After Qiu Yan finished speaking, she turned to Qin Susu and said:

"Susu, it's getting late, it's time to set off."

"Okay." Qin Susu followed Qiu Yan to the guest room to change her clothes for the royal banquet.

Cao was grateful and gratified to hear what Qiu Yan said, but she was also sullen.

"Aunt Cao, Sister Zhu Juan can't be delayed any longer." Although Qiu Ling'er didn't want to get married so soon, she felt that Sister Zhu Juan should have gotten married long ago.

Cao silently shed tears.

"Is it easy for her to get married?" Her daughter is already in her twenties.

"Of course." Qiu Ling'er said this, but what she really meant was that she would rather have nothing than something bad.

Cao hesitated, saying, "If this were Baiyang, it would be easy to find a suitable match. But this is the imperial city."

In impoverished areas, there are many older single men who cannot find wives.

But this is Shangjin. Given their status, it would be difficult for them to find a husband unless they became concubines.

Cao would never allow her daughter to become a concubine.

Qiu Ling'er shook her head: "Aunt Cao, Sister Zhu Juan is my sister's woman. And my sister is the general's wife."

Upon hearing Qiu Ling'er's words, Cao's eyes lit up.

Yes, how could she not have thought of that?

With this connection, how could her daughter possibly have trouble finding a good family to marry into?

Her sorrow turned to joy; she quickly put down her work and stood up.

"Second Miss, I'll go ask Juan'er for her opinion."

"Go ahead." Qiu Ling'er waved to Cao Shi and stopped what she was doing.

But in the blink of an eye, Zhou Zifang, dressed in a brocade robe, suddenly appeared in front of him.

His handsome face was red from the cold, and he was constantly rubbing his hands together.

He curled his lips into a handsome smile.

"Ling'er, it's been so long! Have you missed me?"

Qiu Ling'er was slightly stunned.

"Brother Zifang, when did you arrive?" she asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I just got back yesterday." Zhou Zifang is forced to go home for the Spring Festival every year.

This year, however, I went home voluntarily.

He had just run into Qiu Yan, greeted her briefly, and asked her about Qiu Ling'er's address. Now, he had come running over to find her.

"Ling'er, it's a rare occasion to meet on New Year's Eve. Accompany your brother Zifang for a walk."

Qiu Ling'er smiled and shook her head. She glanced at the sky.

"It's too late."

"Oh, Ling'er, I just got back, are you already going to reject me?" Zhou Zifang persisted, tugging at Qiu Ling'er's sleeve.

"Let's go, I'll take you home later."

Qiu Yan watched her younger sister and Zhou Zifang leave the courtyard together, and didn't forget to call out to their retreating figures.

"Ling'er, be careful when you go out, and don't come home too late."

The younger sister went out with Zhou Zifang. This... this Zhou Zifang clearly has feelings for her younger sister.

She was somewhat worried about her younger sister.

However, Qiu Xu was more worried about her.

"Sister." Qiu Xu looked at Qiu Yan with concern.

He had been searching for his sister for a long time before they finally met.

He then glanced curiously at the figure not far away.

Strange, when did Zhou Zifang arrive this week?

Instead of looking for him, she abducted his sister.

"Ah Xu." Qiu Yan looked her younger brother over carefully. He seemed a little unhappy.

"Ah Xu, what's wrong?"

"Sister, be careful when you enter the palace tonight." Qiu Xu was somewhat uneasy because of Gu Xiaoran's matter.

His sister is pregnant.

"Don't worry, who would dare to cause trouble under His Majesty's nose?" Qiu Yan wasn't worried about that at all.

She was just worried that Xiao Ran would be forced to stay by His Majesty.