General Xiao's birthday this year was still lively and grand. After being comforted, Qin gradually returned to her former gentle and generous self. Just after finishing this important event, Tong Mingyu received a message from her mother, asking her to return to the Tong family.
"Why do you always come back alone? Where are my grandson and granddaughter?" Mrs. Tong vented her dissatisfaction to her daughter.
"I know you miss your daughter the most, that's why you left them all behind and came back alone. You must be happy, right?" Tong Mingyu rarely showed the attitude of a little girl. Only when she was with her mother could she indulge herself occasionally.
"Why are you so happy? I'm already sad that I can't see my grandchildren." Mrs. Tong lovingly took her daughter's hand. She knew how hard it was to be the mistress of a household, and now seeing her pampered little daughter so busy that she had to rush back and forth even to her parents' home, she was naturally distressed. Fortunately, her son-in-law was a kind-hearted man who had been devoted to her daughter for more than ten years, so as a mother-in-law, she couldn't find anything to criticize.
"I asked you to come back because of the peace we talked about last time. Have you discussed this with your son-in-law?"
"Has the emperor approved my father's request to retire and return home?" Tong Mingyu asked with mixed feelings. Who doesn't want to stay by their parents' side and be filial to them? But as a married woman, there are too many things she is forced to do, and there are many things she is willing but unable to do.
"The Emperor has summoned your father to the Imperial Study to meet him. An imperial decree will probably be issued in the next few days. We are planning to return to Suzhou before the New Year. By the way, the Emperor has transferred your eldest brother to Suzhou. He is currently renovating our ancestral home. We, the two of us, will spend our remaining years there."
"Mother..." Tong Mingyu's eyes were red and she choked.
"Seeing that you are all living happily, I am relieved. All good things must come to an end. When we grow old, we will always return to our roots. Don't be sad. You will soon become mothers-in-law. It would be a joke to others."
"I have decided to find Ping An a live-in son-in-law, so that my daughter won't have to face the pain of separation from her own children, just like you did."
Mrs. Tong was slightly stunned. It seemed that her daughter really didn't want to marry into the Tong family safely. A few years passed, and Mrs. Tong gradually realized that the gap between her grandson and granddaughter was getting bigger and bigger.
Ping'an's appearance hadn't changed much since she was a child, and she had become even more outstanding. The noble and graceful aura that emanated from her made her look so unique. His grandson, on the other hand, was ordinary-looking. Although he hadn't gotten uglier, he hadn't suddenly become a handsome man.
Coupled with the daughter-in-law's cold and evasive attitude, I would not be willing to marry my family's treasure to a family with such a mother-in-law.
What worries Mrs. Tong now is the attitudes of her husband and grandson. Her husband's refusal to change his original intention and her grandson's increasingly shy expression when he sees Ping'an make her not know how to respond.
"Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. Some things cannot be achieved just by thinking about them." Mrs. Tong said this to her daughter, but also as a warning to herself.
Tong Mingyu suddenly thought of something and took her mother's arm and said sincerely, "I understand what you are thinking, but Ping'an and Jiabao are really not suitable. I have never mentioned this to the Xiao family because they would never agree to it. So today, I can only say sorry to you."
Mrs. Tong sighed silently. She knew her daughter meant to reject the marriage, and she felt quite sorry. She had already prepared herself for this, and she was unwilling to accept this outcome, let alone her husband! How should she bring this up? Mrs. Tong was worried.
"Seeing my mother and younger sister being so close, I kind of regret making this trip today." Tong Minglan walked in gracefully and calmly. She hadn't seen her younger sister for a long time.
"Sister, why are you back today? Did you know I'm back?" Tong Mingyu didn't particularly enjoy meeting her sister. Every time they met, she felt like she was a vulgar woman, constantly hustling for food and clothing, while her sister was a fairy, detached from the world and unconcerned with worldly matters.
"Of course I miss my mother. I also want to see you, a busy person. Why don't you see Xiao Ping'an? My mother-in-law always says that this child is very smart. Even a picky person like Madam Ruan is willing to indulge her and pamper her. The Xiao family will definitely be proud of her in the future."
"After I had a daughter, I realized that wealth, fame, and talent are all unimportant. As long as she is happy and successful, I don't care about these empty names!"
"With Ping'an's looks, I'm afraid it will be difficult for your Xiao family to keep a low profile." Tong Minglan deliberately reminded her sister.
"With our old man around, anyone who wants to harm Ping An will have to think twice before taking any action." Tong Mingyu said indifferently.
Madam Tong and Tong Minglan looked at each other. Their daughter's (sister's) idea was too simple. If the royal family took a fancy to Ping An, would you have the right to refuse? If the emperor issued an order to grant the marriage, would General Xiao dare to resist?
"I'll tell you the truth. Isn't my father-in-law teaching the royal children right now? Prince Jing once promised to ask the emperor to bestow a plaque upon the Xiao family in five years. My father-in-law wants to ask the emperor to exchange the plaque for a request: that the women of the Xiao family be allowed to marry freely."
This... General Xiao dotes on his granddaughters too much. He is willing to give up his honor and the chance to gain a good reputation for them. After hearing this news, the mother and daughter of the Tong family have a new understanding of General Xiao. It is probably not easy to find someone in Kyoto who loves his granddaughter more than him.
Mrs. Tong no longer planned to bring up the matter of letting her granddaughter go to Suzhou with her. It was obvious that with General Xiao around, no one could kidnap her granddaughter.
"In a couple of days, there will be a Cuju match between the Wen family and the Xiao family. I heard that all the young masters of Duke Mu's mansion have been recruited by the old man. Do you want to go and take a look?" Tong Minglan extended an invitation to his mother and sister.
"I won't go. They are all grandchildren. I really don't know how to cheer for them." Mrs. Tong had to prepare to return home, so she had no time to watch the fun.
"I'm afraid I don't have time to go." Tong Mingyu didn't even dare to have such extravagant hopes.
"Ping'an should go." Tong Minglan had expected that his mother and sister would be busy, but her niece would definitely have time, right?
I want to keep her, but my father-in-law must agree! Tong Mingyu nodded in response.
"You are absolutely outrageous. Where is my granddaughter? What are you doing here without bringing her?" Minister Tong questioned his wife and daughter angrily, asking why Old Xiao could see Xiao Ping'an every day while he waited and waited but there was no sign of him.
"Ping'an is grown up now. She needs to study and learn a lot of things. I will bring her to see you in a few days." Tong Mingyu saw that her father was really unhappy, so she hurriedly went up to him, helped him sit down, and then poured him a cup of tea with her own hands and handed it to him.
"Mother, now I finally know who Ping'an looks like because he is so perceptive." Tong Minglan stared at her busy sister and whispered to Mrs. Tong.
Mrs. Tong glared at her eldest daughter, saying that she even laughed at her own sister. Does she still act like a sister?
Minister Tong, whose anger gradually subsided after being so attentive to his daughter's service, said to her in a very serious tone, "You know why your mother asked you to come back. I want to take Ping An to Suzhou. Firstly, it's because of her illness, and secondly, I want her to accompany me and see the world. I'll return to Kyoto in a year or so. If you're embarrassed to tell the Xiao family this, I'll tell them myself some other day."
Do you want to have another battle with your in-laws for your granddaughter before returning to Suzhou?
"Aren't you putting your daughter in a difficult position?" On one side is her parents' family, and on the other side is her husband's family. The person caught in the middle has the most difficult situation.
"Old Xiao, you have to be reasonable. It's true that Ping An's last name is Xiao, but she is also the blood of my Tong family. Why can't I let my granddaughter live with me for a while?"
If you want General Xiao to be reasonable, it depends on what the matter is. As long as it is related to his granddaughter, he is right.
"It's rare that my elder sister and younger sister are back today. I have asked the kitchen to prepare a banquet so that our family can have a reunion dinner together." Zhang had not shown up before because she wanted to give the mother and daughter time to talk privately. Now it was almost lunchtime, and it was time for her, the mistress of the house, to show up.
"Thank you, sister-in-law." Tong Minglan bowed slightly.
"Thank you, second sister-in-law." Tong Mingyu had a distant smile on her face. Ever since she found out that her second sister-in-law was dissatisfied with her daughter, the relationship between the two was no longer as close as before.
"As long as my elder sister and younger sister don't mind my poor hospitality, I'll be very happy. We are all family, so please don't be polite to me." How could Zhang not understand the change in her sister-in-law's attitude? The two used to be sisters-in-law with no barriers between them, but now they are wholeheartedly considering the two mothers for the sake of their own children.
Even though the relationship between the two has reached this point, Zhang does not regret her decision. She believes that with her sister-in-law's pride, after understanding her intentions, she will definitely not have any plans to marry into her parents' family again.
"When I go back to Suzhou, I will not only bring Ping'an with me, but also Jiabao." Minister Tong plans to create opportunities for the two grandchildren to truly become a childhood sweetheart pair.
Hearing her father-in-law's words, Zhang's face suddenly changed. Did her parents-in-law really like Ping An so much? They loved him so much that they would rather sacrifice their grandson's lifelong happiness and let Jia Bao help them take care of their sick granddaughter.
"Jiabao has never left my daughter-in-law's side. She is afraid that he will cause trouble to the two elders." This means a polite refusal.
"My own grandson, what trouble is there? After a year or so, I will let him come back with Ping An." If I can successfully kidnap him... cough... take him away, won't I have the final say on when the two of them will return? Minister Tong thought happily.
As people get older, does their intelligence really decline? I can’t read other people’s faces, and I can’t hear the rejection in their words. No wonder I always lose to my in-laws! Mrs. Tong ordered people to serve the meal immediately, forcibly interrupting her husband’s fantasy.
Tong Mingyu really wanted to tell her second sister-in-law that she didn't need to worry about Jiabao being taken advantage of by the Xiao family, because she had never thought of letting her daughter and nephew go together.
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