The day before the Double Ninth Festival, the officials from Jiangnan finally returned to Beijing. Prince An went to the palace to report to the emperor, and Xiao Yunyan and Pei Lingfeng were happy to go back home first.

The sun sets and dusk falls. The soft moonlight is as clear as water, and the gauze-like clouds float in the sky. The fragrance of osmanthus that reaches the tip of the nose from time to time makes people feel refreshed.

Pei Lingfeng got off his horse and went to Zhining Garden to meet Zhenyuan Hou and Shen. Seeing how haggard he looked, Shen felt sorry for him and asked him to go back to his room to rest. Zhenyuan Hou did not stop him. Although he wanted to know about Jiangnan, he was not in a hurry and would ask tomorrow.

Xiao Yunrou received the news as soon as Pei Lingfeng entered the mansion. She immediately asked someone to boil water for Pei Lingfeng to take a bath, and asked the kitchen to prepare some of his favorite dishes. Pei Yuanxuan sat on the couch and fiddled with a doll. He listened to Xiao Yunrou's instructions, tilted his head and thought for a while, then spoke in a baby voice:

"Mom, is Dad back?"

Xiao Yunrou smiled and stroked Pei Yuanxuan's head: "Yes, your father will be here soon."

Although Pei Lingfeng had been gone for three months, Pei Yuanxuan, who had gradually begun to remember things, still remembered him. In addition, Xiao Yunrou mentioned him from time to time, and he expressed his happiness at his father's return.

"I'm going to the yard to wait for Daddy!"

Pei Yuanxuan kicked his calves and was about to get off the ground. Nanny Xu quickly supported him for fear that he would bump into something. After he stood firmly, Pei Yuanxuan excitedly ran to the gate of the courtyard and looked around.

When Pei Lingfeng walked into Derou Garden, Xiao Yunrou was helping Pei Yuanxuan put on a small vest in the yard. Seeing Pei Lingfeng coming back, Pei Yuanxuan happily called "Dad" and didn't care whether the vest was put on or not, and trotted towards him with his short legs.

Pei Lingfeng saw who was coming, raised the corner of his mouth slightly, bent over, stretched out his hand, and picked up Pei Yuanxuan who was bursting with love.

"Slow down, be careful not to fall."

Pei Lingfeng held the child in one hand, then walked forward, holding Xiao Yunrou's hand with the other hand and walked into the house. This scene seemed particularly warm under the dim light.

After returning to the house, he put Pei Yuanxuan down, followed Xiao Yunrou's wishes, took a shower and changed clothes, and washed away his fatigue.

When he came out, there was hot food on the table beside him. Xiao Yunrou was sitting on the couch playing with Pei Yuanxuan. Pei Lingfeng looked around and sat down, wondering:

"Where's Jin'er?"

Xiao Yunrou poured a bowl of soup for Pei Lingfeng and said softly, "He's still asleep. I think he'll wake up soon."

Pei Lingfeng nodded, picked up the chopsticks and started eating. Half an hour later, Pei Lingfeng had eaten and drunk his fill, and held the sleepy Pei Yuanxuan in his arms, his eyes filled with gentleness.

"I collected some small things in Jinling City and will bring them back in a few days in the carriage of the mansion. I don't know whether the two children will like them or not."

Because they had to hurry back to the capital to report to the emperor, even civil servants like Xiao Yunyan came back on horseback, and their luggage was sent back by their trusted aides in horse-drawn carriages.

In his previous life, Pei Lingfeng had never personally prepared these for his two children, and even Pei Yuanjin had only sent them books related to their studies. In this life, he wanted to be a good father who loved his children and make up for the debts and regrets of his previous life.

Pei Lingfeng carried Pei Yuanxuan back to the house, gently took off his coat and put him on the bed. Pei Yuanxuan rubbed his eyes, and after Pei Lingfeng kissed his forehead, he closed his eyes, still calling "Daddy" softly, and slowly fell asleep.

That night, Xiao Yunrou didn't know when she fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already daybreak and Pei Lingfeng had already entered the palace to attend court. She sat up and felt as if her body had been crushed and sore. Her fair skin was full of ambiguous marks. She couldn't help but secretly hate the man who didn't know how to restrain himself. He said that he should rest early because he was tired from work, but she didn't see how he was tired at all!

Xiao Yunrou snorted in dissatisfaction, but thinking that today was the Double Ninth Festival and her second uncle and his family were coming to the Marquis' Mansion, she cheered herself up and asked someone to help her wash up and eat.

After greeting Mrs. Shen and Xiao Yunrou taking care of the chores, second uncle and his family arrived.

"Qingci, take the box with you and let's go see the old lady and the second aunt."

Second uncle Pei Ninghuai and Marquis Zhenyuan were not brothers from the same mother, but were born to the old marquis's stepmother, and could be considered a legitimate son. This stepmother was the younger sister of Marquis Zhenyuan's biological mother, and the two should have had a very close relationship, but in reality they were hostile to each other.

The Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion has lasted for several generations, and its ability to be hereditary has not become an empty-name Marquis Mansion. Its prosperity to this day is not the result of one person. Marquis Zhenyuan knew that it was difficult to support a single tree, and fighting alone was not as good as brothers working together. What he hoped more was that his younger brother could be more successful, at least establish a family and help in the court.

At that time, Marquis Zhenyuan really wanted to help his younger brother, but Pei Ninghuai was too ambitious and thought that he could get the title with the old lady as his biological mother. The two of them fell out with Marquis Zhenyuan and fought openly and secretly for the title. Finally, the old marquis made a will to divide the family before his death, and asked the old lady to leave the marquis' mansion with Pei Ninghuai and live outside the mansion to keep things quiet for a while. However, after so many years, her father-in-law has been holding the title of Marquis Zhenyuan firmly, Pei Lingfeng has also been very competitive, and the second branch has long given up the idea of ​​replacing him, but she is still resentful in her heart. In her previous life, Pei Lingfeng had caused a lot of trouble after he succeeded to the title, and Xiao Yunrou was extremely annoyed.

Inside the Anshou Hall, the old lady was wearing a crimson dress with a swastika pattern and an exquisitely embroidered headband. The wealthy elderly lady was sitting in the seat of honor, with a hint of harshness in her expression.

Shen and second aunt Wen were talking to the old lady with their daughter-in-law. The third lady sat on the side and didn't say much, but her heart and eyes were full of disgust, but she could only suppress it and not show it.

Shen was smiling. For many years, she had the final say in the backyard of Zhenyuan Marquis's Mansion. Even though Xiao Yunrou married into the mansion and gave up the power, she was still treated like a slave. It was impossible for her to be humble and submissive to this old lady who was not a proper mother-in-law and had played tricks on her before. During the conversation, Shen acted like a marquis's wife, which made the old lady and Wen very angry. They wished they could bite off a piece of Shen's flesh.

"Sister-in-law, we've been here for such a long time and Yunrou hasn't come over yet."

After Wen finished speaking, the curtain was lifted by the maid, and Xiao Yunrou walked in. Wen was a little embarrassed by Xiao Yunrou's look, but she thought that she was the elder, and Xiao Yunrou could not argue with her? Thinking of this, Wen straightened her back and looked at her with contempt.

Xiao Yunrou sneered. Since the Second House didn't spend much time with her, she naturally didn't know her temper. Thinking back to her previous life, after seeing her methods, Wen never dared to act in front of her again. She was a person who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

"Yun Rou, have you arranged everything? I'm not saying anything bad about you, it's just a family dinner, just tell the servants, why do you have to do it yourself? You can't tire yourself out."

Shen smiled and held Xiao Yunrou's hand, speaking in a very gentle and caring manner, which made the Third Lady a little dazed. Xiao Yunrou remained expressionless and cooperated with Shen to achieve harmony between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

"Grandmother, it's rare for you to come to the Marquis' Mansion, so you have to let the people below pay attention. Your daughter-in-law is just talking, how can she be tired?"

Xiao Yunrou turned around and bowed to the old lady, then took Pei Yuanxuan and Pei Yuanjin to pay their respects to the old lady.

"Xuan'er, this is your first time meeting your great-grandmother, so kowtow to her properly."

No matter how badly the two families were at odds, filial piety had to be fulfilled. Although the old lady did not live in the Marquis's mansion, one of the reasons why no one in the court impeached the Marquis Zhenyuan was that he maintained respect for the old lady in front of outsiders. Moreover, although it was not nice for the old lady to live with her own son, no one would say anything wrong.

Pei Yuanxuan kowtowed to the old lady according to the etiquette, while Pei Yuanjin was held by the wet nurse. The old lady and Wen Shi saw that the two-year-old Pei Yuanxuan was already very good at performing the etiquette, so they couldn't help but compare it with their grandson who was sitting next to them. However, in comparison, both of them looked a little gloomy. The old lady reluctantly took out two gifts for the meeting. Xiao Yunrou knew without thinking that they were not worth anything, but she didn't care about it.

"Aunt, this must be my cousin's newborn baby. I don't have anything good here, so just let your nephew play with it."

After Xiao Yunrou sat down, she looked at the baby behind Wen and asked Qingci to pass the gift over.

"I'm sorry to have spent the money, sister-in-law." Wen's daughter-in-law, Xiao Wen, accepted it with a smile.

The second wife had no future. Pei Ninghuai donated money to become a sixth-rank official in the Ministry of Works. He did not need to report to the government office on weekdays, but he had a good title. The introduction gift that Xiao Wen gave to Xiao Yunrou's two children was a small goldfish pendant, which was indeed not as good as Xiao Yunrou's small box of pearls.

Without real power, one naturally cannot be too rich. When the family was divided, 20% of the family property was not excessive. The shops in good locations and profitable manors all belonged to the Zhenyuan Marquis's Mansion. Although the deceased old marquis was a bit partial, the things distributed to the second house could be enough for food and use if they were well managed, but the people in the second house were not good at management. It was good enough that they didn't have to make up for it in recent years. It was impossible to rely on the shop to support the family. For this reason, except for the ignorant baby. The second house's family was jealous of the master in the Zhenyuan Marquis's Mansion, and even Pei Ninghuai had a faint expectation for this title.

It was almost lunch time, and after a maid came in to ask, the old lady agreed, and the maids started to bring the prepared meals from the kitchen. As for Zhenyuan Hou and others, they also came from the front yard. Xiao Yunrou looked at Zhenyuan Hou's gloomy face and raised her eyebrows slightly. When she saw Pei Ninghuai's ugly face, she had a vague guess.

However, Xiao Yunrou never cared about men's affairs. As long as it didn't harm the people she cared about, she would let them do whatever they wanted.

The old lady naturally sat at the head seat, because there were only two families at the family dinner, so they sat together without separating. When dishes were served one after another, Xiao Wen's eyes widened. She had never thought that a family dinner could be so sumptuous.