Xu Di was stunned by his grandfather's wish.

After a long while, Xu Di finally found his voice and said, "Grandfather, are you talking about me? Do you know what rank I am now? I am only a seventh-rank official, which means I will be sent to an extremely remote small county. If I am lucky, I will become a county magistrate. You want me to become a prefect in a very short time. Grandfather, do you think it is appropriate for me to be twenty years old?"

Marquis Yongning looked at Xu Di with a smile and said, "Gan Luo was able to become prime minister at the age of thirteen, why can't you? Di-ge, your grandfather thinks you have the ability."

Xu Di waved his hand and said, "Grandfather, I know you have high expectations for me, after all, I am your eldest grandson, but we also have to consider the reality, right? How many prefects are there in our Great Liang? My father is one of a kind in the whole Great Liang, and it was only by chance and my father risking his life to get there. Oh, you want me to go to Dengzhou Prefecture, to be a small county magistrate, and after a few years you want me to directly become a fifth-rank prefect. Is that possible?"

Marquis Yongning was still smiling. Xu Di was really unsure what his grandfather was up to. He sighed and said, "Grandfather, I know my own worth very well. I think you need to revise the plans you made for me in the future."

The Marquis remained calm and said, "Brother Di, since I've told you, I'll definitely find a way to help you. Listen to me, I'll find someone to help you smooth things over tomorrow. Since the situation has changed, the sooner the better."

Thinking of Li Yuexi, the Marquis asked, "What are your plans, my wife?"

Without hesitation, Xu Di said, "Of course she'll go wherever I go. Since you're sending me to Dengzhou, which isn't very far, I think I should let her come with me in the carriage."

The Marquis disagreed, saying, "A woman is pregnant; how can she travel such a long distance? You might as well let your wife stay at home. With so many people at home, can't you take good care of her?"

Xu Di still insisted on his opinion, saying, "Grandfather, I'm letting Yuexi come with me to Dengzhou so that our family can be together no matter what. Since Yuexi married me, we're bound together by life and death, fortune and misfortune. Naturally, she'll go wherever I go. Before coming here, I went to see my mother, and she said that Yuexi is doing quite well. I originally thought I was going to some poor, remote place, but I've heard that Dengzhou is a very nice place. It would be even better if I took her with me."

Seeing that Xu Di insisted on his opinion, the Marquis stopped insisting and asked Xu Di to go and talk to the old lady.

The old lady had just finished dinner and was looking through a booklet while wearing her glasses. When she saw Xu Di coming over, she quickly called out to him, "Brother Di, come here. I found two gold locks, and they're the same, which is rare. You can give these gold locks to your children after your wife gives birth."

Xu Di smiled and said, "Oh my, Grandmother, you have all sorts of good things here. I thank you on behalf of my unborn children."

The old lady said with a smile, "I've saved all the good things here for you. Before I leave, I'll distribute them among you."

Xu Di quickly stopped her, saying, "Grandmother, what are you saying? Our children will need your guidance in the future. You will surely live to be a hundred years old."

The old lady waved her hand and asked Xu Di, "Did you come here at this hour because of something?"

Xu Di started by talking about the Sixth Prince, and then went on to talk about the advice Wu Muyue had given him. He then talked about the career plan that the Marquis had set for him. The old lady listened quietly. As Xu Di spoke, he observed her expression and found that she listened to him with a calm face.

After finishing her speech, the old lady sighed and said, "The court doesn't care, but the people suffer. Every time this happens, something like this always comes up. Back then, your grandfather was forced to resign and return home because the princes of the late emperor were fighting fiercely. I didn't want to get involved in these matters, so I let him return home. Since then, so many years have passed, and people outside have always thought that our Yongning Marquis's Mansion has declined."

Xu Di smiled and said, "Who said it has declined? I think it's recuperating and secretly building up its strength."

The old lady gently shook her head and said to Xu Di, "Brother Di, I am already over seventy years old. It is rare to live to seventy. I feel that living to this age is worthwhile."

Xu Di held the old lady's hand and felt that her hand was warm and dry, but there was no flesh left in it, just a layer of skin covering the bones. After all, the old lady was getting old.

The old lady smiled and said, "Di Ge'er, I'm getting old. Now when I close my eyes, I think of my childhood. I was born to my mother on the battlefield, just like Bai Ge'er. At that time, my mother was helping her younger brother resist foreign invaders. She was already six months pregnant, but she couldn't return to the capital to recuperate and prepare for childbirth. In the end, she gave birth to me on the border."

Perhaps thinking of the past, the old lady's words sounded tinged with melancholy, making Xu Di feel a pang of sadness.

Xu Di poured a cup of tea for the old lady and said, "Grandmother, please have some tea to soothe your throat. Your grandson is right here, let's talk slowly."

The old lady took a sip of tea and said, "Alright, it's rare that I want to talk about those past things today. You've just happened to be here, Di'er. Just listen to this old woman tinkering with her needle and thread basket."

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