Many things happened in the Jia family.

This year wasn’t just Yuanchun’s selection—it was also the day Jia Zhu married the daughter of the Imperial Academy Chancellor.

Jia Lian was also betrothed.

His betrothed was Wang Xifeng, Second Aunt Wang’s niece.

If Jia Yuanchun could successfully go to the Crown Prince’s Yuqing Palace this time after entering the palace, that would be three joyous occasions at once.

Unfortunately, they had greased palms and given large sums of money, yet the result was like this.

Before long, the old lady also learned of this matter. For a moment, she didn’t know what to feel, because the other party’s unexpected turn of events had ultimately helped the Jia family.

The one who eventually ascended wasn’t the Crown Prince. If Jia Yuanchun had truly gone to the Crown Prince’s place, that would have been drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing.

Who could have thought that the one who eventually ascended would be the Fourth Prince?

Now the Crown Prince and the Emperor shared a deep father-son bond. Next down was the First Prince’s faction.

The Fourth Prince was currently following behind the Crown Prince.

Moreover, he was always impartial and upright. Not many people supported him or believed he could become emperor. When he actually sat on the throne in the end, it shocked everyone.

However, thinking carefully, the old lady didn’t find it strange that the Fourth Prince could ascend to the throne.

In terms of ability, none of the current emperor’s princes were lacking, but in terms of birth, apart from the Crown Prince who had the highest status, it was him.

The Fourth Prince’s birth mother was Consort De, one of the Four Consorts. His adoptive mother was Lady Tong Jia, who was later posthumously elevated to Empress. He occupied half the character for “legitimate.”

Thinking of Yuanchun’s final fate in the dream world, the old lady couldn’t help but sigh.

She might not be unable to see through it, yet she had no other choice.

The Jia family wasn’t something she alone could lift up.

Moreover, if she remembered correctly, Jia Zhu—this generation’s only male heir with hopes of leading the Jia family upward—was not long-lived.

He was still very young, having just married not long ago, when he passed away, not even having time to see his unborn son, making Jia Lan a posthumous child.

When Yun Shuyao heard this news, her thoughts weren’t so complicated.

Jia Yuanchun—she knew about her.

The elder sister of male protagonist Jia Baoyu. For a family visit, they built a Grand View Garden. Her rank was Imperial Consort. Beyond that, she wasn’t clear on the details.

She put more of her mind on calculating the days.

According to what Chen Yu’s previous letters home said, he would arrive soon.

The old lady was equally eagerly anticipating. When her grandson returned, she couldn’t wait for him to come in—she waited for him at the main gate herself.

As soon as Chen Yu dismounted, he saw his grandmother.

He knelt down: “This unfilial grandson pays respects to Grandmother!”

Before he could kneel completely, the old lady pulled him up: “Quickly get up, let Grandmother look at you. Chen Yu, you’ve gotten thinner.”

She looked at her grandson who had become thinner and taller with both heartache and pride. He was increasingly showing his father’s bearing.

Chen Yu smiled: “Grandmother, I’ve grown taller.”

Not having seen him for over half a year, the old lady pulled him into her embrace and only released him after showing much affection, then dragged him to eat: “I’ve had people prepare your favorite foods long ago. After eating, go back and sleep well. You’re home now—don’t worry about anything.”

From now on, she couldn’t let her grandson go so far away. She couldn’t bear it. After this old bag of bones was gone, then let him travel.

Lin Ruhai had been beside them the whole time, yet was completely ignored by the old lady.

Lin Ruhai wasn’t angry either. He smiled watching this scene from the side. He appeared more composed because he had already seen Chen Yu first.

Men’s emotions were always relatively more restrained.

Even though he was also happy to see his son, his face remained controlled.

“Have you neglected your studies these days? Your father will test you.”

Then he was scolded by the old lady: “Bah! Chen Yu just returned and you want to test him. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

Lin Ruhai smiled bitterly. He didn’t say he wanted to test him right now.

Chen Yu smiled and smoothed things over: “Grandmother, I’m not afraid. Let Father test me as he wishes.”

This answer made both the old lady and Lin Ruhai laugh.

Their descendants were diligent, plus the child himself had talent—what more could they ask for?

Entering the old lady’s room, the others gathered around.

Originally everyone was waiting here.

But the old lady couldn’t hold back and abandoned everyone to wait at the gate.

Yun Shuyao, Concubine Mei, and Concubine Chu were all there.

This was their family’s long-awaited reunion dinner.

After Chen Yu entered, Yun Shuyao’s eyes looked over.

After this trip out, he had grown taller, gotten thinner, become stronger, and also gotten a bit darker.

Looking over, Luo Yu couldn’t help but be curious.

All along she had been a bit taller. Now it seemed that would reverse.

Moreover, not having seen him for a while, suddenly seeing such a young man, even Concubine Mei couldn’t help but sigh anew.

After he grew for another two years, who knows how many young ladies’ heartstrings he would pluck.

Her gaze couldn’t help but look toward Ying Yu.

In a few more years, Ying Yu would also marry and become another’s wife.

She couldn’t help but look at her own lower abdomen.

Could she still bear children?

Thinking of the concubine who obtained medicinal pills and still had no good news, Concubine Mei felt melancholy.

Concubine Chu looked at Chen Yu and was dazed for a moment before withdrawing her gaze.

If her son were still alive… Unfortunately, her son no longer had this chance.

Half-grown boys eat their fathers poor.

Seeing Chen Yu’s eating speed, the old lady worried her preparations weren’t enough. Chen Yu was at the age of growing and could eat a lot. The old lady kept ordering people to prepare more. Chen Yu quickly stopped her: “Grandmother, there’s no need.”

Really, it was enough. He hadn’t been deprived during this trip out either. It was just that now eating the food from home, he was a bit faster.

His appetite wasn’t that terrifying yet. He couldn’t finish all the dishes on this table.

He repeatedly stopped her before the old lady said no more.

After eating, the old lady urged Chen Yu to go back and rest.

Yun Shuyao and Luo Yu escorted him over. He didn’t say it wasn’t necessary either.

After Lin Ruhai ate, he went to his study. Before going: “After you wake tomorrow, come to my study.”

Returning to Chen Yu’s courtyard, the three sat down at the table in the yard.

After the others paid their respects, they also walked away, letting them speak properly.

As the child grew older, he increasingly kept his distance from Yun Shuyao. He wouldn’t be like his sister who would hold Concubine Mother’s hand whenever she wanted, get close whenever she wanted—the two sleeping together wasn’t rare.

Men and women were different.

Previously when Yun Shuyao took the initiative to be affectionate with him, he would still dodge with a red face. Now that he had returned and Yun Shuyao held his hand, Chen Yu said nothing and didn’t move.

Although he hadn’t suffered much outside and often wrote letters home, having been away for so long, he also missed Concubine Mother and his sister and the others very much.

He missed home.

Now sitting beside Concubine Mother, looking at his sister, surrounded by familiar scents, Chen Yu was in a very good mood.

After sitting for a while, Chen Yu took out a box from his sleeve: “Concubine Mother, I’m returning this to you.”

This trip out, Concubine Mother said for traveling, the poor family should be rich on the road, and stuffed him with many banknotes.

He hadn’t used a single one.

Yun Shuyao casually took it: “What are your thoughts from this time?”

Chen Yu pondered for a while and sighed: “Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles. Some things you cannot see in books—you must go see them yourself.”

He wanted to travel for study again in two years.

To go to more distant places, walk farther roads.

Yun Shuyao’s gaze was somewhat complicated.

After coming to ancient times, she truly didn’t want to travel far.

The reason?

Nothing more than traveling far in this era was too troublesome.

There were no smooth highways here, no convenience stores, medical clinics, or repair shops everywhere, and no convenient means of transportation.

Those with some family wealth, for long-distance travel, used nothing more than horse carriages or boats.

Horse carriages meant enduring the bumpy roads and passing through desolate mountains and wilderness with no human habitation.

Modify the carriage?

Easier said than done. Yun Shuyao could only shake her head. How to make carriages more comfortable?

She knew rubber wheels could absorb shocks, but did they have rubber at this time?

She didn’t even know which plants rubber could be extracted from—it was truly her knowledge blind spot.

On the journey, one would also randomly unlock bandits and robbers, unscrupulous innkeepers, and other challenges.

If things went badly and you fell ill with no physician nearby, that was when your vitality was tested.

Following Lin Ruhai’s reassignments, they first went from Xingtai Prefecture to Guangzhou, then from Guangzhou to Anlin Prefecture.

They had traveled twice in total, giving Yun Shuyao deep impressions.

Lin Ruhai was a high official, so he didn’t need to worry about bandits or physicians. Yet being blocked along the way due to various unexpected incidents wasn’t uncommon.

Just thinking about it made her feel tired.

No wonder ancient times had so many “homebodies”—without special circumstances, they didn’t travel far from home. It was simply too troublesome.

Now seeing Chen Yu so enthusiastic, Yun Shuyao could only smile and shake her head.

Having this spirit was a good thing.

Going out more to see and experience things, being more grounded—it was good for him.

It was just inevitable that she would worry about him then, like this time.

“In the future, put more effort into martial arts. Don’t end up unable to even beat your sister.”

Chen Yu: “…”

Luo Yu: “…”

Chen Yu couldn’t help but smile bitterly: “Concubine Mother, when have I ever beaten Elder Sister?”

Elder Sister was like Concubine Mother—naturally had a large appetite and great strength. When had he ever beaten Elder Sister since childhood?

It was just that their family weren’t military generals, so they sealed their mouths and didn’t let people talk about Elder Sister’s great strength.

Yun Shuyao: “That’s why you need to practice more and beat your sister. Then when you go out, Concubine Mother won’t worry about you so much.”

Chen Yu looked at Luo Yu.

Luo Yu looked back innocently.

Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but laugh: “Alright, go wash up and sleep well. We’ll chat another day.”

After sleeping and waking, having people distribute the gifts he brought to everyone, he went to the study.

These gifts weren’t any precious objects, just something novel.

Going to the study, he told his father in detail about his journey over the past half year, the bits and pieces he experienced, and some situations he encountered along the way that left deep impressions.

Lin Ruhai first tested his son extensively and was satisfied to confirm that the past half year’s time hadn’t been wasted—his studies had advanced considerably.

It seemed the tutor had been dedicated and hadn’t let him slack off.

Hearing his son speak of things along the return journey, his son saw much—he saw eight-person families who rose with the sun and rested at sunset diligently making a living, the survival methods of idlers, actors pulling honeypot scams… Lin Ruhai listened and nodded inwardly.

He had grown up.

“The journey was hard.”

Chen Yu shook his head somewhat ashamedly: “Father, I wasn’t hard-pressed. Father is the one who works hard.”

He had made a distant trip, but everything along the way was arranged by others. They also weren’t rushing, and could rest and recuperate when encountering things.

But when Father was busy, not returning home for half a month or a month consecutively wasn’t unheard of, and he surely couldn’t travel as leisurely as he did.

Here the two shared deep father-son feelings.

Over there, Yun Shuyao received a letter.

This letter was written by her younger brother.

This spring, both Yun Heng and Yun Yan participated in the metropolitan examinations. Yun Heng passed in the second class and was now a Hanlin bachelor, successfully staying in the capital.

Yun Yan didn’t pass—he failed.

He adjusted in the capital for a while, threw off his disappointed emotions, and helped his brother gain a foothold in the capital. Then he traveled with companions, going south all the way, studying while traveling, then circling back.

In the route he planned, there was Anlin Prefecture.

Calculating from the date he wrote the letter and the time from the capital to here, it wouldn’t be long before he arrived.

She told the twins this news.

Although they couldn’t call him uncle in public, the blood relationship was real, and they had been in regular correspondence. The sister and brother weren’t strangers to the Yun family.

Now being able to see their younger uncle, the sister and brother both became happy.

After Lin Ruhai learned of this, he even had people pay attention.

Before long, Yun Yan arrived—a graceful and distinguished handsome young man.

He was twenty-four this year. Yun Shuyao hadn’t seen him for many years.

Seeing him, Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but feel somewhat emotional. Time changed so quickly. That young boy who wasn’t as tall as her had already become a reliable adult man.

But Yun Yan wasn’t thinking this way. He looked at his elder sister.

Elder Sister’s face and figure weren’t much different from her previous appearance. If it weren’t for the two children being so tall already, he would have thought in a trance it was the past.

How had time stopped on Elder Sister?

He softened his tone and called: “Elder Sister.”

Yun Shuyao responded, then had the sister and brother call him: “There are no outsiders here. Just call him Second Uncle.”

According to propriety, their uncles were only the First Master and Second Master of the Jia family, but what they called in private, others wouldn’t know.

They weren’t young anymore now. If they still didn’t know what words could be said and what couldn’t, they needed to reflect on what the children had learned all these years.

Seeing Second Uncle who bore three parts resemblance to Concubine Mother, Luo Yu and Chen Yu’s sense of closeness doubled.

“Second Uncle.”

“Second Uncle.”

“Good. Luo Yu, Chen Yu, both good children. This is a small token from Uncle for you to play with.”

After some back and forth, Yun Shuyao asked: “How is your brother now? Is he doing well in the capital?”

Yun Yan: “All is well. Elder Brother has already settled down in the capital.”

Speaking of this, he was still somewhat embarrassed: “Thanks to Lord Lin, otherwise we couldn’t have bought that house.” Some houses, others simply didn’t know about, let alone the channels to buy them. He couldn’t help but sigh: “Living in the capital is truly difficult.”

Buying a small house in a location that wasn’t even very good had emptied their family’s savings from these years.

Yun Shuyao smiled slightly: “It’s good that you’ve settled down. And Father and Mother?”

Yun Yan: “They’re also well. Elder Sister, how are things on your end? Luo Yu, Chen Yu, you two…”

Coming from the capital, Yun Yan shared quite a bit. Moreover, because of Yun Shuyao’s connection, when in the capital he also paid attention to the Jia family’s affairs and knew some situations.

“The Jia family’s servants can’t keep their mouths shut.”

“The Jia family’s Jia Zhu is ill. The situation isn’t good.”

Yun Yan spoke with regret: “Before I left the capital, rumors were flying everywhere. They say at such a young age he’s already exhausted his heart and blood.”

“Many families in the capital who force their children to study don’t dare push too hard anymore.”

Hearing this, Yun Shuyao couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. If Jia Zhu really passed away, the Jia family… would probably suffer a major blow.