The Slender Waist-Chapter 73 - 59 Uncle Uncle

Ao Qi arrived at the Lotus Pond Pavilion just as Ao Zheng had just finished that pot of tea and was preparing to find a privy.

Unexpectedly, Ao Qi approached and blocked his way.

"Father, I have something I need to discuss."

Ao Zheng stroked his beard and looked at him, "Good timing. Your father also has something he wants to ask you."

Ao Qi paused, "Father, please ask first."

Ao Zheng cleared his throat and gazed into the distance, asking with a thought-provoking tone.

"Your uncle, could it be that he has truly taken a fancy to Miss Feng of the Feng Family?"

Ao Qi’s body stiffened, and he looked at his father with a cold face, "Why does Father ask this question?"

"Do you think I want to ask?" Ao Zheng glared at his son discontentedly, "If it wasn’t for your mother’s repeated reminders, I would be too lazy to care about you and your uncle’s affair!"

Ao Qi pressed his lips together, "Is mother well?"

Hmph! Ao Zheng’s expression softened a bit, "At least you have some conscience in you, still thinking to ask after your mother."

He paused, then added with gravitas, "If you weren’t so stubborn, you’d have settled the marriage matter sooner, and your mother wouldn’t have to worry about you."

Ao Qi didn’t like to hear this, and his handsome face fell again.

"When does Father plan to leave Andu? Your son will see you off."

Ao Zheng frowned at his debt-collecting son and lowered his voice, "Damned brat, do you dislike your father so much? You’re rushing me out without having taken a bite to eat?"

Ao Qi raised his eyebrows, asking with a cool look in his eyes, "Father has no intention of leaving, or is he perhaps still harboring thoughts of taking Miss Feng back to Central Capital to report?"

A father knows his son best, but a son also knows his father.

Ao Zheng sighed, "I don’t know what love potion that Miss Feng gave your uncle, but no matter how I appeal to his emotions or reason with him, he insists that I am wrong."

"Father." Ao Qi said, "Your son has a perfect solution."

Ao Zheng looked at his solemn son and suddenly felt that his son had grown up, "Let’s hear it."

Ao Qi said, "Your son will take Miss Feng for himself, and the problem can easily be resolved."

Ao Zheng’s face changed abruptly, almost thinking he had heard wrong.

"You damned brat, say that again?"

"Your son has guts, your guts." Ao Qi stood erect, locking eyes fiercely with his furious father, after a long stare, he suddenly bowed his head and knelt straight down.

"Father, I wish to take Miss Feng for myself, I beg for your blessing."

Ao Zheng was nearly frightened to death.

He wanted to kick this scourge to death, but he couldn’t overpower him—

The sun was blazing; it was scorching.

He must have heard wrong, he looked up, breathed, breathed deeply, restraining his rage.

"Father!" Ao Qi kowtowed loudly, "I beg for your blessing!"

Ao Zheng rubbed his forehead, feeling dizzy, shook his head, and looked incredulously at his own son. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Fiend! Do you realize that she is your uncle’s concubine? Uncle, uncle, an uncle is like a father!"

Ao Qi’s cheeks flared with a rush of heat, "Blame only that your son was too late."

Ao Zheng gritted his teeth, the curse almost bursting from his throat, but feared being overheard.

He grabbed Ao Qi’s face with one hand, bent down, and whispered fiercely, "You scourge, retract this absurd thought immediately, right now. Once we return to Central Capital, your father will arrange your betrothal..."

"Father!" Ao Qi looked up, bravely meeting his father’s gaze, "As far as I know, Miss Feng holds no affection for my uncle. And my uncle’s attitude toward her... is even less interested."

He wasn’t clear about the place Feng Yun held in his uncle’s heart, but he could imagine that even if there was a bit of interest, it was merely lust at first sight, completely different from offering true affection.

Ao Qi nervously spoke, his own voice conveying disbelief, "My uncle’s residence has more than a dozen concubines, it won’t miss one from the Feng Family. As long as my father speaks up, my uncle will surely agree."

I’m going to die! Ao Zheng felt like a surge of blood was about to burst forth from his chest, wishing he could just faint on the spot and be done with it.

"You little calamity, what should your father say about you?"

Taking another breath to ensure no one noticed them, he continued to reprimand with a dark expression.

"Take back your thieving thoughts, do you hear? You must never mention this in front of your uncle."

Ao Zheng showed a hint of warning, his tone severe, "Your uncle is not a man of great desires. Do you think he would easily hand over a woman from the Feng Family to you after opposing the Prime Minister, the Empress Dowager, and even the civil officials of the entire court for her? What is in that head of yours?"

"Father!" Ao Qi’s eyes reddened, "How can I know without trying?"

"You... are daydreaming!"

"Father, I want her, I really do, so much."

Ao Qi kowtowed again and again, "Your son begs you. Just this once! I have never asked you for anything before. If only father is willing to ask for the Feng Family girl for me, from now on I will always heed father’s words... If father says east, I won’t say west..."

"Pah!" Ao Zheng pinched his face hard, wishing he could pinch him awake, "If you truly get the Feng Family girl, will you still listen to your father? With your dog-like nature, you’d be all too eager to wag your tail before her, where in your eyes would there be any place for your parents?"

Ao Qi: ...

"You blight, you blight!" Ao Zheng seemed to be at the peak of anger, his old face turning red, "If you dare say another word, the Ao Family will no longer acknowledge a rebellious child like you!"

Ao Qi fixed his gaze on him, staring motionlessly with a wolf-like cold glint in his eyes.

"Fine." He suddenly let out a cold laugh, turned, and leapt off the platform, walking away without looking back.

"Xiao Qi!"

"..."

Ao Zheng sighed.

-

At dusk, fire was kindled in the fields of Tianzhuang, and smoke curled up from chimneys.

Feng Yun took two Meiling boys with her to dig for lotus roots in the pond.

She did not enter the water, but felt joy watching others dig for roots, a sense of irreplaceable satisfaction.

Seeing the young lady in high spirits, Xiaoman held an umbrella over her head, while Daman fanned her non-stop with a palm leaf fan, their cheeks all rosy.

Ao Zheng ambled over with his hands behind his back, watching them for a moment before clearing his throat softly.

"Miss, what do you intend to do with it?"

In the glow of the setting sun, Feng Yun smiled, her eyes narrowing, "You will know how delicious it is once you try it later."

Ao Zheng was quite surprised, "Eating it?"

Feng Yun smiled and nodded slightly, gazing at the white and tender lotus roots in the basket, signaling the Meiling boys to get up, "That should be enough."

Ao Zheng had never imagined that something dug up from the mud could also be eaten.

"The young lady really has a profound family education."

Feng Yun smiled faintly, not wanting others to credit her knowledge to the Feng Family, patiently explained, "I learned it from ’Essential Techniques of Agriculture’ left by my mother, it’s not a great skill."

Ao Zheng stroked his beard, "That’s still remarkable. Being eager to learn is an important skill in itself."

Feng Yun said, "You flatter me, my lord. It’s just that I was so clumsy as a child that no one would play with me, so I read books out of boredom. It took a long time before I understood anything."

She had learned the art of concealing her talents and keeping her mouth shut, leaving no loopholes in her words.

Ao Zheng had no reply, "I see."

Carrying the "heartsickness" given by his son, Ao Zheng loitered around Feng Yun’s estate all day, trying to do something.

Unfortunately, in the end, he merely managed to shamelessly enjoy two delicious meals, and by the time it grew completely dark, accomplished nothing.