Lan Murou lowered her gaze, watching as the hostility in him gradually subsided. She spoke.
"They suffered a wrongful disaster because of me; I feel terribly sorry about it."
Tantai Ye immediately understood her meaning, but he was displeased. He held her, his silence a clear indication of his mood.
Lan Murou felt weary and had no choice but to yield.
"Let's both take a step back. I won't see that Young Master Zuo, and you will go apologize."
He apologize?
Tantai Ye was not happy. He had never apologized to anyone in his life.
But he didn't want to upset her, so he proposed a compromise.
"I will promote people from the Censorate Grand Secretariat and send precious medicinal herbs to ensure he has no scars. Would that be acceptable instead of an apology?"
Lan Murou looked at him. "You injured someone. Why shouldn't you go to express your apologies and gratitude? Is it because you have power and status that they deserve to be stabbed like that by you? Do you understand respect?"
Tantai Ye, chided by her, felt a shadow fall over his eyes. He buried his head in her embrace, holding her tightly, and said no more.
Seeing his demeanor, Lan Murou took a deep breath and said softly.
"Since you're unwilling to go, I will go to apologize."
"No."
He looked up abruptly, his eyes sharp and imposing.
"Then are you going or not?"
Tantai Ye knew her stubbornness ran deep. After a moment of stalemate, he finally relented.
"I'll go."
The Great General personally visiting the Censorate Grand Secretariat to offer his apologies astonished the Grand Censor.
What had initially seemed like a wrongful disaster, potentially offending the Tantai clan, was now being smoothed over by the General's personal visit. He claimed it was a misunderstanding, brought imperial physicians to examine the injured party, and sent many gifts. The Grand Censor hastily accompanied him, offering polite smiles. His son was foolish; out of all people, to covet someone from the Tantai clan and stir up such trouble.
However, what was happening to the Great General? Why would he come to apologize?
It was most unusual.
Tantai Ye went to see Zuo Yan. Seeing that he was not seriously injured, he issued a warning and then turned to leave.
He felt he had lost all face.
Seeing that he had truly humbled himself to visit the Censorate Grand Secretariat, Lan Murou knew he was feeling uncomfortable. So, before he returned that night, she prepared some of his favorite dishes.
When Tantai Ye arrived, he saw her in the lamplight, her profile gentle, her posture soft. In that instant, his thoughts became restless.
He strode forward, embracing her waist from behind and burying his head in her neck.
"I've lost all my dignity this time."
Lan Murou knew that born into the Tantai family and raised as a favored child with an arrogant and fierce temper, it was not easy to make him bow.
She said softly, "As long as the General doesn't harm innocent people, no one will dare to force you to bow."
Tantai Ye: "---"
Displeased.
He was profoundly displeased.
"Do you like that coward?"
Lan Murou frowned slightly. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Tantai Ye gripped her waist, forcing her to look at him, his tone sour enough to pickle vegetables.
"When we were in Gusu before, you weren't this angry when I laid hands on those two. Why are you so furious this time?"
"Does the General hear of one and then have two, but not three?"
When they were in Gusu, she had wanted to drive him away, so she had tolerated it.
But now that she accepted him, she naturally couldn't let his temper go unchecked.
If similar incidents occurred in the future, and he acted ruthlessly and injured people without discernment, how could she live her life? It would lead to conflict.
Seeing her expression, Tantai Ye, displeased, hugged her waist, lowered his head, and buried his face in her neck, sucking and nipping.
"If you marry me, no one will dare to covet you."
Lan Murou's back shivered. She suddenly recalled the people from the Tantai family, her eyes dimming slightly. She said nothing.
"You call me 'General' every day now, and I don't like it."
"Then I'll call you by your name."
Tantai Ye glanced at her, bit her lip, and said in a husky voice, "Call me 'husband'."
Lan Murou ignored him and busied herself with preparing the meal. Eventually, overwhelmed by his persistence, she put on a cold expression and refused to engage with anything he said.
Since their return, the Tantai family had sent people to invite her several times, and Madam Yuehua had even visited her personally.
Lan Murou, with her gentle and soft disposition, did not refuse elders outright, so she met them a few times but never visited the ancestral residence.
The old madam's birthday was approaching, and she had been wanting Lan Murou to stay at the ancestral residence. After all, their marriage had been announced to the world.
Even though the wedding had been canceled, the woman was already considered a bride of the Tantai family. Not attending would be an insult to the family's honor.
However, Lan Murou politely refused, unwilling even to visit the ancestral residence once. The Tantai family, seeing her lack of deference, all wore displeased expressions.
"What kind of daughter-in-law did they marry? Disrespectful of elders."
Tantai Ye was summoned back by them early in the morning. As soon as he entered the house, he heard the old madam's words, and his face immediately darkened.
"If the old madam thinks she's disrespectful, do you have the demeanor of an elder?"
The hall was filled with people.
Stung by his retort, the old madam, enraged, reached for her staff to strike him.
"For a woman, you went to such a dreadful place and almost lost your life. Have you no ambition? It's been so many days since you returned to the capital, and you haven't come to see us."
The masters and madams from other branches dared not speak.
This second master's temper was too volatile; they wouldn't dare provoke him.
Last time, for the unconscious woman, they had opened the ancestral hall, only for it to result in a mess of unsavory affairs, forcing the clan to agree to marry that woman.
With the woman's marriage settled, they didn't want to cause further trouble.
"If I don't send people to invite you, do you intend to never come see us again?"
Tantai Ye ignored her words and lounged lazily in the chair below, leaning back against the backrest.
"The wedding was canceled last time. We need to hold another wedding. Only after being properly married will it be legitimate. She will not come to the birthday banquet this time."
The old madam said sternly, "Your marriage was also announced to the world. If she refuses to come to my birthday banquet, does she want the entire capital to laugh at us?"
Tantai Ye's expression turned cold, and he said in a deep voice.
"Look at your conduct. If she came, would she be subjected to your mistreatment?"
"This is the last time I'm saying it: Lan Murou is my Tantai Ye's wife. Anyone who wrongs her is my enemy, Tantai Ye."
With that, he stood up and left, showing no respect.
"You come back here."
When the old master arrived with others, they saw him striding away, his gaze deepening.
He entered the main hall and, seeing the enraged old madam, reprimanded her.
"When the person was away, you pined for them daily. Now that they are back, you drive them away. What are you thinking?"
The old madam retorted, "Look at her conduct. You've invited her repeatedly, and she's still unwilling to come back. Should I go to her on my knees and beg her?"
The old master's expression was also not good. He said nothing and walked over to sit down.
In the silent hall, you could hear a needle drop.
The others kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their mouths, remaining silent.
After a long while, the old master spoke, "She is already married to Ye. She is the future matriarch of our Tantai clan, and in any case, she is family now."
"Take Yuehua and the madams from the other branches to her residence. Go in person. Don't expect her to serve you. Clarify the past matters and help that young lady let go of her reservations."
Upon hearing this, the old madam's face was grim, and she remained silent.