The new emperor had a good nose and smelled a strong stench of blood as soon as he entered the courtyard. He couldn't help but suspect that Shen Zhongyi was trying to gain sympathy: "Didn't your injuries get treated? Why is there still such a strong smell of blood?"

With tears in his eyes, Shen Zhongyi explained, "Your Majesty, it had already been dealt with, but just now, when I wanted to hold my granddaughter, I accidentally..."

The new emperor suddenly realized, and glanced at the little bald boy kneeling beside him: "Is this your granddaughter?"

"Yes." Shen Zhongyi, fearing the new emperor would blame his granddaughter, quickly added, "The child is too young and doesn't know I'm injured. I was just too happy and got carried away..."

The new emperor gave Shen Zhongyi a deep look: This Duke of Wei really spoils his family to the core!

The new emperor then waved his hand, not taking it to heart.

Only then, under Zhao Yuzhu's arrangement, did the imperial physician rush over to treat the wound.

After the wounds were treated, the new emperor, Shen Zhongyi, and Qi Yunxiao went back inside and whispered to each other for a while.

When they came out again, the footprints of the new emperor when he came in had been buried by snow again.

The new emperor looked up at the sky, then at the footprints buried by the new snow, nodded in satisfaction, and stepped into the swirling snow.

In the dead of winter, the Duke of Wei and his family braved the heavy snow and quietly left the capital for Shenjia Village.

The Duke of Wei's mansion closed its gates once again.

No one understood: even if he didn't become the commander of the Jingxi Army, even if he didn't regain control of the Shen family army, there was no need to leave at this time, right?

Can't we stay in Beijing for the Chinese New Year?

After all, the Duke of Wei is still injured!

Inside the carriage, Qi Yunxiao told Shen Qingyu very seriously, "No."

In the depths of winter, as the Lunar New Year approaches, families are busy discussing marriage, building relationships, and exchanging New Year's gifts...

It's a time when everyone is visiting each other.

During this sensitive period, it would be inappropriate for the Duke of Wei not to make any moves; but to make moves? Even more inappropriate!

To avoid arousing the new emperor's suspicion, it's best to leave as soon as possible.

After all, once they arrived at Shenjia Village, no matter how much they interacted, it wouldn't arouse the new emperor's suspicion.

Shen Zhongyi was injured, so he lay down.

Since they weren't short of money, Shen Zhongyi and Zhao Yuzhu rode in the same car, which made it convenient for Zhao Yuzhu to take care of him.

The three little ones shared a car with Qi Yunxiao and Shen Qingyu.

The bald-headed mad Taoist was too embarrassed to run around with his bald head, so he went back to Shenjia Village with Shen Qingyu and Qi Yunxiao's family for the New Year.

The group braved the wind and snow to travel, and when they arrived at Shenjia Village, there were only seven days left until the New Year!

It also snowed in Shenjia Village, but the snowfall was not as heavy as in the north, and the temperature was not as low.

However, the cold in the south is different from that in the north.

In Beijing, every household has installed underfloor heating, so as long as you stay indoors, it's really not cold in winter.

But it's different in the South; it's just as cold inside as outside.

This made Shen Qingyu, who was used to using an electric heater for warmth, very uncomfortable, and she wished she could stay curled up in bed and not get up.

Not to mention that the Shen Zhongyi couple's economic conditions have improved in recent years, and their entire house now has underfloor heating.

So on their first day in Shenjia Village, everyone stayed indoors by the fire and didn't dare to go out much.

Qi Yunxiao made full use of the advantage of having many people, and following Shen Qingyu's description, he had the carpenter make two huge fire cabinets in just one day!

The firebox was about two meters square, with a charcoal brazier in the center covered with a thick blanket. Everyone sat inside the firebox, their lower bodies feeling warm and cozy, and they were no longer cold at all.

There's just one downside: you can't leave the firebox. If you do, you'll feel so cold it's like you're not wearing any pants.

Fortunately, Zhao Yuzhu knew how to have fun, and she invited Shen Qingyu and the others to sit in the huge fire cabinet and start playing cards.

Qi Yunxiao doesn't know how, that's okay, Zhao Yuzhu will teach him.

Shen Zhongyi's card skills are not good, it doesn't matter, he has money to lose anyway.

So the two women wreaked havoc, and the two men readily paid up.

Although Qi Yunxiao was a newcomer, he mastered the technique in just two hours and began to turn the tide of battle.

Shen Zhongyi, who had been calmly accepting his losses, gradually realized that he had actually lost to three opponents!

He got impatient and glared at Qi Yunxiao: "How exactly did you fight, kid?"

Qi Yunxiao looked completely innocent: "That's how I fought!"

"Then how come you always win?"

"I'm lucky." Qi Yunxiao chuckled.

After losing a few more hands, Shen Zhongyi excused himself to go to the restroom, paused the game, and looked at Qi Yunxiao: "Aren't you going?"

Qi Yunxiao said, bewildered, "I don't want to go to the toilet."

Shen Zhongyi grabbed Qi Yunxiao's arm, his face serious: "No! You want to!"

Qi Yunxiao: "!!!"

He looked at Shen Zhongyi's rapidly blinking eyes and finally realized: his father-in-law had something to say to him.

So Qi Yunxiao obediently followed Shen Zhongyi out of the house.

It was too cold outside, and as the two walked toward the outhouse, Shen Zhongyi huddled up in a ball, freezing.

When they reached the vicinity of the outhouse, Shen Zhongyi stopped in his tracks: "What's wrong with you? How come you keep winning my money? You were playing quite well at the beginning?"

Qi Yunxiao blinked and pretended to be stupid: "I wasn't very familiar with it at first, but after I got used to it, I gradually stopped losing."

Shen Zhongyi glared at him: "Are you deliberately pretending to be weak?"

Qi Yunxiao was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant: "Father-in-law, are you pretending to be weak on purpose? Are you deliberately trying to lose to my mother-in-law and wife?"

Shen Zhongyi gave him a look that said, "You finally understand!" and said, "That's right! So you have to come with me!"

Qi Yunxiao asked blankly, "Why?"

"Of course, we want to make them, mother and daughter, happy!"

Qi Yunxiao recalled for a moment: "They seem quite happy now, don't they?"

Shen Zhongyi glared at Qi Yunxiao: "You bastard, can't you understand me?"

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