The Slender Waist-Chapter 330 - 232: Kneeling Down to Refuse Marriage

Chapter 330: Chapter 232: Kneeling Down to Refuse Marriage

In the thick night fog, the lights of Mingbo Pavilion were bright.

Ever since Ao Qi was promoted to lead the Red Armor Army as a General, he had been living here.

Before Pei Jue arrived, Ao Qi had already been kneeling under the chilling eaves for a full hour, and all the servants, guards, and attendants of the mansion had withdrawn to the outer courtyard.

Ao Zheng, regardless of his dignity, kept complaining to Pei Jue.

"I’ve spoken and scolded, and I’ve explained all the reasoning, but he won’t listen and insists on cancelling the engagement."

Ao Zheng was so angry that his hair was nearly turning white.

"When we were married back then, where was the possibility to choose? It was simply the command of our parents and the arrangement of the matchmakers. Whatever our parents said to marry, we would marry, without the younger generation having a say in the matter."

Ao Qi knelt on the ground, his back straight as a rod.

He didn’t look at Ao Zheng but turned his gaze to the silently seated Pei Jue.

"Uncle, did you hear that? My father harbours great resentment toward marrying my mother back then..."

"You..." Ao Zheng’s mouth twitched twice, and his eyes almost burst out with sparks, "You little bastard, I don’t see you doing anything else well, but you’re quite skilled at stirring up trouble."

Ao Qi said in a muffled voice, "Otherwise, why would you take a concubine?"

Ao Zheng’s face turned red, and with a loud slap, he hit the table.

The force was so great that the beams of the house seemed to tremble.

"You’re still not obedient after kneeling, right? Are you itching for punishment, insisting on me enforcing family discipline, and getting the paddle?"

Ao Qi had been spoiled by his family since he was little; memories of being beaten would have to be traced back to his childhood.

Such spoiled children, with a formidable mother in the family, were not so afraid of their father.

"Then go ahead. Beat me to death; please do. By disappointing my mother, you’d feel satisfied."

Touching the sore spot!

This damn kid really wanted to anger him to death.

Ao Zheng felt his blood surging in revolt.

Pointing at Ao Qi, his mouth was skewed with anger.

"Uncle, won’t you speak to him?"

Under the moonlight, Pei Jue’s lips were tightly pursed, coldly observing the confrontation between father and son, his eyes dark and inscrutable, keeping his thoughts hidden.

After a moment of silence, he said, "You go out first."

It took Ao Zheng a good while to realize that he was being told to leave.

"Fine." He slowly stood up, pointed at Ao Qi, and snorted heavily.

"You’d better lecture this brat properly; he doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation. He thinks just because he became some General, his wings are hard, and he can ignore the family. Isn’t marriage a serious matter? Can he simply choose not to marry if he doesn’t want to?"

Ao Qi looked up, his eyes fiercely meeting his father’s.

"Father, you’re asking Uncle to talk to me, but it seems you’ve asked the wrong person."

Ao Zheng was about to scold him when he heard him continue:

"I’ve learned it all from Uncle."

Ao Zheng’s heart convulsed with frustration.

If one could die from anger, he would’ve been killed by this unfilial son long ago.

But upon further reflection, he wasn’t wrong.

Pei Jue’s marriage in Bingzhou was indeed absurd.

The old father of the Pei Family was maimed, not dead. How could one marry without informing their living father?

Yet, when his father-in-law learned of this, he said nothing.

This time, knowing that he was coming to Xinzhou, he even sent a special gift list, saying it was prepared for his son’s wedding...

The young are foolish, and so are the old.

In Ao Zheng’s eyes, the relationship between the Pei Family father and son had always been strange; they seemed distant on ordinary days, even less close than his own rogue son was to him. But when it came to making plans for each other, they were unequivocally clear.

He couldn’t tell whether this was good or bad, but in any case, his father-in-law had acknowledged Feng Shi Er Niang as a daughter-in-law.

That should have put an end to the hopes of this family rogue.

An immediate aunt by marriage.

How could he dare be so presumptuous?

Ao Zheng tried arguing, but the more he tried, the more determined his son became.

Not mentioning Feng Shi Er Niang by half a word, nor admitting it was because of her, but he just refused to marry.

The Cui Family’s daughter won’t do, what about exchanging for someone else?

No. He would marry none.

Ao Zheng sighed deeply and left.

Pei Jue looked at Ao Qi, who remained stubbornly kneeling on the ground, and after a long while, he finally spoke.

"Why do you refuse to marry?"

Ao Qi’s neck stiffened.

"I don’t wish to marry someone I don’t want to, so I won’t."

Pei Jue said coldly, "I remember when you left the Central Capital, this marriage was already settled."

"No," Ao Qi lifted his head, "it was only being discussed at that time."

"You didn’t object."

"I am objecting now," Ao Qi’s pitch-black eyes met Pei Jue’s, his voice firm but lacking the vigor he had against Ao Zheng; after all, the matter of Feng Yun was not so honorable a thing.

"Uncle, could you speak to my father on my behalf, please?"

Pei Jue looked down emotionlessly, drinking his tea.

Ao Qi’s eyes reddened, "I’m still young and don’t wish to marry so soon. I want to be like you, Uncle, to first establish a career and merit, then talk about starting a family."

Seeing him speak with such an air of righteousness, Pei Jue put down his tea cup.

"You’re refusing the marriage just because you’re young?"

Ao Qi felt a bit uneasy inside, but defiantly retorted.

"I thought Uncle would be on my side, would have sympathy for me."

Pei Jue said nothing, just stared at him.

Ao Qi continued, "If Grandfather refused to let you marry Feng Shi’er Niang and forced you to marry some noble lady from Central Capital, just for a proper match to expand the family lineage, would you agree to spend your life with a woman you don’t know, to become husband and wife?"

Pei Jue still showed no emotion.

"Uncle..."

Ao Qi’s voice grew softer and softer.

He knew Pei Jue could guess something.

"I just don’t want to marry, that’s all."

"Xiaoqi," Pei Jue’s voice grew heavier, "I won’t interfere with your marriage. But there’s one thing..."

He paused, a few glimmers of cold light spilling from his eyes.

"You must show respect to your aunt. If I ever learn that you have disrespected her..."

He slowly stood up and walked over to Ao Qi, looking down on him from above.

"I will send you back to Central Capital early, to get married and have children."

He used the words ’disrespect’ with considerable restraint and endurance.

Without stating that Ao Qi coveted his aunt or harbored improper thoughts, Pei Jue made Ao Qi’s cheeks burn with shame.

"Uncle... I was wrong."

Ao Qi hung his head and bowed deeply.

"I should not have loved Feng Shi’er Niang. I am a beast. Whatever punishment you think fit, Uncle, it doesn’t matter..."

He lifted his head slightly, gazing at Pei Jue.

"Uncle, have you ever had moments in life when you couldn’t control your feelings? Unable to restrain yourself, unable to forget. This love might seem perverse and shameful in the eyes of others, but I just like her. I liked her even before Uncle did. What’s wrong with that? I don’t want to feel this way, but I can’t help it; I just miss her, miss her, miss her..."

Pei Jue’s expression darkened, and he kicked at Ao Qi.

Ao Qi didn’t dodge and took the kick, falling to his knees and slowly lifting his head.

"Uncle, you knew all along, didn’t you?"

He looked up at the tall figure above him, the elder he had respected since childhood. It seemed to take all his strength just to laugh once.

"The guilt I bear is the love that Uncle has given me. Knowing that I harbored fanciful and foolish hopes, you still let me stay by her side. With your confidence and generosity, I, a callow youth, cannot compare..."

Kneeling down, Ao Qi continued tremulously:

"This is why my family is pressing for me to marry quickly. They think if I marry Cui Si Niang, I will settle down, but Uncle knows that when you like someone, you just do. How could marrying another stop these feelings? The unattainable only becomes more fervent..."

Pei Jue remained silent, gazing at him quietly.

After a deathly silence, Ao Qi slowly exhaled.

"Until yesterday, that’s what I thought too. What does it matter whom I marry? As long as I get married, you’ll all be relieved. Everyone will be happy, so why not? But yesterday, when I saw her in Mingquan Town, when I saw her standing alone against her clan, I suddenly changed my mind."

"Uncle, my life is also a life. I may not have what I love, but I should not settle..."

His voice caught in his throat, and his eyes reddened.

"To force myself and to harm Madam Cui would be despicable."

He lowered his head again.

"Feng Yun doesn’t like me. I won’t disturb you. May I just stay alone? Don’t force me to be with someone I don’t love. It won’t console me, but only deepen my pain..."

He looked at Pei Jue, his lips twitching slightly.

It was as if he were still that little boy who used to run behind Uncle.

"To not have the one I love is punishment enough, Uncle. I have only this small request. Please grant me this favor..."

He prostrated himself, his forehead touching the ground, staying bowed for a long time.

Pei Jue remained silent, standing in the wind for a moment before slowly bending down to grasp Ao Qi’s shoulders.

"Get up."

Ao Qi, having kneeled for so long, had numb legs and almost fell as he stood, then knelt down again.

Pei Jue frowned and forcefully pulled him up, looking at him coldly.

"Kneeling on the ground refusing marriage, and you still wish to be a man?"

Ao Qi was stunned, then, realizing what Uncle meant, his gaze filled with joy, "Thank you, Uncle!"

Pei Jue said, "Come with me to the drill ground."

With that, he walked ahead, leaving Ao Qi behind.

Ao Qi staggered to his feet and followed, his legs still numb.

"Uncle, why go to the drill ground at this hour?"

Without looking back, Pei Jue replied, "If you can defeat me, I will help you persuade your parents."

Ao Qi: ...

In the shadow of the corridor, Ao Zheng stood in a disconsolate stance.

Watching his son limp after Pei Jue, his old eyes reddened.

Everyone has had their youthful times...

Fine horses and fierce spirits, reckless in one’s youth.

But there comes a day when they grow up, and those passionate, absurd, laughable affections are washed away by time, leaving no trace.

If it weren’t for his foolish son falling for Feng Shi’er Niang, if it were any other woman, no matter what her status, he would have fought with the boy’s mother to fulfill his wishes...

Alas!

What a pity.