Chapter 80: Father and Emperor

The emperor’s gift was naturally to be received by Xue Qingyin herself.

So, the Xue family servants rushed to the Xu family to ask for someone.

Xue Qingyin accepted the gift and thanked the emperor.

She thought to herself, the words the emperor used in his decree were getting more and more outrageous. What “blessed with wisdom and virtue,” what “well-educated and well-mannered”?

None of them had anything to do with her.

Xue Qingyin sent away the eunuch who delivered the decree, and then expertly directed the servants: “Load everything onto the carriage.”

“Eldest Miss, this…” Xue Butler’s face changed slightly, and he stammered forward, “Why do you need to take all this to the Xu family?”

“Of course. I’m going to display it in front of my bed, so I can admire it every morning when I wake up.”

Xue Butler choked, and could only stammer, “This, this is an imperial gift. If you accidentally break it, you’ll be punished.”

“Sister.” Xue Qinghe’s voice suddenly came from outside the door.

Xue Qingyin looked over and saw her step inside, looking a little haggard, embarrassed and awkward, “Qiu Xin… has been kicked out of the manor.”

Xue Qingyin responded indifferently, “Oh.”

“I haven’t congratulated you yet, sister.” Xue Qinghe said, but there was no envy in her eyes, instead, there was a hint of worry.

Xue Qinghe couldn’t imagine how uncomfortable it would be to live with someone as terrifying as the King of Xuan.

Xue Qinghe paused and asked, “Are you doing well at the Xu family?” After asking, she regretted it. She was afraid Xue Qingyin would think she was boasting.

Xue Qingyin nodded, “I’m living a very comfortable life.”

Xue Butler’s expression couldn’t hold back, and he couldn’t help but say, “What are you talking about, Eldest Miss? It’s still more comfortable in your own home.”

Xue Qingyin immediately pointed at him, “Look, I’m the master, and you’re arguing with me every time I say something. Such disrespect, how can I be comfortable living in the Xue family?”

Xue Butler was stuck there, and he didn’t dare to speak anymore.

Xue Qingyin took her things and left, without much conversation with Xue Qinghe.

Xue Qinghe watched her leave, and when she came to her senses, she heard Xue Butler ask, “Second Miss, how are things going today?”

Xue Qinghe couldn’t help but take a deep breath, feeling a pressure of being tested.

She whispered, “The business at Lingxiu Pavilion is still not good, and the tea house is not doing well either. Plus…” Xue Qinghe forced herself to say, “The managers don’t want to obey me.”

Xue Butler was helpless, so he had to teach her, “You should show the authority of the mistress, you need to establish your dominance.”

Xue Qinghe was even more embarrassed, “I’ve tried.”

This time, Xue Butler didn’t know what to say, he could only sigh softly, “Then Second Miss is too kind…”

As they were talking, Xue Chengdong came back.

Xue Butler left Xue Qinghe and quickly went to talk to the master.

“Xue Qingyin is back?” Xue Chengdong frowned.

“Yes, she’s back, and she’s gone again. She took the things the emperor bestowed upon her.” Xue Butler didn’t forget to add the latter part.

Xue Chengdong’s face turned cold, “What does she think this place is? A transit station?”

Xue Butler thought it was very likely, but he didn’t dare to say it.

He even imagined in his mind every time in the future, the eldest miss would come to get something and then leave… then, wouldn’t the Xue family become the laughingstock of the entire capital?

Even… even thinking deeper, the master and the eldest miss were not on good terms as father and daughter, but the emperor still bestowed gifts on the eldest miss, and even praised her as “well-educated and well-mannered,” how could there be such a thing in the world? For other families’ daughters, their marriage would be ruined!

Didn’t this mean… that the emperor was already dissatisfied with the master?

Xue Butler didn’t dare to think further, he could only hesitate and say, “Didn’t the Eldest Miss always fear the old master?”

Hearing this, Xue Qinghe couldn’t help but feel a chill run down her spine.

And Xue Chengdong didn’t speak anymore, no one knew what he was thinking.

Xue Qingyin returned to the Xu family and first displayed the gifts, allowing the Xu family to admire them carefully.

He Songning couldn’t help but twitch his lips, feeling that she was really too flamboyant.

“You haven’t entered the manor yet, aren’t you afraid that the people above will see your behavior and change their mind?”

Xue Qingyin shook her head, “Aiya, what are you talking about, brother? Why did the imperial decree take so long to be issued? It’s because the emperor’s word is his bond. If he changes his mind, what kind of order would that be? Even if I tell them now that I can’t have children and I have some extravagant habits, it’s too late for them to regret it.”

He Songning: “…”

Xue Qingyin looked at the Xu family and said, “Besides, it’s better to let them see it clearly, instead of pretending to be indifferent, ‘Oh, it’s just some imperial gifts, what’s the big deal?’ It’s better to let them see it carefully, look at it, and develop a sense of awe, knowing that I’m someone they can’t offend. Wouldn’t my life at the Xu family be even more prosperous from then on?”

He Songning was speechless, but he couldn’t refute her.

For a moment, a thought flashed through his mind – if Xue Qinghe had half her arrogance, she would probably live a happier life.

But then he thought again, he liked Xue Qinghe’s innocence.

When everyone had finished admiring the gifts.

Xue Qingyin waved her hand and ordered people to put them away and carry them into the Xinyi Pavilion.

The Xu family came to their senses and when they spoke to Xue Qingyin again, their tone became more cautious.

He Songning had nothing to say.

She really achieved her goal.

Now it was Xue Qingyin’s turn to ask He Songning, “Why isn’t brother leaving yet?”

He Songning asked her, “Where do you want me to go?”

Xue Qingyin was puzzled.

Are you going through a rebellious phase?

But she still pretended to be concerned, “Aiya, I’m just worried about brother failing the spring examination.”

She felt that He Songning could be even more rebellious, so she looked up at him, extremely eager, “Brother must become the top scholar! That way, I’ll be able to walk sideways in the future, and no one will be able to compare to me! Brother also needs to become an official! The higher the official, the better! Brother, aim for the position of prime minister!”

He Songning almost laughed at her.

“Second Master.” The servant’s voice was weak, “Someone from the Xue family has come.”

Now Xu Qi was the head of the Xu family.

Xu Qi was puzzled, “Didn’t they just come back? Why are they here again?” His face brightened, “Oh, did they bring more gifts?”

The servant, however, looked dejected, “Where are the gifts? It’s the people from the Xue family, the family of the young master.”

Xu Qi’s face changed, the feeling of suffocation that had once enveloped him returned in an instant.

The Xue family’s background wasn’t much in the emperor’s eyes, but it was a lot to the Xu family.

The Xu family had also thought about currying favor with the young master’s family in the past, hoping to rise with the tide.

However, everyone in the Xue family was not easy to deal with, and in front of them, the Xu family felt their hearts pounding, their legs trembling, and they couldn’t speak.

Gradually, the Xu family didn’t dare to interact with them much anymore.

Xu Qi thought, this is probably the kind of aura that only officials have.

So he was still thinking about buying an official position for the Xu family…

Xu Qi sighed, his face was even more dejected than the servant’s, “Let’s go, we have to go out to greet them.”

The servant said, “They just came to see the young miss.”

Mrs. Xu came over, sneered, “Just see Qingyin? They’re just trying to take advantage of a young girl.”

The servant said again, “I haven’t finished yet, the carriage from that day has come again.”

Xu Qi asked, “Which day?”

“…Of course, it’s also to see Qingyin.” Mrs. Xu was a little smarter than her brother this time.

Xu Qi suddenly realized, and then he was in a dilemma, “Then, who should Qingyin go to see first?”

Mrs. Xu rarely smiled, “This is interesting.”

“What’s interesting?”

Mrs. Xu said, “Have you ever seen the Xue family suffer a loss?”

Xu Qi shook his head.

Mrs. Xu: “You’ll see it today.”

The group of people then walked towards the gate.

Xue Qingyin was in front, and the others were behind, keeping a distance.

“The Eldest Miss has come out.” The servant beside the Xue family’s carriage was talking to the people inside.

Du Hongxue was also talking to the King of Xuan, “She’s here.”

But after saying that, they quickly realized that Xue Qingyin was standing at the door, not moving.

“What’s going on? Where is she?” The older woman in the carriage frowned.

She was Xue Qingyin’s aunt, married to the Marquis of Dongxing. Naturally, she had some status in the Xue family.

Even though she was married, the Xue family girls were mostly disciplined by her. For the Xue family, a daughter-in-law was an outsider after all.

Du Hongxue saw this and quickly walked to Xue Qingyin, bowing, “What’s wrong, Miss?”

Du Hongxue muttered to herself, could it be that the prince was insensitive and the miss was upset?

Xue Qingyin pointed at the Xue family’s carriage.

She didn’t say anything.

But Du Hongxue looked enlightened and immediately said, “Go and drive them away.”

With someone standing here, the miss would naturally be embarrassed to meet the prince in private.

Du Hongxue didn’t ask who they were, because there was no need to ask.

Besides the emperor, no one could make the King of Xuan feel apprehensive.

Du Hongxue waved her hand and called over a few people.

They were dressed in civilian clothes, but they had a strong military aura.

“Go, drive those people away from the carriage.”

The few people took orders and walked straight over.

The servant over there couldn’t help but raise his voice, “They’re here, but it’s not the Eldest Miss. It’s… it’s a few strong men.”

“What?” Xue Aunt immediately lifted the curtain of the carriage.

The few people soon arrived in front of them and said in a deep voice, “The noble person is traveling, please move away to two streets away.”

Xue Aunt sneered, “I am the wife of the Marquis of Dongxing, how dare you be so rude?”

But the other party didn’t change their expression, they didn’t even speak to her, they directly kicked the coachman down, grabbed the reins, and turned the carriage around and left.

“Crazy, crazy!” Xue Aunt was so angry that she grabbed the door and shouted, “You Xu family, how dare you!”

The military men were mostly rough, they whipped the horse’s butt with their whips.

The horse’s hooves kicked up, and the carriage swayed along with it.

Xue Aunt sat down hard in the carriage.

The Xu family members were peeping from behind the door, they couldn’t help but laugh.

Xue Qingyin then slowly moved her steps and came to the King of Xuan’s carriage.

She said, “Your Highness kept your promise.”

The King of Xuan’s voice also sounded, “Did you get the gift?”

Xue Qingyin was surprised, “Your Highness is so insightful. But why is the emperor so happy all of a sudden?”

“Father, he is both father and emperor.” The King of Xuan said lightly.

Xue Qingyin was a little surprised, could she hear this? She didn’t expect the King of Xuan to explain it to her seriously.

“When the son is too strong, he is the emperor.” The King of Xuan stopped there.

Xue Qingyin thought to herself, so when the King of Xuan showed weakness, the emperor turned back into a father. Naturally, he would have more sympathy for her, a kind of love for the sake of his son.

The King of Xuan turned and said, “The Ministry of Rites has already matched our horoscopes. Your horoscope is not good.”

Xue Qingyin thought to herself, that’s pretty accurate, the original owner’s ending was so tragic, how could her horoscope be good?

But… “Won’t the emperor be angry because of this?”

Only to hear the King of Xuan continue, “Your fate is not good, … mine is the same.”

As if comforting her.