How could Qin Yining care about what she was wearing? Seeing the two children suddenly leap onto the artificial mountain in a flash, her heart leaped to her throat. She pushed away Bingtang’s hand that was trying to put the hood on her and ran toward the mountain.

“Come down quickly, Zhao Ge’er, Han Ge’er! Be good, come down now!”

But the two children were playing wildly – who would listen? They continued laughing loudly, clearly enjoying the happiness of flying around in the heavy snow.

Qin Yining anxiously called from below the artificial mountain: “Come down quickly, be good! If you don’t come down, I’ll have Aunt Ji Yun catch you!”

Han Ge’er stuck his tongue out at Qin Yining and mischievously wiggled his bottom.

He was standing right at the edge of the artificial mountain – one careless move and he could fall. Qin Yining was so frightened that the hair on her back stood on end. She quickly turned to tell Ji Yun: “Quick, quick, catch them down!”

Hearing this, Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er stopped chasing each other and began gleefully evading Ji Yun. Zhao Ge’er didn’t like to make noise, but Han Ge’er laughed all the way – the happy, clear laughter of children carried far through the air.

Pang Xiao, Qin Huaiyuan, and Mu Jinghu walked shoulder to shoulder into the courtyard, just in time to see Qin Yining stamping her feet anxiously while Ji Yun chased the two little rascals around the yard.

Qin Huaiyuan watched with speechless amusement.

Pang Xiao leaped up in one bound.

Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er were feeling quite pleased with themselves when they suddenly felt their necks tighten one after another, their feet leaving the ground. The two waved their little hands and cried out, and when they turned around, they met Pang Xiao’s eyes directly.

“You two little troublemakers, why don’t you listen to your mother? Can’t you see she’s anxious? Jumping up and down in this cold weather, not caring that your mother is freezing in the snow to keep you company – what kind of behavior is this?! You’re both older brothers – aren’t you afraid that Xuan Ge’er and Yun Jie’er will copy your example?”

After this scolding, both Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er hung their heads like two wild rabbits caught by hunters who had given up struggling, even their ears drooping.

Seeing the two children with their little heads lowered, Pang Xiao’s heart nearly melted, but he had to maintain his image as a stern father and put the two children on the ground.

Qin Yining immediately stepped forward to brush the snow from the children’s shoulders and hats, then straightened their clothes that had been pulled askew when Pang Xiao grabbed their collars.

Zhao Ge’er looked up at Qin Yining, his little voice trembling: “Mother, I was wrong.”

Seeing his brother apologize, Han Ge’er quickly said: “Han Ge’er was wrong too, Mother, don’t be angry anymore.” As he spoke, he stepped forward to hug Qin Yining’s waist, burying himself in her embrace to act cute.

Qin Yining held Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er, saying helplessly: “This is the last time. Otherwise, Mother will really punish you.”

“Yes.” The two brothers agreed joyfully.

Qin Huaiyuan approached with his hands behind his back: “In a moment, you will both begin copying the Classic of Filial Piety, one complete copy each, to be submitted to me the day after tomorrow.”

Han Ge’er looked up and wailed: “Grandfather, Mother said she wouldn’t punish us!”

“Your mother said she wouldn’t punish you, but when did your grandfather ever say he wouldn’t punish you?”

Both children immediately wilted.

“You two, for a moment’s play, disregarded your mother’s worry and your own safety. I’m afraid you’ve forgotten everything from the filial piety classics I’ve taught you before.”

Han Ge’er immediately wanted to argue indignantly but was held back by Zhao Ge’er grabbing his little hand: “We know we were wrong.”

He understood his grandfather’s temperament too well – the more you argued, the heavier the punishment.

Han Ge’er also remembered this and stopped talking.

The two children dejectedly held hands and went to copy the filial piety classics.

Watching them walk away, Qin Yining couldn’t help but laugh: “Father still has the best methods.”

“Those two are both quite mischievous. Han Ge’er’s intelligence shows on the surface, but Zhao Ge’er is actually even cleverer than his brother – he just doesn’t like to speak it aloud.” When Qin Huaiyuan spoke of his two grandsons, his heart and eyes were full of love.

Pang Xiao said gratefully: “It’s all thanks to father-in-law. Yining and I haven’t had the opportunity to care for them. Without father-in-law’s guidance, who knows what these two children would have grown up to be like.”

Qin Huaiyuan was well-read and exceptionally strategic. Having weathered the ups and downs of official life for most of his years, he had his own principles for dealing with people and situations. How could children raised by him turn out wrong?

Pang Xiao was extremely grateful to Qin Huaiyuan – grateful that he had been enlightened enough to create conditions to betroth Qin Yining to him, thankful for his support over the years, his open and hidden assistance, and even more thankful that he had taken such good care of his relatives and children. Though Qin Huaiyuan was his father-in-law, in his heart, he had long regarded his father-in-law with the same reverence and love as his own father.

As they talked, the group returned indoors.

The maids brought hot tea and refreshments. After everyone had eaten something warming, Qin Yining said: “Mother and grandmother should be arriving soon, shouldn’t they?”

“Soon.” Pang Xiao smiled: “I’ve already sent people to meet them. I think they should arrive in the capital within the next couple of days.”

Qin Yining looked forward with anticipation: “I haven’t seen Mother for so long, and grandmother, maternal grandmother too – I don’t know if they’ll all come. It must be quite hard on them to travel such a long distance from Xiyu.”

Qin Huaiyuan smiled and said: “Your grandmother cannot come out – her age cannot withstand such hardship. Your maternal grandmother’s health isn’t good either, but knowing her personality, with such important events in your lives, she’ll definitely want to come see you. Besides, knowing your mother’s temperament, your maternal grandmother wouldn’t feel at ease either. As for your grandmother and your mother-in-law, they’ll definitely come back for Zhixi’s sake.”

Qin Yining thought for a moment and nodded with a smile: “We’ve been separated for so long, I really miss them. Before, there was no choice – for their safety, we had to send them away. Now that we can finally live peacefully, naturally it’s best for the whole family to be together.”

Pang Xiao also nodded: “Yes, seeing that we’re about to live good lives, how wonderful it is for the whole family to be together.”

Qin Huaiyuan smiled and nodded, then asked about living arrangements and other matters.

Qin Yining answered everything, detailing the locations and arrangements of the courtyards, asking Qin Huaiyuan if there were any oversights.

As father and daughter were discussing, Ji Yun suddenly hurried in and said quietly: “Your Highness, Princess, Boss Qiu requests an audience.”

Mu Jinghu, who had been sitting quietly beside Pang Xiao drinking tea, paused in his movements. He suddenly looked up, his expression cold for a moment, then immediately put down his teacup and stood up: “Zhixi, I’ll go out for a walk first.”

Before Mu Jinghu could take a step, Pang Xiao grabbed him and pressed him back into his seat: “Don’t go. Why leave at this moment? Boss Qiu, to appease your anger, has supported the army and written letter after letter of apology. You haven’t been moved at all by any of it – we brothers are all anxious watching you. She didn’t harm you, and she even bore you Yan Ge’er. Are you really going to disown both your wife and son?”

“But she used you!”

“That was because of different positions. Besides, she didn’t really harm me. If you really want to abandon your wife and son over this, how do you expect Yining and me to handle ourselves?”

“Exactly.” Qin Yining also nodded repeatedly.

Qin Huaiyuan shook his head and sighed: “A hundred years of cultivation to share the same pillow – don’t let such fate slip away. Young Master Mu, everything is like passing clouds. Having people by your side is what’s most real – you must know how to cherish it.”

Hearing this, Mu Jinghu immediately hesitated.

Just as he was hesitating, a series of mixed footsteps could be heard from outside.