Chapter Eleven Persuasion Success

  Xu Mingjin concealed the fact that he had personally gone to see Fan Yicheng, saying instead that he had sent someone to visit him. He then exaggerated his illness and told the story again, gazing expectantly at Madame Fan.

  "Alright!" said Lady Fan after some deliberation.

  Xu Mingjin exclaimed, and then encouraged herself to say to Mrs. Fan: "Let daughter go pick him up personally?" Mrs. Fan disagreed, saying: "Let the housekeeper go, that's enough." Xu Mingjin shook her head, saying: "No way, if the housekeeper goes, he definitely won't come. Someone has to persuade him. Mother, let me go!" Xu Mingjin said confidently: "I will definitely succeed in persuading him, mother, just agree!"

  Madam Fan thought that since Fan Wei was currently recovering from his injuries at the Qi family's medicine shop, it wouldn't be a big deal for her daughter to go visit him, so she agreed.

  Xu Mingjin this is the first time openly and honorably going to see Fan Yicheng.

  Of course, sneaking a peek was just that one time.

  The horse carriage arrived at the familiar Qi's pharmacy, and Xu Mingjin rushed into the courtyard where Fan Weichen was recovering. To his surprise, he saw Fan Weichen drinking and having fun with Ze Gongzi by the stone table in the courtyard. Xu Mingjin hastily ran over, snatched the wine jug away, and ignored the two men's changing facial expressions. He scolded Fan Weichen, "Uncle, your injury hasn't fully healed yet! Although it's not serious, you still can't drink!" Then, Xu Mingjin turned to Ze Gongzi, panting, and said, "I know your injury has long since healed, but can't you consider my uncle's physical condition? He's not as robust as you. If you want to drink, there are plenty of others who can accompany you! Why did you have to get him involved?"

  Zhe Gongzi heard this and raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled. "Who is Xiao Qiang?" Xu Mingjin was stunned, she had been talking for half a day and he only caught that one phrase? This wasn't even the point! Xu Mingjin rolled her eyes and ignored him, remembering how last time in the carriage she had asked him repeatedly and he had directly ignored her. She was a vengeful woman who remembered grudges, this time she chose to ignore him. Hmph.

  Fan Yicheng gazed intently at Xu Mingjin, who was wearing a hundred-pleated moon dress and had her hair styled in an elegant high bun. Her exquisite makeup showcased her beauty without a doubt. She stood there with a wine bottle in hand, looking as if she were about to scold someone. The scene was reminiscent of his sister standing by the stone table in their courtyard many years ago, also looking so delicate and lively, taking away his wine bottle and saying a lot of words to advise him not to drink. The scenery remained the same, but people were no longer what they used to be. Fan Yicheng felt deep regret welling up in his heart - if it weren't for him, the Fan family wouldn't have fallen, his parents wouldn't have died from anger, and his beloved sister wouldn't have become someone else's concubine, not even worthy of being a wife. His niece had grown up to be so elegant and refined, like a rare orchid in a secluded valley. She was even more outstanding than her aunt. Originally, she should have been a high-ranking young lady, and the person she would marry in the future would definitely be an extraordinary individual. But now...

  Fan Yicheng deeply regretted it and unconsciously squeezed the wine glass in his hand, which shattered with a crisp sound.

  "Uncle!" Xu Mingjin exclaimed, hastily putting down the wine jug and rushing over to examine his hand. All he saw was blood gushing out, and Xu Mingjin quickly told Chun Xiang to go to the front medicine shop to call for a doctor. Chun Xiang hurried off.

  Xu Mingjin only then turned around, looking at the blood flowing from the palm of Fan Dichen's right hand, getting more and more anxious as he thought about ways to stop the bleeding. But before he could do anything, Zhe Gongzi had already quickly pressed the acupoints on Fan Dichen's hand, and the bleeding immediately stopped.

  Zhe Gongzi said calmly, "It's just a minor injury, you don't have to be so anxious." Xu Mingjin heard his words and glared at him, saying, "That's my uncle, of course I'd be anxious! If it were you, I might not even bat an eyelid!"

  Zhe Gongzi listened to her words and looked at her with a hint of a smile. Xu Mingjin shivered and couldn't help but lament in his heart: Stop using those soul-stealing eyes to look at me! Can't you see I'm surrendering? You know I have low resistance to temptation, so stop tempting me!

  Ze Gongzi still looked at her with a hint of a smile. Xu Mingjin silently greeted his elders in her heart, then calmly asked: "How much longer will you be staying in Liu City? Are your injuries all healed?" Ze Gongzi had not yet responded when Fan Yicheng said: "He's leaving today." After he finished speaking, seeing that Xu Mingjin was looking at him with a mixture of surprise and doubt, he continued to say something he hadn't originally intended to say: "He should have left long ago. It's just that he wanted to see me recover from my injuries and personally hand me over to you, so he waited until today." After saying this, he saw Xu Mingjin look even more puzzled, and somewhat embarrassedly added: "That day when you sent me here, I woke up wanting to leave, but it was him who persuaded me to stay and wait for you to come find me."

  Xu Mingjin heard this and fell silent for a long time. Fan Yicheng thought she was moved by Ze Gongzi's considerate actions, but instead saw Xu Mingjin withdraw from her silence, her first words being: "Uncle, you're actually going to leave without saying goodbye! I told Li Zhuangzhu, why didn't he tell you what I said?" Fan Yicheng's mouth twitched, his old face turned red, and his lips moved. After a long time, he stammered: "Li Zhuangzhu did tell me what you said... I... I wanted to leave on my own."

  Xu Mingjin's anger slowly dissipated. She couldn't push Fan Yicheng too hard, he still hadn't shaken off the idea that he was a sinner, and he didn't want to face his family yet. Xu Mingjin thought for a moment, trying to use a serious tone to say to Fan Yicheng: "Uncle, my mother becoming Xu Ruo Yu's concubine has nothing to do with you." After she finished speaking, she saw Fan Yicheng's embarrassed expression suddenly turn sad, and he said in pain: "If it wasn't for me ruining the Fan family, your mother... how would she have ended up as a concubine out of desperation?" Xu Mingjin spoke sternly: "If Xu Ruo Yu was a decent man, he wouldn't have heartlessly broken off the engagement, he wouldn't have married a woman from a rich and noble family in the capital for his own gain. The saying 'all men are unfaithful' is talking about people like him! My mother's misfortune was caused by him!"

  Fan Yicheng was stunned.

  Xu Mingjin's words overturned everything he had said before. For a moment, he couldn't react, and in his mind, there were two voices. One said: "No, she's wrong! My sister's misfortune was caused by me!" The other refuted: "She's right! If Xu Ruoyi hadn't been heartless and ruthless, my sister wouldn't have ended up like this!" The two voices entwined each other, his mind becoming more and more chaotic. Just when he couldn't take it anymore, he heard a clear and bright female voice say: "Uncle, you don't have time to be depressed! If you don't pull yourself together, your sister and your niece will lose their lives!"

  Fan Yicheng immediately came to his senses. He tightly grasped Xu Mingjin's hand and asked, "What's going on? Haven't you all been fine for so many years?" Xu Mingjin smiled slightly and said, "Uncle, the doctor is here, let him bandage your wound first, then I'll tell you everything in detail." Fan Yicheng urged, "It's already this late! You're still worried about such a small injury, it's nothing, hurry up and tell me what's going on!" Xu Mingjin insisted, "Uncle, you need to take care of your body, so you can protect my mother, me, and my brother!" Xu Mingjin felt a slight warmth in his heart, this is what family is like, caring about your well-being more than their own.

  Fan Yicheng listened to Xu Mingjin's words, and his previous despair once again covered up the anxiety on his face. He slowly said: "What qualifications do I have to protect you?" "No!" Xu Mingjin corrected him: "Uncle, it's not a question of whether or not you're qualified now, but who can protect me and my mother and brother - there's only one person left, and that's you!" Fan Yicheng thought about Xu Mingjin's words, and the expression on his face changed to anxiety again. Indeed, in this willow city, he was their only relative. Seeing that Fan Yicheng's expression was no longer despairing, Xu Mingjin let the doctor who had been waiting aside come forward to bandage his hand.

  On the side, Zé Gōngzǐ's expression was inexplicable. When Xú Míngjǐn unfolded his "profound education" to Fán Wèiqīn, he had not made a sound. It wasn't until he heard the three words "Xú Ruòyì" that an expression of disdain appeared on his face. That was just a bootlicker who clung to the crown prince's thigh, and yet, unexpectedly, such a sycophant could have given birth to such an intelligent daughter. Zé Gōngzǐ thought of Xú Míngxiá, the eldest daughter of Xú Ruòyì, whose reputation shook the capital city, and his expression became even more disdainful - she was just a shallow and ignorant woman. Zé Gōngzǐ believed that one day, Xú Ruòyì would discover this pearl from the ocean, and it wouldn't be too late. Then, after returning to the capital, he wouldn't have to wait long to see her again. Thinking of this, an unprecedented smile appeared on his face. He should return to the capital now; he had already delayed for many days. He really wanted to see the expressions of those people when they saw that he hadn't died and was returning alive.

  Xu Mingjin didn't notice the rare smile on Ze Gongzi's face, nor did she know when he left. It wasn't until she finished telling Fan Yicheng about Xu Ruoyi no longer sending silver, her mother's inexplicable illness and recovery, and Hong Luo secretly giving her infertility medicine that failed, that she tearfully said: "Uncle, you must pull yourself together, or we'll be harmed to death without even knowing it."

  Fan Yicheng listened to her words, and for a long time he didn't speak, but his whole body trembled slightly, his fists clenched tightly, and his teeth chattered with a "kaka" sound.

  After a long while, Fan Yicheng finally said: "Now, what should I do?"

  After hearing this, Xu Mingjin's heart finally fell back into place. She smiled slightly and slowly revealed her main purpose for coming. Fan Yicheng thought for a moment before saying, "Alright, I agree to be the manager of the embroidery shop." Xu Mingjin laughed and said, "The embroidery shop has already been acquired and is currently in the preparation stage. By the way, Uncle, how about you come up with a name for the embroidery shop?" Fan Yicheng also smiled and agreed.

  The two men settled the matter and agreed that Fan Yicheng would go to Xiuzhuang tomorrow. Only then did they realize that Ze Gongzi had already left without their knowledge, and it was only when they asked the young servant that they knew he had already set out on his journey back to Beijing. Xuming Jin let out a sigh of relief, but Fan Yicheng repeatedly said what a pity, as the two men had been drinking and chatting happily together for the past two days, and although he had known that Ze Gongzi would be leaving soon, his sudden departure without saying goodbye still left him feeling a little down.

  Xu Mingjin saw that the purpose had been achieved, so he proposed to take his leave. Fan Yicheng was reluctant to part with her, but fearing that his younger sister would worry about their daughter at home, he let her return.