When the palace guards knocked on the Xiao family's door, Xiao Yao and Xiao Yuan couldn't help but lean over to look at the brand new plaque.
"Loyal and Brave Marquis Mansion, sister, then our family will no longer be a general's mansion in the future?" Xiao Yuan still thought that the general's mansion sounded good, and what did the loyal and brave marquis mean? The second young lady of the Xiao family did not quite understand the meaning behind it.
Is the title of "Loyal and Brave Marquis" a commendation for his grandfather's act of risking his life to rescue King Jing? Xiao Yao lowered her eyes and said nothing. Only her slightly trembling eyelashes revealed her uneasy mood at the moment.
"Miss, Miss, why are you back?" the doorman asked incoherently. After he came to his senses, he hurriedly asked someone to pass the message inside.
"So you don't want us to come back?" Xiao Yuan and the doorman laughed.
"Your Highness, you're here..." The concierge was so startled he stuttered. Xiaohui and Qianyu helped their respective masters out of the carriage. Yun Yichen also dismounted. He took the opportunity to adjust his clothes to observe Xiao Yao's expression. She seemed lost in thought, her eyelids lowered, unwilling to speak. She hadn't been home for two months. Shouldn't she be happy? Was she angry? But why?
Without giving him time to think further, General Xiao hurried out with his family.
"Ping An, you are too naive. How could you trouble the prince to personally send you off?" Qin saw Yun Yichen at a glance, so she was the first to scold her granddaughter. Although it was a good thing that the prince was willing to escort the two granddaughters home, as a sensible and virtuous woman, she should learn to think about others. Prince! How could you let someone of such a noble status do such a thing! The little granddaughter was too naive. What if she left a bad impression on the prince?
"How can Ping'an be blamed for this! The princess must be worried about the two sisters and asked boy Yun to send them off. Am I right?" Old Marquis Xiao looked at Yun Yichen with a frown, with an obvious warning in his eyes, fearing that he would say something that would be detrimental to his granddaughters.
"Please don't misunderstand, Madam Marquis. I just wanted to come and see how the old Marquis's injury is, and send the two young ladies back on the way, so that I don't have to make an extra trip to your house." Yun Yichen saw the familiar expression on Marquis Xiao's face and smiled faintly. It has been a long time since he saw the old man treat him like this. He felt so much more cordial when he saw him today!
"Please come in, my lord. Thank you for your concern for my master's injury. He is almost recovered now, so you can rest assured!" Qin spoke to Yun Yichen very respectfully and politely. Except for her fourth uncle, Xiao Yao had never seen her grandmother be so enthusiastic towards anyone.
Xiao Yao stared at his grandfather's right arm for a long time. It was obvious that there was a difference in the movements of his two arms. It seemed that it would be difficult to return to normal in the future. It was all the fault of this damn imperial class. The damn monarch wanted his subjects to die, and the subjects had to die. Why did they let my grandfather take risks at such an old age? It was really an evil old society!
With so many complaints in her heart that she had no place to vent, Xiao Yao glared at Yun Yichen fiercely.
As if sensing something, Yun Yichen, who was chatting with Lord Xiao, looked in Xiao Yao's direction. Xiao Yao quickly looked away and didn't want to meet his gaze.
"Let's go to the study and talk!" Old Marquis Xiao didn't want to see his wife's almost flattering attitude, and his family didn't want to depend on King Jing, so why should they do such a servile thing? He was very pleased that boy Yun could come, but he wouldn't force him if he didn't come.
Although the injury was caused by Prince Jing, he was under the Emperor's order, so what did it have to do with the Prince Jing's Mansion? The Emperor had issued an order, and no matter who the person was, he had to rescue them. The Prince Jing's Mansion had already done its utmost, taking his granddaughter for treatment, sending so much jewelry, and even a plaque written by Prince Jing himself, not to mention that the father and son had visited him more than once.
Xiao Yao followed the women back to the backyard. She had no idea how long Yun Yichen talked with his grandfather or when he left. However, Qin regretted for the whole day because she could not keep Prince Jing at home for dinner.
When the family gathered together, the lively atmosphere soared to a new height again because of the return of the two little girls.
Xiao Jingkang and his sons surrounded Xiao Yao, and it could be said that they were so tight that one of them asked a question; the next, another held Xiao Yao's hand and looked at her endlessly... It made Xiao Laohou and Xiao Yuan so anxious that they wanted to push through the crowd and pull Xiao Yao back to their side. It's fine if you don't let others talk to Ping An (sister), but you actually surrounded people and didn't even let them look at her. This is a bit too much.
Xiao Jun was even happier, as if it were a holiday. His cheerful laughter and loud voice could be heard throughout the room.
Xiao Yuan looked at the intimate and enthusiastic communication between his cousins and sisters, and then looked at his own brother who was only concerned with watching the fun and had been perfunctory in even greeting him since he came back, not to mention asking about his well-being. He felt extremely depressed.
They both left home for two months, but when her elder sister came back she was treated like a star, while she herself was ignored by her mother and unconcerned by her brother. How could there be such a big difference between them as both were young ladies of the Xiao family?
After a lively dinner, Xiao Yao went to visit Nanny Ruan, whom she hadn’t seen for two months.
"I know you must miss me." Xiao Yao hugged Nanny Ruan's arm and acted coquettishly.
"Don't be so sentimental. Master has been so happy these past two months! He has been taking care of flowers, making spices and ointments every day. He has been living a very comfortable life!" Nanny Ruan tidied up Xiao Yao's hair. If she said she wasn't worried about Xiao Yao, she would be lying. They have been together for almost two years. They are like cats and dogs and still have feelings for each other! Not to mention that they are a master and apprentice.
However, she couldn't just walk in and out of Prince Jing's mansion at will. Furthermore, the princess brought along a knowledgeable teacher who could fully meet the academic needs of her three children. Xiao Yao was mainly staying in the other courtyard to treat her illness, so even if she went, she wouldn't be able to help much. So, after careful consideration, Nanny Ruan decided to stay at the Xiao family's house and wait for her apprentice to recover and return.
However, Nanny Ruan did not waste these days. She wrote down the beauty and skin care secrets she knew in her mind, and made some ointments that could make women's skin more delicate and white.
"Then I'll try it tonight. Your prescription must be much more effective than my apprentice's folk remedy." Xiao Yao thought that what Nanny Ruan would make this time would be similar to the whitening products in the past, so she didn't pay much attention to it.
Seeing that her apprentice was ignorant and didn't care, Nanny Ruan didn't continue to explain. The ointment she was going to use on Xiao Yao was a secret recipe in the palace. Only those extremely favored and high-ranking concubines were qualified to use it. As for its efficacy, only after the apprentice got married and charmed her husband, could she experience its beauty. She didn't understand it now, so she didn't understand it!
Returning to the Yuanyao Building after a long absence, Xiao Yao took a nice bath, changed into a light set of pajamas, and crawled into the newly dried quilt. Before she knew it, she fell asleep...
Ever since Xiao Yao and Xiao Yuan returned home, the old Marquis Xiao's irritable mood has gradually calmed down. The two children, who were asked by their family to spend more time with their grandfather, also tried their best to make the old man happy.
Now that Marquis Xiao no longer has to teach or attend court, he spends most of his time accompanying his granddaughter. According to old rules, after General Xiao was conferred the title of Marquis, Xiao Jingkang should have become the crown prince and resigned from his official position. However, Xiao Jingkang likes what he is doing now and does not want to go home to be a rich and idle man.
So Xiao Jingkang planned to give the position of the crown prince to his second brother Xiao Jingtai, hoping that his injured brother would get due compensation. After listening to his elder brother's explanation, Xiao Jingtai shook his head, saying that he had never wanted to occupy the position of the crown prince, and he was good at fighting and killing, so it was impossible for him to support a marquisate.
Seeing his two brothers pushing each other, Xiao Jingmin was so scared that he secretly slipped away. He had no opinion on who became the crown prince, except himself. With older brothers above him and younger brothers below him, neither of them should be his.
Xiao Jingyan refused decisively before his eldest brother even opened his mouth. He was used to living a relaxed and comfortable life, going wherever he wanted and doing whatever he wanted. If the Xiao family was handed over to him, it was hard to predict what the situation would be like in a few years.
"If you want the Xiao family to decline early, then let Xiao Si be the prince." Old Marquis Xiao made the final decision and turned down the position of prince for his youngest son.
Xiao Jingyan really wanted to say that he was not that bad, but after thinking it over again and again, he did not dare to say it out loud because he really had no confidence in himself.
The final result was that the Xiao family did not submit a petition to confer the title of Crown Prince. Old Marquis Xiao stated that after he passed away, the family would be handed over to Xiao Jingkang. As long as he and his wife were alive, they would live together and would not separate.
Except for the portion that had to be left to the eldest son, the rest of the family property was calculated and distributed equally to the four sons. Most of Mr. Xiao's private property was given to his two granddaughters; Qin's private property was divided into six grandsons and the youngest son, and the remaining portion was kept by the Qin couple for their retirement.
The family had expected this distribution, and they had no objection. The old couple's private property would be given to whoever they wanted, and every family would have a beneficiary. No matter how much, it was the old man's intention. Each of their families was not short of money. The Tong family, the Li family, and the Yuan family were all wealthy. The dowry when they married their daughters was also a hot topic in Kyoto.
Tong Mingyu was good at managing money. Their family had already accumulated a lot of money from the shops and farms. Li Jiaoying didn't have the skills of her eldest sister-in-law, but she could still invest in the business! She had already made a lot of money from her two sisters-in-law, and Yuan Yutong had everything she needed with the support of her family.
Therefore, the open and secret struggles caused by uneven distribution of property that occur in other families will never happen in the Xiao family.
After learning about these things, Xiao Yao also had the idea of opening a shop. If for no other reason, she would not have to worry about her future once she had money in her pocket. Even if she married a scumbag in the future and was unhappy in her husband's family, she would not have to worry.
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