Chapter 1274: Chapter 1083, You Can’t, I Can
The emperor’s drowsiness problem has beco increasingly severe, to the point of delaying morning court sessions, which has made so ministers uneasy.
At this ti, the faction supporting the Sixth Prince started actively promoting him. Since the Sixth Prince stayed in Qianqing Palace daily, even if so courtiers considered it inappropriate, few dared to voice objections at this mont.
Duke Residence.
Guo Ruoi anxiously awaited her eldest son to arrive with his wife and grandchildren: “It’s been over three years since we’ve seen them. I wonder if Daozi still rembers ? And the twins, they were just a month old when we left. I can’t imagine how they’ve grown.”
Chu Lang, cradling his young son to one side, chuckled, “If Daozi doesn’t rember us, I’ll have to smack his bottom. As for the twins, even the emperor dotes on them dearly; they must have grown well.”
Guo Ruoi ignored him and continued craning her neck to look in the direction of the main gate.
After the emperor’s birthday celebration, she and Chu Lang returned to the Duke Residence with their youngest son, thinking they could imdiately reunite with their beloved grandchildren. Unexpectedly, they were kept in the palace by the emperor.
“The Crown Prince and the others have had successive incidents, and now the emperor’s health appears to be failing. I just hope Xiao Yeyang’s family won’t be implicated.”
The atmosphere in Beijing had seed off recently, leaving Guo Ruoi deeply uneasy.
Chu Lang, however, remained calm: “Don’t worry, everything Xiao Yeyang has now is earned from his own efforts. Even if… sothing were to happen, he’d still have to hold down Xiliang.”
Guo Ruoi fell silent, then after a while said, “It’s better to return to Xiliang sooner.”
From ancient tis, struggles for succession often end in bloodshed and tragedy. She didn’t want her eldest son’s family to be entangled in such affairs.
At that mont, a maid reported that Xiao Yeyang had arrived with Daohua and the three little ones.
Upon hearing this, Guo Ruoi’s face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly ran out to greet them.
“Grandmother!”
By the ti she reached Chuihua Gate, Guo Ruoi saw a small figure darting towards her like an arrow, soon jumping into her arms.
“Grandmother!”
Daozi threw himself into Guo Ruoi’s arms and gave her a big bear hug. Looking at her with a face full of affection, he said, “Grandmother, I missed you so much. Did you miss ?”
Looking at Daozi, who had grown to reach her chest, Guo Ruoi’s eyes instantly reddened. She pulled him close, inspecting him over and over, choking with emotion: “Good boy, let grandmother take a good look at you.”
Seeing his grandmother’s teary eyes, Daozi straightened up and let her examine him.
At this mont, Xiao Yeyang arrived with Daohua and the twins.
Xiao Yeyang and Daohua greeted her first, followed by the twins.
“Grandmother!”
Hearing the soft, sweet voices of children, Guo Ruoi imdiately turned her gaze to the twins, exclaiming with delight, “These must be Daomang and Daomiao, right?”
Guo Ruoi pulled Daozi with one hand and affectionately touched the twins’ heads with the other: “Oh my, how adorably beautiful they’ve grown! Truly deserving of being my grandchildren!”
Listening to Guo Ruoi’s proud tone, Chu Lang, who had hung back carrying his son, couldn’t help but laugh helplessly.
When Xiao Yeyang saw Chu Lang, he stepped forward to greet him first.
Chu Lang raised an eyebrow, and then, without hesitation, placed his less-than-two-year-old son into Xiao Yeyang’s arms: “This is your little brother. You two should get acquainted.”
Xiao Yeyang was skilled at handling children, but with this younger brother who was even smaller than his own children, he felt sowhat uneasy. Awkwardly holding his little brother, he ended up staring into the child’s eyes in mutual bewildernt.
“So, this is our little uncle?”
“Little uncle is so tiny, even smaller than us!”
“Does that an we’ll have to protect little uncle in the future?”
“But isn’t it supposed to be elders protecting the younger ones?”
Daozi and the twins gathered around, staring wide-eyed at the little child in their father’s arms, their faces filled with curiosity.
Seeing the children coming to the rescue, Xiao Yeyang quickly set down the young brother and let him interact with the three little ones. He himself turned to chat with Chu Lang.
anwhile, Guo Ruoi pulled Daohua aside: “I was able to deliver successfully and recover my health afterward, all thanks to the dicinal ingredients you sent.”
Daohua smiled and said, “Mother, there’s no need to say that. Xiao Yeyang and I already feel guilty for not being around to take care of you, sending so herbs is the least we could do.”
Guo Ruoi patted Daohua’s hand: “Good child, fortunately Xiao Yeyang married you.”
Daohua glanced at Xiao Yeyang, who was speaking with Chu Lang, and smiled softly: “It’s my blessing to have married Xiao Yeyang.”
Seeing that her son and daughter-in-law shared a loving relationship, Guo Ruoi felt particularly comforted.
In wealthy families, there’s no shortage of material riches, but often, genuine affection is lacking. Her eldest son did not have a good childhood, and she hoped from the bottom of her heart that he could have a happy and harmonious family.
After chatting for a while, Guo Ruoi led Xiao Yeyang and his family to the main courtyard to greet the Guo Family.
…
Main courtyard.
Watching Daohua, now a Princess Consort, being personally escorted into the room by Guo Ruoi, Madam Guo’s expression turned sour. Especially when she thought about her own daughter who had married far away, unable to reunite after years apart, her mood soured further.
Her daughter was still enduring life under the scrutiny of her in-laws, while Yan Yiyi lived a life surrounded by attendants, having given birth to three children, each granted noble titles.
All of this should have belonged to her daughter Xueming!
Had her daughter married Xiao Yeyang back then, she would be the mother of a Princess Consort now, rather than waiting here early and having to watch Yan Yiyi’s expressions.
Daohua knew Madam Guo didn’t like her, so she didn’t seek unnecessary interactions. She simply greeted her according to etiquette and then focused on chatting with others.
Guo Ruoi understood well that her sister-in-law was unreasonable. Each ti Madam Guo intended to lash out at her daughter-in-law, she would speak first and cut her off.
After lunch at the Guo Family, Xiao Yeyang took Daohua and the children and left.
Guo Ruoi and Chu Lang escorted them to the gate.
Guo Ruoi looked at Xiao Yeyang and Daohua: “I thought you’d return to Xiliang in May, but so much has happened recently. It’s already June, and you still haven’t settled on a departure date?”
Xiao Yeyang thought quietly for a mont before replying, “Soon.”
Guo Ruoi, sensing her son’s reticence, chose not to press further and instead said, “Once you leave Beijing, I’ll head back to Zhongzhou with your Uncle Chu.”
Xiao Yeyang paused briefly, then looked at Chu Lang and said, “If he treats you poorly, write a letter.”
Hearing this, Guo Ruoi imdiately laughed, her eyes shimring with tears.
She never thought that in her lifeti, she would experience her eldest son’s concern and have his backing.
Guo Ruoi nodded firmly: “Okay.”
Beside them, Chu Lang overheard the mother and son’s exchange and felt utterly speechless. How could he behave poorly? It had always been Ruoi who bullied him, certainly not the other way around. Besides, now there was a little rascal who sided with his mother—he was definitely the lowest-ranked person in the household!
Despite his inner grumblings, Chu Lang took out a small round container and handed it to Daohua.
Daohua accepted it with curiosity, then opened it and looked inside, her eyes widening in surprise: “Jingmiao Grass seeds?”
Chu Lang grinned and nodded: “Surprised you recognized them.”
Daohua laughed: “Of course I do. Isn’t this plant hard to find? Last ti, the seeds you gave grew, but didn’t produce any new seeds.”
Chu Lang smiled and explained: “Jingmiao Grass has male and female plants. If there were no seeds, it must have been male. I found these seeds by chance and rembered you had successfully cultivated them before, so I saved them for you.”
Daohua thanked him with a smile: “Thank you so much.”
Chu Lang waved it off: “We’re even. If you hadn’t sent so many dicinal herbs before, your mother’s health wouldn’t have improved this much. Consider this my thanks to you.” He then added, curious, “Do you think you can grow Jingmiao Grass again?”
Daohua shook her head: “Not sure. It depends on luck.”
Chu Lang nodded in understanding. He had rely asked on a whim. The fact that this girl had managed to cultivate Jingmiao Grass last ti had genuinely surprised him, but he suspected she’d just been exceptionally lucky.
In fact, Chu Lang had acquired two Jingmiao Grass seeds from an old adversary, one of which he had planted in a pot, following the exact thods Daohua had used.
Unfortunately, it had never germinated.
If Daohua learned he had wasted one seed, she would surely call him wasteful. “You couldn’t grow it, but I could. You should have just given it to —it’s no big deal. If it succeeds, I’ll share a dicinal pill with you later.”
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