only had to learn the rules but also couldn't go out. "Mother, you can't do this. I have an appointment with Sister He to go outing."

"You think about playing all day long, but it seems you still don't know what's wrong?" Just at this time, the carriage stopped.

Mrs. Hu got off the carriage and ordered, "Take the third girl to the small ancestral hall and kneel there. Do not get up without my order, and do not let anyone bring you food."

Hu Shanxiang heard her mother's instructions before she got off the carriage. She almost cried. She looked down at her knees and felt even sadder.

"Third Miss, please." The maid beside Mrs. Hu came in front of Hu Shanxiang.

Hu Shanxiang walked slowly, trying to delay a little more time, but after a while she arrived at the small ancestral hall and could only kneel on the cushion resigned to her fate.

"Stand up straight, Miss."

Hu Shanxiang immediately straightened her back.

When Hu Rong and his sons came back, they heard that their daughter/sister had been punished to kneel.

The servants could not explain the reason clearly, they only knew that as soon as the young lady and the lady got off the carriage after returning from the banquet, the lady made the third young lady kneel in the small ancestral hall as punishment.

Hu Rong came to the lady and prepared to ask about the situation.

As soon as Mrs. Hu saw her husband coming back, she stood up and ordered, "The master and the young master are back, let's prepare dinner."

Hu Rong didn't know how to ask at the moment, so after dinner, he asked, "Madam, I heard that as soon as he came back today, he was punished. What happened?"

"Even if the master didn't ask today, I still have to say it. Recently, Er has been getting more and more outrageous. Today, she even said something like, what's the point of being a lady from a wealthy family? Tell me, should she be punished? She's so old, but she just wants to go out and play every day. Having fun is fine, but since she started playing with Miss He, she has become more and more crazy and has no rules at all. Punishing her is for her own good."

"I know that Madam has her own reasons for doing things. It's just that Er is ignorant. Not to mention that Er is still young, Er has had a weak body since childhood. He has only recovered in the past two years. What will happen if he gets hurt from kneeling?"

"You're almost eleven years old. In two years, you'll have to meet someone new. You're still young and haven't learned the rules well. You'll suffer greatly in the future."

"What do you mean by getting married? How old is she? She should be at least fifteen years old." When Hu Rong heard his wife say this, he immediately retorted.

"Just spoil her, Master." Mrs. Hu said unhappily.

"Okay, Madam, what I am talking about now is the punishment of having my daughter kneel. Madam, you have the heart to let your daughter kneel like this, and you don't feel sorry for her."

"Even if you feel sorry for her, you can't indulge her to the point of lawlessness." Mrs. Hu was naturally also distressed.

"How can he be lawless? You see, he has been kneeling for such a long time and hasn't eaten yet. He must know he is wrong. If Madam wants to teach him the rules, you have to do it slowly." Hu Rong advised again.

"I have already said it, and the master asked me to go back on my word." Mrs. Hu looked at him.

Hu Rong knew that this was a concession, and immediately said, "That's impossible. Madam's words cannot be easily taken back, and it's not easy to come forward. Let Hu Xuan go."

"The master has even selected the people." Mrs. Hu said and went to the inner room.

Hu Rong immediately called Hu Xuan and asked him to go to the small ancestral hall to wake up his daughter.

When Hu Xuan arrived, he saw his sister bent over, kneeling and pounding her legs. He felt so distressed that he hurried over.

It suddenly got dark in front of Hu Shanxiang, and she looked up and said, "Second brother, why are you here?"

"Get up quickly." Hu Xuan said and pulled her up.

"Mother hasn't woken me up yet?"

"It was my mother who asked me to wake you up. Don't worry."

"Really?" Hu Shanxiang glanced behind him worriedly.

"Of course it's true. Your father pleaded for you. When has your brother ever lied to you? Let's go back and have dinner." Hu Xuan helped her out.

After hearing this, Hu Shanxiang finally felt relieved. "I thought I would have to kneel all night. Fortunately, my father cares about me."

"What did you do today? Mother rarely punishes you so severely." Hu Xuan asked.

"It's because..." Hu Shanxiang didn't know what to say. She couldn't say that she was too happy after hearing the news about that person and that triggered a series of events, right?

"Because of what..." Hu Xuan was puzzled when she mentioned the next time but didn't say it.

Hu Shanxiang immediately changed the subject: "Second brother, I heard that His Majesty is on his way back to Beijing?"

"Yeah, why are you asking this suddenly?"

"Then what..."

"Wait a minute, are you trying to get information about my colleague from me again?" Hu Xuan reacted in time this time.

Hu Shanxiang was exposed and smiled awkwardly: "How could that be? I was just asking." She thought that her second brother was not easy to deceive.

Hu Xuan also saw through it but didn't say anything. He followed her words and said, "Your Majesty is on his way back, but that person hasn't come back yet?"

"Ah, why? Didn't he go together? Why didn't he come back when His Majesty did?" Hu Shanxiang looked up and asked. She didn't see the steps while walking and almost fell down. Fortunately, Hu Xuan kept supporting her, so she didn't fall.

"Be careful and watch the steps. Do you still have any girlish modesty? You get so excited when you hear about him." Hu Xuan sighed in his heart as he looked at his sister's disappointing appearance.

"Hey, second brother, don't keep me in suspense and just tell me." Hu Shanxiang said coquettishly to her brother.

Hu Xuan always fell for this kind of talk. "Although His Majesty has returned to the capital, the Crown Prince stayed in Beijing, so he stayed with him." Hu Xuan said truthfully.

"Oh, I see." Hu Shanxiang's mood suddenly fell when she heard that he had not returned.

"I like him so much, and I'm so sad to hear that he didn't come back." Hu Xuan joked.

When Hu Shanxiang heard this, she immediately retorted: "What do you mean by liking someone? How could I? Second brother, please don't talk nonsense."

"Don't you like it this way?" Hu Xuan continued to tease.

Hu Shanxiang became even more at a loss after hearing this: "Really not, how could I like him?" She pulled her hand away from Hu Xuan and hurried away.

Seeing her like this, Hu Xuan smiled and shook his head.