Seeing how good Qin Mu was to her own son, giving him such expensive gifts, Aunt Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Qin Mu with even gentler eyes.
"You must be Second Sister and Fourth Sister. Here are some gifts for you." Qin Mu had his guards bring out two large boxes and place them in front of the two young girls.
Inside the Heavenly Mystery Tower, there were countless miscellaneous items. The boxes contained several sets of gold and silver ornaments, as well as bronze mirrors. Qin Mu himself had no use for these things and hadn't considered selling them. He simply picked out the most exquisite pieces and filled two large boxes, giving them all to them. After all, he didn't have anyone else who could use them at the moment. Giving a poem to outsiders would certainly be inappropriate.
"Thank you, big brother!" The little girl stood up excitedly, probably not expecting to receive a gift as well.
"Thank you, elder brother." The older one also stood up, secretly glanced at Qin Qiong and his wife, and then timidly thanked them.
These two girls had a tough life. In previous years, Qin Qiong spent most of his time fighting on the battlefield, and their mother died in childbirth when giving birth to the younger one. Although they had Aunt Zheng to take care of them, they were still somewhat timid.
Qin Qiong, bound by traditional patriarchal values, didn't show much care for his two girls, which explains their slightly timid nature. The older girl, in particular, being more sensible, appeared even more introverted.
"You haven't told your older brother your name yet?" Qin Mu asked, squatting down. The sudden addition of a younger brother and two younger sisters made Qin Mu, an only child, very happy.
"My name is Ling'er, and my sister's name is Yu'er." The little girl looked at Qin Mu with a mixture of joy and fear, unsure of what to do with her hands.
Qin Mu had of course asked Qin Qiong, his second sister Qin Yuxin, and his fourth sister Qin Yuling. He asked on purpose to ease the little girl's sense of unfamiliarity.
"Ling'er, come and see if there's anything you like." He pulled the little girl along, opened the box, and took out one box after another, opening them all and placing them there.
"This...is all for me?" The little girl asked, pointing to herself in disbelief.
Not to mention the young maid, even Aunt Zheng was somewhat surprised to see so much jewelry displayed there.
"Yes, they're all yours. Keep them if you like, and wear them slowly later." Qin Mu nodded firmly.
“But…” the little girl bit her lip and glanced at Qin Yuxin.
“It’s alright, your second sister has one too,” Qin Mu said, pointing to another box.
"Thank you, big brother." The little girl then excitedly went to look at her jewelry, her small body almost falling onto the box. Although she couldn't yet appreciate the value of the items, all women, regardless of age, are drawn to pretty things.
"Big brother, this is too precious." Second sister Qin Yuxin is two years older than Qin Huaiyu, which is exactly the two years that Qin Mu and his mother were missing.
"It's alright, we're all family. Here, take it, and we'll have them help you carry it back later," Qin Mu waved his hand.
"Auntie, why don't you help us put it away?" Qin Yuxin said gently.
"This is from your eldest brother. Just keep it; it will be part of your dowry later," Aunt Zheng said, waving her hand. Although she was surprised by Qin Mu's generosity, she, being from the Zheng family, wouldn't covet the children's belongings.
"Thank you, Auntie. Thank you, Brother." Qin Yuxin bowed gracefully, showing that Aunt Zheng had indeed given her a lot of guidance.
Qin Mu knew that this had nothing to do with education; the key issue was the lack of a biological mother and the fact that her biological father was often away from home, leaving her feeling neglected and unloved. This created a distance between her and her stepmother, causing her to become increasingly introverted.
"It's alright, I'm the eldest brother, who else would I take care of if not you?" Qin Mu said happily. He had always envied other children's leaders, with several younger siblings behind them. Unfortunately, he was an only child, and his relatives and friends lived far away. Crucially, his illness imposed many restrictions, making him reluctant to go out.
"Mu'er, you're very good. As the eldest brother, you should take care of your younger brothers and sisters more." Qin Qiong nodded with satisfaction.
“It’s my father, I understand.”
"Yes. Your eldest brother is extremely learned, even I cannot compare to him. He has composed two poems that have inspired the heavens. You should all learn from him in the future," Qin Qiong instructed the children.
Although the group was somewhat confused but impressed, they still felt that their eldest brother was quite capable. They were also happy to have an older brother, and they couldn't help but feel happy, including Qin Yuxin, whose eyes were filled with joy when she looked at Qin Mu.
"Mu'er, sit down and eat. It's rare for our family to be reunited, and I'm very happy today," Qin Qiong said with a smile.
Because they were still young, Qin Qiong didn't let them drink, and then started drinking herself. Qin Mu wanted to try a little, but he didn't say anything and focused on eating. He knew the rule of not talking while eating or sleeping.
After the meal, the servants cleared away the tableware and set out tea and pastries. Qin Qiong said, "Mu'er, His Majesty wants to see what the monster looks like."
"What does the monster look like?" Qin Mu asked, taken aback. They had eaten the monster twice, picking out only the best parts, and leaving behind two or three hundred pounds. There was still a lot of meat left, but it was all pitted and uneven. Except for the head, it would be difficult to see what it looked like unless Qin Mu took out all the bones and pieced them back together.
"How about we send the skull to the palace?" Qin Mu asked tentatively. In order to find the beast core, the flesh of the head had also been cut open, but at least the skull was more visible.
"Ahem! The skull is to be sent to the palace, and the other parts, whether bones or flesh, must also be sent!" Qin Qiong coughed twice, a little embarrassed, emphasizing the word "flesh".
"Oh!" Qin Mu suddenly understood. So this person wanted to eat meat; they probably wanted to try something new. Considering there were quite a few people in the palace, Qin Mu smiled and said, "Why don't you have someone send two thousand catties of meat into the palace tomorrow, Father? Your Majesty can taste it."
"That's excellent. Tomorrow, some of my old brothers will be coming over. You should bring out some more to entertain these uncles and elders," Qin Qiong said with a satisfied smile.
“Okay, there’s no use keeping so much. We’ll eat it every day at home. Our family and relatives can help us eat some too,” Qin Mu said.
The meat of this wild beast is extremely effective, especially for those who have never eaten it before or those who are physically weak. However, after eating it a few times, it can only serve as a particularly good source of energy. Therefore, Qin Mu thought of letting his family members enjoy it as well, and also to win over some of their hearts.
"Good, good, that's perfect." Qin Qiong nodded in satisfaction.
"I have a prescription here. If you cook it together with this, the effect will be even better. Even those who are weak won't be afraid of not being able to handle the tonic." Suddenly, Qin Mu remembered something. These were some recipes mentioned in the Guigu Medical Arts, specifically for better preparation of wild beast meat. He hadn't had the conditions to do so in the wilderness before, but now that he was back in the city, he naturally had to give it a try.
"There are such good things? If you need any good medicinal herbs, just have them go and buy them," Qin Qiong said, quite surprised.
"Perhaps it's because large, ferocious beasts were more common in the past. That's why our sect left behind a few recipes."
"Mu'er, if you need money, just tell your aunt. I'll have someone bring you some pocket money later," Aunt Zheng said with a smile. The more she looked at Qin Mu, the more she liked him.
Outsiders might think that having an eldest son who isn't her biological child would threaten her son's position. But that's not the case. First, to become a prominent family, a large family is essential. Second, someone of Qin Qiong's status could easily support two sons. Even if she had more children later, it wouldn't be a problem; no one would dislike a capable eldest son.
"No need, Auntie, I still have some money here," Qin Mu refused.
Guiguzi's Heavenly Mystery Tower was his residence, and there was still a considerable amount of gold and silver jewelry left inside. Although it wasn't extremely wealthy, it was enough for Qin Mu's daily expenses.
"You silly child, why are you being so polite with your aunt? The manor gives you all a monthly allowance, your younger siblings all receive one."
"Really, there's no need, Aunt. There are many expenses in the manor. If I really need it, I'll let you know," Qin Mu said, shaking his head slightly in refusal.
He had learned a little about the situation; Qin Qiong wasn't good at business, and his fiefdom consisted of only 500 mu (approximately 33 hectares). The income was decent, but barely enough to cover expenses. Aunt Zheng had brought a considerable dowry, including several shops in Chang'an, but this was her dowry, and given Qin Qiong's pride, how could he possibly accept it? Of course, Aunt Zheng wasn't that selfish. It was thanks to these things that the Qin family managed to live a relatively comfortable life.
The family certainly didn't lack food, but in terms of money, they weren't much, at least not as well as others. There was no way around it; Qin Qiong was such an upright person, he would never do anything like plunder or extortion. Not only him, but everyone in the household never allowed anyone to bully others.
“Madam, you don’t need to be so polite with Mu’er. If we really want to make money, he’s much richer than the family.” Qin Qiong waved his hand and said.
He didn't know how much money Qin Mu had, but he knew that Qin Mu had a lot of collections. Not to mention anything else, those weapons and armor alone must be worth a lot.
"Ah!" Aunt Zheng looked at Qin Mu in surprise, then at Qin Qiong, as if asking, "Is this really your son?"
Qin Mu had always lived in the countryside. She had heard Qin Qiong say that if someone really had such a large fortune, there would be no need to move to such a remote place.
"It's all thanks to the blessings left by our sect," Qin Mu explained.
Their conversation surprised everyone, especially Qin Huaiyu, whose eyes lit up and darted around. His mother usually gave him money, but for a ten-year-old, it couldn't be much.
It seemed she had found a powerful patron, and a very generous one at that, judging by the two large suitcases her sisters carried. She secretly resolved to latch onto him properly from now on. Qin Huaiyu looked at Qin Mu as if he were a money-grubber.
"Speaking of teachers, do you want to study at the Academy of Arts, or find another teacher?" Qin Qiong asked.
"I will definitely take on a master, but as for studying at the Academy of Literature, I'll think about it first," Qin Mu said after a moment's thought.
“Alright, you can familiarize yourself with Chang’an first, and I’ll think about it and see who would be more suitable,” Qin Qiong agreed.
"Um."
"It's getting late, you should all go and rest," Qin Qiong said, waving her hand. They were chatting animatedly, and even the youngest, Qin Yuling, had fallen asleep leaning against a box.
Seeing the little girl who was getting sleepy but still remembered her suitcase, Qin Mu couldn't help but smile. He stepped forward, gently picked her up, and gestured for Qin Yuxin to lead the way.
Qin Yuxin nodded and hurriedly led the way, with maids carrying lanterns and guards carrying boxes following behind.
The two sisters' attic was not far from Qin Mu's courtyard; it was located in a small courtyard behind it.
This courtyard is smaller than Qin Mu's courtyard, mainly because it lacks a training ground. It is also a two-story building, just smaller.
"Thank you, brother." Qin Yuxin said gratefully as she placed Qin Yuling on the bed and left the room. Although they had maids to take care of them in the past, it never felt quite the same as being cared for by family.
"Don't thank me! I'm the eldest brother, isn't it only right that I take care of you?" Qin Mu said gently.
"Mmm." Qin Yuxin's nose tingled, and she almost burst into tears. She quickly lowered her head so that Qin Mu wouldn't see. Since her mother died, it had been a long time since anyone had spoken to her with such concern.
Qin Qiong and Aunt Zheng, as the head and mistress of the household, had to maintain their authority. After getting used to it, they inevitably spoke to others in that tone. A sense of distance naturally arose.
"Alright, it's getting late, your brother should head back now. You know where your brother lives, so just come find him if you need anything." Looking at his somewhat thin and timid younger sister, Qin Mu couldn't help but feel pity. He patted her head and said.
A warm, large hand was placed on her head, which did not make Qin Yuxin feel uncomfortable. She hadn't felt this way in a long time. Her heart warmed, and she looked up and smiled, saying, "I understand, big brother."
"Go to sleep early. You've gotten so thin, you should eat more in the future," Qin Mu said, gently patting her head.
"Okay." Qin Yuxin nodded, then turned and went back to her room.
As children without mothers themselves, Qin Mu decided to take better care of them in the future. Although he didn't know how other families treated them, Qin Mu felt that Qin Qiong and his wife, as children born to concubines, were probably quite good to them. However, various reasons combined put a lot of pressure on them, especially the older Qin Yuxin.
After watching Qin Yuxin return to her room, Qin Mu turned and left. This was his daughter's courtyard, so the guards Qin Qiong had arranged were all stationed outside the garden.
Peeking at Qin Mu's departing figure through the window, Qin Yuxin smiled happily. She then touched the box and carefully opened it. One box after another, the jewelry inside captivated her. She couldn't resist sitting in front of the bronze mirror and trying it on. At twelve years old, she already knew how to appreciate beauty.
"Miss, the young master is so good to you." A maid brought over a basin of water, placed it aside, and said enviously.
"Well, Xiaohua, you and Xiaodong can take this bronze mirror and these two items." Qin Yuxin picked up a bronze mirror and two silver bracelets and handed them over.
Two maids, about the same age as the sisters, maybe a year or two older, were present in a wealthy family. Once the children were five or six years old, they would be assigned children of similar age to accompany them as they grew up, partly as personal maids and partly as playmates.
However, the maids did not have their own bronze mirrors. After all, a bronze mirror was quite valuable, and they could only use the young lady's mirrors.
"Thank you, Miss." Xiaohua quickly bowed and expressed her gratitude.
"No need for formalities. You've worked hard taking care of us sisters, and we haven't had anything good to reward you with over the years," Qin Yuxin said, shaking her head slightly.
"Miss, you've been good enough to Xiaohua. You never scold her. Xiaoqian from the Duke of Xun's mansion was beaten so badly that she couldn't get out of bed for a month," Xiaohua said, somewhat frightened.
"Don't worry, we don't have that kind of trouble at home," Qin Yuxin reassured her.
"Okay! Miss, let me put it on for you." Xiao Hua nodded and picked up a gold hairpin.
"So beautiful!" Little Flower took a step back and exclaimed in amazement.
"Really?" Qin Yuxin touched her hair, then turned her head and looked at the bronze mirror with surprise.
"Yes! The Fourth Miss will definitely be very happy when she wakes up."
"She just thinks it looks good." Looking at Qin Yuling, who was sprawled out in her sleep with drool drooling, Qin Yuxin shook her head slightly.
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