Before they even reached the dock, Xichun saw people looking around. They waved to them, and when they finally got on the boat, they realized it was the old master and his wife's maids and servants waiting at the dock.
"Second Madam, young masters, young ladies, you've finally arrived! I've already sent someone to inform the Old Master and Madam that the carriage is waiting here, and they can come and collect their things." The maidservant hurriedly stepped forward to greet Xichun and quickly arranged everything.
They must have been waiting here for several days, and now that they saw the person had arrived safely, they rushed off to share the good news.
"You've worked hard, so we'll head back now." Xi Chun led the child into the carriage, and they soon arrived at the Fu family's gate.
Today, there are three memorial archways in front of the Fu family's gate: one for the two brothers who both passed the imperial examinations and another for Fu Changfeng who passed the highest level of the imperial examinations. The nearby houses have also been bought by Old Master Fu, making the Fu family's residence even more impressive now.
Grandpa Fu, Grandma Fu, and Sister-in-law Fu were already waiting at the door with the children. After many years, Sister-in-law Fu was still as gentle and charming as ever, with three children standing beside her.
"Father, Mother, Sister-in-law, we're back."
"Greetings, Grandfather, Grandmother, and Aunt." The children followed suit and bowed.
"Oh dear, come in quickly. You must be tired from this trip. It's good that you're home, otherwise I wouldn't feel at ease." Xichun brought the children back, and although she was happy, all three of them were worried. They were only relieved when they got home safely.
"It's been so many years, sister-in-law, you still look as radiant as ever. I hope the children are all well." The children went inside with the old man, and Xichun deliberately lagged behind, showing concern for her sister-in-law.
"It's all good, it's all good, don't worry. Now the family is counting on you to stay safe and sound in the capital, so we don't need to worry." The eldest sister-in-law was relieved to see that even though Xichun had become an official's wife, she was still friendly with her.
"My brother asked me to bring a letter from home this time, and also a gift that he specially picked out for you. I'll sort it out and give it to you later." Xichun winked at her playfully.
"Oh dear, he's gone to the capital and instead of studying properly, he's always thinking about us." The eldest sister-in-law was a little shy, and when she saw Xichun teasing her, a shy smile appeared on her face.
They are still children related by blood. Even though A-Zheng and Xuan-Xuan hadn't seen their cousins for many years, they quickly became familiar with each other, chatting and talking together without any barriers.
"Xichun, you must be tired. You've been traveling by car and boat. Go and rest in your yard. I've already had the yard cleaned. Go and rest, and we'll all get together as a family tonight."
"Okay, Mom and Dad, sister-in-law, let's go and rest for a while." Although Xichun was used to traveling by car, she was a little tired now. Perhaps it was because she had been tense before going home, and now that she had suddenly relaxed, she felt a bit tired.
The children seemed tireless. After taking a bath and changing their clothes, they ran off to play with their younger siblings. Xichun didn't care that they were all home, so she didn't have to worry about them anymore.
The family dinner that evening was prepared by the eldest sister-in-law, mainly consisting of hometown dishes and food from Shaoming County. The children had lived in Shaoming County for so many years, and their tastes had changed. The eldest sister-in-law was worried that the children would not be used to the hometown food. Seeing how thoughtful she was, Xichun quickly thanked her.
"We're all family, no need to thank me. Look, the kids haven't seen each other in a long time, but they're playing together now, even sitting side by side at mealtimes."
"Hehe, it's a good thing for the family to be united. Let the children get to know each other better so they can help each other out in the future, and the family will prosper." Since everyone was family, there was no separation between men and women, and everyone ate together happily.
After the meal, Xichun brought out all the things she had packed, some bought by her older brother and some she had prepared herself. When the children saw so many delicious and fun things, they all came up to thank their aunt.
The courtyard where Xichun and Fu Changfeng used to live has always been cleaned, and it is spotless, maintaining the habits they had when they were there. Xichun knows that her sister-in-law is now in charge, which shows that her sister-in-law is still very attentive, so she has prepared quite a few gifts.
After learning about the brothers' recent situation in the capital, Madam Fu was relieved. The group chatted until late, talking about interesting things in Weinan County and mentioning the Fu family in the prefectural city.
"Back then, your uncle and his group tried to smear Changfeng by taking advantage of the old lady's status. Fortunately, I had arranged for people to keep an eye on them beforehand, which prevented them from succeeding. Otherwise, now that Changfeng has arrived in the capital, I'm afraid someone would use these things to make a fuss."
Xi Chun also knew about what Old Master Fu was talking about. It was when Fu Changfeng first received an imperial reward. When they learned that Old Madam Fu had been granted an imperial title, her eldest and second aunts instigated her to accuse Old Master Fu and Fu Changfeng of being unfilial for failing to obtain an imperial title for Old Madam Fu. They even spread rumors about their family in the prefectural city.
Fortunately, Old Master Fu reacted quickly and suppressed the matter. He also publicized what the Fu family had done back then. Fearing that it would affect his two sons' futures, the old master personally took the old lady to the prefectural city to deal with them, which finally calmed those families down.
"However, I recently heard some news. The old lady is said to be seriously ill and may only have one or two years left. I don't know if she can hold on until your eldest brother finishes the imperial examination. Alas, when a grandmother passes away, the grandson has to observe mourning. Changfeng has only just arrived in the capital. I don't know what the situation will be like."
Old Master Fu has been concerned about the situation in the prefectural city. Now that Changfeng has just gone to the capital to take up an official post, if the old lady were to pass away now, he would have to go home to observe mourning for a year. Most officials would have other people eyeing their positions if they went to observe mourning, and if they went back then, they might not be able to get their current rank. That's why the old master is so worried.
"We can only hope she lives a long life, at least until Changjin and Changfeng have established themselves. Sigh, we finally have a happy occasion, but we still have to go and observe mourning for that old lady."
The old lady was the stepmother of Master Fu, so as filial sons, Master Fu and his wife were obliged to observe three years of mourning. However, the old lady could not be filial to this old lady at all, and thought many times that she hoped she would die later.
"We can only let nature take its course, but we should still tell them to be prepared, so that they don't encounter any emergencies and give others a handle to use against them." Xi Chun thought about it and realized that the matter of birth, aging, sickness, and death is truly beyond human control.
"Since you've come back this time, I'm afraid you'll have to visit her in the prefectural city to let people know about your filial piety. I also need to go and take care of her. We'll choose a time to go another day."
"We'll listen to Mother on this matter," both of them said. People in ancient times valued their reputation, so it was indeed worthwhile to go and take a look.
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