Sun Zhuangyuan's eyelids have been twitching in recent days.

The beating made him feel flustered.

He asked Sanyuan Gong Yang Yuanqing, "My eyelids keep twitching. Is there something wrong?"

"My left eye twitches for good fortune, my right eye twitches for disaster. I wonder which eyelid is twitching, Brother Sun?"

"Both of my eyelids are twitching all the time. There's no stopping."

"Your situation is rare, so it's hard to say. It could be a disaster or a blessing."

Sun Zhuangyuan thought that Sanyuan Gong's words were exaggerated and was very disdainful.

He found Zhou Shian again and asked, "Brother Zhou, what do you think is going on with me?"

Zhou Shian observed carefully for a moment, "Could it be that Brother Sun hasn't had enough rest recently? If I stay up late for several days in a row, my eyelids will twitch constantly too."

Sun Zhuangyuan looked doubtful and said, "I've been resting well recently."

"Forgive me for my incompetence and inability to help Brother Sun." Zhou Shi'an bowed and quickly escaped.

Sun Zhuangyuan felt uneasy, so he simply took a carriage into the city to meet Renqiu, the great charlatan.

Ren Qiu took one look and burst into laughter. "Congratulations, Mr. Sun. Congratulations, Mr. Sun."

"Where does the joy come from?"

"Good news comes from the north!" Renqiu kept it a secret.

Sun Zhuangyuan frowned and said, "Please explain it to me in detail."

Ren Qiu shook his head repeatedly. "It's hard to explain this clearly. I calculated with my fingers that within five days, good things will happen to us."

Sun Zhuangyuan became increasingly suspicious. "What good news could there be for an old man like me? Could it be that His Majesty, seeing my age and frailty, is planning to promote me to a position at court?"

Renqiu smiled without saying a word, maintaining his demeanor as a master.

Sun Zhuangyuan just thought Ren Qiu was talking nonsense and returned to Shanhe Academy to continue his life.

Unexpectedly, Renqiu was so sharp-tongued that within five days, someone from the palace came to invite him in to meet the emperor.

Sun Zhuangyuan was stunned.

"Your Majesty wishes to see me?"

"Exactly! Mr. Sun, please pack up and follow us into the palace. The carriage is waiting outside."

"Wait a moment."

Sun Zhuangyuan was a little confused, and hurriedly found Sanyuan Gong and Zhou Shi'an to ask for advice.

"Your Majesty has summoned me to the palace. What are your thoughts?"

"The prophecy of the great charlatan Ren has come true. It must be a happy event. Brother Sun, feel free to enter the palace. We are waiting to drink your wine."

"You hold no official position in the court. His Majesty's sudden invitation to you to the palace is most likely a private matter. If it's official, perhaps he wants Brother Sun to be the principal of Shanhe Academy."

"It's definitely not Brother Sun who is to be the principal. Otherwise, the people who came would be from Chang'an Palace, not Xingqing Palace."

"That makes sense. If that's the case, it must be something related to your Sun family, and it's a good thing."

"Congratulations in advance, Brother Sun."

"Brother Sun, remember to treat me to a drink."

"Is it impossible that His Majesty summoned me to the court to serve as an official?" asked Sun Zhuangyuan.

"Brother Sun, don't daydream unrealistically."

"Brother Sun, please take care and don't keep the palace eunuchs waiting for too long."

"Carry more money with you for tips."

Sanyuan Gong and Zhou Shi'an were also very worried.

…

With a nervous heart, Sun Zhuangyuan rode in a shaky carriage towards the palace.

When he arrived at the palace, he found out that his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter were all there.

The daughter-in-law and her granddaughter are visiting the Queen Mother in Chang'an Palace.

Now Sun Zhuangyuan understood everything.

Could it be that his granddaughter has caught the eye of the royal family and is going to marry the eldest prince?

So, it is indeed a happy event.

But, Your Majesty, there is no need to invite him into the palace!

It was the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. With a son and daughter-in-law around, he had nothing to do with his granddaughter's marriage.

He was just an old man, living a carefree life in Shanhe Academy.

He stopped interfering in family affairs many years ago and had already handed over the power to his eldest son.

After entering Xingqing Palace, Emperor Liu Zhao was very polite and asked him to take a seat.

They exchanged pleasantries first, then talked about Shanhe Academy and then the Sun family.

I thought it was just a casual chat, but unexpectedly, Emperor Liu Zhao's questions about the Sun family became more and more sharp, catching Sun Zhuangyuan off guard and almost unable to cope.

This attitude doesn't seem like an attitude of wanting to get married, but rather one of settling scores after the event.

Sun Zhuangyuan was very confused and couldn't figure out what Emperor Liu Zhao was trying to do.

"I have high hopes for the eldest prince, so his marriage is naturally a top priority."

"Your Majesty's fatherly heart is touching." Sun Zhuangyuan bowed slightly.

Liu Zhao pretended to be casual and asked, "I have a question for you, Mr. Sun. What should you do if your wife's family is a burden?"

Sun Zhuangyuan's heart skipped a beat and his eyes became dazed.

"I don't understand what Your Majesty means."

Liu Zhao smiled, "I heard that your third house and the first house have always been at odds."

"No, those are just rumors." Sun Zhuangyuan denied it repeatedly.

Internal family conflicts should be resolved within the family. They should never be discussed in public, let alone revealed to the emperor.

Liu Zhao smiled and said, "Are you, the Third House, willing to be suppressed by the First House?"

Sun Zhuangyuan hurriedly said, "The Sun family has its own family rules to govern everyone. There is no such thing as one person dominating another. Your Majesty, please do not take these rumors seriously."

Liu Zhao laughed heartily. "I know you have concerns, sir. I won't make things difficult for you. But I hope you will think carefully about what I said today after you return."

Sun Zhuangyuan left Xingqing Palace in a daze.

There was no mention of the granddaughter's marriage, but instead the internal conflicts within the Sun family were repeatedly brought up.

He frowned, wondering what His Majesty meant.

When I reunited with my son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter, we were all confused when we talked to each other.

The daughter-in-law, Mrs. Bai, said, "The Empress was very pleased with Xiao Qi and said a lot of good things."

Sun Zhuangyuan asked his granddaughter, "What did the queen say to you?"

Sun Qiniang pondered for a moment. "At first, they were just some common questions, like what books my granddaughter reads and what she does for fun. Towards the end of the conversation, the Empress suddenly asked my granddaughter what she thinks of aristocratic families."

Sun Zhuangyuan asked nervously, "How did you answer?"

Sun Qiniang lowered her head slightly. "I wanted to get away with it, saying I was young and inexperienced, and had no opinion of aristocratic families. However, the queen pressed me, asking what the advantages and disadvantages of living in a large family, with all the clan members living together, were. Did you have any conflicts with the sisters in the clan on a daily basis? I had no choice but to answer as best I could."

"Tell me, how do you answer?"

"My granddaughter said that the advantage of living in a large family is that she can get support and protection from the family, and she doesn't have to worry about anything. The disadvantage is that the family rules are quite strict, and her words and actions must be in accordance with rules. She occasionally quarrels with the sisters in the family, but it's not a conflict."

"Father, is there any deep meaning behind the questions the Queen asked Xiaoqi?" asked Sun Minrong, the eldest son of the third branch of the Sun family.

Sun Zhuangyuan stroked his beard, "The questions your majesty asks are naturally profound. By the way, does your majesty have any idea about Xiaoqi's marriage?"

Hearing this, Sun Qinniang quickly lowered her head, her ears slightly red.

Sun's eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Bai, hurriedly said, "They didn't say it directly, but their words hinted at their intention to marry Xiao Qi to the eldest prince."

"Father, is this marriage risky? Or is it that the Emperor and Empress are not satisfied with Xiaoqi?" Sun Minrong asked carefully.

Sun Zhuangyuan sighed, "This marriage is more than just risky, it's practically life-threatening. I hope I'm wrong."

"Why did father say this marriage would be fatal?"

Sun Zhuangyuan shook his head and didn't want to say more.

"When you enter the palace today, don't tell anyone. If the clan asks, just make up an excuse. As long as the marriage is not arranged, just pretend it never happened."

"Father, don't you want Xiaoqi to marry the eldest prince?" Sun Minrong asked.

Sun Qiniang also became nervous when she heard this. She couldn't tell whether she wanted to marry the eldest prince or not.

Sun Zhuangyuan looked at his granddaughter.

Among so many granddaughters, Sun Qinniang is the most outstanding one.

I have to say that His Royal Highness the First Prince has a good eye and picked out the best girl in the Sun family at first sight.

But His Majesty and the Queen seem to have greater intentions for this marriage.

Tried to interfere in the internal affairs of the Sun family by marrying into the family.

Could he refuse?

Sun Zhuangyuan said, "Don't worry about Xiaoqi's marriage. Let's see what the palace says first. If the palace doesn't approve the marriage in a month, we can then find another suitable match for Xiaoqi."

"Can it be settled in a month?"

There are many trivial matters involved in choosing a wife for a prince, and half a year or a year is not considered a long time.

Sun Zhuangyuan said firmly, "If I say one month, it means one month. Also, you should pay more attention to the developments in the eldest house recently."

He reminded his eldest son Sun Minrong not to just focus on Xiaoqi's marriage, but also to pay more attention to matters within the clan.

Sun Minrong nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Sun Zhuangyuan then reminded his granddaughter, "Don't feel burdened. Marrying into the royal family may not be a good thing."

"Grandfather's teachings, your granddaughter will remember them in her heart. Your granddaughter also knows that being the prince's wife is not easy."

"He is not only a prince, but also the eldest prince. Do you understand the significance of this?" Sun Zhuangyuan asked solemnly.

Sun Qiniang nodded slightly and said carefully, "My granddaughter can imagine that this is quite important. That position is both a blessing and a curse."

"I'm relieved that you think this way. Be more relaxed. You're a daughter of the Sun family. If you can't marry a prince, you still have plenty of options."

Sun Qiniang smiled and agreed, "Granddaughter listens to grandfather."

After leaving the palace and reaching the street, Sun Zhuangyuan said goodbye to his eldest son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter, and took a carriage directly back to Shanhe Academy.

Sun Zhuangyuan would only return to the Sun family during the annual ancestor worship ceremony.

At other times, he lived in Shanhe Academy and would not go back even during the Chinese New Year.

When he returned to Shanhe Academy, Sanyuan Gong and Zhou Shi'an asked him to treat them to drinks.

He smiled bitterly again and again.

"It's said to be a happy occasion, but in my opinion, it's like being roasted on a fire."

"Brother Sun, if you have any troubles, why not tell us and we will give you some advice."

Sun Zhuangyuan sighed repeatedly, not hiding anything, "His Majesty and the Empress intend to marry my daughter Xiaoqi to His Highness the First Prince. However, the Emperor and Empress seem very worried that the Sun family will take advantage of this opportunity to become powerful and threaten His Highness the First Prince."

Hearing this, Sanyuan Gong smiled. He pointed at Zhou Shian and said, "Fortunately, Brother Zhou doesn't have a granddaughter."

Zhou Shian laughed heartily, "Congratulations, Brother Yang, you don't have a granddaughter either. What a blessing!"

Sun Zhuangyuan was angry.

gloat!

This is naked gloating!