Perhaps because of the many times they had parted ways and the fact that the children had all grown up, Yan Qingqing did not feel the sadness of parting.

After a few words, Yan Qingqing called Xiao Mochen into her room alone and handed him the painting he had drawn last time.

After taking the painting, Xiao Mochen examined it carefully. The child in the painting looked strangely familiar.

Yan Qingqing asked, "Mo Chen, does this child look familiar to you?"

Xiao Mochen nodded, but for a moment he couldn't remember where he had seen it before.

So she said, "Auntie, you look familiar, but I really can't remember where I've seen you before."

Yan Qingqing reminded him, "Do you think he looks like the First Prince?"

Although Xiao Mochen and Xiao Moyan are brothers, they were considered to be on good terms with each other when Empress Pei was alive.

They've fallen out in the last two years and haven't had much contact since.

Therefore, Xiao Mochen was not really clear about what was going on in Xiao Moyan's backyard.

After Yan Qingqing's reminder, Xiao Mochen remembered something.

Xiao Moyan had a particularly favored concubine who gave birth to a son before the Crown Prince's wife was married into the family.

Judging from the timeline, the child was probably four or five years old.

However, Xiao Mochen heard some time ago that the child had died.

Since this was a matter concerning the Crown Prince's harem, Xiao Mochen didn't pay much attention to it.

Now, upon closer inspection, the child in the painting does bear a striking resemblance to that child, about seven or eight points.

Xiao Mochen then told Yan Qingqing what he knew, and then asked, "Aunt, isn't this child gone? How do you have his portrait?"

Yan Qingqing told Xiao Mochen that the child was still alive, and also told him about the case in Chengyang County.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Mochen keenly sensed something was amiss and frowned, saying, "What exactly is Xiao Moyan trying to do? Why did he send his own son away and stage such a fake death?"

Yan Qingqing shook her head and said, "I'm not too sure about that, but I imagine they have some big plans."

You could send someone to infiltrate the Crown Prince's backyard; you might get some useful information.

Moreover, it's not even certain whether this is the eldest prince's child; you'd better send someone to investigate thoroughly."

Xiao Mochen was still young, and he didn't quite understand how much influence the inner quarters had on a man, so he never thought of starting from that direction.

Now, thanks to Yan Qingqing's reminder, Xiao Mochen had a new idea.

To deal with someone like the eldest prince, you have to use every means possible.

Xiao Mochen thought for a moment and said, "I have already sent a message to Lin Ning'er by carrier pigeon. She will be coming to the capital soon. Let her make arrangements for this matter while she is at it. I also want to see her abilities and whether she is worth my help."

Yan Qingqing nodded and said nothing more. She had done what she could to help Lin Ning'er; as for whether she could take revenge in the future, that was up to her own abilities.

By the end of January, the Han family had finally entered Beijing.

Han Yu bought a two-courtyard house in the capital as his residence. Although it was not large, the Han family had few members, so it was spacious enough for them to live in.

Han Yu learned that his parents were going to Beijing and specially asked for leave from the Hanlin Academy.

As soon as Madam Han saw Han Yu, she hugged him and looked him over carefully. Then she said proudly, "My son has indeed made something of himself. He is the top scholar in the imperial examination. Only one such scholar appears every three years in the entire Great Yan Dynasty."

Your father and I have already informed our ancestors and Heaven and Earth. We originally intended to repair the ancestral hall, but upon hearing that the Emperor had bestowed a marriage upon us, we rushed to the capital.

"Tell your mother quickly, why did the Emperor suddenly bestow a marriage upon the second daughter of the Li family?"

Seeing that Madam Han was agitated, Han Yu invited the two of them into the house and explained what had happened in detail.

Mr. and Mrs. Han were deeply moved by what they heard; they never expected that their son would find a wife after being hit by something.

Their family had been asked to marry into the Li family before, but unexpectedly, after many twists and turns, they still ended up marrying a girl from the Li family.

Of course, Madam Han was also very satisfied with the Li family. Not to mention that Yan Qingqing was a second-rank imperial consort, Madam Mingzhao's four sons were all successful.

Madam Han had also met Li Yueniang before. Although she was still young, she was lively and clever, and also very beautiful.

But the only thing that worried her was the Li family's family rules.

In Chengyang County, almost everyone knows the Li family's rules: a man can only take a concubine if he is forty years old and has no son.

Both the son and son-in-law of the Li family must abide by this rule.

To be honest, Madam Han envied this family rule, but in this era, which rich and powerful man didn't have three wives and four concubines?

Even Han's father, a good man who always obeyed her and was praised by everyone, had two concubines.

Not to mention that Han Yu has a very promising future.

Mr. and Mrs. Han exchanged glances, and finally Mrs. Han spoke up: "Yu'er, your mother knows that we are marrying above our station with Madam Mingzhao's family in this marriage."

But you are also a top scorer in the imperial examination, so your future is undoubtedly bright.

You should be familiar with the Li family's rules, and you should know even better what kind of person Lady Mingzhao is.

As soon as her mother arrived in the capital, she heard that she had smashed up the Wu family's property and even threatened to divorce her husband on her behalf.

If you dare to take a concubine in the future, I'm afraid Lady Mingzhao will not let you off easily.

Our Han family has had only one son per generation for three generations.

If you don't truly love Yue Niang, then...

Before Madam Han could finish speaking, Han Yu interrupted her: "Mother, I truly love Yue Niang. I obtained this marriage by taking advantage of the situation and asking the Emperor for it. Otherwise, given Aunt's temper, she certainly wouldn't have let Yue Niang marry me so easily."

Moreover, a son doesn't need multiple wives and concubines; having one soulmate to accompany him in this life is enough.

As for having children, it depends on fate. If it's meant to be, it will be; if it's not, don't force it.

Besides, our family has no throne to inherit.

Upon hearing this, Han's father glared at Han Yu and said, "You're becoming more and more unreliable as you grow up. How can you say such things so casually?"

If someone with ulterior motives overheard this, they might just report you to the authorities.

Han Yu was just using an analogy. Hearing his father say that, he couldn't help but want to stick out his tongue, but he managed to hold it back halfway through.

How did he unconsciously learn that action? It must have been because of that girl Yue Niang.

Thinking of this, Han Yu couldn't help but laugh out loud.

When Han's parents saw their usually steady son become so dazed and foolish, they sighed inwardly and thought, "Fine, if they don't want to take a concubine, they don't have to. As long as the Li family doesn't mind, that's fine."

Han's parents rested for only one day before taking Han Yu to visit the Mingzhao Prefecture.

When they saw the magnificent gate of Mingzhao Mansion, they were even more astonished.

This is much bigger than their two-courtyard house. There are two majestic stone lions on both sides of the gate, and even the threshold stone at the gate is made of white marble.

Since being betrothed by the Emperor, Han Yu frequently visited the Mingzhao Mansion. As a result, all the servants in the Mingzhao Mansion knew him and privately called him Second Son-in-Law.

However, Han Yu was accompanied by a middle-aged couple today. After the gatekeeper found out their identities, he quickly sent someone to report to Yan Qingqing.

When Yan Qingqing heard that Han Yu and his parents had arrived, she put down what she was doing and came out to greet them personally, to show how much she valued Han Yu.