Princess Qinghe hurriedly said, "Zhi'er, this is your younger sister Zhen'er."
This was the first time Su Zhi had truly met his family since growing up. His younger sister Yingzhen looked at him with kindness, warming his heart. Just as he was about to speak, he was unexpectedly swept into a tight embrace by his father.
Ever since hearing from his daughter last time, Su Run had feared that Su Zhi might be influenced by Lady Zhou and turn against him. Thus, he had begun to show his affection. As the saying goes, men seldom shed tears, but Su Run held his son and wept.
"Zhi'er, your father has finally seen you. In the blink of an eye, you've grown so big. I wanted to bring you over, but your grandmother said she couldn't bear to part with you. Still, it's good—we are finally reunited as father and son."
Yingzhen also stepped forward and said, "Elder Brother, I've missed you so much too. I even specially made a pouch for you—I hope you like it?"
She pulled a dark green pouch embroidered with gold thread from her sleeve, featuring a gyrfalcon on it. With a look of deep affection, she handed it to Su Zhi. Su Zhi had never expected to become the center of attention today, leaving both Lady Zhou and Princess Ningyuan stunned.
Princess Qinghe's emotions were genuine. Although she doted more on her younger son, seeing her eldest son made her burst into tears uncontrollably. Soon, the Hall of Preserved Auspices was filled with the sound of weeping. Princess Ningyuan, though unwilling, had no choice but to join in the crying.
Su Zhi had grown up under the care of his grandmother, Lady Zhou. Lady Zhou was gentle and tolerant by nature, always choosing to endure when possible, and she had always treated the Eldest Branch with special consideration. Moreover, Princess Ningyuan and the Heir had treated Su Zhi fairly well. He had come specifically upon hearing that his father's arrival might lead to the expulsion of his cousin Su Duan.
He simply hadn't expected his long-unseen family to be so overwhelmingly warm toward him.
At that moment, Su Run patted his son's shoulder and said, "Your father has a green jade steed gifted by someone. Tomorrow, I'll let you get acquainted with it first, and then I'll give it to you."
Su Zhi, still a child at heart, saw Su Run as tall and imposing, showing him such affection. With his mother and younger sister tearful and his younger brother Su Jin smiling at him, he felt as though he had rediscovered a long-lost sense of family warmth.
"A green jade steed?"
Su Run, like a wolf in grandmother's clothing offering candy, asked, "Do you want to see it? Your father will take you."
Su Jin chimed in to support his father, "Second Brother, let's go together. Father's green jade steed is like the Red Hare among horses—I've been coveting it for so long. Let's go try it out."
Father and son both looked at Su Zhi. Su Zhi instinctively glanced at Lady Zhou. Having been raised by the Marchioness Zhou since childhood, he was accustomed to deferring to his grandmother in everything.
Fortunately, at that moment, a maid reminded them from the doorway, "Old Lady, the Marquis is urging us, saying the banquet is about to begin."
Lady Zhou wiped her tears and said, "Let the Second Master take the children over. We should begin our banquet as well."
Su Run affectionately took his two sons, one on each side, and dashed out. Seeing this, Lady Zhou couldn't help but shake her head. "Lao Er is still the same as ever."
Princess Qinghe quickly defended her husband, "Don’t judge the Second Master by how he is at home—outside, he’s completely different. Last time during the bandit suppression, he captured over a thousand people. He also fought against the Oirats, full of majesty and not at all childish like this."
Although the Su Family of Fufeng Jun was an aristocratic family, the Third Branch had established itself through military prowess. Mother was emphasizing that his father possessed sufficient strength.
Yingzhen recalled that in her previous life, at this time, Old Lady Chen and Chen Liu had become honored guests. Princess Ningyuan had deliberately used the issue of changing rooms to bring up the matter of the Marquis's inheritance. Su Zhi and Lady Zhou had strongly supported Su Duan, provoking Su Run's anger and causing the family to part on bad terms.
Now that Father and Mother were already on guard, the trouble hadn't erupted from the start, and it would be difficult for it to erupt in the future. As it was said in Cao Gui's Discourse on War, "The first drumbeat rouses the spirit, the second weakens it, and the third exhausts it. When the enemy is exhausted and our spirit is full, we overcome them." She had already driven out the troublemakers Old Lady Chen and Chen Liu, and Father and Mother had begun to drive a wedge between Eldest Brother and Grandmother. Princess Ningyuan and Su Yingya's schemes would be hard to realize. Now she could quietly enjoy the feast.
To be fair, the meals at Pingzhang Houfu were still quite exquisite. The crystal-clear quail aspic and braised yellow croaker were particularly delicious. After half a year of roughing it outdoors, it was rare to sit down and enjoy a good meal, and she was more than satisfied.
Lady Zhou was not one to make things difficult for her daughters-in-law. After having them serve the dishes, she let them sit down to eat.
After the meal, the servants cleared the table, and the Old Lady said to Princess Qinghe, "The courtyard you used to live in has been tidied up by your sister-in-law. As for Yingzhen, I have two side rooms here at the back. Lanjie has taken one, so why not let Zhenjie move in as well?"
Princess Qinghe didn’t mind this at all. Since she was her own granddaughter, it would be even better for her to stay close by. She nodded in agreement, "Since you like her, let her stay with you. I’ll have Mama Mo send her trunks over."
The Old Lady asked, "How many attendants does she have?"
"Eight in total: two first-class, three second-class, and four third-class, along with her wet nurse Mama Mo and two governesses."
This number was the same as Yingya’s. Princess Ningyuan hadn’t expected the Second Branch to care so much about this daughter. Yingzhen didn’t object. In her past life, she hadn’t received such treatment. Back then, after a big argument that night, it was Su Yingya who stepped forward and offered to let the new younger sister live with her, which was also the main reason Princess Qinghe agreed to adopt Su Yingya.
Now things were different. Lady Zhou had taken the initiative to let her stay in the side rooms, so in the future, Yingzhen would be the first to hear any relevant news. This was a good thing.
Seeing that it was getting late, Lady Zhou asked Fifth Miss Su Yinglan to take her over. Yinglan came over with a smile and waited for her. Yingzhen looked at the reluctant Princess Qinghe and comforted her, "Mother, you’ll see me tomorrow. Don’t worry."
Princess Qinghe was filled with reluctance. Her daughter had never been apart from her since birth, but she also knew that it was good for Yingzhen to get close to her elders on her first return.
Hearing that Su Yinglan had grown up by Lady Zhou’s side, she said to her, "Lanjie, your Zhenzhen elder sister is returning to the old home for the first time. If there’s anything she doesn’t understand, please take good care of her."
Yinglan’s father was from the concubine-born Third Branch, and she herself was concubine-born from a concubine-born line. Her legal mother was difficult and indifferent to her, and her biological grandmother, Old Concubine Wu, only doted on her concubine-born elder brother and paid little attention to her. If it hadn’t been for her legal grandmother Lady Zhou’s willingness to take her in, her life might have been very difficult. That’s why she cherished her time by Lady Zhou’s side.
In truth, she had observed everything today. In the Old Lady’s words, the Second Branch was quite unreliable. For example, the Old Lady often said that Second Uncle was childish and unstable. Although the servants around the Old Lady didn’t gossip much, based on the information she had gathered, it was clear that Second Aunt was simple-minded and not very clever.
However, today was unexpectedly different. Second Uncle clearly appeared to be a military official with deep scheming, someone who played the fool to catch the tiger. Second Aunt was so polite to her and got along well with everyone, seeming like a formidable woman skilled in managing the household.
This meant that Old Madam did not trust her own son and daughter-in-law, but instead trusted the Eldest Branch. Yet, the Second Branch would not be deterred by Old Madam from competing. With the situation still unclear, she could not become too close to either side.
Therefore, when Yinglan heard Princess Qinghe's words, she only politely replied, "I will, please rest assured, Second Aunt."
Yingzhen waved to her mother, "Alright, Mother, I need to rest now. Let's go."
She walked side by side with Yinglan, and soon Yinglan led her to another side chamber. Old Madam personally sent her chief maid to help Yingzhen settle in. This maid was named Mujin, with a long face and a somewhat flat nose, but Yingzhen knew that Mujin was someone Lady Zhou highly valued and trusted.
Yinglan said to her, "Third Sister, Sister Mujin is helping you settle in. Would you like to come to my place for a while?"
This was merely a polite remark, and Yingzhen naturally understood. She smiled and replied, "No need. My bed is almost made, and we're all tired today, so let's not bother."
Yinglan smiled, curtsied, and left.
Mujin knew that Yingzhen was Old Madam's own granddaughter and naturally wanted to curry favor. She said to her, "Third Miss, the Fifth Miss living next to you is the most pleasant and easy to get along with. Usually, Fifth Miss's filial piety toward Old Madam even puts us maids to shame. We used to think Old Madam loved her the most, but now that you're here, Old Madam has gifted you this rosewood carved begonia embroidery screen. It shows that you are the true granddaughter."
The servant was trying to flatter her, and Yingzhen understood this clearly. She took out a pouch and handed it to Mujin, saying, "Sister Mujin, I'm new here and know nothing. I hope you'll look out for me in the future."
Mujin adamantly refused to take it, so Yingzhen pretended to be upset and said, "If you don't take it, I'll think you look down on me."
Only then did Mujin accept it. She weighed it in her hand—it felt like several silver ingots. It had been a long time since she had encountered such a generous mistress, and she became much more diligent, even explaining to Yingzhen many of the rules for paying respects to Old Madam.
Perhaps because Yingzhen had given a generous reward, Mujin had a very good impression of her. As a result, when she returned to report, she couldn't stop praising Yingzhen in front of Old Madam. However, Old Madam's gaze remained deep and unfathomable.
Her confidante, Aunt Xu, couldn't help but say, "Old Madam, this is actually a good thing. With Second Master becoming the Heir, your position will be even more legitimate. Naturally, those around you will now try to curry favor with Second Master's branch."
No one wishes ill for their own children, and Old Madam was no exception. But the deceased Heir was also a child she had raised!
"Yuanwei," Old Madam called her chief maid by the name she used in her maiden days, "do you know what Run'er was doing just now?"
Aunt Xu shook her head, "This servant does not know what Second Master was doing."
"He has been subtly using the matter of the Chen family's grandfather and grandson to tell the Marquis in front of me that I am an old fool."
Pfft!
Aunt Xu glanced at Old Madam's expression and asked, "What do you plan to do about it?"
The old lady sighed in frustration, "What else can I do? You know as well as I do that the second son has a madman's temperament. Yet he is exceptionally skilled in martial arts. While walking with the Marquis in the rock garden, he suddenly lifted a massive stone and tossed it aside. The Marquis has always valued martial prowess as the standard for selecting clan successors. In the past, when the third son pursued the Imperial Examination, he was scolded by the Marquis. Now, the Marquis trusts the second son's words even more. Even if I wanted to speak a few words in defense of the eldest daughter-in-law, I fear the Marquis wouldn't listen."
Yingzhen never imagined that his father, by lifting a large stone, would secure the title of Heir ahead of time.