As it turned out, it wasn't Jia'an and Jiaxi who were greedy; it was actually Aibei who blushed and clutched her stomach...
Grandma Li quickly said, "Oh dear, I forgot about the important matter while we were talking. I'm hungry too, let's start eating!"
Everyone busied themselves sitting down. To accommodate Aibei and prevent her from feeling awkward or uncomfortable, this time they didn't separate men and women and sat together at two tables.
Grandma Li sat down with Jiaxi, Aibei, Wenwen, Zhao Yuru, Tao Hongying, Madam Wen, Huiniang, and Sister Liu.
Li Zhensheng then led Jia'an, Maoge'er, Jiayi, Liu Yang, and others to sit at a table.
Wenjuan was worried about the children, so she brought Xia Qing, Sister-in-law Qiong, and others to stay inside and have a private meal with them.
Although they are still separated by north and south, the family members are not all together.
But Jiaxi and Jia'an came back, and Jiaxi even brought his wife and children, which was enough to make the family very happy.
Grandma Li was all smiles as she served food to her grandson and picked fish bones from her great-grandson's plate, keeping herself very busy.
Her family didn't stop her; they all knew that the old lady was trying her best to make up for what she had missed in the past few years.
Wenwen had also eaten the food cooked by Tianwu's chef on the ship, but the chef, who had to work on the ship to make a living, was not very skilled.
Right now, the table is full of chicken, fish, meat, and eggs. It looks appetizing and tastes delicious, which makes him extremely happy.
He gnawed on a meatball, then grabbed a chicken leg, and after finishing the chicken leg, he picked up a spare rib. His little mouth was stuffed full, and his little legs were kicking excitedly.
This reminded everyone of Jiayin, who was far away at Suijintan, and made them like Wenwen even more.
Perhaps because they were familiar with each other, Wenwen kept eating and spoke clearly, "Grandma, Daddy said the dumplings are delicious!"
Grandma Li guessed that Jiaxi was showing off the dumplings at home to the child, so she said, "Wenwen wants to eat dumplings? Okay, Grandma will make some for you tonight."
"We have pork and scallion filling, beef and radish filling, three-delicacy filling, and vegetarian filling. Try them all. Choose whichever you like!"
Aibei's eyes lit up as she listened, clearly showing her interest in dumplings.
Everyone who saw this couldn't help but laugh.
Having multiple queen wives doesn't seem like a bad thing; at least this queen isn't difficult to get along with.
After the meal, everyone gathered together and chatted for a while. Old Mrs. Li felt sorry for the children who had worked so hard, so she made an excuse that she was tired and told everyone to go back to their rooms to rest.
Sure enough, after eating and drinking their fill and getting a good night's sleep, Jia'an and Jiaxi, the family of three, were much more energetic when they woke up.
Tao Hongying and Zhao Yuru had also prepared the filling, and Wenjuan pulled Aibei to wash her hands and learn how to make dumplings.
The children, including Xingxing and Yueya'er, gathered to one side, but ended up making things worse.
Finally, Grandma Li stuffed a dumpling into each of their hands and sent them out to play.
The children found small sticks, stuck them into the dough balls, and ran to the kitchen to cook them. They ate them with their mouths covered in black smears, but their smiles revealed their white teeth. They were incredibly happy.
Li Zhensheng sat with his sons in the side room, opened the door, and talked to them while looking after them.
Although Jia'an and Jiaxi had heard Jiayi talk about the situation and changes in Tianwu while they were on the ship, Jiayi had been in Quanzhou for several years and was not as knowledgeable as Li Zhensheng.
Li Zhensheng didn't hide anything; he told his nephews everything, good or bad.
This includes the struggles with the various powerful families in Xindu, as well as Jiayin's intentions in taking the initiative to enter the palace.
Jiayi and the others frowned as they listened, their expressions showing a mixture of anger and guilt.
They grew up sheltered by their families, and in their hearts, home is an incredibly solid support.
Now, upon suddenly hearing that their family was being bullied and harassed, and that even their younger sister had been forced to go to the palace to negotiate with the Empress Dowager, they felt as if they wanted to slap themselves.
They're just useless!
If they were invincible and no one dared to provoke them, why would their family make such an arrangement...?
“Uncle, it’s because we’re incompetent. As your older brother, we can’t protect our sister from harm and make her happy, and we even put her in danger…” Jia’an’s eyes reddened, and he choked up, unable to continue.
Jiaxi and Jiayi also lowered their heads, feeling equally guilty.
Li Zhensheng quickly waved his hand, explaining that he wasn't saying these things to discourage his nephews.
"Don't think like that. When I left Xindu, Fu Niu'er specifically said a few words to me, just in case you think like that."
She said that no one is born invincible, and everyone has to grow and experience. The family didn't help you much, and all your glory is the result of your own hard work. She is very proud of you.
“Fu Niu’er…that silly girl!” Jia Yi couldn’t help but choke up when he thought of how serious his sister must have been, like a little adult, when she said those words.
Jia'an and Jiaxi couldn't wait to rush back to Xindu and hug their beloved younger sister.
Their safe return after three years away was certainly due to their hard work and perseverance, but it was also largely thanks to the preparations their sister made for them.
Every time they are rescued from the brink of death, they feel incredibly fortunate and grateful.
Naturally, some people questioned them about how they knew so much about long voyages when they had never been to sea. They didn't say a word, only attributing it to the old fishermen in their family's fleet.
Even now, how many of those who returned from their travels still think about seeing this "old fisherman"?
As for Cat Brother, among all his brothers, he has spent the most time with his sister in recent years.
At this moment, he smiled with absolute certainty, "We are also proud of Fu Niu'er. She is the most powerful and best younger sister in the world. That old hag in the palace may try to bully others, but she will definitely suffer when she runs into Fu Niu'er!"
Li Zhensheng laughed, patted his son's shoulder, and replied, "You're right. A few days ago, I received news from home that that old hag has caused Fu Niu a lot of trouble."
“But Fu Niu’er and the Third Princess lived, ate, and went out together. She offered suggestions for everything, and the Third Princess took the lead in everything. That old witch not only didn’t gain any advantage, but also suffered a lot of losses.”
Sure enough, the boys were delighted to hear this.
Li Zhensheng added, "Fu Niu'er said back then that she entered the palace not for her family, but for herself."
"She is a princess, and she will have to deal with these things in the future. Now her family is her support, and she is protected by the Marquis and the Emperor. With the Third Princess as her helper, this is the best opportunity for her to gain experience."
"I also hope you won't stop Fu Niu'er, and won't try to get her out of the palace. Just as you need to grow up and learn skills, Fu Niu'er needs them too."
"Moreover, with the Marquis and the family looking after her, if Fu Niu'er were in danger, they would definitely protect her long ago."
“You older brothers should truly love your sister and do your duty. Only when all seven of you are successful can you become her support.”
"Don't worry, Uncle (Father), we've got it." Jiayi and the other boys nodded solemnly, their eyes no longer filled with guilt, but with fighting spirit.
After giving his nephews a dressing-down, Li Zhensheng didn't forget to give them a sweet treat.
“You’ve done quite well now. Jiayi and Liu Yang have established themselves in the Hailan Army and are coordinating with your father and the Marquis’s Northern Expeditionary Army. The Lu family’s heir in the southwest is also on good terms with your eldest brother. At least in the army, our family can have a few words with you.”
"Jia'an and Jiaxi have also done well, especially Jiaxi. Marrying the Queen and establishing a foothold in the overseas Golden Buddha Kingdom has provided our family with the safest and most secure way out, even though it is far away."
Jiayi and the others were beaming with pride, as if their years of hard work had finally paid off...
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