Before he could even offer his greeting, Su Wanyan grabbed him, saying, "What are you doing? It's been over a year since we last met, and you're already acting so distant with me?"
"Your Majesty." Xu Yixuan stepped forward.
Su Wanyan stopped her in time: "Just call me Wanyan. If even you all become distant from me, then I really won't have any friends in the capital to confide in."
Hearing Su Wanyan say this, Dai Zhiwan completely relaxed and grabbed Su Wanyan's hand: "Quick! Come and sit down! We have so much to tell you!"
Dai Zhiwan was still the same as before, a bit more lively than Xu Yixuan.
As Su Wanyan passed by Xu Yixuan, Xu Yixuan also grasped Su Wanyan's hand, as if they were sisters who had not seen each other for many years.
The tea was brewed by Xu Yixuan, and the roast pork on the table was cooked by Dai Zhiwan. With the seasonings added, the hot iron plate sizzled.
As soon as Su Wanyan sat down, Dai Zhiwan picked up a piece of food for her: "Eat it while it's hot, it'll warm you up on a snowy day."
"What kind of meat is this?"
"The mutton has already had its gamey smell removed. I tried it with Yixuan before and it was very good. You should try it."
Su Wanyan put the meat in her mouth. The meat was firm but not dry, tender but not crumbly. Just as Dai Zhiwan had said, it really didn't have a gamey smell. It had a meaty aroma in her mouth.
"Lamb is the perfect food in winter."
Xu Yixuan smiled and handed Su Wanyan a cup of tea: "Xueshan Maojian tea is the best for cutting through grease and refreshing the palate. It has a fragrant and sweet aftertaste, I'm sure you'll like it."
Su Wanyan took the meat, sipped it, and nodded repeatedly: "It's really good. Eating it with mutton has a unique flavor. You guys are living a really comfortable life."
Dai Zhiwan's eyes lit up slightly, and she became interested: "Wanyan, tell me about life on the border, is it fun?"
Before Su Wanyan could speak, Xu Yixuan glanced at her and said, "The border is bitterly cold. Do you think Wanyan went there to enjoy herself?"
After saying that, she took Su Wanyan's hand and said, "I noticed it just now; your hands feel much rougher to the touch."
In the capital, every young lady's hands are as tender as green onions; if you only look at Su Wanyan's hands, you wouldn't be able to tell anything special.
But when you put the three of their hands together, you can clearly see the difference. Su Wanyan's hands are a shade darker than theirs, and her skin is not as delicate.
"That's really true." Dai Zhiwan pursed her lips awkwardly.
"It's alright." The next second, Dai Zhiwan changed her expression: "My family has some excellent jade face cream. I'll send you some later. Apply it every day, and I guarantee your skin will become smooth again soon."
Su Wanyan smiled and changed the subject: "How are you all doing in the capital?"
"With you and the Prince fighting on the frontier, everything is fine for us in the capital," Xu Yixuan said with a smile.
“At yesterday’s welcome banquet, I saw Dai Jin’an and Xu Nianhe, and I thought that your Changshun family has also been highly valued by the court.”
"It's also thanks to your and the Prince's support."
"Don't say that. If you didn't have the ability, you wouldn't have been able to gain a foothold in the court so quickly."
When a new emperor rises, seizing the opportunity is more important than anything else.
Moreover, the Chang and Shun families were exceptionally courageous, and when Yu Nanqing had no hope at all, they stood firmly by his side.
What Su Wanyan didn't know was that the Chang and Shun families actually hoped that Yu Nanqing could sit on the throne. If Yu Nanqing showed even the slightest intention to seize the throne after his triumphant return to the capital, the two families would not hesitate to switch sides and support him.
Unfortunately, after Xu Nianhe and Dai Jin'an returned to the mansion yesterday and told the two old dukes about what happened at the welcome-home banquet, the two old dukes felt very uncomfortable.
Despite this excellent opportunity, Yu Nanqing chose to go to his fiefdom.
It seems he truly has no intention of becoming emperor.
Her family was worried about this, but Xu Yixuan thought it was a good thing. She had known since she was a child that the capital was a big melting pot. When things were good, everyone would try to curry favor with you, but when things were bad, everyone would want to have ten more pairs of eyes watching you, just to find the mistake that would kill you.
Once they were in their fiefdom, far from the capital, they found themselves in a carefree world. To be honest, Xu Yixuan was incredibly envious.
"Oh, right, there's something we haven't told you yet." Dai Zhiwan suddenly sat up straight, her face both serious and happy.
Su Wanyan asked curiously, "What?"
Dai Zhiwan smiled mysteriously, then announced, "Xu Yixuan and I are getting married!"
Su Wanyan's expression suddenly froze, and she didn't know what expression to make for a moment.
"Get married?" Su Wanyan had never thought about this. In her eyes, Dai Zhiwan and Xu Yixuan were still young girls. They were only a year or two older than her. She was fifteen, while they were only seventeen or eighteen.
Realizing what was happening, Su Wanyan quickly asked, "Who was it promised to?"
"Xu Yixuan is the son of Qiu, a scholar from the Imperial Academy. His father is a Grand Secretary in the palace, holding the rank of First Rank. His grandfather was the Grand Tutor of the late Emperor and has deep roots in the capital. Qiu is currently serving in the cabinet and I heard that he will take over the position of Vice Minister of the Interior in the future."
Upon hearing this, Su Wanyan opened her mouth, then closed it again, and nodded: "The family background is excellent."
It is indeed excellent. The Duke's mansion is currently very popular, and people will be flocking to it to propose marriage. The Prime Minister in the court has changed a lot, and now discussing the position of Inner Vice Minister is actually quite risky.
However, Grand Secretaries of the Hall of Literary Glory hold great honor in the court and wield real power. Xu Yixuan, having married into such a family, would certainly not be treated unfairly.
Su Wanyan looked at Dai Zhiwan nervously again: "Then which family did you promise to?"
"The eldest grandson of the Marquis of Ding'an, Young Master Liao."
Su Wanyan frowned slightly: "The Marquis of Ding'an's residence?"
The Ding'an Marquis's Mansion and the Qingping Marquis's Mansion have both declined. Could it be that they have also taken advantage of the change of the throne this time?
Xu Yixuan explained, "This time, in addition to the war between Donghai and Dajin, Beiyue and Nanguo are also restless. In Beiyue, the Ding'an Marquis's Mansion has volunteered to guard the area, and Young Master Liao of the Ding'an Marquis's Mansion is among them. If he can quell the Nanguo, Young Master Liao will definitely be rewarded and promoted. He will have a bright future."
Importantly, the Marquis of Ding'an's family now holds military power. With Dai Zhiwan marrying into the Marquis of Ding'an's family, the two families have a relationship of mutual benefit. The military power held by the Marquis of Ding'an's family further consolidates the power of the Duke of Changguo's family.
"So, even before Young Master Liao has returned to the capital, the Duke of Changguo has already arranged a marriage for you?"
Su Wanyan couldn't say whether it was good or bad. In ancient times, women had no say in marriage, but one of them was far away on the border and the other was still in the capital. They couldn't even meet, yet they were engaged. Su Wanyan was a little worried.
"Have you met Young Master Liao?"
Dai Zhiwan shook her head: "Never seen it before."
How could she have seen them? She never left the house before and never attended banquets. Now that she's saying her relatives are all at the border, she's even less likely to have seen them.
"Are you all satisfied with your marriage?" Su Wanyan asked.
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