Qi Ying laughed, then thought along with her intentions before saying: “A girl then.”

Shen Xiling blinked and asked: “Why?”

Of course she also liked girls very much, but generally speaking, didn’t most people want sons?

He smiled and looked down at her with meaningful intent as he answered: “Because I already have experience raising a daughter.”

Shen Xiling was stunned upon hearing this, then immediately understood his meaning. She was instantly greatly embarrassed, so ashamed that even her ears turned red. She couldn’t help but hit him once, reproaching him: “You… you’re terrible…”

He laughed, his voice low and mellow, intoxicating like sweet aged wine.

Shen Xiling’s face was still red as she pushed at him and asked: “Seriously though, do you prefer boys or girls?”

“I like both.”

He quieted down, responding to her gently and earnestly, then added: “As long as you bear them, I’ll love them all.”

Shen Xiling’s face grew even redder.

It was a rare and wonderful time.

The two seemed to return to those days when Qi Ying was recovering from his injuries, spending every day together hand in hand.

Fenghe Courtyard was only so big, and they had long since explored every corner, yet neither felt bored. Even reading books they had already read together daily still seemed interesting. Shen Xiling chattered away constantly, asking Qi Ying about his life on the battlefield during the past half year. He was taciturn, only saying a few light words without mentioning how difficult it had been. Having no other option, she instead told him about her own life, which he listened to with great interest, his expression always gentle.

Later, Qi Ying told Shen Xiling about his upcoming diplomatic mission, saying that after this affair was concluded, they would leave Jiankang.

Upon hearing that he would have to travel far again, Shen Xiling was naturally ten thousand times unwilling, pouting so much that an oil bottle could hang from her lip. Qi Ying laughed at the sight and said: “Why are you pouting? This time I’m taking you with me.”

Shen Xiling was stunned upon hearing this, as if not daring to believe such a wonderful thing could exist in the world. Qi Ying pinched her little face and said: “But you’ll have to suffer the indignity of being my maidservant.”

After this diplomatic mission and leaving Jiankang, he had no intention of returning. To avoid complications, it was most secure to take her with him along the way. But when on a diplomatic mission, it wasn’t convenient to openly bring female family members, so Shen Xiling would have to suffer the indignity of disguising herself as his maidservant to accompany him.

But Shen Xiling didn’t feel wronged in the slightest upon hearing this. She was simply overjoyed beyond measure, even saying while nestled in his arms: “It’s not wronging at all. I’ve long wanted to be your maidservant.”

Qi Ying raised an eyebrow with an expression somewhere between smiling and not: “Oh?”

She giggled and whispered in his ear: “Really, when I was little, I was most envious of Qing Zhu, who could be with you every day. Back then I thought, if only I could also be your page boy…”

She made him laugh heartily as he tapped her nose tip and said: “Such small ambitions you have.”

She wrinkled her nose and said righteously: “How is being a page boy lacking ambition? Young Master just watch—I’ll definitely be better than Qing Zhu. He can’t even find his way around. I would never be like him…”

Qi Ying laughed upon hearing this and pretended to tell Qing Zhu what she had said, frightening Shen Xiling into quickly covering his mouth. The two had another round of playful banter and tender intimacy.

When it came to the end of the twelfth month, it was time for the death anniversary of Shen Xiling’s parents. At that time, Qi Ying pondered slightly before saying to Shen Xiling: “This year I’ll accompany you to pay respects together.”

These words left Shen Xiling somewhat stunned.

Except for last year when they had their quarrel, in previous years whenever her parents’ death anniversary came, he would accompany her there, but would only stand waiting at the courtyard gate and never go inside with her. This year, his meaning was…

Shen Xiling somewhat didn’t dare believe it. After thinking, she still asked him tentatively: “Young Master… are you going to go inside with me to pay respects?”

Qi Ying nodded. Not knowing what he was thinking of, he seemed somewhat constrained. After staying silent for a while, he said: “Given our current relationship… I naturally should go pay respects to my father-in-law and mother-in-law.”

Shen Xiling was both surprised and moved upon hearing this. She covered her mouth and couldn’t speak for a long time, not knowing that at that moment Qi Ying was also thinking of her father.

Years ago, Minister Shen had entrusted his precious daughter to him in prison. His original intention was probably just to have him serve as an elder to look after her, but who knew that within a few years he would claim the young lady for himself. Speaking of it, it was truly shameful and embarrassing. He didn’t know what Minister Shen would think of this if his spirit had knowledge in the afterlife…

Qi Ying attached great importance to this act of paying respects, being as solemn as when Shen Xiling first entered the Qi Mansion to pay respects to Yao Shi years ago. He even deliberately straightened his clothes and cap before entering that small courtyard, as solemnly as if entering the palace for an imperial audience.

Shen Xiling could only visit that courtyard twice a year. With no one visiting in between, it naturally became overgrown with weeds and appeared dilapidated. This year Qi Ying accompanied her and personally cleaned her parents’ graves without relying on servants. Shen Xiling felt sweet in her heart seeing this, and even when kneeling together with him before her parents’ graves, she was still deeply moved.

Last year at this time, he was giving her the cold shoulder. Then, kneeling before her parents’ graves, her heart had been empty, bewildered, and wronged. But now he was kneeling here together with her.

He was a powerful minister and a man of integrity who only knelt to heaven, earth, rulers, and parents. Yet now he knelt together with her before her parents’ graves precisely because he already regarded her as his wife, and thus showed such respect to two people under the graves who were almost strangers to him.

Shen Xiling’s heart continued to be shaken by this, while her eyes inevitably became misty with tears.

Father, Mother, you need not worry about your daughter anymore.

Indeed, my first half of life was filled with hardships, but now I can finally stay together with this person. I love and admire him so deeply that no matter what harsh winters and fierce winds I might encounter in the future, as long as I can always be with this person, I will never feel sorrowful again.

I will live very happily.

At this time, Qi Ying gazed at the graves of Minister Shen and Lady Wei, his heart also filled with deep emotions.

The Qi and Shen families were old friends, but Minister Shen as the family patriarch had never been very invested in aristocratic social interactions, so he had rarely seen this family elder in his youth. The occasional few meetings were merely hurried encounters. He only remembered that this patriarch was gentle and refined, treating people with courtesy, quite different from his own father’s imposing and stern demeanor.

Later, when the Shen family met with great catastrophe, the two met again in the Court of Judicial Review’s prison, speaking the longest conversation they had shared up to that point.

This patriarch was truly a bold person. Though he had little understanding of him at the time, he dared to entrust his daughter and two shocking amounts of wealth to him—truly puzzling when one thought about it.

Qi Ying didn’t know why he had been chosen by Minister Shen originally, nor did he know whether Minister Shen had already foreseen today’s situation while alive. He only knew he was very grateful to this patriarch for letting Wenwen come to his side.

Admittedly, initially he had been unwilling to manage this affair. The Shen family had just recently fallen, and it was precisely a time of great sensitivity. To openly protect Wenwen and her mother would not have been easy even for him, and this matter could be big or small—if someone with ulterior motives caught wind of it, the consequences would be unthinkable.

But lately he had become increasingly grateful for Minister Shen’s decision back then, while not daring to think deeply about what would have happened if Minister Shen had entrusted Wenwen to someone else at the time, if he himself hadn’t agreed to the matter, if he hadn’t had people rescue her from the snow…

What then?

…He would have lost her, or rather, he would never have possessed her.

He would have lost those subtle yet lingering gazes she gave him as a child, lost her beautifully written letters that covered every detail, lost those days and nights they shared together, lost the feeling of loving someone.

He would have become even more lonely.

But she came, and everything became different.

He couldn’t clearly explain exactly what was different, nor could he clearly explain why he loved and needed her so deeply. Only when looking back at the past would he feel immensely grateful for everything that had happened related to her.

Even seemingly insignificant details.

At this moment, gazing at the graves of Minister Shen and Lady Wei, bowing together with Shen Xiling, he seemed to return to that scene from four years ago when he met with Minister Shen. The only difference was that then they were separated by prison bars, while now they were separated by a gravestone.

He would continue to take good care of her, keeping her safe, stable, and happy, never again to wander homeless and helpless in life.

He would protect her with everything he had.

Please rest assured, honored elders.

After Shen Xiling’s parents’ death anniversary passed, the New Year quickly arrived. At this time, Qi Ying naturally could no longer remain at Fenghe Courtyard but had to return to the main family home to spend New Year’s Eve.

Though the two had already spent day and night together for more than half a month, Shen Xiling was still very reluctant to part with him. When he was about to leave, she kept pursing her lips with a lingering, reluctant appearance.

Qi Ying held her, repeatedly whispering in her ear that this was the last New Year’s Eve they would spend apart, and that in every year to come he would accompany her through the year-end vigil. Only then did he gradually coax her into better spirits.

He smiled and reached into his robes to take out something for her. When Shen Xiling received it and looked, she discovered it was actually a red envelope.

She laughed upon seeing it, not knowing what to say.

Speaking of it, this was the first time he had given her a red envelope. In previous years, he had been away from her side for long periods before and after New Year’s Eve. By the time she saw him again, the New Year atmosphere had long faded, so naturally no one thought of red envelopes. This year he was leaving late, so he could barely manage to give her a red envelope. Shen Xiling received it and weighed it—it was quite heavy.

His features were gentle and handsome, his voice low and pleasant as he said to her: “Peace and safety year after year.”

Red envelopes were things adults gave to children—she didn’t want it at all. But she also knew it was his blessing to her, and more than that, it was a form of indulgence. She couldn’t bear to refuse it. After hesitating for a long while, she awkwardly accepted it, hugged his neck and kissed him, her face crimson as she also said to him: “…Peace and safety year after year.”

This New Year’s Eve at the main family home was more lively than ever.

A family that was already at its peak had clearly stepped onto an even higher level with the great victory of the Northern Expedition, just like fine trees growing on mountain peaks—truly standing out alone in excellence.

Last New Year’s Eve, the eldest Young Master Qi’s mood had been quite troubled due to the poor progress of reforms, but this year was completely different.

The top scholar and third place winner from the spring examinations had both been transferred to the Imperial Secretariat, both capable individuals. Especially that Zhang Deci—his cutting-edge ideas and thorough consideration were astounding. And with the Qi family’s power rising yet again after the Northern Expedition, the aristocratic officials who had previously resisted reform policies no longer dared make difficulties for the Right Vice Director. Reform policies had already begun implementation, and perhaps results could be seen within a year.

Besides official matters, the Right Vice Director’s household also had joyful news—his wife was pregnant again. In less than a year, Hui’er would have a little brother or sister. This made the eldest young master even happier. During this festive season, he was in particularly high spirits, no longer showing last year’s gloomy expression, and even agreed that Hui’er could set off firecrackers for a quarter hour longer than usual.

The children in the house were playing wildly, all crowding together to go watch the firecrackers. It was precisely at this moment that Qi Ying found an opportunity to speak a few words with his eldest brother.

The Qi Mansion’s courtyards were extremely spacious, and today being a festival, cheerful voices and laughter filled the air everywhere. Yet Qi Yun never expected that what his second brother told him would be like thunder on flat ground.

…Jingchen actually wanted to leave Jiankang!

Author’s Note:

Everyone’s theories are so wonderful! Feel free to continue guessing ww