When people are in a state of extreme disbelief, they may experience a dizzying sensation similar to that of a dream.
It felt like the world was spinning, or like walking on cotton; even the light and shadows in front of me gradually dimmed.
Jiang Sheng has had many such moments.
While her eldest brother was busy working at the Hanlin Academy, her third brother was fighting a bloody battle on the frontier, her second brother was traveling to other places, and her fourth and fifth brothers were trapped in the palace, she would always be lost in thought while holding the account books of Jiuzhenfang.
Life is so good now. She has plenty to eat and wear, and she has her father and grandmother. She is no longer that little beggar who is hated by everyone and dogs, and she no longer has to struggle in hunger and cold.
The hardships of the past have faded with time, and in her daze, she even doubted whether she had met her five older brothers.
Those days when the siblings supported each other, and the joys and sorrows they experienced together, turned into bubbles in the daily longing, and they were actually eager to fly away.
Jiang Sheng, regaining her senses, was covered in a cold sweat.
If the price of wealth is losing her brothers, then she would rather go back to the past, living a precarious and hard life.
Such is the nature of longing: the more you yearn, the more dazed you become; the more you anticipate, the more blurred your vision becomes.
Until that person actually appeared.
Jiang Sheng's dreamlike state reached its peak at this moment. As she had done countless nights before, the corners of her mouth turned down, her nose and throat felt numb and sore at the same time, and tears welled up uncontrollably.
Is it real or fake?
Is it reality, or a dream?
Her thoughts swirled, and ultimately, the fear of loss outweighed the anticipation. The surrounding scenery distorted, and the only thing she could grasp was the hem of the clothes of the person next to her.
"Second brother, I had another dream. I dreamt that fifth brother came home. I can't tell if it's real or not..."
She rambled on as much as she could, as if expressing her deepest fears and anxieties.
Only when the real friction of the fabric reached her did Jiang Sheng belatedly realize that this might not be a dream.
The distorted scene gradually returned to normal, the noisy buzzing sounds disappeared, and a vibrant courtyard unfolded in my mind.
Accompanying this was a familiar sob.
"Waaaaah, waaaaah... Waaaaah, Xiao Wu... This isn't a dream, it's real." Zheng Ruqian wailed, his mouth agape. "Xiao Wu is really back, Jiang Sheng, wake up, this isn't a dream."
This really isn't a dream.
Jiang Sheng suddenly raised her head, her big eyes fixed on the androgynous boy in front of her. As he grew older, he became more handsome, but he was still so beautiful that everyone around him paled in comparison.
It's him, it's him, it really is him.
"Fifth Brother!" Jiang Sheng cried out in anguish, and lunged forward with open arms.
However, someone was faster than her.
The tall and strong Second Master Zheng pushed his sister aside with his buttocks, rushed over and hugged Changyan, tears and sobs streaming down his face. "You heartless bastard, you still know how to come back? Have you forgotten us? You live a life of luxury every day, forgetting all of us who are suffering outside."
"You've met your eldest brother, you've met your youngest sister, you've met your fourth sister, how come you forgot about your second brother? Doesn't your second brother miss you? Isn't your second brother close to you?"
"You have no conscience, you're such a heartless little thing."
He cried and cursed at the same time, and didn't forget to use a handkerchief to cover his tears and snot, so as not to soil his younger brother's expensive clothes.
Everyone found it both funny and absurd.
Jiang Sheng's sorrow was swept to the ends of the earth, both amusing and helpless.
But thinking about it carefully, Zheng Ruqian and Fang Heng were indeed the only two people who had never seen the long banquet since Aunt Zhang's wedding. Fang Heng was in the border region and could be considered as someone who could not see anyone. Zheng Ruqian was left standing on tiptoe and waiting, but his younger brother never came.
In the emotional world of the six siblings, there are not only brothers and sisters, but also brothers and younger brothers.
Just like now, seeing her second brother holding her fifth brother, Wen Zhiyun couldn't help but whisper, "Second brother, don't you miss me?"
"Think about it, they're both heartless little devils, I want both of them." Zheng Ruqian finally stopped wailing and put his left arm around his fourth brother.
One was tall and somewhat robust, while the other two were thin and frail.
They nestled together at this moment, looking so harmonious and warm.
If they hadn't turned around and seen the teapot spirit.
"You guys are such good brothers, I'll just go to some corner then." Jiang Sheng put his hands on his hips. "Fourth and Fifth Brothers finally came back, Second Brother, why are you picking on me?"
"I acted rashly just now," Zheng Ruqian retorted. "Who told you to be less tall and strong than me? Next time, eat two more braised pork knuckles."
Jiang Sheng's eyes widened even more.
Seeing that the brother and sister were about to start arguing again, Changyan quickly smoothed things over, saying, "Don't worry, we'll see each other often in the future."
Now it was Jiang Sheng and Zheng Ruqian's turn to look at each other in bewilderment.
A raised eyebrow in confusion.
A frown of worry.
Before their thoughts could spiral out of control, Wen Zhiyun quickly spoke up, "You weren't kicked out, nor were you stripped of your identity. Xiao Wu is free now and no longer needs to hide."
The powerless Fifth Prince had to hide deep within the palace, while the powerful Crown Prince could come and go as he pleased.
Those hidden relationships, those people I care about, can finally all be brought under my wings.
It sounds great, but who remembers the leisurely ease he used to enjoy carving wood, the carefree joy he felt when he reached out to touch the wind, and the hopeful anticipation he felt when gazing into the distance?
He carried his mother's expectations and should have been soaring freely in the distance, but instead he was trapped in this thick quagmire.
Is he really happy?
Jiang Sheng didn't know, and had no way of asking.
Now that things have come to this, what's the point of talking about these things anymore, or what change can they make of the current situation?
Only immature people reopen old wounds after the fact.
No matter how sad Jiang Sheng was, she had to force a smile and rush over, grabbing her two older brothers' hands and pleading with her aunt, "Auntie, Auntie, Auntie, Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother want to eat braised pork knuckle."
“I think it’s what you want to eat.” Zhang Xianglian wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. “I know all the dishes that Zhiyun and Changyan like. I’ll go and prepare them right away.”
Anyway, it's good to be home.
The once quiet courtyard came alive again, with cooking smoke and aromas wafting into the distance. Braised pork knuckle and stir-fried dishes were brought to the table in turn, along with Jiuzhenfang's new pastries and Baiweisheng's most tender and juicy mutton.
The family, who had been absent for a long time, gathered around the round table again, laughing as they picked up bowls and spoons.
"Isn't my older brother coming back for dinner?" Wen Zhiyun looked around and asked in a low voice.
It seems that Xiao Si also misses his elder brother.
Zheng Ruqian was serving dishes and didn't come over. Chang Yan explained with a smile, "The Hanlin Academy provides lunch. Officials are too busy, so they choose to eat on the spot in order to finish their duties as soon as possible."
The laws of the Dayu Dynasty were comprehensive. Officials not only had to clock in on time, but were also punished for being late, with their salaries being deducted.
Similarly, to prevent officials from holding positions without performing their duties, each official is required to complete different tasks each day. If they fail to complete their tasks, they are required to extend their time before returning home, which is known as "spare duty."
That's bad enough, but the officials in the Golden Palace are the ones who work the hardest.
According to ancestral rules, the emperor should attend court at the appointed time (5-7 AM). Ministers could not keep the emperor waiting, so they had to wash up and travel even earlier, often in the dark during winter.
Compared to others, Xu Mo's job at the Hanlin Academy was relatively easy.
However, this ease probably won't last long.
Chang Yan snapped out of her reverie and casually asked, "I overheard you talking about a wedding banquet outside the door. Who's having a wedding banquet?"
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