There were some things the Marquis didn't actually tell his sons. He had known the Emperor for decades and understood his temperament very well. The more critical the situation, the more cautious they had to be, lest the Emperor find any fault with the household. Although the Xiao family had promised the Grand Princess that they would protect her descendants, what if Emperor Liang Cheng, fearing that the Yongning Marquis's household might do something detrimental to the Crown Prince because of their gratitude for Xiao Yuan's upbringing?

Between the Crown Prince and the Yongning Marquis's residence, the Yongning Marquis knows without a doubt that the Emperor will not allow anyone who can threaten the Crown Prince. If that happens, the Emperor might break the alliance established by the Xiao family ancestors and take action against the Yongning Marquis's residence.

The affairs of the court are ever-changing. Having been immersed in them for decades, the Marquis of Yongning naturally understands that there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. The Marquis of Yongning's mansion, which has no meaning of existence, may very well become a touchstone for Emperor Liang Cheng to test Crown Prince Xiao Yuan.

This was the last thing Marquis Yongning wanted to see, and as the head of the Yongning Marquisate, he had the responsibility and obligation to prevent such a disaster from happening to his family. Therefore, he instructed his nephews and nieces to keep a close watch on their relatives, especially those from the old clan. Marquis Yongning not only wanted his heir to return and discuss this matter with the elders of the clan, but also wanted to renovate the clan's school so that more of the clan's children could study properly. After Xiao Yuan ascended the throne, it would be time for the Xu family's descendants to rise to prominence.

After Xu Rao finished speaking with Xu Quan, she returned to her own courtyard. Chen Zhaoci came back from the backyard with some medicinal herbs on her, and Xu Rao smelled her and asked, "Are you preparing to make medicine?"

Chen Zhaoci nodded and said, "I found a prescription and will make some pills for my grandmother."

Thinking of the old lady's health, Xu Rao asked, "How has Grandmother been feeling lately?"

Chen Zhaoci gently shook his head and said, "It's not very good. She is very old and her organs are failing badly. She is only keeping going with the help of medicine."

Thinking of this wise old woman, Xu Rao felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. She sighed and said, "I really hope she lives to be a hundred years old. If it weren't for this old woman, our family might have fallen apart long ago."

Chen Zhaoci washed his hands, pulled Xu Rao back to the room, and the two sat on the kang (a heated brick bed). Chen Zhaoci laid out a tea set on the kang table and said, "What happened? Tell me about it, and I'll listen and see."

Xu Rao then told Chen Zhaoci about how the Marquis had summoned his brothers to his study. Chen Zhaoci sighed softly and said, "No wonder someone once told me that politics is only dirty. I've come to understand now. These seasoned people are all about how to use others. Once they've used them, they're discarded like a cunning rabbit after it's caught. Father is right. If we restrain our clansmen and our children and don't give others a chance, we might still be able to preserve ourselves."

Xu Rao gently shook his head and said, "His Majesty is kind-hearted and would not do such a thing. I think Father is probably overthinking it."

Chen Zhaoci snorted and said, "You're always so naive. You're no longer of any use. Wouldn't it be annoying to just leave you around? Let me tell you, I'm already thinking about how to find a way out for myself. My older brother and his crew have a ship, right? I'll go back tomorrow and ask my brother to help us find a southern island when he goes out to sea. We can reserve a place first, so we won't be at a loss for where to go later."

Hearing this, Xu Rao couldn't help but laugh and said, "Look at you, your train of thought jumps around too much. I've only said a couple of sentences, and you've already brought up islands. Don't worry, I don't know about others, but as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, I'm now carrying the weight of the Ministry. I've been in the Ministry of Revenue for so many years, and I've reformed it so well that everyone who sees it praises me. I've thought about it, and so far, no one has done a better job than me. His Majesty still uses me, so he won't dismiss me."

Chen Zhaoci thought for a moment and said, "Let me tell you, back in the day, the young girls in my unit loved watching those time-travel palace dramas. They said the most cunning one was the old emperor. Before the new emperor ascended the throne, he would get rid of a few capable old ministers, and then when the new emperor took the throne, he would release those old ministers and reinstate them to their original positions. Wouldn't they then wholeheartedly help him work hard?"

Xu Rao smiled and said, "These are all made up in movies and TV dramas. Those people are just overthinking things. Let's stick to the facts. How could we not figure it out? Don't worry, our family will always be able to live a peaceful and stable life."

Chen Zhaoci felt a bit anxious, which was a sign of distrust in this era. However, she couldn't just leave like that. She couldn't help but wonder how Emperor Liang Cheng would treat the Yongning Marquis's family if he really wanted to suppress them.

Xu Rao could easily see what Chen Zhaoci was thinking, and said with a smile, "Alright, alright, don't blame me. Why am I telling you all this? Xu Di will be bringing the children back soon, and I haven't even met the little one yet. Can you help me think of a suitable gift for the child?"

The two started discussing gifts for their child's first meeting. Xu Rao thought to herself, "Isn't this what life is all about? It's not just about being calm all the time; we also need some storms to add some color to life."

Xu Zhi's bamboo paper shop has been doing quite well in recent years. Because of its fair prices, it sometimes holds special events for impoverished scholars, making it very popular in the industry. It has even opened a branch in the capital. Zhou Erzhu and his wife not only have to manage the shop in the south of the city, but also frequently visit the newly opened shop to check on sales and inspect the supply of goods. They are so busy that they have not had a moment to spare. Because of this, they have not been back to their hometown of Luzhou since their youngest son was born.

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