After the opera, Qingying treated her to a meal, and the two parted ways as evening approached, each heading home.
At this moment, the General's Mansion was brightly lit and lanterns were hung everywhere, almost like the New Year's atmosphere. Qingying had a feeling that something happy must have happened.
She strode through the door and headed straight for the Pan family's courtyard. She hadn't gone far when she saw Liu Chengfeng, who was also walking in a hurry.
"Big brother!"
She had just called out when Liu Chengfeng stopped and turned around. "Shushu, I just sent someone to look for you, and you just happened to come back."
"Big brother, what happened?"
"Father has returned to the capital and just entered the palace. He should be returning to the manor soon."
"Really?!" she exclaimed with delight. "After being delayed on the road for so long, we're finally back. Now Grandma and Mother can finally relax."
Indeed, they had all gone to Chongfu Temple to fulfill their vows a while ago, but just two days after returning home, they received a letter from Liu Yu saying that he had encountered some trouble on the road and needed to deal with it for a while. It was unheard of for a great general of the country to go up the mountain to suppress bandits.
They went to the Wang family compound, where the whole family gathered together to wait.
Before long, they received a reply from the palace saying that the General had already left the palace. They all went to the gate of the mansion to greet him.
Liu Yu had already removed his armor, dressed in brocade robes, and rode back on a fine horse. He dismounted nimbly at the gate of the mansion and knelt down directly in front of Madam Wang, saying, "My son Liu Yu, you're back!"
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back." Wang's eyes reddened, and she reached out to help him with trembling hands.
"It's been three years since we last met. How is Mother's health?" He slowly stood up.
Wang reached out and stroked his face, choking back tears as she said, "I'm doing fine, living a life of luxury in this capital. But you, you look much thinner and darker. Life on the border must have been tough."
"It's not hard. I'm guarding the border for the country and working for the people's livelihood. I don't feel any hardship."
Liu Qingying and Liu Chengfeng both called out "Father" at the same time.
Liu Yu looked at his two children, patted Liu Chengfeng on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Feng'er has grown taller again, even taller than his father. He has finally grown into a young man who can serve the country. Ying'er has also grown into a graceful young lady."
Finally, he looked at Madam Pan and said, "Madam, you've worked hard all these years."
Pan's eyes also reddened unconsciously, and she choked up as she said, "It's not hard work, it's all what I should do."
The family entered the house together and quickly arranged for dinner.
People from the second branch of the family also came, and even Liu Chenglin, who went to Medicine King Valley for medical research, made a rare appearance at the dinner table.
"When did Third Brother return to the manor?" Qingying asked.
“An hour earlier than my uncle,” Liu Chenglin replied.
Liu Chenglin was thirteen years old. When he was five, he was spotted by Doctor Qin and recommended to study medicine at Yaowang Valley. He was quite interested in it, and he stayed there for eight years. When Madam Luo was alive, he would often return to the mansion to visit her, but since Madam Luo passed away, he only returned to the mansion for a few days at the beginning of spring each year. Therefore, he was not very close to anyone in the Liu family.
Qingying didn't ask him why he returned to the manor, thinking that he wouldn't tell the truth anyway.
After dinner, Liu Yu said, "Now that the border is peaceful, the Emperor has allowed me to stay in the capital and will only go out when summoned."
Wang was very happy, "Then you can stay for quite a while."
"Yes, I can finally stay by my mother's side and do my best to be filial."
Madam Pan asked, "Husband, are you going to the palace tomorrow?"
"Thanks to Madam's reminder, I almost forgot." Liu Yu said with a smile, "His Majesty will be holding a banquet in the palace tomorrow. You can take Ying'er with you, while Feng'er and Lin'er can come with me."
Liu Chenglin pointed to himself with some surprise: "I'm going too?"
Liu Yu hesitated for a moment, "If you don't want to go, you don't have to force yourself."
Liu Chenglin smiled and said, "It's okay, you can go."
Qingying looked at the young man opposite her. Actually, Liu Chenglin was only a few months younger than her. Luo Shi was not considered an outstanding beauty when she was alive, but her son was exceptionally handsome and gentle, like a jade-carved Bodhisattva.
Qingying remembered that when he smiled, shallow dimples would appear at the corners of his lips, but she hadn't seen him smile for many years.
Madam Wang patted Liu Chenglin's hand, a kind smile on her face, "Lin'er, why don't you stay in the manor a little longer?"
Liu Chenglin withdrew his hand somewhat awkwardly and said calmly, "Master only allowed me to return for seven days."
Wang was a little embarrassed. "I see... seven days it is then."
After everyone dispersed, Qingying returned to her dormitory and sat by the candlelight under the window, a hint of melancholy on her face.
"What's wrong with my Jiaojiao? She's been sighing all the time."
Qingying was startled and turned her head to meet his dark, deep eyes. He was resting his chin on his hand, looking at her with a half-smile.
"When did you arrive? Why didn't you make a sound?"
"You're just thinking too much." There was a hint of grievance in his voice.
Wei Huaixu used one hand to support himself on the windowsill and climbed inside.
Practice makes perfect. Ever since he last slipped under her bed curtains, he felt as comfortable coming to her boudoir as if he were returning to his own palace.
"Ah Xu, my father is back."
“I know, Father is preparing to hold a grand banquet to welcome him back.”
Wei Huaixu picked up the teapot from the other table, poured himself a cup, took a sip, and frowned, saying, "Why does this tea taste sweet?"
"It's not tea, it's sugar water that Granny Zhang boiled with mountain pears."
"For moisturizing the lungs?"
"Um."
He placed the teacup on the table. "I don't really like sweet things."
Qingying got up to open the door and asked Tongxia outside to brew a pot of tea.
Tong Xia was a little confused, "Why are you drinking tea so late, young lady?"
"Go when I tell you to. Hey, use that jar of Hanshui Silver Shuttle."
Tongxia stared in surprise. That was tea that the old lady had worked so hard to obtain, and only a small jar was distributed to each courtyard. The young lady had rarely taken it out to drink.
Qingying remained silent, so she didn't dare to ask any more questions and withdrew after receiving the order.
She went back inside, picked up the half-cup of tea left in front of Wei Huaixu, and drank it all in one gulp.
He paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled, his eyes crinkling. "Jiaojiao is so good to me."
"These wild pears were picked especially for me by my older brother. He went to a lot of trouble, so they can't be wasted." She said this, but her ears still couldn't help but feel hot.
Wei Huaixu didn't expose her, but instead asked, "Are you also going to the palace tomorrow?"
She nodded. "My father wants me to go to the palace with my mother."
"Father is preparing to bestow a marriage upon Fourth Brother and the eldest daughter of the Chu family tomorrow."
"The eldest daughter of the Chu family is not..."
"Yes, Seventh Brother is going to lose his beloved this time." Wei Huaixu's tone was full of sympathy and regret, but she could clearly see a hint of schadenfreude in it.
This eldest daughter of the Chu family, Chu Lingyu, was a woman in the capital whose beauty rivaled that of Princess Yongning. She was also a well-known female general, but because she was away fighting, she was still unmarried at the age of nineteen.
Qingying held her in high esteem.
"If Miss Chu gets married, will she still be able to fight on the battlefield?"
"Of course, it's just that she'll have an additional identity. Throughout history, there have been many women who led armies and proved that women are just as capable as men. Although she will become a queen, she will still be the female general of Donglin."
However, upon closer examination, it is not difficult to understand the emperor's intention.
With the support of the Yan family behind him, the emperor could not allow Chu Lingyu to marry the seventh prince in order to maintain a balance of power in the court and allow the Yan family to become too powerful. The fourth prince, who was granted the title of Prince Xuan, had lost his mother at an early age, and was calm and composed, and did not fight or compete. He was the most suitable candidate to marry Chu Lingyu.
"So Miss Chu is back too. The palace will be lively tomorrow."
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