Chapter 303: Grandfather's Family Stays in Beijing
"Mother~~~"
When Wen Li'er saw her mother, a bright smile broke out on her face and she quickened her pace to meet her.
"Li'er! Why did you come back so suddenly? You didn't even send anyone to let me know so I could go to the door to greet you!"
Liang Yuhe held her daughter's hand, scolding her, but her eyes were glued to Xiaoxiao who was looking at her with his eyes wide open.
When Xiaoxiao saw that it was his grandmother, he immediately rushed over and hugged her thighs.
"Grandma! Grandma, give me a hug!"
This call instantly melted Liang Yuhe's heart into spring water. She no longer cared about her disheveled appearance and hurriedly squatted down to hug her heavy and fragrant grandson.
"Oh, my dear! I miss grandma so much!"
She caressed Xiaoxiao's soft hair lovingly, "You've grown taller, more mature, and more handsome! You really inherited your father and mother's kindness!"
Xiaoxiao's face lit up with praise, and his mouth became as sweet as honey. I don't know where he learned this from, but he started to talk without hesitation:
"Grandma is beautiful too! The best!"
"Hahaha!"
Liang Yuhe was amused by her, hugged him and kissed him, then turned to look at Tiantian and Miaomiao in the nanny's arms, teased them one by one, and felt satisfied.
Wen Li'er looked at the happy and intimate scene between her mother and children, and joy spread in her heart.
Liang Yuhe remembered something and looked at her daughter with a hint of caution.
"Li'er, you brought all three children out of the palace. Did you tell the Emperor about this?"
The prince and princess are of noble status, and leaving the palace is a very serious matter.
Wen Li'er smiled and nodded, comforting her, "Mother, don't worry. Naturally, I'll report this matter to the Emperor. The Emperor was considerate and specifically ordered Commander Zhang to personally lead the Imperial Guards to escort us back."
As Wen Li'er spoke, her eyes turned and she saw her sister-in-law standing half a step behind her mother, smiling quietly.
Nangong Ziyun was wearing a lilac brocade jacket and skirt with a lotus pattern today, and an exquisite silver bodice with gold edges. She looked radiant, and her brows showed the tenderness of a bride, as well as the dignity of a lady from a noble family.
Seeing Wen Li'er's gaze, Nangong Ziyun stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Highness respectfully welcomes the Imperial Concubine back to the palace."
"Sister-in-law, please don't be so polite!"
Wen Li'er quickly raised her hand to help her up, her tone filled with affectionate scolding.
"Why do we need to be so particular about these things at home? My sister-in-law can just call me Li'er. We are all family, so don't be so distant."
Nangong Ziyun stood up straight and smiled with pursed lips.
"Etiquette cannot be abolished. However, since Sister Li'er said so, then Sister-in-law is overstepping her bounds."
The two girls behind her also stepped forward and bowed lightly.
"Qingyou/Qingning, meet my cousin, the Imperial Concubine."
Wen Li'er smiled and took their hands: "You two should get up soon. Cousin You, Cousin Ning, it's been a while since we last met, and you look even more beautiful and charming."
She looked at her two cousins carefully. They were indeed more graceful than the last time they met. There was less childishness in their eyes and eyebrows, and more girlish brightness.
She looked around, but couldn't see her grandmother, uncle, or aunt. She felt suspicious and turned to her mother and asked:
"Mom, where are grandma and the others? Have they packed and are ready to leave? I got up early and rushed back just to see them off."
Have you missed it?
Upon hearing this, Liang Yuhe's smile deepened, and her eyes and eyebrows were filled with suppressed joy and excitement that was eager to share.
She held her daughter's hand tightly, her voice trembling with excitement.
"Li'er! Your grandmother and the others...are not leaving!"
Wen Li'er was stunned, thinking she had misheard.
"Not... not leaving? Mother is saying... Grandma and Uncle... aren't going back home?"
Liang Yuhe nodded vigorously: "Yes! I won't leave! I will stay in the capital, settle down, and never leave again!"
Her eyes sparkled brightly, and the joy was almost overflowing.
"Our family will be reunited in the capital from now on!"
Wen Li'er was extremely surprised.
She spent countless hours talking to her father, mother, and brother, from the pleasant climate and soil of the capital to the bright future of their children and grandchildren, explaining everything she could, and saying everything she could. But her grandmother, always worried about dragging down the Wen family and becoming a burden to her parents, refused to agree.
When Wen Li'er suddenly heard that they were willing to stay, she couldn't believe it for a moment.
"Are you really... leaving everything behind? Has grandma... figured it out?"
"Absolutely true!" Liang Yuhe said firmly, with a tone of relief that the matter had been settled.
While Wen Li'er was happy, she still felt a little doubtful.
"Mom, why did grandma and the others suddenly agree to stay? The last time I came back, I tried to persuade her, but she was adamant and refused so flatly. What made her change her mind?"
Liang Yuhe was lowering her head and gently wiping Xiaoxiao's mouth, which was stained with candy crumbs, with a soft silk handkerchief. Hearing this, she raised her head, looked past her daughter, and smiled at her quiet and elegant daughter-in-law Nangong Ziyun, her eyes full of love and respect.
"This is all thanks to your sister-in-law!"
Wen Li'er looked at Nangong Ziyun in surprise: "Sister-in-law?"
Liang Yuhe explained with a smile, "In your sister-in-law's generous dowry, the Su family gave her over twenty shops! They were in the capital, Tongzhou, and Jizhou, with silk shops, restaurants, and warehouses from north to south... everything. Ziyun told your grandmother, uncle, and aunt that instead of entrusting these shops to outsiders who had no connections and would inevitably take risks, it would be better to hand them over to your capable and reliable uncles and cousins to help manage them! Firstly, they're family members and can be trusted; secondly, it gives your uncles and cousins a chance to show their talents and make a living in the capital."
Nangong Ziyun interjected at the right time, his face full of sincerity.
"My uncle and his family were already skilled business owners back in Luohe Town. They're well-versed in human relations, diligent, and reliable. The shops in the capital and surrounding areas have a good foundation. As long as they are managed diligently, they will surely prosper. Asking them for help is a win-win situation, and it's also a small token of our gratitude to Zhiyan and me."
Liang Yuhe nodded repeatedly. "Although your three uncles and aunts are from the 'small place' of Luohe Town, they are all smart and insightful people! Your cousins and their wives were very successful in running their own small shops in town. Now that they are under the emperor's rule, there are more opportunities to show their talents! If the shops are well run and they have more money, their children, your little cousins, can go to school and seek fame, and their future will be bright. This is much more promising than going back to your hometown to manage a few acres of thin land and a small shop!"
So that’s how it is. Wen Li’er was very surprised.
"Is the house ready?"
Liang Yuhe nodded: "Okay, it's right behind our house, three blocks away in Huaiyin Hutong! It's a quiet place in the bustling city. It's a good place."
Wen Li'er was also delighted: "That's great! My daughter must go and see it!"
In a blink of an eye, she asked again: "By the way, mother, where is cousin Xi? His studies..."
Liang Yuhe clapped her hands. "I was just about to tell you this! Xi'er is really studying hard now! Your father has already sent him to the Imperial College, and he comes back every day after school. To make it easier for your father and your brother to test his homework after leaving the government office, he's been left at the Wen Mansion. He lives in the Bamboo Wind Courtyard in the west wing. It's close to the study and quiet."
As she spoke, she looked at her two nieces who were surrounding Xiaoxiao and making fun of him.
"As for Qingyou and Qingning, even though the Liang family now has a house in the capital, I have decided to let them live in the Wen Mansion. Your grandmother has specifically stated that their marriages are entirely under the jurisdiction of your mother and your sister-in-law. We must find them suitable and good families."
When Wen Li'er heard this, a concerned smile appeared in her eyes.
"Have you met any suitable families recently? Any results?"
When Liang Yuhe heard her ask this, the smile on her face deepened a little.
"You don't know, but now that we have you, the noble Imperial Concubine, our family's fortunes have truly risen. Sister You and Sister Ning may be cousins, but the doors are practically being trampled by people coming to our house to inquire about our affairs and pass on invitations! These days, I've been taking your sister-in-law and the two maids to various mansions to attend flower-viewing banquets, tea-tastings, and poetry gatherings... It's been non-stop! We've visited several families, and they're all good men from respectable families, with impressive family backgrounds, character, and talent. I was really overwhelmed by the choices! I'm not in a hurry anymore, and I'll take my time searching until I find the best one who understands my feelings!"
Liang Qingyou and Liang Qingning, who were standing by, blushed when they heard this. They lowered their heads in shame, their fingers twisting the handkerchief unconsciously.
But she couldn't help but secretly look up at Wen Li'er, her powerful and amiable cousin. Her eyes showed the shyness of a young girl in love, as well as her longing for future marriage and a hint of imperceptible uneasiness.
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