The sudden shout startled the women in the hall. Auntie clutched her chest and complained, “Can’t you speak normally? Are you trying to scare your mother to death?”

Mother… Ji Baiqing glanced at her but remained silent.

Unaware of Sister-in-law’s gaze, Auntie looked at Xu Qi’an and asked, “Is there a problem?”

Xu Lingyue immediately looked toward her elder brother, and her birth mother followed suit.

My woman suddenly becoming an elder… how is that not a problem? Xu Qi’an forced a dry laugh. “No problem, it’s just… her status seems somewhat inappropriate.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Auntie sighed, “I understand everything.”

She wore an expression of deep sympathy.

What exactly do you understand… Xu Qi’an wisely kept silent, waiting to hear what Auntie would say.

Auntie explained, “I know everything. Sister’s husband offended a cunning, treacherous, and lecherous villain—someone he couldn’t afford to provoke. The villain killed her husband in broad daylight, leaving her a widow. You and her husband were close friends, and after learning of this, you avenged him and took care of her, inviting her to stay at the manor for a few days.”

Mu Nanzhi played along, displaying a sorrowful expression.

Xu Qi’an nearly froze, thinking to himself that the cunning, treacherous, and lecherous villain probably referred to himself.

Auntie continued, “As they say, a widow’s doorstep attracts trouble. Sister can’t stay at the manor without reason, so I became her sworn sister. From now on, you should call her Aunt Mu.”

Even now, Auntie firmly believes in the innocence between Mu Nanzhi and her nephew.

Meanwhile, Xu Lingyue believed that the mysterious but certainly noble Aunt Mu, after losing her husband, had developed feelings for her elder brother and wanted to be with him—this was Xu Lingyue’s deduction.

However, Xu Lingyue also firmly believed this was entirely one-sided on Aunt Mu’s part.

The Flower Goddess had won the trust of the Xu family through her “formidable” beauty.

Mu Nanzhi glanced at Xu Qi’an and smiled, “I’m fifteen years older than Ning Yan, so being called aunt isn’t inappropriate.”

…Xu Qi’an’s lips twitched as he forced out a smile and said, “Aunt Mu.”

The Flower Goddess nodded in satisfaction.

Ji Baiqing looked at him, seeming to have something to say but holding back.

Xu Qi’an understood and said quietly, “Tomorrow I will bring Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai here. Auntie, I’ll trouble you to arrange accommodation for my mother and those two… juniors.”

The Xu Manor originally had three courtyards, but later Second Uncle Xu bought the neighboring courtyard, broke through the walls, and expanded it further.

Due to the Xu family’s small size, there were empty rooms everywhere.

However, Xu Qi’an thought that while his birth mother could stay in the inner courtyard, Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai should move to the newly purchased neighboring courtyard, maintaining an appropriate separation.

Otherwise, having three strangers suddenly move in would make both the Xu family and Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai uncomfortable.

Of course, if the three of them wanted to live elsewhere, Xu Qi’an wouldn’t object, but he wouldn’t actively suggest it.

This was his thinking: Ji Baiqing’s maternal love for him was genuine. If she hadn’t desperately escaped back to the capital to give birth to “Xu Qi’an” back then, he wouldn’t exist today.

Therefore, as the eldest son, he wouldn’t shirk his responsibility of “supporting” his widowed mother.

Ji Baiqing breathed a sigh of relief. Now that Xu Qi’an had accepted her, and Yuanshuang and Yuanhuai could stay by her side, she had no regrets.

She did want to live in the Xu Manor, not as a homeless dependent, but because she didn’t want to be far from her eldest son.

She had missed this son for twenty-one years, and now that they were finally reunited, she was reluctant to let go.

…

In Phoenix Rest Palace.

The Empress Dowager was drowsy with spring lethargy, reclining on her couch, nearly asleep.

Creeak…

She heard the outer door being pushed open but didn’t open her eyes, frowning as she said, “I’m tired, don’t disturb me.”

She thought it was a palace maid entering.

The Empress Dowager had a bland temperament, rarely showing anger or joy. Even when palace maids and eunuchs in Phoenix Rest Palace made mistakes, she couldn’t be bothered to scold them.

As a result, some palace maids and eunuchs inevitably became less mindful of the rules.

Creeak… the door closed, followed by steady, slow footsteps approaching.

The Empress Dowager didn’t speak again. There was about ten seconds of silence, then she slowly opened her eyes.

During this process, her gaze didn’t immediately focus on the visitor but first looked at their boots, then their robes, and finally their face.

Like a gambler who had lost everything, revealing their final card.

She wasn’t disappointed. She saw refined features, slightly frosted temples, and gentle eyes containing the weight of years.

The Empress Dowager’s eyes instantly blurred.

The man smiled and said, “I’m here. Not too late, am I?”

Tears immediately spilled from her eyes. The Empress Dowager turned her face away, letting the tears flow freely.

She had waited half a lifetime for these words.

…

As lanterns began to light up.

At the dining table, Xu Xinnian held his bowl, eating with his head down, occasionally glancing up to observe Ji Baiqing.

Her appearance was both surprising and unsurprising to him.

It was inevitable to be surprised when suddenly gaining a new elder in the family.

The lack of surprise came from knowing that Nangong Qianrou had led troops to completely overtake Hidden Dragon City, so bringing back a few “captives” was perfectly normal.

He thought it was fine—since his elder brother had brought his birth mother back, this Aunt must be trustworthy.

After Xu Xinnian and Xu Pingzhi returned to the manor, especially the latter, the harmonious atmosphere from earlier in the day suddenly became somewhat rigid and heavy.

Perhaps only the fox cub remained oblivious to the subtle change in atmosphere. Bai Ji stood up on Mu Nanzhi’s lap, placing her front paws on the edge of the dining table. When she wanted to eat roast chicken, she would point with her little paw and say in a childish voice:

“Want to eat this!”

When she wanted braised pork, she would raise her paw and point at it.

And Mu Nanzhi would serve her accordingly.

After greeting his sister-in-law, Xu Pingzhi didn’t speak again. After finishing a pot of wine, he finally couldn’t help but ask, “Ning Yan, where did Xu Pingfeng escape to?”

Hearing this, Xu Xinnian instinctively looked toward his elder brother.

The brothers had kept Xu Pingfeng’s death from Second Uncle, not telling him.

Now, seeing my Sister-in-law today, my Second Uncle finally couldn’t hold back anymore.

Chewing rice, Xu Qi’an said in a calm voice, “Dead. He died the day I returned to the capital. I killed him myself.”

Xu Pingzhi was silent for a moment, then said “Oh” without any expression and continued eating, shoveling rice faster than before.

Soon, he was the first to finish eating. He wiped his mouth and said, “I’m done.”

Not giving others a chance to speak, he got up and left the hall, walking toward the inner courtyard in the darkness.

Within two or three minutes, the faint sound of heartbroken sobbing could be heard from the inner courtyard.

No one spoke, all pretending not to hear it as they continued eating.

Bai Ji’s pointed ears twitched a few times as she turned to look at Mu Nanzhi, about to speak, but her mouth was stuffed with a piece of meat.

Bai Ji happily ate the meat.

“Ahem!”

After his father’s crying stopped, Second Young Master cleared his throat, lifted his chin, and announced, “I’ve advanced to Sixth Rank Scholar Realm. You may not know this, but in the Confucian system, the Sixth Rank is a watershed. Only scholars who reach this realm can truly be considered pillars of the tradition.

“Because Sixth Rank scholars possess considerable combat power and are among the outstanding ones at their level across all systems.”

By using terms like “pillars” and “outstanding ones,” he was hinting to everyone that reaching this level at his age proved his exceptional talent.

Xu Qi’an nodded, “Indeed, Second Brother’s talent is quite good.”

Just as Second Young Master was about to make a modest reply, he heard his elder brother say, “Not counting Auntie, Second Brother’s talent is somewhat better than Second Uncle’s, probably ranking fourth in the family.”

What did he mean by fourth? Could it be that Big Brother is jealous of my talent and trying to put me down… Xu Xinnian said coolly, “Brother, don’t joke around. Who’s second and third?”

Xu Qi’an pondered, “It’s hard to say who’s second and third, but you’re fourth.”

Xu Xinnian raised an eyebrow and said irritably, “Don’t tell me Lingyue’s cultivation talent is better than mine?”

Xu Qi’an immediately looked toward his ethereally beautiful sister: “What rank is Lingyue now?”

With his current cultivation level, he had long noticed that Xu Lingyue was secretly practicing Daoist heart methods.

Xu Lingyue said in her gentle voice, “Seventh Rank Qi Absorption. I consulted with the master at Lingbao Temple.”

???

A string of question marks flashed through Second Young Master’s mind.

Lingyue had reached Seventh Rank?

When did she start practicing Dao? It seemed to be after Big Brother’s martial arts journey when she took a master’s at Lingbao Temple to learn Daoist cultivation methods.

That was only about four months ago?

Thinking of this, Second Young Master was stunned.

Reaching Seventh Rank in four months—what kind of talent was this?

Xu Lingyue said plaintively, “I didn’t know these were Seventh Rank Qi Absorption abilities, because I was just fumbling around, practicing randomly.”

As she spoke, she beckoned with her finger, making a dish of food float in front of her.

Self-taught to Seventh Rank?! Xu Xinnian’s mouth slowly opened as he stared at his sister, dumbfounded.

Father, let’s cry together… He suddenly turned his head to look toward the inner courtyard.

…

In the pitch-black ocean depths, “Huang’s” massive body drifted with the dark currents. Upon reaching a certain abyss, five or six thick tentacles suddenly extended from the lightless depths, aggressively blocking the path.

“Just my luck, running into this thing here.” Huang’s voice was vast and ethereal.