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The reserved eldest son had finally shown her kindness; rejection might hurt his feelings.
Xu Qingyi thought for a moment, then explained patiently, “Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? You are my greatest support; our future independence will depend on you. A mere Princess Xining is hardly worth your intervention. Just focus on your studies; once you achieve success, you won’t need to be bullied anymore.”
Finally, she subtly stirred up resentment, making Lin even more aware of their current predicament.
Lin had indeed been unhappy when Xu Qingyi had refused him.
He had thought that she clearly preferred his younger brothers, and his rare attempt at initiative had been met with rejection.
Only after hearing her explanation was he surprised. Separation of the family?
Xu Qingyi observed Lin’s reaction and smiled inwardly. From the original story, she knew that this boy already harbored ambitions of passing the imperial examinations and establishing his own household.
The Pingyang Marquis residence was never his destination.
The grand vision she had painted perfectly suited his aspirations.
Sure enough, Lin pursed his lips and tentatively asked, “We’ll separate from the family and take Father with us? Do you think that’s possible?”
It was impossible, he thought; it was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
Even if he passed the imperial examinations in the future, it would be impossible to take Xie Yunzhi away from the Pingyang Marquis residence.
But Xu Qingyi told him matter-of-factly, “Of course, it’s possible. Your father has his own title and the General’s residence; why wouldn’t it be possible?”
Knowing what he was worried about, Xu Qingyi said, “Considering the current trend, the Pingyang Marquis residence will eventually belong to your second uncle. Once your second uncle inherits the title, shouldn’t we move to the General’s residence instead of staying here and being disliked?”
And they wouldn’t even have to wait for Xie Huaian to inherit the title; the Pingyang Marquis family would fall apart.
It seemed reasonable, but Lin was still uneasy, frowning and saying, “Grandmother and Grandfather won’t agree.”
Unless Xie Huaian could stand on his own two feet, they wouldn’t need his father.
“It’s alright. Just focus on your studies; I’ll handle this.” Xu Qingyi, with her gentle appearance and demeanor, spoke with unexpected boldness. “You focus on passing the imperial examinations, and I’ll take care of getting your father.”
She smiled on the surface, adding silently in her heart, if he doesn’t want to come, then whatever.
Lin, having received Xu Qingyi’s promise, knew it might be an empty boast, but he still accepted it and nodded.
“You say Scholar Shen will become the top scorer on the imperial examination? Why?” He abruptly changed the subject, fixing his gaze on Xu Qingyi’s eyes, seemingly very interested in her answer.
“Of course, it’s because he is talented.” To make her words sound more credible, Xu Qingyi put on a serious expression and said, “I’ve read Scholar Shen’s articles; they are truly well-written and show great potential to become the top scorer.”
“You’ve also read my articles. What do you think I can achieve?” Lin asked.
He wanted to gauge whether Xu Qingyi’s praise for Shen Zhijie was based on appearance or an objective evaluation.
Xu Qingyi smiled, “You can also become the top scorer.”
Lin, despite the compliment, wasn’t happy; instead, his face darkened. He knew Xu Qingyi was talking nonsense; the idea that he could become the top scorer was just because she found Scholar Shen attractive.
Suppressing his displeasure, he said unhappily, “You can go now.”
Xu Qingyi: …
What was wrong with the eldest son now? She didn’t think she had said anything wrong.
So being a mother wasn’t easy; children used honorifics when they were happy and dropped them when they weren’t, even going so far as to chase people away.
But adolescence, especially during exam preparation, was a time of mood swings, so it was normal for him to be temperamental.
“Alright, I won’t disturb your studies. Get some rest early, and don’t stay up too late; you don’t want to strain your eyes.”
In those days, there were no eyeglasses; it would be troublesome for a scholar to damage their eyesight.
After speaking a few considerate words, Xu Qingyi left the eldest son’s study.
Perhaps the conversation had been effective; looking at the night sky over Danhuai Courtyard, the frustration in her chest dissipated somewhat.
As she had said, she wasn’t alone; everyone around her was capable; it was just not the right time yet.
Regardless of Xie Yunzhi’s attitude upon waking, while Lin might be awkward, Xu Qingyi was confident that he would become a powerful ally in the future.
She suddenly recalled the saying, “Children are like nuclear weapons; you may not hope to use them, but you can’t be without them.”
Xu Qingyi didn’t entirely agree, but at that moment, she was indeed enjoying the benefits of having support.
The next day, she excused Heng from school, dressed him adorably, and took him out.
First, she was a lubricant, a warning to Princess Xining that they, a widow and her children, were toxic and not to be trifled with.
Second, she was taking him out for some fresh air.
Since starting school, the little guy had been waking up earlier than the rooster and going to sleep… not later than the dog, but he was very diligent.
Xu Qingyi felt sorry for him; ancient children had a much harder time in school than modern children.
Lin’s beautiful calligraphy was the result of tireless practice in both scorching heat and frigid cold, and he studied more than one classic script.
Suddenly, Xu Qingyi realized that she was actually a pretty easygoing mother; at least she didn’t have to help with homework.
The eldest and youngest were both very self-disciplined, and the middle one, who had switched from academics to martial arts, never slacked off.
Her husband was even more obedient; he never said a word.
At the Princess’s Residence, Xu Qingyi, holding Heng’s hand, was led in by a nursemaid.
“Madam, this young master, is he the son of Young Master Xie?” The nursemaid, likely a trusted confidante of Princess Xining, had a pleasant face and spoke with a smile.
Xu Qingyi was puzzled and smiled, “Yes, this is my third son, Heng.”
Generally, a servant’s attitude towards a guest reflects the master’s attitude. Since she was a thorn in Princess Xining’s side, the nursemaid shouldn’t be giving her a good reception.
Was this a case of honeyed words hiding a dagger?
“He’s truly adorable,” the nursemaid praised, and it wasn’t insincere flattery.
Heng had indeed become fairer recently, his little face fuller, and Xu Qingyi had deliberately dressed him up; calling him adorable wasn’t an overstatement.
“Heng is indeed adorable.” Xu Qingyi didn’t engage in false modesty; children should be praised generously.
At the same time, she became even more curious about what the nursemaid, or rather, Princess Xining, was up to.
Heng smiled with pursed lips, walking beside his mother with his head held high, making her proud.
The nursemaid looked at him in surprise; this was the first time she had encountered such unreserved parents.
Then again, she thought, Lady Xu was only the children’s adoptive mother; excessive modesty would be interpreted as suppressing the adopted son.
When they arrived at the reception area, Princess Xining was already waiting.
The room was filled with ice, creating a cool atmosphere unaffected by the scorching sun outside, showcasing extravagance.
The table was laden with fruits and refreshments for guests.
“Greetings to Princess Xining. I apologize for keeping Your Highness waiting.” Xu Qingyi curtsied; since Imperial Concubine Xue wasn’t present, she didn’t need to be overly formal.
“Greetings to Princess Xining.” Heng also performed the courtesy properly, his voice clear and crisp.
Princess Xining, adorned in luxurious finery, even for a simple meeting, exuded an aura that made people hesitant to look directly at her.
“My cousin and I have always been close; no need for formalities. Please sit.” Princess Xining said.
Her tone wasn’t gentle, even somewhat stiff.
However, compared to the resentment of their first encounter, it was much better now.
“Thank you, Princess, for allowing me to sit.” Xu Qingyi said humbly, secretly on guard.
“You don’t need to be so tense; I won’t make things difficult for you.” Princess Xining said coldly, noticing the other woman’s stiffness.
She did harbor resentment—intense resentment—towards this woman who had won Xie Yunzhi’s heart; she had even considered killing her.
But she couldn’t. Reason and upbringing prevented her from behaving so recklessly.
“Yes.” Xu Qingyi smiled gently.
She patted Heng’s slightly tense little hand, reassuring him to relax.
“I’ve summoned you today regarding Zhenyang and the Pingyang Marquis family’s marriage. You must have heard something about it, right? What is the Marquis family’s attitude?” Xining asked directly.
At the same time, she carefully examined Xu Qingyi once more.
This woman had almond-shaped eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, and a soft, delicate face; her beauty wasn’t striking.
Her demeanor was fresh and bright, comfortable and pleasant, like an unassuming orchid in a corner.
If Princess Xining had to accept that any woman possessed Xie Yunzhi, it could only be this gentle and serene Lady Xu.