As soon as Pei Yuanxuan came back, he went to the study to see Pei Lingfeng. Pei Lingfeng tested Pei Yuanxuan's knowledge, and he answered very well. He even asked him about the country and people's livelihood, and Pei Yuanxuan was able to answer them. Pei Lingfeng was very surprised. He didn't expect Pei Yuanxuan to learn so much in Yunzhou. He couldn't help but think of Su Qingmo who was still in the capital and Xiao Yunyan who returned from Yunzhou after studying.

"Well said. I thought you were still young and unaccustomed to studying alone, but now it seems that you are doing better than the students in the Imperial College."

Every child looks forward to receiving praise from his parents, especially Pei Yuanxuan. Although he receives letters every month, they are not as good as a word of praise from his parents in person.

"Thank you for your praise, father. I will continue to work hard."

Pei Yuanxuan was very happy, and Pei Lingfeng also smiled. He stood up and touched his son, who had grown to the height of his waist, and felt very pleased.

"You should study hard, but you should also not neglect martial arts. I won't test you today. Go back to the yard first. Your mother must be waiting anxiously."

Pei Yuanxuan bowed respectfully and left, his steps hurried and he looked very anxious. Pei Lingfeng smiled and shook his head, he was still a child indeed.

“Brother!”

Pei Yuanxuan was bumped by Pei Yuanjin as soon as he stepped into Derou Garden. If he hadn't learned martial arts under the guidance of a martial arts master in the past few years, he would have been knocked to the ground. But even so, Pei Yuanjin's bump still made his chest hurt. Pei Yuanxuan rubbed his chest helplessly, looking at Pei Yuanjin who was excited, thinking that perhaps this younger brother was the most suitable one among them to learn martial arts.

"How old are you? Why are you so irritable? Are you hurt?"

Pei Yuanjin smiled and said, "It doesn't hurt. I'm just happy to see you back, big brother!"

Pei Yuanan was not as jumpy as Pei Yuanjin. He was about the same age as Pei Yuanxuan and they still had some memories of their childhood together. So he also greeted him with a smile.

"It's cold outside, let's go inside and talk."

Pei Yuanxuan led Pei Yuanjin into the house, and Pei Yuanan followed behind them. As he got older, Pei Yuanan also knew the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children. His biological mother and adoptive mother were both dead, and he didn't know the truth, but he knew that although Xiao Yunrou treated him less well than his two legitimate brothers over the years, he was not harshly treated in terms of food, clothing, housing and transportation, and the teacher he hired was also famous in the capital.

He also went out to socialize in the capital, and he had seen with his own eyes how legitimate children bullied those illegitimate children. As for him, Pei Yuanxuan and Pei Yuanjin had never caused him any trouble. Although they were not close, he had everything he deserved, without the open and secret competition of other mansions. He thought, maybe he was satisfied.

The three brothers entered the house. Pei Yuanxuan loosened his hand when he saw Xiao Yunrou, knelt in front of her and kowtowed three times respectfully. Xiao Yunrou's eyes were also a little red, and she helped him up personally.

"I haven't seen you for a year. You've grown taller and seem stronger."

Xiao Yunrou looked at Pei Yuanxuan carefully, and was both happy and disappointed to see that he was half a head taller than when he left. Pei Yuanxuan left her side and went to Yunzhou when he was three years old. Even if she sent people to send many things to Yunzhou over the years, it could not offset her responsibility of not raising this child personally.

"I brought some things back from Yunzhou. I've asked someone to deliver them to your yard. I'll go back later to see if you like them."

Pei Yuanxuan didn't have that kind of aloof attitude towards his family, and always had a warm smile on his face.

"Brother, where is the treasure you mentioned? Is it for me?" Pei Yuanjin had been thinking about this treasure for several months. Now he stared at Pei Yuanxuan without blinking, which made Xiao Yunrou laugh secretly.

"Of course, take them all to your room." Pei Yuanxuan smiled and rubbed Pei Yuanjin's head.

"Okay, it's time to go pay respects to your grandmother. When we come back you can all go to your eldest brother's room to play." Seeing that the children got along well with each other, Xiao Yunrou smiled and led them to Shen's house.

Shen was also very excited when the eldest grandson came back. Seeing that Pei Yuanxuan had been strictly trained in his posture, speech, and greeting, Shen was very satisfied and liked him even more. After the greeting, they sat down and Zhuang said with a smile:

"I haven't seen Xuan'er for nearly a year. I found that he seems to look a bit like Mr. Xiao. Especially this feeling, it's as if Mr. Xiao is standing in front of me."

After hearing this, Shen and Ye looked at Pei Yuanxuan carefully and couldn't help but nodded in agreement.

"That's true. Mr. Xiao was known as a fairy in his time, and people are still talking about his elegance in his time. This nephew resembles his uncle, and I'm afraid Xuan'er will become the most admired person by the ladies in the imperial court of Beijing in a few years."

Ye covered her mouth and laughed. Xiao Yunrou also laughed when she saw Pei Yuanxuan responding to Ye's words in a measured way.

"Then I'll borrow the good words from my second brother and his wife. You know what my eldest brother was like back then. I hope Xuan'er won't follow his example and remain unmarried until he's over 20."

When talking about this, Shen Shi became interested. Shen Shi did not like Pei Yuanan, the daughter of her niece, as she did in her previous life. No one whispered in her ear. She truly loved Pei Yuanxuan. She smiled and said:

"We will also hold a banquet in the Marquis' Mansion during the New Year. The capital city is not short of ladies from noble families. We can take a good look at them and maybe we can find a daughter-in-law for our Xuan'er sooner."

Pei Yuanxuan was still young, but he already knew what marriage and daughter-in-law meant. He felt a little embarrassed to be teased by the elders, but he still sat upright, only his ears were a little red.

"I think we should put it aside for now. Xuan'er is still young. Besides, the capital is not peaceful right now. If something happens, it will not be good for our reputation."

Right now the court is in turmoil, with a major reshuffle of officials. Every few days one official is arrested and another is appointed as his replacement. It is only now getting quieter as the New Year is approaching, but who knows how long this chaos will last?

Shen also thought about the current situation in the capital and could not help but withdraw her thoughts. Pei Yuanxuan would definitely inherit the Marquisate in the future. Even if he couldn't marry a daughter-in-law who could help him, he couldn't let her hold him back, right?

"That's true. After all, Gui Xuan'er is still young, but you have to keep a close eye on him, so he doesn't end up like your elder brother. I was shocked when he suddenly wanted to get married. I thought he was too stubborn to get married at the age of 30, so it was only because my mother-in-law was used to him."

Xiao Yunyan's marriage was indeed a difficult problem for the entire Xiao family, but fortunately it was solved in the end. After Xue Lin got married, the two of them lived in harmony, without any concubines in the backyard, and gave birth to a son and a daughter. Who among those who laughed at Xue Lin back then would not envy her now?

"By the way, will Xuan'er stay until after the Lantern Festival before going to Yunzhou?"

Xiao Yunrou nodded. Shen also knew that it would be better to have the Su family teach her, so she could only sigh.

"Xuan'er has been gone for a long time. Now he is the prince of the Zhenyuan Marquisate, but he doesn't have many good friends in the capital. I am always worried."

The descendants of noble families would visit various mansions when they reached a certain age, just to make connections. The feelings in childhood are the most sincere, and if there are friends who can trust each other, it will be of great help in the future. However, Xiao Yunrou was not worried about this. There were many students with excellent character and academic performance in the academy, and it was much better to make friends with them than to know some playboys in the capital.

"Grandfather said that when Xuan'er is ten years old, he will be able to return to the capital. Then, let the Marquis take him out."

Shen knew that her grandson's studies were important, so she stopped talking about this topic and asked Pei Yuanxuan about what he had seen and heard in Yunzhou. After an hour, she let them go back to rest. After leaving Zhining Courtyard, the three brothers and the two sons from the second house went to Pei Yuanxuan's house.

The whole family had dinner in the main hall. Pei Lingyun and Pei Lingzhi looked at Pei Yuanxuan, who was becoming more talented and more dignified every year, and their minds became active again. At the dinner table, they also proposed whether their son could also go to Yunzhou Academy to study.

Yunzhou Academy is now the largest academy in Daliang. The requirements for admission are higher than those of other academies. Unlike the Imperial College in the capital, where one can enter as long as their family background is high enough, even if their education is relatively poor, Yunzhou Academy is a place where one can really learn knowledge.

"I can't guarantee that. Why not wait until Xuan'er comes back and I write a letter to my uncle to see if he can give us two places for this year's entrance exam."

As night fell, after Xiao Yunrou took a bath, Pei Lingfeng carefully wiped her hair. In recent years, Pei Lingfeng has done many things by himself, holding Xiao Yunrou in his hands. There is no concubine to make trouble, and the power of the Marquis's Mansion is in his hands. The relationship between the mother-in-law, daughter-in-law and sister-in-law is also good. Therefore, even if Xiao Yunrou is twenty-six, she looks no more than twenty years old. Under the light, Pei Lingfeng looked at his wife with a jade-like face, and his eyes became darker.

"Mother was talking about looking for a suitable girl for Xuan'er today, but I stopped her. With Duke Yue in this state, we don't know how the court will be shaken. We are just looking at each other now. I am afraid that if we get involved, it will be bad for our reputation whether the marriage is successful or not."

Xiao Yunrou didn't notice Pei Lingfeng's eyes and just kept talking to herself.

"How long will this incident involving the Duke of Yue last? Fortunately, Xuan'er is not in the capital now. The Yunzhou Academy is full of students, and they are not affected by these major events in the court. They can study in peace, which is much better than the big dye vat in the capital."

The two years Xiao Yunrou told Shen today were just an approximation. She thought that if the capital was still in such a mess two years later, she would not let Pei Yuanxuan return to the capital. A prince was the future of the Marquisate, and he must let this child wait in peace until the dust in the capital was settled, and she and Pei Lingfeng would overthrow all those enemies together.

"Don't worry, it won't take too long." Pei Lingfeng's voice was a little hoarse. After Xiao Yunrou's hair was dry, he flicked the handkerchief in his hand and led her to the big bed.

"Let me, your husband, think about these things. You just need to think about me."

After Xiao Yunrou's scream, nothing more was said except for the sobbing sounds.