As soon as they entered the palace, the Empress Dowager received the news and was waiting in the Cining Palace. Seeing Jiang Yan and his family enter the palace, the Empress Dowager's face immediately broke into a joyful smile. She stepped forward and hugged Nianli and Siyan in her arms, her eyes full of love: "My dear children, you missed me so much." Nianli and Siyan also affectionately called out "Grandma Empress Dowager", and the crisp sound made the Empress Dowager smile from ear to ear.
Jiang Yan and Su Jinli hurriedly bowed and said, "Hello, Queen Mother. It's been a long time since we last met. How is your health?" The Queen Mother looked at them, nodded slightly, and said, "Everything is fine with me. I just missed you. I'm glad you're back this time. Don't run around anymore."
The Emperor said, "Mother, Jiang Yan and his family left the capital without permission this time and should be severely punished. But considering that they did it for the children and didn't cause any major trouble in Jiangnan, I will not pursue the matter further." The Empress Dowager glanced at the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty is right. The children are still young, and Jiang Yan and his family are also very considerate. But from now on, everyone must behave well and avoid any further trouble."
Jiang Yan and Su Jinli thanked the Empress Dowager again. The Empress Dowager took Nianli and Siyan's hands and led them into the Cining Palace. After dinner, they spent some time with the Empress Dowager. She inquired about their lives in Jiangnan, and Jiang Yan and Su Jinli answered each question. The Empress Dowager listened, sometimes nodding, sometimes smiling with satisfaction.
At night, Jiang Yan and his family were arranged to rest in the palace. Lying on the familiar yet unfamiliar bed, Su Jinli tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Jiang Yan noticed her movements and asked softly, "What's wrong? Are you still worried?" Su Jinli sighed and said, "Well, I always feel that things won't be so easy. Although the emperor and the queen mother seem very kind now, I still feel uneasy."
Jiang Yan hugged Su Jinli in his arms and said, "Don't think too much, go to sleep first. Let's accept it. No matter what happens, we will face it together." With Jiang Yan's comfort, Su Jinli slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.
However, Jiang Yan couldn't fall asleep for a long time. Gazing at the moonlight outside the window, he pondered the future. While his return to the palace had temporarily resolved Nianli's child bride crisis, the situation within the palace was complex, and no one knew what would happen tomorrow. He secretly resolved to protect his family and prevent them from coming to any harm.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows into the room. Jiang Yan and Su Jinli woke up early and took Nianli and Siyan to pay their respects to the Queen Mother. Seeing them, the Queen Mother smiled and said, "You're here. Take a good stroll around the palace today and keep me company."
So, Jiang Yan and his family accompanied the Queen Mother on a stroll in the Imperial Garden. The Imperial Garden was ablaze with flowers and shaded by green trees. Nianli and Siyan were like two happy little birds, flying and playing among the flowers. The Queen Mother looked at the children's happy faces and said to Jiang Yan and Su Jinli, "The children are very happy with you. I am relieved. But this capital is, after all, under the feet of the emperor, and there are still some rules that must be followed."
Jiang Yan and Su Jinli nodded quickly and said, "The Queen Mother's teachings are engraved in our hearts." The Queen Mother continued, "Nianli is a smart and clever child. I like her very much. She should stay in the palace for a while so that I can spend more time with her."
Su Jinli's heart tightened. She glanced at Jiang Yan, unsure how to respond. Jiang Yan stepped forward and said, "The Queen Mother loves Nianli, which is a blessing for Nianli. However, Nianli is still young and cannot leave her parents. I hope the Queen Mother will understand."
The Queen Mother frowned slightly and said, "I know you are reluctant to part with your child. But you also understand the rules of this palace. As a member of the royal family, Nianli still needs to learn some etiquette and knowledge in the palace."
Jiang Yan and Su Jinli exchanged bewildered glances. They understood the Queen Mother's intention. In this palace, everything must follow the rules. As a child of the Jiang family, whose connections to the imperial family were inextricably linked, Nianli truly needed a palace education. Yet, they couldn't bear to see her leave their side.
At this moment, Nianli ran over, took the Queen Mother's hand, and said, "Grandma Queen Mother, I want to be with my father and mother. But I also want to be with you, Grandma Queen Mother." The Queen Mother looked at Nianli, her heart full of love. She smiled and said, "Okay, then let your father and mother stay in the palace to accompany me for a while."
Jiang Yan and Su Jinli were overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly thanked the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother looked at them and said, "Don't be so reserved. Although there are rules in this palace, I don't want the children to be unhappy. Just stay here and feel free to let me know if you need anything."
In this way, Jiang Yan and his family temporarily settled in the palace. They accompanied the Empress Dowager and got along well with the Emperor. Nianli and Siyan made many friends in the palace, playing and studying together. Seeing the children's happiness, Jiang Yan and Su Jinli's worries gradually dissipated.
However, the peaceful days did not last long. One day, Jiang Yan heard some rumors in the court. A minister secretly submitted a memorial, arguing that Jiang Yan and his family had left the capital without permission. Although no serious consequences had been caused, they should still be punished according to the law of the land. Jiang Yan knew that someone was behind this, fanning the flames and attempting to disrupt his family's peaceful life.
Jiang Yan returned to the palace and told Su Jinli about this. Su Jinli frowned and said, "It seems that there are still people who can't tolerate us. What should we do?" Jiang Yan thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry, I will find a way to deal with it. I will handle the affairs of the court. But you and the children must be more careful in the palace."
Su Jinli nodded and said, "You must be careful in the court. Those ministers might resort to some tricks." Jiang Yan held Su Jinli's hand and said, "Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you."
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