Chu Changsheng leaned on Chu Hongyu’s shoulder.

She thought of when she was little—she couldn’t speak, and in her solitary world there was only her brother.

Every day, her brother would talk with her, tell her stories, and work hard to lead her out from her own world.

She was so grateful to have a twin brother. They could feel each other’s pain and joy. Though they were separate individuals, they possessed double portions of emotion.

“Brother, no matter what happens in the future, let’s never change.”

Chu Changsheng extended her pinky finger.

Chu Hongyu brought one hand to the front and hooked her finger. “Next lifetime, we’ll be siblings again.”

“I’m jealous, hmph!” Chu Hongjue, who was behind them holding up the wedding dress train, said loudly with displeasure. “You two are too much, always whispering secrets and excluding me. Next lifetime I won’t be the younger brother anymore—I want to be the older brother!”

Chu Changsheng turned around and extended her finger toward him. “Alright then, next lifetime I’ll have two older brothers!”

Chu Hongjue, completely satisfied, made a pinky promise with Chu Changsheng.

Yun Chu shook her head with a smile.

She and Chu Yi together escorted Chu Changsheng to the entrance of Taihe Hall.

The Murong family’s grand bridal sedan was already waiting there. Chu Hongyu and Chu Hongjue together helped Chu Changsheng into the sedan.

The moment the sedan curtain dropped, Chu Changsheng’s nose suddenly stung with emotion.

Although her new home was right next to the palace, after marrying out, things would inevitably be different from before. She couldn’t help wanting to cry.

She saw that Father, Mother, Brothers were all smiling. She let her tears fall freely. Before her parents, she didn’t need to disguise her emotions.

The sedan slowly moved away.

Yun Chu’s eyes reddened.

The precious daughter once cradled in the palm of their hands was now getting married—an indescribable melancholy.

“Mother, it’s my turn now.” Chu Hongyu grinned broadly. “I request Father Emperor and Mother Empress to preside over my empress enthronement ceremony!”

Chu Yi reached out and straightened his son’s bright red clothing. “Starting from today, you officially become an adult. Father hopes you will complete every task with the courage of the brave, the wisdom of the wise, and the actions of the doer. Family, nation, and the realm are all responsibilities on your shoulders. Father believes that the Great Jin of the future will be even more prosperous and magnificent than today.”

Chu Hongyu straightened his back. “Yes, Father Emperor!”

“Does one have to get married to become an adult?” Chu Hongjue asked. “If I never marry in my whole life, can I remain a child forever?”

“Give me a break!” Chu Hongyu twitched his lips. “I’ve heard you’re on good terms with many young ladies in the capital, and many have given you sachets.”

The next moment, Chu Yi’s cold gaze swept over.

Chu Hongjue shrank his neck. “Big Brother, don’t ruin my reputation. I’m still just a child…”

Chu Yi grabbed this boy’s ear and said coldly, “If you dare behave so recklessly again, I’ll directly strip your title of Prince Yan.”

“I was wrong, Father Emperor!” Chu Hongjue hastily struggled free from the clutches. “The empress enthronement ceremony is about to begin. We can’t miss the auspicious time. Let’s go, go, hurry!”

At the entrance to Taihe Hall, He Jingru, wearing the bright red empress palace robes, guided by Ministry of Rites officials and nannies, walked step by step toward Chu Hongyu.

When the auspicious time arrived, the Emperor and Empress completed the ceremony. Great Jin welcomed its mother of the nation.

On this day, the imperial family had great joy. The Ministry of Finance issued a decree—Great Jin farmers would be exempt from taxes this year. Countless common people cheered.

“Our young emperor has such a benevolent heart. Even on his wedding day, he didn’t forget us hardworking farmers.”

“Looks like we won’t have to tighten our belts this year. This is truly wonderful. Thank you, Your Majesty and Empress. This is truly our blessing.”

“Old Woman Xie, now you don’t need to worry. You won’t go hungry this year.”

The old woman called Old Woman Xie, with a head of white hair and hunched back, labored in the fields. She wiped away sweat and looked toward the direction of the palace.

If Yun Chu were here, she would certainly recognize this as Madam Xie, Yuan Shi.

Successive blows, combined with the pressures of life, had bent her back bit by bit, turning her into the most common type of old village woman.

“Oh, Old Woman Xie, your eldest grandson is causing trouble again.” A kind neighbor came to the field to inform her about matters at home.

Yuan Shi shouldered the hoe and hurried home with quick steps.

Now she lived together with two grandsons—Xie Shiwei and Xie Shikang, the eldest grandson and the youngest grandson. No one here knew that her real eldest grandson was called Xie Shi’an, nor did they know she had another grandson called Xie Shiyun, much less that she had two granddaughters, one called Xie Ping and one called Xie Xian.

Once, she had accidentally told people she had eaten at the same table as the current Grand Empress Dowager, and was mocked for a long time, with people saying she had hysteria.

Initially, under Chu’er’s protection, she had brought two grandsons back to the Xie family’s old residence in Jizhou and obtained all the Xie family farmland.

Because Chu’er protected them both openly and covertly, the Xie clan members simply didn’t dare harbor crooked thoughts.

But she never imagined that Weiger would become addicted to gambling and squander all the family farmland—everything was gone.

She became the laughingstock of the entire Xie clan.

Finally, she had no choice but to sell the house, move with Weiger to another residence, lock Weiger at home, and forbid him from gambling again.

Even when Weiger reached marriageable age, she didn’t dare arrange marriage prospects for him. She feared harming some other family’s good daughter.

Yuan Shi rushed home. Xie Shikang was at the door. “Grandmother, Second Brother has—has bashed his own head until it’s bleeding.”

Yuan Shi hurried to the sealed room. All four sides were nailed with wooden planks. Xie Shiwei inside was like a wild beast, crashing about, roaring, “Let me out! I want to get out!”

“Weiger, be good. Our family can’t withstand any more turmoil.” Yuan Shi kept wiping tears. “Grandmother will cook noodles for you. Eat something first, then we’ll talk slowly.”

She went to the kitchen to cook noodles, poured in a packet of medicinal powder, and after cooking, passed it through a small window.

Xie Shiwei was starving. He picked up the bowl and ate voraciously. Just after finishing, he collapsed unconscious.

Only then did Yuan Shi open the wooden door, carefully clean up the filth inside, cover Xie Shiwei with a blanket, then walked out and locked the door again.

She looked at Xie Shikang standing beside her and said softly, “Kangger, you see what your brother has become? You must never learn from him. His whole life can only be spent in this sunless room. You’re different. Our family has five mu of land. As long as the harvest is good, we can save some money. Save for a few more years, and we can gather enough betrothal gifts for you.”

Xie Shikang asked innocently, “What are betrothal gifts?”

“The capital for marrying a wife.” Yuan Shi stroked his head. “Come, Grandmother will teach you to farm.”

It didn’t matter if Kangger was slow—as long as he was obedient and could farm, he could always survive.

The past sufferings had passed.

People must look forward.

The two went to the fields. Golden wheat ears swayed in the gentle country breeze.

Countless farmers labored on the field ridges.

Waves of wheat were blown by the wind into the distance.

There was spring wind and summer rain.

There was autumn frost and winter snow.

What a bountiful harvest year, what a prosperous and flourishing age.

—The End—

Final Words:

Yun Chu’s story has ended. Thank you to those who accompanied Yun Chu from beginning to end. Thank you to all my friends who allowed this author to persevere in telling the story to completion. Regarding Chu Yi, there are actually many stories about him, but after much thought, this is a story of a woman’s phoenix-like rebirth and renewal, so I simplified everything and focused the later parts on writing about the children’s growth.

A thousand readers have a thousand Hamlets. Though the story has many imperfect places, it is already the greatest presentation of this author’s abilities. I’m very happy to have walked through these eight months of rainy and snowy seasons together with everyone. For the next book’s story, this author is still pondering. I hope in the new journey we can meet again.