After returning from the Fourth Beile’s manor, Lin Ruhai asked: “Is Luo Yu’s situation still good?”

Yun Shuyao: “Good.”

The Fourth Prince was busy and didn’t enter the rear courtyard, so there was no conflict.

Moreover, although Lady Li’s confinement period had ended, it was about the same as when she had been confined—aside from paying respects to the principal consort and periodically apologizing to Luo Yu, she remained behind closed doors.

With no one causing trouble, there was naturally peace.

Then Yun Shuyao relayed Luo Yu’s reminder. Lin Ruhai sighed softly and nodded.

Being at court, he naturally had a sense of these things.

He glanced at her: “You shouldn’t go too frequently either.”

Yun Shuyao frowned: “It’s already reached that point?” When she had met with Kangxi and he asked if she had any requests, her answer had been that she wanted to see her daughter more often—this had been openly acknowledged.

Lin Ruhai said in a heavy voice: “Times have changed.”

Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but sigh as well: “I understand.”

During the Kangxi reign, there was the major event of deposing the Crown Prince twice. Now the Crown Prince was still fine, but from the looks of things, the deposition of the Crown Prince probably wasn’t far off.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Yu’s wedding date drew near.

The Lin manor was decorated with lanterns and festive ornaments. Bright red double happiness characters covered the walls. All the manor’s servants had changed into new clothes, their faces beaming with joy.

This was the master’s joyous occasion, and also their joyous occasion.

Especially some of the older servants—they had witnessed the master’s difficulties regarding heirs.

Now things were finally better. Although in this generation there was only one young master, there were three additional young mistresses.

They believed things would get better and better. Only when the masters prospered would they prosper along with them.

Before the actual wedding day, there was another joyous matter.

Yun Shuyao’s father, Yun Qingliang, had received a transfer order some time ago and became the county magistrate of Baili County.

This Baili County was a large county. Most importantly, it was much closer to the capital. With good horses, one could make a round trip within two days.

Yun Shuyao hadn’t seen them in many years—there had only been correspondence by letter. Because she followed Lin Ruhai to his posts and Father was serving as an official elsewhere, given the transportation conditions of this era, there had been no opportunity to meet.

Last time during Luo Yu’s wedding, they had wanted to come, but they were in the south then—thousands of miles away, the journey back and forth would have consumed half a year. Now that they could catch another grandson’s great joy, neither was willing to miss it again.

They had just arrived in the capital yesterday, and today Yun Shuyao brought her son to visit.

After so many years, some of their originally black hair had already turned white. Yun Qingliang and Song Shi were already over fifty years old.

Their clothing was different from before, but the expressions on their faces were similar, instantly reminding Yun Shuyao of the sense of security she had felt from them when she first awakened, having borrowed the original owner’s body to return to life.

“Father, Mother!”

Song Shi wanted to smile, but her lips trembled, her face felt hot, and these disobedient tears just ran out on their own. She responded loudly: “Yes, Yaoyao!” At the same time, she reached out and tightly grasped her daughter’s hand.

Yun Qingliang was ultimately more restrained, but he couldn’t help his eyes reddening either, his gaze never leaving his daughter.

Yaoyao.

Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but smile. This was how they had addressed her before she married.

A long-missed form of address.

After quite a bit of emotional release, the three people’s feelings finally settled somewhat, and they could sit down properly to talk.

Song Shi’s attention had already shifted to her grandson: “So this is Chen Yu—already a grown man.”

“So handsome, taking the best features from both of you.”

Chen Yu smiled. He was familiar with them too. Although they were far apart, they sent gifts every year, and moreover, every year Grandmother would personally make shoes, socks, and clothes for him and his sisters.

“Grandmother, you’ve worked hard on the journey.”

Song Shi’s eyes crinkled with her smile: “Not hard at all. Thinking about being able to see you all, my heart was sweet. Chen Yu’s great day is just the day after tomorrow. Coming today, can you get away?” Song Shi became somewhat worried.

Yun Shuyao: “Everything is already prepared. If we didn’t even have this much time to get away, these past days would have been wasted.”

Yun Qingliang and his wife had requested leave to come to the capital—they couldn’t stay long. After attending the wedding banquet, they would have to return to Baili County.

If they didn’t take this opportunity to talk, where else would there be time to gather and speak together?

Today wasn’t a rest day. Yun Heng and Yun Yan had both gone to their government offices. The sisters-in-law and nephews were all at home.

However, they also knew that after so many years, emotions would run high, and it wouldn’t be good to cry in front of the children. After exchanging pleasantries, they found excuses to take the children away.

Song Shi nodded repeatedly: “That’s good, that’s good.”

She looked left and right, unable to look enough, chattering on about many things. Chen Yu was already very accustomed to this—it was similar to Grandmother’s concern.

After she finished, it was Yun Qingliang’s turn to drink tea with his grandson. While drinking tea, they talked. He had many things he wanted to say to his grandson.

On this side, only mother and daughter remained, huddled together speaking private words.

“Seeing that you’re doing well in the Lin family, Mother can rest easy.”

Seeing her daughter’s appearance, Song Shi felt relieved. When a woman’s days aren’t going well, it shows very clearly on her face.

And her daughter—already in her thirties, at the age to be a grandmother—looking at her figure and condition, saying she was in her early twenties wouldn’t be strange.

Yun Shuyao grasped her wrist to take her pulse. Song Shi allowed her movements: “You really learned it?”

She knew her daughter was studying medicine, but she didn’t know how the results were: “Your father and I have a physician check on us regularly. We’re paying attention to our health maintenance.”

She didn’t want to die yet. If they died, their children would have to observe mourning.

Their family had just risen. If they had to observe mourning, their son would miss three years at court.

“Before this, I truly never imagined we would have the life we have today.”

Song Shi grasped her daughter’s hand, inevitably sighing with emotion.

Now she was an official’s wife. Both sons were presented scholars. The eldest son was in the Ministry of Personnel, the second son was a Hanlin bachelor. The eldest son of the senior branch was also serving as an official in Yangzhou. Compared to before, their family had completely turned things around.

And having today—it was all because of the Lin family, because of their daughter.

If not for the Lin family, the master would very likely have met with trouble in prison. Even if he had luckily preserved his life, he couldn’t have saved that broken leg.

Because of their daughter’s birth characters, their family’s fate had changed. Afterward, their daughter entered the Lin family and gave birth to children. Minister Lin, for the sake of the several children, had given much support to their family.

Sending books, providing guidance—this was how the master smoothly passed the provincial examination. Then it was also through Minister Lin’s recommendation that he could become an official. That their two sons could pass the metropolitan examination was certainly due to their own efforts, but Minister Lin’s guidance was also indispensable.

Song Shi was very grateful to the Lin family. She chattered on, asking many questions about Old Madam Lin and Minister Lin.

Now their family had risen, but she wouldn’t forget her roots. And it wasn’t just the Yun family—her maternal family had also benefited.

Her maternal nephew was also taking the civil examinations. Some had already passed the county examination. With a few more years of effort, they might well pass the provincial examination. Once they passed the provincial examination, even if they couldn’t pass the metropolitan examination, with some maneuvering, becoming an official wasn’t impossible.

Yun Shuyao understood this mentality but didn’t want to say anything. This was also objective fact.

The Lin family’s treatment of the Yun family truly couldn’t be faulted.

Song Shi: “Has the Jia family made things difficult for you? You’re not just reporting good news and hiding bad news from us, are you?” Song Shi’s only worry was this. Everything was good in this capital—just this one thing wasn’t good. This was also where Minister Lin’s original wife’s family was, and that was a Duke’s manor with an extremely high threshold.

If they deliberately made things difficult for her daughter, she would inevitably suffer hardship.

Song Shi would ask this naturally because she didn’t understand the subtle relationship between the Jia family and the Lin family, and that the Jia family only had a name left—though to outsiders, this name was still quite intimidating.

Yun Shuyao laughed: “Mother, if I were being bullied, do you think my brothers wouldn’t tell you?”

Song Shi huffed: “You’ve all grown up. Do you think it’s still like when you were small? You don’t like to tell us anything anymore.”

She planned to have a good talk with her son later.

Then Song Shi asked about Luo Yu: “Receiving such immense imperial grace, Luo Yu had the great fortune to go to a prince’s manor and gave birth to dragon-phoenix twins. Are she and the children doing well now?”

Yun Shuyao: “All well. You’ll be able to see them at the wedding.”

Song Shi felt somewhat emotional. “Because Luo Yu also gave birth to dragon-phoenix twins, with our family having several generations like this, now when Song family daughters discuss marriage, they benefit by association.”

Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but laugh: “These things can’t be predicted.”

Song Shi sighed: “I know. I didn’t give birth to any, and truly giving birth to twins is much more dangerous. If one could choose, having them one at a time would be more secure.”

She also mentioned the Mei family: “They were frightened in the capital. After returning, they became much more law-abiding.”

“The business in Xingtai Prefecture is doing well, and the local officials are also courteous. How is Concubine Mei now?”

Yun Shuyao: “After Ying Yu married out, she rarely goes out.” One could say her temperament had reformed.

…

They talked about many things. When she returned, it was quite late. The old lady said nothing. She was happy to see this happen. The Yun family was accomplished and ambitious. She didn’t mind her grandson maintaining close contact—a tight relationship was better.

That was her grandson’s actual maternal family. Blood ties were the tightest bond, binding them closely together. In the future, they would all be her grandson’s connections.

The Yun family—not just Yun Shuyao, all the others were good as well.

It was just somewhat regrettable. Regrettable that Yun Shuyao’s temperament remained as always. She had created quite a few opportunities for Daiyu and her to spend time together, but both sides maintained proper etiquette—more than courteous, but lacking in closeness. The old lady had no choice but to give up.

The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate wasn’t so easy to cross. She had been too demanding.

She might as well place her hopes on taking better care of herself and living longer.

The next day, the Tang family sent the dowry to the manor.

The Tang family wasn’t distinguished.

The dowry procession was also of medium scale, but much of it consisted of books.

The Tang family’s heritage was long-standing, with abundant books in the family collection and many ancient texts as well.

To those who didn’t recognize quality, it seemed shabby, but in the eyes of the knowledgeable, only eagerness remained.

Especially the books and paintings at the front of the procession—among those who came to view the dowry display, those who knew quality couldn’t wait to open them immediately for thorough appreciation. But the timing wasn’t right, so they could only forcibly restrain themselves.

The day after the dowry display was the wedding day.

The ceremony was complicated but also solemn.

Watching her son, dressed in wedding robes and looking even more distinguished and refined, ride a tall horse amid all the clamor to fetch the bride, Yun Shuyao felt somewhat detached.

Time was passing ever faster.

Throughout this day, Yun Shuyao’s emotions were somewhat disconnected. Watching the people coming and going with congratulations, watching the old lady and others whose spirits were lifted by the joyous occasion, watching Ying Yu and Luo Yu who had returned—it was like sleepwalking, a clear dream.

It wasn’t until the wedding banquet ended and people gradually dispersed, when she quietly listened to the sound of the breeze rustling through the leaves, that she felt the solid sensation of her soul returning to her body.

As the saying goes, establish a household and career—first establish a household, then a career.

This represented that they were no longer children and could take responsibility for their own lives.

Two children had grown up. Realizing this, Yun Shuyao exhaled deeply, her spiritual platform becoming even clearer.

How they lived in the future would basically depend on themselves.

Having thought this through, Yun Shuyao slept very well that night. Lin Ruhai tossed and turned beside her for half the night. Near dawn, he finally managed to fall asleep.

However, when the time came, he woke up on his own, not at all tired, full of energy.

Previously when marrying off daughters, the household population had been decreasing. Now finally they were adding someone to the family.

The new bride was beautiful and shy, but also nervous and anxious about the unfamiliar environment. Even if Yun Shuyao wanted to transfer household management authority, she wouldn’t bring it up at this time. This was precisely when the couple was in their honeymoon period. When husband and wife were of one heart, their strength could cut through metal. She naturally hoped they could have a harmonious marriage.

After Chen Yu finished the spring examinations and Wanxin had become familiar with the Lin family—that would be the time.

After the lively wedding banquet, Chen Yu stopped going out. When asked, he said he needed to focus on preparing for the examination.

The reason was entirely proper and also entirely reasonable.

Lin Ruhai multitasked, on one hand attending to his son’s studies, on the other hand keeping watch on the Prince of Nan’an’s manor.

What he found was somewhat shocking. Finding dirt on these nobles wasn’t troublesome. Those who kept themselves clean weren’t nonexistent, just rare. But those with as much and as serious dirt as the Prince of Nan’an’s manor were also few and far between.

It was just that, relying on being far from the emperor, they acted so unscrupulously, even committing acts like killing innocent people and claiming their kills as military merit.

Lin Ruhai had started with personal motives, but the more he investigated, the more his mindset changed.

That this person still held great power in his post was extremely irresponsible to the local populace. Thus, the matter began with a commoner traveling thousands of miles to the capital to beat the drum and cry out his grievance, lifting the curtain on the army of impeachment memorials.