The Emperor and Consort Rong exchanged a glance, then looked at Qi Yunxiao.
Qi Yunxiao and Shen Qingyu exchanged a glance, and Qi Yunxiao finally spoke up: "Then let's meet."
Not wanting His Majesty the Emperor to step aside, Qi Yunxiao and his wife went out into the courtyard and sat down at the stone table and chairs under the big tree.
When Qi Yunheng entered and saw Qi Yunxiao, he was deeply shocked.
Years have passed, and Qi Yunxiao's features have become even brighter, his aura more imposing, yet he possesses a gentle warmth, like... a crouching tiger.
Meeting Qi Yunxiao's gaze, Qi Yunheng snapped out of his reverie and stepped forward to greet her: "This humble commoner greets the Princess..."
Shen Qingyu waved his hand to indicate that he didn't mind and let the two brothers talk.
Qi Yunheng actually came to express his gratitude!
It turned out that when he was managing the family's jewelry shop, he overheard the other party saying that it was because of Qi Yunxiao that they had been secretly given business...
Qi Yunheng then realized that the shop that had greatly improved their family's life was actually because Qi Yunxiao had helped them behind the scenes!
He is no longer the boy he once was, who believed that as long as he ate, drank, and had fun with those rich and powerful men, he could gain their approval and respect.
When Prince Cheng fell from power, he was almost implicated and imprisoned or exiled.
Those people who used to eat, drink, and have fun with him no longer talk to him at all.
Having experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships, he finally began to calm down and become sensible.
Studying books, doing business... I've come to realize how difficult it is to make money and how difficult it is to support a family.
That's why he truly recognized and admired Qi Yunxiao's abilities.
How hard and capable must that teenager have been to start his own business in just a few years, establishing Guiyunlou restaurants that had branches all over the country?!
Because of the increased respect and gratitude in his heart, Qi Yunheng's tone and demeanor became humble, his words losing their arrogance and instead carrying a sense of worship.
Qi Yunxiao and Shen Qingyu were both puzzled.
Qi Yunheng brought the box forward, saying that he had prepared a longevity lock for each of the five children and made a set of pearl jewelry for Shen Qingyu.
Shen Qingyu was taken aback when she saw them: the five longevity locks were all made of pure gold and inlaid with gemstones. They were all very heavy.
That pearl headdress was made of pearls the size of a fingertip, and it was quite valuable.
They must have done their best.
Shen Qingyu closed the box and asked calmly, "What do you want me to do with this box of things you sent?"
Qi Yunheng hurriedly waved his hands: "No, no..."
Fearing that Shen Qingyu and Qi Yunxiao wouldn't believe him, he sincerely explained, "I only came to understand these things in the last two years, and I realized that many things are not so simple."
"I know I don't have any great abilities. I just want to take things one step at a time and see where I end up. Anyway, I'm doing alright. I never thought about asking my elder brother and the princess to give me special treatment..."
Qi Yunheng took his leave, and only then did Qi Yunxiao and Shen Qingyu go inside to inform His Majesty the Emperor.
The emperor was astonished: "There's still hope for the Qingping Marquis's mansion? Qi Yunheng has really become sensible?!"
Qi Yunxiao nodded: "Yes."
This is already a very rare compliment.
The emperor smiled.
Two days later, an imperial edict was suddenly issued: Qi Yunheng was appointed as the heir apparent of the Marquis of Qingping.
The major families of the capital were stunned!
Even the Qingping Marquis's residence was stunned!
Lady Qingping was at home, laughing and crying at the same time: "What kind of thing is this? The favor that I could never ask for before, how come it suddenly came to me?"
Qi Yunheng knew perfectly well that his elder brother must have said something good about him.
That day, when he visited Xinghua Hutong, the guards at the gate, though not dressed in the uniforms of the Imperial Guards, exuded an aura that was no ordinary person.
Then I realized that Qi Yunxiao didn't meet me in the flower hall or the main hall, but under the big tree in the courtyard...
Who are in the main hall and the flower hall?
Qi Yunheng dared not think too deeply, but his admiration for his elder brother grew even stronger!
Lady Qingping was still complaining about how unfair things had been in the past, implying that His Majesty the Emperor favored Qi Yunxiao.
Qi Yunheng suddenly interrupted, "Mother, it was my eldest brother who helped."
"What?" Lady Qingping could not believe her ears.
"Yes, my elder brother helped. I went to Xinghua Hutong to see my brother and the princess the day before yesterday."
"..." Lady Qingping was dumbfounded.
Qi Yunxiao and Shen Qingyu bid farewell to His Majesty the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine, telling them to take care of themselves.
His Majesty the Emperor laughed heartily: "Of course! The two little ones are still too young. I need to hold on for another twenty years before I can go fishing and enjoy life on the island with you."
Thinking about His Majesty the Emperor's age, Shen Qingyu felt sympathy: working in his sixties and still doing this kind of high-intensity work.
Being an emperor is no job for just anyone...
Several elderly men in blue robes also bid farewell to His Majesty, each weeping as they thanked him for giving them the opportunity to see the light of day again.
These are all officials who were dismissed from their posts and imprisoned for various reasons.
His Majesty gave them a chance: if they were willing to go to the island with Qi Yunxiao and his wife to teach the children for five years, they would be given their freedom upon their return.
They didn't know how precious freedom was before, but after being arrested, they realized how luxurious even a little bit of sunshine was!
So they were all willing to go.
But the thought of the harsh conditions in the desolate overseas lands made them feel gloomy: it was just a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils.
Once on the ship, these people were so nauseous that they questioned their existence and even felt regret, doubting whether they would survive to return alive!
Some people even started crying...
Three days later, after they had adapted to the island environment and were enjoying delicious grilled oysters, seafood in broth, steamed yellow croaker, and coconut juice, they all exclaimed: "So delicious!"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com